[Archived] Breakthrough At Coventry?

[47er]

http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/coventry-city-crisis-sees-football-11998849

[JHRover]

It seems the concerns raised by their local MP are concentrated around their stadium situation. They are only tenants at the Ricoh and only have a deal until 2018 with no sign of an extension being agreed, so there is the very real prospect that they will be forced to go and play their games away from Coventry again. It appears these questions and concerns are what the Football League will be meeting with the MP to discuss.

We're not in the same situation, as there's no immediate prospect of the club having to play games outside the local area, so I doubt this situation will be of much use to us.

The Football League have already repeatedly demonstrated their incompetence and inability to resolve mismanagement of its member clubs. Any meeting will likely be paying lip service to those in attendance.

[Gav]

Local paper and Mp's taking the lead, now that's an idea isn't it!

Great news, glad for the fans and City.

#venkysout

[47er]

Clearly the stadium is the most immediate issue facing the club but the general issues around this are the same as ours----uncaring/disinterested owners, club in free fall, massive loss of fan support etc etc.

The discussions are not going to concentrate solely on that one issue, security of stadium tenure is not, of itself,going to bring the fans back is it?

At the end of the article is a plea for the owners to sell the club.

I do hope our pro-active thinkers with political contacts can ensure we are not over-looked and that politicians who support us can use this as a precedent.

LT should help here too.

[4000Holes]

Local paper and Mp's taking the lead, now that's an idea isn't it!

Great news, glad for the fans and City.

#venkysout

If we are going to wait for a pro active stance from our own local paper, then I am afraid we may have a very long wait.

[JHRover]

At the centre of both clubs remain owners who continue to refuse to sell the club or even advertise it as being for sale. Owners who got involved in the game for the wrong reasons. Owners who have no interest in football or the desires of their customers, owners who have presided over years and years of decline and yet still don't change their ways.

Coventry's decline began before ours and their current owners are actually a symptom of a malaise that began years and years ago, exacerbated by the stadium situation which has brought problems to a head there. Its not hard to see how their owners with their agenda managed to get hold of them. They were heavily in debt, losing lots of money and were struggling in the Championship having just moved to the Ricoh, a stadium they've never owned. They were ripe for the picking by owners looking to make a quick buck or get their hands on a football club for a non-footballing agenda. It doesn't make it OK, but its easy to see why they were sold to SISU and how their situation has ended up like it has. Building the Ricoh and leaving Highfield Road yet not owning the ground was always going to end up as a disaster for them.

On the other hand what's our excuse? We didn't need to be taken over. We were doing perfectly well before these people turned up, we were well managed, part of the richest league in the world, owned all our own facilities. I suppose it makes it harder to take in some respects. Coventry were already sinking under a crippling financial model and no stadium before SISU arrived on the scene. We were doing very well before Venkys and there was no need for the club to be sold to them. Our disastrous state was so easily avoidable, theirs less so.

We're about 3-4 years behind them on the slide, but are catching up with them all the same.

[ABBEY]

Not just Wheelcock ( cue Chaddy crying about his bestie) & the venkygraph , radio lancs is just as bad .

Local media my arse I've shut em .

[4000Holes]

At the centre of both clubs remain owners who continue to refuse to sell the club or even advertise it as being for sale. Owners who got involved in the game for the wrong reasons. Owners who have no interest in football or the desires of their customers, owners who have presided over years and years of decline and yet still don't change their ways.

Coventry's decline began before ours and their current owners are actually a symptom of a malaise that began years and years ago, exacerbated by the stadium situation which has brought problems to a head there. Its not hard to see how their owners with their agenda managed to get hold of them. They were heavily in debt, losing lots of money and were struggling in the Championship having just moved to the Ricoh, a stadium they've never owned. They were ripe for the picking by owners looking to make a quick buck or get their hands on a football club for a non-footballing agenda. It doesn't make it OK, but its easy to see why they were sold to SISU and how their situation has ended up like it has. Building the Ricoh and leaving Highfield Road yet not owning the ground was always going to end up as a disaster for them.

