The Football League and Otium (1 Viewer)

[mrtrench]

I recently wrote to the FL asking if they would reconsider Otium as 'right and proper' owners in the light of the zero rent offer. I also put it to them that they were failing in their remit.

This is the answer I received. Interesting that we could easily be expelled from the league within 2.5 years.

The Football League is unable to comment on further detail relating to what is a commercial dispute between ACL and the club. We can only advise you contact either party respectively for further information on this. To clarify, each Football Club is a business in its own right and The Football League has no direct influence with regards to negotiations over lease agreements, stadium ownership etc. We regulate the competition that our clubs play in and ultimately aim to ensure that they all retain their membership of The League within the competition structure.

As part of the transfer of ownership of the club under the extraordinary circumstances provision, The League required the Club to demonstrate that it had a ‘clear plan for returning to Coventry within a prescribed timeframe’. In this instance, and as first part of this process the Board sought proof of funding relating to the building of a new stadium and evidence that a process for finding an appropriate site was already under way. The information provided by Otium satisfied the Board in this regard and The League continues to liaise with the club.

Consequently, the Board has given Coventry City permission to play its matches at Northampton Town for the next three seasons. This term can be extended for two further periods of 12 months, provided the club can demonstrate sufficient progress towards the building of a new stadium in the Coventry area. Should the club not comply with this timeframe, the matter will be considered by The Football League Board at the relevant time with reference to both the permission to relocate and the membership agreement entered into in August 2013. Expulsion from the League would be a realistic outcome at that stage.

At this stage we are unable to comment further with regards to this process.

You reference our role as to ‘protect the interests of football in the UK’. The Football League administers a football competition for its member clubs. The Football Association’s role is to oversee and govern football across England as a whole.

Thank you for contacting The Football League.

 

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[blueflint]

time to mass protest the FA then

 

[Kingokings204]

Usual cop out, I would of saved time and not bothered emailing or calling.

 

[1ccfc1987]

I recently wrote to the FL asking if they would reconsider Otium as 'right and proper' owners in the light of the zero rent offer. I also put it to them that they were failing in their remit.

This is the answer I received. Interesting that we could easily be expelled from the league within 2.5 years.

The Football League is unable to comment on further detail relating to what is a commercial dispute between ACL and the club. We can only advise you contact either party respectively for further information on this. To clarify, each Football Club is a business in its own right and The Football League has no direct influence with regards to negotiations over lease agreements, stadium ownership etc. We regulate the competition that our clubs play in and ultimately aim to ensure that they all retain their membership of The League within the competition structure.

As part of the transfer of ownership of the club under the extraordinary circumstances provision, The League required the Club to demonstrate that it had a ‘clear plan for returning to Coventry within a prescribed timeframe’. In this instance, and as first part of this process the Board sought proof of funding relating to the building of a new stadium and evidence that a process for finding an appropriate site was already under way. The information provided by Otium satisfied the Board in this regard and The League continues to liaise with the club.

Consequently, the Board has given Coventry City permission to play its matches at Northampton Town for the next three seasons. This term can be extended for two further periods of 12 months, provided the club can demonstrate sufficient progress towards the building of a new stadium in the Coventry area. Should the club not comply with this timeframe, the matter will be considered by The Football League Board at the relevant time with reference to both the permission to relocate and the membership agreement entered into in August 2013. Expulsion from the League would be a realistic outcome at that stage.

At this stage we are unable to comment further with regards to this process.

You reference our role as to ‘protect the interests of football in the UK’. The Football League administers a football competition for its member clubs. The Football Association’s role is to oversee and govern football across England as a whole.

Thank you for contacting The Football League.

could those two points about returning to coventry / coventry area be missleading though to all of us who are fans/supporters of the club
coventry city should play within the coventry boundry, however sisu use the term in the coventry area 6 miles to the city centre and that could be closer than the ricoh would be to some local coventry residants . would the football league insist on either / or to avoid more hassel from sisu or would they insist on inside the boundry ?

 

[Jack Griffin]

could those two points about returning to coventry / coventry area be missleading though to all of us who are fans/supporters of the club
coventry city should play within the coventry boundry, however sisu use the term in the coventry area 6 miles to the city centre and that could be closer than the ricoh would be to some local coventry residants . would the football league insist on either / or to avoid more hassel from sisu or would they insist on inside the boundry ?

No they don't, at the last SGC meeting, the one previous to tonight's meeting TF mentioned 9 miles as a possibility.

Below snippet of report from one of the attendees of that meeting summarizing what TF said.

Plan A
Currently in discussions with 2 other councils and presenting the benefits and economic impact of a multi-purpose stadium. Both those councils instantly see the benefits. The same presentation was made to Martin Reeves and Chris West with regard to the Ricoh and was ignored.

Club want to have a stadium consultation group – made up of fans – who work with the club to ensure new stadium meets wants and needs of fans as much as possible. What is critical is to get the site right. Ideally it will be a large site as the plan is to have the academy next to the stadium. It has to be within 8 miles of Earl Street, although if an absolutely perfect site is found at say 9 miles then he wouldn’t expect the league to block it.

In terms of timescales on what they can tell the fans, once the site is secure then they can go public. Hopefully that will put some fans minds at ease. It was made clear by a few members of the group that until something clear and concrete is in place and announced, fans will continue to be sceptical.

It could take 2 years to get planning permission (COULD!) but only 12 months to build. The build could be about £20m, plus £5m for the land, plus a contingency because construction is nearly always over budget.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

No they don't, at the last SGC meeting, the one previous to tonight's meeting TF mentioned 9 miles as a possibility.

Below snippet of report from one of the attendees of that meeting summarizing what TF said.

...which for anybody insulting the SCG as a total waste of time/full of people who suck up to Fisher, ought to consider that even if the influence it exerts is minimal, it offers some feedback we otherwise wouldn't get.

 

[Deleted member 5849]

Should the club not comply with this timeframe, the matter will be considered by The Football League Board at the relevant time with reference to both the permission to relocate and the membership agreement entered into in August 2013. Expulsion from the League would be a realistic outcome at that stage.

So there will be a resolution, it won't be indeterminate.

One way or another, what is to be done will be done...