Sad reality of our city (2 Viewers)

Hardly anyone in this city actually supports the team. When I was in sixth form a year ago I was one of two or three with a season ticket. All my little brothers mates support one of the big clubs, it's shocking.

face reality - we are now nearly at nuneaton boro level!!

The problem is the club are clueless on how to build a fan base. It's always been the case that there is 'support' for the big clubs but once old enough to got a lot would then see the light. Get into the football experience and they would be hooked. Right now, and this is down to SISU but for me, Tim Fisher, do not do anything to encourage fans to go. No money for the team, no money for a ground, but an endless supply for courts and lawyers!! Even on the night of the return, Waggot was doing his best, talking about the way it was a sell out, oh wait a min we found more seats, now it a sell out. Oh no it's not- found some more... Then that twat fisher has to open his gob and piss people off again before we had even got to the game. Club shop - a joke. Ticket office- a joke.
The club shop at the Ricoh might have cost £1000 a week more, i don't know, but at least you had revenue all the time, apart from the rush to get the tickets for the return, I have never seen more than 1 other person in that shop at the Gallagher. SISU need to try speculating to accumulate, we are sinking faster and faster. Relegation from the top flight took 34 yrs, from the championship about 10? L1 will be 3 if we are lucky L2 would then be about 1.

The fans that defend SISU need to wake up quick, if SISU stay we will not have anything left to salvage in another 2 yrs.

When I was at school, and later at work, city were in the first division and virtually everyone was a city fan. Monday was always talk about the city. I used to get to Highfield Road really early to get a good standing place as a teenager. Now, the hope has gone and with it any remaining interest. It will take years of PR and better quality football to get to where we once were and we now have Sky to contend with showing top quality football in the pub or our living room. The disputes, the administration, losing and refinding the golden share, empty promises, mediocre displays and so on and so on have destroyed the "brand" Coventry City and therefore the " goodwill " of the company. What a hapless company SISU is - in regard to this particular project. You can moan about Wasps, Ann Lucas, the council etc., but you cannot deny the damage SISU's tenure has caused and this damage won't suddenly disappear when they eventually throw the towel in - which in the end they will have to ( if the downwards trend over the last seven years continues as it is ).

Me and my staff see thousands of kids in Coventry and Warwickshire each week and we (all bar two of us are Cov fans) have spoken on how few kids support City on a fair few occasions recently. There's more and more shirts from the London, Manchester, Liverpool and Spanish clubs every week.

CCFC tickets for schools programme do good work and it has never been easy to sell the club to the next generation. It must be even harder now though. Every school I work in has Wasps posters and ticket offers but barely anything for CCFC.

You're nine. A City youth player who you've never heard of and is barely taller or wider than you are offers you a ticket to see the City play Rochdale. The next minute 18 stone, 6 foot 4, England superstar James Haskell walks in offering you a ticket for the same price to see Wasps play Leinster. Which one would you chose?

The people of Coventry are no different to any other city. So first off we must forget this arrogant assumption that we are somehow special.

I suspect there were some city fans in that class, but they were embarrassed to say. They probably get teased by the other kids for supporting a shite club.

You have to ask yourself what makes a young kid fall in love with a football club? Is it right to assume that kids will want to support the most depressing club in England?

We all know kids want to support a winning team.

Just look at the last time each club had a good season. A good season being: winning a trophy, finishing in the play offs or automatic promotion places, qualifying for Europe. I think this says it all:

