Time to face Reality (3 Viewers)

[bringbackrattles]

We fought hard to get back to the Ricoh and our persistence paid off eventually. But sadly the feelgood factor hasn't lasted and crowds are poor due to many factors,but the reality is that we are fragile as a football club due to poor ownership which has now culminated in a rugby club coming in and who knows where that will lead us ? I firmly believe as a football club we are falling down rapidly and myself personally are just hanging in there through loyalty and nothing else.

 

---

[RFC]

My glass is as ever, half full and not half empty! Who knows, whatever will be, will be.

 

[mds]

My glass is as ever, half full and not half empty! Who knows, whatever will be, will be.

Did your glass start off full or empty?

 

[Rusty Trombone]

We fought hard to get back to the Ricoh and our persistence paid off eventually. But sadly the feelgood factor hasn't lasted and crowds are poor due to many factors,but the reality is that we are fragile as a football club due to poor ownership which has now culminated in a rugby club coming in and who knows where that will lead us ? I firmly believe as a football club we are falling down rapidly and myself personally are just hanging in there through loyalty and nothing else.

All we can do is keep going, try and encourage others to go, support the team and not boo them if the result doesn't go our way, don't put pressure on young kids trying their best for their home town club by constantly slagging them off. Then, maybe one day, things will slowly get better, but we'll need a lot of luck, and a lot of patience.

 

[Rusty Trombone]

My glass is as ever, half full and not half empty! Who knows, whatever will be, will be.

I guess you knew all about this Wasps deal a while ago.

 

[italiahorse]

Just need to start winning and everything else will fall into place.

 

[Tonylinc]

I really can't understand all this doom and gloom merely because another party has bought into the Ricoh. Look, we have had this three way split for years now and it has got us nowhere. Suddenly a party has been introduced who clearly have ambition.....remember that word? ambition; something that has been lacking at our club for a long time. I accept all that has been said about franchise clubs but do not accept that this deal is prima facia bad news for CCFC.

 

[Otis]

We fought hard to get back to the Ricoh and our persistence paid off eventually. But sadly the feelgood factor hasn't lasted and crowds are poor due to many factors,but the reality is that we are fragile as a football club due to poor ownership which has now culminated in a rugby club coming in and who knows where that will lead us ? I firmly believe as a football club we are falling down rapidly and myself personally are just hanging in there through loyalty and nothing else.

Okay, to counter the negative feeling;

1. We are back at the Ricoh.

2. Wasps want to work with us and seemingly want us there long term.

3. We are rid of the council's involvement in this club.

4. Yesterday we ended up with 9 talented kids on the pitch who had all come up through the academy and many look very promising (Phillips, Willis, Maddison, Thomas, Finch).

5. Seemingly we will get a better rental deal from Wasps and some of the revenue's that we have forever been seeking.

6. The Ricoh is now going to be more high profile. That may well bring in more customers, more events and again we may end up benefitting financially from all that.

7. We have a manager that believes in our youngsters and that is a great positive.

8. We are only a quarter of the way through the season. Still an opportunity for an encouraging season.

9. We seem now to be over most of the shit. Just need Sisu now to stop talking of fairytale, make believe stadiums and get on with utilising the Ricoh to the max.

10. No more ACL/Sisu squabbling. We are done with that.

 

[Samo]

Okay, to counter the negative feeling;

1. We are back at the Ricoh.

2. Wasps want to work with us and seemingly want us there long term.

3. We are rid of the council's involvement in this club.

4. Yesterday we ended up with 9 talented kids on the pitch who had all come up through the academy and many look very promising (Phillips, Willis, Maddison, Thomas, Finch).

5. Seemingly we will get a better rental deal from Wasps and some of the revenue's that we have forever been seeking.

6. The Ricoh is now going to be more high profile. That may well bring in more customers, more events and again we may end up benefitting financially from all that.

7. We have a manager that believes in our youngsters and that is a great positive.

8. We are only a quarter of the way through the season. Still an opportunity for an encouraging season.

9. We seem now to be over most of the shit. Just need Sisu now to stop talking of fairytale, make believe stadiums and get on with utilising the Ricoh to the max.

