Coventry City FC

[davieG]

Posted by The FSF 17th January 2019
Coventry City crisis "cannot become the norm" says Minister

Coventry City’s existence is in doubt once again as they face homelessness next season and now the Government says football authorities must do more to prevent such crises.

The Sky Blues’ unpopular owners, SISU, have failed to secure an agreement to play at the Ricoh Arena for the second season in a row and remain locked in a legal dispute with the stadium owners – putting the club’s EFL status at risk.

SISU has launched legal action against the Ricoh Arena’s owner, Wasps Rugby Club, with Wasps refusing to provide a new tenancy agreement while litigation is ongoing. SISU are now being urged to drop the case by multiple stakeholders.

The House of Commons discussed the ongoing crisis in Parliament this week after Coventry South MP Jim Cunningham secured Parliamentary time to look into the issue.

“Too many football clubs have faced similar problems,” Cunningham told the House. “But the common factor is poor stewardship by owners.

“Football club owners own something far more important than just a business. They owe it to the local community to run the club carefully and responsibly.”

The Sports Minister Mims Davies said her department would speak to all parties involved in the dispute in an attempt to bring them together and find a resolution – but stopped short of promising direct Government intervention.

“It is my belief that the Government should not involve themselves directly in the fortunes of any individual club, but more and more we are being dragged into these types of disputes,” Davies told MPs.

“This cannot become the norm. It suggests that perhaps football is not able to govern itself—something we need to be ready to tackle.”

This is now the fourth Government debate held in recent years regarding the future of the Sky Blues and the club’s current agreement with Wasps for the Ricoh Arena ends in May.

In 2013, Coventry City had to ground share with Northampton Town, some 34 miles away, after failing to secure the Ricoh Arena and is now even considering ground-sharing with Nuneaton Town, who play in the National League North.

The Sports Minister said her department would be speaking to the FA and the EFL to look again at ownership regulations and challenges they face in that area.

“The Government are prepared to champion the game,” Davies said. “But the authorities that govern it must ensure that we all get the outcomes that fans, above all, want and expect.”

Coventry North MP Colleen Fletcher said the club’s failure to secure a home for next season would be “disastrous” for the Midlands city.

“Here we are again, a year on, and the club is once more on the countdown to homelessness,” she said. “That has left many fans again fearful that the club may leave Coventry or, worse still, cease to exist.

“Both scenarios would be disastrous for our city and for the club’s loyal supporters; neither must be allowed to happen under any circumstances.”

Fletcher, like many supporters of Coventry City, has seriously questioned SISU’s suitability, capability and fitness to own and run a football club.

FSF affiliates the Sky Blue Trust said they welcomed the Parliamentary debate which brought national attention to the club’s issues once again.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Trust said: “What is important now is how the various parties who have the ability to prevent the homelessness of Coventry City will act.

“We will continue to monitor the situation closely and seek urgent answers as well as positive actions from all of the parties concerned.”

[Leicesterpool]

My understanding is they can't ground share with Nuneaton Borough, they looked into before but the ground wasn't considered good enough for the football league. Policing wise I don't think it would be possible either. 

[oxford blue]

Just 100 days to save Coventry - from Coventry local paper :" English Football League has warned the club it will not be allowed to leave the city again if it fails to agree a deal to stay at its home ground."

 

I hope compromises are made - a League 1 team with regular home attendaces of over 11,000 deseves a football team

 

 

[Corky]

What do SISU actually get out of running that club? 

[Nalis]

This should be in the joke thread

[boots60]

40 minutes ago, oxford blue said:

Just 100 days to save Coventry - from Coventry local paper :" English Football League has warned the club it will not be allowed to leave the city again if it fails to agree a deal to stay at its home ground."

 

I hope compromises are made - a League 1 team with regular home attendaces of over 11,000 deseves a football team

 

 

The irony in this post is brilliant.

 

 

Edited 18 January 2019 by boots60

[Fox92]

Shame man, shame. Something needs to be done about their situation.

[CosbehFox]

1 hour ago, Corky said:

What do SISU actually get out of running that club? 

Well I think when Wasps took on the Ricoh, I think SISU thought it was all over and were beginning to think of selling. 

