Coventry City

Former Sky Blues captain Terry Yorath died at the age of 75 on Thursday morning.

Yorath played for Leeds United, Coventry City from 1976 to 1979 and Tottenham Hotspur, skippered Wales in 42 of his 59 international appearances and later managed the national team in addition to taking charge of Swansea City, Bradford City, Cardiff City and Sheffield Wednesday.

A statement from the Sky Blues, external said: "Everyone at Coventry City is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of former Sky Blues midfielder Terry Yorath at the age of 75.

"Our thoughts are with Terry's family and friends at this sad time. Rest in peace, Terry."

BBC CWR's Rob Gurney looks back at his life here.

"The question now is how quick can they get out of it and get back to winning ways?

"There is no doubt about it, the longer it goes on the question marks start slipping in - are players going 'are we going to get caught?' where for so long it seemed like it was Coventry's and Coventry's only."

The 72+ team dissect league leaders Coventry City's blip after a third successive winless game in the Championship and what they need to do to get to the other side unscathed.

Listen to the full episode of the 72+ podcast and more on BBC Sounds.

"That's what we need. That there can be some rotation and you're not massively dropping your quality to be able to make those changes.

"Not naming names but maybe you're not going to look at them and think that's a team aiming for the Premier League."

BBC Radio CWR's Lorna Bailey and Will Oelrich are joined by Coventry City fans Sam and Lee as they discuss the latest from the transfer rumour mill and look ahead to how the Sky Blues will approach their FA Cup tie against Stoke.

Listen to the full episode of the Sky Blues fancast and more Coventry City content on BBC Sounds.

Crystal Palace 20-year-old England Under-21 forward Romain Esse is set to spend the remainder of the season on loan at Championship leaders Coventry City.(Sky Sports), external

Meanwhile, Sky Blues striker Norman Bassette's loan spell with Stade Reims will end with the 21-year-old Belgium Under-21 forward set to spend the rest of the season with an option to purchase at Bundesliga side FC Kaiserslautern.(Sky Sports Germany), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Tuesday's gossip column here.

Coventry City midfielder Josh Eccles insists the Championship leaders' patchy run of form has not dented the belief in their bid for promotion to the Premier League.

Sunday's 3-2 away defeat to Birmingham was a third reverse in eight games for the Sky Blues since the start of December.

Yet despite picking up just two narrow wins and nine points in that sequence, Coventry have a six-point lead over second-placed Middlesbrough and an eight-point buffer in the automatic promotion spots.

"We know the talent we've got in the squad, we've got the belief," Eccles told BBC CWR.

"Obviously these little losses set you back, but we've given ourselves such a head start with the start we've had this season.

"It doesn't allow you [to accept defeats], but these sorts of games, you just bounce back the next game, so we've got to rest and recover and focus on the next one.

"We've got the personality, it just needs to come out."

Eccles also paid further tribute to Jamie Allen, who missed the trip to St Andrew's because of a close family bereavement, having held up the midfielder's shirt after scoring the first equaliser.

"As soon as we heard we wanted to do something if we scored," Eccles added.

"We managed to sort the shirts out before the game to show our support. He knows we're always there for him.

"He means a lot to us. We all know what Jamie gives to us in the team."

Coventry travel to Stoke in the FA Cup third round on Saturday (15:00 GMT) before resuming their Championship season with the visit of Leicester City on 17 January.

Sunderland are prepared to let Luke O'Nien, 31, depart this month with Birmingham, Coventry and West Bromwich Albion interested in the English defender. (Chronicle), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Monday's gossip column here.

Image source, Stutterstock

Coventry boss Frank Lampard felt his Championship leaders only had themselves to blame for their 3-2 loss at Birmingham.

Lampard felt the game was there for Coventry to win, but instead they lost because they conceded three poor goals.

He told BBC Radio CWR: "The game, we should deal with. I always credit opposition and when Ipswich came to our place, they were at it, we were off it and they won the game. But this was on us because the game was there for us. The run of results they've had, I think you could see that it was there for us to take control.

"We had a lot of the ball, but we had a lack of urgency in how we moved it, so we have to take that one. The goals we conceded were poor goals."

Bobby Thomas faces a three-match ban for being dismissed in stoppage time for lashing out at Birmingham's Phil Neumann and Lampard said: "I haven't seen it, but if he's done something and gets a red card, then we miss him for three games. And if he did do something, he shouldn't have done it."

Coventry City boss Frank Lampard is among those interested in bringing in Crystal Palace winger Romain Esse, 20, on loan but is not the only Championship manager with his eye on the England Under-21 international. (Telegraph), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Friday's gossip column here.

Coventry boss Frank Lampard says his side are not converting chances at the same rate they were earlier in the Championship season after the 1-1 draw at Charlton.

He told BBC CWR: "Hard, tough and expected against a team who are in the image of their manager - a lot of passion, fight and direct.

"We get our early goal which was great and a lovely goal but it was hard to take control of the game on this pitch.

"We had the better chances and it was a mistake that led to their goal and without that we probably win the game.

"They had some moments of pressure but we are disappointed to take a point because that is where we are at.

"Sometimes you have to sit back and go 'ok, we are in a busy period where we are really stretched and trying to keep everyone fresh so we take our point'.

"We are not as clinical as we were earlier in the season but that was always going to come. I don't think any team in this league goes win, win, win and carries on like that."

Image source, Opta

Relegation-battling Charlton Athletic welcome Championship leaders Coventry City for a vital clash at both ends of the table on New Year's Day (15:00 GMT kick-off).

