Firstly, well done to the City last night. Showed the grit and the 'we will not be beat' attitude that existed a few months ago. Mr. Fisher has now said 'it will take less than a year to build' the new stadium. I think people's fears of leaving Coventry for good should now be put to rest, and also, the idea we will never return to the Ricoh is also far off the mark. Point 1 - People have seen what happened at MKDons and think that situation will be the norm. Wrong. MK did not have a team and their council were looking for one. The situation was further esculated by the fact the Wimbledon public (major) and their council didn't want a 'successful' team on their doorstep. The good people of Wimbledon prefer their quaint 'tennis' town to be sleepy and not taken over every two week by football fans. Yhe Coventry public, on the other hand, want us back. Point 2 - A 'permanent' stadium would take more than a year to build so everything is now pointing to a 'temporary one', This makes good business sense because it leaves the club open to a return to the Ricoh at some point, dismantle the stadium and re-sell the land. So with the 80% pessimists who have taken over this site I say, 'have patience, enjoy your new Saturday life, and in a few years we will be back at the Ricoh'. Have a good day.
We should all have learnt to take anything Fisher says with a pinch of salt... Remember CCFC Ltd as a non-trading subsidiary, and the club as 'debt free'? When it comes to stating facts he is simply not someone to trusted.
I'm not sure your parallels with Wimbledon are actually correct however, I do accept that Merton Council didn't co-operate with the football club. Bear in mind neither will Coventry City Council cooperate with SISU. Relocating is relocating - it's just a matter of distance for us. For me, if we're outside Coventry we are no longer 'Coventry City'.
I have no reason to disbelieve the building of a temporary stadium and that it could be built in less than a year. SISU are looking at this for two reasons.
Reason 1 - The Sixfields boycott is costing them far more money than they anticipated and it's my guess that they don't want to make up the shortfall with equity - just loans (which might be repaid at some future date). There will also be the very real danger of more Football League sanctions next season as the club's turnover during this season will be a lot less than SISU originally forecast. Crowds will most likely go down next season - not up.
Reason 2 - A temporary stadium will lengthen the 'distress period' of ACL by the club not being there. Building a temporary stadium might add ten years to this as it is likely the Football League would give permission to use the temporary stadium for a number of years.
It looks a cleaver move by SISU as it buys even more time and will push up revenues which are so poor at Sixfields. SISU want the Ricoh - and this buys even more time for not much money. The club sacrificed nearly £2m a year of turnover going to Sixfields for up to 5 years. Add to that the clubs losses the figure is way over £10m. A quick land deal and a £5m temporary stadium and things might pick up (they think).
More than one more relegation and the temporary stadium remains. It will be fine for non-League football.
An interesting development though.