Coventry City

Image source, EFL

A new initiative highlighting the work of football club charities has been launched by the English Football League (EFL).

'Scan to Smile' will be rolled out in stadiums across the EFL from Friday until the end of January, with supporters invited to scan QR codes on posters displayed around grounds.

Each scan will unlock a short, uplifting story from a person whose life has been positively impacted by the support of their local club charity.

The subjects tackled include mental health support, combating loneliness, improving physical wellbeing, employability and confidence.

The EFL said it hoped the initiative would use "the reach and influence of football to offer fans a moment of positivity on matchday".

Trevor Birch, chief executive at the EFL, said: "Behind every club are people whose lives have been positively changed through the work and dedication of their local EFL club charity.

"This initiative gives supporters the chance to see that impact first-hand and reminds us that football truly is a force for good."

Coventry City assistant head coach Joe Edwards has confirmed that defender Bobby Thomas has been nursing a calf problem and will need to be assessed before the game against Norwich City on Monday (20:00 GMT).

The 24-year-old has missed the past three games for Coventry after picking up a straight red card in added time during their 3-2 loss to Birmingham in January.

However, Edwards has suggested Thomas may not have been available over his suspension regardless.

"Bobby actually had a calf issue as well as the suspension so he probably didn't really miss any games because he would have definitely missed a couple of those with the issue," Edwards told BBC Radio CWR.

"He's back with the group but we will have assess it over the next few days to see if he's available for the game."

Right-back Kaine Kesler-Hayden is also back training after missing the past three games with an ankle injury and could make his return against the Canaries.

Find more interviews from Coventry City on BBC Sounds.

Both Norwich and Coventry City will try to create bigger gaps on the Championship table when they meet at Carrow Road on Monday (20:00 GMT).

For the Canaries, the aim will be to continue their winning run and get further away from the relegation zone. The side have won both their past two league matches to see themselves two points above 22nd placed Blackburn Rovers.

While Coventry are currently six points clear at the top and will want to ensure they stay out of striking distance - as well as dismiss a pesky winless away run.

• Norwich City are unbeaten across their last 11 Championship games against Coventry City (W7 D4), since a 2-1 home loss in February 2009.

• Coventry City have lost each of their last three away league games against Norwich City and will be looking to avoid losing four in succession for the first time.

• This season in the Championship, Norwich have lost nine of their 13 home games (W3 D1) – the second-most behind only bottom side Sheffield Wednesday (11). The Owls (7) are also the only side to net fewer home goals than the Canaries (12).

• Having won five of their six away league games in October and November (L1), Coventry are winless in their five on the road since the start of December (D3 L2).

• Jovon Makama has scored nine goals in his last nine starts for Norwich in all competitions, with seven of these coming in five games at Carrow Road.

Coventry City forward Romain Esse said scoring his first goal for the club in Tuesday's win over former club Millwall "felt amazing".

Esse, who is on loan with the Championship leaders from Premier League side Crystal Palace, put Frank Lampard's side ahead after 11 minutes against the Lions at the CBS Arena.

Although the visitors equalised before half-time, Haji Wright's 10th league goal of the season kept Coventry eight points clear of Ipswich at the top and nine ahead of Middlesbrough in third.

"It felt amazing. It's a moment that was very special. I'm happy to get my first goal for the Sky Blues," Esse told BBC CWR.

"It's been a difficult period for me not playing a lot but I've been given the chance by the gaffer here and I've got my first goal and I just want to kick on, keep working hard and keep delivering."

Esse began his career with Millwall, joining the academy in 2014 before making his senior debut in 2022, and spent two years with the London club before moving to Selhurst Park in January 2025.

He said scoring against the Lions felt "strange" given his formative years at The Den.

"I respect Millwall a lot for what they've done for me," he added. "They helped me grow from a boy to a man."

After a slight end-of-year wobble that saw Coventry go winless in three league games and go out of the FA Cup, Lampard's men have got back on track in style with back-to-back home wins against Leicester and Millwall.

