# 2000–01 Coventry City F.C. season

During the 2000–01 English football season, Coventry City F.C. competed in the FA Premier League. It was their 34th consecutive season in the top division, but this season saw the club relegated and they have not been in the top flight since.

## Season summary

Coventry City's season started promisingly. Despite an opening-day 3–1 home defeat to Middlesbrough, this was followed by back-to-back away victories at Southampton and Manchester City, which was the first time they had won an away league game since April 1999 and the first time they had won back-to-back away league games since February 1998. However, this burst of form instantly evaporated and by December 2000, Coventry had dropped into the relegation zone after obtaining only one more win (a 2–1 home win over Tottenham Hotspur) and 6 points from 13 matches. With the exception of three rounds, all of which were before January 2001, Coventry would ultimately stay there for the rest of the season. After 34 years in the top flight and 10 close shaves with relegation, their luck finally ran out and they were relegated to the First Division after a 3–2 away defeat at Aston Villa on 5 May 2001. It was the first time they had suffered relegation since 1958, when they were relegated to Division Four - then the fourth tier of English football. Much optimism followed Coventry's relegation with everyone at the club working hard to attain promotion at the first attempt. These hopes were boosted with the signing of prolific striker Lee Hughes from local rivals West Bromwich Albion.
In the FA Cup, Coventry won 2–0 away at Swindon Town in the third round, but were eliminated by Manchester City after a 1–0 defeat at Maine Road. Their League Cup campaign began with the club convincingly beating Preston North End 7–2 on aggregate in the second round (in which they won both legs), before defeating Southampton away for the second time in the season. However, this cup run came to an end after a 2–1 defeat by Ipswich Town at Portman Road.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 16 | Everton | 38 | 11 | 9 | 18 | 45 | 59 | −14 | 42 | |
| 17 | Derby County | 38 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 37 | 59 | −22 | 42 | |
| 18 | Manchester City (R) | 38 | 8 | 10 | 20 | 41 | 65 | −24 | 34 | Relegation to the Football League First Division |
| 19 | Coventry City (R) | 38 | 8 | 10 | 20 | 36 | 63 | −27 | 34 | Relegation to the Football League First Division |
| 20 | Bradford City (R) | 38 | 5 | 11 | 22 | 30 | 70 | −40 | 26 | Relegation to the Football League First Division |

### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Source: 2000-01 FA Premier League table

### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 |
| Ground | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H |
| Result | L | W | W | L | D | L | L | D | W | L | L | L | L | L | D | L | W | L | D | W | D | D | L | L | L | L | D | D | D | L | W | W | L | W | L | L | L | D |
| Position | 17 | 11 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 |

## Results

Coventry City's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 6 January 2001 | Swindon Town | A | 2–0 | 14,445 | Bellamy, Hadji |
| R4 | 27 January 2001 | Manchester City | A | 0–1 | 24,637 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R2 1st Leg | 19 September 2000 | Preston North End | A | 3–1 | 10,770 | Zúñiga, Hall, Strachan (pen) |
| R2 2nd Leg | 27 September 2000 | Preston North End | H | 4–1 (won 7–2 on agg) | 7,425 | Aloisi (3, 1 pen), Eustace |
| R3 | 1 November 2000 | Southampton | A | 1–0 | 11,809 | Eustace |
| R4 | 28 November 2000 | Ipswich Town | A | 1–2 | 19,563 | Bellamy (pen) |

## Players
### First-team squad

    Squad at end of season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | SWE | Magnus Hedman |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Marc Edworthy |
| 3 | MF | ENG | Steve Froggatt |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Paul Williams |
| 5 | FW | WAL | John Hartson |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Richard Shaw |
| 7 | MF | ENG | David Thompson |
| 8 | MF | MAR | Youssef Chippo |
| 10 | MF | MAR | Mustapha Hadji (captain) |
| 11 | FW | PER | Ysrael Zúñiga |
| 12 | DF | SCO | Paul Telfer |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Chris Kirkland |
| 14 | MF | ENG | Carlton Palmer |
| 15 | MF | ENG | John Eustace |
| 16 | FW | AUS | John Aloisi |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 17 | DF | IRL | Gary Breen |
| 18 | FW | WAL | Craig Bellamy |
| 19 | MF | HON | Iván Guerrero |
| 21 | MF | SCO | Gavin Strachan |
| 22 | DF | IRL | Barry Quinn |
| 24 | DF | ENG | Marcus Hall |
| 25 | MF | IRL | Barry Ferguson |
| 26 | DF | BIH | Muhamed Konjić |
| 27 | FW | SCO | Stephen McPhee |
| 28 | FW | ENG | Jay Bothroyd |
| 32 | MF | IRL | Lee Carsley |
| 34 | GK | ENG | Alan Miller (on loan from Blackburn Rovers) |
| 41 | DF | ENG | Calum Davenport |
| 42 | MF | ENG | Robert Betts |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 5 | DF | SCO | Colin Hendry (to Bolton Wanderers) |
| 9 | FW | BEL | Cédric Roussel (to Wolverhampton Wanderers) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 32 | MF | IRL | Daire Doyle (to Kidderminster Harriers) |
| 42 | MF | ENG | Robert Betts (on loan to Plymouth Argyle) |

