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torchomatic
Well-Known Member
In the midst of their 125th anniversary celebrations, the Football League has forgotten why it exists.
The League has a ‘Customer Charter.’ I know, I wanted to throw up as well. But part of it says: ‘The Football League is committed to providing excellent service to its stakeholders and club supporters.’
They missed off the line at the end that says: ‘except Coventry City supporters.’
There are plenty of people to blame for the Sky Blues’ crisis, but the Football League let it happen.
When billionaire Alki David, a former soldier and actor who is heir to a fortune made by bottling and shipping Coca Cola, decided not to buy Coventry in late 2007, he said the club was ‘falling apart’. Fans hated him for it, but he was right.
That was when SISU took over, and they installed former professional footballer Ray Ranson as chairman. ‘The future of the club is in safe hands,’ declared Ranson, who has since resigned. How wrong he was.
Five-and-a-half years on and Coventry are a homeless mess of a football club. Where have the Football League been in all of this?
Let’s be fair to the League and put some context in place.
In my opinion the problems started when Gordon Strachan got a very good Coventry side (it included Craig Bellamy, John Hartson and Mustapha Hadji) relegated from the Premier League. That’s when the financial crisis hit hard. The debt was there before that of course, but it was manageable debt in the top flight with the income TV money and ticket sales generated for the club. After Strachan’s team blew a 2-0 lead and lost at Villa Park back in May 2001, relegation was confirmed and things were never the same.
That failure is the reason why Coventry started to crumble. But it doesn’t explain why the club’s problems got worse and worse, becoming so bad they have no future in Coventry, and barely any future at all.
The new stadium, which opened in 2005, was meant to be a rock solid financial base. The original idea was for the club to own the stadium, and make a substantial income from it. Yet somehow the club never owned the Ricoh Arena. That is one of the key problems in this whole saga.
And this is why the Football League needs to take a long hard look at itself. This is a governing body the fans are meant to trust, yet it allowed Coventry to move from a ground they owned to a new stadium they didn’t own. Were no alarm bells ringing at FL HQ?
The financial problems mounted, with players sold on a regular basis. A number of players slipped through the club’s hands because they couldn’t afford to sign them – Stephen Hunt was on trial, Jordan Henderson was on loan, Kevin Doyle and Andy Carroll were there for the taking, deals were set up, but the club couldn’t afford them and the potential to earn millions from selling them on was lost.
The SISU takeover saved the club from administration over five years ago. But administration is luxury compared to the chaos overwhelming the club right now. SISU knew they had to pay rent and run a football club properly, so at what point did they suddenly decide Coventry wasn’t the right place for Coventry City?
Protest: A Coventry fan makes his feelings clear
In March 2010 Greg Clarke took up his role as Football League chairman saying: ‘My highest priority is to ensure that all 72 clubs are transparent and financially viable.’ I’m left wondering if Coventry were included in that number.
The club has lurched from crisis to crisis while the Football League were just standing there watching, only too ready to leap into action when there was a points deduction to hand out.
In March this year, as I reported in this column a few weeks ago, the Football League took 10 points off Coventry and said they had: ‘begun discussions with the administrator aimed at achieving a sustainable future for the club.’
These ‘discussions’ centred on what exactly? Coventry City is now homeless, facing liquidation, and has a supporter base that is understandably disillusioned and angry.
And it’s all on Greg Clarke’s watch.
The Football League has allowed a situation to develop in which a London-based hedge fund has taken a Midlands football club with 130 years of history away from its city and away from its fans. What kind of governance is that?
What is the point of the Football League?
The League has a ‘Customer Charter.’ I know, I wanted to throw up as well. But part of it says: ‘The Football League is committed to providing excellent service to its stakeholders and club supporters.’
They missed off the line at the end that says: ‘except Coventry City supporters.’
There are plenty of people to blame for the Sky Blues’ crisis, but the Football League let it happen.
When billionaire Alki David, a former soldier and actor who is heir to a fortune made by bottling and shipping Coca Cola, decided not to buy Coventry in late 2007, he said the club was ‘falling apart’. Fans hated him for it, but he was right.
That was when SISU took over, and they installed former professional footballer Ray Ranson as chairman. ‘The future of the club is in safe hands,’ declared Ranson, who has since resigned. How wrong he was.
Five-and-a-half years on and Coventry are a homeless mess of a football club. Where have the Football League been in all of this?
Let’s be fair to the League and put some context in place.
In my opinion the problems started when Gordon Strachan got a very good Coventry side (it included Craig Bellamy, John Hartson and Mustapha Hadji) relegated from the Premier League. That’s when the financial crisis hit hard. The debt was there before that of course, but it was manageable debt in the top flight with the income TV money and ticket sales generated for the club. After Strachan’s team blew a 2-0 lead and lost at Villa Park back in May 2001, relegation was confirmed and things were never the same.
That failure is the reason why Coventry started to crumble. But it doesn’t explain why the club’s problems got worse and worse, becoming so bad they have no future in Coventry, and barely any future at all.
The new stadium, which opened in 2005, was meant to be a rock solid financial base. The original idea was for the club to own the stadium, and make a substantial income from it. Yet somehow the club never owned the Ricoh Arena. That is one of the key problems in this whole saga.
And this is why the Football League needs to take a long hard look at itself. This is a governing body the fans are meant to trust, yet it allowed Coventry to move from a ground they owned to a new stadium they didn’t own. Were no alarm bells ringing at FL HQ?