"We've got a strong bunch of lads," he said.

"Whenever we need to get through something we always manage it and that's from the manager and staff setting certain principles we all abide by.

"And that shows on the pitch."

Image source, Shutterstock

All English Football League games across a four-day period in February will begin one minute late to raise awareness for the Every Minute Matters campaign.

The initiative will be in place for 36 matches across the Championship, League One and League Two between 5 and 9 February.

EFL sponsor Sky Bet and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) have been working together since May 2024 to highlight the importance of speed when it comes to performing live-saving CPR.

Later kick-off times will serve as "a stark reminder that every minute matters", the EFL said.

Bristol Rovers defender Tom Lockyer collapsed while playing for Luton Town eight minutes into the Championship play-off final against Coventry in May 2023.

Lockyer then suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch seven months later during a Premier League game at Bournemouth.

"What happened to me can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time," said Lockyer, who is now a BHF ambassador.

"Every year, more than 40,000 people in the UK suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and most of them never make it home.

"I'm here today because of the transformative power of CPR as every minute matters when it comes to saving a life.

"This February, we want everyone to get behind this life-saving initiative, learn the skills and be ready to step in because your actions could give someone else the chance I was given."

Throughout February, the Every Minute Matters campaign will call on fans to learn CPR using the BHF's online RevivR, external tool.

"Each minute without CPR reduces a person's chance of survival, so we're urging fans to learn the skills now, before you ever need them," said Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive of the BHF.

EFL chief executive officer Trevor Birch added: "The one minute kick-off adjustment is a simple, powerful reminder that swift CPR can be the difference between life and death."

Coventry City boss Frank Lampard is likely to be a strong contender to replace Oliver Glasner as Crystal Palace manager with the club also interested in Getafe's Jose Bordalas and Rayo Vallecano's Inigo Perez. (Talksport), external

Read all the latest EFL transfer rumours in Wednesday's gossip column here.

Image source, Shutterstock

Coventry boss Frank Lampard was delighted to see Romain Esse score his first Sky Blues goal against his old club Millwall before Haji Wright bagged the winner in the 2-1 win over Alex Neil's Lions.

Coventry increased their lead at the top of the Championship to eight points and Lampard praised on-loan Crystal Palace winger Esse for his attitude.

He told BBC Radio CWR: "He came to see me after Leicester and he wanted a little rundown of the game, which was great. I love that, he's engaging and he wants to score more goals.

"For a modern winger, it's really important because we know he's got talent, a huge talent, one v one, the things he can do for us are different.

"People expect there's a magic potion to get goals and it's ready complicated. But if you're in and around it, you'll get your chances and it was brilliant for him to score. I was really pleased to see him score against his old club and he deserved that.

"Haji also deserves a big shout because the way he played today. His all-round game was more important to me than his two goal involvements because he's strong, he was competing, he was pressing."

Image source, Opta

Championship leaders Coventry City host Millwall in an important clash in the race for promotion on Tuesday night (19:45 GMT kick-off).

The Sky Blues picked up just their second win in six games last time out against Leicester to maintain their six-point lead over Middlesbrough in second.

The Lions are unbeaten in their past five (W3 D2) and are just three points behind Boro.

• Coventry City have won five of their past six league meetings with Millwall (D1), keeping five clean sheets in these six encounters.

• Millwall have failed to score in their past three Championship matches against Coventry, but have never gone four successive league meetings with the Sky Blues without a goal.

• Coventry are unbeaten in their previous seven league games played in midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday), winning five and drawing two since a 0-2 defeat to Derby in March 2025.

• Millwall have only managed to win three of their past 21 away league games played in midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday), drawing nine and losing nine in this time.

• Against no side in his league career for Coventry has Haji Wright scored more goals than he has against Millwall (4, level with Sunderland), netting a double in both of his previous two Championship matches against the Lions.

