sotv1987
Member
The below mail was sent to CCFC by my mate - Pretty much sums up a lot of fans feelings???? YES/NO???????
On 1st January 1974, my late father introduced me to the first love of my life, namely Coventry City Football Club. 39 years, 5 months and 25 days later our love affair is still going strong. We have had few major plus points in the previous 39+ years but many many down points, but this relationship between myself and CCFC has survived. CCFC also has many other lovers, upto and beyond 40,000 people. I have stuck with her through thick and thin. I was there at the big happy times of 1987, but also at the low points of relegation in 2001 and the many other relegation battles. Just a few example of my devotion to the cause are, the day I had the coach fare to Brighton and Hove Albion away but didnt have the money to pay the entrance fee and I had to beg and borrow off my fellow devoted supporters to get into the stadium, or again the visit to Stoke City again having no money and jumping the turn stile to watch my beloved heroes survive yet another battle to stay in the top flight, the day as a school boy (approx 15 years of age), Tuesday night away to Fulham in the League cup when I hitch hiked to London to cheer the boys on. After an all night party finishing abouit 7am one cold January Saturday morning and deciding to make the long trip to Sunderland, the one coach of City faithful had a total number of 37 on it, I was 1 of that 37. During them many years I have usually held a season ticket, apart from the ages of 15 to 24 when I was finding my way if life, getting married, setting up home and starting a family. Throughout these non season ticket years I still met up with my lover both in Coventry and various locations up and down the country. I think I have earned the right Coventry City 'MY CLUB'.
Now there is a dangerous scary intrusion into the relationship between myself and CCFC, it goes by the name of Otium Entertainments, a company backed by current owners of the club SISU. Although myself and many other lovers of CCFC were so grateful when SISU saved us by the skin of our teeth in 2007 by saving us from administration and certain relegation to the third tier of English football for the first time in nearly half a century, there has been a slow painful downward spiral ever since. With the wonderful advantage of hindsight I'm sure it would of been much better to take the hit of administration/relegation back in 2007.
Why?
Well SISU, although they insist otherwise, have not invested into the love of my life, they have just stripped MY CLUB of the few remaining assets it holds on too. I will list a team of players below who have played for MY CLUB during the interim period of 2007 to present day that I'm sure if still with the club would have us near the top of the championship at the very least or maybe even in the premier league. Some of these players were loan players we could have signed as most have left their parent clubs and joined clubs of similar size to CCFC, others are players we have had but let contracts run down, and some have been transferred out to what I believe is the the first offer of more than tuppence. 1) Kieran Westwood 2) Richard Keough 3) Danny Fox 4) Aron Gunnarson 5) Ben Turner 6) Scott Dann 7) James Bailey 8) Oliver Norwood 9) David McGoldrick 10) Marlon King 11) Gael Bigaramana (spelling?) Now what a starting 11 that would of been, not to mention Schmichael, Cork, Nimley, Henderson!!! I wouldn't expect to have kept all these players, but 4 or 5 of them could of made such a difference to MY CLUB. I would like to ask, how many bids for Danny Fox were turned down but you agreed to sell? Another question, why is every out going transfer fee un-disclosed? This stinks of dodginess to me.
You as a board state you have invested, upwards of £45m ( I think that is the latest figure) but I disagree. You have not invested anything, you have just serviced a debt, a debt owed to yourselfs (SISU). This is not investment, investment is buying players, offerering contracts suitable to players etc etc etc to move the club onwards and upwards. I have no doubt you as a board and as a company are very clever businessmen and very sufficient at what you do. But football, I think you fail to understand, is very much a speculate to accumulate business.
Lets move on to The Ricoh Arena.
We all agree the rent for the stadium is far to high. But the facts are, although SISU didnt agree the figure to be paid to ACL, SISU as a company knew the rates when originally taking over the club in 2007. In any walk of life you have to adhere to this contract. In theory, if I dont keep up the payments on my mortgage, me and my family lose our home. Simple!!!! The facts we pay the highest rates is because we are dining at the top table, as far as the stadium and facilities are concerned. Now you as a company/board, without any real consultation with the supporters are threatening to take MY CLUB, my lover away from town for 3 years and build us a new home. The fact is we want, the Ricoh, although it's not quite Highfield Road and never will have the same feeling in our hearts as Highfield Road, me and my lover are quite content with out current lovenest.
In conclusion on behalf of myself, my son, MY CLUB and the 40,000+ others I beg you, SISU and Otium Entertainments, PLEASE get out of town and let some other group/person/organisation take over who is prepared to invest in MY CLUB and take MY CLUB forward.
I for one, and many others whon I have spoke to will not be attending any home games, whether at Ricoh, Walsall, Hinckley or Hersall Common, while you or any SISU company are involved in my club. We will continue forever our love affair but our liasons will take place in Crawley, Shresbury, Bristol, Carlisle etc.
Get the message. NOBODY WANTS YOU ANY WHERE NEAR OUR BELOVED CLUB!!!!!!!
I dont pretend to be any sort of businessman and I never will be, so if you take the time to reply, which I doubt as I'm only a mere supporter, please keep your words in plain simple English.
