The 2017–18 season was Coventry City's 134th season in their existence and their first in the English fourth tier for 59 years, League Two, following relegation the previous season. Along with competing in League Two, the club participated in three cup competitions: FA Cup, EFL Cup and EFL Trophy.
The season covers the period between 1 July 2017 and 30 June 2018.
Coventry's 6th place league finish, despite being the lowest in their history, was their highest in any division since the 1969–70 season.
Review and events
July Nathan Clarke, Kevin Foley, Andy Rose, Rúben Lameiras, Vladimir Gadzhev, Jack Finch, Kyle Spence, Marcus Tudgay and Jacob Whitmore are all released following the end of their contracts.
Competitions
Preseason friendlies As of 27 June 2017, Coventry City have announced seven pre-season friendlies against Liverpool XI, Nuneaton Town, Sutton United, Barnsley, Mickleover Sports, Milton Keynes Dons, Valenciennes and Leamington.
League Two
League table
Results summary
Results by matchday
Matches On 21 June 2017, the league fixtures were announced.
Football League play-offs
FA Cup
On 16 October 2017, Coventry City were drawn at home to Maidenhead United in the first round. Another home tie for the second round was confirmed with Boreham Wood the visiting side. A third home tie was drawn for the third round, with Premier League side Stoke City the visitors.
Maxime Biamou scored the only goal of the game as Coventry beat Milton Keynes Dons away in the fourth round. Coventry took 7,833 supporters to the game, outnumbering the home fans.
EFL Cup
On 16 June 2017, Coventry City were drawn at home to Blackburn Rovers in the first round.
EFL Trophy
On 12 July 2017, Coventry City were drawn in Northern Group E against Shrewsbury Town, Walsall and West Bromwich Albion Academy.
Squad information Squad details No. Name Position Nationality Place of birth Date of birth (age) * Club apps * Club goals * Signed from Date signed Fee Contract end Goalkeepers1Lee BurgeGKHereford710Academy1 June 2010Trainee30 June 201913Liam O'BrienGKRuislip00Portsmouth1 July 2017Free30 June 201933Corey AddaiGKLondon00Academy1 June 2014Trainee30 June 201940Tom BillsonGKShrewsbury 00Academy1 June 2017Trainee30 June 2019 Defenders2Jack GrimmerRBAberdeen00Fulham5 July 2017Free30 June 20193Chris StokesLBFrome633Forest Green Rovers21 February 2015Free30 June 20194Jordan WillisCBCoventry1275Academy1 June 2011Trainee30 June 20195Rod McDonaldCBLiverpool00Northampton Town1 July 2017Undisclosed30 June 201912Tom DaviesCBWarrington00Portsmouth31 August 2017Undisclosed30 June 201915Dominic HyamCBLeuchars00Reading1 July 2017Free30 June 201920Dion Kelly-EvansRBCoventry340Academy1 June 2014Trainee30 June 201824Ryan HaynesLBNorthampton725Academy27 March 2013Trainee30 June 201934Chris CamwellLBNuneaton00Academy1 July 2016Trainee30 June 202136Reece FordDF Coventry00Academy1 