“I kept hoping someone else would start an LGBTQ+ group for Coventry, but eventually I realised I wanted it to exist badly enough that I had to create it myself,” Lewis explained.

“For the first few games, it was basically just me hoping someone else would turn up. Then, one by one, people did — and that’s when everything started to snowball.

“Matchdays used to be something I did alone. Now they’re a whole experience — a routine built around friends who accept me completely.”

The Proud Sky Blues’ reach isn’t limited to Coventry or the wider region. Member Ella Nic an tsionnaigh regularly travels across the Irish Sea to attend both home and away matches.

Ella came out as transgender in 2014. A devoted football fan, she often attended Bohemians’ Dalymount Park, where she experienced hostility — an incident that later prompted the club to reach out and invite her onto their LGBTQ+ committee.

After developing an interest in Coventry City through Football Manager, she later came across a video shared by the Proud Sky Blues that led her to Proud Sky Blues.

“I’d seen the work they were doing and it really interested me,” said Ella. “I thought Bohemians were the only club with an LGBTQ+ group, so it was great to see Coventry had one too.

“I was already supporting Coventry at the time, so seeing Proud Sky Blues pop up just made me want to join even more.

“I saw a post on social media after the FA Cup semi-final and contacted them straight away — it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done.”

Proud Sky Blues: “These groups are vital — they make sure you’re never alone”

Proud Sky Blues: “These groups are vital — they make sure you’re never alone”