Arsenal 2014
Brentford 2014
Brighton & Hove Albion 2014
Burnley 2014
Burton Albion 2014
Cambridge United 2014
Chelsea 2014
Chesterfield 2014
Derby County 2014
Everton 2014
Fleetwood Town 2014
Leicester City 2014
Leyton Orient 2014
Liverpool 2014
Luton Town 2014
Manchester City 2014
Peterborough United 2014
Preston North End 2014
Queens Park Rangers 2014
Rochdale 2014
Rotherham United 2014
Scunthorpe United 2014
Southend United 2014
Tottenham Hotspur 2014
Wigan Athletic 2014
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2014
Bournemouth 2013
Bradford City 2013
Cardiff City 2013
Cheltenham Town 2013
Crewe Alexandra 2013
Crystal Palace 2013
Doncaster Rovers 2013
Gillingham 2013
Hull City 2013
Manchester United 2013
Mansfield Town 2013
Newport County 2013
Northampton Town 2013
Port Vale 2013
Sheffield United 2013
Swansea City 2013
Swindon Town 2013
Watford 2013
Yeovil Town 2013
Birmingham City 2012
Blackpool 2012
Charlton Athletic 2012
Crawley Town 2012
Huddersfield Town 2012
Milton Keynes Dons 2012
Newcastle United 2012
Reading 2012
Sheffield Wednesday 2012
Shrewsbury Town 2012
Southampton 2012
Stevenage 2012
West Ham United 2012
York City 2012
Accrington Stanley 2011
AFC Wimbledon 2011
Bury 2011
Norwich City 2011
Nottingham Forest 2011
Wycombe Wanderers 2011
Aston Villa 2010
Leeds United 2010
Millwall 2010
Morecambe 2010
Notts County 2010
Oxford United 2010
West Bromwich Albion 2010
Fulham 2009
Exeter City 2009
Bristol City 2008
Carlisle United 2008
Portsmouth 2008
Stoke City 2008
Dagenham & Redbridge 2007
Hartlepool United 2007
Oldham Athletic 2007
Sunderland 2007
Walsall 2007
Barnsley 2006
Colchester United 2006
Middlesbrough 2006
Bolton Wanderers 2005
Ipswich Town 2005
Tranmere Rovers 2005
Plymouth Argyle 2004
Blackburn Rovers 2003
Coventry City 1987

That is depressing

bigfatronssba said:

The people of Coventry are no different to any other city. So first off we must forget this arrogant assumption that we are somehow special.

I suspect there were some city fans in that class, but they were embarrassed to say. They probably get teased by the other kids for supporting a shite club.

You have to ask yourself what makes a young kid fall in love with a football club? Is it right to assume that kids will want to support the most depressing club in England?

We all know kids want to support a winning team.

Just look at the last time each club had a good season. A good season being: winning a trophy, finishing in the play offs or automatic promotion places, qualifying for Europe. I think this says it all:

Arsenal 2014
Brentford 2014
Brighton & Hove Albion 2014
Burnley 2014
Burton Albion 2014
Cambridge United 2014
Chelsea 2014
Chesterfield 2014
Derby County 2014
Everton 2014
Fleetwood Town 2014
Leicester City 2014
Leyton Orient 2014
Liverpool 2014
Luton Town 2014
Manchester City 2014
Peterborough United 2014
Preston North End 2014
Queens Park Rangers 2014
Rochdale 2014
Rotherham United 2014
Scunthorpe United 2014
Southend United 2014
Tottenham Hotspur 2014
Wigan Athletic 2014
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2014
Bournemouth 2013
Bradford City 2013
Cardiff City 2013
Cheltenham Town 2013
Crewe Alexandra 2013
Crystal Palace 2013
Doncaster Rovers 2013
Gillingham 2013
Hull City 2013
Manchester United 2013
Mansfield Town 2013
Newport County 2013
Northampton Town 2013
Port Vale 2013
Sheffield United 2013
Swansea City 2013
Swindon Town 2013
Watford 2013
Yeovil Town 2013
Birmingham City 2012
Blackpool 2012
Charlton Athletic 2012
Crawley Town 2012
Huddersfield Town 2012
Milton Keynes Dons 2012
Newcastle United 2012
Reading 2012
Sheffield Wednesday 2012
Shrewsbury Town 2012
Southampton 2012
Stevenage 2012
West Ham United 2012
York City 2012
Accrington Stanley 2011
AFC Wimbledon 2011
Bury 2011
Norwich City 2011
Nottingham Forest 2011
Wycombe Wanderers 2011
Aston Villa 2010
Leeds United 2010
Millwall 2010
Morecambe 2010
Notts County 2010
Oxford United 2010
West Bromwich Albion 2010
Exeter City 2009
Bristol City 2008
Carlisle United 2008
Portsmouth 2008
Stoke City 2008
Dagenham & Redbridge 2007
Hartlepool United 2007
Oldham Athletic 2007
Sunderland 2007
Walsall 2007
Barnsley 2006
Colchester United 2006
Middlesbrough 2006
Bolton Wanderers 2005
Ipswich Town 2005
Tranmere Rovers 2005
Plymouth Argyle 2004
Blackburn Rovers 2003
Fulham 2001
Coventry City 1987

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Absolutely correct. Tbf, not just SISUs fault, but they certainly are not going to change things for the better. We don't even have a reason to "hope" for success.

