EVEN before he stepped into football management, Mark Robins was already known as a dependable figure.
Robins is best remembered as the man who scored the decisive goal in Man United’s FA Cup semi-final replay against Oldham in 1990, a victory which ultimately helped Alex Ferguson win his first trophy at Old Trafford and, arguably, saved the Scot from the sack.
In addition to United, supporters of Norwich, Leicester, and Rotherham, for whom Robins scored a large chunk of his 111 career goals, will also look back fondly on the ex-striker.
More than reliable during his playing days, Robins has proved to be just as dependable in his managerial career too, as Coventry supporters would unequivocally agree.
Despite the countless issues he has to endure off the pitch, Robins has led Coventry through one of its most successful periods on it.
Since taking charge in 2017, Robins has steered Coventry from League Two back to the Championship and even secured the club’s first piece of silverware for 29 years by winning the EFL trophy.
Having got the club back to the second tier and, most notably, kept them there, Robins is now in the process of building a side whose intent is more than just staving off the threat of relegation but capable of mounting a promotion push.
Upon returning from the World Cup break, The Sky Blues will resume their campaign positioned comfortably in mid-table and just two points short of sixth place.
With over half the season remaining, the odds of Coventry winning promotion to the Premier League are still long according to BoyleSports, the Irish bookmaker and principal club sponsor.
Not since the 2000/01 season have we seen Coventry grace England’s top division. And few Irish bookies with free bets will expect to take many wagers on seeing a return to those days anytime soon.
But the revival seen of late is at least a far cry from the start of the campaign when a return of only two points from their first six games – and a host of postponements due to the pitch at the CBS Arena being unplayable – left Coventry rooted to the bottom of the table.
Albeit early, this season looked destined to be another relegation scrap. But since those first half a dozen fixtures, only league leaders Burnley have taken more points than Coventry, once again showing how Robins continues to defy the odds and take Coventry forwards.
Whether Coventry do mount a serious bid for promotion this season is irrelevant in truth. Fans are well aware of the limitations under which Robins has had to work throughout his five-and-a-half tenure, a reign which makes him the sixth longest-serving manager in English football no less.
The longevity of his stint at Coventry – his second following his short spell during the 2012/13 season – says a lot, if not because it’s completely unheard of for a football manager to be afforded such a length of time today but, also given the countless off-the-pitch troubles he has to contend with.
From stadium and ownership issues to navigating multiple transfer embargos, you name it, Robins has continued to work through testing times and kept Coventry moving in the right direction regardless.
Others of a different character or mindset would’ve up and left the role at the first sign of trouble. Instead, Robins, with his hands tied behind his back so to speak, has achieved every objective asked of him and even exceeded expectations by getting Coventry back to the Championship quicker than many expected.
During a period that, at times, has looked extremely bleak, Robins has remained a constant amid all the uncertainty. And having shown such commitment and perseverance at a time when others would’ve run a mile, it begs the question of where Coventry would be right now without him.
The low-key nature of the man (and lack of a fancy name it could be argued) means his body of work at Coventry tends to go under the radar.
But make no mistake, his efforts are not lost on the club’s long-suffering supporters who view their current manager as having played a major role in one of Coventry City’s most turbulent periods.
Just as he was on the field, Robins has proven to be equally reliable in the dugout. And even as a takeover of the club nears completion and a new era begins at Coventry City, he remains their most prized asset.
