The Ricoh Return and What Now? (1 Viewer)

MichaelCCFC · Sep 14, 2014

(kcic mailout 14.9.14)

The Ricoh Return

“If the supporters had turned out in their numbers at Sixfields…there would not have been such a great pressure to return” - the words of Steven Pressley

kcic was the only fans’ group to support the sixfields boycott
so SP's words mean a lot
hopefully everyone who has been involved with kcic is feeling very proud

kcic view of the Ricoh return is at -
www.fsf.org.uk/blog/view/Fans-victory-Coventry-City-return-home

A video clip from the Gillingham game of the roar when the teams came on is at -
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=703752746371909&set=vb.468571966556656&type=2&theater

Looking to the future

SP and the team have got us off to a flying start - we're 5th!
But we are still in the hands of acl and sisu and they come out of the fiasco looking anything but good and certainly not like efficient and effective businesses
sisu and acl's interest is their own financial position – not the interests of the team and supporters

For kcic it's job done and we can start retiring to the sidelines but there a lot of questions about what happens now

There are everyday things like the extortionate price of beer at the Ricoh to why can't sixfields ticket prices apply at the Ricoh, certainly for this season?

And there are the big questions

Will we ever prosper under sisu?
It's great that Labovitch has gone but Fisher is still here and why are sisu spouting the same old new stadium nonsense?
The Judicial Review saga starts again next month - why don't sisu drop it?
How much of our fanbase has been lost and how many will not return till sisu have gone?
Does the sixfields episode show why only fans can be trusted with the best interests of CCFC?
Is 'consultation' with selected fans anything like enough or do fans need a proper ownership stake like at other clubs?
What next for fans?

In the news

The Sky Blue Trust says sisu "tried every tactic of bribery and threats"
www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/when-coventry-were-sent-to-northampton-the-fans-revolted.25295442

Fans' victory http://www.fsf.org.uk/blog/view/Fans-victory-Coventry-City-return-home

Steven Pressley hails victory for fan power
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/steven-pressley-hails-victory-for-fan-power-as-coventry-prepare-to-return-to-ricoh-arena-9709988.html

Coventry fans revel in Ricoh return
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...eturn-1987-FA-Cup-spirit-signals-new-era.html

“The club can put spin on [it]…but it was fan power that counted. It was all the campaigners who highlighted the moral disgrace of moving the club out of the city…The return to the Ricoh was a victory for supporters who refused to accept their club being treated like a franchise, moved around, messed around. Coventry fans never stopped believing, never stopped campaigning.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...vour-emotional-homecoming-to-Ricoh-Arena.html

Labovitch's time in quotes -
www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/mark-labovitchs-time-coventry-city-7701779"The owners of Coventry City football club have not been interested in creating value. They have destroyed the football club not through incompetence but through their deliberate actions. Their interest has been in destroying value to get their hands on the asset at a knockdown price. That is the problem, which is still there, because the owners are still there. I do not believe that they have changed and will now become partners in the local economy, working with the city council and other partners to create a good sporting culture and economic regeneration in my constituency. I do not believe they are that kind of people." Bob Ainsworth MP
http://www.publications.parliament....140902/debtext/140902-0003.htm#14090258000002

lifelongcityfan · Sep 14, 2014

absolutely right to ask the questions above; i particularly like Bob Ainsworths comments, unfortunately i believe he is spot on. SISU appear to have continually pushed the clusb in a downward spiral...i hope this year is a turning point, but am not sure

mds · Sep 15, 2014

Success!!!

Nick · Sep 15, 2014

I take it that you are now telling everybody to get up the Ricoh and sending mailouts encouraging people to get behind the team now we are back rather than encouraging a boycott?

If fans are unhappy with ticket prices, beer prices, staff etc then surely now the Trust has links with the club they should be dealing with things like this?

AndreasB · Sep 15, 2014

Nick said:
I take it that you are now telling everybody to get up the Ricoh and sending mailouts encouraging people to get behind the team now we are back rather than encouraging a boycott?

