Coventry City

Coventry City goalkeeper Carl Rushworth says it was a gut decision to join the Sky Blues after speaking with boss Frank Lampard and midfielder Matt Grimes.

Rushworth, who joined Coventry on loan from Brighton on Thursday, previously played with Grimes during their time together at Swansea City during the 2023-24 season.

"[Lampard] is putting all the ownership into my hands," Rushworth told BBC Radio CWR.

"It's not like he would like me to play out, he's not saying we are stuck in those ways. He believes in me to play what I see and I have the backing from him.

"Along with speaking with [Matt] Grimesy and having a non-biased opinion about how much he was loving this club and loving his time here. I was always going to go with my gut."

It's not just talk that drew Rushworth's attention, it's also the possibility of adding a promotion to his CV with usual Sky Blues number one Oliver Dovin likely to be ruled out for the start of the season.

"The plan is just to compete and try and play as many games as possible and look to get promoted," the keeper added.

"That's something that is very exciting for me to think about and it's actually very realistic as well."

Listen to the full interview with Carl Rushworth and more on BBC Sounds.

Join Lorna Bailey for BBC CWR's 'Fans' Forum Live' with special guests matchday announcer 'JD' and Coventry City fan John Dawkins.

The best part? It's completely free! Just drop an email to cwrsport@bbc.co.uk asking to join the ballot and they will notify you by Friday, 1 August if you've won yourself a place.

The event will be held at BBC CWR's Open Centre in Priory Place on Monday, 4 August at 18:00 BST.

Can't attend? You can listen live via BBC Radio CWR or catch up on BBC Sounds shortly after broadcast.

Coventry City, Derby County and Oxford United are interested in 32-year-old German defender Patrick Bauer, formerly of Preston North End. (SportsBoom, external)

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

Josh Windass is set to undergo a medical at Wrexham on Monday after the 31-year-old English forward was released from his Sheffield Wednesday contract, with Coventry and Norwich set to miss out on his signature. (GiveMeSport, external)

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

William Oelrich
BBC Radio Coventry journalist

Image source, Getty Images

The goalkeeper situation at Coventry City is a hot topic at the moment when we cover it on the Sky Blues Fancast Live on BBC Radio CWR.

With Oliver Dovin out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury and still recovering, it looks likely the Swedish keeper will remain injured until at least November.

However, when he does return, who's to know whether he will pick up the form he was in before he got injured - and I think that's the worry among most Sky Blues fans.

Looking at the recent pre-season games, Frank Lampard has favoured Ben Wilson over Brad Collins, who did not feature at all in Wednesday's 5-0 loss to AS Monaco.

Collins came in for a huge amount of stick for his performances at the back end of last season. For me, it looks likely Wilson will be selected over him and we could well see Collins on his way out of the club.

It leaves the question as to who will be first choice for the start of the season, which is only a few weeks away.

There has been a lot of talk about multiple keepers joining the club; free agent Angus Gunn and Brighton stopper Carl Rushworth have been among those linked.

I always feel if the club decides to bring someone in on loan, there is usually an expectation from the loaning club that the player gets minutes for the team. This could become a problem when Dovin returns, as Lampard would have two first-choice goalkeepers to try to keep happy.

That is a future problem he may have to deal with.

I think a keeper will be brought in before the new season to become Coventry City's new 'number one' and Dovin will challenge for the spot upon his return from injury.

It's a good problem for Lampard to have.

Coventry City are interested in a deal for Brighton goalkeeper Carl Rushworth, 24, after the Englishman's move to Rangers appears to have been called off. (Coventry Telegraph), external

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

"I'm not worried. There's still three weeks to go and I think they will get the right players in."

With Coventry City's pre-season getting into full swing, BBC Radio CWR's William Oelrich is joined by fans Matt and Danny to talk transfers, the new kit and assess the Sky Blues' promotion ambitions.

Listen to the full episode and more on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Getty Images

Coventry City midfielder Jack Rudoni has been named the Sky Blues' player of the year.

