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Tim Fisher's View
Coventry City CEO Tim Fisher has written that the club do not want to be at Northampton Town, playing 'home' matches.
Writing in the programme for yesterday's game against Bristol City, Mr Fisher wrote: "We thank each and every supporter who made the trip and we are extremely respectful of those who have decided they do not want to travel or are unable to do so.
"We must also thank Northampton Town for being so welcoming to the club in our 'hour of need', but, with absolute due respect to our hosts, we do not want to be here by any stretch of the imagination.
"We never wanted negotiations to end, we wanted to stay at the Ricoh Arena and of course we want to be in the City of Coventry.
"From the outset this was about sustainable business models for not one but two companies. The club needs to be able to access revenues that have been unavailable to it, since it moved away from Highfield Road in 2005, especially now under Financial Fair Play rules.
"The point was put to me at the forums I undertook during the summer that the current owners of the club should have realised that the current owners of the club that when they first bought Coventry City, I could not disagree.
"But that did not mean we could continue without addressing the issue and I think now most see that the original agreement was unworkable.
"The very public way negotiations and talks have taken place has not helped to reach any conclusion and it was with huge regrets that talks were ended in the spring.
"Much had happened since then, administration ,tranfer embargo, and probable liquidation of CCFC Ltd - none of which have made pleasant reading for our supporters.
"When talks ended it was crucial that we find a venue to fulfill our fixtures and Northampton have been extremely accomodating.
"I did talk of groundshare at the summer forums but I think many thought it was some kind of bluff but it was never meant as a threat.
"Whilst sharing a venue away from the city is totally unacceptable, the consequences of having nowhere to play would have been catastrophic for the club.
"The immediate reaction to that is "Just do a deal at the Ricoh". Had it been that simple, we would have done so but we were not recognised as the 'club' at that time so we had to have contingency.
"I do hope that whatever our supporters think of me, the ground share and the situation in general, they get nehind Steven Pressley and the team."
Copies of the programme are still available, please email [email protected] to order a copy which costs £3 plus postage.
Coventry City CEO Tim Fisher has written that the club do not want to be at Northampton Town, playing 'home' matches.
Writing in the programme for yesterday's game against Bristol City, Mr Fisher wrote: "We thank each and every supporter who made the trip and we are extremely respectful of those who have decided they do not want to travel or are unable to do so.
"We must also thank Northampton Town for being so welcoming to the club in our 'hour of need', but, with absolute due respect to our hosts, we do not want to be here by any stretch of the imagination.
"We never wanted negotiations to end, we wanted to stay at the Ricoh Arena and of course we want to be in the City of Coventry.
"From the outset this was about sustainable business models for not one but two companies. The club needs to be able to access revenues that have been unavailable to it, since it moved away from Highfield Road in 2005, especially now under Financial Fair Play rules.
"The point was put to me at the forums I undertook during the summer that the current owners of the club should have realised that the current owners of the club that when they first bought Coventry City, I could not disagree.
"But that did not mean we could continue without addressing the issue and I think now most see that the original agreement was unworkable.
"The very public way negotiations and talks have taken place has not helped to reach any conclusion and it was with huge regrets that talks were ended in the spring.
"Much had happened since then, administration ,tranfer embargo, and probable liquidation of CCFC Ltd - none of which have made pleasant reading for our supporters.
"When talks ended it was crucial that we find a venue to fulfill our fixtures and Northampton have been extremely accomodating.
"I did talk of groundshare at the summer forums but I think many thought it was some kind of bluff but it was never meant as a threat.
"Whilst sharing a venue away from the city is totally unacceptable, the consequences of having nowhere to play would have been catastrophic for the club.
"The immediate reaction to that is "Just do a deal at the Ricoh". Had it been that simple, we would have done so but we were not recognised as the 'club' at that time so we had to have contingency.
"I do hope that whatever our supporters think of me, the ground share and the situation in general, they get nehind Steven Pressley and the team."
Copies of the programme are still available, please email [email protected] to order a copy which costs £3 plus postage.