July 2016Trainee30 June 202039Jordon ThompsonDFCoventry00Academy1 July 2016Trainee30 June 2021 Midfielders6Liam KellyDM Milton Keynes00Leyton Orient1 July 2017Free30 June 20197Peter VincentiRMSaint Peter00Rochdale1 July 2017Free30 June 20198Michael DoyleCMDublin30425Portsmouth1 July 2017Free30 June 201911Jodi JonesRWBow512Dagenham & Redbridge10 May 2016Undisclosed30 June 202017Jordan Maguire-DrewRWCrawley00Brighton & Hove Albion3 January 2018Loan30 June 201819Tony AndreuAMCagnes-sur-Mer00Norwich City10 Aug 2017Free30 June 201922Devon Kelly-EvansLMCoventry10Academy1 June 2014Trainee30 June 201826Jordan ShipleyCMCoventry10Academy1 July 2016Trainee30 June 202027Josh BarrettAMOxford00Reading2 January 2018Loan30 June 201828Callum MaycockCMBirmingham70Academy1 July 2016Trainee30 June 202029Bilal SayoudAMLondon00Nike Academy24 March 2016Free30 June 201830Tom BaylissCMLeicester00Academy1 July 2016Trainee30 June 202032Kyel ReidLMDeptford372Preston North End28 July 2016Free30 June 201835Kyle FinnLMWarwick00Academy1 July 2016Trainee30 June 202037Jak HickmanMFSandwell00Academy1 July 2016Trainee30 June 2021 Zain WestbrookeCMChertsey00Brentford10 May 2018Free30 June 2020 Forwards9Maxime BiamouCFCréteil00Sutton United1 July 2017Undisclosed30 June 201910Marc McNultyCFEdinburgh00Sheffield United1 July 2017Free30 June 201916Stuart BeavonCFReading173Burton Albion1 January 2017Free30 June 201918Jonson Clarke-HarrisCFLeicester10Rotherham United31 January 2018Loan30 June 201838Jordan PonticelliCFCoventry00Strachan Football Foundation26 July 2016Free30 June 2022 Left before the end of the season12James PearsonRBSheffield00Barnet4 August 2017FreeNon-contract14Kwame ThomasCFNottingham143Derby County1 July 2016Free30 June 201818Duckens NazonCF Paris00Wolverhampton Wanderers4 August 2017Loan1 January 201823Reice Charles-CookGKLewisham610Bury1 August 2014Free30 June 201823Carl BakerAMPrescot18228Unattached9 March 2018Free30 June 201825Jordan TurnbullCBTrowbridge462Southampton15 August 2016Undisclosed30 June 201927Darragh LeahyLBDublin00Academy1 July 2016Trainee30 June 201831Ben StevensonCMLeicester362Academy1 July 2015Trainee30 June 2020 * Player age and appearances/goals for the club as of beginning of 2017–18 season.
Appearances Correct as of match played on 28 May 2018 No.Nat.PlayerPos.League TwoFA CupEFL CupEFL TrophyLeague Two Play-offsTotal 1 Lee Burge GK 40 4 1 3 48 2 Jack Grimmer DF 42 5 1 2 3 53 3 Chris Stokes DF 28+1 2 1 3 35 4 Jordan Willis DF 35 4 1 2 42 5 Rod McDonald DF 36+1 2+1 1 41 6 Liam Kelly MF 30+3 2 3 38 7 Peter Vincenti MF 18+6 1+1 3 29 8 Michael Doyle MF 44 4 1 3 52 9 Maxime Biamou FW 20+19 3+2 1 0+1 3 49 10 Marc McNulty FW 40+2 5 2 3 52 11 Jodi Jones MF 19 1 1 1 22 12 Tom Davies DF 15+6 3 1 25 13 Liam O'Brien GK 6+1 1 1 2 11 15 Dominic Hyam DF 11+3 1 1 3 3 22 16 Stuart Beavon FW 9+5 0+1 2+1 18 17 Jordan Maguire-Drew MF 3 1 4 18 Jonson