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Sacked Coventry City manager Mark Robins called it “a humiliating experience” as he returned to the city to complete an honorary degree just two weeks after being sacked by the Championship club.
After almost eight years as Sky Blues manager, at a time of great stress and change for the former Premier League club, Robins inspired four trips to Wembley and two promotions.
And yet the reward of a degree honoring all that hard work and success, awarded by Coventry University, arrived a fortnight to the day since he received his P45 from Coventry City owner, Doug King.
“This honor came out of left field a few weeks ago,” Robins told BBC CWR. “And being back in Coventry so soon after losing my job was something I hadn’t envisaged.
“But it’s been a humbling experience. There are hundreds of people here who just graduated and worked really hard to get them. And that’s why it’s very, very humiliating.
“It was an emotional day, but then it was an emotional few weeks.”
In his first interview since leaving the Sky Blues, the 54-year-old former Rotherham United, Barnsley, Huddersfield Town and Scunthorpe United manager preferred not to speculate on where or when he might appear next, but he admitted that his recent experience “lit a fire within him”.
“Fans are the lifeblood of any club”
Robins admits that, as proud as he is to receive the award, it is an honor shared with all those who supported the former Manchester United striker in his most successful period as a football manager .
“I am delighted to receive this in recognition of all the hard work over the past eight years,” he said.
“Everyone played their part. The players, the staff, the fans. In fact, especially the fans. The lifeblood of any football club.
“The journey everyone has been on has been immense.
“I loved every minute of it and, if I could do it all over again, I would.
“The fact is we’ve had some brilliant times. The fans have played a special part in that and I can’t thank them enough. Without the fans behind you you can’t achieve anything – and they’ve been magnificent.”
Robins also paid tribute to the man he supported for five years at Coventry, ex-general manager Dave Boddy, who left the club in January, by inviting him as a guest to the graduation ceremony .
“We have stayed in touch and will continue to do so,” Robins added. “Dave Boddy has been brilliant for the football club, brilliant for me and he’s a brilliant human being. It was good to spend time with him and catch up.”
Despite Coventry players being asked not to use social media over the past fortnight, Robins was grateful for their private sentiments.
“The players contacted me independently,” he said. “They just need a little time to settle in. Things have changed and everyone is moving on.
“It’s something you accept over time. Every time you lose your job it’s difficult. The fact that I’ve been here so long makes it even more difficult, but in management football, you know that sooner or later it will end.
“Even though it was sooner than I wanted, at the end of the day, it is what it is.
“I left school at 16. I’m not an academic. So to receive this is really special. But I’m not sure about the hat.”
Mark Robins spoke to BBC CWR’s Clive Eakin