 

However Wasps are losing money rapidly and SISU want the asset of the Ricoh. 

[Leicesterpool]

2 hours ago, Cardiff_Fox said:

Well I think when Wasps took on the Ricoh, I think SISU thought it was all over and were beginning to think of selling. 

 

However Wasps are losing money rapidly and SISU want the asset of the Ricoh. 

There's alot of whispers that Wasps couldn't be shutting up soon aswell, the move to Coventry as hasn't worked as well as they thought the crowds they've been getting is no different to Coventry City. I wouldn't be all surprised if Wasps are looking to sell the Ricoh and move on again... be interesting to see what happens to those Wasps fans that have just jumped on the bandwagon since they moved into the area. 

Edited 18 January 2019 by Leicesterpool

[davieG]

Coventry City facing league expulsion
Coventry City PA 41280335
Facing homelessness next season as they have failed to secure a deal for the Ricoh Arena, Coventry City could be expelled from the league if they fail to demonstrate progress towards a new ground to the EFL board.

The league has written to the club and given them until April 25th to secure a ground for next season - if they fail to do so a general meeting of the clubs will consider expulsion. The Sky Blues Trust said: "This is seriously alarming - but not surprising - news."

"The Trust has been warning about imminent homelessness of Coventry City FC for some time.

"The latest statement from the EFL means that our home game versus Shrewsbury Town at the Ricoh Arena on Sunday 28 April may be our last game in Coventry - not just for the 2018/19 season but for ever.

"To avert this rapidly approaching disaster, the Trust calls upon SISU to put an end to all court action involving Wasps and Coventry City Council, to enable urgent discussions to take place over future use of the Ricoh Arena by CCFC."

The Sky Blues’ unpopular owners, SISU, have failed to secure an agreement to play at the Ricoh Arena for the second season in a row and remain locked in a legal dispute with the stadium owners – putting the club’s EFL status at risk.

SISU has launched legal action against the Ricoh Arena’s owner, Wasps Rugby Club, with Wasps refusing to provide a new tenancy agreement while litigation is ongoing. SISU are now being urged to drop the case by multiple stakeholders and must demonstrate progress on securing a ground to the EFL at a meeting next month.

EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey said: “The matter of Coventry City’s efforts to secure a home venue for 2019/20 season and beyond has been a serious concern for all parties for a significant period of time and the objective of the EFL, as it has always been, is to secure an appropriate solution for the long-term future of the Club as they are a much valued member of our competition.

“The course of action taken this week is with reluctance, but the League has to ensure the integrity of our competitions is maintained and all Clubs meet the obligations that come with being a member of the EFL.

“We remain in regular dialogue with the Club and will provide all practical available assistance in line with EFL Regulations.”

 

http://www.fsf.org.uk/latest-news/view/coventry-City-facing-league-expulsion

[Finnegan]

I can't even bring myself to laugh. 

 

We should have a system to protect football clubs over a certain membership size so that they can legally be seized from such negligent ownership. 

 

SISU are just complete and total scum. 

[Mark_w]

One rule for Tottenham

[Gamble92]

I always start to feel sorry for Coventry, then i remember:

 

Verbal abuse like i've never experienced at a football match (forest's disgusting racism aside) with chants of inbreds etc. The hate was incredible. So nah, **** them. Who gives a shit. They certainly didnt when we went down to league one. We have long memories.

[Spudulike]

Today was the deadline... it's not looking good https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47441459

 

No groundshare with us, please.

[Fox92]

On 22/02/2019 at 20:32, Gamble92 said:

I always start to feel sorry for Coventry, then i remember:

 

Verbal abuse like i've never experienced at a football match (forest's disgusting racism aside) with chants of inbreds etc. The hate was incredible. So nah, **** them. Who gives a shit. They certainly didnt when we went down to league one. We have long memories.

Probably because some of them don't like us and some of us don't like them. It's a rivalry.

 

It's a good job we haven't got City rivals if you're going on 'hate' at a football match.

