Why Coventry City and Sheffield United fans may be surprised at Steve Cooper trend at Brondby | OneFootball

Steve Cooper is making the most out of former players from Coventry City and Sheffield United

Sheffield United and Coventry City both missed out on promotion to the Premier League in 2025 despite making the play-offs.

The Blades lost 2-1 to Sunderland in the final, with Tom Watson’s late strike securing a place in the top flight for the Black Cats.

Régis Le Bris’ side had to get through the Sky Blues to reach Wembley Stadium, and it was a late goal in extra time from Dan Ballard that secured a 3-2 victory on aggregate.

Frank Lampard’s side bounced back after a quiet summer and are now in contention for a top two place in the Championship.

However, a hectic transfer window led to a disastrous start to the campaign for Sheffield United, who are now on the fringes of the battle for another top six finish.

Chris Wilder departed after the defeat at Wembley last May, but he was back in the dugout by September following the dismissal of his replacement Ruben Selles.

Luis Binks and Ben Godfrey’s unlikely success in Denmark

Steve Cooper took charge of Danish giants Brondby last September, taking on his first role outside of English football.

The former Leicester City boss has since added former Sheffield United defender Ben Godfrey to his backline, alongside ex-Coventry centre-back Luis Binks.

The 28-year-old arrived in the January transfer window, joining on loan from Atalanta after he struggled for game time under Wilder.

Godfrey spent the first half of this season on loan at Bramall Lane, making just four league appearances in what was an underwhelming spell with the Blades.

The centre-back featured in defeats to Millwall, Middlesbrough, Ipswich Town and Charlton Athletic, with the team failing to score a single goal in that run, conceding eight.

He didn’t play a single minute for the Blades following the 1-0 defeat to the Addicks, which was Wilder’s first game back in charge.

Meanwhile, Binks made the move to Denmark in the summer after Coventry’s loss to Sunderland in the play-off semi-finals.

He’s been a key figure under Cooper, and now Godfrey has joined him in the heart of their defence.

The addition of Godfrey has coincided with a run of form that has seen Cooper’s side concede just one goal in four games.

Coventry City and Sheffield United will be surprised by Brondby’s backline

It will come as a surprise to Coventry and Sheffield United supporters to see two of their former players working together.

Binks was in opposition to the Blades last season, but he can share a lot in common with Godfrey from their separate time in the Championship.

The 24-year-old spent just two years at the CBS Arena, making 48 league appearances, and he struggled for consistent performances under Lampard.

But he’s proving himself as a solid centre-back under Cooper, with the team conceding 16 times in the Superliga from his 17 appearances.

Brondby are fourth in the table, and they are competing for European qualification for next season.

The Danish team made it to the Conference League play-offs last year, but were unable to qualify for the main draw of the tournament.

Perhaps Binks and Godfrey’s strong defensive partnership will be key to their success in going one step further in 2026 and making it to the League Phase.