'Our job is to make sure we give everyone plenty of excitement...'

MARK Robins cut into the first question at his pre-Coventry press conference when Radio Stoke's Matt Sandoz started to diplomatically talk about what had happened exactly 12 months ago.

- Peter Smith

Mark Robins has led Stoke City to second place in the Championship table. They take on Frank Lampard, inset, and his Coventry side, who top the standings, today.

It was a big turning point for Coventry, Robins and, as it turned out, Stoke City, on November 7, 2024 because, as Robins interrupted to get straight to the point said: “I got sacked!”

It ended a near-eight year reign as Robins pulled a club in crisis up from League Two to the cusp of the Premier League. Coventry turned to Frank Lampard and went on to make the Championship playoff semifinals before a free-scoring start to this season sees them arrive in the Potteries (3pm) as league leaders.

Stoke had a vacancy after Boxing Day and turned to Robins to help keep them in the division. That ticked off, now they sit in second with the best defensive record - and having scored eight times in the last two games, winning the last three on the spin.

Robins said: “It's gone quick. I was out for six weeks, something like that, and got the opportunity to come to manage this brilliant football club, which I was absolutely delighted to do. It's been a pretty quick 12 months really since that time and there's a lot that's happened in between.

“I'm delighted to be here and always will be. I've enjoyed nearly all of it. I look forward to the next 12 months to see what that brings.”