Councillor Kevin Maton (8 Viewers)

[Black6Osprey]

Only caught a bit of this guy on CWR on way back from game. He was the last caller and pretty much got cut short but from what I heard, the council do not agree that the stadium should ever be in the complete control of the football club and they should only ever get a share. He cited our failure to look after Highfield Road as why the club shouldn't have full ownership.

Didn't get a good vibe listening to this as I still believe full ownership is the only real way forward.

 

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[Lord_Nampil]

This is why I worry about our future....

 

[Tonylinc]

Only caught a bit of this guy on CWR on way back from game. He was the last caller and pretty much got cut short but from what I heard, the council do not agree that the stadium should ever be in the complete control of the football club and they should only ever get a share. He cited our failure to look after Highfield Road as why the club shouldn't have full ownership.

Didn't get a good vibe listening to this as I still believe full ownership is the only real way forward.

I fully agree with you BUT not whilst Sisu are still here!

 

[Otis]

It is indeed.

Fair enough for it to be someone they trust will keep it in safe hands, but to say that people shouldn't own the entire stadium is just so wrong and not the way forwards.

 

[Tonylinc]

Of course it is the way forward Otis BUT would you trust Sisu?

 

[Tonylinc]

The representative of Higgs has told us that meetings can take place, hands shook on agreements and the very next day it is as if the meetings and agreements never took place. How the hell can you deal with people like that?

 

[Black6Osprey]

I fully agree with you BUT not whilst Sisu are still here!

I understand what you are saying but I don't think he was talking about SISU just in general terms.

They are almost treating it like a national treasure. I thought it was a football ground.

 

[SkybluG]

But they are not just saying sisu, they won't sell their share to any owner. The council are killing our club but they will he away with it while sisu are here.

 

[luwalla]

This is why I worry about our future....

Me too.. While this council are in control of ACL & the stadium, we have problems in moving forward as a club

 

[Lord_Nampil]

Me too.. While this council are in control of ACL & the stadium, we have problems in moving forward as a club

Comments he made IMO could scare off any potential investor, like PHIV! Keep ur mouth shut is my motto unless u know what u are saying!

 

[coundonskyblue]

It does depend on how he means it. If he meant the club should never own ACL then I can't support it.

If he is saying then should never own the ground then that is different. The club can get all the benefits of owning the ground by simply owning ACL. The income streams are whats important, not whose name is on the deeds.

 

[SkybluG]

It does depend on how he means it. If he meant the club should never own ACL then I can't support it.

If he is saying then should never own the ground then that is different. The club can get all the benefits of owning the ground by simply owning ACL. The income streams are whats important, not whose name is on the deeds.

Agree with you but I think he means acl which is why it has a 40 mill price tag for the council half

 

[3D Jase]

I personally do not trust any of them, The council will not sell 50% of the stadium due to the revenue it brings in from concerts.ect...Sisu have put £47m in but how much are they taking out in Directors pay, dividends, and then we have ACL who are in bed with the Council...

 

[japandy]

This started as a thread about Cllr Hutton and quickly turns into a anti SISU thread. I had a talk with my friend who worked with SISU on a few project and there are some MASSIVE stories next week about their 60m losses whaich seem to be 'other' losses.

BUT, my concern is the arrogance of the council and especially Cllr Hutton. He has now stated the council wish to be 'involved'. Id this why he was elected a councillor? So SISU sell up and are bought by the American gentlemen but then he cant buy the ground because the council wont allow, is this the scenerio that may happen?

 

[Otis]

Of course it is the way forward Otis BUT would you trust Sisu?

No. But the way he was talking, he was talking as if he meant anyone, not just Sisu.

 

[SkybluG]

Yes, the council will be a noose around the neck of the club. We need a new ground we own, even if that means putting up with sisu for a while longer

 

[coundonskyblue]

This started as a thread about Cllr Hutton and quickly turns into a anti SISU thread. I had a talk with my friend who worked with SISU on a few project and there are some MASSIVE stories next week about their 60m losses whaich seem to be 'other' losses.

BUT, my concern is the arrogance of the council and especially Cllr Hutton. He has now stated the council wish to be 'involved'. Id this why he was elected a councillor? So SISU sell up and are bought by the American gentlemen but then he cant buy the ground because the council wont allow, is this the scenerio that may happen?

Whos Cllr Hutton?

 

[coundonskyblue]

Yes, the council will be a noose around the neck of the club. We need a new ground we own, even if that means putting up with sisu for a while longer

No we don't. We need to get rid of Sisu first, then deal with the other problems later.

 

[Black6Osprey]

He stated the club needs to be able to work with a partner. When asked the direct question of whether for the club to be successful in the future they should own the stadium he said no, we should have share as when we had HR we didnt make a very good job of it and they couldn't risk the same with the Ricoh.

This is not an attitude which will have anyone queuing up to take us over.

 

[wingy]

No. But the way he was talking, he was talking as if he meant anyone, not just Sisu.

sounded like he was talking Freehold like Coundon said .
Also said it would be beneficial to have the Trust involved with the Club.

 

[Grendel]

He stated the club needs to be able to work with a partner. When asked the direct question of whether for the club to be successful in the future they should own the stadium he said no, we should have share as when we had HR we didnt make a very good job of it and they couldn't risk the same with the Ricoh.

This is not an attitude which will have anyone queuing up to take us over.

