Administrator Must Give Precedence To Bidders who Care About Coventry City and Its Supporters
The Sky Blue Trust members voted over the weekend about what stance the Trust should take towards Tim Fisher’s plans for Coventry City. The members voted in large numbers and the response was 99% in favour of the Trust working with every means at its disposal, including peaceful demonstration and other means of legal protest, to ensure that the Administrator and the Football League do not return the “Golden Share” to any SISU controlled company.
We are doing this to avoid the scenario of falling crowds, relegation, further administration and possibly liquidation that we feel Tim Fisher’s plan could lead to. The Trust understands there are several alternative bidders available to receive the share and we will be urging that precedence is given to bids that clearly demonstrate that they have the best interests of Coventry City and its supporters at their heart.
The Trust board has been alarmed and disappointed that Tim Fisher has shown complete disrespect and disregard towards Sky Blue supporters by ignoring their clearly stated wishes. He continues to voice his plan that, should SISU regain control of the club, they will be moving it away from Coventry for a minimum of 3 years whilst building a new stadium.
We believe this plan is flawed and could ultimately drive the club back into administration and possibly kill it altogether.
- For at least 3 seasons the club would be playing “home” matches away from Coventry, in front of greatly reduced crowds and therefore reduced revenue. Under FFP rules this could result in our playing budget being amongst the lowest in the division and very easily lead to further relegation.
- Playing home matches away from home would alienate huge numbers of supporters who may simply never come back even if the club survived long enough to come back to the Coventry area.
- Such a plan would saddle the club with additional millions in unnecessary debt for years to come.
- Coventry play in Coventry not Walsall or Birmingham or in the Coventry area (Whatever that means!)
The Trust completely opposes this unnecessary, ill-judged and financially flawed plan that is demonstrably against the wishes of thousands of Coventry City supporters.
We believe it would lead to the end of Coventry City and we will do everything possible to ensure that the Administrator and the Football League do not hand the Golden Share, and thereby our club, back to SISU.