Get Cov Back to the Ricoh response to Wasps Ricoh Takeover (3 Viewers)

Rob S

Well-Known Member
plus Open Letter to Coventry Telegraph

Well I think we were all hoping for a bit of a rest and some actual football chat but here we go again. Time to make sure this gets nipped in the bud and we get our football club and football stadium reunited permanently with all sides being responsible for getting it sorted. Or maybe we just call the Dean of Coventry Cathedral back in again to knock some heads together :)

http://getcovbacktothericoh.org/call-for-unity-against-ricoh-wasps-sale/

======================================================================

So we all thought we’d get a break from all of the trauma around Coventry City and where they play football. Looks like we were wrong. In response to recent press reports and a completely biased Coventry Telegraph ‘blame game’ editorial, we’ve issued a press release and an open letter to the Telegraph.


CALL FOR UNITY AGAINST RICOH WASPS SALE

A Coventry City fans’ group is calling for a united front against any plans to sell the Ricoh Arena to rugby club London Wasps.

Many fans and Coventry people have been outraged since news broke last week of talks between Wasps and Ricoh owners the city council and the Alan Edward Higgs Charity over a “controlling stake” in the stadium.

Fans’ groups including Get Cov Back To The Ricoh and Keep Cov in Cov have joined many football and Coventry rugby fans in publicly condemning the move. It comes just weeks after the club’s Ricoh return on a temporary rent deal brought hope for a lasting end to the disastrous dispute which had resulted in Coventry City playing ‘home’ games at Northampton.

The Get Cov Back To The Ricoh group is calling on all fans – and other groups including the Sky Blue Trust, KCIC, the Supporters’ Consultative Group and – to oppose any sale of shares in the stadium to Wasps at this time – and to “give peace a chance”. GCBTTR says relations between Arena Coventry Limited and the club should be given an opportunity to heal and flourish towards a permanent and sustainable solution for the club and city.

Get Cov Back To The Ricoh co-ordinator Stuart Cosgrove said: “We were ecstatic about the club’s return to the Ricoh. The whole city hoped it would be a new dawn. Everybody wants the honeymoon to develop towards a long-term solution for the club and city.

“News of this so soon after the Ricoh return is a kick in the teeth not just for Coventry City fans but for Coventry rugby fans and London Wasps fans.

“We welcome that the club’s owners Sisu have returned Steven Pressley and the boys to the Ricoh Arena on a two-year deal, with the option of a further two years.

“We are calling on Sisu’s Joy Seppala to make clear if buying the Ricoh remains a consideration, as well as the option of building a new stadium. And we call on the Ricoh’s owners to work towards a permanent solution with our football club – without which the Ricoh would ever have been built.

“Any offer to London Wasps should at the very least be offered to whoever owns Coventry City. Whether we like it or not, the owners of the club are currently Sisu. This is not the time to be further distressing the club.”

Joint GCBTTR co-ordinator Rob Stevens said: “The vast majority of Coventry City fans and people of Coventry regard the Ricoh Arena as our club’s home.

“Many fans believe that whoever owns the club should own its own stadium to maximise revenue to support the vast sums it has to spend on players.

“Many fans believe council and charity should not have a divine right to do what they want with a stadium which was mainly built with others’ money, and was only built because of the football club.

“The majority of fans are not signed up to the council and Higgs’ apparent agenda of ‘anything goes’, as long as they get the money they expect from the Ricoh – after subsidising it with millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money.

“Our fear is there is a continuing agenda to oust the club’s owners without demonstrating any real prospect of success – which only serves to destabilise the club and put our club’s entire future at risk.

“We’ve had false promises and hidden agendas before. It’s time to give peace and reconciliation a chance, and for all parties to work for the good of our club and the entire city.”

The GCBTTR campaign has also today written an open letter to the Coventry Telegraph for publication on its letters page, following widespread criticism of its editorial comment article last week. See below.

---------------------------

Dear Sirs,

Many Sky Blues fans were disappointed to read your editorial comment of September 19 entitled: “Why Coventry City have only themselves to blame for missing out on a stake in the Ricoh Arena.”