[Guest MattP]

On 22/02/2019 at 20:32, Gamble92 said:

I always start to feel sorry for Coventry, then i remember:

 

Verbal abuse like i've never experienced at a football match (forest's disgusting racism aside) with chants of inbreds etc. The hate was incredible. So nah, **** them. Who gives a shit. They certainly didnt when we went down to league one. We have long memories.

I'll never forget them taunting us about going bust when we were in administration, hope some of them think about that day now.

 

That said I don't take any pleasure in this. What SISU has done is appalling. 

[Gamble92]

4 hours ago, MattP said:

I'll never forget them taunting us about going bust when we were in administration, hope some of them think about that day now.

 

That said I don't take any pleasure in this. What SISU has done is appalling. 

Agreed. But its hard not to think of just how over the top they were with gloating about us going down to league one and like you say, the administration. 

 

I do feel for them, Forest on the other hand id be quite happy to see go bust...

[Gamble92]

5 hours ago, Fox92 said:

Probably because some of them don't like us and some of us don't like them. It's a rivalry.

 

It's a good job we haven't got City rivals if you're going on 'hate' at a football match.

This was a bit different. Chavs offering out families for a scrap and marching towards innocent people stood at the coaches. Was a sign of the support they've got.

 

Similar to what happened with Forest every time we played them. Ive only heard racist chanting from Millwall, Leeds and Forest. So they're in good company.

[tylesta]

On 05/03/2019 at 22:26, Spudulike said:

Today was the deadline... it's not looking good https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47441459

 

No groundshare with us, please.

I think our ground is a lot more than 6 mile from Coventry city centre

[Mr Mister]

No sympathy for them. They made a huge mistake in moving ground and selling the new ground to someone else. Total mismanagement.

[davieG]

6 hours ago, Mr Mister said:

No sympathy for them. They made a huge mistake in moving ground and selling the new ground to someone else. Total mismanagement.

The fans didn't do that. 

 

Would you have felt the same if we'd have failed to come out of administration and gone bust when we moved grounds?

[Sol thewall Bamba]

50 minutes ago, davieG said:

The fans didn't do that. 

This is why I don't laugh when I see stuff about Cov. People are quick to attribute our success to our "owners", but then make out that the situation at Cov is somehow the fans' fault? We won the lottery with external investment, they lost it. It could have easily been the other way around. 

 

The only time in recent memory the fans have run the owners out of a club has been Blackpool recently, which was an absolutely phenomenal effort. I can't see that Cov could even replicate what they did, no one person owns over 10% of the club so no-one would really be arsed with a drop in revenue. It's an absolute horror show and the buck ultimately stops with the EFL imo. 

 

 

[Strokes]

What’s the point in a rivalry if your rivals cease to exist?

I really hope Coventry can get these pariahs out and make their way back up the leagues, so I can get back to hating them instead of pitying them.

The EFL needs to intervene with all the clout they have.

[Leicesterpool]

Coventry when moving to the Ricoh, I believe wanted to copy us. They seen the success we had when we left Filbert Street and how popular The Walkers Stadium was, with attendances improving. The whole things failed for them big time, what makes it worse is they couldn't pick a worse location to build a stadium, by building in the sticks near Beduff. There is talk today, they have been holding with Nuneaton Borough about a possible ground share, but I can't see that being possible... Boro's ground does not meet the criteria for EFL status even with redevelopment, access to the ground is poor, policing would be issue, the locals would kick up a stink and Norman smurthwaite the landlord and also chairman of Port Vale as said it would look awkward, him being the owner of Port Vale at same time being potential landlord for Coventry City.

 

I think it's more likely they'll head to Soilhull Moors, the ground there is worse but are set to redevelopment anyway ahead of possible promotion to EFL, with the ground being in the middle of the nowhere they wouldn't have too many problems.. but then there's another issue its over that six mile limit the EFL set them. 

Edited 7 March 2019 by Leicesterpool

[CosbehFox]

The difference between us and Coventry's scenarios with their ground is we managed to buy the land outright with no other party. 

 

Coventry needed Tesco and the Council in assisting the land for their new stadium. 

 

Highfield Road was located in Hillfields, an absolute shithole of an estate which at the time included the red light district. They need to move but were shafted by a board who didn't really think the stadium move through.