10. No more ACL/Sisu squabbling. We are done with that.

Otis... You are an inspiration, wish I had your energy. I must admit I'm flagging but with the likes of you around our club will not die.

 

[bringbackrattles]

Okay, to counter the negative feeling;

1. We are back at the Ricoh.

2. Wasps want to work with us and seemingly want us there long term.

3. We are rid of the council's involvement in this club.

4. Yesterday we ended up with 9 talented kids on the pitch who had all come up through the academy and many look very promising (Phillips, Willis, Maddison, Thomas, Finch).

5. Seemingly we will get a better rental deal from Wasps and some of the revenue's that we have forever been seeking.

6. The Ricoh is now going to be more high profile. That may well bring in more customers, more events and again we may end up benefitting financially from all that.

7. We have a manager that believes in our youngsters and that is a great positive.

8. We are only a quarter of the way through the season. Still an opportunity for an encouraging season.

9. We seem now to be over most of the shit. Just need Sisu now to stop talking of fairytale, make believe stadiums and get on with utilising the Ricoh to the max.

10. No more ACL/Sisu squabbling. We are done with that.

love your positivity Otis and hopefully all of the above are spot on. I'm well known in being a positive City fan but I now feel like a punchy boxer who's staggering around the ring throwing aimless punches and the crowd telling me to just quit and throw the towel in ! hope you get my analogy ?

 

[bringbackrattles]

My son said " Dad,does that mean the seats at the Ricoh will now be black and yellow ? " now that is a question !

 

[Como]

Cost too much to change the seats.

I do not think it changes that much in reality, the clarity helps. Also think that there may be positives longer term, fingers crossed.

 

[limoncello]

I really can't understand all this doom and gloom merely because another party has bought into the Ricoh. Look, we have had this three way split for years now and it has got us nowhere. Suddenly a party has been introduced who clearly have ambition.....remember that word? ambition; something that has been lacking at our club for a long time. I accept all that has been said about franchise clubs but do not accept that this deal is prima facia bad news for CCFC.

Exactly mate. Hard-nosed businessmen landlords are what we need. None of that Cayman Island nonsense, at least Malta is in fucking Europe, hey. It's a new dawn.

 

[Hobo]

Okay, to counter the negative feeling;

1. We are back at the Ricoh.

2. Wasps want to work with us and seemingly want us there long term.

3. We are rid of the council's involvement in this club.

4. Yesterday we ended up with 9 talented kids on the pitch who had all come up through the academy and many look very promising (Phillips, Willis, Maddison, Thomas, Finch).

5. Seemingly we will get a better rental deal from Wasps and some of the revenue's that we have forever been seeking.

6. The Ricoh is now going to be more high profile. That may well bring in more customers, more events and again we may end up benefitting financially from all that.

7. We have a manager that believes in our youngsters and that is a great positive.

8. We are only a quarter of the way through the season. Still an opportunity for an encouraging season.

9. We seem now to be over most of the shit. Just need Sisu now to stop talking of fairytale, make believe stadiums and get on with utilising the Ricoh to the max.

10. No more ACL/Sisu squabbling. We are done with that.

Otis,

Thanks for the positivity, but even Fisher on the radio said he was sat next to the window of optimism (you aren't Tim are you).

10 I fear will go on forever.

5. This remains to be seen and it really will determine our future.

the rest are positive you are right.

But I just can't feel comfortable with another club/wasps moving into Coventry....it is business dictating sport rather than business supporting sport.

 

[Jack Griffin]

Otis... You are an inspiration, wish I had your energy. I must admit I'm flagging but with the likes of you around our club will not die.

D'accord, oh and Otis, please tell me the name of your supplier, LOL

 

[skybluetony176]

My son said " Dad,does that mean the seats at the Ricoh will now be black and yellow ? " now that is a question !

Apparently another sports club has done some research and if the seats are the same colour as the home shirts you can't see you're team mates so they're staying sky blue.

