Ranson To Quit As Chairman

Last updated : 24 March 2011 By Covsupport News Service/RD

Following months of board room arguments that have seen the position of Coventry City chairman Ray Ranson undermined, he is now ready to resign thereby paving the way for the recently appointed Sisu representative on the Coventry City board of directors Ken Dulieu to become the new club chairman.

The Coventry Telegraph are reporting that Mr Ranson will remain at the club as a consultant until the end of the season.

In the wake of the transfer of Academy player Conor Thomas to Liverpool as well as being disappointed at the way in which the club was being run, Ranson's vice chairman Gary Hoffman resigned from the board and life long City supporter Joe Elliott was removed from the board and placated as club Life President.

Mr Ranson has become increasingly isolated by the increasing influence on the board of Sisu nominees and had offered his resignation previously when a board decision to sell Scott Dann and Dan Fox against his approval.

Ranson is a shareholder in the club holding about 20% of the shares with Sisu holding the rest and he was the figurehead that rescued the club from going into administration in December 2007.

The club is in financial difficulties once again and is losing around £4m a year and is being made worse by falling attendances at The Ricoh, combined with an increase in rent.

Sisu, the owners of Coventry City, have been secretive about how much money they have put into the club, but they originally injected £25-30m to save the club from administration and to pay off some creditors and debts.

The club is in desperate need of substantial financial investment as in its current state it cannot afford to employ new players, even on loan, as the team struggles with an injury ravished squad and while it struggled to perform on the pitch more and more fans are staying away thereby reducing income even more.

Many fans fear administration, but that is not really an option for the owners Sisu as they would lose most of the money they have invested so far and other creditors have already signed deals deferring payments meaning that administration is not an option.

The board members, now dominated by Sisu have promised they are "in it for the long haul", but until new investment is found the outlook is bleak for Coventry City.