Another reply from the football league (5 Viewers)

[Jack Griffin]

I asked what evidence the FL expected about concrete plans for the club's return to Coventry, as expected the reply doesn't answer the question asked.

Thank you for your email. We have received numerous emails from Coventry City fans in relation to the official statement released by The Football League on Friday 2nd August (http://www.football-league.co.uk/fo...ue-statement-on-coventry-city_2293334_3335621 ). We can assure you that your email has been read, however given the volume of emails, I hope you can appreciate, it's not always possible for us to provide an individual response.

As you will be aware, on the morning of Friday 2nd August creditors of Coventry City Football Club Limited, rejected the proposals for a CVA. The administrators had previously sold the assets that were under their control to Otium Entertainment Group. This included the right and title in the one ordinary share in The Football League that constitutes membership of The League. With the rejection of the CVA, this meant that there was no company eligible to compete as Coventry City Football Club for the 2013/14 season.

In order for Coventry City Football Club to compete in League 1 this season, the Board agreed to transfer the club's share to Otium under its 'exceptional circumstances' provision. This effectively sought to ensure the club continued to operate as a member of The League. As a condition Otium had to accept a ten point deduction, due to the fact that the club had been unable to agree a CVA as ordinarily required under The League's insolvency policy. If The League had not taken this decision, there would be no Coventry City Football Club for season 2013/14.

The assets of Coventry City were sold to Otium by the administrator through a legal process. The Football League plays no part in this and ultimately has to work with the administrator's nominated purchaser. The Football League's role is to administer and regulate the competition that its members play in and only has the power to do so within its regulations. The owners and directors of Otium, through owning the club's assets, have to comply with the requirements of The League Owners and Directors' Test. Should you require it, further information about the Owners and Directors' Test can be located here http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/FAQ/FAQsDetail/0,,10794~2428071,00.html.

In terms of stadium relocation, whilst The League has publically urged Otium and ACL to resolve the dispute, The League has no jurisdiction to force any Club (or landlord for that matter) to come to an arrangement over land or rental agreement. With no agreement in place to play at the Ricoh Arena, reluctantly, the Board of Directors approved the application to relocate on a temporary basis only. There are a number of stringent conditions in place regarding the temporary relocation. Failure to abide by these conditions and return to Coventry will result in cessation of the club's membership of The Football League.

We acknowledge that it has been a difficult period for Coventry City supporters. However we have primarily ensured that the club remains a member of The Football League, and furthermore we will continue in our efforts to ensure that the club returns to the Coventry area at the earliest possible opportunity.

Thank you for contacting The Football League.

Regards,

Andrew Pomfret
Customer Services Officer
The Football League Limited
www.football-league.co.uk

So I replied ....

Dear Andrew,

What are the "stringent conditions in place regarding the temporary relocation"?

It is a simple question for which I want a meaningful answer.

I can keep this up for some time

 

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[chiefdave]

the fact that the Football League can not answer very simple straightforward questions tells you everything you need to know about how fit for purpose they are.

 

[Spionkop]

Jack, I got exactly the same reply to my letter today.

 

[SkyblueBazza]

Jack, I got exactly the same reply to my letter today.

Yup, me too Amanda Craig a Customer Services Administrator...at least Pomfret is an Officer which sounds much more important. I think it simply shows contempt.

They are seriously hoping & expecting us to lose interest in this & eventually quietly drift off to Northampton or wherever our owners deem serves their interests best.
I really hope we do keep up the momentum.

 

[Tonylinc]

Yup, me too Amanda Craig a Customer Services Administrator...at least Pomfret is an Officer which sounds much more important. I think it simply shows contempt.

They are seriously hoping & expecting us to lose interest in this & eventually quietly drift off to Northampton or wherever our owners deem serves their interests best.
I really hope we do keep up the momentum.

We simply have to. The FL are not going to help us; it is down to us and only us!

 

[Broken Hearted Sky Blue]

We simply have to. The FL are not going to help us; it is down to us and only us!

:thinking about:Football League SISU:wave::slap::slap::slap:

 

[Spionkop]

Just for interest, this is the letter I posted, actually put a stamp on it, to Football League chairman Greg Clark. I also enclosed the Adrian Durham Daily mail article which vilified the FL for their lack of help for CCFC. They didn't acknowledge that at all.

