League History
The Sky Blues league history has been long, but remarkably stable and consistent, with fewer promotions and relegations than most other sides in the Football League.
First elected to the Football League in 1919, our history is characterised by several decades at a low level, followed by promotions to the third tier in 1959, the second tier in 1964, and to the top flight for the first time in 1967, followed by a single unbroken 34-year run at the highest level, before most unfortunate relegation in 2001.
Every single one of the other 91 clubs in the League has won a Championship or promotion more recently than us, and the only time we qualified for Europe was by virtue of our league position in 1970!
The tables below show our full league records for each season, along with the round at which we were eliminated from the FA Cup and League Cup.
| Season | League Results | FAC | LC | Manager(s) | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Pld | Home | Away | Overall | Pts | GD | ||||||||||||||||
| W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | ||||||||
| 2008-2009 | 17th | 46 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 26 | 26 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 21 | 32 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 47 | 58 | 54 | -11 | QF | R2 | Chris Coleman |
| 2007-2008 | 21st | 46 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 25 | 26 | 6 | 3 | 14 | 27 | 38 | 14 | 11 | 21 | 52 | 64 | 53 | -12 | R5 | R4 | Iain Dowie / Chris Coleman |
| 2006-2007 | 17th | 46 | 11 | 4 | 8 | 30 | 25 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 17 | 37 | 16 | 8 | 22 | 47 | 62 | 56 | -15 | R3 | R1 | Micky Adams / Iain Dowie |
| 2005-2006 | 8th | 46 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 39 | 22 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 23 | 43 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 62 | 65 | 63 | -3 | R4 | R2 | Micky Adams |
| 2004-2005 | 19th | 46 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 32 | 28 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 29 | 45 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 61 | 73 | 52 | -12 | R4 | R3 | Peter Reid / Micky Adams |
| 2003-2004 | 12th | 46 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 34 | 22 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 33 | 32 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 67 | 54 | 65 | +13 | R4 | R2 | McAllister/Black/Reid |
| 2002-2003 | 20th | 46 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 23 | 31 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 23 | 31 | 12 | 14 | 20 | 46 | 62 | 50 | -16 | R4 | R3 | Gary McAllister |
| 2001-2002 | 11th | 46 | 12 | 4 | 7 | 33 | 19 | 8 | 2 | 13 | 26 | 34 | 20 | 6 | 20 | 59 | 53 | 66 | +6 | R3 | R3 | Gordon Strachan / Roland Nilsson |
| 2000-2001 PR | 19th | 38 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 14 | 23 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 22 | 40 | 34 | -27 | R4 | R4 | Gordon Strachan | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-2000 PR | 14th | 38 | 12 | 1 | 6 | 38 | 22 | 0 | 7 | 12 | 9 | 32 | 44 | -7 | R5 | R2 | Gordon Strachan | |||||
| 1998-1999 PR | 15th | 38 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 26 | 21 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 13 | 30 | 42 | -12 | R5 | R3 | Gordon Strachan | |||||
| 1997-1998 PR | 11th | 38 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 26 | 17 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 20 | 27 | 52 | +2 | QF | R4 | Gordon Strachan | |||||
| 1996-1997 PR | 17th | 38 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 19 | 23 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 19 | 31 | 41 | -16 | R5 | R3 | Ron Atkinson / Gordon Strachan | |||||
| 1995-1996 PR | 16th | 38 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 21 | 23 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 21 | 37 | 38 | -18 | R4 | R4 | Ron Atkinson | |||||
| 1994-1995 PR | 16th | 42 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 23 | 25 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 21 | 37 | 50 | -18 | R4 | R3 | Phil Neal / Ron Atkinson | |||||
| 1993-1994 PR | 11th | 42 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 23 | 17 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 20 | 28 | 56 | -2 | R3 | R3 | Bobby Gould / Phil Neal | |||||
| 1992-1993 PR | 15th | 42 | 7 | 4 | 10 | 29 | 28 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 23 | 29 | 52 | -5 | R3 | R2 | Bobby Gould |
| 1991-1992 D1 | 19th | 42 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 18 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 44 | -9 | R3 | R4 | Terry Butcher / Don Howe | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990-1991 D1 | 16th | 38 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 30 | 16 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 12 | 33 | 44 | -7 | R4 | QF | John Sillett / Terry Butcher | |||||