The financial problems mounted, with players sold on a regular basis. A number of players slipped through the club’s hands because they couldn’t afford to sign them – Stephen Hunt was on trial, Jordan Henderson was on loan, Kevin Doyle and Andy Carroll were there for the taking, deals were set up, but the club couldn’t afford them and the potential to earn millions from selling them on was lost.
The SISU takeover saved the club from administration over five years ago. But administration is luxury compared to the chaos overwhelming the club right now. SISU knew they had to pay rent and run a football club properly, so at what point did they suddenly decide Coventry wasn’t the right place for Coventry City?
In March 2010 Greg Clarke took up his role as Football League chairman saying: ‘My highest priority is to ensure that all 72 clubs are transparent and financially viable.’ I’m left wondering if Coventry were included in that number.
The club has lurched from crisis to crisis while the Football League were just standing there watching, only too ready to leap into action when there was a points deduction to hand out.
In March this year, as I reported in this column a few weeks ago, the Football League took 10 points off Coventry and said they had: ‘begun discussions with the administrator aimed at achieving a sustainable future for the club.’
These ‘discussions’ centred on what exactly? Coventry City is now homeless, facing liquidation, and has a supporter base that is understandably disillusioned and angry.
And it’s all on Greg Clarke’s watch.
The Football League has allowed a situation to develop in which a London-based hedge fund has taken a Midlands football club with 130 years of history away from its city and away from its fans. What kind of governance is that?
What is the point of the Football League?
torchomatic
Well-Known Member
Pleased to see that the twat Strachan has taken a bit of flak there. He was a shit manager considering the players he had at his disposal.
deanocity3
New Member
I used to hate Arian Durham,not any more
shmmeee
Well-Known Member
deanocity3
New Member
he supports Peterborough so yes
CarpyCov84
New Member
Fair play to him good article sooner or later the football league have to do Summin we have to just keep momentum
Manchester_sky_blue
Well-Known Member
I just read an article in the Daily Hate and agreed with it....... my whole belief system is crashing down around my ears.........
What a spot on article.. Echoing the thoughts if most ccfc fans , I'm sure!!
The football league have co roof this stinking of shite.. And been shown to be totally incompetent at doing anything apart from lining their own pockets.. Do they care? Probably not.. Will anything happen about it? Probably not. Tossers
The football league have co roof this stinking of shite.. And been shown to be totally incompetent at doing anything apart from lining their own pockets.. Do they care? Probably not.. Will anything happen about it? Probably not. Tossers
CCFC_GT
New Member
The season we were relegated from the top flight it seemed clear to me by Christmas that Gordon Strachan had no message other than players needing to work harder to dig us out of the hole we were falling into, and that this wasn't enough to turn things around. For the first time ever relegation felt destined to happen for us. So yes GS I feel had some responsibility in this, but I also like to remember what a fantastic player he was not only for us but throughout his brilliant career.
skybluebal
New Member
He was one in a long line of great players that our owners thought would be great managers. How wrong they were, but to keep repeating the mistake was unforgivable. I still blame Strachan, after all he is the only manager to get us relegated from the top tier even though many others took us close.
WillieStanley
New Member
Wasn't Adrian Durham the one who, in a league prediction column a few seasons ago tipped us for the drop to L1 and saying his only reason was that he didn't really like us?
ohitsaidwalker king power
Well-Known Member
I will never forget Mr Strachan's comments in response to criticism from fans... "I'll do it my way, with or without the fans..." he lost me and many others that day. In many respects his ignorance to the "voice" of the fans is reflected in the present regime.
:blue:
:blue:
Covstu
Well-Known Member
I have always like Durham on TS, he gets all passionate about random things and hates Arsenal which is just funny. Also his favourite FA cup moment was Houchens header!!
He is spot on here, but most importantly it did span way before SISU got their grubby little mitts on our club, Mr R bled the club dry and was the major catalyst for the clubs exit out of the top flight (yes strach didnt have a clue either). The FL need to be satisfied on every clubs business plan particularly if they dont own the ground or are going to have limited income. West Ham will have the same problem in a few years methinks too if that situation isnt managed correctly.
He is spot on here, but most importantly it did span way before SISU got their grubby little mitts on our club, Mr R bled the club dry and was the major catalyst for the clubs exit out of the top flight (yes strach didnt have a clue either). The FL need to be satisfied on every clubs business plan particularly if they dont own the ground or are going to have limited income. West Ham will have the same problem in a few years methinks too if that situation isnt managed correctly.
Skyblueweeman
Well-Known Member
I have to say, I actually think the bloke is an absolute plank the majority of the time. The only reason I manage to catch that show is to listen to Goughie!
That said, I have to congratulate Durham on this piece...credit where it's due. Not only has he grasped the situation pretty accurately but he's also wrote an entire piece without looking at sideing with either SISU or ACL and instead makes his main references to the FL (who in my opinion are an absolute bloody disgrace) and previous regimes. Strachan is partly to blame but someone in essence gave him money to spend that they didn't have.
The rest, unfortunately is history and is why we are where we are.
Like I said, good piece from Durham (although I normally disagree with everything he has to say on TS). Well written article.
WM
On TS you have to take everything with a pinch of salt. They always have good cop/bad cop and make ludicrous statements to rile fans and get them calling in!
In that article Durham is bang on the money!
With regard Strachan, he should have gone the year before - with that awful away form the writing was really on the wall!
In that article Durham is bang on the money!
With regard Strachan, he should have gone the year before - with that awful away form the writing was really on the wall!
