Fair play to Coventry City as they look determined to get back to the big time, however, with Newcastle United picking up another away win under Matthias Jaissle on Monday.
After the endless agony of an extended international break, NUFC are finally back in action in the dreaded Monday night slot under the lights at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
I think you have to give Coventry City some credit. It took them 25 agonizing years to drag themselves back into the Premier League.
For a long time, the Sky Blues were the absolute poster boys for how not to run a football club, a gamble that began with the sale of their former home at Highfield Road backfired spectacularly when broadcast revenue dried up following their relegation to the Championship.
This was due to the collapse of the ITV Digital deal, which left the clubs out of the top flight. For Coventry City, this meant moving to the brand new Ricoh Arena on a very vulnerable financial basis and the club soon went into administration and began a rapid descent into the fourth tier, which forced them into temporary mainstays at Northampton and Birmingham.
As Newcastle United fans, we have embarked on 15 soul-destroying seasons plagued by Mike Ashley’s penniness and serious lack of passion.
Mike Ashley (through his Frasers Group empire) paid £17 million in November 2022 for the CBS Arena (formerly Ricoh Arena) and other surrounding assets (hotel, casino, land, etc.). The current Coventry City ownership subsequently paid up to £40m for the CBS Arena and ABSsets. The group spent money on the stadium in the interim. Even so, Mike Ashley has made a significant profit, if not nearly as much as his wealth increased due to his ownership of Newcastle United.
When you look at what Coventry City fans have been through in recent decades, you can’t help but feel a little sympathy. Frank Lampard has done a great job to get them back to the big time and while they haven’t had the best start to this campaign, they will finally make some noise after getting their first win at the City Ground before the break.
But sympathy does not get three points in the Premier League. We don’t go there to admire their comeback story. We travel there to do something, to build on that brutal win against Hull, to keep moving up the table.
The international break hasn’t been too bad and we’re nearing full strength; Nico Gonzalez, Miley, Osula and Joelinton are all likely to be in the matchday squad, with Burn, Dedic and hopefully even Jacob Ramsey very close.
I think Newcastle United will weather the inevitable early storm and dictate this game to bring all three points back to Tyneside.