If fans are unhappy with ticket prices, beer prices, staff etc then surely now the Trust has links with the club they should be dealing with things like this?

OOOH deleted my post and then copied what I put. Naughty.

Nick · Sep 15, 2014

AndreasB said:
OOOH deleted my post and then copied what I put. Naughty.

I posted before I deleted your post and it was deleted because of the abuse, it would have stayed if you could have resisted the abuse and you are welcome to post that. I would have just edited the abusive bit but last time I did you still went off on one!

AndreasB · Sep 15, 2014

I really held back this time - I only called him a "divisive "T**T" think thats fair comment.

Otis · Sep 15, 2014

AndreasB wouldn't be AndreasB if he wasn't throwing abuse at someone.

Ian1779 · Sep 15, 2014

Danceswithhorses said:
Any need for this abusive post ?
Radical idea...how about posting something positive instead of your usual divisive stuff ?

He does kind of have a point though. Surely the only agenda item left for KCIC is to contact all those on their mailing list and encourage them to attend games.

Otis · Sep 15, 2014

Ian1779 said:
He does kind of have a point though. Surely the only agenda item left for KCIC is to contact all those on their mailing list and encourage them to attend games.

Only agenda? Surely as it is Keep Coventry In Coventry, it should also be about putting pressure on ACL and Sisu to come up with a long term agreement to keep us at the Rioch, shouldn't it?

fernandopartridge · Sep 15, 2014

Surely now the emphasis is on the Keep and part of that is demonstrating that Coventry fans want the club playing in Coventry so they can go and support.

AndreasB · Sep 15, 2014

Otis said:
AndreasB wouldn't be AndreasB if he wasn't throwing abuse at someone.

Predictable and pointless as ever

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

skybluesam66 · Sep 15, 2014

Agenda
1. keep cov in cov
2. Dont think the fact we are in cov is just down to 1person - who seems happy on self publicising -

Otis · Sep 15, 2014

AndreasB said:
Predictable and pointless as ever

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

But, so, so true.

You can't disagree that you are nearly always very agressive to fellow posters on here.

oldskyblue58 · Sep 15, 2014

Just going to play devils advocate here but just in case anyone is any doubt I do not in any way "support" or "love" SISU. They have been a disaster as owners and frankly I have no trust in them. There is still a whole lot of spin being put out to point peoples attention in particular directions. In the past that has always meant other things are going on elsewhere.

•Will we ever prosper under sisu? Well right now we are back at the Ricoh, sitting 5th in the table, 7 games unbeaten, manager everyone seems to support recently given a 4 year contract, things focussed on the team, fans showing their support, it is very likely that the current finances are running at breakeven, debt not increasing - not exactly floundering there are a lot of clubs that would take the current situation. The Group might have 47m debt but does Otium/CCFC? Define prosper?
•It's great that Labovitch has gone but Fisher is still here and why are sisu spouting the same old new stadium nonsense? neither Fisher or Labovitch were the decision makers and PR from both of them is just that PR, They are spouting about the new stadium for the same reason they were before, to put pressure on CCC for a better deal - why wouldn't they try to do that?
•The Judicial Review saga starts again next month - why don't sisu drop it? look at what has gone on the past month or more, the owners have quite deliberately separated CCFC from SISU. They have said look at the team over and over and people are doing just that as if not part of the same thing but nothing in terms of objective has changed. They wont drop it because there is a very small chance they might win, they are comfortable with high risk strategies, but equally they are supporting their reputation of going all the way for their investors. What they have spent on legals in their scheme of things is not massive
•How much of our fanbase has been lost and how many will not return till sisu have gone? well last time we played Yeovil 2012/13 we had 11227 fans in attendance Saturday 11085 so is the effect of people not going till SISU go really that significant? People want to see their team especially if it is winning, owners when that happens become far less of a consideration
•Does the sixfields episode show why only fans can be trusted with the best interests of CCFC? in what way does it show fans can be trusted? You could say that SISU acted in CCFC interests in breaking the lease could the fans have done that? What Sixfields showed was that you couldn't move a team away from its community nothing else surely?
•Is 'consultation' with selected fans anything like enough or do fans need a proper ownership stake like at other clubs? ownership or a seat on the Board? two very different things and both would have restrictions on what the "fans" could know. Do fans at Swansea get involved day to day or do they have shares that means they get to shareholders meetings for example. Is some consultation better than no consultation?
•What next for fans? Scunthorpe?