Clarke-Harris FW 12+5 1 0+3 21 19 Tony Andreu MF 2+3 1 6 20 Dion Kelly-Evans DF 1+1 0+1 3 6 22 Devon Kelly-Evans MF 8+6 0+1 1 1 17 24 Ryan Haynes DF 18+3 3+1 25 26 Jordan Shipley MF 25+5 4+1 1 1+1 3 41 27 Josh Barrett MF 1+5 2 8 28 Callum Maycock MF 0+1 0+1 2+1 5 29 Bilal Sayoud MF 0+1 1 30 Tom Bayliss MF 23 4+1 0+1 3 32 32 Kyel Reid MF 2+11 0+1 14 33 Corey Addai GK 34 Chris Camwell DF 1 1 2 35 Kyle Finn MF 0+1 1 36 Reece Ford DF 37 Jak Hickman MF 38 Jordan Ponticelli FW 4+15 1+1 0+1 0+1 0+3 26 39 Jordon Thompson DF 0+1 1 40 Tom Bilson GK Zain Westbrooke MF Left before the end of the season 12 James Pearson DF 1 1 14 Kwame Thomas FW 1 1 18 Duckens Nazon FW 11+10 1+1 1 24 23 Reice Charles-Cook GK 23 Carl Baker MF 25 Jordan Turnbull DF 27 Darragh Leahy DF 31 Ben Stevenson MF 2+3 1+2 1 3 12
Goalscorers Correct as of match played on 28 May 2018 No.Nat.PlayerPos.League TwoFA CupEFL CupEFL TrophyLeague Two Play-offsTotal 10 Marc McNulty FW 23 1 0 2 2 28 9 Maxime Biamou FW 5 1 0 1 2 9 18 Duckens Nazon FW 6 1 1 0 0 8 26 Jordan Shipley MF 4 1 0 0 1 6 30 Tom Bayliss MF 5 0 0 0 1 6 38 Jordan Ponticelli FW 3 2 0 1 0 6 11 Jodi Jones MF 5 0 0 0 0 5 18 Jonson Clarke-Harris FW 3 1 0 0 0 4 2 Jack Grimmer DF 1 1 0 0 1 3 7 Peter Vincenti MF 3 0 0 0 0 3 8 Michael Doyle MF 3 0 0 0 0 3 4 Jordan Willis DF 0 1 0 0 1 2 6 Liam Kelly MF 1 0 0 0 0 1 19 Tony Andreu MF 0 0 0 1 0 1 22 Devon Kelly-Evans MF 1 0 0 0 0 1 31 Ben Stevenson MF 0 0 0 1 0 1 Own goals 1 0 0 0 0 1 Totals 64 9 1 6 8 88
Assists Correct as of match played on 28 May 2018 No.Nat.PlayerPos.League TwoFA CupEFL CupEFL TrophyLeague Two Play-offsTotal 10 Marc McNulty FW 5 1 0 1 3 10 11 Jodi Jones MF 4 1 0 1 0 6 9 Maxime Biamou FW 5 0 0 0 0 5 2 Jack Grimmer DF 2 2 0 0 0 4 18 Jonson Clarke-Harris FW 4 0 0 0 0 4 18 Duckens Nazon FW 3 1 0 0 0 4 26 Jordan Shipley MF 4 0 0 0 0 4 4 Jordan Willis DF 2 0 0 0 1 3 6 Liam Kelly MF 2 0 0 0 1 3 8 Michael Doyle MF 2 0 0 0 1 3 30 Tom Bayliss MF 2 1 0 0 0 3 7 Peter Vincenti MF 2 0 0 0 0 2 32 Kyel Reid MF 2 0 0 0 0 2 3 Chris Stokes DF 1 0 0 0 0 1 12 Tom Davies DF 0 1 0 0 0 1 15 Dominic Hyam DF 0 0 0 0 1 1 17 Jordan Maguire-Drew MF 1 0 0 0 0 1 28 Callum Maycock MF 0 0 0 1 0 1 31 Ben Stevenson MF 0 0 0 1 0 1 Totals 41 7 0 4 7 59
Yellow cards Correct as of match played on 28 May 2018 No.Nat.PlayerPos.League TwoFA CupEFL CupEFL TrophyLeague Two Play-offsTotal 8 Michael Doyle MF 10 2 0 0 2 14 5 Rod McDonald DF 8 1 0 0 0 9 10 Marc McNulty FW 5 0 0 0 1 6 18 Duckens Nazon FW 5 1 0 0 0 6 2 Jack Grimmer DF 5 0 0 0 0 5 3 Chris Stokes DF 3 0 0 0 1 4 7 Peter Vincenti MF 3 1 0 0 0 4 12 Tom Davies DF 4 0 0 0 0 4 30 Tom Bayliss MF 4 0 0 0 0 4 1 Lee Burge GK 3 0 0 0 0 3 6 Liam Kelly MF 3 0 0 0 0 3 9 Maxime Biamou FW 3 0 0 0 0 3 11 Jodi Jones MF 3 0 0 0 0 3 26 Jordan Shipley MF 3 0 0 0 0 3 15 Dominic Hyam DF 0 0 0 1 1 2 18 Jonson Clarke-Harris FW 2 0 0 0 0 2 20 Dion Kelly-Evans DF 1 0 0 1 0 2 22 Devon Kelly-Evans MF 1 0 0 1 0 2 24 Ryan Haynes DF 2 0 0 0 0 2 19 Tony Andreu MF 0 0 0 1 0 1 31 Ben Stevenson MF 1 0 0 0 0 1 32 Kyel Reid MF 1 0 0 0 0 1 34 Chris Camwell DF 0 0 1 0 0 1 Totals 70 5 1 4 5 85
