here is my two pennuth on this
CCFC have a court judgement against them that as far as we know they have not challenged (and most likely have no grounds to) that requires them to repay £500k into the escrow account. I would assume not doing so leaves open various remedies including winding up, it may also leave the directors of CCFC in contempt of court unless they can prove they cant afford it. Going to be hard to prove that whilst they are merrily adding to the company contractual obligations in signing new players renewing contracts and looking for further players to come in. They want to get rid of the deposit because it is dead money to them....... on the other hand ACL need the deposit to cover the high risk they take having CCFC as a tenant ( a high risk SISU have just proven)
ACL can prove to any court that they are acting as reasonable landlords, infact by offering a 45% reduction in the reported rent of £1.2m they have placed the ball and responsibility for what happens next in the court of CCFc and SISU. They (CCFC)are not entitled to use the fully staffed and expensed facilities for free - no reasonable man would accept that. Any reasonable man would expect to pay market rate for the usage, market rate does not and never has depended on whether SISU run their business profitably or whether we are in League 1 or not. (i refer to reasonable man because that would be a test applied by a court)
Will games be cancelled today or next week .... no ACL have given the club until 13th Septemmber to sort out so action before that is very very unlikely.
Have lots of talks between the parties been going on ..... have talks re purchase of the Higgs Charity really progressed ..... well we were told that PWKH was on holiday ........... we know the period of due diligence is now well past ............so you have to ask how much progress can have been made..... and i guess therefore you have to have doubt on the statements by TF there good progress is being made, certainly doesnt look that way from the ACL, Council or Charity point of view.
Is the stadium "OURS" in the sense of CCFC no............ it is an asset of the people of the City of Coventry. Will it fold because CCFC (less than 15% of ACL income in total ie not just the rents) are not there - no...... but it will be very tough on its finances. It would need to find other uses to soften the blow ..... but it could be done - 2 large pop concerts would make a big dent in that lost income for example.
Yes SISU could wind up CCFC any time they like ......... they dont for two reasons ...... firstly they lose £30m + of their clients money if they do it right now .......... secondly they lose out on the real opportunity- owning the stadium. So long as they remain not paying they starve ACL of income that puts ACL at risk and drives its price/value down ...... which makes it easier to buy.
Yes SISU did "save" us only to make the same mistakes every other damn owner of this club has made. Them looking at the costs now does not absolve them from blame nor does it allow us to blame the losses accumulated in SBS&L on anyone other than the Board of CCFC and SISU. They try to come over as doing all the right things now but look at it coldly ..... they have set a budget to make losses ..... they cannot or more accurately will not pay their bills ........ they continue to add in to the structure more costs .......... every extra £ in loss adds to the risk of the club folding ......... their plan relies very much on this season being a total success (ie a gamble) which looking at past stats for the league 1 is not likely. Sorry but half hearted attempts at dealing with the finances are not going to turn it around.
SISU have one game and one game only .......... to get their hands on the stadium and other facilities then to sell it on........ none of this really about CFFC - Hedge funds have one thing they are interested in ..... money and that never changes
And I wish the CT understood what is up for grabs and the effects..... its 50% of the shares not the stadium and it doesnt give a right to any of the income from exhibitions casino etc .......
The rent reduction to £650k is a damn good offer for what CCFC receive ......... i suspect it requires repayment of the escrow account and SISU wont like that ........ i also suspect it requires the arrears to be paid and they wont like that either