Of course ACL acts in its own interests other than renting a patch of green to CCFC what other responsibility does it really have to CCFC or its fans? We all know that SISU's first responsibility is to its investors. The ones with responsibility to the fans are the directors of Otium Entertainment Group trading as CCFC surely?

As I said just playing devils advocate. I think you have to look a lot deeper than the PR gloss being put on this by the various sides and interests

AndreasB · Sep 15, 2014

Otis said:
But, so, so true.

You can't disagree that you are nearly always very agressive to fellow posters on here.

I disagree. Because I dont agree with the majority opinion (and you) Im seen as being more aggressive.

Otis · Sep 15, 2014

AndreasB said:
I disagree. Because I dont agree with the majority opinion (and you) Im seen as being more aggressive.

You often resort to name calling and you know you do. It's fine to disagree and debate with people, but I don't see why you have to resort to personal abuse.

You've had a number of posts pulled haven't you for abusive comments?

Deleted member 5849 · Sep 15, 2014

oldskyblue58 said:
Just going to play devils advocate here but just in case anyone is any doubt I do not in any way "support" or "love" SISU. They have been a disaster as owners and frankly I have no trust in them. There is still a whole lot of spin being put out to point peoples attention in particular directions. In the past that has always meant other things are going on elsewhere.

•Will we ever prosper under sisu? Well right now we are back at the Ricoh, sitting 5th in the table, 7 games unbeaten, manager everyone seems to support recently given a 4 year contract, things focussed on the team, fans showing their support, it is very likely that the current finances are running at breakeven, debt not increasing - not exactly floundering there are a lot of clubs that would take the current situation. The Group might have 47m debt but does Otium/CCFC? Define prosper?
•It's great that Labovitch has gone but Fisher is still here and why are sisu spouting the same old new stadium nonsense? neither Fisher or Labovitch were the decision makers and PR from both of them is just that PR, They are spouting about the new stadium for the same reason they were before, to put pressure on CCC for a better deal - why wouldn't they try to do that?
•The Judicial Review saga starts again next month - why don't sisu drop it? look at what has gone on the past month or more, the owners have quite deliberately separated CCFC from SISU. They have said look at the team over and over and people are doing just that as if not part of the same thing but nothing in terms of objective has changed. They wont drop it because there is a very small chance they might win, they are comfortable with high risk strategies, but equally they are supporting their reputation of going all the way for their investors. What they have spent on legals in their scheme of things is not massive
•How much of our fanbase has been lost and how many will not return till sisu have gone? well last time we played Yeovil 2012/13 we had 11227 fans in attendance Saturday 11085 so is the effect of people not going till SISU go really that significant? People want to see their team especially if it is winning, owners when that happens become far less of a consideration
•Does the sixfields episode show why only fans can be trusted with the best interests of CCFC? in what way does it show fans can be trusted? You could say that SISU acted in CCFC interests in breaking the lease could the fans have done that? What Sixfields showed was that you couldn't move a team away from its community nothing else surely?
•Is 'consultation' with selected fans anything like enough or do fans need a proper ownership stake like at other clubs? ownership or a seat on the Board? two very different things and both would have restrictions on what the "fans" could know. Do fans at Swansea get involved day to day or do they have shares that means they get to shareholders meetings for example. Is some consultation better than no consultation?
•What next for fans? Scunthorpe?

