Sent to Coventry

So, while Massadio Haidara won't be appearing on the pitch in a Premier League fixture this weekend, neither will Mark Halsey. Just a shame the same can't be said with any certainty about Callum McManaman, eh?

Halsey's punishment for missing the assault is an assignment in League One, refereeing Coventry at the Ricoh Arena (in theory, at least - the venue might yet change due to the Sky Blues' ongoing woes). Just what they need, on top of a fixture against league leaders Doncaster...

Not-so-handy Andy

Incredible, isn't it, that managers should already be finding themselves handed their P45s. First to go was Toon old boy Andy Thorn, given the boot by Coventry. The Sky Blues were unbeaten under Thorn, though they did surrender leads to record draws in their three league fixtures.

Thorn generally comes across as glum and unenthusiastic in interviews (hardly positive attributes in someone who is supposed to inspire), but you have to wonder why the board were prepared to stand by the man who took the club down to League One and allow him the summer to try reshaping the squad, only to sack him four games into the season. The new man (who, if the Coventry board have even a shred of common sense, won't be the Poison Dwarf) will inherit Thorn's squad with no opportunity to make adjustments and additions of his own until January.

Incidentally, a Thorn-less Coventry defeated Championship outfit Birmingham in the League Cup to put more pressure on Lee Clark. His side have suffered a poor start to the campaign, picking up just one point in the league since the Cup thrashing of Barnet. Clark was downcast after Saturday's loss at Watford, demanding better performances from those he's brought in, and while Darren Ambrose helped Peter Lovenkrands to give Blues the lead at the Ricoh, it wasn't enough and his mood certainly won't have improved.

Quote of the day

"He’s a smashing lad and we all wanted to help him and give him the best possible chance we could."

Thanks to Coventry fan Michael for pointing us in the direction of this article from local paper the Telegraph, in which the club's former education officer Keith Newbold is among those recalling Gael Bigirimana's progression through the youth ranks into the Sky Blues' first team. It seems his talents have been recognised for some time, and he's been well looked after - let's hope that he continues to be nurtured and develop now he's on Tyneside.

Big deal

Yesterday brought confirmation that we've completed the signing of Coventry midfielder Gael Bigirimana. The Burundi-born teenager, winner of the Football League's Apprentice of the Year award for last season, has joined for an undisclosed fee, probably in excess of £1m.

The Sky Blues' chief executive Tim Fisher described Bigirimana as a "great talent" whom they would have liked to keep, "but when the Premier League comes calling - particularly a club the size of Newcastle United - it becomes increasingly difficult to stand in the player's way". Having conducted a quick survey (by scanning a City messageboard), it seems their fans valued him more for his potential than for his current ability - which certainly suggests that he's far from the finished article and may well benefit from being sent out on loan at some point during the season. Coventry would be keen to have him back, though I suspect we might prefer him to go to the Championship, where he cut his teeth last season, rather than step down to League One.

Meanwhile, a clutch of youngsters already on our books have inked new deals. Most prominent amongst them is James Tavernier, who will be eyeing up Danny Simpson's possible departure with interest. Midfielder Michael Richardson has also signed a new contract - he might be a bit miffed at the acquisition of Bigirimana, but, after making great strides early in his Toon career and forcing his way onto the bench for first-team games, he's disappeared from view somewhat and needs to raise his game again.

Elsewhere, Jonathan Woodgate has joined hometown club the Smogs for the second time - but will those knees hold out? - and the Mackems' Asamoah Gyan has done the sensible thing and fled the Dark Place for good.

You Ransom devil

Recently departed Coventry chairman Ray Ranson seems keen to make mischief and stick the boot in on his former paymasters, most notably accusing the Sky Blues' owners of failing to snap up Rocky when he was available for a paltry £800,000. Ransom and fellow ex-Toon defender Andy Thorn, chief scout but also currently the club's co-caretaker manager following Aidy Boothroyd's sacking, apparently identified our erstwhile striker as "a raw talent who would develop". How right they were - and how foolish the board probably feel now.