City spent only two seasons in the fourth tier. In 1988–89 they made their second appearance in the semi-final of the League Cupthe first came in 1970–71and they returned to the second tier in 1990. In the next 25 years, they experienced three relegations and three promotions between second and third tiers. While in the third tier, they won the Football League Trophya competition for teams in the lower divisions of the Football Leaguethree times, in 1986, 2003 and 2015, as well as reaching the final twice more.