 

[stupot07]

We will be in league one in 4 years time.

Otis. I really don't see how you can conclude number 5.

The only glimmer of hope I have is that we buy Higgs share, but I fear wasps will have power to veto and will want the full 100%. I'm not even convinced the councils shares have been transferred over yet.


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[Otis]

We will be in league one in 4 years time.

Otis. I really don't see how you can conclude number 5.

The only glimmer of hope I have is that we buy Higgs share, but I fear wasps will have power to veto and will want the full 100%. I'm not even convinced the councils shares have been transferred over yet.


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By what Wasps are saying. I think we will get a better deal because they are going to open up more revenue streams to us.

Don't know the exact details of the latest deal with ACL, but I am talking about before we left. It will be a better deal than that.

Wasps want us here.

 

[stupot07]

By what Wasps are saying. I think we will get a better deal because they are going to open up more revenue streams to us.

Don't know the exact details of the latest deal with ACL, but I am talking about before we left. It will be a better deal than that.

Wasps want us here.

Feck me Otis, it's not hard to get a better deal than the one before this temporary one.

Where have they said they would open up revenue streams to us? I know I am cynical but I really don't see how it benefits them to give us revenue streams to us. The F&B's are tied up with compass, so that leaves pitch side advertising (which we got anyway) and parking. And those revenue streams are that small fry that it will hardly make a difference to our success, we needed what they are getting 365 day year revenue. And if they are giving us all the revenue streams, they are only getting 'cheap' rent out of us. How does that benefit them, and the need to boost their revenue so that they can be the best team in Europe? They will want every available penny for themselves, quite clear from their FAQ on their new home website their owners don't want to keep funding their £3m losses.

Of course wasps want us here, they'll want to milk every penny they can from us. They know full well we're not going to build a ground because they have trodden that path, they know that the club can't survive moving away again. We're back to the stadium monopoly just with different owners.

At the minute it's all just rhetoric and politicking.i sincerely hope I am wrong.


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[Otis]

Feck me Otis, it's not hard to get a better deal than the one before this temporary one.

Where have they said they would open up revenue streams to us? I know I am cynical but I really don't see how it benefits them to give us revenue streams to us. The F&B's are tied up with compass, so that leaves pitch side advertising (which we got anyway) and parking. And those revenue streams are that small fry that it will hardly make a difference to our success, we needed what they are getting 365 day year revenue. And if they are giving us all the revenue streams, they are only getting 'cheap' rent out of us. How does that benefit them, and the need to boost their revenue so that they can be the best team in Europe? They will want every available penny for themselves, quite clear from their FAQ on their new home website their owners don't want to keep funding their £3m losses.

Of course wasps want us here, they'll want to milk every penny they can from us. They know full well we're not going to build a ground because they have trodden that path, they know that the club can't survive moving away again. We're back to the stadium monopoly just with different owners.


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It's in Richardson's statement today. He talked of shared revenue.

Maybe I am a little more trusting than you. We all know the council jumped the gun yesterday, when they should have held off and carried out consultations with all the parties involved, including fans, but I don't believe they are all crooked.

I am sure that they believe they are doing the right thing here for the city of Coventry, however naive that may be, but Lucas said she only agreed to the deal on the proviso that CCFC would not suffer as a result and would be able to remain at the Ricoh.

It doesn't suit Wasps at all to bleed us dry, cos all that would do would speed our departure from the place. If they need us there they need a willing partner in the groundshare.

Would serve no purpose whatsoever for them to screw us over. Why would then want to milk us for every penny. How would that working partnership pan out?

A number of politicians have come out and said this could be a deal for Coventry City.

I am at least going to wait until Sisu have been contacted by Wasps and see what their reaction to all this is.

I think you are being a little too cynical, Stu, I really do.

The council only agreed on the proviso CCFC didn't lose out and Richardson is saying positive things about us reamining here and working together.

There's enough there to at least give me some hope. The council wanted rid of Sisu, they do not want rid of Coventry City.

Again I think we are jumping the gun. I'm sure the CT will learn more, Sisu will be contacted, as will the Trust and then we will all hear.

