Exclusive: Ellis Simms Ready to Lead Coventry’s Charge for the Topflight

Ellis Simms had a brief taste of Premier League football and is dreaming of returning to the promised land with Coventry City this season.

Frank Lampard has turned the Sky Blues’ faltering fortunes around since taking the reins after Mark Robins’ departure.

Looking over their shoulders towards a relegation scrap, Coventry are now firmly embedded in the play-off fight heading into the business end of the season. 

Simms came through the ranks at Everton and forced his way into the first team at Goodison Park towards the backend of the 2022/23 campaign after being recalled from a loan spell Sunderland to bolster Lampard’s attacking options.

He came up against the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson, Harry Maguire and World Cup winner Lisandro Martinez. 

And the determined forward told SportsBoom.com: “I want to get back to the Premier League.”

"Everyone wants to get to that level. Everyone in the Championship wants to be looking at the Premier League.”

“I’ve had a taste of it and I want to get back there. Everyone in our team wants to get to the highest level.”

“It was a massive learning curve. You’re playing against some of the best players in the world.”

“It was a good experience and a good challenge for me. I want to take that on board and use that experience the best I can and grow from it.”

“Hopefully we can get back there one day.”

COVENTRY WANT TO GO ONE BETTER

The Sky Blues came within one penalty kick of returning to the top tier for the first time since 2001 when they lost in the 2023 Championship play-off final to Luton Town at Wembley.

Jake Bidwell, Ben Sheaf, Jamie Allen and Josh Eccles still remain from that heartbreaking near miss.

And Simms knows what it takes to win promotion after being part of the Blackpool side that went up to the Championship through the play-offs in 2021.

“All the players here are hungry to get promoted,” added Simms. 

“We know it’s difficult, it’s a difficult league.”

“A few of the players played the play-off final when it didn’t go our way. That will give them motivation as well.”

“They went that close, within one penalty kick, we know we can potentially do it again. If we got that close why not?”

WHAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF

Simms’ dreams came true when he scored his one, and so far, only Premier League goal. 

And it could not have come much bigger as he netted in front of over 40,000 punters at Stamford Bridge.

He came off the bench to earn Sean Dyche’s a precious point in their relegation dogfight with a last-gasp leveller.

On the memorable moment, he said: “That was a great moment for me. That’s what every person dreams about, scoring in the Premier League.”

“Away at Stamford Bridge, it was a good moment. I’m just hoping one day I can score more goals in the Premier League one day.”

“It gives me the motivation to want to get back there.”