On the other hand what's our excuse? We didn't need to be taken over. We were doing perfectly well before these people turned up, we were well managed, part of the richest league in the world, owned all our own facilities. I suppose it makes it harder to take in some respects. Coventry were already sinking under a crippling financial model and no stadium before SISU arrived on the scene. We were doing very well before Venkys and there was no need for the club to be sold to them. Our disastrous state was so easily avoidable, theirs less so.

We're about 3-4 years behind them on the slide, but are catching up with them all the same.

Well put. The Jack Walker trust could not get rid fast enough. They wanted to play with aeroplanes in their tax haven. I am sure Jack is looking down being very upset and not very pleased with his daughter.

[MCMC1875]

Well put. The Jack Walker trust could not get rid fast enough. They wanted to play with aeroplanes in their tax haven. I am sure Jack is looking down being very upset and not very pleased with his daughter.

Bet they wish they could turn the clock back.

[jim mk2]

. We were doing very well before Venkys and there was no need for the club to be sold to them. Our disastrous state was so easily avoidable, theirs less so.

We're about 3-4 years behind them on the slide, but are catching up with them all the same.

The Walker family had no interest in owning us any more and wanted rid of Rovers to anyone who would buy us. They saw us as a liablity that affected their other businesses and the family's wealth. They needed to sell us.

Coventry is a warning for what we could become though.

Bet they wish they could turn the clock back.

I bet they don't.

[funny-old-game]

Well put. The Jack Walker trust could not get rid fast enough. They wanted to play with aeroplanes in their tax haven. I am sure Jack is looking down being very upset and not very pleased with his daughter.

Don't forget Ross, he was/is just as apathetic as the rest. He hates football but was happy to enjoy the celebrations and accolades back when we won the league,but no respect for his dads legacy even though he has and will never have to worry about money ever!

[JHRover]

The Walker family had no interest in owning us any more and wanted rid of Rovers to anyone who would buy us. They saw us as a liablity that affected their other businesses and the family's wealth. They needed to sell us.

Coventry is a warning for what we could become though.

I bet they don't.

I don't know what the Family wanted, as they didn't own the club outright. It was the Trust that were employed by Jack Walker to own the club and fund the club after he died. Whether they wanted to do it or not is irrelevant. They were given a job to do and agreed to do it. It was what Jack tasked them to do in his will and provided very clear instructions for them to do. If they got fed up with it or lost interest then that's tough.

There's no way that an established Premier League football club would be a liability to anyone. I think they deliberately attempted to portray the club as a drain/liability to them to justify selling it asap. They made up whatever shortfall there was by selling our best players every season and releasing extremely limited funds for transfers. If they had held on for a few more years then they could have done a West Brom or Palace or Swansea, and sold to appropriate fit and proper people from China/America for £100 million plus, rather than for £20 million to some inappropriate people being inappropriately advised by an agent. Alternatively they could have had their hands on the ever increasing prize pot just by surviving every season. And I don't buy the 'they couldn't have known' nonsense either. Anyone with an ounce of concern would have seen through Venkys and their friends in 10 minutes if their primary motivation had been the clubs future rather than cash.

[funny-old-game]

I don't know what the Family wanted, as they didn't own the club outright. It was the Trust that were employed by Jack Walker to own the club and fund the club after he died. Whether they wanted to do it or not is irrelevant. They were given a job to do and agreed to do it. It was what Jack tasked them to do in his will and provided very clear instructions for them to do. If they got fed up with it or lost interest then that's tough.

There's no way that an established Premier League football club would be a liability to anyone. I think they deliberately attempted to portray the club as a drain/liability to them to justify selling it asap. They made up whatever shortfall there was by selling our best players every season and releasing extremely limited funds for transfers. If they had held on for a few more years then they could have done a West Brom or Palace or Swansea, and sold to appropriate fit and proper people from China/America for £100 million plus, rather than for £20 million to some inappropriate people being inappropriately advised by an agent. Alternatively they could have had their hands on the ever increasing prize pot just by surviving every season. And I don't buy the 'they couldn't have known' nonsense either. Anyone with an ounce of concern would have seen through Venkys and their friends in 10 minutes if their primary motivation had been the clubs future rather than cash.

