v Coventry (a) - 1/11/22 - at CBS Arena (the Ricoh in old money)

[arbitro]

I have just had an update on this farce and it will be the police who make the final decision around lunchtime tomorrow. Walsall, Coventry and Rovers have agreed to the venue change but the real sticking point for the police is the uncertainty of how many will turn up and in truth I'm not sure how they will know this to justify giving the game the go ahead in a safe environment. After learning this my gut feeling now is that the game will be off. It's farcical to think that just over 24 hours before many Rovers fans will be leaving we won't know if the game will be played.

[Butty]

It’s not an ideal situation, to put it mildly. I hope a decision is made sooner rather than later for the sake of both sets of fans who will be travelling to the game. In terms of the game itself I don’t actually think it would be bad for us if it was called off, in the midst of such a busy schedule an extra few days of rest could be massive, as long as it is announced in good time etc.

[Guest]

It's an interesting one, as in effect it will be an away game for both sets of players and fans. I'm sure JDT will be focused on continuing to develop the team along his desired lines, which are becoming clearer as games go on. 

It remains to be seen whether we can break the hoodoo associated with going behind in a game, but I'd rather we didn't put that to the test at all, just for the remainder of the season!

Interesting challenge for Rovers this one. Robins will want to put right the reverse against the tangerines yesterday, and he has his side well organised despite the chaos around the Complete Bollocks Set-up (CBS) Stadium.

1-1 Head

0-2 Rovers Heart

2-0 Headless Chicken syndrome roams the message board once again...

COYB!

[MarkBRFC]

34 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I have just had an update on this farce and it will be the police who make the final decision around lunchtime tomorrow. Walsall, Coventry and Rovers have agreed to the venue change but the real sticking point for the police is the uncertainty of how many will turn up and in truth I'm not sure how they will know this to justify giving the game the go ahead in a safe environment. After learning this my gut feeling now is that the game will be off. It's farcical to think that just over 24 hours before many Rovers fans will be leaving we won't know if the game will be played.

Really don't think it will be off.

Cov under huge pressure to play there games.

[AllRoverAsia]

3 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

Really don't think it will be off.

Cov under huge pressure to play there games.

Coventry's home attendances are far in excess of the capacity of Walsall's ground.

Coventry would have to limit their 'home' attendance in some way. I don't know how many STs they have.

I can understand the Policing concerns.

Fiasco.

Call it off and penalise Coventry. 3 points to Rovers and a big fine to Coventry, a points deduction maybe too harsh.

[rigger]

If the sticking point is how many people are going to turn up at Walsall, why don't they play it behind close doors. Then let Coventry compensate their season ticket holders.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, rigger said:

If the sticking point is how many people are going to turn up at Walsall, why don't they play it behind close doors. Then let Coventry compensate their season ticket holders.

Surely, if a club cannot fulfil it's fixtures, the games should be forfeit? I can't imagine there being much sympathy for Rovers if it was us in Coventry's invidious position.

[rigger]

2 minutes ago, Shirley Crabtree Wrestler said:

Surely, if a club cannot fulfil it's fixtures, the games should be forfeit? I can't imagine there being much sympathy for Rovers if it was us in Coventry's invidious position.

I would be very happy if the points were awarded to us, but I can't see it happening. Lets get the game played on Tuesday and beat them. That's what champions do.

[47er]

If Coventry forfeit, surely all their results will be wiped out and they'll be dropped from the League?

That's why the authorities will make sure the game is played somehow even if its behind closed doors.

On second thoughts the fixture could be moved though to another date?

[CheshireRover]

2 minutes ago, 47er said:

If Coventry forfeit, surely all their results will be wiped out and they'll be dropped from the League?

That's why the authorities will make sure the game is played somehow even if its behind closed doors.

On second thoughts the fixture could be moved though to another date?

They can forfeit individual games, but as others have said, they could’ve also forfeited the earlier ones that got called off, so other clubs would have a lot or arguments.

[arbitro]

This situation once again brings the governance of the EFL into question. In the recent past they have awarded a victory to Ipswich when, for reasons I can't remember Bolton couldn't fulfil a fixture. Great we thought, at last the EFL baring their teeth and punishing clubs proportionate to the offence. But the allowing of Coventry to call off three games this season and potentially our game on Tuesday has shown them in their true light. 

[only2garners]

3 hours ago, 1864roverite said:

Walsall is a horrid place to park your car

Normally it’s a great place to go to by train, as Bescot station is almost outside. But I doubt you can get back up here after a night game.

