18/04/2026
“𝐖𝐞’𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤”: 𝐂𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲’𝐬 ‘𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐧’ 𝟐𝟓‑𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝
There is a deeply moving story behind Coventry City’s long-awaited return to the Premier League — one that spans a quarter of a century and centres on the extraordinary loyalty of a single fan.
His name is John Mullaney, widely known as “Banner Man.”
Back in 2001, when Coventry City suffered relegation from the Premier League after a match at Villa Park, Mullaney made a bold public declaration of hope. As the team’s fate was sealed, he unfurled a large banner that simply read: “We’ll Be Back.”
That moment captured the hearts of many, but for Mullaney, it was more than a gesture — it was a personal vow. For the next 25 years, he stood by the Sky Blues through every high and low, attending matches no matter which division the club found itself in.
The road was anything but easy. In 2012, Coventry were relegated from the Championship. In 2017, they dropped further to League One, and in 2018, they suffered the humiliation of relegation to League Two — the fourth tier of English football.
Many fans would have walked away, but not Mullaney. He continued to show up, season after season, holding onto the belief that his club would one day return to where it belonged.
The long wait finally began to ease in the 2017/18 season when Coventry earned promotion back to League One. Two years later, in 2019/20, they climbed to the Championship. And now, after 25 long years, Coventry City secured their return to the Premier League after a 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers.
At nearly 69 years old, John Mullaney has lived to witness the fulfilment of the promise he made on that painful day in 2001.
As the Sky Blues prepare to take their place among England’s elite once again, John Mullaney’s “We’ll Be Back” stands as a testament to the enduring bond between a football club and its most devoted fans.
Photo Credit: Goal
