The Championship’s two longest-serving bosses square off – with Millwall manager praising ‘fantastic job’ done by Coventry’s Mark Robins

The Championship’s two longest-serving managers go head to head tomorrow night when Gary Rowett takes his Millwall side to Coventry City.

Sky Blues boss Mark Robins has been in charge for nearly six years, taking over in March 2017.

Rowett was appointed in October 2019, succeeding Neil Harris, and has clocked up more than three years at the helm. He is the 11th-longest-serving manager in England’s top four divisions.

Tom Bradshaw scored Millwall’s winner in the last meeting of the two clubs at the Ricoh Arena in December 2021. It was a fixture also notable for the debut of schoolboy Zak Lovelace, who went on to reject a professional deal with the Lions and joined Rangers in the summer.

Coventry were handed a suspended points deduction after three league matches had to be postponed due to rugby league fixtures churning up their playing surface.

Doug King acquired 85 per cent of the club in January.

“It will be a very tough game,” said Rowett. “Mark Robins has done a fantastic job there. He has been there a while, he’s keeping me off the perch in terms of longest-serving manager in the Championship.

“From taking them where they were to where they are now is a great achievement. They’ve had a tough season, in certain ways, through no fault of their own because of the situation at the start of the season and quite a few key injuries to key players – a bit like ourselves.

“They are always a good team to play against – they move the ball well and have attacking threats in the likes of Gyokeres, Godden and Palmer.

“We know what we are and what we’ve got to do in games like this. It will be another big challenge for us.”