Let’s roll back the clock to the summer of last year. The summer saw changes happen at Coventry United and a fair assumption of uncertainty for the season ahead loomed. Optimism wasn’t high for the coming months, and most predictions for this season were correct wherever Coventry were concerned.
Relegation from the Barclays Championship was confirmed this season as United mustered a miserable seven points across twenty-two matches. Just two wins and sixteen goals scored. And don’t even mention the seventy-five goals shipped in at the other end! The season just couldn’t end quick enough for everyone concerned with the club.
But of course, this wasn’t a shock of the season or unexpected – this had been coming since as early as the season beforehand, 2021-22. Only few teams have the capability to pull off ‘the great escape’; as shock as it might be knowing what we now know, Coventry managed this last season. A final day win with a last gasp 97th minute winner over Watford secured survival for another season. From this point, it was critical that improvements were made.
Following this feat, the club shortly announced that they would be moving as a part-time set up for the next season – one of only a handful of championship clubs to be part-time. There was a reason for this, financial difficulties. Coventry was saved from liquidation in January 2022 by a West Midlands businessman, Lewis Taylor. With relegation to the third tier of women’s English football, the FA National League, confirmed, those difficulties will likely surge drastically.
The club appointed a new manager last summer. The vastly experienced manager at Championship level, Lee Burch took the reins. Having previously coached Millwall, Yeovil Town and London Bees, it had looked as if Coventry could play their way from disaster. Taylor was optimistic about the future after securing the appointment of Burch. “His experience and achievements will help to cement a new era at Coventry United. The future is extremely bright”. It’s a statement that to some extent provided a sense of security and insurance to supporters. The hope and expectation never carried onto the pitch.
Following the anguish, the club has endured in the past few years, excitement and a new chapter beckons. In a statement announced by the club at the start if this month, the club will be rebranded under a new name of Rugby Borough Football Club. The switch comes as bosses have reflected on how to move the club forward with the sole objective of taking the club back up to the second tier. The club had trained at Rugby in previous times and both clubs felt they shared the same values and ambitions to join together as one. Burch will remain in charge and the club are planning already for the new season.
It's an unusual event to occur to say the least, but an exciting change moving forwards. It’s hard to predict what to expect from Rugby Borough next season, but it will be exciting to witness what the future holds from this fresh football club.