Mark Robins cut straight to the point ahead of tomorrow’s clash, reminding everyone it is exactly 12 months since his Coventry City exit.
The Stoke City boss meets former club Coventry with the Championship’s top 2 set to collide at the bet365 Stadium.
Robins, appointed in January, has overseen a surge that has taken Stoke into 2nd, while Frank Lampard’s Coventry City arrive as leaders after a free-scoring start.
Robins reflects on a year of change and a fast rise at Stoke City
Asked about the anniversary, Robins didn’t wait for the preamble. The response was as sharp as his team’s recent form: “I got sacked!”
“3 points, that’s what’s on this game tomorrow. They’re at the top of the league, they’ve been flying… We’re in second, we’re on their coattails.”
“I’m really pleased with what’s happening at the moment… You want to harness that feeling. If you could bottle that, that’d be good.”
His sacking was the turning point that ultimately led him to the Potteries, where his work since January has stabilised and then accelerated Stoke City into contention.
Robins described the last 12 months as “pretty quick” and said he is “delighted” with the progress made across the club, praising the players, staff and support for aligning around clear standards and incremental improvement.
Under Robins, Stoke boast the division’s best defensive record and have hit 8 goals across the last 2 matches, form that has underpinned 3 successive wins.
That potential made his sacking at Coventry surprising, but they’ve also impressed since the uncoupling, with Frank Lampard eager to return them to the Premier League.
Coventry City fans making it known how they feel about the sacking of Mark Robins 🩵#PUSB
— The Real EFL (@RealEFLSocial) November 9, 2024
Leaders Coventry City, sky-high stakes, and a simple message
With Lampard’s side out in front and Stoke City on their coattails, the stakes are obvious. Robins, though, distilled it into the essentials: 3, nothing more.
He emphasised that the league table in early November reflects meaningful progress rather than a destination, reiterating that his side can “improve still further” in quality and concentration.
‘I’m delighted to be here’
It’s a year to the day that Mark Robins was sacked at Coventry City.
On Saturday his Stoke City side, who are second, take on his old club who are top of the Championship.
Full interview here: https://t.co/dwWk773HSm pic.twitter.com/Vny16ltLKj
— BBC Radio Stoke Sport (@BBCStokeSport) November 7, 2025
Robins also noted the “quirk” of the fixture list that places his reunion with Coventry City at such a pivotal juncture. Sentiment aside, the equation is clear: beat the leaders and the race tightens; fall short and the gap widens.
Either way, the game offers a compelling litmus test for a resurgent Stoke City against a side whose attacking threat has set the early pace.
For all the narrative pull, Robins’ remit is to keep it calm, keep it collective and keep it fun. The message to fans and players alike is consistent: enjoy the ride, stick to the plan and let performance take care of the table.
