Coventry City secured automatic promotion to the Premier League with a 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers. Bobby Thomas headed home an 84th-minute equaliser after Ryoya Morishita had put the hosts ahead. Manager Frank Lampard hailed the 'special' achievement.
Coventry City returned to the Premier League for the first time since 2001 after grinding out a 1-1 draw at Ewood Park. The visitors knew a point would confirm their place in the top flight but fell behind to Ryoya Morishita's goal. Bobby Thomas then rose to power in a free-kick in the 84th minute, igniting celebrations among more than 7,000 travelling supporters as the final whistle confirmed promotion with three games to spare. Frank Lampard praised his team's grit after the match. 'Incredible moment,' he said. 'We weren’t at our fluid best but the quality of the ball in and the power of the header… We had to see it out and we didn’t know whether to attack. This is what it’s about. Coming here and getting a point at this stage isn’t easy.' Coventry were founder members of the Premier League in 1992-93 and spent nine seasons there before relegation in 2000-01. The club sank to League Two in 2017 but rebuilt steadily, losing the 2023 play-off final to Luton before this season's automatic rise without parachute payments. Lampard, returning to top-flight management after spells at Chelsea and Everton, lauded predecessor Mark Robins. 'This is a serious, serious football club,' he said. 'Mark Robins had done an incredible job. To go and get promotion automatically as a non-parachute team with three games to go… These boys have managed to achieve something special and unique.'