The Addicks suffered an agonising late defeat at Portsmouth last time out for their seventh loss in nine games (W1 D1) to leave them just five points clear of the drop zone.

The Sky Blues are eight points clear of Middlesbrough in second and 10 ahead of Ipswich in third, who subjected them to their first league home defeat of the season on Monday night.

But Frank Lampard's side will be keen to get back on track after just two wins from their past six games (D2 L2) - both of which were by a 1-0 scoreline at the CBS Arena, having failed to win any of their previous three away matches (D2 L1).

• Charlton Athletic have won only two of their past 11 home league games against Coventry City (D6 L3), last hosting the Sky Blues in October 2018 in League One and losing 2-1.

• Coventry City have won each of their past three league meetings with Charlton Athletic, already their longest ever winning streak against the Addicks in the EFL.

• Charlton have lost five of their previous six home league games played on New Year's Day (W1), with the exception coming when beating Walsall 2-1 in League One in 2019.

• Coventry are unbeaten in their first game of the calendar year in each of the past 12 years (W9 D3), with only Manchester City (W13) on a longer such run in England's top four tiers.

• Coventry have won five of their past six away league matches in London (D1), winning both under Frank Lampard (1-0 and 4-0, both against Millwall in 2024-25 and 2025-26).

Coventry City boss Frank Lampard spoke to BBC CWR after his side's 2-0 home defeat by Ipswich.

"It's disappointing but sometimes you just have to say we weren't quite at our usual best and the opposition are a really strong team and we lost the game," he said.

"I think we can pat ourselves on the back as a whole group because of where we've managed to get to - if you'd asked people at the start of the season where'd you want to be at new year and then see where we are, you'd go 'wow'.

"The important thing now is the reaction behind the scenes, it's our job to analyse it pretty quickly because the next game comes in a few days and I'll be asking a lot of the players to go again.

"We had 20 minutes in the second half when we looked a bit more like ourselves but otherwise they played well so I'm not going to cry about a deflection (which put Ipswich in front), sometimes that happens."

Image source, Getty Images

Luke Woolfenden hopes his patience will pay off with an extended run in the Coventry side after finally breaking into the starting line-up.

The defender, who arrived from Ipswich at the start of September, has had to wait for his opportunity with the Championship leaders but will start his third successive game against his former club on Monday [18:00 GMT].

"The timing of it has probably not helped me a bit," the 28-year-old told BBC CWR.

"Coming on deadline day, with the boys already flying, there's no reason to change the team. I knew that coming here. So it's just about being patient and biding my time.

"It has been difficult coming off the bench, getting minutes here and there and not really knowing when you are going to start. But I've really enjoyed being here, so it hasn't been an issue for me.

"The boys are winning [so] they're not going to change the team. Now that I'm in the team, we'll see what happens."

Woolfenden's first home start came in the Boxing-Day victory over Swansea, which gave him a proper taste of the CBS Arena atmosphere.

"It's different playing to being on the bench." he said.

"It gives you goosebumps at the start when they sing that song. My little girl has been singing it over Christmas.

"I was giving her a bath the other day and she came out with 'We'll Live And Die in These Towns'

"The fans are unbelievable and they do get right behind you."

Image source, PA Media

BBC CWR's documentary 'The CBS Story: In Our Coventry Home', featuring exclusive interviews with owner Doug King and Joe Elliott, had a big response over the Christmas period.

Here are a selection of views from listeners:

Darren Curley: A fantastic piece and a must listen. Thank you

Mike Seaton: Brilliant piece, thanks to all involved. Brought back lots of memories, even if lots weren't neccesarily good ones! We've all lived through it, easy to forget just how much! Thank you all for bringing it to life 🩵

Richard Iggulden: Excellent! A really good listen.

Mick: Just listened👏👏👏 somebody peeling onions x

Mark Smith: Excellent documentary by @BBCCWRSport @thelornashow @TheSimonGilbert on the fall and rise of my beloved @Coventry_City over the years. I hope 2026 will be a celebration year to get us back to the promise land #PUSB

James Tallis: It's quite a trip through 30 years of mismanagement in the new documentary from @thelornashow. The stadium saga that rattled on from my childhood to parenthood finally ended this year. Boy what a journey it's been… 😅

NiiLampty: Thought the documentary about the CBS was really well put together. Worth seeking out if you didn't catch it.

Kevin Unitt: This was superb by @thelornashow. The stadium was biggest signing, bigger than promotion, bigger than anything #PUSB.

As the Championship-leading Sky Blues close out 2025 at their CBS Arena home against fellow promotion chasers Ipswich Town on Monday [18:00 GMT], you can listen to the documentary by clicking the arrow on the link below.

Coventry City boss Frank Lampard was pleased with the Sky Blues' defensive strength as his side edged past Swansea City 1-0 on Boxing Day.

Goals have dried up for City in December. They have found the net four times in their past five games after hitting a half-century of Championship goals in their first 18 matches.

"Over the course of the season, there are so many games you play. We had a hot patch earlier in the season where everything you hit goes in," he said.

"Today we had a couple of chances first half that didn't go in, Ephron (Mason-Clark) gets a great goal.

"We have chances in the second half to make it feel more secure and it doesn't quite drop for us, so try to keep clean sheets, try to do other parts of our game.

"We weren't as good today off the ball as we normally are.

"First half was more passive, less urgent, and that had to be said at half-time because they (Swansea) can play and we gave them the feeling that they can play, look up and find passes through us.

"We addressed that. They are a good team, they gave us a tough game and I am really pleased with the result."