MichaelCCFC
New Member
For anyone interested in this kind of thing, kcic press release for Saturday is below. Anyone willing to help hand out signs and leaflets at County just meet 2pm by the away fans' turnstiles. thx
Coventry City crisis - more protests on Saturday 8 Feb
The founders of the world's oldest professional association football club are likely to be turning in their grave this Saturday when their team, Notts County, take on crisis torn Coventry City whose 'home' games are now played not in Coventry, but in Northampton.
County pre-date the creation of the Football Association and were founder members of the Football League. From starting out in 1862, they played at several venues - ranging from the grounds of the old Nottingham Castle to Trent Bridge cricket ground - until in 1910 settling at Meadow Lane which remains their home over a century later. In looking for a suitable ground it doesn't seem these football pioneers considered playing anywhere other than in Nottingham. A move to somewhere like Derby or Leicester would still have been nearer than Northampton is to Coventry. What would those founders of the Football League make of someone like Joy Seppala, head of the sisu hedge fund which owns Coventry City, who has stated publicly that she knows nothing about football but has made very clear that she does want "return on my investment";* or other owners completely disregarding fans' wishes and changing club colours like at Cardiff or name as at Hull City? And what would they think of the football authorities who rubber stamp all this and this very week deem a convicted fraudster a fit and proper person to take over Leeds United, one of the best supported teams in the country?
Coventry City supporters from the 'Keep Cov in Cov' campaign will certainly make their feelings clear on Saturday when they visit County. They will repeat the hugely successful protest they held at the Emirates in an FA Cup match at the end of last month, when on 35 minutes (signifying that their 'home' games are now played 35 miles away from Coventry) they will hold up signs displaying a very simple message: 'Why?', meaning why has this situation been allowed to happen and why can't Coventry play at the purpose built, Olympic standard Ricoh Arena which was their home since 2005.
Fans have also launched an epetition - http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/59884 - calling for government action to address problems across the game with supporters' interests being disregarded by owners and the football authorities. It is currently the number 1 trending epetition in the UK receiving widespread support among concerned fans across the country. On Saturday, Coventry supporters will also be handing out leaflets to Notts County followers asking them to sign the epetition.
As for the founders of Notts County looking down at events on Saturday, they no doubt had little idea they were building the base for what would become the global phenomenon that is modern football. But they do provide a reminder that Britain's football clubs are not financial franchises and it is time for action to reassert the interests of fans and remind owners and football authorities that clubs in this country are rooted in local communities and are an important of local identities and heritage.
*Source: http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/coventry-city-fc-owner-joy-6096912
Coventry City crisis - more protests on Saturday 8 Feb
The founders of the world's oldest professional association football club are likely to be turning in their grave this Saturday when their team, Notts County, take on crisis torn Coventry City whose 'home' games are now played not in Coventry, but in Northampton.
County pre-date the creation of the Football Association and were founder members of the Football League. From starting out in 1862, they played at several venues - ranging from the grounds of the old Nottingham Castle to Trent Bridge cricket ground - until in 1910 settling at Meadow Lane which remains their home over a century later. In looking for a suitable ground it doesn't seem these football pioneers considered playing anywhere other than in Nottingham. A move to somewhere like Derby or Leicester would still have been nearer than Northampton is to Coventry. What would those founders of the Football League make of someone like Joy Seppala, head of the sisu hedge fund which owns Coventry City, who has stated publicly that she knows nothing about football but has made very clear that she does want "return on my investment";* or other owners completely disregarding fans' wishes and changing club colours like at Cardiff or name as at Hull City? And what would they think of the football authorities who rubber stamp all this and this very week deem a convicted fraudster a fit and proper person to take over Leeds United, one of the best supported teams in the country?
Coventry City supporters from the 'Keep Cov in Cov' campaign will certainly make their feelings clear on Saturday when they visit County. They will repeat the hugely successful protest they held at the Emirates in an FA Cup match at the end of last month, when on 35 minutes (signifying that their 'home' games are now played 35 miles away from Coventry) they will hold up signs displaying a very simple message: 'Why?', meaning why has this situation been allowed to happen and why can't Coventry play at the purpose built, Olympic standard Ricoh Arena which was their home since 2005.
Fans have also launched an epetition - http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/59884 - calling for government action to address problems across the game with supporters' interests being disregarded by owners and the football authorities. It is currently the number 1 trending epetition in the UK receiving widespread support among concerned fans across the country. On Saturday, Coventry supporters will also be handing out leaflets to Notts County followers asking them to sign the epetition.
As for the founders of Notts County looking down at events on Saturday, they no doubt had little idea they were building the base for what would become the global phenomenon that is modern football. But they do provide a reminder that Britain's football clubs are not financial franchises and it is time for action to reassert the interests of fans and remind owners and football authorities that clubs in this country are rooted in local communities and are an important of local identities and heritage.
*Source: http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/coventry-city-fc-owner-joy-6096912