### Reserve squad

    The following players were contracted to Coventry, but did not appear for the first team this season.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 20 | MF | SWE | Tomas Gustafsson |
| 23 | GK | DEN | Morten Hyldgaard |
| 29 | FW | NOR | Runar Normann |
| 30 | MF | BEL | Laurent Delorge |
| 31 | FW | HON | Jairo Martínez |
| 33 | FW | ENG | Gary McSheffrey |
| 35 | MF | ENG | Craig Pead |
| 36 | MF | WAL | Lee Fowler |
| 37 | MF | SCO | Craig Strachan |
| 38 | DF | ENG | Thomas Cudworth |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 39 | DF | SWE | Richard Spong |
| 40 | MF | SCO | Gary McPhee |
| 50 | GK | SWE | Per Fahlman |
| — | GK | ENG | Gary Montgomery |
| — | DF | WAL | David Pipe |
| — | MF | ENG | Chris Barnett |
| — | MF | SWE | Andreas Dahl |
| — | MF | SCO | Martin Grant |
| — | MF | NIR | Mark Magennis |

## Transfers
### In

| Date | Pos | Name | From | Fee |
| 12 July 2000 | FW | Jay Bothroyd | Arsenal | £1,000,000 |
| 2 August 2000 | MF | David Thompson | Liverpool | £2,500,000 |
| 16 August 2000 | FW | Craig Bellamy | Norwich City | £6,500,000 |
| 6 September 2000 | FW | Jairo Martínez | Motagua | Signed |
| 19 October 2000 | MF | Iván Guerrero | Motagua | Signed |
| 1 December 2000 | MF | Lee Carsley | Blackburn Rovers | £2,500,000 |
| 22 December 2000 | MF | Andreas Dahl | IFK Hässleholm | £300,000 |
| 8 February 2001 | FW | John Hartson | Wimbledon | Signed |

### Out

| Date | Pos | Name | To | Fee |
| 9 June 2000 | FW | Chukki Eribenne | Bournemouth | Free transfer |
| 28 June 2000 | DF | David Burrows | Birmingham City | Free transfer |
| 1 July 2000 | MF | Gary McAllister | Liverpool | Free transfer |
| 5 July 2000 | DF | Ian Brightwell | Walsall | Free transfer |
| 6 July 2000 | DF | Mark Burrows | Exeter City | Free transfer |
| 30 July 2000 | FW | Robbie Keane | Inter Milan | £13,000,000 |
| 31 July 2000 | FW | Noel Whelan | Middlesbrough | £2,000,000 |
| 12 January 2001 | MF | Daire Doyle | Kidderminster Harriers | Free transfer |
| 13 February 2001 | DF | Colin Hendry | Bolton Wanderers | £250,000 |
| 15 February 2001 | FW | Cédric Roussel | Wolverhampton Wanderers | £1,500,000 |
    Transfers in: £12,800,000
    Transfers out: £16,750,000
    Total spending: £3,950,000

### Loan in

* Alan Miller - Blackburn Rovers, 20 October, 37 days

### Loan out

* Colin Hendry - Bolton Wanderers
* Robert Betts - Plymouth Argyle, 16 February, 19 days

## Statistics
### Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Premier League | Premier League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||||
| 1 | GK | SWE | Magnus Hedman | 18 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Chris Kirkland | 27 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2+1 | 0 |
| 34 | GK | ENG | Alan Miller | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Defenders ||||||||||||
| 2 | DF | ENG | Marc Edworthy | 28 | 1 | 18+6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Paul Williams | 36 | 0 | 27+3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Richard Shaw | 28 | 0 | 23+1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 12 | DF | SCO | Paul Telfer | 35 | 0 | 27+4 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | IRL | Gary Breen | 37 | 1 | 29+2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2+2 | 0 |
| 19 | DF | HON | Iván Guerrero | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 22 | DF | IRL | Barry Quinn | 29 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | ENG | Marcus Hall | 24 | 1 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 26 | DF | BIH | Muhamed Konjić | 9 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 41 | DF | ENG | Calum Davenport | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielders ||||||||||||
| 7 | MF | ENG | David Thompson | 28 | 3 | 22+3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | MAR | Youssef Chippo | 37 | 0 | 18+14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | MAR | Mustapha Hadji | 34 | 7 | 28+1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 3+1 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | ENG | Carlton Palmer | 16 | 0 | 12+3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | ENG | John Eustace | 37 | 4 | 22+10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| 21 | MF | SCO | Gavin Strachan | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0+2 | 1 |
| 32 | MF | IRL | Lee Carsley | 23 | 2 | 21 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | MF | SCO | Craig Strachan | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | MF | ENG | Robert Betts | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forwards ||||||||||||
| 5 | FW | WAL | John Hartson | 12 | 6 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | FW | PER | Ysrael Zúñiga | 17 | 2 | 7+8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 16 | FW | AUS | John Aloisi | 21 | 6 | 8+10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2+1 | 3 |
| 18 | FW | WAL | Craig Bellamy | 39 | 8 | 33+1 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 28 | FW | ENG | Jay Bothroyd | 10 | 0 | 3+5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| Players transferred or loaned out during the season ||||||||||||
| 5 | DF | SCO | Colin Hendry | 2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | BEL | Cédric Roussel | 17 | 2 | 10+6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Last updated: 31 June 2002 Source: Competitions