Tipped for promotion

Coventry City have been tipped to win promotion from League Two this season – by the Sky Sports table predictor.

Mark Robins' side are within the promotion pack despite slipping to a 1-0 defeat against Mansfield Town on Saturday.

The Sky Blues sit in sixth place having taken 27 points from their 17 games so far this season, seven points behind league leaders Notts County and six outside the automatic promotion spots.

And City will go the distance and finish in the top three according to the predictor, which Sky Sports say is "based on a system called Elo, originally set up to rate chess players. It takes into account form, who your team still has left to play, and how well a team has done in previous seasons."

Sky Sports added: "The stats-based Sky Sports Predictor is tipping Notts County for Sky Bet League Two glory this season.

"County will be joined by Swindon and Coventry in winning promotion from League Two, while Luton, Accrington, Grimsby and Exeter are expected to make the play-offs.

"Down at the bottom, it is Morecambe and Chesterfield who are set to be relegated."

Saturday's opponents Lincoln City are level on points with Coventry.

Plans scrapped

Wasps have pulled out of plans to build their new training complex on the same site as Coventry City’s Academy.

The rugby club was given planning permission last year for a £7million base at the Alan Higgs Centre, off Allard Way, despite protests from the football club which was facing having no home for its successful Academy.

The football club gained an extension to its tenancy at the centre operators Coventry Sports Foundation (CSF) until summer 2018 as Wasps put their plans on hold.

The Aviva Premiership side has now shelved the idea and is looking at other sites.

Artist's impression of planned new Wasps Training centre at the Alan Higgs Centre

What Sky Blues legend did to spare Noel Gallagher's feelings

Coventry City FA Cup legend Dave Bennett has revealed his friendship with Oasis rocker star Noel Gallagher but admits he’s not the biggest fan of his albums.

The Mancunians share a lot in common, both growing up in the same area and their passion for Manchester City, but not, it seems when it comes to their taste in music

Although Benno’s heart lies with the Sky Blues of Coventry, with whom he was a hero at Wembley in 1987, he still has an affinity for Man City, the club where he started his career and played for in the 1981 Cup Final, when he was on the losing side.

“I go back to Man City from time to time, play for their legends side and things like that,” said the 58-year-old, who is a regular at the Ricoh Arena but makes the occasional trip to the Etihad.

Into the jungle

Former Coventry City fans’ favourite Dennis Wise is heading for the jungle to star in this year’s I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!

The 50-year-old Chelsea legend and ex-England star enjoyed a short but incredibly sweet spell at the Ricoh Arena when he dragged the struggling Sky Blues up by the boot laces to steer them clear of relegation concerns to their highest place finish for years.

He joins Boris Johnson's father Stanley, a former Conservative MEP, who said that he was "excited" to be joining the ITV show, the Daily Mirror reported.

Following his arrival, the 77-year-old Johnson became joint favourite with Hollyoaks star Jamie Lomas to be crowned King of the Jungle, but don't underestimate Wisey who unexpectedly stole the show when he pitched up at the Ricoh in 2006.

How the opposition reported it

Coventry City's promotion push suffered a frustrating setback with a 1-0 home defeat to Mansfield Town.

Alex MacDonald scored the only goal of the game six minutes from time, much to the delight of the 1,500 travelling fans at the Ricoh Arena.

Mark Robins' Sky Blues remain sixth in the League Two table, two points ahead of Mansfield in 11.

Here's how the Stags website and local paper the Mansfield Chad reported Saturday's match.

THE REPORT

The official Mansfield Town website

On the win

Mansfield Town produced an excellent display on an exhilarating afternoon at the Ricoh Arena as winger Alex MacDonald's thunderbolt earned a 1-0 win against Coventry City.

Clarification needed

Leading Coventry City scorer Duckens Nazon was due back at the club today with another international spring in his step.

The on loan Wolverhampton Wanderers’ striker was away with Haiti last week for their friendly clash with the United Arab Emirates and against whom the 23-year-old claims he increased his season’s tally.

Nazon, who is a hugely popular figure with Sky Blues fans after wading in with six goals to date – his last to help Mark Robins ’s men see off then league leaders Luton Town 3-0 at Kenilworth Road just over a fortnight ago – believes he took his season’s tally to nine at the weekend after adding to his international haul.

The front man scored two to help the Grenadiers to a 3-3 draw with Japan in Yokohama last month and is claiming the goal that gave his country a 1-0 victory over UAE in the Sheikh Khalifa Stadium in Al Ain on Friday night.

According to some websites including 777score.com, Nazon is credited with the only goal of the game in the 25th minute, while soccerway.com says the decisive strike was an own goal, credited to UAE player Mahmoud Khamis.