Mark Robins has been sacked by Coventry City, the Championship club have confirmed.
The Englishman was the third-longest serving manager in English football – after Manchester City‘s Pep Guardiola and Harrogate Town’s Simon Weaver – following seven years and 244 days in charge of the Sky Blues.
His shock departure comes with Coventry 17th in the table after a 2-1 defeat at home to Derby on Wednesday night.
Robins joined Coventry for a second spell in 2017 and guided the club from League Two to the Championship.
Many fans on social media have been left devastated by his exit, with one writing: “This is the worst thing the club has ever done.”
Addressing the likely backlash, Coventry released a lengthy statement explaining their decision.
It read: “Mark masterminded and built several team over that time that outperformed their budget, outperformed their infrastructure and brought back a playing style, credibility and belief to our City that had been lost and eroded over many years.
“These achievements will never be forgotten by those who witnessed such deeds and the broader community that once again began to rekindle their affection for our Club.
“There is no doubt that Coventry City today would not be where it is today without the inspired actions of Mark and his team.
“The Club is well aware that this is a difficult moment after over seven very successful years at the helm and this decision is not taken lightly.
“The performance of the team over an extended period however have just not been good enough and as such the board of the Club has decided to make an immediate change in leadership.
“The Club will take its time to appoint a successor to Mark, although the position will be that of Head Coach working within the new structure set up by the Club over the last two years.”
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Coventry added: “Mark’s achievements at the Sky Blues, often against a backdrop of uncertainty and financial restrictions, will see him remembered and lauded as one of the Club’s greatest ever managers, who was able to galvanise players, staff, fans and the Club as a whole to incredible feats.”
The Sky Blues, who lost the 2023 Championship play-off final to Luton on penalties, finished ninth last season and reached the FA Cup semi-finals, suffering a dramatic defeat to Manchester United.
However, the club endured a difficult start to the 2024/25 campaign, losing seven of their opening 14 matches.
Robins was a hugely popular figure among fans – and one talkSPORT caller even tipped him for the England job before Thomas Tuchel was appointed in October.
However, there was a growing sense of unrest at the Coventry Building Society Arena, which boiled over following a defeat to Preston.
Robins was seen confronting a fan who had made their feelings abundantly clear about the club’s poor form.
Nonetheless, ex-Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan was left confused by Coventry’s sudden decision to pull the trigger.
“What a strange decision,” Jordan said as the news was read out on talkSPORT.
“They’ve just won two of their last three. They’ve just beaten Middlesbrough 3-0, who are one of the top sides in the division with expectations.
“They’ve just beaten Luton 3-2, albeit Luton are struggling right now, but they’ve still won that game.
“We weren’t so long ago raving about the job that Mark Robbins has done. So there’s something that’s gone on.
“That’s more than just results, surely, because ultimately they’ve been here before.
“They were here a while ago. I think it was a season ago or so ago. They started the season with an inability to play games, and they were behind the curve in home games.”
The decision comes 22 months into Doug King’s reign as Coventry owner – and Jordan questions whether the Sky Blues chief has realistic expectations for life in the Championship.
He added: “King walked into an environment where you must think football is quite easy.
“Because Coventry all of a sudden have gone from a side that have been nowhere for 20 odd years, to being in an FA Cup semi-final and two play-off opportunities.”