Internet reaction shows widespread opposition from Coventry people, its football and rugby fans, to any sale at this time of a controlling stake to rugby club London Wasps by the Ricoh’s owners, the city council and Alan Edwards Higgs Charity.

It is particularly disappointing that you take a black and white view of this complex issue just weeks after the club’s return to the Ricoh on a temporary rent deal prompted widespread optimism for lasting peace and reconciliation, and the Ricoh becoming CCFC’s permanent home.

Some fans are saying it is time to boycott the Coventry Telegraph if it continues to take sides and push a one-sided agenda rather than pressuring all sides, including Sisu and the taxpayer-funded Ricoh, with a view to ensuring CCFC remain at the Ricoh, whoever owns either.

We believe you have misjudged the mood of the city and fans’ opinion since that glorious Ricoh return just three weeks ago. Please give a chance for the welcome reconciliation between the stadium and club to build towards a lasting settlement.
 

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Otis

Well-Known Member
Boycott the Telegraph?

Haven't we only just got over boycotting Sixfields?

Bit over dramatic there I think Rob. All we've had is one solitary story on the internet and no official statements from anyone. Like Andy Turner has said, could be quite possible that these talks with Wasps started a long time ago, while we were still at Sixfields and with no prospect of us coming back anytime soon.

I'm sure we will pretty much oppose this deal if it turns out to be what the internet story says it is. I would like some clarification here though.

Is this a newly proposed deal, or have discussions been going on for quite some time? If it's the latter, then the whole thing makes so much more sense.
 

Rusty Trombone

Well-Known Member
Rob - when you say 'we are calling on Sisu’s Joy Seppala to make clear if buying the Ricoh remains a consideration', do you mean the stadium and/or ACL? From the clubs point of view owning ACL would be the best option wouldn't it?
 

Rob S

Well-Known Member
Well, there is the problem (allegedly) of contracts & commitments of ACL and the short lease but my personal view is that if a long lease can be sorted out then owning ACL is not a problem. Others say that ACL being replaced by another entity might be better. I don't think that there's any chance of the freehold of the stadium being under consideration unless someone threw a ridiculous amount of money at it.

From what I can gather the news broke because a prospectus from Deloitte's corporate finance dept. went out to prospective private investors. I'd love to see a copy but it sounds like the deal would be for buying 90% of ACL leaving the Council with 10%. And being technical, I think it would be a consortium including the current owner of London Wasps rather than London Wasps Holdings Ltd but not 100% definite about that.

The Andy Turner piece seems like an attempt at back-pedalling after the reaction to the opinion column & the Bob Ainsworth comments and I'm certain that negotiations have been going on for a while as it was mentioned when Ann Lucas made a council chamber statement and when Chris Robinson took over at ACL.

The thing that has got a lot of fans worked up is the timing. We've just got back to the Ricoh, everybody is enjoying the football (don't mention the away form!) and the table is set to allow all parties to settle down and start slowly moving forward by leaning to trust each other and carry on building on the good relationship being forged by the likes of Waggot & Robinson.

What do we get now? More brinkmanship, media rattling and unsettling of fans. And a total kick in the teeth to Cov rugby fans & London Wasps fans.

Maybe CT editor Alun Thorne (Villa fan I hear) was getting jumpy if the readership figures were dropping because Cov fans weren't in a constant state of anger about what was being done to the club and so he needed to get everyone all riled up again? Maybe I'm just being cynical ;-)
 

SimonGilbert

Telegraph Tea Boy
Well, there is the problem (allegedly) of contracts & commitments of ACL and the short lease but my personal view is that if a long lease can be sorted out then owning ACL is not a problem. Others say that ACL being replaced by another entity might be better. I don't think that there's any chance of the freehold of the stadium being under consideration unless someone threw a ridiculous amount of money at it.

From what I can gather the news broke because a prospectus from Deloitte's corporate finance dept. went out to prospective private investors. I'd love to see a copy but it sounds like the deal would be for buying 90% of ACL leaving the Council with 10%. And being technical, I think it would be a consortium including the current owner of London Wasps rather than London Wasps Holdings Ltd but not 100% definite about that.