"Mr Clarke, I read your comments re my club Coventry City as reported to the sport journalist Henry Winter last week, as your organisation celebrated 125 years in existence.
Fine words Mr Clarke.
Your organisation has the power to intervene.
The company owning Coventry City FC are, without doubt, operating illegally and putting the existence of our club in serious jeopardy.
I could give you any number of reasons why you should intervene, just a few here for brevity…

1) Joy Seppala is acting as a ‘shadow’ director. I understand that contravenes your rules.
2) They have failed to file accounts for a number of years.
3) They have been proved to be asset strippers, as recently leaked Board minutes demonstrate.
4) They lied and manipulated the whereabouts of the ‘Golden Share’ so as to sabotage the lawful sale of the club to other interested parties.
5) The Football League allowed one part of Sisu to put the club into administration, and for another part of Sisu to buy it back.
6) They are taking my team out of the city to another town, when they have been given a rent offer which is roughly one tenth of their original rent and comparable to what they will pay in Northampton. They turned it down.
7) Sisu filed a ‘Judicial Review’ against ACL, a further tactic to ‘distress’ ACL in order to buy them out ‘on the cheap.’ Today a judge threw the Sisu claim out in minutes.
8) Sisu have promised to provide plans for a new stadium in the vicinity of Coventry, we have yet to see those plans. Indeed, Sisu haven’t even purchased any land to make designs on. Didn’t I understand that it is a Football League requirement for a club, in order to move to a shared ground, to show this capability?
9) They even promised free transport to ‘home’ games at Northampton. So far that free transport has not materialised.
Finally, they, Sisu, took my team out of the City, a place it has played from since 1883, against the wishes of all CCFC fans. They ignored us. There is a massive boycott of Northampton. The club will flounder with virtually no support.

So why have you sanctioned the move?

I could go on, but you get my drift.
I’m sure you have had many such letters and emails from very angry Coventry City fans. We all get the standard replies.
Even today, Mr Adrian Durham, writing in the Daily Mail, has outlined your failings. I enclose his article.
The Football League have abdicated their responsibilities on a massive scale here. The oft quoted ‘fit and proper’ ruling appears to have no substance whatsoever. The League have been duped by Sisu. They are a rapacious hedge fund who have stolen our club, and you and your colleagues have allowed them to get away with it.
You should hang your head in shame Mr Clarke."

 

[Vedere]

Good letter Broken. However, I fear you'll get a generic response!

 

[thaiskyblue]

We need to keep up the heat on the fl, they really have messed up, keep up the fight
NOPM, SISU OUT !

 

[sky blue john]

Surely there is a case for the football league to be sued by the fans over this?
Even if it doesn't get very far just think of the national publicity.

 

[BurbageSkyBlues]

Surely there is a case for the football league to be sued by the fans over this?
Even if it doesn't get very far just think of the national publicity.

Many on here have written to the FL. They either give a stock answer, or fail to act on the issues raised...basically, they are ignoring our pleas, failing to pick up the baton and act on the evidence. All a bit 'computer says no' attitude.

So, we have to take it to the next level. As you say, it needs to be more in the public domain. There have been some good articles in the national press, but I wonder how many fans of other clubs have bothered to read them.....'oh, it's just Coventry', you can hear them thinking.

Can we call on support from the Football Supporters groups, can they help advise where we go from here...does anyone know to what extent the SkyBluesTrust have engaged their help? Perhaps a concerted publicity campaign to involve Sky, the BBC (nationally, not locally) and other key broadcasters. Perhaps a 'panorama' style documentary, or maybe Dominic Littlewood can do a Cowboy Owners spoof for us......there's an idea, set him loose on the hunt for Joy?

Just tossing a few ideas out there....

I think it's time that we raised the game, and embarrassed the football league into some activity, rather than the ineptitude and contempt that they have displayed so far.

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

We simply have to. The FL are not going to help us; it is down to us and only us!

Agree 100%

 

[thaiskyblue]

Many on here have written to the FL. They either give a stock answer, or fail to act on the issues raised...basically, they are ignoring our pleas, failing to pick up the baton and act on the evidence. All a bit 'computer says no' attitude.

So, we have to take it to the next level. As you say, it needs to be more in the public domain. There have been some good articles in the national press, but I wonder how many fans of other clubs have bothered to read them.....'oh, it's just Coventry', you can hear them thinking.

Can we call on support from the Football Supporters groups, can they help advise where we go from here...does anyone know to what extent the SkyBluesTrust have engaged their help? Perhaps a concerted publicity campaign to involve Sky, the BBC (nationally, not locally) and other key broadcasters. Perhaps a 'panorama' style documentary, or maybe Dominic Littlewood can do a Cowboy Owners spoof for us......there's an idea, set him loose on the hunt for Joy?

Just tossing a few ideas out there....

