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The EFL action this weekend featured a consistent dose of ecstasy and despair, not least of which at Hillsborough, where Coventry, who are now in charge of the Championship, defeated troubled Sheffield Wednesday 5-0.

Coventry are currently unbeaten this term and have soared into the top spot after ruckling in their past three games with 12 goals and conceding none despite narrowly losing in the Championship play-offs last year.

Could Frank Lampard’s Sky Blues’ play-off heartbreak from last year actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise?

McLean: They definitely appear to have improved and learned from the previous season, which is always going to be the biggest test. They have already passed that test with flying colors.

Coventry haven’t caused that to happen, which is common for teams to experience. You can go up too early, in my opinion, if they were to continue their quest for promotion this year.

In terms of the structure and his preferred method of execution, Frank Lampard successfully delivered his message last year, but the team now appears to be more cohesive. They consistently deliver outstanding performances, not just receiving wins, week after week.

Coventry has Haji Wright, Ellis Simms, who you know is capable, and Brandon Thomas-Asante, who scored two goals against Sheffield Wednesday and has a stellar record, as a team that needs to be promoted.

The club made a fifth consecutive failure to pay player and staff wages earlier this week.

Where should Wednesday, who is currently tied for second place with one win this season, go from here?

McLean: For a big club with such a rich history like Sheffield Wednesday, it’s a really dark day. It’s sad to see them in this way, and your focus is now on the EFL’s future.

Fans clearly felt their words were falling on deaf ears and they needed to take drastic action, even though we don’t condone fans protesting on the pitch and disrupting games.

You have to admit that the players have handled it brilliantly and have produced some truly positive outcomes over the past few weeks, including wins over Portsmouth and draws against QPR and Birmingham.

After recording their eighth win of the season at home to Luton, Unfancied Stevenage are now the top team in League One.

With a game in hand, the Hertfordshire club may be a real contenders for promotion to the second tier for the first time in their history, one point ahead of Bradford City.

Without a shadow of a doubt, McLean. They have only played 10 games so far, but they have already won eight of them, which is why I spoke to (manager) Alex Revell.

Nobody would have anticipated Stevenage to be even in and around the playoffs, let alone top of the division with a game in hand on most teams, given that they finished 14th last year.

The strength and determination that Alex’s team exhibits week in and week out, which perfectly exemplifies what he was like as a player: all action, hard work, and achieving the best results.

After falling to AFC Wimbledon with a 2-0 home defeat, Blackpool parted ways with manager Steve Bruce, leaving them in 23rd place.

Following their seventh defeat in 11 games, Bruce’s players were booed off the field, and the team later announced his departure.

McLean: I’d like to see them continue to support Steve Bruce. I have a strong sense of Brucie’s leadership and know he is a great manager. Unfortunately, if you’re not getting results in football, you’re rarely given time.

We all know that your job is in jeopardy if you don’t win games as a manager. I’m not sure how much people were expecting from Blackpool this season, but I’m sure they wouldn’t have been.

Steve Cotterill, a second-time EFL manager, has returned to his familiar surroundings after taking over from the Southern League for a second time.

With a 2-0 victory over Fleetwood at home, the Robins moved out of League Two’s relegation zone. Will Cotterill’s return demonstrate what Cheltenham must do to maintain its EFL status?

McLean: I think the club made a fantastic decision. Steve loves the game, and he couldn’t refuse the chance to try to help the club get out of the predicament he was in.

He has many fond memories of Cheltenham, he is one of the most trustworthy and diligent managers I’ve ever worked with, and it is surprising to see him receive a prompt response.

He will give his players their best, and that’s already what we’ve seen already. He will do that to back his players to the fullest.

This weekend’s EFL action provided its usual mix of ecstasy and despair – not least at Hillsborough, where new Championship leaders Coventry thrashed troubled Sheffield Wednesday 5-0.

Narrowly defeated in the Championship play-offs last season, Coventry are currently unbeaten this term and have soared into top spot after rattling in 12 goals – and conceding none – in their past three games.

Could last year’s play-off heartbreak actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Frank Lampard’s Sky Blues?

McLean: They definitely look like they’ve learned from last season and improved and that was always going to be the biggest test. At the moment they’ve passed that test with flying colours.

It’s not uncommon to see teams have a slight hangover and feel sorry for themselves, but Coventry haven’t done that. I actually feel if they were to go on and get promotion this season it’d be better timing than last season – you can go up too early.

Frank Lampard got his message across last year in terms of the structure and the way he likes things done, but they now look a more complete team. Week in, week out they’re just churning out great performances, not just getting wins.

Any team that’s going to get promotion has to have standout goalscorers and Coventry have got Haji Wright, Ellis Simms – who you know is capable – and also Brandon Thomas-Asante, who got a couple against Sheffield Wednesday and has a great record.

The flip side of another resounding triumph for the Sky Blues was another chastening day for Sheffield Wednesday, with a group of fans staging an on-field protest during the match against club owner Dejphon Chansiri.

Earlier in the week, the club failed to pay player and staff wages on schedule for a fifth time in seven months.

So where do Wednesday, second from bottom with one win all season, go from here?

McLean: It’s a really dark day for Sheffield Wednesday, such a big club with such a rich history. To see them in this situation is sad and now your eyes are fixed on what the EFL are going to do.

As much as we don’t condone fans protesting on the pitch and causing disruption to games, clearly the fanbase felt their words were falling on deaf ears and they had to take drastic action.

You’ve got to say, in the last couple of weeks the players have handled it brilliantly and got some really positive results, beating Portsmouth and getting draws against QPR and Birmingham – they certainly haven’t downed tools.

Unfancied Stevenage are the new leaders of League One after recording their eighth win of the season as goals by Chem Campbell and Jordan Roberts secured a 2-0 success at home to Luton.