I will wait and see what all these people have to say about how the deal affects CCFC before I start all my wailing and gnashing of teeth.

At the moment, the franchise thing apart, I feel this might work out quite well for us. We just need to see the devil in the detail though.

 

[Neutral Fan]

Get real guys. Wasps have done due diligence for 2 years and kept it secret. They've got a major new sponsor in JLR.

They won't have spent £20m for 50% without knowing they can get the other 50% too. They will get the hotel, casino, weddings and conferences cash 365 a year. It's what this is all about. Property development.

It's been a very clever sports franchise.

CCFC will be pretty irrelevent to them. 200k or 400k p.a will be nice but the JLR renaming rights alone will cover most of that. And CCFC won't pay those levels of rent for long anyway.

If SISU move, liquidate, sell or franchise the club to Brum, the new owners of Ricoh (JLR) won't care. They will be the winners regardless. Few others will be.

 

[limoncello]

It's in Richardson's statement today. Hr talked of shared revenue.

Maybe I am a little more trusting than you. We all know the council jumped the gun yesterday, when they should have held off and carried out consultations with all the parties involved, including fans, but I don't believe they are all crooked.

I am sure that they believe they are doing the right thing here for the city of Coventry, however naive that may be, but Lucas said she only agreed to the deal on the proviso that CCFC would not suffer as a result and would be able to remain at the Ricoh.

It doesn't suit Wasps at all to bleed us dry, cos all that would do would speed our departure from the place. If they need us there they need a willing partner in the groundshare.

Would serve no purpose whatsoever for them to screw us over. Why would then want to milk us for every penny. how work that working partnership pan out?

A number of politicians have come out and said this could be a deal for Coventry City.

I am at least going to wait until Sisu have been contacted by Wasps and see what their reaction to all this is.

I think you are being a little too cynical, Stu, I really do.

The council only agreed on the proviso CCFC didn't lose out and Richardson is saying positive things about us reamining here and working together.

There's enough there to at least give me some hope. The council wanted rid of Sisu, they do not want rid of Coventry City.

Again I think we are jumping the gun. I'm sure the CT will learn more, Sisu will be contacted, as will the Trust and then we will all here.

I will wait and see what all these people have to say about how the deal affects CCFC before I start all my wailing and gnashing of teeth.

At the moment, the franchise thing apart, I feel this might work out quite well for us.

No offense, but you haven't been to an away game since 1987. All you care about is having the club on your doorstep (imho). I'm sure you're a lovely bloke and all but you were banging on about the need to wait for more information when the Wasps story broke, then we ran out of time to do anything, then you were against the whole deal and now you think it's great.

Imho, and absolutely no offense is intended, I think you are a bit thick and you change your position all the time.

 

[Rusty Trombone]

Get real guys. Wasps have done due diligence for 2 years and kept it secret. They've got a major new sponsor in JLR.

They won't have spent £20m for 50% without knowing they can get the other 50% too. They will get the hotel, casino, weddings and conferences cash 365 a year. It's what this is all about. Property development.

It's been a very clever sports franchise.

CCFC will be pretty irrelevent to them. 200k or 400k p.a will be nice but the JLR renaming rights alone will cover most of that. And CCFC won't pay those levels of rent for long anyway.

If SISU move, liquidate, sell or franchise the club to Brum, the new owners of Ricoh (JLR) won't care. They will be the winners regardless. Few others will be.

You're right about one thing, they haven't spent £20m for 50%. You must be annoyed the club gets primacy, you were going on about that a lot weren't you.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

Okay, to counter the negative feeling;

1. We are back at the Ricoh. For how long?

2. Wasps want to work with us and seemingly want us there long term. Only because they see us a revenue stream to make money from.

3. We are rid of the council's involvement in this club. Good point

4. Yesterday we ended up with 9 talented kids on the pitch who had all come up through the academy and many look very promising (Phillips, Willis, Maddison, Thomas, Finch). They will be sold

5. Seemingly we will get a better rental deal from Wasps and some of the revenue's that we have forever been seeking. How have you came to this opinion, nothing so far indicates this is going to happen.

