Over 150 members and guests of the City Supporters Club for those who have been supporting the Sky Blues for fifty or more years, enjoyed a splendid lunch whilst listening to first City's Commercial Director Nathan Kosky, Arena Coventry Limited CEO's Daniel Gidney and Ian Wallace.
Mr Kosky told the audience that over 9,000 ordinary season tickets had been sold and the club were pushing to break the 10,000 barrier. Add that to the corporate figure of around 2,000 and the club were looking at around 12,000 season ticket holders in total.
He spoke about the Hartlepool League Cup home game admission prices which were announced this morning and the renovations going on in the JSB Conconcourse which is being transformed into a family zone, one of the first in the country.
Meeting companies as well as working with supporters is in Mr Kosky's brief and he said that relationships are starting to be formed with blue chip companies in the city which will hopefully be mutually benefical.
Arena Coventry Limited's Daniel Gidney was joined by HR Director Jackie Isaac. Mr Gidney who was delighted with the way things went for the three Take That gigs and spoke about the upcoming events at the Ricoh including Britain's Got Talent and the sell out Oasis gig before the football season starts with the home game against Ipswich Town on August 8th. He also mentioned about the Abba Mania show which is coming from London's West End to the Ricoh Arena for two nights on December 18th and 19th.
Jackie said that 1200 staff had been on site for the Take That gigs including casual staff and they had been fed from 6am until they closed.
The Ricoh Arena has won plenty of praise this year for its events including conferences, one of which was attended by 2,000 Whitbread staff.
Ian Wallace then was invited to speak by MC Joe Elliott. The Rangers supporting Scot had been at a Coventry City Former Players Association Golf Day in Nuneaton yesterday and decided to stay over and attend this event.
He does some scouting and football agency work but is going in hospital next week for an operation after already having two replacement knee operations but is back after a bad spell in his personal life.
Wallace, who said he was the first million pound player (Trevor Francis' transfer to Nottingham Forest when tax etc was deducted took the figure below £1m) but as he was sold also to Forest, the fee was £1.25m which after deductions was still over the £1m mark, drew loud applause when he said "No matter where I have been, Coventry is my home.".
He spoke about Scottish football and admitted that there was only two teams in Scotland in Rangers and Celtic and thought that both clubs would struggle playing in the same league as Coventry. He said he would love to see that happening and that it would fill the stadiums as games would attract 20,000 Rangers or Celtic fans.
Wallace was thought Gordon Strachan was an excellent manager and was full of praise for Chris Coleman. Wallace, who described himself as a City fan said: "The club are going in the right direction. Coventry City finishing higher than they did the previous season is a result for me.
"Clubs are struggling but City are progressing. "You have got to be patient but the club is heading in the right direction even if it is going to take a couple of seasons to get promoted."
Wallace who felt that everything in the club was heartfelt, received tremendous applause before rejoining some of the former players in attendance including Dietmar Bruck, Ronnie Farmer, Lol Harvey and Brian Nicholls.
The theme of the lunch was "Ladies Day At Ascot" and the members and guests had fun bets on three races. Being Ladies Day, female members and guests were invited to wear hats for the occasion and as usual there was some superb designs and efforts gone to by some members.
This made judging for Ian Wallace and Dietmar Bruck. However, a winner and runner up were decided upon.
There was a raffle to end a highly enjoyable afternoon.
More information on the Coventry City Diamond Club can be found by clicking on http://ccfcdiamondclub.homestead.com/index.html