| 1989-1990 D1 | 12th | 38 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 24 | 25 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 15 | 34 | 49 | -20 | R3 | SF | John Sillett | |||||
| 1988-1989 D1 | 7th | 38 | 9 | 4 | 6 | 28 | 23 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 19 | 19 | 55 | +5 | R3 | R3 | John Sillett | |||||
| 1987-1988 D1 | 10th | 40 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 23 | 25 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 23 | 28 | 53 | -7 | R4 | R3 | John Sillett | |||||
| 1986-1987 D1 | 10th | 42 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 35 | 17 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 15 | 28 | 63 | +5 | Winners | R4 | Jon Sillett & George Curtis / John Sillett | |||||
| 1985-1986 D1 | 17th | 42 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 31 | 35 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 17 | 36 | 43 | -23 | R3 | R3 | Don McKay / Jon Sillett & George Curtis | |||||
| 1984-1985 D1 | 18th | 42 | 11 | 3 | 7 | 29 | 22 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 18 | 42 | 50 | -17 | R4 | R2 | Bobby Gould / Don McKay | |||||
| 1983-1984 D1 | 19th | 42 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 33 | 33 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 24 | 44 | 50 | -20 | R4 | R3 | Bobby Gould | |||||
| 1982-1983 D1 | 19th | 42 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 29 | 17 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 19 | 42 | 48 | -11 | R4 | R3 | Dave Sexton | |||||
| 1981-1982 D1 | 14th | 42 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 31 | 24 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 25 | 38 | 50 | -6 | QF | R2 | Dave Sexton | |||||
| 1980-1981 D1 | 16th | 42 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 31 | 30 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 38 | 36 | -20 | R5 | SF | Gordon Milne | |||||
| 1979-1980 D1 | 15th | 42 | 12 | 2 | 7 | 34 | 24 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 22 | 42 | 39 | -10 | R4 | R3 | Gordon Milne | |||||
| 1978-1979 D1 | 10th | 42 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 41 | 29 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 17 | 39 | 44 | -10 | R3 | R2 | Gordon Milne | |||||
| 1977-1978 D1 | 7th | 42 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 48 | 23 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 27 | 39 | 48 | +13 | R3 | R4 | Gordon Milne | |||||
| 1976-1977 D1 | 19th | 42 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 34 | 26 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 14 | 33 | 35 | -11 | R4 | R4 | Gordon Milne | |||||
| 1975-1976 D1 | 14th | 42 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 22 | 22 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 25 | 35 | 40 | 0.825 | R4 | R3 | Gordon Milne | |||||
| 1974-1975 D1 | 14th | 42 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 31 | 27 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 20 | 35 | 39 | 0.823 | R4 | R2 | Gordon Milne | |||||
| 1973-1974 D1 | td>16th42 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 25 | 18 | 4 | 5 | 12 | 18 | 36 | 38 | 0.796 | R5 | QF | Gordon Milne | <||||||
| 1972-1973 D1 | 19th | 42 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 27 | 24 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 31 | 35 | 0.727 | QF | R3 | Joe Mercer & Gordon Milne | |||||
| 1971-1972 D1 | 18th | 42 | 7 | 10 | 4 | 27 | 23 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 17 | 31 | 44 | 0.657 | R4 | R2 | Noel Cantwell / Bob Dennison | |||||
| 1970-1971 D1 | 10th | 42 | 12 | 4 | 5 | 24 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 13 | 26 | 42 | 0.974 | R3 | R5 | Noel Cantwell | |||||
| 1969-1970 D1 | 6th | 42 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 35 | 28 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 23 | 20 | 49 | 1.208 | R3 | R2 | Noel Cantwell | |||||
| 1968-1969 D1 | 20th | 42 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 32 | 22 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 14 | 42 | 31 | 0.719 | R4 | R4 | Noel Cantwell | |||||
| 1967-1968 D1 | 20th | 42 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 32 | 32 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 19 | 39 | 33 | 0.718 | R4 | R2 | Jimmy Hill & Noel Cantwell / Noel Cantwell |
| 1966-1967 D2 | 1st | 42 | 17 | 3 | 1 | 46 | 16 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 28 | 27 | 59 | 1.721 | R3 | R3 | Jimmy Hill | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965-1966 D2 | 3rd | 42 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 54 | 31 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 19 | 22 | 53 | 1.377 | Jimmy Hill | |||||||
