Seppala: Groundshare Was The Only Option

Last updated : 27 April 2014 By Covsupport News Service

As many of you will not have seen the Coventry City V Wolves programme, we bring you more of the Joy Seppala article in order to give the American, her say as a matter of fairness and supporters more information.

The head of SISU who are owners of the Sky Blues wrote:"This year has, without doubt, has been one of the most distressing for the supporters since the club was formed in 1883.

"The monumental decision to leave the home of the club and move away from the centre of the community was forced upon us only when all rational alternatives had been exhausted with the absence of political will to restructure the 2003 deals, which were signed when the club was moving away from Highfield Road.

"As painful as it is, an interim groundshare was the only option to ensure Coventry City's position in the Football League. The club could not continue to survive under the terms negotiated by its owners in 2003.

"Between 2008 and 2011, we lacked the collective courage, committment and foresight to address the underlying problems. We continued to fund losses driven by the costs of occupying the Ricoh with no prospect of improving the club under the impending Financial Fair Play rules. We should have recognised this earlier.

"If I had known then what I know now, we would certainly have done things differently. Sadly, everything always looks clear with the benefit of hindsight. I say this by way of explanation not excuse.

"I cannot change the past, but players, management, supporters and investors can shape the future. I take my share of the responsibility for where we are and it is time for others to set aside personal and political ambitions and do what is right, not what is convenient and popular.

"Every political, economic and sports pundit agrees that Coventry City must own its stadium. The club must benefit from every element of revenue generated and that money we must be used to fund the team – from the Academy to the first team.

"We are moving forward with plans to build a stadium. As many fans have pointed out it seems absurd to build a new stadium when there is a perfectly good, purpose-built stadium already in Coventry.

"The simple answer is that we tried very hard to find a deal to stay at the Ricoh. We signed heads of agreement with both the Council and the Alan Edward Higgs Charity which committed funds substantially exceeding the economic value of the stadium, we produced development plans and brought in specialists to secure the maximum social and economic dividend from having the club stay at the Ricoh all to no avail.

"The ownership control and management of the Ricoh Arena is manacled by multiplicity of diverse interests – political and economic.

"Whether because of ideology, ignorance, ambition or politics, the refusal to complete the restructure based on heads of agreement we signed in 2012 and the subsequent rejection of the CVA, forced the club to leave the stadium and start the season on minus ten points, testing the mettle of supporters, investors, players and managers to the limit."

The article can be read by buying the programme which is available from Coventry City's club shop at the Gallagher Retail Park.