Coventry City began in 1883 as Singers FC, formed by workers at the Singer bicycle company, and adopted its present name in 1898. The club moved to Highfield Road the following year and entered the Football League in 1919. Early decades brought modest progress, interrupted by relegation and the financial pressures common to provincial clubs, but the goals of Clarrie Bourton illuminated the 1930s and eventually made him City's record scorer. Coventry's modern identity was forged after Jimmy Hill arrived as manager in 1961. He changed the home colours to sky blue, encouraged an ambitious, outward-looking culture and oversaw a rapid rise. Third Division champions in 1963-64 and Second Division champions in 1966-67, the Sky Blues reached the top flight for the first time.
That promotion began an unbroken 34-season residence among England's elite. Coventry rarely challenged for the league title, but developed a reputation for resourcefulness, attacking players and dramatic escapes from relegation. The club reached the European Fairs Cup in 1970-71 and produced admired sides at different points, including the late-1970s team featuring Ian Wallace, Mick Ferguson and Tommy Hutchison. Its defining triumph came in 1987. Managed by John Sillett and George Curtis, and inspired by a committed team including Steve Ogrizovic, Brian Kilcline, Cyrille Regis and Keith Houchen, Coventry beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 after extra time in the FA Cup final. Houchen's diving header became one of Wembley's enduring images, while the victory remains the club's only major trophy.
City was a founder member of the Premier League in 1992 and continued to survive against wealthier opposition, with players such as Dion Dublin and Gary McAllister leading memorable teams. Relegation in 2001 ended the 34-year top-flight run and opened a long, painful period. Highfield Road closed in 2005, but the move to the new arena did not deliver stability. Financial and ownership disputes separated the club from its home, forcing it to play at Northampton Town in 2013-14 and later at Birmingham City's ground. On the pitch, Coventry fell into League One in 2012 and League Two in 2017, the lowest level in its Football League history. Yet that same year the Sky Blues won the EFL Trophy at Wembley, giving a vast travelling support a rare day of celebration.
The recovery was led by manager Mark Robins. Coventry won the 2018 League Two play-off final and, two years later, took the League One title in a season curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Back in the Championship, careful recruitment and a clear team identity produced steady improvement. City came within one penalty shoot-out of the Premier League in the 2023 play-off final, then reached the 2024 FA Cup semi-final, losing another shoot-out after an extraordinary comeback against Manchester United. Off the field, Doug King took control of the club in 2023, and Coventry City purchased the Coventry Building Society Arena in 2025, finally bringing club and stadium under common ownership.
The next breakthrough arrived in 2025-26 under Frank Lampard. Coventry won the Championship and secured a return to the Premier League after a 25-year absence. That achievement completed a journey from top-flight permanence to homelessness and the fourth tier, then back again. The Sky Blues' character is rooted in that full arc: the innovation of Jimmy Hill, the shared memory of the 1987 cup winners, the loyalty shown during exile, and the resilience of a club that rebuilt itself without losing its bond with the city.