6. The Ricoh is now going to be more high profile. That may well bring in more customers, more events and again we may end up benefitting financially from all that. Why would we benefit from non match day revenue when we are only a tenant.

7. We have a manager that believes in our youngsters and that is a great positive. They will be sold

8. We are only a quarter of the way through the season. Still an opportunity for an encouraging season. Could be but I'm sceptical

9. We seem now to be over most of the shit. Just need Sisu now to stop talking of fairytale, make believe stadiums and get on with utilising the Ricoh to the max. The shit never stops flying in Coventry

10. No more ACL/Sisu squabbling. We are done with that. SISU will find someone else to squabble with

Depressed CCFC fan

 

[Grendel]

You're right about one thing, they haven't spent £20m for 50%. You must be annoyed the club gets primacy, you were going on about that a lot weren't you.

Don't mention £20 million no future with sisu gets upset about all this speculation.

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

It's in Richardson's statement today. He talked of shared revenue.

Maybe I am a little more trusting than you. We all know the council jumped the gun yesterday, when they should have held off and carried out consultations with all the parties involved, including fans, but I don't believe they are all crooked.

I am sure that they believe they are doing the right thing here for the city of Coventry, however naive that may be, but Lucas said she only agreed to the deal on the proviso that CCFC would not suffer as a result and would be able to remain at the Ricoh.

It doesn't suit Wasps at all to bleed us dry, cos all that would do would speed our departure from the place. If they need us there they need a willing partner in the groundshare.

Would serve no purpose whatsoever for them to screw us over. Why would then want to milk us for every penny. How would that working partnership pan out?

A number of politicians have come out and said this could be a deal for Coventry City.

I am at least going to wait until Sisu have been contacted by Wasps and see what their reaction to all this is.

I think you are being a little too cynical, Stu, I really do.

The council only agreed on the proviso CCFC didn't lose out and Richardson is saying positive things about us reamining here and working together.

There's enough there to at least give me some hope. The council wanted rid of Sisu, they do not want rid of Coventry City.

Again I think we are jumping the gun. I'm sure the CT will learn more, Sisu will be contacted, as will the Trust and then we will all hear.

I will wait and see what all these people have to say about how the deal affects CCFC before I start all my wailing and gnashing of teeth.

At the moment, the franchise thing apart, I feel this might work out quite well for us. We just need to see the devil in the detail though.

http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/wasps-ceo-wants-coventry-city-7903341


You mean this statement?

He doesn't actually talk about shared revenues, he talks about generating the financial resources for the club to get us back into the championship and then says it would be great to have a top flight rugby and football club in the city.

Wasps will only be interested in any deal that will make them money.

 

[Otis]

No offense, but you haven't been to an away game since 1987. All you care about is having the club on your doorstep (imho). I'm sure you're a lovely bloke and all but you were banging on about the need to wait for more information when the Wasps story broke, then we ran out of time to do anything, then you were against the whole deal and now you think it's great.

Imho, and absolutely no offense is intended, I think you are a bit thick and you change your position all the time.

When the story broke the only clear info we had was that of Wasps coming in, nothing else.

I didn't want Wasps here but wanted to know how it affected Coventry City FC. I didn't feel strongly enough about protesting just on the one issue of the Wasp franchise. Wasn't happy about the principal of what was said about them coming, but I didn't feel strongly enough about the notion based on just that bit of info.

You will also remember some were talking of it may be just being European games only.

I therefore wanted more info. I don't think my wanting more info stopped anyone else from protesting. Did anyone? Or did they just moan about it on here?

A protest could quite easily have gone ahead based on that one bit of info we had.

I have consistently said I don't want Wasps here. Never budged on that. I also said I would oppose the deal if Wasps fans and Cov fans didn't want it and I have consistently said I would oppose it if these groups were not happy.

I wrote to all 3 of my councillors expressing my concern at allowing a franchise in.

Now Wasps are here and it is done, I just feel there is very little we can do, so am now looking at the best possible deal for Coventry City FC.