So could the Hertfordshire club, a point above previous leaders Bradford City with a game in hand, be genuine contenders for promotion to the second tier for the first time in their history?

McLean: Without a shadow of a doubt. I spoke to (manager) Alex Revell a couple of weeks ago and he won’t get carried away, they’ve only played 10 games so far – but they’ve won eight of them.

Last season they finished 14th and I don’t think anyone would have fancied Stevenage to be even in and around the play-offs, let alone sitting top of the division with a game in hand on most teams.

It’s down to hard work and desire, that’s what Alex’s team show week in, week out and they very much epitomise what he was like as a player – all action, hard-working and squeezing the maximum out of his ability.

At the other end of League One, Blackpool parted company with manager Steve Bruce in the wake of a 2-0 home defeat against AFC Wimbledon, a result that left them floundering in 23rd place.

Bruce’s players were booed off the field following their seventh defeat in 11 games and the club confirmed his departure a few hours later.

McLean: I’d like to have seen them stick with Steve Bruce. I played under Brucie and got promoted with Hull and I know he is a very good manager. Unfortunately, time is something you rarely get in football if you’re not getting results.

We all know that if you’re not winning games as a manager, then your job’s on the line. I don’t know how much expectation there was at Blackpool this season, but I know they wouldn’t have been expecting to be in this situation.

Another seasoned manager, Steve Cotterill, is back in familiar surroundings following his reappointment for a second stint as Cheltenham boss, having guided the club from the Southern League to the EFL first time around.

The Robins responded with a 2-0 victory at home to Fleetwood, enough to lift them out of the League Two relegation zone. Will Cotterill’s return prove exactly what Cheltenham need to retain EFL status?

McLean: I think it was a brilliant appointment for the club. Steve loves the game and the opportunity to go back somewhere that he was so successful and try to help the club out of the situation they’re in was one he couldn’t turn down.

He’s got great memories at Cheltenham, he’s one of the most honest and hard-working managers I’ve ever come across and to see him get an instant response doesn’t surprise me at all.

He will back his players to the hilt and in return the players will want to give him their best – and that’s clearly what we’ve seen already.

The Prem.

Saracens (31) 50

Tries: Dan, Isiekwe, Malins, Bracken 2, Tizard Cons: Farrell 6 Pen: Farrell

Bristol (0) 17

Saracens won their second game victory over Bristol Bears, beating them by a score of 50-17 to claim first place in the pre-season standings.

Theo Dan, Nick Isiekwe, Max Malins, and Owen Farrell scored converted goals to give the hosts a 21-point lead after just 21 minutes.

Before the Bears responded with the game-winning try from Kieran Marmion, Nick Tompkins earned a try bonus point and a 31-0 half-time lead.

In round two, center Joe Jenkins, MacGinty’s replacement Tom Jordan, and winger Louis Rees-Zammit added to the list of players who were already injured, and even referee Christophe Ridley was forced off after tripping over Tom Willis from the Saracens.

Sarries went 14-0 up inside seven minutes after an explosive start. Bristol showed no mercy.

Before Rotimi Segun’s break made it possible for Isiekwe to fire over from close range, Dan crashed through Kieran Marmion’s challenge to score in the left corner.

Malins made a break before handing Ivan van Zyl’s passes before applying a swan dive finish to make his StoneX debut by scoring and scoring the third try against his former team.

Sarries also displayed their steel by twice forcing turnovers on their own to fend off persistent Bristol pressure.

Within three minutes of the restart, Bristol responded by utilizing Rees-Zammit’s one-handed offload to send Marmion in.

Farrell quickly restored order by passing a long cut-out pass to Jack Bracken, the 19-year-old’s son of England World Cup-winning scrum-half Kyran, who finished well on his Prem debut before poking a quick second with a quick header.

Charlie Bracken’s brother, Charlie, made a fantastic try-saving tackle, but Rees-Zammit’s more electric acceleration made Marmion’s second attempt impossible to resist as Bears fought on.

Marmion completed a 31-minute hat-trick from close range, but Tizard’s powerful late winner underlined the six-time Premiership champions’ relentless performance.

Tom Willis’ impact for the Saracens, according to Saracens rugby director Mark McCall:

Tom was always very clear about what needed to be done to improve.

He’s always been a great athlete, but now he’s developing into a powerful player. He will suddenly appear with the ball as the opposition begins to attack. Over the past 12 to 18 months, his defensive work has really improved.

Pat Lam, the head coach of the Bristol Bears, told BBC Radio Bristol:

“We gave up three penalties within four minutes, they rode on top of that, they lost collisions there, and they blew us away for 20 to 25 minutes.”

We persevered, and we believed we had it in the end, but it turned out that the goal was to earn a bonus point.

There were instances today when we didn’t do the things we trained for and worked together, which relieved the pressure.

Regarding Tom Jordan’s injuries to Joe Jenkins, Louis Rees-Zammit, and Louis Rees-Zammit:

Joe Jenkins was thrown to his ribs at half-time because he was being hit in a particularly difficult position in the breakdown, which suggests he had a hamstring, Zammit did his toe, and Tom was still feeling it, so we took him off as a precaution.

Clarke, Mawi, Clarey, Sodeke, West, Bracken, Hutchison, and Caluori are their replacements.

Carrington, Rees-Zammit, Jenkins, van Rensburg, Ravouvou, Jordan, Marmion, Woolmore (c), Oghre, Chawatama, Dun, Batley, Owen, Ivanishvili, Mata, and Rees-Zammit.

Replacements: Boshoff, Grahamslaw, Kloska, Grondona, Pepper, Worsley, Grahamslaw, and Thacker.

Sin-bin: Mata (37)