Fans’ group meets League
SKY BLUES TRUST TALKS TO EFL ABOUT TRAINING GROUND AND POSSIBLE BUTTS MOVE
MEMBERS of Coventry City’s biggest supporters group have met with the Football League to discuss concerns around the club’s long-term future.
The Sky Blue Trust, and members of Supporters’ Direct, recently met with the EFL to address key issues affecting the Sky Blues.
The discussion included the future of the club’s training ground and its Academy – and the imminent expiry of CCFC’s deal to play the Ricoh Arena. That arrangement runs out at the end of the coming season, and there are currently no public signs of progress on an extension – or the club’s stated preference of a move to move to Coventry Rugby’s Butts Park Arena home.
Here’s what the Sky Blue Trust said was discussed at the meeting on May 19. The EFL has confirmed to the Telegraph that this is fair summary of the discussion.
“The Trust representatives explained how each of these factors seriously threatens the club. The huge attendance of 43,000 Coventry fans at the recent Checkatrade Trophy final at Wembley demonstrates the massive support for the club.
“However, relegation to League Two and the factors listed above threaten its very existence.”
And on the EFL on challenges: “The EFL officials responded by acknowledging the difficulties facing the club.
“They expressed the view that by far the biggest issue as far as they were concerned was the future home ground for the club, with the matter needing to be resolved.
“EFL rules require all clubs to play in the area from which they take their name or are traditionally asso- ciated and it was made clear that the onus is on Coventry City to inform the EFL how intends to comply with this requirement. “While the EFL officials would not elaborate on the nature of their confidential discussions with the club, the officials did indicate that the club was fully aware of its obligations under the rules.” On the prospect of City playing outside the city again it was said: “The Sky Blues Trust asked what the EFL would do if it received another application for the club to play its matches outside the City of Coventry at a future point. “The EFL confirmed it would always consider any application, by any of its clubs, on its merits and could not pre-judge the issue but that any dispensation from the rules would only ever be given in excep- tional circumstances and would be temporary in nature.
“Where granted, it would be done to help clubs achieve a permanent home in their home town or city.
“The EFL officials cited the permission given to Rotherham United to play at the Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield while the New York Stadium was being built as an example of this approach working successfully.”
And on the question of playing at the Butts Park Arena:
“The EFL felt there were ostensibly two options for the club at this point, an extension to its lease at the Ricoh Arena or a move to a re-developed Butts Park Arena, which the club was focused on.
“The EFL have visited Coventry to see the Butts Park Arena and accepted that there are significant challenges turning a ground with limited facilities into a venue suitable for EFL football, not least because it required agreement to be reached between Coventry City and Coventry RFC, as well as planning consent from the local authorities.
“Ultimately though the EFL officials felt that this was a matter for the club rather than the League given the overriding need to comply with EFL regulations.”
“The EFL also indicated that it was aware of the mediation process being undertaken by Chris HeatonHarris, at the request of the Sports Minister, and had met with him to seek to establish the purpose of his involvement.
“No-one knows whether that will produce a solution but the EFL has committed that it will contribute to the process wherever required in order to help achieve a successful outcome.”
“The Trust and SD representatives expressed understanding of the EFL’s position but urged them to do all they can to bring about a solution to the problems facing the club to secure its long-term future in Coventry.
“The EFL committed to do so as it too wanted to see a thriving Coventry City at a permanent home in the city of Coventry.”
The huge attendance at the Checkatrade Wembley final demonstrates the massive support for the club.