The Andy Turner piece seems like an attempt at back-pedalling after the reaction to the opinion column & the Bob Ainsworth comments and I'm certain that negotiations have been going on for a while as it was mentioned when Ann Lucas made a council chamber statement and when Chris Robinson took over at ACL.

The thing that has got a lot of fans worked up is the timing. We've just got back to the Ricoh, everybody is enjoying the football (don't mention the away form!) and the table is set to allow all parties to settle down and start slowly moving forward by leaning to trust each other and carry on building on the good relationship being forged by the likes of Waggot & Robinson.

What do we get now? More brinkmanship, media rattling and unsettling of fans. And a total kick in the teeth to Cov rugby fans & London Wasps fans.

Maybe CT editor Alun Thorne (Villa fan I hear) was getting jumpy if the readership figures were dropping because Cov fans weren't in a constant state of anger about what was being done to the club and so he needed to get everyone all riled up again? Maybe I'm just being cynical ;-)

Thanks Rob, interesting information on the potential Wasps deal. You must have good sources very close to the football club.

RE the Telegraph's stance, I don't believe you will find any contradictions between the two editorial pieces written by the Telegraph. Any suggestion of "back-peddling" seems, at best, inaccurate.

As far as Mr Ainsworth's views go, they are precisely that - Mr Ainsworth's views.

Falling readership figures are not a concern, you might find this of interest - http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/onlin...ionals-are-fastest-growing-newspaper-websites

And, yes, Mr Thorne is a Villa fan. Inexcusable. But not a secret.
 

torchomatic

Well-Known Member
I thought you were all for it as long as Cov and Wasps fans didn't mind?

Boycott the Telegraph?

Haven't we only just got over boycotting Sixfields?

Bit over dramatic there I think Rob. All we've had is one solitary story on the internet and no official statements from anyone. Like Andy Turner has said, could be quite possible that these talks with Wasps started a long time ago, while we were still at Sixfields and with no prospect of us coming back anytime soon.

I'm sure we will pretty much oppose this deal if it turns out to be what the internet story says it is. I would like some clarification here though.

Is this a newly proposed deal, or have discussions been going on for quite some time? If it's the latter, then the whole thing makes so much more sense.
 

rupert_bear

Well-Known Member
If this proposal is for real I don't think it has been discussed thoroughly yet, robs thread and letters are quite dramatic but until there is a statement of fact and any details known I think it is a bit early for what he is saying.
 

Rob S

Well-Known Member
Thanks Rob, interesting information on the potential Wasps deal. You must have good sources very close to the football club.

RE the Telegraph's stance, I don't believe you will find any contradictions between the two editorial pieces written by the Telegraph. Any suggestion of "back-peddling" seems, at best, inaccurate.

As far as Mr Ainsworth's views go, they are precisely that - Mr Ainsworth's views.

Falling readership figures are not a concern, you might find this of interest - http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/onlin...ionals-are-fastest-growing-newspaper-websites

And, yes, Mr Thorne is a Villa fan. Inexcusable. But not a secret.

Y'know I've often found that I have far better and more wide-ranging sources than you which is a bit disappointing seeing as you're getting paid for this. I s'pose I do have a few years head start on you tho'...

Look, I'll be straightforward here...we all know that the Cov Tel has a particular bias in all of this and most people in the local media and many of the public are always concerned about the close relationship between your editor and the high-ups in the Council, the very people your paper should be holding to account.

And your link kinda feeds my theory...the figures are from June when the CCFC at Sixfields story was raging. By fanning the flames again with us back home you get to keep the figures going up.
 

covmark

Well-Known Member
Y'know I've often found that I have far better and more wide-ranging sources than you which is a bit disappointing seeing as you're getting paid for this. I s'pose I do have a few years head start on you tho'...

Look, I'll be straightforward here...we all know that the Cov Tel has a particular bias in all of this and most people in the local media and many of the public are always concerned about the close relationship between your editor and the high-ups in the Council, the very people your paper should be holding to account.

And your link kinda feeds my theory...the figures are from June when the CCFC at Sixfields story was raging. By fanning the flames again with us back home you get to keep the figures going up.
images
 

SimonGilbert

Telegraph Tea Boy
Y'know I've often found that I have far better and more wide-ranging sources than you which is a bit disappointing seeing as you're getting paid for this. I s'pose I do have a few years head start on you tho'...

