The task for Tony Mowbray and his Coventry City side for next season is simple - get promoted and return the club to the Championship.

After a number of seasons having come nowhere near, this campaign was a little more progressive, with an 8th place finish placing the Sky Blues as one of the better sides in the division. However in reality it should have been so much more, with an alarming new year slump meaning Coventry dropped off the pace altogether.

A rebuilding job is required once again at the Ricoh Arena with lots of players needing to be signed before the new season starts, and this includes the defence.

There are no longer any senior centre-backs on the books, so it will be an area of the pitch that Mowbray will have to prioritise.

With this in mind, FLW's Tom Percival looks at the dream defence Tony Mowbray could construct that would make his side a real force in the division next season.

LB - Chris Stokes

The former Forest Green Rovers defender was Coventry's surprise package last season, making the left-back berth his own before injury cut his season short. His consistency and reliability meant that Stokes almost became the first name on the team sheet, a remarkable rise for a player who struggled to get into the team of a Conference side just the season before.

With a clause to extend his contract for another year taken up, it looks as if once more Stokes will be the man Mowbray turns to next season in this position.

If his performances are as good as they were during the majority of this campaign, Stokes can quite comfortably be part of a defence that looks to help their side towards promotion next campaign.

CB - Ben Turner

The towering centre back is a free agent this summer after his contract expired and is subsequently on the look out for a new club.

There are reportedly Championship sides circling, but having come through the academy at Coventry, and having played 76 games for the club, including a loan spell last season, Sky Blues fans will be hoping that Mowbray can persuade Turner to return to the Ricoh Arena on a permanent basis.

Turner has had severe injury problems over the last few years, which has seen him drop from a regular Premier League centre-back to the position he finds himself in now.

It may be a gamble for Coventry to take on a player such as this, yet if he could stay injury free they would arguably be getting the standout defender at League One level. If Turner does return, he would have a major role to play in delivering the desired goal of promotion back to the Championship next season.

CB- Jack Stephens

Stephens spent time on loan at the Ricoh Arena this season, and was very impressive during his stint, despite it coming at a time when the team was generally struggling to pick up results.

It is expected that parent club Southampton would prefer to loan the defender to a Championship club or even give him a chance in their own first team, but if Coventry could persuade them that a return to the West Midlands would be most beneficial, it would be a major coup.

Stephens has already spoke of how much he enjoyed his time at Coventry and working under Tony Mowbray, and many at the club would surely welcome him back with open arms.

Together with Turner, they would make a hugely impressive League One defence that many teams would struggle to get past.

RB - Jordan Willis

Having come through the academy at Coventry City, Willis look set to make the right-back position his own at the start of last season, before injury ended his entire season just 3 games in.

It remains to be seen if such a prolonged period on the sidelines has truly hampered his development. If not, Mowbray will surely trust in Willis to once again fill the full-back berth for next campaign.

With Aaron Phillips released and Sam Ricketts set to play a less prominent role next campaign, Willis knows he has a big season ahead of him.

Mowbray clearly trusts the player, and if he stays injury free he can have an important role to play in the outcome of Coventry's season.