Of course ACL acts in its own interests other than renting a patch of green to CCFC what other responsibility does it really have to CCFC or its fans? We all know that SISU's first responsibility is to its investors. The ones with responsibility to the fans are the directors of Otium Entertainment Group trading as CCFC surely?

As I said just playing devils advocate. I think you have to look a lot deeper than the PR gloss being put on this by the various sides and interests

SISU lover

Nick · Sep 15, 2014

AndreasB said:
I disagree. Because I dont agree with the majority opinion (and you) Im seen as being more aggressive.

No, your opinion is fine as is everybody's, just leave out the abuse at the end.

ohitsaidwalker king power · Sep 15, 2014

AndreasB said:
Predictable and pointless as ever

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Mirror mirror on the wall....

Otis · Sep 15, 2014

Nick said:
No, your opinion is fine as is everybody's, just leave out the abuse at the end.

Exactly. I'm happy to listen to anyone's opinion. Just don't need to include the abuse in there in your replies. You can put your point across without insulting people I feel.

lewys33 · Sep 15, 2014

2 points for me.

1. The battle is won, but this is a war. The ricoh return is a short-term deal - This is not the end. They could quite easily move us again. Pressure needs to now be applied to get a long-term sustainable future for the club.

2. We still need to push the petition. Look at the support we have had from other clubs (in some cases more than from our own fans). We can't just stop because now we are back home, this is still something that needs to be sorted out, for the future of our club and other clubs.

AndreasB · Sep 15, 2014

Otis said:
Exactly. I'm happy to listen to anyone's opinion. Just don't need to include the abuse in there in your replies. You can put your point across without insulting people I feel.

Thanks. I feel suitably chastised and patronised in equal measure. I will try harder now. Nick, if you could get rid of some of the idiots, it may help.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Otis · Sep 15, 2014

lewys33 said:
2 points for me.

1. The battle is won, but this is a war. The ricoh return is a short-term deal - This is not the end. They could quite easily move us again. Pressure needs to now be applied to get a long-term sustainable future for the club.

2. We still need to push the petition. Look at the support we have had from other clubs (in some cases more than from our own fans). We can't just stop because now we are back home, this is still something that needs to be sorted out, for the future of our club and other clubs.

I know they could potentially move us again, but I really don't think they would dare.

Otis · Sep 15, 2014

AndreasB said:
Thanks. I feel suitably chastised and patronised in equal measure. I will try harder now. Nick, if you could get rid of some of the idiots, it may help.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No-one's trying to patronise you. There's just no need to keep throwing insults all the time in your repsonses.

Ian1779 · Sep 15, 2014

Otis said:
Only agenda? Surely as it is Keep Coventry In Coventry, it should also be about putting pressure on ACL and Sisu to come up with a long term agreement to keep us at the Rioch, shouldn't it?

OK let me reword. Short term improving attendance should be the only agenda. I do agree that a deal has to be a long term goal... but in the end the two parties got themselves together without anyone else to get us back to Ricoh.

Maybe it would be more pertinent to encourage this (perhaps via the Trust) rather than a defined need to actively protest.

oldskyblue58 · Sep 15, 2014

lewys33 said:
2 points for me.

1. The battle is won, but this is a war. The ricoh return is a short-term deal - This is not the end. They could quite easily move us again. Pressure needs to now be applied to get a long-term sustainable future for the club.

2. We still need to push the petition. Look at the support we have had from other clubs (in some cases more than from our own fans). We can't just stop because now we are back home, this is still something that needs to be sorted out, for the future of our club and other clubs.

Not sure it would be that easy to move the club again.

- the FL are not going to be sympathetic next time
- the fans would be in uproar
- any business case that could be put together would show failure because of past events
- ACL, CCC, Charity know the points above
- The business case for a new stadium is actually weakened in some respects by the return to the Ricoh, aside for it never actually having been proven in the first place
- over one year in to the FL time limit and still no sign of any proof at all

wont be easy to move out

the petition has no momentum at all - need a new angle I think

MichaelCCFC · Sep 15, 2014

Nick said:
I take it that you are now telling everybody to get up the Ricoh and sending mailouts encouraging people to get behind the team now we are back rather than encouraging a boycott?

