How Lampard's own revival ended Coventry's 25-year wait

Topping the table with essentially the same squad highlights Lampard's powers of recovery. It has allowed him to finally feel like a manager first, rather than player, for the first time when he has been speaking with staff.

To observers Lampard seems more comfortable in his skin at Coventry, not carrying the weight of expectation and his legend at Stamford Bridge, where he is Chelsea's 211-goal record scorer.

His move to the Sky Blues has also been viewed as smart, being allowed to repair any possible scars from Everton and Chelsea away from the Premier League glare.

Some inside Coventry feel the club needed him, and Lampard needed the club, a statement which is hard to disagree with given the end result.

Forward Jack Rudoni is one who has flourished under Lampard, having joined Coventry from Huddersfield for £5m five months before the head coach arrived.

He has scored five goals in his past seven games and 15 of his 17 strikes for the Sky Blues have come under Lampard.

"People just see him as a gaffer because they don't know him as a person but he's more than just a gaffer," he told BBC Sport. "He has a great relationship with everyone - he's a good person as well.

"You can come to him with anything and he will sit there and talk to you and give you advice whether it's football or not. There's no-one better to learn from - he's been brilliant with me on and off the pitch.

"He and I have a good relationship, and we talk closely. He's always helping me with little bits and pieces, timing of runs, areas to get into, even down to shooting techniques and stuff we spoke about.

"He's been brilliant, and it's great to have someone of that quality that can guide me and give me tips, and I'm just happy it's worked out for me on the pitch, which then kind of repays him working with me with the results."

Now Lampard's attention will turn to building a Coventry squad that is capable of competing in the Premier League, ensuring the Sky Blues' return to the top flight for the first time in a quarter of a century is not short-lived.