The 24-year-old scored ten times for Coventry last season, with seven of those coming from February onwards, as well as providing 12 assists.

"Jack Rudoni won the majority of the awards voted for by official supporter clubs, and giving him the player of the year recognises the brilliant season he had," Sky Blues chairman Doug King told the club's website., external

Rudoni won the award in his debut year with the club after joining from Huddersfield Town in July 2024.

King told the website that the end of season awards had been postponed from its original slot in May and the decision had now been made to cancel it to focus on the season ahead.

He added that the club intended to host an end of season event at the conclusion of the 2025-26 campaign on a date to be fixed.

Will Oelrich is joined by the Sky Blues Fancast panel to discuss Haji Wright being pictured at pre-season training in Portugal, the history of the number 33 shirt and the latest instalment of Name That Game. The panel also discuss whether new signings are really needed, who should start in goal and whether there will be a Viktor Gyokeres windfall for Frank Lampard to utilise.

Listen to the latest episode of the Sky Blues Fancast Live on BBC Sounds.

Former Coventry City player Noel Whelan said that the club's strong form under boss Frank Lampard at the conclusion of last season will provide the backbone for a successful Championship campaign.

The Sky Blues were in 17th place when Lampard took the reigns following the departure of previous boss Mark Robins but finished in fifth, losing out on promotion in the play-off semi-finals to eventual winners Sunderland.

"The way they finished the season, it wasn't the silver lining they wanted after that really good push under Frank when he came to the club. They will want to carry on that form," Whelan told BBC Radio CWR.

"He's got a full preseason with them, new faces will come into the club which always lifts people's spirits and makes them push that little bit harder.

"I think Coventry will be quite happy with what they did at the back end of last season and know they've got enough players, enough talent within that squad, with a few arrivals, to really push a good challenge to get automatic [promotion] this year."

Listen to the full interview and more on BBC Sounds.

Coventry City, Norwich City and Southampton have all made contact with representatives of Belgian forward Adriano Bertaccini, 24. He plays for top-flight side Sint-Truiden in his homeland. (Coventry Telegraph), external

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

"He's pretty dynamic - he's a really strong athlete and really pacy as well."

"He's still 22, and there's still improvement to come but on the whole Preston would have loved to have kept him."

BBC CWR's Will Oelrich spoke to BBC Lancashire's Gary Hunt about Coventry's rumoured pursuit of Aston Villa defender Kaine Kesler-Hayden, who spent last season on loan at Preston North End.

Listen to the full interview and more on BBC Sounds.

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Coventry are set to complete the signing of Aston Villa defender Kaine Kesler-Hayden after beating off competition from Stoke.

The full-back is due for a medical with the Sky Blues with a deal - worth slightly more than £3.5m - agreed.

Stoke also wanted the 22-year-old but the lure of playing for Frank Lampard, who guided Coventry to the Championship play-offs last season, was key for Kesler-Hayden.

He impressed on loan at Preston last season - winning both the player of the season and young player of the season awards.

Kesler-Hayden came through the ranks at Villa, making four substitute appearances, and any cash will help the club as they look to comply with profit and sustainability rules.

It's been confirmed that Coventry's opening game of the season will be against last season's relegation-strugglers Hull City.

The Tigers just avoided the drop to League One by goal difference last season - but Sky Blues commentator and former goalkeeper Steve Ogrizovic believes it's not guaranteed to be an easy start.

"Hull are underachievers, I think, they tend to buy in foreign markets. I thought they would have had a better season last year than what they did," Ogrizovic told BBC Radio CWR.

"New manager, doubtless number of new players as well. It's an unknown quantity.

"But on the face of it, it looks a nice start."

Coventry will not face any team that made the top 14 last season in August however, the following month will see them take a short trip to freshly relegated Leicester City before hosting newly promoted Birmingham City in a West Midlands derby.

They open September by hosting Norwich City, a team who beat them in both fixtures last season.

"Coventry can do themselves a lot of good in August if they start well," Ogrizovic added.