I think it's time that we raised the game, and embarrassed the football league into some activity, rather than the ineptitude and contempt that they have displayed so far.

bang on..........

 

[sky blue john]

Good post Burbage.

 

[Sisued]

Many on here have written to the FL. They either give a stock answer, or fail to act on the issues raised...basically, they are ignoring our pleas, failing to pick up the baton and act on the evidence. All a bit 'computer says no' attitude.

So, we have to take it to the next level. As you say, it needs to be more in the public domain. There have been some good articles in the national press, but I wonder how many fans of other clubs have bothered to read them.....'oh, it's just Coventry', you can hear them thinking.

Can we call on support from the Football Supporters groups, can they help advise where we go from here...does anyone know to what extent the SkyBluesTrust have engaged their help? Perhaps a concerted publicity campaign to involve Sky, the BBC (nationally, not locally) and other key broadcasters. Perhaps a 'panorama' style documentary, or maybe Dominic Littlewood can do a Cowboy Owners spoof for us......there's an idea, set him loose on the hunt for Joy?

Just tossing a few ideas out there....

I think it's time that we raised the game, and embarrassed the football league into some activity, rather than the ineptitude and contempt that they have displayed so far.

Id love to see an investigative journalist go through SISU and their myriad of companies trying to get to the bottom of their business operations regarding CCFC

 

[TurkeyTrot]

"There are a number of stringent conditions in place regarding the temporary relocation. Failure to abide by these conditions and return to Coventry will result in cessation of the club's membership of The Football League."

So they have been told they must return to Coventry.
Not near or close by or in the area but Coventry. That's interesting...

 

[CovFan]

"There are a number of stringent conditions in place regarding the temporary relocation. Failure to abide by these conditions and return to Coventry will result in cessation of the club's membership of The Football League."

So they have been told they must return to Coventry.
Not near or close by or in the area but Coventry. That's interesting...

Should add a * to that statement saying "conditions are enforced at the discretion of the Football League"

 

[Bill Glazier]

Great letter Spionkop - says it all. The football league has shown contemptible cowardice and I, like many others, am losing interest in the game as a whole. It'll take an Arsenal or Chelsea collapsing before anyone does anything. Bring it on!

 

[dadgad]

Don't forget the FA in all this.
The last thing they want ( after the World Cup/Qatar fiasco) is evidence that domestically we are no better.
This story will not go away until the authorities grow a pair.

Keep the heat on.

 

[ccfcway]

Many on here have written to the FL. They either give a stock answer, or fail to act on the issues raised...basically, they are ignoring our pleas, failing to pick up the baton and act on the evidence. All a bit 'computer says no' attitude.

So, we have to take it to the next level. As you say, it needs to be more in the public domain. There have been some good articles in the national press, but I wonder how many fans of other clubs have bothered to read them.....'oh, it's just Coventry', you can hear them thinking.

Can we call on support from the Football Supporters groups, can they help advise where we go from here...does anyone know to what extent the SkyBluesTrust have engaged their help? Perhaps a concerted publicity campaign to involve Sky, the BBC (nationally, not locally) and other key broadcasters. Perhaps a 'panorama' style documentary, or maybe Dominic Littlewood can do a Cowboy Owners spoof for us......there's an idea, set him loose on the hunt for Joy?

Just tossing a few ideas out there....

I think it's time that we raised the game, and embarrassed the football league into some activity, rather than the ineptitude and contempt that they have displayed so far.

Completely agree

a slow car drive around northampton, meaning a possible "delay" in kick off for one "home game" would certianly get national attention !!

 

[Jack Griffin]

The evasive reply to my follow up asking what the conditions are.. what next?

Thank you for your email.

Unfortunately we cannot add anything further to what we have stated before. The League has conditions in place with the club and we’ll continue to work with them to ensure a return to the Coventry area. Please contact the club for further detail regarding their plans.

Thank you for contacting The Football League.

Regards,



Andrew Pomfret

Customer Services Officer

The Football League Limited

www.football-league.co.uk

 

[Hobo]

good letter Spion Kop similar to my own. Carry the fight to to the Football League do not be fobbed off, write and write again. But keep it formal and constructive. ask the questions demand answers!

 

[shmmeee]

The evasive reply to my follow up asking what the conditions are.. what next?

I'd like clarification on what "Coventry area" means precisely.

Talking about suing them, couldn't the PSL holders involve them in any action as they were complicit in the move? Ditto ACL. What about local businesses for loss of earnings (shame the local shops at the Ricoh are national chains, what about the pubs/social clubs?)