Championship outfit Coventry City seem to be a team on the rise under the stewardship of current boss Mark Robins.

This time five years ago, they had been relegated to the fourth tier of English football and faced a bleak future after failing to perform well under Tony Mowbray and Russell Slade.

Under Robins though, they have managed to climb their way back into the second tier and previously looked favourites to secure their spot in the top six following a fast start to the 2021/22 campaign.

They may have dropped off after that - but they were still in the race for a play-off spot during the latter stages of the campaign and have great reason for optimism going into the next few years.

Looking more at the past though, we have picked the best Sky Blues 11 from the past five years, with quite a few of these players still plying their trade at the CBS Arena.

Do you agree with our picks and formation though? Let us know!

Moore's performances for the West Midlands outfit have been superb since his arrival last summer, coming in on a free transfer following his release from Sheffield United and managing to adapt to playing regular football again.

Considering how little he played at Bramall Lane prior to his arrival at the CBS Arena, this has made his displays even more impressive and it would be no surprise to see him appear as one of the first names on the teamsheet again next season.

Recording nine clean sheets in 41 league appearances during 2020/21, the 32-year-old arguably deserved more and you would certainly back him to guide his side into the promotion mix next season if he can replicate his performances from the last 10 months.

It was difficult to leave Sam McCallum out of this starting lineup considering how well he performed during his time at the club - but Maatsen is one of the best left-sided prospects in world football and was a valuable contributor for Coventry during 2021/22.

Able to play as a wing-back and in an advanced role, his versatility came in handy for the Sky Blues, managing to record three goals in 39 league matches, though he was only able to register one assist.

This is a total he would have wanted to improve - but he made the step up to the second tier well and enjoyed a much more productive campaign than McCallum - who struggled with injury problems at Queens Park Rangers.

In terms of Maatsen though, having him at wing-back is probably ideal because he may struggle in a more defensive role against certain wingers. That's forgivable considering his age though - and he offers more going forward than Jake Bidwell.

Clarke-Salter was a great addition to Robins' defence during the 2021/22 campaign, filling the void left by Leo Ostigard and establishing himself as a key asset at the heart of their defence.

According to Coventry Live, they want to secure a permanent agreement for the Englishman but will only continue their chase for him if he's released by parent club Chelsea at the end of this season.

PSV and Premier League side Leeds United are also thought to be monitoring his current situation though, so the Sky Blues will face a huge task in their quest to lure him back to the West Midlands, especially with their budget set to be limited once again.

Sheffield United are another side keeping an eye on him, though the Blades will be competing in the second tier again next season following their play-off semi-final loss against Nottingham Forest.

McFadzean's performances this season have probably kept Ostigard out of this starting lineup - because he has played a huge part in guiding his side to an improved finish this term.

The fact the second-tier side didn't keep a clean sheet in the league during 2021/22 without the presence of the 35-year-old just goes on to reinforce his importance, taking his game to new levels over the past 10 months despite his age.

It will be interesting to see how often he plays next term because he certainly deserves the opportunity to play a key part for the Sky Blues again during the 2022/23 season, though it remains to be seen whether he can keep himself fit.

Appearing in 37 league games this term, Robins will be satisfied if he can get a similar number of matches out of the veteran next season and even if he doesn't, the experienced defender will provide real value off the pitch as a leader.

Hyam is a player that had been forced to take the step down following his release from Reading, joining Robins' side when they were plying their trade in the fourth tier.

He has adapted to the challenges of the second tier extremely well though and at 26, still has plenty of time to play in the top flight if he can continue to impress at the CBS Arena.

Registering 43 league appearances during 2021/22, he has continued to be one of the first names on the teamsheet for his side and it would be no surprise to see him play at a senior level for Scotland too.

Also managing to tie him down to a new deal last November, they look set to keep hold of the centre-back for the long term and that can only be a good thing for Robins in his quest to take the Sky Blues to new heights.

With his four league assists during his first campaign at the CBS Arena, some would argue Todd Kane deserves to be in this 11.

But Dabo, despite an underwhelming season this term, played a part in guiding the second-tier side back to the Championship and can be a threat going forward, though he will be disappointed to have only recorded six assists during his three seasons in the West Midlands.

Interestingly, the 26-year-old has operated as a centre-back on a few occasions over the past year but would probably want to operate on the right-hand side for the foreseeable future in his quest to be more of an attacking force.

Considering his age, he still has plenty of time to improve and will be keen to put the recent season behind him. If he is to progress though, he needs to try and remain fit and available and get a string of games under his belt. The fact he was sent off twice during 2021/22 didn't help his cause.

Ben Sheaf has been a game-changer for Coventry during the recent season but in terms of impact, it would be hard to look past Kelly who has played a part in the last five seasons for his current club.

He will be disappointed that injury and illness problems have prevented him from appearing more often during 2021/22 - but regardless of what happens this summer - he can look back on his career at the CBS Arena with real pride.

Also able to complement Gus Hamer well as a more defensive player, the 32-year-old is perfect for this lineup and fully deserves his place, though it remains to be seen how big a part he will play next season and beyond.

Hamer is undoubtedly one of the more gifted players to arrive at the club in the past five years and showed his worth once again this term with three goals and 10 assists in the second tier.

Proving himself to be a real game-changer in the middle of the park, the fact he has signed fresh terms can only be good news, though he would probably benefit from improving his discipline.

Picking up 14 yellow cards this season, with some being completely avoidable, he is at risk of missing out on some games unnecessarily unless he can address this issue, though the 24-year-old is definitely someone worth having in their starting lineup.

He would leave a huge hole in Coventry's squad if he was to leave during the upcoming window.

24-year-old O'Hare has been integral to their cause, recording five goals and eight assists in 45 league appearances during 2021/22 as one of the first names on the teamsheet.

Adding more goals to his game will help to take his side to the next level, but considering this recent season was his first year at the club, Coventry can have no real complaints.

Perhaps Jordan Shipley has a case to be in the starting lineup considering he was at the club for a few years before his departure to Shrewsbury Town, but O'Hare's impact during 2021/22 alone earns him a spot in this lineup.

The striker will be frustrated that he hasn't been able to play more often for the Sky Blues - but his goals-to-game ratio for Robins' side is superb - managing to get on the scoresheet 12 times in 24 league displays in his most recent campaign.

A fit and firing Godden next term could be a game-changer once again - and seeing him in full flight for his goal away at Derby County in March just shows how much of an asset he can be when he's available.

At 30, he will want to get to the Premier League sooner rather than later but if his side are to remain in the promotion mix next season, his fitness could be crucial.

Manager Robins took a huge risk in signing Gyokeres permanently last year following an underwhelming loan spell during 2020/21.

However, since making the longer-term switch from Brighton, the Swedish striker has been superb, managing to score 17 times in the league this term is thought to be the subject of interest from promoted outfit Fulham.

Although he could be a good competitor for Aleksandar Mitrovic, he would surely be best served remaining at the CBS Arena where he will play regularly.

Able to play both as a lone forward and in a partnership, he's an asset Robins won't want to lose anytime soon.