Red cards Correct as of match played on 28 May 2018 No.Nat.PlayerPos.League TwoFA CupEFL CupEFL TrophyLeague Two Play-offsTotal 4 Jordan Willis DF 1 0 0 0 0 1 5 Rod McDonald DF 1 0 0 0 0 1 Totals 2 0 0 0 0 2
Captains Correct as of match played on 28 May 2018 No.Nat.PlayerPos.League TwoFA CupEFL CupEFL TrophyLeague Two Play-offsTotal 8 Michael Doyle MF 44 4 0 1 3 52 4 Jordan Willis DF 2 0 0 1 0 3 2 Jack Grimmer DF 0 0 0 1 0 1 5 Rod McDonald DF 0 0 1 0 0 1 6 Liam Kelly MF 0 1 0 0 0 1 Totals 46 5 1 3 3 58
Suspensions served No.Nat.PlayerPos.Date suspendedReasonMatches missed 5 Rod McDonald DF 9 September 2017 1 red card Carlisle United (H) 18 Duckens Nazon FW 18 November 2017 5 yellow cards Stevenage (A) 5 Rod McDonald DF 25 November 2017 5 yellow cards Boreham Wood (H) 4 Jordan Willis DF 24 February 2018 1 red card Wycombe Wanderers (A) 12 Tom Davies DF 15 May 2018 Violent conduct Notts County (A) +2
Hat-tricks No.Nat.PlayerPos.DateOpponentsGroundResult 11 Jodi Jones MF 5 August 2017 Notts County Ricoh Arena 3–0 10 Marc McNulty FW 24 March 2018 Grimsby Town Ricoh Arena 4–0 10 Marc McNulty FW 28 April 2018 Cheltenham Town Whaddon Road 6–1
Monthly & weekly awards No.Nat.PlayerPos.DateAwardRef 11 Jodi Jones MF 7 August 2017 EFL Team of the Week 11 Jodi Jones MF 25 September 2017 EFL Team of the Week Mark Robins 30 October 2017 EFL Manager of the Week 26 Jordan Shipley MF 16 November 2017 EFL League Two Goal of the Month 10 Marc McNulty FW 22 January 2018 EFL Team of the Week 10 Marc McNulty FW 9 February 2018 EFL League Two Player of the Month 1 Lee Burge GK 12 March 2018 EFL Team of the Week 10 Marc McNulty FW 26 March 2018 EFL Team of the Week 38 Jordan Ponticelli FW 16 April 2018 EFL Team of the Week 10 Marc McNulty FW 30 April 2018 EFL Team of the Week
End-of-season awards No.Nat.PlayerPos.DateAwardRef 1 Lee Burge GK 3 April 2018 EFL League Two Team of the Year 4 Jordan Willis DF 3 April 2018 EFL League Two Team of the Year 2 Jack Grimmer DF 17 April 2018 PFA League Two Team of the Year 8 Michael Doyle MF 5 May 2018 CCFC Former Players' Association Player of the Year 10 Marc McNulty FW 6 May 2018 CCFC Top Goalscorer 10 Marc McNulty FW 6 May 2018 CCFC Player of the Season 30 Tom Bayliss MF 6 May 2018 CCFC Young Player of the Season 10 Marc McNulty FW 6 May 2018 CCFC Players' Player of the Season 9 Maxime Biamou FW 6 May 2018 CCFC Goal of the Season 3 Chris Stokes DF 6 May 2018 CCFC Community Player of the Season
International appearances No.Nat.PlayerPos.DateMatchStatsRef 18 Duckens Nazon FW 10 October 2017 Japan 3–3 Haiti 2 goals 18 Duckens Nazon FW 10 November 2017 United Arab Emirates 0–1 Haiti
Transfers Transfers in