Coventry City fans are riding a crest of a play-off wave after Saturday’s brilliant 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough in front of a record breaking crowd at the CBS Arena.

Superb goals from Jack Rudoni at the end of each half secured a fifth place finish for the Sky Blues to set-up a mouth-watering two-legged semi-final clash with Sunderland, kicking off at home on Friday night before a return trip to the Stadium of Light a week on Tuesday.

There’s plenty of excitement as the anticipation and build-up begins ahead of what promises to be a monumental double header with the Black Cats.

Here’s a round-up of what’s been going on in and around the club at such an exciting period of the season…

Doug King’s message to Mark Robins and top six deck quip

Doug King wished Mark Robins and his Stoke City side “well” ahead of Saturday’s make or break final day of the season at both ends of the Championship table.

Writing his first programme notes since taking over Coventry City, the Sky Blues owner also showed his sense of humour by making reference to his “Top Six Deck” – the term he came out with when explaining his decision to sack the club’s celebrated former manager back in November during a bombshell press conference at the CBS Arena.

Addressing fans ahead of the 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough, the executive chairman said: “Whilst this season had some turbulence before Christmas with the departure of our long term manager Mark Robins (whose Stoke side we wish well today in their relegation fight) the response from all of you in supporting our new head coach Frank Lampard so resoundingly and in increasing numbers every game has been incredible.”

Stoke, of course, managed to stay up by playing out a nervy goalless draw against John Eustace’s fellow relegation battlers Derby County.

King went on to praise the level of support at the CBS where the club set a new record attendance of 31,451, continuing: “Four times our Arena has welcomed over thirty thousand fans to a game. Staggering!

“In 2024 we lost nine out of 17 home Championship games. In 2025, with your passion and unwavering support, that home form has been turned totally on its head, making the Coventry Building Society Arena a nightmare place to visit for any opposition.

“We know our “Top Six Deck” of players will give everything this afternoon on this monumental occasion. The players will not doubt for a single second that you are not doing the same. These games are where we want to be.

“Our ability to succeed in such cauldrons is what top-level sport is all about. We have to navigate this and navigate more challenges thereafter. Our journey was never going to be easy but as best you can and whatever the outcome, enjoy every minute of today.”

Tats provides Pato with greatest ever dressing room moment

Jake Bidwell provided an insight into Coventry City ’s pre-match preparations last week when he revealed how the players relax at Ryton to both take the pressure off and forge an even stronger team spirit.

As well as playing dressing room cricket and organising quizzes, the Sky Blues are pretty hot on their darts and regularly play in the confines of the changing area.

A few players have hit the magical 180 but when Tatsuhiro Sakamoto achieved the feathered feat in three throws, the Japanese winger brought the house down.

“I think he hit two in (the board) and then he got nervous so he’s stepped back and then I think he took about two minutes to throw his last one and it went in and the place just erupted,” explained Bidders, reliving the moment.

“I think Pato’s (Jamie Paterson) the oldest one in the dressing now and he said it was one of the best things he’s ever seen in football, so that tells you all you need to know.

“So for someone of Pato’s experience to say it is one of the best things he’s ever seen in a dressing room, I think that paints the picture of how good it was.”

Congratulations Rudi and Bobby

Jack Rudoni has won what is surely the first of a clean sweep of the player of the year awards this season, voted the outstanding Sky Blues man this term by Coventry City London Supporters Club (CCLSC).

Bobby Thomas, meanwhile, was awarded the Eric Whiting Young Player of the Season Award for the second year running.

Ian Davidson, spokesperson for CCLSC said: “This is the 47th consecutive year that the London Supporters Club player of the season award has been made. It is in our opinion, a truly unique award, as it captures votes from members for every match throughout the season.

“Members are entitled to vote for their top three players in each match they attend or watch live on TV or iFollow. To overcome the difference in the number of votes received for a game shown on Sky TV against an away midweek game in the North of England, the top five players in each match are awarded 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point respectively.

“Jack received votes in 31 different matches throughout the season, was voted man of the match in 10 and second in a further seven.

“Jack is not in bad company, joining the likes of Tommy Hutchison (1978 and 1979), Cyrille Regis (1987), David Speedie (1988 and 1989), Steve Ogrizovic (1995 and 1997), Gary McSheffrey (2005 and 2007), Gary McAllister (2000) and Viktor Gyokores (2022) among others and more recent midfield favourites, Carl Baker (2013), Jim O’Brien (2015), Gael Bigirimana (2017), Michael Doyle (2018), Liam Kelly (2019), Callum O’Hare (2021), and Gus Hamer (2023) in winning the CCLSC Player of the Season Award.

“The winner of the Eric Whiting Young Player of the Season 2024/25 was Bobby Thomas. Bobby also won the Award last season, with Callum Doyle being the first winner in 2022/23.”

Vintage Godders battles for Championship return

Congratulations to former Sky Blues striker Matty Godden who this weekend hit a career equalling best of 21 goals in all competitions for the season to help secure a fourth place finish for Charlton Athletic who will now compete in the League One play-offs in an attempt to return to the Championship.

The 33-year-old’s best return for Coventry was a brilliant 15 to help City win the League One title in the pandemic curtailed 2019/20 campaign, while his previous best return was 21 for Stevenage in League Two eight long years ago.

Godden’s latest goals – a brace to help the Addicks to a 3-1 win over Burton – took his league tally to 18, making him the third highest scorer in the division behind Birmingham’s Jay Stansfield (19) and Leyton Orient’s Charlie Kelman (21).

What’s impressed me recently

Ben Wilson’s return to the starting line-up in such a big match. The Sky Blues goalkeeper has had to be patient to get his chance but was finally thrown back in for what was the biggest game of the season to date on Saturday.

He admitted he was a “nervous wreck” beforehand, having not played for seven months, but he rose to the occasion to put in a near faultless display, racing out of his box to clear and pulling off two superb saves on the day – all of which goes a long way to restoring confidence at the back after a difficult few weeks.

Missed moment from the weekend

Former City defender Michael Rose has been released by former Sky Blues boss Mark Robins for a second time. The centre-half played 22 times for the Potters this season, having arrived at Stoke in July 2023 on a free transfer after being let go by Coventry.

On Robins arrival at Stoke, Rose said: “We didn’t really see eye to eye towards the back end of my time at Coventry, and that’s probably why I moved on, but it wasn’t anything personal, it was just football matters. We’ve spoken about it since, but the respect has always been there.”

Player with a point to prove

Brandon Thomas-Asante looked like a different player when he entered the field with 20 minutes to go against Boro, immediately adding speed, excitement and a fresh attacking intent at a time when the Sky Blues required some much-needed respite from the visitors’ pressure to get back into the game.

Apart from a little spell in January when he scored three goals in a brief partnership with Ellis Simms, the former West Brom striker has struggled to hit top form in his first season at the CBS Arena. But he looked revitalised and dangerous with an eye-catching cameo at the weekend when he went on a brilliant break-away run in which he got the better of a Boro defender before racing away to set up Rudoni for his second and the goal that secured the win.

Next up

Sunderland (h) Friday, May 9 (8pm).