Statement from the Coventry City Supporters’ Consultative Group
07 December 2012
Following the serving of 21 days notice by ACL on the football club, the Supporters’ Consultative Group (SCG) held an extraordinary meeting on Thursday 6th December with CCFC CEO, Tim Fisher.
With 13 members of the SCG in attendance, the purpose of the meeting was for Tim Fisher to provide an update on recent events and solicit open discussion on fans’ reaction, together with an explanation of potential impacts and possible remedies to the apparent impasse.
Following an explanation of CCFC’s position, when Tim Fisher outlined the necessity to arrive at a sustainable and appropriate cost base on which the future security and success of the football club could be built, the SCG recommended the following actions
- CCFC and ACL to resume discussions at the earliest opportunity to resolve this issue for the mutual benefit of both parties. This may require a formal arbitration process to support ongoing negotiations, but both parties should be lobbied and encouraged to find a mutually acceptable solution without further delay
- CCFC should seek to agree the forward rent level as a matter of priority, against the agreement of both parties to resolve other issues against a prescribed timetable with key milestones
It became evident at the meeting that CCFC cannot establish a viable and sustainable trading position within the current structure, and the terms of its tenancy at the Ricoh must change. It is not clear, given Mr Fisher’s overview, how ACL can operate as a viable concern without the football club as its prime occupant. The SCG are hoping to seek clarity on the latter point by obtaining ACL’s views over the coming weekend.
Clearly the success of the Ricoh Arena, managed by ACL, and Coventry City Football Club are intrinsically linked and both parties must work together to ensure the economic, social and cultural benefits that they provide to the City of Coventry, individually and collectively.
Asked by the SCG on the role of the Council in unblocking this dispute, Mr Fisher declined to comment, stating that the matter rests in the hands of ACL.