If fans are unhappy with ticket prices, beer prices, staff etc then surely now the Trust has links with the club they should be dealing with things like this?

I've done my bit so it's for others to decide what next. There have been some really good posts on here recently eg Noggin's idea of how the club could very easily seek the views of thousands of fans, Duffer's analysis of the current situation, torch said something v good about prices and I agree with Lewys's post in this thread. The only observation I would make is kcic put a lot of effort into listening and by doing that were able to position ourselves in the mainstream eg we got Arsenal spot on and 88% of people supported the rent offer. Rather than everyone telling each other what to do and guessing wildly, listening now might be a very sensible thing to do.

skybluetony176 · Sep 15, 2014

Nick said:
I take it that you are now telling everybody to get up the Ricoh and sending mailouts encouraging people to get behind the team now we are back rather than encouraging a boycott?

If fans are unhappy with ticket prices, beer prices, staff etc then surely now the Trust has links with the club they should be dealing with things like this?

Help me out here Nick. Where does it say we should boycott? Or even worded like it's encouraging a boycott?

As long as our owners are talking about building a ground and moving the club out of the city of Coventry again and into the "Coventry Area", wherever that is, we need to be campaigning to KCIC or more specifically KCATR. Whether you like it or not Michael did a good job and assisted our return to the Ricoh. Did he get every call right, no. Did he get the majority right, yes. Given he's just a fan and no blue print is available for what he was trying to accomplish he deserves nothing but praise.

Covstu · Sep 15, 2014

MichaelCCFC said:
I've done my bit so it's for others to decide what next. There have been some really good posts on here recently eg Noggin's idea of how the club could very easily seek the views of thousands of fans, Duffer's analysis of the current situation, torch said something v good about prices and I agree with Lewys's post in this thread. The only observation I would make is kcic put a lot of effort into listening and by doing that were able to position ourselves in the mainstream eg we got Arsenal spot on and 88% of people supported the rent offer. Rather than everyone telling each other what to do and guessing wildly, listening now might be a very sensible thing to do.

I think the most important area to influence is making the Ricoh our home again. The last two games were great but it still had the feel of a borrowed stadium with poor services downstairs and clearly ticketing is an issue. We need to ensure we are sufficiently entrenched at the Ricoh that any talk of a move would not be even considered. For the record, i doubt the FL would make this mistake twice to be honest.

I think this season, we need to be seen to support the team to push for promotion. We cannot force people through the turnstiles but we can influence the quality of the product that is being delivered there to help make that proposition more attractive. Personally i think any 'SISU out' campaign wouldnt be constructive at this stage for the boys on the park and that is why we are all here.

AndreasB · Sep 15, 2014

MichaelCCFC said:
I've done my bit so it's for others to decide what next. There have been some really good posts on here recently eg Noggin's idea of how the club could very easily seek the views of thousands of fans, Duffer's analysis of the current situation, torch said something v good about prices and I agree with Lewys's post in this thread. The only observation I would make is kcic put a lot of effort into listening and by doing that were able to position ourselves in the mainstream eg we got Arsenal spot on and 88% of people supported the rent offer. Rather than everyone telling each other what to do and guessing wildly, listening now might be a very sensible thing to do.

Listening?? LOL Unless it was to those swivel eyed NOPM more types. Im not sure you listened to anybody. Even the Trust binned you off when it was clear you wanted your own way ego trip or nothing.

Dont forget the stirling work done by Sandra Galick and her team on a Fan Centered Stadium.

MichaelCCFC · Sep 15, 2014

AndreasB said:
Listening?? LOL Unless it was to those swivel eyed NOPM more types. Im not sure you listened to anybody. Even the Trust binned you off when it was clear you wanted your own way ego trip or nothing.