"But then in September, it really hits you because Norwich are always a difficult fixture. We struggle against them for some reason.

"By that time, players are starting to get into the season, they've found their feet. That'll be a truer test of what kind of side we are and what we are going to do that particular year."

Listen to Ogrizovic's full thoughts and more on BBC Sounds.

Rob Gurney
BBC CWR

Image source, Rex Features

Hull City at home at 12:30 BST on the opening day of the season won't have been on many Sky Blues' fans wish lists.

However, given that Hull only survived relegation on goal difference last season, and they're under the management of Championship newbie, Bosnian Sergej Jakirovic, it could well present an opportunity to start the 2025-26 campaign with all three points.

Trips to Derby and Oxford with QPR - also under new management - at home, doesn't seem to represent the toughest of starts.

Back to back derbies in September, away to Leicester, and Birmingham at the CBS Arena, are a bit more mouthwatering, with a first competitive visit to Wrexham since a League Cup tie way back in 1994, also catching the eye at the beginning of November.

Two home matches over Christmas, Swansea on Boxing Day, and Ipswich on December 29th, are followed by welcoming in 2026 with a trip to south London to face Charlton.

The derby returns away to Birmingham and Leicester at the CBS give the start to the New Year a slightly tricky look, but the all important run-in looks a lot more friendly, on paper at least.

The Sky Blues face Blackburn away and Portsmouth at home over Easter – Wrexham at the Arena is the last home game, and Vicarage Road, Watford, is where the Sky Blues finish the campaign, hopefully celebrating automatic promotion to the Premier League, but if not that, at the very least, another play-off place.

As we all know, though, an awful lot of water has got to flow under the bridge between now and then.

The EFL fixture list is out and we know you are bursting to know what you've got to look forward to - or dread - from your team this upcoming season.

Here are some key dates to put in your diary:

• 9 August - v Hull City (H)

• 16 August - v Derby (A)

• 20 September - v Leicester (A)

• 26 December - v Swansea (H)

• 1 January 2026 - v Charlton (A)

• 17 January - v Leicester (H)

• 2 May - v Watford (A)

See Coventry City's full fixture list here.

Your club will soon discover their schedule for the upcoming EFL season. As soon as Thursday, in fact.

Want to know who your side will face on opening day? The EFL fixtures will be announced at 12:00 BST - but that's not all.

The day will be rounded off by the first round of Carabao Cup being drawn at 16:30 BST.

So check back on 26 June to see who your team faces first, last and everything in between.

Middlesbrough are interested in signing Aston Villa defender Kaine Kesler-Hayden, 22, but will face competition from fellow Championship sides Southampton and Coventry City. (Birmingham World, external)

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

Tributes have been paid to Coventry City commentator Clive Eakin who has laid down the microphone after 24 years of covering the club for BBC CWR.

A special hour-long live show was held at HMV Empire in Coventry for fans and colleagues to reflect on Eakin's career as the voice of a Sky Blues generation.

"I have been overblown by the reaction after the news was announced," said Eakin, who started working for the BBC in 1988 and began his role covering Coventry in 2001.

"It's been very touching."

Eakin worked across more than 1,200 games and with 14 different permanent managers, watching Coventry go from the Championship down to League Two and back again.

He saw the Sky Blues win the League Two play-offs in 2017-18, the League One title in 2019-20 and suffered the FA Cup semi-final heartbreak against Manchester United in April 2024, as well as this year's Championship play-off agony.

"The biggest thing I can say is you've been through the biggest lows of Coventry City and the highs," said ex-Coventry player Michael Doyle.

"I think the one constant at the club through all that time has been yourself. I think for a lot of people in Coventry, it will be your voice that they remember."

Fellow commentator Clive Tyldesley said: "Football is about memories. To be somebody who becomes part of people's memories of those matches is what makes our job really special and you've done that.

"You've connected with millions of people that you'll never meet and they think they know you. They trust you because of your knowledge and because of your warmth and your commitment."

Listen to In Conversation with Clive Eakin on BBC Sounds.