The rivalry between Sunderland and Coventry City supporters intensified over the course of the 2024/25 Championship campaign and has continued into the summer.
Despite being 200 miles away, Sunderland and Coventry City supporters have a deep rivalry that has reached a boiling point in recent months.
The Black Cats defeated the Sky Blues in the Championship play-off semi-finals over two legs, with Dan Ballard scoring a stunning last-minute header that sparked scenes of chaos in the Stadium of Light fans.
Before the play-offs, Sunderland had a concerning head-to-head record against Coventry, having not won against them since 2007.
Now, the two teams’ long-standing rivalry has spilled over into the transfer argument over Jack Rudoni and a certain Sunderland player who appears to be leaving.
Coventry City fans think Jack Rudoni is better than Jobe Bellingham
Sunderland’s rivalry with Coventry began in 1977, when former Sky Blues owner Jimmy Hill controversially postponed kickoff in Coventry on the final day, resulting in Sunderland’s relegation.
This season, Frank Lampard’s side missed out on the Wembley play-off final after a late defeat at the Stadium of Light against the eventual winners.
The competition has now extended into the summer transfer window, with some Sky Blues fans claiming Rudoni is a far superior player to Jobe Bellingham, who is expected to join Borussia Dortmund for a fee of £25 million to £30 million.
EFL Analysis understands that Coventry “will sell” Rudoni during the summer transfer window, as Premier League clubs are interested in the midfielder, as are Sheffield United.
In light of the links, one Sunderland podcast (SensibleSAFC) upset portions of the Sky Blues fanbase on social media by falsely saying that the Black Cats had filed and accepted a £3.5 million bid for Rudoni.
Many Coventry fans responded to the jibe, arguing that “Bellingham isn’t fit to lace Rudoni’s boots” and “If Jobe Bellingham is worth that much… then Jack Rudoni is worth £50 million.”
The penultimate piece in the Sunderland podcast’s string of wind-ups incorrectly claimed that Dortmund had submitted a proposal of £55 million for Rudoni, dwarfing their bid for Bellingham, in allusion to how highly Coventry fans regard him over the Black Cats midfielder.
Despite the football competition, when comparing the two players’ statistics, one second-tier starlet jumps out.
Jobe Bellingham and Jack Rudoni’s statistics compared
Rudoni was in superb form this season, particularly since Lampard’s arrival, finishing the 24/25 campaign with ten league goals and 12 assists from offensive midfield, his final goal coming as an equaliser in the first leg of the play-off semi-final versus Sunderland.
Sky Blues fans were understandably upset over the prospect of losing their 10-goal midfielder, given how essential he would be to the club’s promotion campaign next season.
Bellingham has played a key role in Regis Le Bris’ play-off-winning squad, earning the Championship Young Player of the Season award and being named to the league’s Team of the Year.
| Jack Rudoni 24/25 | Jobe Bellingham in 24/25 |
| Games – 50 | Games – 43 |
| Goals – 10 | Goals – 4 |
| Assists – 12 | Assists – 3 |
Bellingham scored four goals and provided three assists from central midfield in 43 league matches this season.
Although both have impressed on paper, the transfer linkages reveal who is truly the stronger player and promise.
One of the two aforementioned English talents is being linked with a contract worth around £30 million to sign for one of European football’s greatest talent scouts, and it isn’t Rudoni.
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