Sky Blues supporters will be out in force for their 'pilgrimage' to Stadium MK

Mark Robins admits that trips to Stadium MK seem to have become something of 'a pilgrimage' for the Coventry City supporters.
Coventry City supporters celebrate the only goal of the game during their 1-0 win at Stadium MK in January, 2018Coventry City supporters celebrate the only goal of the game during their 1-0 win at Stadium MK in January, 2018
Coventry City supporters celebrate the only goal of the game during their 1-0 win at Stadium MK in January, 2018

The Sky Blues are set to be backed by a travelling army of around 6,000 supporters when they take on MK Dons on Saturday (ko 3pm), and boss Robins admits he is desperate for his team to put on a show and reward those fans with a first away win of the season.

With Coventry once again resigned to playing home games 'away' at Birmingham City's St Andrews Stadium, road trips are popular for the hard-core Sky Blues supporters, with few venues more popular than Stadium MK.

A huge following of more than 8,000 turned out the last time Coventry travelled to Stadium MK for an FA Cup tie in January, 2018.

That was a match the Sky Blues won 1-0, and their fans will be aiming to create another party atmosphere this weekend.

"Wherever we go we take a brilliant support," said Robins, who saw his side lost 1-0 at home to Tranmere Rovers last Sunday, despite totally dominating the game.

“With MK because it’s down the road, we take a huge number and I think it’s been limited a bit this time, but I think whatever happens there will be a big number of supporters behind us tomorrow.

“We go there with confidence, there’s no reason not to be going there with confidence to try and get a first away win.

“I can’t speak for them (MK Dons), but I think for us there shouldn’t be any pressure other than the pressure we put on ourselves to perform and continue in the way that we have done.

“Also, we’ve got a huge following and we want to give them something to shout about, should we do that it will be really good day, a really good atmosphere and a game to look forward to.”

And he added: "This game is something because it’s local and it seems to be some sort of pilgrimage that we make every time we play there and it’s a good game.

“It’s a great stadium against a good team and they’re generally good games so we should be looking forward to it.

“It's about what we do, and can we take last week’s performance into tomorrow’s game, but also have that ice cool head when its needed.

“Every time we go away from home, we have a huge following. Its brilliant support and one we are grateful for and tomorrow will be a really good day.”

For his part, MK Dons boss Paul Tisdale knows what is coming from the visiting support, and has called on the home fans who turn up to do their bit to counter-act it.

"We do our bit, the fans do their bit, that helps us do our bit, and that helps the fans do their bit," he said.

"We go together don't we?

"From what we have seen so far from teams we have come up against, we looked at Peterborough before we played them and we thought they were a heck of a counter-attacking team.

"We are looking at Coventry, and looking at them being a really good team with the ball, in possession. It will be a big challenge."