Look, I'll be straightforward here...we all know that the Cov Tel has a particular bias in all of this and most people in the local media and many of the public are always concerned about the close relationship between your editor and the high-ups in the Council, the very people your paper should be holding to account.

And your link kinda feeds my theory...the figures are from June when the CCFC at Sixfields story was raging. By fanning the flames again with us back home you get to keep the figures going up.

Maybe you should apply for a job here. We've got a vacancy - http://www.mediargh.com/coventry-telegraph-trainee-reporter
 

torchomatic

Well-Known Member

Otis

Well-Known Member
I thought you were all for it as long as Cov and Wasps fans didn't mind?

Nope. Never, ever said that, Torch.

Pretty sure that I am merely said I wouldn't oppose it if it suited all parties and I made it clear that included Wasps fans, Cov RFC and Cov RFC fans too.

I don't think it right for franchises anyway. I would accept the move if all agreed, but would still be uneay about it.

And as I quite clearly said in the post you have just replied to, if the story turned out to be what we think it is (as reported) I would oppose it, as would nearly all City fans I would think.
 
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SimonGilbert

Telegraph Tea Boy
All my forefathers worked on the docks & in the foundries of the East End so I'm very proud of my middle class status :)

Pffft. Trinity Mirror wages are terrible even at exec level. Plus I don't like being told what to write ;-)

Fair enough. Probably a bit too much of a daily commute for you as well I imagine.
 

sky blue john

Well-Known Member
If this proposal is for real I don't think it has been discussed thoroughly yet, robs thread and letters are quite dramatic but until there is a statement of fact and any details known I think it is a bit early for what he is saying.

Suitable words for Jackanory though maybe book writing would suit ?
 

oldskyblue58

CCFC Finance Director
So you are reasonably certain that the bid isn't actually from Wasps at all but from a consortium that will include the person who owns Wasps?

that could well mean ACL wouldn't actually be owned or controlled by Wasps?

Would that mean if Wasps did play at the Ricoh (something I am not in favour of) that they would most likely be a tenant on some basis also?

Will the guy who owns Wasps actually control this new consortium?
 

Rob S

Well-Known Member
If this proposal is for real I don't think it has been discussed thoroughly yet, robs thread and letters are quite dramatic but until there is a statement of fact and any details known I think it is a bit early for what he is saying.

It's real enough if there is a prospectus going around the City of London drumming up investment. Trying to get hold of a copy but it looks like the story breaking might have spooked a few people and they're laying low.

So you are reasonably certain that the bid isn't actually from Wasps at all but from a consortium that will include the person who owns Wasps?

that could well mean ACL wouldn't actually be owned or controlled by Wasps?

Would that mean if Wasps did play at the Ricoh (something I am not in favour of) that they would most likely be a tenant on some basis also?

Will the guy who owns Wasps actually control this new consortium?

I couldn't say with any certainty yet but I'm hearing that it is 'the person who owns Wasps' rather than 'Wasps'. We could be in a Sisu/ARVO/SBS&L/CCFC situation or it could be a consortium still in the making. Your guess is as good as mine until we see some actual print. Throws up a lot of interesting questions though.
 
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sky blue john

Well-Known Member
It's real enough if there is a prospectus going around the City of London drumming up investment. Trying to get hold of a copy but it looks like the story breaking might have spooked a few people and they're laying low.



I couldn't say with any certainty yet but I'm hearing that it is 'the person who owns Wasps' rather than 'Wasps'. We could be in a Sisu/ARVO/SBS&L/CCFC situation or it could be a consortium still in the making. Your guess is as good as mine until we see some actual print. Throws up a lot of interesting questions though.

A love triangle situation !
 

RPHunt

New Member
According to Stephen Jones (ex-Lion) who used to play for Wasps, the consortium would include Land Rover.

The attraction to both parties, Wasps playing high profile matches in the Land Rover Stadium, is obvious.
 

