Stoke appoint ex-Coventry boss Robins as manager

Mark Robins has taken charge of 780 games since his first as Rotherham United manager in March in 2007

Stoke City have appointed former Coventry City boss Mark Robins as their new manager on a three-and-a-half-year deal.

Robins, 55, was sacked by the Sky Blues in October after seven years in charge.

He succeeds Narcis Pelach, who the Potters parted company with on Friday just three months after he was appointed.

Robins' first game will be against managerless strugglers Plymouth Argyle on Saturday.

Caretaker boss Ryan Shawcross, who oversaw Sunday's late win over Sunderland, will again take charge for the New Year's Day home game against Burnley.

Paul Nevin, who had been serving as interim England Under-20s head coach, and former Newport County manager James Rowberry, the Wales men's number two behind Craig Bellamy, will join Robins at the bet365 Stadium, as assistant managers.

After using the job title of head coach for the last three men in charge - Alex Neil, Steven Schumacher and Pelach - the vastly experienced Robins' job title will be manager.

After starting his managerial career with Rotherham United in March 2007, Robins has taken charge of a total of 780 games with Barnsley, Coventry, Scunthorpe United and Huddersfield Town.

'He was always going to be in great demand'

"At Coventry, Mark built something successful with a real identity and longevity," said Stoke sporting director Jon Walters.

"He left the club in a significantly better place than he found it. That's exactly what we want to achieve at Stoke City, and he has all the pedigree and experience to help us do that."

Robins had also been linked with the current vacancy at Stoke's Midlands Championship rivals West Bromwich Albion.

"With a record like that behind him, Mark was always going to be in great demand," said Walters. "So we're delighted that he sees an exciting opportunity to build something special in the Potteries.

"The immediate mission is to climb as high as we can up the Championship table during the second half of this season, whilst also laying foundations for a long-term successful future for our club."

Stoke are 18th in the table, ahead of the Burnley trip, four points clear of trouble.

The Football Association of Wales have confirmed that Rowberry will remain in his role as Bellamy's assistant with the national team.

"Welcoming two assistant managers of such calibre and with such innovative and progressive mindsets in Paul and James is another important part of how we will seek to progress and grow," added Walters.

Mark Robins' managerial record

In his second spell with the Sky Blues, Robins twice led them to promotion, from League Two and League One before reaching the Championship play-off final in 2023, when they lost to Luton Town on penalties.

They then took Manchester United, where Robins started his playing career, to a penalty shootout in last season's FA Cup semi-final before falling away in the league late on as they failed to match the previous season's top-six finish.

Stoke started the season under Schumacher, beating Robins' Coventry on the opening day, but surprisingly sacked him in mid-September to appoint former Huddersfield and Norwich coach Pelach.

However, they won just three times in the 36-year-old Catalan's 19 games in charge and he was sacked after a 2-0 home reverse by Leeds stretched their winless run to nine matches.

Robins is now the club's seventh managerial appointment since their 10-year spell in the Premier League came to an end in May 2018. Since being relegated, they have always finished in the bottom half of the Championship - 16th, 15th, 14th, 14th, 16th and 17th.

"With the proven track record Mark brings to the role, I believe this is a genuinely exciting moment for Stoke City," said Stoke chair John Coates.

"The win over Sunderland, with the way the team competed on the field and connected with the fans, gave everyone a huge boost and provided a glimpse of what can be created at our club."

A potential Potteries legend? Or just the next cab on the rank?

Analysis from BBC Radio Stoke commentator Mark Elliott:

There's a weariness around Stoke City.

The club have money. They have passionate fans and great facilities but they have failed to muster anything close to a credible promotion challenge since relegation from the Premier League in 2018.

Managers and coaches have come and gone, each arriving with fanfare and the promise of a new dawn.

Narcis Pelach is the latest to be replaced - a bright, respected young coach quickly dulled by the club's malaise and his own difficulty in turning theories into results.

This is a big appointment for inexperienced sporting director Jon Walters.

He has overseen one big failure and can ill afford another with Stoke at the wrong end of the table, despite the goodwill his playing career at the club has earned him.

So, Mark Robins gets the chance to turn things around.

He's experienced, recently successful and, if he succeeds, he'll quickly become a legend in the Potteries.

If he can't? He'll just become the latest cab off the rank for a fanbase that's been here too many times before.