All Change

Last updated : 04 January 2006 By Covsupport

Coventry City have just issued the following statement. "Coventry City today announced the appointment of a new off-the-field management team. Paul Fletcher, currently chief executive of the Ricoh Arena, will start work immediately as managing director of the club. And two other senior staff members have been recruited as part of a major restructuring plan by acting chairman Geoffrey Robinson. Australian Ken Sharp is the club’s new Marketing Director, moving from Bastion – the company responsible for establishing the City’s Premier Club, while Mal Brannigan moves from Hull City to become Financial Director.

Robinson,who became acting chairman after predecessor Mike McGinnity was forced to resign through illness, believes the new management team will help restore the club’s financial health. He said: “We have spent a couple of months looking at the club from the very top to the bottom. We have talked to our bank and our advisors and we now have a clear way forward. “We want to make sure that we have the right team on and off the field to take the club forward and these appointments are key to achieving that aim.

“Paul Fletcher knows football from every aspect and he has done a remarkable job in helping make the Ricoh Arena become reality. “He has worked successfully with two other clubs before moving to Coventry and he has been a real driving force behind the new stadium.

“He was a player and has worked successfully on the commercial side of the game so is perfectly placed to make sure we are successful. “We have handpicked his team and both Ken and Mal will bring considerable experience as well as a cutting commercial presence to the club. The club has to operate with maximum efficiency and all three will help us improve our commercial performance.”

Fletcher moves across after more than three years at the Ricoh Arena. He and Sharp worked successfully to attract a naming sponsor for the 32,000 all-seater stadium.

He said: “We have a master-plan which we hope will lead to Premiership football in three years from the end of this season. “We know that is an ambitious target but we feel the club should have a clear vision of the future and we will be working flat out to make sure we achieve it. “We are aware that steps have been made to bring the club closer to the supporters and that process will be continued and built upon.

“Our sole function will be to improve the business standing of the club with the aim of supporting Micky Adams. Micky has done an excellent job in difficult circumstances and we will be helping him in as many ways as possible. “We also want to make sure the players get help and support in non-football areas. We want the club to have a reputation of being good to players off the field, improving its reputation in the game.”

Fletcher also promised to bring the club closer to other commercial interests at its new home – including Arena sponsors Ricoh and Isle of Capri.

“Japan and America are two of the foremost commercial markets in the world and, courtesy of the Arena sponsors, we have a wealth of contacts which we intend to use to the long term advantage of the club.”