Rob S

Well-Known Member
OH, BTW on the 'dramatic' tone. You're right. If I was writing for SBT I'd use a different tone & yet a different tone for say, The Times or Guardian. For local outlets like the Cov Tel or Observer, they tend to a more dramatic, slightly tabloid tone so you write to fit that with punchy, attention-grabbing paras. I once got the ultimate compliment from a CT person who said a release was so good they just copied and pasted a few key paras to make their article. Pretty much the dream as far as PR/press goes.

Same for using London Wasps. In the same way Sisu are often referred to as 'Mayfair-based', you establish them as outsiders by using the regional version of the name. And although they are now known as Wasps, I think they are still owned as London Wasps Holdings Ltd and are, historically, a London club having split off from Hampstead Rugby club with Harelquins and having been based in Sudbury, Middlesex.
 

AndreasB

Well-Known Member
plus Open Letter to Coventry Telegraph

Well I think we were all hoping for a bit of a rest and some actual football chat but here we go again. Time to make sure this gets nipped in the bud and we get our football club and football stadium reunited permanently with all sides being responsible for getting it sorted. Or maybe we just call the Dean of Coventry Cathedral back in again to knock some heads together :)

http://getcovbacktothericoh.org/call-for-unity-against-ricoh-wasps-sale/

======================================================================

So we all thought we’d get a break from all of the trauma around Coventry City and where they play football. Looks like we were wrong. In response to recent press reports and a completely biased Coventry Telegraph ‘blame game’ editorial, we’ve issued a press release and an open letter to the Telegraph.


CALL FOR UNITY AGAINST RICOH WASPS SALE

A Coventry City fans’ group is calling for a united front against any plans to sell the Ricoh Arena to rugby club London Wasps.

Many fans and Coventry people have been outraged since news broke last week of talks between Wasps and Ricoh owners the city council and the Alan Edward Higgs Charity over a “controlling stake” in the stadium.

Fans’ groups including Get Cov Back To The Ricoh and Keep Cov in Cov have joined many football and Coventry rugby fans in publicly condemning the move. It comes just weeks after the club’s Ricoh return on a temporary rent deal brought hope for a lasting end to the disastrous dispute which had resulted in Coventry City playing ‘home’ games at Northampton.

The Get Cov Back To The Ricoh group is calling on all fans – and other groups including the Sky Blue Trust, KCIC, the Supporters’ Consultative Group and – to oppose any sale of shares in the stadium to Wasps at this time – and to “give peace a chance”. GCBTTR says relations between Arena Coventry Limited and the club should be given an opportunity to heal and flourish towards a permanent and sustainable solution for the club and city.

Get Cov Back To The Ricoh co-ordinator Stuart Cosgrove said: “We were ecstatic about the club’s return to the Ricoh. The whole city hoped it would be a new dawn. Everybody wants the honeymoon to develop towards a long-term solution for the club and city.

“News of this so soon after the Ricoh return is a kick in the teeth not just for Coventry City fans but for Coventry rugby fans and London Wasps fans.

“We welcome that the club’s owners Sisu have returned Steven Pressley and the boys to the Ricoh Arena on a two-year deal, with the option of a further two years.

“We are calling on Sisu’s Joy Seppala to make clear if buying the Ricoh remains a consideration, as well as the option of building a new stadium. And we call on the Ricoh’s owners to work towards a permanent solution with our football club – without which the Ricoh would ever have been built.

“Any offer to London Wasps should at the very least be offered to whoever owns Coventry City. Whether we like it or not, the owners of the club are currently Sisu. This is not the time to be further distressing the club.”

Joint GCBTTR co-ordinator Rob Stevens said: “The vast majority of Coventry City fans and people of Coventry regard the Ricoh Arena as our club’s home.

“Many fans believe that whoever owns the club should own its own stadium to maximise revenue to support the vast sums it has to spend on players.

“Many fans believe council and charity should not have a divine right to do what they want with a stadium which was mainly built with others’ money, and was only built because of the football club.

“The majority of fans are not signed up to the council and Higgs’ apparent agenda of ‘anything goes’, as long as they get the money they expect from the Ricoh – after subsidising it with millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money.

“Our fear is there is a continuing agenda to oust the club’s owners without demonstrating any real prospect of success – which only serves to destabilise the club and put our club’s entire future at risk.

“We’ve had false promises and hidden agendas before. It’s time to give peace and reconciliation a chance, and for all parties to work for the good of our club and the entire city.”

