The Sky Blue decade: 2008

Year In Brief: A 4-1 FA Cup win at Blackburn in January failed to save Iain Dowie, who was clearly not compatible with new chairman Ray Ranson's vision for the club.

Chris Coleman was unveiled to a positive reaction from fans and press but despite good performances from new signings Daniel Fox and Scott Dann, results remained mixed up until the end of the season.

Looking fairly safe going into the final game, City were left thankful that Stoke had held out against Leicester while they themselves were capitulating at Charlton.

A policy of signing younger, hungrier players had been put in place after the Ranson-led takeover and the likes of Fox, Dann and Keiren Westwood settled in well alongside older lags Stephen Wright and Clinton Morrison during a fairly uneventful (by recent standards) start to the 2008/09 season.

High Point: City scored some big wins against Blackburn, Barnsley, Colchester and Southampton during the year but a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Birmingham in November was a textbook away display against the promotion favourites.

Low Point: The debacle at Charlton was matched by a dire home display against West Brom in the FA Cup when managerless City were swept away 5-0.

Brief Encounter: Kasper Schmeichel made a huge imapct during nine games on loan from Manchester City, particularly in a crucial 1-1 draw with Wolves in April.

Quote Unquote: 'There are no quick fixes in football - we have got a five-year plan. Chris buys into that and I buy into what he hopes to achieve.

'We have discussed how much money he will get to strengthen the club in the summer.

'We will work together and build a club and team that Coventry will be proud of.'

Ray Ranson explains his choice of Coleman as the man to implement his plan for the future.

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