Coventry City are diverting striker Justin Obikwu to Queens Park Rangers in an initial deal worth £500,000 after recalling the 21-year-old from a loan spell with League One side Lincoln City. (Coventry Telegraph), external

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

Frank Lampard was delighted with his Coventry City side's second-half response as they came from behind to beat M69 rivals Leicester City and maintain their six-point lead at the top of the Championship.

Haji Wright tapped in the winner with just five minutes remaining to secure the three points for the Sky Blues, who had trailed to an early Jordan James goal before levelling through Ellis Simms.

Things haven't been quite so smooth in recent weeks for Coventry, and Lampard was understandably pleased by his side's reaction to falling behind.

Lampard told BBC CWR: "There was a great atmosphere from start to finish. It was tough in the first half, because they gave us some problems and they get their goal.

"They're a good team, with good individuals and their league position isn't the reality when they play like that. They gave us issues, but to turn the game around like that is a big pleasure.

"It's a good feeling for the group, because we had to tactically change some bits off the ball, but the big thing was overcoming the tension and the feeling of what the first half was, to reiterate to the players why they are where they are, at the top of the league, because of the work they've done and the quality they've got.

"They went out and responded, which was brilliant - and hence, the atmosphere in the stadium at the end of the game."

Coventry City striker Brandon Thomas-Asante could make his return during their Saturday's derby match against Leicester City (12:30 GMT), boss Frank Lampard has confirmed.

The Ghana international has missed nine Championship games with a hamstring tear, but remains the side's top scorer with 10 goals.

Meanwhile, midfielder Victor Torp is also in contention to make a return after missing two league games with a calf strain.

The Sky Blues are currently going through a difficult spell, failing to win their past three Championship games (D1 L2) as well as being knocked out of the FA Cup by Stoke City.

However, Lampard believes the league leaders shouldn't be too worried just yet.

"We've lost minimal games this season so maybe we've become a little more normal around this busy patch, but I know the context around that so let's try to get back to the team we were before," Lampard told BBC Radio CWR.

"It's very normal over the course of this season. There's not many teams that have steamrollered this league from start to end. So we just want to win a game."

Listen to the full interview and more Coventry City content on BBC Sounds.

Coventry head into Saturday's game (12:30 GMT) looking to avoid going three games without a league win for the third time this season.

Leicester are aiming for back-to-back league victories, also for the third time this season as the look to climb back into the Championship's top 10.

• Coventry have won just one of their past nine league games against Leicester (D5 L3). That sole victory came in this exact fixture in the 2023-24 season (3-1).

• Leicester have won just one of their past eight away league games against Coventry (D5 L2), winning 1-0 on the opening day of the 2011-12 season.

• Coventry have won just two of their past eight Championship matches (D3 L3) and since the start of December they have won the joint 15th most points (9) and only four teams have scored fewer goals than the Sky Blues (7).

• Leicester have not kept a clean sheet in any of their past 20 Championship matches, the longest ongoing run of any side. It is their worst run outside the top flight since going 27 without a shutout between September 1948 and April 1949.

• Coventry's Matt Grimes has created the most chances in the Championship this season (57), with 36 of those from set plays which is 14 more than any other player. He also ranks second, behind Stoke's Sorba Thomas, for passes played into the opposition penalty area (228).

"Out of the FA Cup... are we bovvered? Not really. It was an average performance but the old 'focus on the league' quote is coming out early.

"I think probably it's the one season where the consensus among a lot of Sky Blues fans is that it's not the end of the world being knocked-out."

BBC Radio CWR's Lorna Bailey and Will Oelrich are joined by Coventry City fans Connor and Anthony as they look back at the FA Cup defeat at Stoke, hear the thoughts of Sky Blues legend Steve Ogrizovic and discuss the latest transfer rumours.

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

Pundits Dion Dublin and Rob Green join host Jason Mohammad to bring you the action and talking points from Friday and Saturday's FA Cup ties.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

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