We take a look at the League One play-off winners Sunderland...
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Capacity: 48,095
Year Formed: 1879
Nickname: The Black Cats
Most League Appearance: Jim Montgomery - 537
Most League Goals: Charlie Buchan – 209
Record League Win: 9-1 v Newcastle United – First Division (5 December 1908)
Record League Defeat: 0-8 v Sheffield Wednesday – Division 1 (26 December 1911)
Last Five Years
2021/22: 5th in League One – 84 points
2020/21: 4th in League One – 77 points
2019/20: 8th in League One – 59 points
2018/19: 5th in League One – 85 points
2017/18: 24th in Championship – 37 points
Manager – Alex Neil
Neil, born in Airdrie started his career at Dunfermline Athletic before joining Airdrieonians on a free transfer in the summer of 1999. After a season with Airdrieonians, he joined Barnsley where he made over a 100 appearances.
In 2004, Neil joined Mansfield Town on a free transfer, after a season with the Stags he moved to Hamilton Academical. During his time with the Accies he helped them get promoted back to the Scottish Premier League.
Neil was appointed player-manager on an interim basis after Billy Reid stepped down as manager of Hamilton in 2013. After a month, he was promoted to permanent manager at the age of 31. Neil guided the club back to the top flight in his first full season, winning the play-offs in May 2014.
He was appointed as the new Norwich City manager in 2015, he won a promotion for the Canaries to the Premier League through play-offs. After getting relegated from the Premier League the following season he got his contract terminated.
In 2017 he took up a role as the Preston North End United manager where he guided them to 7th, 14th and 9th in his three full seasons, he left in March 2021 to join Sunderland with Preston 16th in the Championship.
After beating Wycombe Wanderers in the League One play-off Final at Wembley, Neil lead Sunderland back to the Championship after a four-year absence.
Connections:
Notable names to have connections between the two clubs through playing are Jordan Henderson, Don Hutchinson, Jordan Willis, Martyn Waghorn, Chris Maguire, Kevin Kyle, Gary Breen.
Coventry v Sunderland Head-to-Head:
Games won: 15
Games drawn: 15
Games lost: 12
Last Time We Met – Coventry 1-0 Sunderland, League One, 1 March 2020
With a hard-fought 1-0 victory against promotion rivals Sunderland, City went to the top of Sky Bet League One.
After just 94 seconds, Matt Godden's 14th goal of the season proved the difference in a tense, gritty game at St Andrew's.
Sky Blues Xl: Marko Marosi (GK), Fankaty Dabo, Dom Hyam, Kyle McFadzean, Michael Rose, Sam McCallum, Liam Kelly (C), Liam Walsh, Jamie Allen (Amadou Bakayoko ’79), Callum O'Hare, Matty Godden (Jordan Shipley '93).
Unused Subs: Ben Wilson (GK), Josh Pask, Ryan Giles, Zain Westbrooke, Max Biamou.
Fact:
When Sunderland relocated to the Stadium of Light, they were on the verge of changing their nickname. Supporters, however, held a vote, and the Black Cats was retained.