Championship

THE Championship play-off final will be pushed back to JUNE if Coventry City pull off a huge FA Cup upset, it’s been claimed.The Sky Blues are still in with a good shout of qualifying for the richest match in football.Coventry City could still qualify for the Championship play-off finalCredit: GETTYThe Sky Blues could play in the FA Cup final if they beat Manchester United in the semisCredit: GETTYThe EFL will push back the Championship play-off final by a week if Coventry qualify for both finalsCredit: PAMark Robins’ troops are four points behind sixth-placed Norwich City, although they have a game in hand on The Canaries.The play-off final is slated to take place at Wembley Stadium on May 26 – but the match will be postponed if Coventry shock the world and reach the FA Cup final.Coventry are set to face Premier League giants Manchester United in the semi-final of the tournament on April 20.The final of the FA Cup is set to take place on May 25 – the day before the Championship play-off final.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAnd, according to The Daily Mail, the EFL will push the richest match in football back seven days to June 2 if both scenarios play out.Wembley staff will be in for a busy 48 hours if Coventry reach both finals as the Champions League final is set to take place on June 1.Coventry shocked Premier League side Wolves in a quarter-final thriller on Saturday, scoring twice deep into added time to win it.Now boss Robins will have an added incentive to reach the FA Cup final as he used to play for the Red Devils.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSCoventry manager Mark Robins used to play for Manchester UnitedCredit: RexHe said of United’s own stunning late win over Liverpool: “I watched it and I thought the whole weekend was outstanding.”The games were all entertaining and there were lots of goals.Wolves 2 Coventry 3, Coventry fans go wild in the stands over win that will take them to Wembley“I thought ours set the tone and it was just incredible. “The feeling everyone was left with is that it’s one of those games that you’ll never forget. It was brilliant.”He added: “Sunday’s game was an open game and Man United were brave.”They had to make changes and put midfield players and forwards at full-back and went for it, and that paid off for them.”And Amad Diallo’s goal topped it off for them.”In the end, United did enough to win it, but I think our game set the tone for all the others.” More

MANCHESTER UNITED captain Bruno Fernandes has a surprise interest in the Championship.The Red Devils booked their place in the FA Cup semi-final yesterday with a thrilling 4-3 victory over Liverpool in extra-time.Bruno Fernandes has an unlikely interest in the ChampionshipCredit: MUTVThe United skipper says the team are determined to lift the FA Cup this seasonCredit: GettyAmad Diallo scored the winner in the 122nd minute to spark wild celebrations at Old Trafford.After the game, Ian Wright did the draw as Man Utd got Coventry, with some fans convinced it was rigged due to the “unprofessional” format.Fernandes was thrilled to get the Championship side and he admitted to having an unexpected interest in the second tier.He told MUTV: “It is a tough game. I see some some of their games because my chef at home is a Sunderland fan.READ MORE ON MAN UTD”I get to see some Championship games sometimes with him at home.”They have good players on the ball. They are really difficult to play against physically. We saw it against Wolves.”Coventry beat Gary O’Neil’s men 3-2 as they found the back of the net twice in stoppage time.Sky Blues boss Mark Robins, who celebrated in a ball boy’s face after the winner, is a former Man Utd player. Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERHe scored two famous FA Cup goals for the club en route to Sir Alex Ferguson lifting his first trophy in 1990.Glory supposedly prevented the Scot being sacked and with similar pressure mounting on Erik ten Hag, the competition could save another United boss.Heartwarming moment Bruno Fernandes carries young Man Utd mascot who was crying in tunnel before huge Liverpool clashOn aims for the rest of the season, Fernandes said: “Our goal is getting into the top four and trying to win the FA Cup.”We’ve got to do everything we can to get the two goals that we have.”The FA Cup is a big trophy for this club, for this country. We want to get into the final.”We know it’s going to be tough, there are good teams into the semi-final, but we’ve got to do everything we can [to win it].” More

MARK ROBINS will have to choose between two excellent goalkeepers when he selects his team to face Wolves in the FA Cup.Bradley Collins has been handed the gloves for the Sky Blues’ last two Championship victories over Watford and Rotherham.Jake Bidwell offers Coventry options in more than one positionCredit: RexHowever, Ben Wilson has been boss Robins’ go-to goalie in the FA Cup so far this season, starring in Coventry’s victories over Oxford, Sheffield Wednesday and Maidstone.Yet there is one other option Robins could turn to in an emergency.His experienced left-back Jake Bidwell was more than useful between the sticks as a kid.In fact, it was touch-and-go whether he would pursue a career as a No 1 or as a No 3 — after Everton offered him a contract in BOTH positions!The 30-year-old Sky Blues defender said: “I was an Everton goalkeeper from the age of 11 to 13.“It’s a bit of a strange story to be honest. I had always played outfield as a kid. But my Sunday League goalkeeper had family in Australia and he went to visit them for six weeks.“That left us without a goalkeeper so I volunteered and took over in goal for six weeks.“I must have done all right because during that time I was scouted by Everton — then fluked the trial!Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS“I ended up being at Goodison Park for two years but I wasn’t enjoying it after a while.“I suppose I never really felt goalkeeper was my position.”Former EFL club slapped with 10 points deduction and hit whole new low as iconic club face dropping into seventh tierEverton told Southport-born Bidwell to take a break from goalkeeping to revive his interest in the position.He added: “They told me to go away for six months and see how I felt.“They wanted me to take a break and then come back.“So, in those six months I went back to playing outfield and I got picked for my regional team and then an Everton scout saw me play.“He didn’t know who I was so he invited me in for a trial match at Anfield and the rest is history.“Everton liked what they saw of me as a left-back and the scout asked me if I’d like to sign for the Toffees.“I told them he didn’t need to bother with the forms — because I was already on their books as their Academy goalie!”It is a well known football quirk that most goalkeepers love to play outfield whenever they get the chance in training. So does the former Brentford, QPR and Swansea full-back ever pester Robins and ask to go between the sticks in training?He confessed: “Definitely not! I was a big kid to be fair but I haven’t grown since I was about 13 — my goalkeeping days are long gone!“To be fair we’ve got three top  keepers at the club so I won’t be making a comeback anytime soon.”That means Bidwell will be in his usual left-back berth at Molineux as Coventry try to make it to Wembley for the semi-finals.He says he cannot believe some  people see the Midlands side’s FA Cup run as a distraction from their main goal of qualifying for the Championship play-offs.He said: “To get to Wembley would be massive. Personally, I love the FA Cup and the chance to play against different sides.“We’ve played Oxford and Maidstone who were below us in the pyramid — now we face Wolves.“It’s great to experience something different and this run has been great for the fans.“When you’re successful the fixtures can pile up but we’re all relishing the challenge. It’s a big game, a Midlands derby, and it will be live on TV — it’s going to be a great occasion.READ MORE SUN STORIES“This is the furthest I’ve been in 13 years of trying.“I love playing in the FA Cup and I can’t understand why anyone else wouldn’t.”Bidwell was a promising goalkeeper as a youngsterCredit: GettyBidwell was already on Everton’s books as a goalkeeper when they tried to sign him as a full-backCredit: Rex More