Coventry City by Simon Gilbert

Author:Simon Gilbert
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pitch Publishing
Published: 2016-10-19T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Highfield Road II

IN May 2013, Coventry City Football Club’s chief executive Tim Fisher made an announcement which would shock and divide Sky Blues fans.

He said that Coventry City had played their last game in the city which gave them their name and that plans were being progressed for a new stadium in the ‘Coventry area’.

Talks over a deal to continue at the Ricoh Arena had failed after Sisu boss Joy Seppala had pulled the plug on a new rental deal provisionally agreed in January with the Sky Blues. Ms Seppala was adamant that any deal for the club to remain at the Ricoh Arena had to involve some form of stadium ownership.

Few bought into the vision at the time, with many questioning how a club in such a dire financial situation could possibly afford to build a new ground. Others insisted it was nothing more than a negotiating tactic as Sisu sought to agree a better deal at the Ricoh Arena.

But Mr Fisher remained typically bullish, and even insisted the process of acquiring land had already begun with a view to having the stadium completed during 2016.

Speaking during an interview with the Coventry Telegraph at the time, he said: ‘People have to understand we do not posture, we do not threaten, because that is not how you do business. You only do business in good faith. Always.

‘We have started the process of procuring land so that we can shift the new stadium build forward at a pace. The stadium will be in the Coventry area in accordance with Football League rules.

‘We have left the Ricoh Arena. We were told categorically by ACL and by the council that there was no commercial deal to be done and, in actual fact, they would only ever work with the administrator.

‘We were very, very clear in our minds as to exactly what was intended. Given the position, we have had to make contingency plans to fulfil our fixtures on an interim basis while we deliver the long-term vision.

‘That long-term vision has us playing in the Coventry area in a new stadium that will be designed and delivered in three years.

‘All this will be in full consultation with the fans – starting with the upcoming forums.

‘In consideration of financial fair play, then we will own all the revenue streams that come from matchday and non-matchday activities, and therefore we will have every chance of becoming a solid, vibrant club.’

ACL, of course, disputed that there was ‘no deal to be done’ and insisted the doors to the Ricoh Arena remained open.

The firm’s lawyer, James Powell, also raised questions about how a club in Coventry’s situation could afford to build a new ground.

Speaking to BBC Coventry and Warwickshire, he said: ‘I was surprised and taken aback. My personal impression was that this was an announcement made on the hoof.

‘There’s not been any suggestion of another stadium in and around Coventry in anything Mr Fisher or the club have been saying over the last few months.

‘The Football League are looking for a whole host of things.

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