Mark Robins fumed at big Coventry City player exit - but Sky Blues laughed to the bank | OneFootball

Mark Robins was left angry when Marc McNulty swapped Coventry City for Reading back in 2018.

Mark Robins enjoyed a largely successful time in charge of Coventry City, but one transfer debacle in his second stint with the Sky Blues left him up in arms.

The former Manchester United striker initially managed Coventry from September 2012 until February 2013, before leaving the CBS Arena in favour of Huddersfield Town.

Robins returned to manage the West Midlands outfit in March 2017, when they were languishing in an ultimately unsuccessful League One relegation battle.

The ex-Scunthorpe United boss went on to perform wonders with the Sky Blues, though, guiding them all the way from League Two to the Championship, before reaching the second-tier play-off final in 2023, and the FA Cup semi-final in 2024.

Robins was eventually sacked by Coventry in November 2024, paving the way for former Derby County boss Frank Lampard to take the managerial reins.

Mark Robins was furious when Marc McNulty joined Reading from Coventry City, but Sky Blues had the last laugh

Marc McNulty was a class act for the Sky Blues in the 2017/18 League Two season, which turned out to be his only campaign with the side then managed by Robins.

The striker notched 25 goals and eight assists in the fourth tier as Coventry sealed promotion back to League One, and was named player of the match in their play-off final triumph over Exeter City, even though it was Jordan Willis, Jordan Shipley, and Jack Grimmer who scored the goals for the West Midlands outfit in a 3-1 victory.

He became an instant fan favourite at the CBS Arena, scoring his first Sky Blues goal in a 2-0 victory over Grimsby Town in just his second appearance, while his 100th career goal also came while he was playing for Robins's men in a 1-1 draw with Notts County in the first leg of their play-off semi-final.

The former Sheffield United man hit prolific form for Coventry midway through his only campaign with the West Midlands club, scoring five goals in five league appearances, capped off well by a brace against Wycombe Wanderers just before Christmas.

When McNulty went on to join Reading in the summer of 2018, Robins fired a parting shot at the striker's agent, telling Coventry Live: "If the club don’t hit the number, then he doesn’t go. That was the conversation I was having with him. It’s as simple as that.

"The agent turned it (a new contract offer from Coventry) down in a one-line email. He’s well within his right to do that. He was under contract for another two years, so there was no pressure on me to sell, but it’s just a case of what’s the right thing to do.

"It was intimated in no uncertain terms that the player would have been stroppy – and that was the word he used – if the deal didn’t go through. And I said, ‘Fine, a stroppy player doesn’t play.’

"And that wasn’t Sparky, by the way, it was his agent who was trying to force that deal through, and he’s done it. It is what it is. It’s the way of the world. Agents move the players, and they get paid. That’s the top and bottom of it.

"Also, he’s going to be playing at a higher level, going to be earning more money, and all that plays a part. I worked hard to sign him last year, and I am disappointed to see him leave, but, at the same time, I understand that players want to try to play at the highest level they can do."

Coventry Live's report added that Reading, then of the Championship, paid around £1.2million for the two-cap Scotland international.

It was certainly the Sky Blues that got one over the Royals in that regard, as McNulty scored just one goal in 15 appearances for the Berkshire side before joining Hibernian in January 2019.

The former Coventry man went on to endure further loan spells with both Sunderland and Hibs in the 2019/20 season, and made just two further appearances before Reading ahead of a move to Dundee United in 2020.

Sunderland joined Reading in Marc McNulty disappointment

McNulty proved his worth at Coventry, notching the goal contributions that fired the Sky Blues from League Two back to League One.

Then, after struggling at Reading, the striker performed reasonably well in his first spell with Hibs, scoring seven goals and producing four assists in 15 Scottish Premiership appearances.

Those exploits convinced Sunderland, then in League One, to acquire his loan services in the summer of 2019.

However, similarly to his time at Reading, McNulty failed to perform for the Black Cats, scoring just two goals in 15 third-tier appearances for the North East side.

Ultimately, though, it was the Royals who were left the most disappointed by McNulty, having paid Coventry a handsome fee for his services.

The striker provided the Sky Blues faithful with several memorable moments, including excelling in the play-offs, whereas his only Reading goal came in a 2-2 draw with Stoke in 2018, making the Berkshire club question why they paid a seven-figure fee to sign him.