| 1964-1965 D2 | 10th | 42 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 41 | 29 | 7 | 4 | 10 | 31 | 41 | 43 | 1.029 | Jimmy Hill | |||||||
| 1963-1964 D3 | 1st | 46 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 62 | 32 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 36 | 29 | 60 | 1.607 | Jimmy Hill | |||||||
| 1962-1963 D3 | 4th | 46 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 54 | 28 | 4 | 11 | 8 | 29 | 41 | 53 | 1.203 | Jimmy Hill | |||||||
| 1961-1962 D3 | 14th | 46 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 38 | 26 | 5 | 5 | 13 | 26 | 45 | 43 | 0.901 | Jimmy Hill | |||||||
| 1960-1961 D3 | 15th | 46 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 54 | 25 | 2 | 6 | 15 | 26 | 58 | 44 | 0.964 | Jimmy Hill | |||||||
| 1959-1960 D3 | 5th | 46 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 44 | 22 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 34 | 41 | 52 | 1.238 | Billy Frith | |||||||
| 1958-1959 D4 | 2nd | 46 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 50 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 34 | 36 | 60 | 1.787 | Billy Frith | |||||||
1957/58 3S 19th 46 10 9 4 41 24 3 4 16 20 57 39 0.753 Billy Frith 1956/57 3S 16th 46 12 5 6 52 36 4 7 12 22 48 44 0.881 Harry Warren 1955/56 3S 8th 46 16 4 3 54 20 4 5 14 19 40 49 1.217 Jesse Carver 1954/55 3S 9th 46 15 5 3 50 26 3 6 14 17 33 47 1.136 Charlie Elliott(c) 1953/54 3S 14th 46 14 5 4 36 15 4 4 15 25 41 45 1.089 Jack Fairbrother 1952/53 3S 6th 46 15 5 3 52 22 4 7 12 25 40 50 1.242 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
1951/52 D2 21th 42 9 5 7 36 33 5 1 15 23 49 34 0.720 1950/51 D2 7th 42 15 3 3 51 25 4 4 13 24 34 45 1.271 1949/50 D2 12th 42 8 6 7 32 24 5 7 9 23 31 39 1.000 1948/49 D2 16th 42 12 3 6 35 20 3 4 14 20 44 37 0.859 Harry Storer 1947/48 D2 10th 42 10 5 6 33 16 4 8 9 26 36 41 1.135 Billy Frith 1946/47 D2 8th 42 12 8 1 40 17 4 5 12 26 42 45 1.119 Dick Bayliss (from 1945) 1938/39 D2 4th 42 13 4 4 35 13 8 4 9 27 32 50 1.378 1937/38 D2 4th 42 12 5 4 31 15 8 7 6 35 30 52 1.467 1936/37 D2 8th 42 11 5 5 35 19 6 6 9 31 35 45 1.222 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
1935/36 3S 1th 42 19 1 1 75 12 5 8 8 27 33 57 2.267 1934/35 3S 3th 42 14 5 2 56 14 7 4 10 30 36 51 1.720 1933/34 3S 2th 42 16 3 2 70 22 5 9 7 30 32 54 1.852 1932/33 3S 6th 42 16 1 4 75 24 3 5 13 31 53 44 1.377 1931/32 3S 12th 42 17 2 2 74 28 1 6 14 34 69 44 1.113 Harry Storer 1930/31 3S 14th 42 11 4 6 55 28 5 5 11 20 37 41 1.154 1929/30 3S 6th 42 14 3 4 54 25 5 6 10 34 48 47 1.205 1928/29 3S 11th 42 9 6 6 35 23 5 8 8 27 34 42 1.088 James McIntyre 1927/28 3S 20th 42 5 8 8 40 36 6 1 14 27 60 31 0.698 1926/27 3S 15th 42 11 4 6 44 33 4 3 14 27 53 37 0.826 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
1925/26 3N 16th 42 13 6 2 47 19 3 0 18 26 63 38 0.890 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
1924/25 D2 22th 42 10 6 5 32 26 1 3 17 13 58 31 0.536 James Kerr 1923/24 D2 19th 42 9 6 6 34 23 2 7 12 18 45 35 0.765 1922/23 D2 18th 42 12 2 7 35 21 3 5 13 11 42 37 0.730 1921/22 D2 20th 42 8 5 8 31 21 4 5 12 20 39 34 0.850 1920/21 D2 21th 42 8 6 7 24 25 4 5 12 15 45 35 0.557 Albert Evans 1919/20 D2 20th 42 7 7 7 20 26 2 4 15 15 47 29 0.479 Harry Pollitt | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Non-League Coventry Managers
- 1917-1919 - William Clayton
- 1913-1915 - Frank Scott-Walford
- 1911-1913 - Robert Wallace
- 1909-1911 - Harry R Buckle
Key Milestones
- For the 2004-2005 season, the Football League Division One was renamed the Football League Championship.
- For the 1992-1993 season, the League was restructured, with the old First Division effectively becoming the Premiership
- For the 1981-1982 season, three points for a win was introduced
- For the 1976-1977 season, goal-difference replaced goal-average as the means of seperating teams level on points
- For the 1958-1959 season, the League was restructured with the old Division Three (North) and Division Three (South) redesignated as Division Three and Division Four (all teams finishing in the bottom half of their respective North/South divisions, including Coventry City) were placed in the new Fourth Division
- For the 1920-1921 season, the League was expanded from two divisions to four, adding Division Three (North) and Division Three (South). When Coventry were first relegated from Division Two in 1925, they played for a season in Division Three (North), then were switched by the FA to Division Three (South) for the following season and thereafer.
- The 1919-1920 season, following World War I, saw Coventry City elected to the Football League, playing in the bottom division, Division Two.
- The 1908-1909 season saw Coventry City elected to the Southern League.
- The 1894-1895 season was Coventry City's first as a league team, playing in the Birmingham & District League