Arise Sir Marcus
MARK ROBINS felt winning silverware was “the norm” when he broke into Manchester United’s first team under Sir Alex Ferguson.
As a young homegrown striker at Old Trafford, Robins lifted the FA Cup in 1990 aged 20.
His heroics en route even included scoring against Nottingham Forest to supposedly save Fergie from the sack.
The European Cup Winners’ Cup followed the next year to mark a memorable arrival in the big time.
But subsequently he found silverware a lot harder to come by both as a player and a boss.
Robins, now 50, is developing a taste for it once more with Coventry after a second promotion in three years, as well as lifting the EFL Trophy.
The Sky Blues were confirmed as League One champions this week on points per game after coronavirus halted the season.
It has capped a huge turnaround at the club since Robins returned in March 2017 for a second spell at the then fourth-tier side. Now some fans are even dreaming of a potential return to the Premier League for the first time since relegation in 2001.
Robins said: “In my breakthrough season I won the FA Cup. I thought this is the norm, but I never got there again.
“So this is special, it is everything you do. When you win something it is great because you might not win anything ever again.
“But since I walked in over three years ago the change around here has been incredible. It has come from a really difficult place.
“I am lucky to work with some really good players and really good staff. The rapport between us and the supporters is phenomenal.
“We are possibly still a few steps away from the Premier League, but it is part of being a football fan to think of it.”
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Robins has also had to develop players then sell them to ensure the club’s survival, with Sam Mccallum the latest to be sold in January to Norwich, who loaned the defender back.
But despite their limited budget, Coventry only lost three league games to comfortably eclipse last term’s eighth-place finish. Their young side play attractive, passing football which gives Robins optimism his side can upset the odds again next season.
He added: “We have to recruit younger players to develop and sell because that is part of the model.
“It means there is a churn and it has been a long journey of just over three years, but we have done pretty well each step of the way.
“Last season we did OK, but be knighted. Bookmakers have slashed the odds on Rashford becoming a Knight of the Realm by 2022 to just 6/4.
He could follow in the footsteps of United legends Sir Matt Busby, Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Alex Ferguson (above) to receive the honour.
Rashford has headed up a campaign in association with Fareshare during lockdown that had hoped to raise £100,000 to supply food to children who usually have free school meals but are currently unable to access them.
It has now exceeded £20m with more than three million meals supplied.
The striker has vowed to “keep fighting until no child in the UK has to worry about where their next meal is coming from”.
‘It’ll be tough and we’ll have the smallest budget there’
Left with club six points above League One relegation zone. Coventry (2017-present) WORKED wonders on tight budget (above with Michael Doyle after 2018 League Two play-off final victory) ahead of club’s Championship return.