[Mercer]

4 hours ago, 1864roverite said:

Walsall is a horrid place to park your car

Walsall is a horrid place - full stop.

[Guest]

In 18/19 Brentford got awarded 3 points when Bolton couldn’t fulfil a fixture..

https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/football/bolton-wanderers-make-history-as-championship-game-forfeited-and-brentford-given-1-0-win-1.856917

Edited October 30, 2022 by JoeH

[lraC]

35 minutes ago, arbitro said:

This situation once again brings the governance of the EFL into question. In the recent past they have awarded a victory to Ipswich when, for reasons I can't remember Bolton couldn't fulfil a fixture. Great we thought, at last the EFL baring their teeth and punishing clubs proportionate to the offence. But the allowing of Coventry to call off three games this season and potentially our game on Tuesday has shown them in their true light. 

The Bolton V Ipswich game was called off due to no safety certificate being in place. Ken Anderson was up to all sorts of tricks at the time and despite being the owner, he was pleading poverty. Staff not being paid and all sorts of other bills being held back, but he was taking money himself and paying his son too. 

[jodrell]

34 minutes ago, arbitro said:

This situation once again brings the governance of the EFL into question. In the recent past they have awarded a victory to Ipswich when, for reasons I can't remember Bolton couldn't fulfil a fixture. Great we thought, at last the EFL baring their teeth and punishing clubs proportionate to the offence. But the allowing of Coventry to call off three games this season and potentially our game on Tuesday has shown them in their true light. 

I think it was the last or one of the last game of the season when Bolton couldn't pay the staff .But it didn't affect the league positions. It would have meant playing the game after the season finished.

[matt83]

I feel sorry for Coventry fans if all this nonsense is starting up again. That said both sets of fans need to be considered and if they can’t agree a venue by at the very least 24 hours before KO. Also sod postponing it, that will inconvenience us and give us a fixture pile up potentially affecting other games due to extra fixture fatigue. If they can’t find a suitable ground forfeit the fixture or play at ewood. 

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, matt83 said:

I feel sorry for Coventry fans if all this nonsense is starting up again. That said both sets of fans need to be considered and if they can’t agree a venue by at the very least 24 hours before KO. Also sod postponing it, that will inconvenience us and give us a fixture pile up potentially affecting other games due to extra fixture fatigue. If they can’t find a suitable ground forfeit the fixture or play at ewood. 

Playing at Ewood isn't an option. Would cost Rovers a lot of money to make that happen at such short notice and then affects the competition integrity. EFL dead set against that

[matt83]

1 minute ago, JoeH said:

Playing at Ewood isn't an option. Would cost Rovers a lot of money to make that happen at such short notice and then affects the competition integrity. EFL dead set against that

Put the costs on Coventry. Sounds to me like the only option is to forfeit if they can’t find a ground. If I were swag I’d refuse point blank to accommodate Coventrys problems to our potential detriment. 

[joey_big_nose]

Surely playing behind closed doors, refund tickets and travel and watch on iFollow is the sensible solution? Trying to get people into a ground in a different borough at 24 hrs notice does not seem at all smart.

Agree that postponing doesn't help anyone.

[arbitro]

https://www.ccfc.co.uk/news/2022/october/news-coventry-city-make-time-to-pay-agreement-with-hmrc/

Coventry are really in trouble and have agreed with HMRC to defer payments until December primarily because of the five home postponements this season. This further issue with the CBS Arena will only add to these problems.

[jim mk2]

Decision by Monday lunchtime, says Waggott

So make that Tuesday about 3pm

Coventry have entered an agreement with HMRC until December so presumably the club can operate normally (apart from transfers) until then

Is there any reason why the match therefore should not go ahead at their stadium as scheduled? 

[Mattyblue]

Because the stadium is owned by a Wasps holding company that is about to go into administration. So not actually connected to Coventry’s own financial issues.

[oldjamfan1]

8 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Because the stadium is owned by a Wasps holding company that is about to go into administration. So not actually connected to Coventry’s own financial issues.

Basically if the Wasps company remains in administration the game will go ahead as planned but if they get liquidated it will need to either move or be postponed. That’s my understanding of the situation anyway.

[USABlue]

5 hours ago, Ossydave said:

And an absolute shit tip of an away end. The toilets were flooded with piss last time we went there, never in my life have I wished I'd worn wellies to football before that game.

Never went on the old Riverside then?