The tenants host their landlords: the peculiar case of Coventry City vs Birmingham City

When it was announced that Coventry City were to be promoted to the Championship following League One being declared null and void, one fixture for their upcoming campaign in the Second Division was highly anticipated, Birmingham City at home.

There was one main reason for this, not the rivalry, not the potential relegation battle both could’ve been involved in, but the complicated nature of their ground share. 

The ground share

In June 2019, the Sky Blues confirmed in a statement that they would be playing their upcoming League One home fixtures at St. Andrew’s, traditionally the home of Birmingham City who were a Championship outfit at the time.

Coventry stated that they were “incredibly disappointed and extremely frustrated that continuing differences between [their] owners SISU and Wasps, and also Coventry City Council, could not be set aside to allow for a deal to play the Club’s home games at the Ricoh Arena.”

Scott Harding of the CCFC Supporters Club told Prost International:

“The news of playing at St. Andrew’s last year was met with a lot of anger from the whole fan base. We should be playing in Coventry there is no doubt about that! However, in saying that I was a season ticket holder last year and attended ‘home’ matches at St. Andrews, and I am so pleased that I did. 

“The team made the best out of a bad situation, played some excellent football and only lost one league game at St. Andrew’s. To be honest I travelled away to most games and we played excellent football in the majority of them too, it was a great season to watch live. We can’t wait to be going again and in the current climate as fans we want to be back supporting our team.”

However, journalist and Birmingham City fan Kane Styles told Prost:

“As a fan base we reacted ok and if it was us without a ground, I’m sure we would be very grateful.

“The fact we [Birmingham] are sharing it and we can be technically away at our own home doesn’t sit right.”

It was announced by Coventry in the summer that the same complications that held up an agreement for the Sky Blues to play at the Ricoh Arena cropped up once again and that they would once again play their home fixtures at St. Andrew’s, this time in the Championship alongside Birmingham.

However, Coventry and Birmingham did meet at St. Andrew’s last season, twice in fact as the Sky Blues held Blues to a 0-0 draw in the FA Cup Fourth Round in their ‘home’ game before being knocked out on penalties following a 2-2 draw in the replay (Birmingham’s home game).

“I took some stick when they somehow knocked us out of the cup, however I took some satisfaction from Coventry forcing the replay and playing them off the park in their own backyard twice. I’m sure I’ll take some stick for saying that.”- Scott Harding. 

Can this be classed as a derby?

Despite the two cities only being a mere 20 miles apart, both Coventry and Birmingham have bigger rivals than Friday night’s opponents.

“Being born in ‘91, it hasn’t been a massive rivalry in my lifetime; I think due to the fact that us Cov fans and Blues fans don’t like the Villa. Particularly as a young lad going to Highfield Road with my Dad to watch us in the Premier League play the Villa. 

“Obviously, that hasn’t happened for a long time now so other rivalries have grown. Another of our bigger rivals were Leicester, but again as we have declined they made the ultimate incline. Therefore, maybe due to the ground share and that we drew Blues in the cup last year we have grown a rivalry. 

“It hasn’t been a particularly massive rivalry in my lifetime.

“Historically I’m not 100% sure, as I wasn’t around to see it and witness the local derby games, but if you were to ask the older generation of Cov. fan then I’m sure they would say there is and has always been a rivalry there. Let’s face it you’d rather have the bragging rights come Saturday morning.”

Kane Styles echoed those thoughts:

“Blues and Coventry have never really been big rivals. They have, like us, had some misfortune over the years and we’ve had similar issues behind the scenes. With our strong dislike for Wolves and Villa in particular, it’s hard to class Coventry as a proper rival of ours.”

Form

Friday night’s meeting is a league clash; the first league meeting between the two in almost nine years. It’s an important one too, with the two sides separated by five points in the bottom eight of the Championship table.

A win for Mark Robins’ side wouldn’t see their league position improved, but they would temporarily create a four-point advantage over the bottom three.

As for Aitor Karanka’s Birmingham City, they can temporarily climb into the top half if victorious, a result they could do with, after back-to-back home defeats to Wycombe Wanderers and AFC Bournemouth before the international break. 

The Sky Blues would’ve felt aggrieved that they didn’t follow up their impressive 3-2 victory over Reading with some points against Nottingham Forest and Watford, losing both games to penalties in the 97th and 83rd minute respectively. 

Coventry did take the lead at Vicarage Road after going 1-0 down to the Hornets so Mark Robins will have to try and take some inspiration from that performance in Hertfordshire on Friday.

The ‘visitors’ didn’t lose any of their first four league games but have since lost four of the seven following games, picking up seven points in the process.

Granted, losing to the likes of Norwich and Bournemouth, who find themselves near the summit of the Championship table, won’t define Birmingham’s season, however giving the slow-starting Wycombe Wanderers three points would’ve particularly been a kick in the teeth.  

What’s interesting though is that Aitor Karanka’s side have lost just once on the road this season, losing 1-0 at Norwich. 

Having picked up six points away from St. Andrew’s so far this season, the fact that the game is technically an away fixture could either prove helpful in the quest for three points or damaging as Blues have lost three of their last four home games. 

It will certainly be a fascinating affair with two sides in need of a win battling it out for three points, whilst both playing in their home stadium.

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