Coventry City round off what has been another eventful and certainly memorable season this weekend when they entertain mid-table Queens Park Rangers looking to send supporters home from the CBS Arena full of cheer and hope for an exciting summer, during which manager Mark Robins will be looking to further strengthen his squad.
The Sky Blues have grown and evolved over the last seven years since the 54-year-old’s return to the club, with the City boss remoulding four different teams to date; the first gaining promotion out of League Two; the second driving out of League One to get a foothold in the Championship; the third making the play-off final last season and the fourth securing anther Wembley visit in the FA Cup last month.
The one constant throughout that incredible journey and sole survivor of the playing squad is skipper Liam Kelly, whom fans will be able to pay tribute to during the customary lap of appreciation after the final whistle on Saturday afternoon. Although it’s not yet official, it seems pretty certain that the 34-year-old midfielder will be moving on this summer, bringing an end to an outstanding seven years of service to the Sky Blues.
And, fittingly, he’ll be saying his fond farewell on the club’s annual Legends Day, with Robins confirming his status in the club’s history when speaking about the consummate professional in his pre-match press conference.
“Liam Kelly, along with Kyle McFadzean and a few others really, but those two especially have played a significant part in the journey,” he said. “But Kels was one of the first signings I made alongside Michael Doyle and Marc McNulty – those three really gave us a platform to kick on to where we are today.
“Kels has obviously stayed the course. Doyler was immense but was getting older at that stage. He’d had promotion with Portsmouth and came here again and won promotion. Marc McNulty’s goals helped us get to the play-off final and into League One and unfortunately we lost his services that summer.
“But Kels has been a huge part of it and will remain, I have no doubt, a club legend for a long, long time and when we talk about legends day, I expect to see Kels back many times in the future.”
Kelly is not the only player fans may well be seeing for the last time, with players both out of contract and still with a year left on their current deals facing uncertain futures this summer. Of the soon to be free agents, goalkeeper Simon Moore and attacking midfielder Callum O’Hare are fully expected to be leaving.
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