A year ago, the atmosphere at Coventry City was more subdued than celebratory as Frank Lampard was introduced as the new head coach.
Rather than a sense of hope, there was a feeling of scepticism when it was announced that Lampard had been chosen by Coventry's decision-makers to shake off the lethargy that had proved fatal for Mark Robins and lift the club's fortunes once again.
Perhaps there was some validity to these whispers of dissatisfaction. After all, despite Lampard's reputation from his playing days, his managerial standing had taken a hit due to a disastrous second stint at Stamford Bridge, even though he only held the role on a temporary basis.
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There was minimal excitement when his appointment was suggested for what seemed like an age before the official confirmation that he would be taking over from the much-loved Robins; there was even less when his two-and-a-half-year contract was signed.
To put it plainly, both Lampard and Coventry were in need of rejuvenation. However, a year later, both Lampard and Coventry find themselves in a drastically different position, with their ultimate goal in sight: the Premier League.
With each game that passes, it appears increasingly likely that their unsuccessful play-off attempt last May was simply a precursor to greater success this season.
In Lampard's situation, his standing has been rehabilitated. There's little question he took over a squad who were considerably superior to the 17th position they held in the league when he arrived, but that doesn't suggest that re-establishing them as promotion challengers was inevitable.
Following his success in galvanising the changing room, Lampard looked to introduce a more comprehensive overhaul. Ephron Mason-Clark, speaking to The Telegraph last month, revealed the enormous cultural transformation that Lampard and his deputy, Joe Edwards, have orchestrated away from the spotlight during the past year.
Coventry have been resurgent under Frank Lampard and are now red-hot favourites for promotion
The Sky Blues are now red-hot favourites for promotion (Image: Nigel Roddis)
Minor yet impactful adjustments, such as introducing recovery sessions on Sundays, have yielded significant results.
"People don't always want to go in on Sunday, but everybody knows how important those small percentages are throughout the whole season," Mason-Clark explained.
"We saw this at the last stages last season, coming in on certain days to just make sure we've done the right stuff, to make sure that we were prepared for our next test."
Considering Lampard's people management abilities have also received praise since his appointment, it's hardly surprising that he quickly restored belief and presided over a club-record winning streak to secure a top-six finish, although there would be no storybook conclusion for him or the club in the play-offs.
Having processed the heartbreak of that devastating loss to Sunderland, Lampard and Coventry have bounced back impressively, building the biggest advantage that any table-topping side has ever possessed at this stage of a Championship campaign.
While the core of Coventry's squad remains largely unchanged from the group Lampard took over a year ago, the influence of Chelsea's all-time top scorer is now evident in a team that has been scoring goals at an impressive rate over the past four months.
Coventry City manager Frank Lampard
Lampard's side are 10 points clear at the top of the Championship after 17 games (Image: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
Lampard's lads have been making waves in the Championship, racking up an astonishing 47 goals in just 17 matches. To put it into perspective, Ipswich Town and Hull, the division's highest-scoring teams after Coventry, have scored 19 fewer goals.
A whopping 18 of Coventry's goals have come from set pieces, as corners and throw-ins continue to make a comeback, a total that is double that of any other team in the league, except Derby County.
Brandon Thomas-Asante, Haji Wright and midfielder Victor Torp have been on fire, with Thomas-Asante leading the division's scoring charts. Last season, it was Mason-Clark and Jack Rudoni - who looked up to Lampard as a youngster - who led the charge, although the latter, a key attacking midfielder reminiscent of Lampard, has only recently returned from injury after missing nine games.
Lampard's bond with Rudoni embodies everything the ex-Chelsea boss adores about management and why he was never likely to settle for a comfortable punditry role like some of his former England team-mates.
"We have a really good relationship, we talk a lot about midfield play, goal threat and I know what that mindset is and it's easy for me to talk about and he's easy to get on with," Lampard told BBC CWR this week.
"Nothing in management is quite as rewarding as playing - but in terms of individual relationships, when you see a player grow through the work and perform how he's performed, then you get a really good sense and feeling from it."
Victor Torp of Coventry City, number 29, celebrates the goal with teammates
The Sky Blues can't stop scoring (Image: Stuart Leggett/Getty Images)
Importantly, there's real steel behind Coventry's attacking flair. They refused to crumble after surrendering a two-goal advantage against Middlesbrough in a top-versus-second showdown in midweek.
Instead, they showed tremendous character to net twice within 60 seconds during the closing five minutes to edge even further clear of Boro at the summit. It mirrored events three days prior when the Sky Blues battled back from 2-0 behind to triumph 3-2 against West Brom in spectacular style.
While their attacking brilliance captures the imagination, it's Coventry's determination and mental strength that could prove crucial as they navigate the brutal festive fixture list ahead.
Should they emerge from early 2026 relatively unscathed, then few would wager against Coventry bringing their 25-year absence from the Premier League to an end. Promotion would be the ultimate prize for Lampard, who, a year ago, would have been under no illusions about his career prospects.
This was essentially make-or-break after that sobering caretaker stint at Chelsea, even if Lampard's biggest mistake in that disaster-piece was ignoring the multiple red flags and agreeing to make the ill-judged decision to return to his beloved Blues.
Frank Lampard celebrates after a Coventry win
Lampard has rebuilt his managerial reputation at Coventry (Image: Kevin Hodgson/MI News)
But it's difficult to let logic overrule emotion. After all, he never got a second shot at promotion with Derby County after their play-off final heartbreak in 2019 because the temptation of adding another chapter to his Chelsea legacy, this time as a manager, presented itself sooner than anyone expected.
Unfairly sacked 18 months later, it feels like Lampard's trajectory as a coach was severely affected. The dream job came too soon, while his year in the Everton hotseat won't be remembered fondly. We've already recounted that second Chelsea stint.
It could be argued that Lampard had been somewhat unfairly discarded by the vocal majority despite a hugely promising start to his managerial career. Who knows where he'd be now if different decisions had been made at certain points?
There are very few certainties in life and the topsy-turvy rollercoaster that is football - particularly the Championship. The division that is notoriously difficult - at times even impossible - to predict.
However, Coventry and Lampard are on an upward trajectory. It's only a matter of time before one of the Premier League's most prolific goalscorers returns to familiar territory, albeit in a different role.
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