Coventry’s Sky Blues’ unbeaten start to their football season

Some say that politics and sport should never be mixed and as a PAIS student, I would agree. However, the deadly fusion of the political and the athletic has proven to be unavoidable. Take the winding fortunes of Spain’s two most prestigious sporting institutions, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, as examples. During the 1950s, Los Blancos dominated European football. Winning five successive European Cups between 1956 and 1960, Real Madrid became a symbol of power for the state while FC Barcelona had its name and logo banned by the Francoist government.

Of course, the political turmoil that threatened to derail Coventry City’s season before it had even begun cannot be compared to that of the tyranny once inflicted upon the people of Europe, that would be daft. However, the elephant in the room, indeed the one imprinted upon every fibre of our great city, must be addressed.

Coventry City’s unbeaten start to the League One season cannot be separated from the chaos that preceded it. Forced to leave the Ricoh Arena amid a dispute between the club’s owners, SISU, Coventry City Council and Wasps, a summer of uncertainty descended upon the West Midlands club. Eventually, it was agreed that the Sky Blues would call St. Andrews home for the duration of the 2019-20 season, a move which would see Coventry play outside of its city for the second time this decade.

Unbeaten this season, things are finally starting to look up for Coventry

Tom Bayliss’ switch to Preston North End inflicted yet another visceral blow to the City faithful. Conor Chaplin, Jack Grimmer, Jordan Willis and Tony Andreu also departed, paving the way for a second rebuild in as many years for City manager Mark Robins. The season began with an uncontroversial win over Southend United, a victory that was swiftly followed-up with a disappointing draw against the crisis-embroiled Bolton Wanderers. Fourteen days into the season and it seemed as though inertia had already arrived. Same old City and unreliable as always.

And then came lift-off. Six weeks have passed since the Sky Blues failed to find the net against Bolton and they haven’t looked back. Memorable wins against Bristol Rovers, Gillingham, Wimbledon and Blackpool, interspersed with draws against Burton, Portsmouth and Oxford, have left Mark Robins’ side two points adrift of league-leaders Ipswich Town. Unbeaten this season, things are finally starting to look up for Coventry. Granted an additional 499 tickets for their upcoming trip to Rotherham, it seems a long time since the club’s future in the Football League seemed so uncertain.

The Sky Blues will round off September with a tough test against Doncaster Rovers, who have enjoyed an equally productive start to the season, but opportunity awaits for Mark Robins’ side. Before they face Sunderland and Ipswich in successive weeks as November crosses into December, Coventry face a favourable run of fixtures in which they have the opportunity to turn St. Andrews into the unlikeliest of fortresses.

Coventry City FC, a club once of the Premier League, never does anything the easy way

Back in August, Ben Fisher of the Guardian marked Coventry as a side with the potential to reach the playoffs; a prediction few were willing to make at the time. Fisher, who identified Portsmouth and Sunderland as title favourites, suggested that, “If Coventry can adapt to playing away from home for the second time in five years Mark Robins’s side could threaten” to make the playoffs. FourFourTwo were less optimistic, tipping Coventry to finish in midtable.

So, the soap opera ticks on. Coventry City FC, a club once of the Premier League, never does anything the easy way but if the Sky Blues are able to overcome a summer of grinding adversity, 2019 could just mark the start of a new chapter for the club. Unbeaten so far, but the thunderclouds are never too far away. Enjoy the ups, and the downs and welcome to the Sky Blues’ rollercoaster ride of a season.