COVENTRY CITY

LAST SEASON

CHAMPIONSHIP 12th FA CUP Fourth Round LEAGUE CUP First Round TOP SCORER Viktor Gyokeres ( 18)

FAN FILE

Last season was a tale of two halves – something resembling early- season perfection, then a correction in the months that followed. Overall, it was a year of progress, ending on a high with Mark Robins’ new deal. This season will be different because it’s harder to improve on a 12th- place finish than a 16th- place finish. Second: this might finally be the season that Robins’ loyalty is severely tested by an offer from above. Third: we might spend some actual cash if SISU decide that we’ve consolidated in this league.

I won’t be happy unless we continue to score a gratuitous number of lastminute levellers and winners. Last term was littered with us ruining parties left right and centre. Our key player will be Dominic Hyam [ below], Viktor Gyokeres if the stays, and whichever precocious loanee of untold potential that the Pied Piper of the CBS Arena coaxes our way. Robins’ reputation in that area precedes him.

Fans think our ground is a turgid casino and mega- Tesco owned by a London rugby team that happens to host the occasional football match. That said, the atmosphere was often goosebump- worthy last season. The active player I’d love to have back is James Maddison, once we’d lasered off all of those silly tattoos and thrown the see- through Louis Vuitton handbags onto the bonfire. I’m least looking forward to playing

Sunderland, who owe us one after we humbled them 5- 4 at their gaff in 2019. Inevitably we’ll make the epic trek and get tonked in front of 40,000 Mackems.

Look out for Fabio Tavares. As is de rigueur for any Coventry striker, he’s scored a last- minute equaliser already and his trendy name only adds to the 70th- minute fervour to bring him on.

The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is that Robins is becoming the best boss in our history. He’s got an FA Cup victory to compete with, but he’d be untouchable if we won promotion. The one change I’d make would be sorting out our away ticket policy so there isn’t a social media embolism every time a game sells out.

We’ll finish top 10, ticking the progress box while minimising grumble levels.

FFT VERDICT 7TH

The Sky Blues have progressed throughout Robins’ tenure, and a continuation of that trend would put Cov in play- off contention this season. Their big- hitters will either rip it up after staying in August, or loosen purse- strings for a canny recruitment team by moving on.