HuckerbyDublinWhelan
Well-Known Member
We’re all guilty of it, myself included we’ve all picked sides. Let’s try and lay the cards out and try and repair the fractured fan base.
Right I think we can all agree on the following:
1) SISU -SISU came in rightly or wrongly in 2007. They stopped the club from going into administration. However, instead of exploring revenue making ideas and infrastructure in place of what seemed a quick turnaround - money was spent on players and given to a somewhat mediocre manager. In hindsight they should have looked at reuniting club and stadium - this was difficult given the councils valuation - however as the relationship was good at the time surely - they should have been in constant discussion at least about rent reduction.
When the plan to be promoted didn’t work, the stripped back, and focussed on the rent. The rent strike happened and we Moved to Northampton - catastrophic in my eyes, has descimated and divided the fan base.
Of course following the sale of the Ricoh to wasps which they didn’t agree and started 5 years of litigation, which is their right even though the fans didn’t agree. They’ve fought, sniped and argued with the fans to a point that the relationship can not be repaired
2) Wasps - I slag them off, but until yesterday, we were just envious and jealous of them - they took advantage of a situation, and got a home on the cheap. Deep down all of us anti wasps people know that whilst they shouldn’t be here, they’ve possibly saved themselves for the short term future - we know that rental of another’s ground isn’t feasible - they knew about that at Wycombe.
Which brings me to yesterday - the complaint isn’t legal action, but they seem terrified about the EC investigation. It can’t be revoked - but how would the year have reacted if say - we as fans made the complaint and not SISU - the wheels are in motion now, and if as they say it’s all above board there are no implications for them. No need for them to stop negotiations - strange that they want indemnifying from our owners though.
3) The Council - have took their pound of flesh from the club for years - did they help us build the ground? Yes - but they’ve made sure we knew about it from before it began. £1.2 Million per year in rent for nothing but the ability to play at the stadium. But they took the loan out - it needed re-paying.
Then they sold it - out of spite? Maybe, to get a ailing business of their portfolio also maybe - but they told us ACL could function without the football club. The key point here is, if SISU leave and the club is in tact - this decision has crippled and hamstrung the club for life. If Hoffman takes over - is there a deal for 50%? One thing is for sure we don’t want to be at the mercy of another private enterprise.
Overall you can see that all the bickering we do, the “SISU sympathisers” are not wrong but neither are the “Council Rentboys” - we the fans are pawns in this game - and were letting the above win.
If we truly want a football club - we all have to recognise the above and move forward.
As cringe as this next line is going to be - we need to stick by it
“whilst we sing together, we will never lose”
So come on guys, let’s stop the fighting! Stop siding with any of the above and support Coventry City Football Club - for all the ups and downs they are our club
Right I think we can all agree on the following:
1) SISU -SISU came in rightly or wrongly in 2007. They stopped the club from going into administration. However, instead of exploring revenue making ideas and infrastructure in place of what seemed a quick turnaround - money was spent on players and given to a somewhat mediocre manager. In hindsight they should have looked at reuniting club and stadium - this was difficult given the councils valuation - however as the relationship was good at the time surely - they should have been in constant discussion at least about rent reduction.
When the plan to be promoted didn’t work, the stripped back, and focussed on the rent. The rent strike happened and we Moved to Northampton - catastrophic in my eyes, has descimated and divided the fan base.
Of course following the sale of the Ricoh to wasps which they didn’t agree and started 5 years of litigation, which is their right even though the fans didn’t agree. They’ve fought, sniped and argued with the fans to a point that the relationship can not be repaired
2) Wasps - I slag them off, but until yesterday, we were just envious and jealous of them - they took advantage of a situation, and got a home on the cheap. Deep down all of us anti wasps people know that whilst they shouldn’t be here, they’ve possibly saved themselves for the short term future - we know that rental of another’s ground isn’t feasible - they knew about that at Wycombe.
Which brings me to yesterday - the complaint isn’t legal action, but they seem terrified about the EC investigation. It can’t be revoked - but how would the year have reacted if say - we as fans made the complaint and not SISU - the wheels are in motion now, and if as they say it’s all above board there are no implications for them. No need for them to stop negotiations - strange that they want indemnifying from our owners though.
3) The Council - have took their pound of flesh from the club for years - did they help us build the ground? Yes - but they’ve made sure we knew about it from before it began. £1.2 Million per year in rent for nothing but the ability to play at the stadium. But they took the loan out - it needed re-paying.
Then they sold it - out of spite? Maybe, to get a ailing business of their portfolio also maybe - but they told us ACL could function without the football club. The key point here is, if SISU leave and the club is in tact - this decision has crippled and hamstrung the club for life. If Hoffman takes over - is there a deal for 50%? One thing is for sure we don’t want to be at the mercy of another private enterprise.
Overall you can see that all the bickering we do, the “SISU sympathisers” are not wrong but neither are the “Council Rentboys” - we the fans are pawns in this game - and were letting the above win.
If we truly want a football club - we all have to recognise the above and move forward.
As cringe as this next line is going to be - we need to stick by it
“whilst we sing together, we will never lose”
So come on guys, let’s stop the fighting! Stop siding with any of the above and support Coventry City Football Club - for all the ups and downs they are our club