Frank Lampard walked on stage at War Memorial Park on Monday to a wall of noise, and the message from Coventry City's supporters could not have been clearer: stay. Chants of "sign the contract" rang out across the park as an estimated 50,000 Sky Blues fans gathered to mark the club's long-awaited return to the Premier League — their first top-flight season in 25 years.

The city turns sky blue

The celebrations began with an open-top bus parade through the streets before the party moved to War Memorial Park, where the scale of the occasion was plain to see. The turnout underlines just how much this promotion means to a fanbase that has waited a generation for a moment like this. Coventry are Championship title winners, and the city has well and truly come alive.

Singer-songwriter Tom Grennan, a Coventry fan himself, was among those performing on the day, adding a musical backdrop to what was already an emotional afternoon. Midfielder Josh Eccles, speaking to the BBC, admitted the sheer size of the crowd left him "speechless," saying it was the realisation of a dream.

Lampard keeps it brief — but the crowd wants more

Lampard, never one to hog the spotlight on a day that belonged to the fans, was a man of few words when he took the stage. "This means so much to us," he said. "These boys are amazing, you lot are amazing." That was about as far as he got before the supporters made their feelings known about his future.

His current deal runs until the end of next season, which means there is no immediate crisis — but Coventry's backing will be eager to tie him down on longer terms before Premier League clubs come sniffing. The noises out of the fanbase are unambiguous: Lampard is their man, and they want him building something sustainable in the top flight.

Ipswich join the party

Coventry were not the only club celebrating promotion on Monday. Ipswich Town hosted their own parade after securing second place in the Championship with a 3-0 home win over QPR on the final day of the season.

Manager Kieran McKenna, who has overseen a remarkable rise at Portman Road, described the supporter turnout as "incredible" and "humbling." He said seeing the smiles on fans' faces made everything worthwhile, adding that he had returned to the school run and "dad duty" by Sunday before the celebrations resumed in earnest.

Retiring defender Ashley Young, a former Manchester United man, told Sky Sports the last 48 hours had involved "a lot of drinking and a lot of celebrating" — a fitting send-off for a player bowing out on the highest of highs.

What comes next for Coventry

The hard work, of course, starts now. Promotion is the dream; survival is the project. Coventry will need significant investment to compete in a Premier League that has grown considerably wealthier since their last appearance in the top flight. Transfer business, squad depth and keeping hold of their key players will all move up the agenda quickly once the confetti settles.

But for one afternoon in Coventry, none of that mattered. The Sky Blues are back where their supporters believe they belong, and 50,000 of them turned out to say so. Whether Lampard puts pen to paper on an extended deal remains to be seen — but if the volume of those chants is anything to go by, the club will not be short of encouragement.

Frequently asked

Has Frank Lampard signed a new contract at Coventry City?
Not yet. Lampard's current deal runs until the end of next season. Coventry fans publicly urged him to extend his stay during the promotion celebrations at War Memorial Park.
When did Coventry City last play in the Premier League?
Coventry's promotion ends a 25-year absence from the top flight, meaning their last Premier League season was in 2001.
Did Ipswich Town also get promoted from the Championship this season?
Yes. Ipswich finished second in the Championship, confirmed by a 3-0 home win over QPR on the final day, and held their own promotion parade on Monday.