Of course I want my club on my doorstep. I was born in Coventry and have supported the club all my life and they are Coventry City. It's not all i care about, but when it concerns Coventry City of course I want my home team playing inmy home town.

I don't feel I have changed my mind at all. I can see both sides in this and for me it has never been just black and white. Others have felt a lot more strongly on the Wasps franchise thing than me. I haven't wanted them here and I will admit I have been a bit selfish in putting Coventry City before Wasps. But for me that was always going to be the way.

My priorities are that of Coventry City, then for Coventry and for Cov rugby and then for Wasps fans.

We've had so much shit of our own to deal with for years. I want what is best for Coventry City. I would like what's best for Coventry City without Wasps coming here, but they are here and there's not a lot we can do about it, so I am now looking at what's best for Coventry City with Wasps here..

 

[Otis]

http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/wasps-ceo-wants-coventry-city-7903341


You mean this statement?

He doesn't actually talk about shared revenues, he talks about generating the financial resources for the club to get us back into the championship and then says it would be great to have a top flight rugby and football club in the city.

Wasps will only be interested in any deal that will make them money.

Of course. That is obvious. And no, not that statement. That was yesterday. It was something he said in the press conference today.

 

[Neutral Fan]

You're right about one thing, they haven't spent £20m for 50%. You must be annoyed the club gets primacy, you were going on about that a lot weren't you.

No on the contrary. I' pleased they have primacy (if true...it still seems a little odd to me Wasps would give primacy to a tenant who says they're leaving in 2-4 years). Maybe the council read these boards and followed the suggestion?!

Remember my motivation...I hate franchising of football clubs (and rugby clubs too). I was against CCFC playing in my home town. I'm against this new Wasps franchise. I'll be cross if CCFC get moved out of town again. I detest MK Dons. Do you see now?

 

[Hobo]

The reality is Wasps have moved into the Ricoh a stadium built for CCFC. They have done the deal SISU should have done but messed it up by being too greedy. When they did the deal to move back to Coventry they persisted with the stance of further court action and we are going to build our own stadium. This allowed CCC to do a deal with Wasps.

Any major revenue streams will be for the benefit of Wasps and we will be tossed the pie crumb money, not enough to give us a viable healthy future.

the cost of this deal is peanuts compared to building our own from scratch and there is no guarantee SISU would get that or the location right.

i can't see a 50/50 partnership working especially with SISU involved. If SISU turn out to be mystery backers in this I think the deal would benefit them rather than CCFC (but I don't think they are involved).

The good news is they have got us on an even keel financially and we seem to be producing some useful young players. However this will not get us out of League 1 we may even struggle to stay in it if we pick up some unfortunate injuries.

The future seems as murky as ever. We now might be left hanging on a thread of hope over the next four years that Wasps have got their sums wrong and go belly up and that somebody else doesn't come in to pump money into them or that we don't go belly up first.

 

[Otis]

Depressed CCFC fan

Maybe it's just for the best then for you to go and top yourself now.

The council are all a bunch of liars and even though some of the councillors are CCFC season ticket holders, they voted to destroy their own club, Wasps are going to milk us dry and force us to leave, even though they need us there and all our players are going to be sold.

This statement is then also a complete crock of shit .....

"This deal would not have happened if it threatened the future of the Sky Blues or Coventry Rugby Club.”

 

[Rusty Trombone]

No on the contrary. I' pleased they have primacy (if true...it still seems a little odd to me Wasps would give primacy to a tenant who says they're leaving in 2-4 years). Maybe the council read these boards and followed the suggestion?!

Remember my motivation...I hate franchising of football clubs (and rugby clubs too). I was against CCFC playing in my home town. I'm against this new Wasps franchise. I'll be cross if CCFC get moved out of town again. I detest MK Dons. Do you see now?

I see your obsessin with primacy goes on, now taking the form of sticking your fingers in your ears and shouting la, la ,la when you're told the club get it.

I hope Joy and Tim see that you will be cross if they carry on with their plans to move us out.