Coventry’s Championship play-off final against Luton Town is a “game for the romantics” given both sides’ rise from adversity, says City boss Mark Robins.
The Sky Blues will face the Hatters at Wembley on 27 May, having been together in League Two as recently as 2017-18.
Robins has been with Coventry during their rise up the leagues, following a similar trajectory to Luton in the process.
“People talk about journeys, where we’ve come from,” Robins told BBC CWR.
“It’s one for the romantics. Luton have come from the National League. I remember it well; Mick Harford in charge, 30-point deductions, it’s been a tough road for them but it’s been a tough road for us and we’ve got our own tales of woe from over a number of years.
“Hopefully we can build into a game and have a really good go at getting back into the Premier League. We’re one game away, they’re one game away. To be part of that game is fantastic.”
Coventry edged past Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium, for a 1-0 aggregate success, to book their place at Wembley.
Robins proud to ‘reconnect’ club with fans
The Coventry City which Robins returned to in March 2017 after a stint at Huddersfield is a very different club from the one he is in charge of now.
Promotions have revived the Sky Blues on the field, while he has steered them through the choppy waters of off-field issues with their home stadium and a protracted takeover by Doug King, which only went through in January.
“It’s a special club and it’s special because it’s been through so much,” Robins said.
“We’re playing Luton who have been through a fair amount themselves, but this is a special club with special fans and the fact they’ve got behind us so much is testament to everything we do.
“They’re really good, they’re behind the players, and the biggest achievement I think we’ve managed to do is reconnect with the fans – because there was a huge disconnect with the club.
“They’ve come back together, and it’s been phenomenal. It’s changed beyond all recognition since I walked through the door in 2017 and hopefully we can take the next step.”
It is a sentiment which former Sky Blues winger Gary McSheffrey agrees with – that the team has become a focal point for more than just a fan base.
“They are the heartbeat of a city, they have united Coventry as one,” McSheffrey told BBC CWR.
“Mark Robins has really built a siege mentality with this group of players. They have had everything go against them and they have used it all as armoury in their favour.”
Robins respect for revived stalwart Kelly
Along with Robins and assistant Adi Viveash, midfielder Liam Kelly is a survivor of Coventry’s most recent play-off success – the 2018 League Two final against Exeter.
Kelly, 33, had only featured in 10 regular-season league games but has come back into the first-team plans at a crucial stage of the campaign.
“Liam has had a really tough time really, he’s had injuries, fought his way back,” Robins said.
“I sort of overlooked him for a period in the season because we had other players who were coming to the fore, Josh Eccles was starting to come through, but in fairness he’s a top, top professional and he understood all that, understood everything.
“He was hurting, you could tell. I had a conversation with him just before the Blackburn game, to see how he was mentally and he gave me the answer I expected. He said he was just getting on with things and he was ready.
“I told him that things can turn around really quickly, and it’s done that. He was ready to step in. He should be and is an example to everybody because of the way he operates. Any young player could do worse than look at him.”
