Third fixture has to be moved due to Wasps clash

COVENTRY City have announced a third fixture change due to a number of clashes with Ricoh Arena owners Wasps next season.

The Sky Blues’ home game against Bristol Rovers has been rescheduled for Sunday, April 7, with kick off at 3pm.

The match was originally set to be played 24 hours earlier on Saturday, April 6, but due to a fixture clash at the stadium it has had to be rearranged.

City have already moved two games to a Friday night, and have one more outstanding fixture at the end of April - the penultimate game of the season - that also requires a change.

The club announced last week that the home game with Burton Albion, originally scheduled for Saturday, March 9, has been brought forward a day to Friday, March 8, with kick off at 7.45pm.

That was the second fixture change announcement in as many days, following the news that the home match against Peterborough United will now be played on Friday, November 23 (7.45pm).

The Sky Blues were scheduled to take on Posh at the Ricoh Arena at the normal time of 3pm on Saturday, November 24, but Wasps are also down to be at home that day when they take on Bristol in the Premiership, after their fixtures were announced earlier this month.

It’s a sensitive subject for the fans given the ownership history and controversy surrounding the Ricoh Arena, with some unhappy. However, it’s not the first time City have had to play on a Friday night at home, having had to swap their match with Stevenage in April due to a pre-arranged event at the stadium.

Mark Robins’s men enjoyed a 3-1 victory on the night, courtesy of a Marc McNulty brace and Liam Kelly goal.

Friday night football served them well again in the play-offs, albeit away from home this time when City thumped Notts County 4-1 in the second leg at Meadow Lane to book their place in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium.

It now remains in the hands of the two clubs and the relevant organisations to find a solution to the scheduling nightmare.

The club said: “Coventry City is aware of the fixture clashes which have now arisen following the publication of Wasps’ Rugby Premiership fixtures for the 2018/19 season.

“Coventry City will now look to work with Wasps, the Ricoh Arena and the EFL to schedule these games accordingly to ensure both teams fulfil their fixtures with the minimum impact on our support-