The GCBTTR campaign has also today written an open letter to the Coventry Telegraph for publication on its letters page, following widespread criticism of its editorial comment article last week. See below.

---------------------------

Dear Sirs,

Many Sky Blues fans were disappointed to read your editorial comment of September 19 entitled: “Why Coventry City have only themselves to blame for missing out on a stake in the Ricoh Arena.”

Internet reaction shows widespread opposition from Coventry people, its football and rugby fans, to any sale at this time of a controlling stake to rugby club London Wasps by the Ricoh’s owners, the city council and Alan Edwards Higgs Charity.

It is particularly disappointing that you take a black and white view of this complex issue just weeks after the club’s return to the Ricoh on a temporary rent deal prompted widespread optimism for lasting peace and reconciliation, and the Ricoh becoming CCFC’s permanent home.

Some fans are saying it is time to boycott the Coventry Telegraph if it continues to take sides and push a one-sided agenda rather than pressuring all sides, including Sisu and the taxpayer-funded Ricoh, with a view to ensuring CCFC remain at the Ricoh, whoever owns either.

We believe you have misjudged the mood of the city and fans’ opinion since that glorious Ricoh return just three weeks ago. Please give a chance for the welcome reconciliation between the stadium and club to build towards a lasting settlement.


oh yeah, Cov Back To Ricoh, the pressure group whos aim was not to get us back to the Ricoh. No thanks.
 

Rob S

Well-Known Member
The ego has landed - read that back and see if you cringe Rob.

I've read it through enough times over the past few days not to have any worries about it. Do you have a point?

Since when has 2 people been classed as a "Supporters Group" :whistle::whistle::whistle::whistle::whistle:

Don't get confused with a membership group (e.g. Trust, London Supporters etc.) and a campaign group (e.g. KCIC, GCBTTR etc.). Campaign groups tend to have people who front them and are the public face and others who will support the campaign(s) as they see fit. KCIC operate a mailing list and FB page, we stick to FB, Twitter etc. I could get into the tedious numbers game of our few thousand FB followers and so forth but it does't really matter too much as it's all about coverage, results and getting things done.

We're happy with the part we played in the return to the Ricoh from persuading Joy Seppala to consider a return to getting her to meet with fans and start speaking to the Trust. One of our number was responsible for getting the clergy involved and finally getting us home so I've got no problem with getting a bit of flack from a few moaners. TBH I enjoy it :) [Funnily enough, someone just messaged me to say 'I see the usual suspects are having a go at your campaign.']

Ultimately, all of this is about Coventry City and making sure the club has a sustainable and secure future that outlives the current crop of business-folks, politicians and general chancers. Slagging off other fans because someone told you or you're hanging onto some grudge from whenever doesn't really help that but I do understand that forums can attract a few people who are just going to have a pop no matter what. Thankfully we have the duffers, OSBs and others to raise the bar a little.
 

skybluetony176

Well-Known Member
Does anyone know anything about this Delloitte's bunch?

Would they be better custodians of our club than SISU? Not hard I know but if someone can see the value in ACL/The Ricoh perhaps they can see the value in our club?Maybe they could do a deal to buy CCFC at the same time?
 
L

limoncello

Guest
Yeah, let's get in new owners who have no qualms in moving their team away from their home.

Bingo!
 

skybluetony176

Well-Known Member
Yeah, let's get in new owners who have no qualms in moving their team away from their home.

Bingo!

I wasn't talking about the owners of Wasps I was talking about the outfit who are interested in purchasing 90% of the Ricoh. They're separate companies. If you read Rob's posts he does point this out.

And where did I say that Wasps moving should be any part of the deal? Wasps could carry on doing what they're already doing. Play domestic games at Wycombe and European games at The Ricoh.
 

Bennets Afro

Well-Known Member
What's the issue with robs post? The council and the club, now the club is back should be working towards the club being offered a similar deal.
Wasps should only play at the Ricoh if they played there in a cup game.
The telegraph has always been biased towards the council. We've all been told a certain journalist was put on garden leave because he wanted to write something other than whathe was told too. The tea boy they put in his place just don't measure up in comparison really
 

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