Dont forget the stirling work done by Sandra Galick and her team on a Fan Centered Stadium.

I think you're now my favourite poster on here!

MichaelCCFC · Sep 15, 2014

oldskyblue58 said:
Just going to play devils advocate here but just in case anyone is any doubt I do not in any way "support" or "love" SISU. They have been a disaster as owners and frankly I have no trust in them. There is still a whole lot of spin being put out to point peoples attention in particular directions. In the past that has always meant other things are going on elsewhere.

•Will we ever prosper under sisu? Well right now we are back at the Ricoh, sitting 5th in the table, 7 games unbeaten, manager everyone seems to support recently given a 4 year contract, things focussed on the team, fans showing their support, it is very likely that the current finances are running at breakeven, debt not increasing - not exactly floundering there are a lot of clubs that would take the current situation. The Group might have 47m debt but does Otium/CCFC? Define prosper?
•It's great that Labovitch has gone but Fisher is still here and why are sisu spouting the same old new stadium nonsense? neither Fisher or Labovitch were the decision makers and PR from both of them is just that PR, They are spouting about the new stadium for the same reason they were before, to put pressure on CCC for a better deal - why wouldn't they try to do that?
•The Judicial Review saga starts again next month - why don't sisu drop it? look at what has gone on the past month or more, the owners have quite deliberately separated CCFC from SISU. They have said look at the team over and over and people are doing just that as if not part of the same thing but nothing in terms of objective has changed. They wont drop it because there is a very small chance they might win, they are comfortable with high risk strategies, but equally they are supporting their reputation of going all the way for their investors. What they have spent on legals in their scheme of things is not massive
•How much of our fanbase has been lost and how many will not return till sisu have gone? well last time we played Yeovil 2012/13 we had 11227 fans in attendance Saturday 11085 so is the effect of people not going till SISU go really that significant? People want to see their team especially if it is winning, owners when that happens become far less of a consideration
•Does the sixfields episode show why only fans can be trusted with the best interests of CCFC? in what way does it show fans can be trusted? You could say that SISU acted in CCFC interests in breaking the lease could the fans have done that? What Sixfields showed was that you couldn't move a team away from its community nothing else surely?
•Is 'consultation' with selected fans anything like enough or do fans need a proper ownership stake like at other clubs? ownership or a seat on the Board? two very different things and both would have restrictions on what the "fans" could know. Do fans at Swansea get involved day to day or do they have shares that means they get to shareholders meetings for example. Is some consultation better than no consultation?
•What next for fans? Scunthorpe?

Of course ACL acts in its own interests other than renting a patch of green to CCFC what other responsibility does it really have to CCFC or its fans? We all know that SISU's first responsibility is to its investors. The ones with responsibility to the fans are the directors of Otium Entertainment Group trading as CCFC surely?

As I said just playing devils advocate. I think you have to look a lot deeper than the PR gloss being put on this by the various sides and interests

Apologies but amidst the wonder of Andreasb's comments I missed your post. You may well be right on all points but the difference in the Gillingham and Yeovil gates was considerable (I'll admit to be being wrong cos I thought Yeovil was going to be much higher). Any idea why the Sky Blue Trust survey hasn't been published? It had a question about whether people would go to the ricoh if sisu remain in charge. In the kcic survey about a third of people said they wouldn't but the Trust survey is more recent so the answer would be very interesting. And yes, I'll be at Scunthorpe tomorrow and haven't bumped into you for ages so happy to buy you a pre match pint to celebrate the Ricoh Return!

lewys33 · Sep 16, 2014

AndreasB said:
Listening?? LOL Unless it was to those swivel eyed NOPM more types. Im not sure you listened to anybody. Even the Trust binned you off when it was clear you wanted your own way ego trip or nothing.

Dont forget the stirling work done by Sandra Galick and her team on a Fan Centered Stadium.

With so many facts in 1 statement it is hard to understand why you are not a politician.

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