NEW Coventry City manager Mark Robins has brought in his long-term assistant Steve Taylor as first-team coach, we can reveal.
The management pair took training for the first time at Ryton this morning.
Taylor, aged 47, had the same role in 2012/3 at the Sky Blues alongside Robins, before they were re-united at Huddersfield Town.
They have been a management duo at all of Robins’ clubs including Rotherham United and Barnsley before Coventry, and more recently at Scunthorpe United, where Taylor was recruited as chief scout in 2015.
Taylor left Scunthorpe in January last year when Robins was sacked after 15 months, after initial successes were followed by a string of bad results that left them six points above the relegation zone.
Taylor has also had spells as Derby County’s under-21 coach under Steve McClaren (the former England manager) and as assistant manager with The Rams under George Burley. He coached at Derby for 20 years until 2006, after his playing career was shortened by injury.
When Taylor came to Coventry he initially worked alongside assistant manager Richard Shaw and then Under-21s coach Lee Carsley.
We exclusively revealed yesterday 47-year-old Robins’ return, after earlier revealing the departure of his predecessor Russell Slade after his 13 League games in charge brought only a solitary win, despite the forthcoming historic return to Wembley after 30 years in the Checkatrade Trophy on April 2.
Alongside Taylor, former Manchester United and Norwich striker Robins transformed the struggling Sky Blues within a short five-month spell to become League One promotion contenders in early 2013 before quitting for Huddersfield, City having been relegated under Andy Thorn the previous year.
He has the highest win rate of all Coventry City managers while at the club – at 52 percent.
He was a fans’ favourite at the Ricoh Arena but was equally quickly resented for leaving for the Yorkshire club, given his aborted three-year deal had been so full of promise.
Asked about his return in light of his controversial decision to quit last time in an exclusive interview with the Coventry Observer this morning, Robins told us: “I’m coming in with eyes wide open and I want it to be a long association. The supporters were magnificent last time and I appreciated their support.”