No and this sets this club apart from all other council assisted projects.

It's time supporters woke up and realises where the biggest problem lies.

 

[The CableGuy]

I understand what you are saying but I don't think he was talking about SISU just in general terms.

They are almost treating it like a national treasure. I thought it was a football ground.

Its a lot more than a football ground.

And, didn't the Council like.....build the thing?

You can't expect them just to hand it over to CCFC, or anyone else, without certain guarantees that such a sale would benefit the City of Coventry and its citizens (including those who don't like football, let alone support CCFC).

 

[CCFC_GT]

No we don't. We need to get rid of Sisu first, then deal with the other problems later.

The trouble is that to get rid of SISU we need to attract new investors, and the Council stance of clinging on to 50% of the Ricoh will put off investors, so I don't think it will be possible to get rid of SISU first and then deal with the other problems.

 

[covmark]

Its a lot more than a football ground.

And, didn't the Council like.....build the thing?

You can't expect them just to hand it over to CCFC, or anyone else, without certain guarantees that such a sale would benefit the City of Coventry and its citizens (including those who don't like football, let alone support CCFC).

No, IT IS a football ground and without ownership ccfc is going nowhere

 

[Harry Grout]

Sure, the Club needs to be able to work with a partner, but only one that is first and foremost fully committed to the playing success of the Club. I'm not sure any of our current 'partners' come remotely close to this ideal.

 

[coundonskyblue]

The trouble is that to get rid of SISU we need to attract new investors, and the Council stance of clinging on to 50% of the Ricoh will put off investors, so I don't think it will be possible to get rid of SISU first and then deal with the other problems.

But Sisu can't be trusted with the stadium. The Council needs to say they will sell, but only to responsible investors who will run it for the benefit of Coventry.

 

[Jack Griffin]

Only caught a bit of this guy on CWR on way back from game. He was the last caller and pretty much got cut short but from what I heard, the council do not agree that the stadium should ever be in the complete control of the football club and they should only ever get a share. He cited our failure to look after Highfield Road as why the club shouldn't have full ownership.

Didn't get a good vibe listening to this as I still believe full ownership is the only real way forward.

I agree with Maton, there has got to be a backstop to prevent the football club selling the ground and paying rent to play there. There has got to be a way that allows the club to benefit from the business they bring, whilst not seling the goose that lays the golden egg to finance over-ambitious & risky schemes.

Long term it won't be SISU anyway, they need to turn a profit & skedaddle, but they will hang on till conditions are favourable to them. So we need to see 2 things happen, SISU to turn a profit and sell to new owners & a CCFC/ACL restructure with protection for Arena ownership and a guarantee or NE Coventry development funds.

 

[CCFC_GT]

Its a lot more than a football ground.

And, didn't the Council like.....build the thing?

You can't expect them just to hand it over to CCFC, or anyone else, without certain guarantees that such a sale would benefit the City of Coventry and its citizens (including those who don't like football, let alone support CCFC).

No one posting on this thread has suggested that the Council simply hands over its share of the Ricoh, however if the Council is not prepared to sell without making the massive profit it seems to be after, then CCFC has no future.

 

[japandy]

Why should I spell his name right? Has he shown me, the fans or the club respect? He is an overbearing power induced fool who is well matched with SISU.

 

[mattylad]

what a complete penis that person is....no more to be said

 

[CCFC_GT]

But Sisu can't be trusted with the stadium. The Council needs to say they will sell, but only to responsible investors who will run it for the benefit of Coventry.

Don't disagree with you, just waiting for the Council to say they are prepared to sell to responsible investors AT A REASONABLE PRICE. From Councillor Kevin Maton's comments it sounds as though he for one doesn't want to see the Council sell to ANY investors full stop.

 

[Grendel]

what a complete penis that person is....no more to be said

Sadly many in here such as coundonskyblue and don have been duped in believing these fools are actually remotely interested in the club.

 

[luwalla]

Its a lot more than a football ground.

And, didn't the Council like.....build the thing?

You can't expect them just to hand it over to CCFC, or anyone else, without certain guarantees that such a sale would benefit the City of Coventry and its citizens (including those who don't like football, let alone support CCFC).

Did the council build it? I thought the club paid the majority of the stadium costs and the council jumped in at the end when we couldn't afford to finish the project .. not sure how much money the council actually put into the stadium, but I'm pretty sure if the amounts of money put into the project were Laid out... It would be be the club top, then the Higgs charity , then the council .. Yet the council seem to be the ones with all the control . Could be wrong but that's my understanding

 

[rob9872]

Just vote him out simple. Can we get some sbt members runnning for council who will give the club the stadium for free?

 

[CCFC_GT]

I agree with Maton, there has got to be a backstop to prevent the football club selling the ground and paying rent to play there. There has got to be a way that allows the club to benefit from the business they bring, whilst not seling the goose that lays the golden egg to finance over-ambitious & risky schemes.

Long term it won't be SISU anyway, they need to turn a profit & skedaddle, but they will hang on till conditions are favourable to them. So we need to see 2 things happen, SISU sell to new owners & a CCFC/ACL restructure with protection for Arena ownership and a guarantee or NE Coventry development funds.

I agree with you on this. There does need to be protection built in to any sale of the Ricoh that prevents any new owners from selling on the stadium and associated revenues and leaving CCFC as just tenants again.