Coventry City notebook: Sky Blue Army topping the charts, Collins sweeping up, and Mark Robins’ meme

Coventry City news and views from CoventryLive as Sky Blues reporter Andy Turner takes a look at the quirkier side of the club this week

Coventry City’s manager, Mark Robins, is aware that his players need as much rest and recuperation as possible before facing Swansea on Friday night. The team is getting ready for the third of four games in the span of a busy ten-day Christmas schedule.

After defeating Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland in back-to-back games, the Sky Blues would be well-positioned to start the New Year against Middlesbrough on Monday with three more points.

The selection of the Robins’ starting lineup is contingent upon the availability of defender Liam Kitching, who was sent off with a straight red card for allegedly violent behavior on Boxing Day, and the health of midfielder Ben Sheaf, who sustained a nasty gash at the Stadium of Light just before Christmas and required 19 stitches. The center-half’s dismissal, which comes with an automatic three-match suspension, was promptly appealed by City, who are now waiting to hear whether or not the player can play against the Swans.

Robins made into meme

This season, City supporters have been treated to regular post-match movies produced by the club’s skilled media team, called “City Unseen.” These videos offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse at matchdays, including player arrivals at the stadium, banter in the tunnel as they warm up, and celebrations after the final whistle. The widely watched video package reached new heights at Sunderland, where manager Mark Robins displayed his sense of humor by stooping down and grinning as he looked down the camera’s lens as the players were being filmed returning to the Stadium of Light dressing rooms following their thrilling 3-0 victory.

Supporters jumped on the impromptu appearance from the manager which quickly spread on social media with some fans acting swiftly to create a meme.

Impressive following home and away

According to Jim Brown, the club’s official stats man, City’s festive gate of 29,208 was the largest at the CBS so far this season and their largest Boxing Day home crowd since 1969 when 32,649 watched the Sky Blues defeat Ipswich 3-1.

The attendance on Tuesday was the third-highest crowd for a Championship match of the day, after Southampton vs. Swansea (30,279) and Ipswich vs. Leicester (29,410). Remarkably, it ranked sixth on the list of England’s greatest attendances of the day, behind Premier League teams Manchester United against Aston Villa (73,574), Sheffield United vs Luton (31,041), and Newcastle vs Nottingham Forest (52,270).

At the halfway point of the season, the Sky Blue Army, who have been supporting their club in large numbers, have the fifth-highest average attendance in the division (2,404) on the road. That puts them just six behind Ipswich Town in fourth place. Sunderland (3,015) and Leicester (2,467) are in third and second place, respectively. and Leeds United has 3,027 to lead the Championship standings.

It’s interesting to note that with an average of 975 from their 12 away games played thus far, Swansea, the team visiting CBS Arena on Friday night, is at the bottom of the standings.

A number of City players were selected in the official Sky Bet Championship Team of the Week for back-to-back games against Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland during the holiday season, which aligns with the team’s improved performance and form.

Tatsuhiro Sakamoto was one of four Sky Blue players to be included after results on December 23 along with Callum O’Hare, Brad Collins, and manager Mark Robins. Sakamoto scored the first goal against the Black Cats on Saturday and then braced the team on Boxing Day to defeat the Owls. Sakamoto was named twice.

Collins decision pays dividends

Some supporters were divided by Mark Robins’ choice to bench Ben Wilson and give Brad Collins a chance against Stoke last month. Wilson has enjoyed great popularity after an incredible 2022–2023 campaign, but Collins’ introduction has been a brilliant move that has paid off handsomely. In his nine league games thus far, the summer acquisition from Barnsley has maintained an amazing six clean sheets and given up only four goals. In eight of those games, he has faced the same back four players in front of him: Milan van Ewijk, Bobby Thomas, Liam Kitching, and Jake Bidwell.