Cov City fans planning TV match protest
COVENTRY City fans are set to stage a protest at the televised match against Luton in a bid to raise the profile of the club’s impending homelessness.
The demonstration will see fans hold up cards with a message signifying the few games the club has left at the Ricoh before their rent deal runs out.
It is one part of a new crisis action plan released by Coventry City fans’ group The Sky Blues Trust.
Other plans include pitching up outside the London headquarters of Coventry City bosses Sisu to lobby those who could end the impasse.
The Sky Blues have less than 80 days until their rent deal at the Ricoh Arena runs out in May.
The stadium’s owners Wasps have said they will not renegotiate a new rent deal until legal action from the club’s owners ends.
But with time running out, the Supreme Court is still yet to decide whether it will hear an appeal into the sale of the stadium in 2014, brought by companies controlled by Coventry City bosses Sisu.
The club has also warned the English Football League say they won’t be allowed to play outside of Coventry next season, meaning their place in the league is under threat.
That is leading the fans to try and take action into their own hands.
A spokesman for The Sky Blue Trust said it would be encouraging all fans at the game on February 24 - even Luton Town supporters - to raise the signs on the sixth minute of the match.
That is significant because after that game, Coventry City will have just six games left to play at the Ricoh Arena before they are potentially made homeless.
It isn’t the first time fans have used football matches to make a point.
Back in October 2016 Coventry City and Charlton Athletic supporters threw hundreds of plastic pigs onto the pitch at Charlton’s ground The Valley in protest of the teams’ respective owners - Coventry’s Sisu and Charlton’s Roland Duchatelet.
The following April, Coventry City were relegated to League Two following a draw at the Ricoh with Charlton that was interrupted by a repeat of the action which had taken place at The Valley.
Kick-off was delayed as ballboys had to remove hundreds of the pink pigs from the field.
But even as the match finally began, hundreds more pigs were thrown by fans prompting the ref to remove the players from the field.
The crisis action plan from the Sky Blue Trust comes after the group called an open meeting with fans last month to discuss the threats facing the club - including the potential for it to collapse altogether.
Other key action the group is planning includes:
Further matchday demonstrations towards the end of season (depending on progress).
Attending protests organised by other supporter groups with the intention of raising the club’s homelessness plight.
Researching the possibility of having the Ryton training ground made an Asset of Community Value. That means it would be given extra protection from development under the Localism Act 2011.
Seeking further meetings with the Gary Hoffman consortium, which tried to buy the club several times but had the offers turned down by Sisu, and Coventry City Council.
Seek meetings with Wasps and senior EFL officials including chief executive Shaun Harvey. Invite Coventry City chairman Tim Fisher to an open meeting with fans “to explain the real CCFC position”.
Commission research into the background of Sisu shareholders.
Sending letters to Sisu boss Joy Seppala and the football club from fans highlighting how much the club means to them. Providing a template letter for supporters to send to their MP or councillor asking for their support.
A spokesman for the Sky Blue Trust said: “We encourage all Sky Blue Trust members and other Coventry City supporters to get behind these proposals to help try and ensure a future for our football club.”
They added that anyone with additional suggestions as to how to resolve the impasse is welcome to send ideas to admin@skybluetrust. co.uk