Coventry City appear to be the clear favourites to win the EFL Championship this season, with their prior ownership issues now resolved.
Coventry City has had an excellent first half of the season.
The Sky Blues, now coached by former Chelsea and England head coach Frank Lampard following the dismissal of current Stoke City manager Mark Robins, have had an extraordinary journey over the last decade.
When Robins took over the club for the second time in March 2017, it was owned by the hedge fund Sisu Capital Limited, and the club had been plagued by legal disputes for years, while their stadium was owned by Premiership rugby club London Wasps, with the Sky Blues merely a tenant.
Fast forward eight years, and the new owner, Doug King, has since purchased full ownership of the club, which was verified in January 2023, as well as the Coventry Building Society Arena in late August 2025, bringing an end to an over-25-year drama.
With the team flying high in the second division and the reality of Premier League football looming, fans have little to complain about, especially given their situation less than a decade ago.
Coventry City owner Doug King ranked as an 8/10 despite worries about transfer policy and Frank Lampard’s warning.
Chris, a Coventry fan pundit for Football League World, has given his thoughts on the club’s present ownership and rated it on a scale of 1 to 10.
Chris stated, “I guess I’m aiming for an 8 here.
“If you had asked me a couple of months ago, I would have given you a ten when Doug King brought the Coventry Building Society Arena, making it the first time we’d owned our home ground in 20-ish, 20+ years.
“If you had asked me when he stacked Mark Robins, I would have answered maybe a 5, but now that decision has turned out to be a 10.
“He has done a lot of really excellent, awful, and confused things. But I’m increasingly concerned about his transfer philosophy and what our January window will look like.
“During the summer, Frank Lampard was quite straightforward and transparent about what he wanted. He informed the media that we needed a new winger.
“What happened was that we sent our only backup winger out on loan to Wigan.” We are then on the approach of signing Patrick Bamford as a free agent transfer. Lampard wants him, he talks to him, they reach an agreement, and then it’s widely reported and documented that the King prevented the trade from taking place.
“Bamford has performed well for Sheffield United thus far, scoring a league goal. I’m just worried about what that means for January, since we clearly need to strengthen.
“We’ve had a great season, but we have very, very poor depth, both in terms of squad depth and talent. We don’t have much upper-body coverage right now because Haji and Thomas Asante are injured.
“So it’s just Ellis Simms, who has been terrific, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t think he’s capable of playing as our number one striker for an entire season.
“I’m worried that Lampard is going to set out what he wants and what he needs for the squad, and Doug King, if he doesn’t like it, is going to keep blocking it, which could then quite easily push Frank Lampard out the door.”
Despite recent success, Doug King’s ownership remains a source of concern for Coventry City fans.
Despite Coventry’s success on the pitch, there are still issues off the pitch, particularly about transfer business.
King’s decision to block the club’s bid for former Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford, despite Lampard’s obvious support, drew anger from the fan base, who believed Bamford would have been a viable backup option in the event of an injury.
As it occurred, both Haji Wright and Brandon Thomas-Asante sustained injuries, leaving Ellis Simms as the club’s sole natural striker.
The decision to fire long-time head coach Mark Robins in the late stages of 2024 was divisive, to say the least, but Lampard’s selection has proven to be a masterstroke.
If and when Coventry are promoted to the Premier League, how much of their transfer business will be controlled by Lampard remains to be seen; if King interferes too much with his operations, the former midfielder may decide to leave.
As it is, the Sky Blues couldn’t be in better hands, with full ownership who is invested in the club, owns the stadium, and is monitoring their success in the Championship.
xz
