Coventry City head coach Frank Lampard has been handed a one-game touchline ban and fined £2,000 by the Football Association (FA) following a heated confrontation with referee James Bell after his team’s 2-1 Championship defeat to Burnley on April 5, 2025. The incident, which saw Lampard sent off after the final whistle, has ruled him out of Coventry’s upcoming match against Hull City on Monday night.
The match at the CBS Arena was a tense affair, with Burnley coming from behind to secure victory thanks to a brace from Jaidon Anthony, overturning Haji Wright’s opener for Coventry. Frustrations boiled over for Lampard, who was incensed by several refereeing decisions, including a missed handball call on Burnley’s Connor Roberts that he believed should have resulted in a penalty for his side. Speaking after the game, Lampard noted, “Haji’s offside goal was a handball by Burnley’s Connor Roberts just before that… If the referee sees that, then it’s a penalty and maybe a card.”
The FA charged Lampard with misconduct, alleging he acted in an improper manner and used abusive or insulting language toward the match official. The former Chelsea and England midfielder, along with Coventry’s performance analyst Connor Lawley, who was also charged, accepted the sanctions without appeal. Lampard acknowledged the likelihood of the ban, stating, “I won’t appeal it because I won’t win… I think I will miss Hull.”
Coventry fans echoed their manager’s frustration, with chants of “you’re not fit to referee” directed at Bell during and after the match. The game saw six yellow cards issued—two for Coventry and four for Burnley—amid several contentious moments. Lampard’s assistant, Joe Edwards, faced the media post-match, as the red card barred Lampard from conducting his usual press duties.
The ban means Lampard will watch from the stands at the MKM Stadium, unable to be in the dugout or near the touchline during the game. However, he will still deliver his pre-match team talk, be present in the dressing room at halftime, and communicate with his staff via phone. This is not the first time Lampard has faced FA charges, having been disciplined during his stints at Derby County in 2018-19 and Everton.
Despite the setback, Lampard’s impact at Coventry since taking over in November has been significant. He has lifted the Sky Blues from 17th to the Championship’s top six, fueling hopes of a play-off push. Facing his former teammate Scott Parker’s Burnley side added a personal edge to the recent loss, but Lampard remains focused on his team’s promotion aspirations.