Wasn't there a court hearing or something in Jersey just before the sale. As I recalled it was to overturn or find a loophole in Jacks will that enabled them to sell.

[Gav]

I see Kate Hollern has been appointed to the shadow cabinet, my Mrs worked with her for a while a few years back and has nothing but good things to say about her, so lets hope her new position gives her more influence and brings our plight to a wider audience.

[Jock]

I see Kate Hollern has been appointed to the shadow cabinet, my Mrs worked with her for a while a few years back and has nothing but good things to say about her, so lets hope her new position gives her more influence and brings our plight to a wider audience.

Jeremy changes his cabinet more than his underpants. She may not last.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

The fact that Coventry FC were forced to play their home games at Northampton was a disgrace....imagine Rovers being forced to play on Merseyside.

There's still time for it to materialize with these buffoons in charge folks!!

[Baz]

Not just Wheelcock ( cue Chaddy crying about his bestie) & the venkygraph , radio lancs is just as bad .

Local media my arse I've shut em .

Personally I think Wheelock gets the fans more than most of the others, I just get the impression that his hands are completely tied about what the LT is willing to run with.

I could be completely wrong on Wheelock, but Id fully agree the LT has been pathetic. 1 front page 'time to go steve' in amongst years of mismanagement is appalling.

[Dunnfc]

The fact that Coventry FC were forced to play their home games at Northampton was a disgrace....imagine Rovers being forced to play on Merseyside.

There's still time for it to materialize with these buffoons in charge folks!!

Decent club Coventry.

Fans not to dissimilar from ourselves but like us they've been put through the mill yet the cork keeps screwing.

About time the FA and EFL stand up to S*** owners.

I mean a bloody hedge fund owns them... That's just like a more intellectual version or Jerome and Philippe.

[blueboy3333]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2016/oct/12/coventry-city-decline-despair-league-one

'Their last league match at the 32,609-seat Ricoh Arena was watched by a crowd of only 8,030. “Gates are 25% down on last season already,” says Jan Mokrzycki of the Sky Blue Trust, Coventry City’s supporters’ group. “People are either angry or just don’t care any more.”'

Sums up the Rovers situation too. Anger or Apathy. Probably more apathy these days. We'd be lucky to get 8 thou in League 1 though. Thankfully we still own our training ground and stadium. Well, Venky's do.

Didn't realise SISU was a hedge fund till recently. I'm sure they are in it for the right reasons. Fit and Proper.

[ABBEY]

Anger for me

[tomphil]

Cov had near full houses then decent crowds Pompey style when they first moved back i think but hope soon evaporates after being subject to years of nonsense.

[1arC]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2016/oct/12/coventry-city-decline-despair-league-one

'Their last league match at the 32,609-seat Ricoh Arena was watched by a crowd of only 8,030. “Gates are 25% down on last season already,” says Jan Mokrzycki of the Sky Blue Trust, Coventry City’s supporters’ group. “People are either angry or just don’t care any more.”'

Sums up the Rovers situation too. Anger or Apathy. Probably more apathy these days. We'd be lucky to get 8 thou in League 1 though. Thankfully we still own our training ground and stadium. Well, Venky's do.

Didn't realise SISU was a hedge fund till recently. I'm sure they are in it for the right reasons. Fit and Proper.

If SISU are a hedge fund, dare I suggest that Venky's are a tree fund? A sick a more comes to mind.

[tomphil]

Monkey Puzzle Tree.

[broadsword]

What's the opposite of a money tree?

[Dunnfc]

If SISU are a hedge fund, dare I suggest that Venky's are a tree fund? A sick a more comes to mind.

aye I'll go for willow trees on the basis they make great thieves as they've got sticky fingers.