You know what’s really cool? Sunderland’s forced rivalry with Coventry City. Do you know what it’s about? Yeh. Should you still care? Absolutely not. Is yer Dar going to make a massive show of himself on Saturday when he boos a statue of Jimmy Hill? You better believe it buddy!

How Do I Get There?

I won’t lie to you, there’s not many things I enjoy in life more than getting up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday morning to drive down to some football stadium on the outskirts of Coventry. Fortunately, I won’t be doing that, but you lot will.

Anyway, take the A1(M), M1 and M69 (nice) to junction 2 where you’ll join the M6 heading north-ish. Exit at junction 3 from the Coventry Building Society Arena then just follow the A444 round to the ground. There’s a big old car park directly outside the away end.

Sat nav losers: CV6 6AQ

For those of you on the train, you’ll be delighted to know you can actually use Coventry Arena railway station now. Services are every hour from Coventry’s main train station and take 7 minutes.

What’s the Ground Like?

In a word – appalling. It’s in the middle of nowhere with absolutely nothing that any football supporter would want before or after a match. It’s no wonder that Coventry City are so desperate to play at Northampton every week.

Inside the ground, it’s fine I guess. It’s just a massive stadium that the home side never gets close to filling and has a fine selection of abysmal refreshments on offer. Sunderland fans are housed in the South Stand and it’s inexplicably sold out.

Yer thirsty?

Unless you like drinking in a Frankie & Benny’s or a casino so tacky it’d be too much for Donald Trump, you aren’t going to find a good pub anywhere near the ground. Alternatively, I will now provide some nice options for some post-match refreshment in the centre of Coventry.

The Old Windmill on Spon Street is a lovely cozy pub serving a variety of real ales, lagers and crisps. The Town Wall on Bond Street and Town Crier on Corporation Street are also decent options if you like old school pubs. While you craft beer shaggers will enjoy the Hops d’Amour Micropub also on Corporation Street.

What’s happening in Coventry?

Aside from a train route to Birmingham, if you’re spending the night in Coventry you could go and see Dara Ó Briain who’s at the Warwick Arts Centre on both Friday and Saturday night.