I thank you for taking the time to read this
On 1st January 1974, my late father introduced me to the first love of my life, namely Coventry City Football Club. 39 years, 5 months and 25 days later our love affair is still going strong. We have had few major plus points in the previous 39+ years but many many down points, but this relationship between myself and CCFC has survived. CCFC also has many other lovers, upto and beyond 40,000 people. I have stuck with her through thick and thin. I was there at the big happy times of 1987, but also at the low points of relegation in 2001 and the many other relegation battles. Just a few example of my devotion to the cause are, the day I had the coach fare to Brighton and Hove Albion away but didnt have the money to pay the entrance fee and I had to beg and borrow off my fellow devoted supporters to get into the stadium, or again the visit to Stoke City again having no money and jumping the turn stile to watch my beloved heroes survive yet another battle to stay in the top flight, the day as a school boy (approx 15 years of age), Tuesday night away to Fulham in the League cup when I hitch hiked to London to cheer the boys on. After an all night party finishing abouit 7am one cold January Saturday morning and deciding to make the long trip to Sunderland, the one coach of City faithful had a total number of 37 on it, I was 1 of that 37. During them many years I have usually held a season ticket, apart from the ages of 15 to 24 when I was finding my way if life, getting married, setting up home and starting a family. Throughout these non season ticket years I still met up with my lover both in Coventry and various locations up and down the country. I think I have earned the right Coventry City 'MY CLUB'.
Now there is a dangerous scary intrusion into the relationship between myself and CCFC, it goes by the name of Otium Entertainments, a company backed by current owners of the club SISU. Although myself and many other lovers of CCFC were so grateful when SISU saved us by the skin of our teeth in 2007 by saving us from administration and certain relegation to the third tier of English football for the first time in nearly half a century, there has been a slow painful downward spiral ever since. With the wonderful advantage of hindsight I'm sure it would of been much better to take the hit of administration/relegation back in 2007.
Why?
Well SISU, although they insist otherwise, have not invested into the love of my life, they have just stripped MY CLUB of the few remaining assets it holds on too. I will list a team of players below who have played for MY CLUB during the interim period of 2007 to present day that I'm sure if still with the club would have us near the top of the championship at the very least or maybe even in the premier league. Some of these players were loan players we could have signed as most have left their parent clubs and joined clubs of similar size to CCFC, others are players we have had but let contracts run down, and some have been transferred out to what I believe is the the first offer of more than tuppence. 1) Kieran Westwood 2) Richard Keough 3) Danny Fox 4) Aron Gunnarson 5) Ben Turner 6) Scott Dann 7) James Bailey 8) Oliver Norwood 9) David McGoldrick 10) Marlon King 11) Gael Bigaramana (spelling?) Now what a starting 11 that would of been, not to mention Schmichael, Cork, Nimley, Henderson!!! I wouldn't expect to have kept all these players, but 4 or 5 of them could of made such a difference to MY CLUB. I would like to ask, how many bids for Danny Fox were turned down but you agreed to sell? Another question, why is every out going transfer fee un-disclosed? This stinks of dodginess to me.
You as a board state you have invested, upwards of £45m ( I think that is the latest figure) but I disagree. You have not invested anything, you have just serviced a debt, a debt owed to yourselfs (SISU). This is not investment, investment is buying players, offerering contracts suitable to players etc etc etc to move the club onwards and upwards. I have no doubt you as a board and as a company are very clever businessmen and very sufficient at what you do. But football, I think you fail to understand, is very much a speculate to accumulate business.
Lets move on to The Ricoh Arena.
We all agree the rent for the stadium is far to high. But the facts are, although SISU didnt agree the figure to be paid to ACL, SISU as a company knew the rates when originally taking over the club in 2007. In any walk of life you have to adhere to this contract. In theory, if I dont keep up the payments on my mortgage, me and my family lose our home. Simple!!!! The facts we pay the highest rates is because we are dining at the top table, as far as the stadium and facilities are concerned. Now you as a company/board, without any real consultation with the supporters are threatening to take MY CLUB, my lover away from town for 3 years and build us a new home. The fact is we want, the Ricoh, although it's not quite Highfield Road and never will have the same feeling in our hearts as Highfield Road, me and my lover are quite content with out current lovenest.
In conclusion on behalf of myself, my son, MY CLUB and the 40,000+ others I beg you, SISU and Otium Entertainments, PLEASE get out of town and let some other group/person/organisation take over who is prepared to invest in MY CLUB and take MY CLUB forward.
I for one, and many others whon I have spoke to will not be attending any home games, whether at Ricoh, Walsall, Hinckley or Hersall Common, while you or any SISU company are involved in my club. We will continue forever our love affair but our liasons will take place in Crawley, Shresbury, Bristol, Carlisle etc.
Get the message. NOBODY WANTS YOU ANY WHERE NEAR OUR BELOVED CLUB!!!!!!!
I dont pretend to be any sort of businessman and I never will be, so if you take the time to reply, which I doubt as I'm only a mere supporter, please keep your words in plain simple English.
I thank you for taking the time to read this