It isn't really a new thing, not many city fans when I was a kid either.

I know it is mentioned about good seasons, but I don't think a 12 year old is going to support a team just entirely because they got into League 2 playoff positions are they?

We need owners who do care.

CraigSBA said:

We basically live in a glory hunting big game society then ...so sad

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Indeed we do. You only need to look at the glory hunters on this very site.

so all bar 20 teams have had a successful season at their level in the last 5 seasons
we haven,t had one in the last 28 seasons, and we are getting further and further away from one

There is nothing to hope for

look at the current team - kids and loans - you cant associate with them - would you recognise most of them in the street
There is not much left - next season crowds will be in the region of 3-4k and unless anything major changes that will determine the future history of our once great club

very very sad

It always used to piss me off when I used to come up to home games back in the late 90s and when walking across the big green (don't know what its called) next to Sky Blue Way you would see young kids having a kick around all in replica kits and not one was in a City one.

We were an established PL side and they were playing football 200 yards away from HR on matchday and none of them were remotely interested.

bigfatronssba said:

The people of Coventry are no different to any other city. So first off we must forget this arrogant assumption that we are somehow special.

I suspect there were some city fans in that class, but they were embarrassed to say. They probably get teased by the other kids for supporting a shite club.

You have to ask yourself what makes a young kid fall in love with a football club? Is it right to assume that kids will want to support the most depressing club in England?

We all know kids want to support a winning team.

Just look at the last time each club had a good season. A good season being: winning a trophy, finishing in the play offs or automatic promotion places, qualifying for Europe. I think this says it all:

Arsenal 2014
Brentford 2014
Brighton & Hove Albion 2014
Burnley 2014
Burton Albion 2014
Cambridge United 2014
Chelsea 2014
Chesterfield 2014
Derby County 2014
Everton 2014
Fleetwood Town 2014
Leicester City 2014
Leyton Orient 2014
Liverpool 2014
Luton Town 2014
Manchester City 2014
Peterborough United 2014
Preston North End 2014
Queens Park Rangers 2014
Rochdale 2014
Rotherham United 2014
Scunthorpe United 2014
Southend United 2014
Tottenham Hotspur 2014
Wigan Athletic 2014
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2014
Bournemouth 2013
Bradford City 2013
Cardiff City 2013
Cheltenham Town 2013
Crewe Alexandra 2013
Crystal Palace 2013
Doncaster Rovers 2013
Gillingham 2013
Hull City 2013
Manchester United 2013
Mansfield Town 2013
Newport County 2013
Northampton Town 2013
Port Vale 2013
Sheffield United 2013
Swansea City 2013
Swindon Town 2013
Watford 2013
Yeovil Town 2013
Birmingham City 2012
Blackpool 2012
Charlton Athletic 2012
Crawley Town 2012
Huddersfield Town 2012
Milton Keynes Dons 2012
Newcastle United 2012
Reading 2012
Sheffield Wednesday 2012
Shrewsbury Town 2012
Southampton 2012
Stevenage 2012
West Ham United 2012
York City 2012
Accrington Stanley 2011
AFC Wimbledon 2011
Bury 2011
Norwich City 2011
Nottingham Forest 2011
Wycombe Wanderers 2011
Aston Villa 2010
Leeds United 2010
Millwall 2010
Morecambe 2010
Notts County 2010
Oxford United 2010
West Bromwich Albion 2010
Exeter City 2009
Bristol City 2008
Carlisle United 2008
Portsmouth 2008
Stoke City 2008
Dagenham & Redbridge 2007
Hartlepool United 2007
Oldham Athletic 2007
Sunderland 2007
Walsall 2007
Barnsley 2006
Colchester United 2006
Middlesbrough 2006
Bolton Wanderers 2005
Ipswich Town 2005
Tranmere Rovers 2005
Plymouth Argyle 2004
Blackburn Rovers 2003
Fulham 2001
Coventry City 1987

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Sadly it does say it all.

I remember growing up in Cov at Primary school (late 70's/early 80's) there were lots of kids supporting Liverpool, Utd etc, but they also supported city (never understood that), I was lucky my family had season tickets and I was taken up to the ground and away days at a young age and was hooked.

As I see it, get the kids to the game and some will continue, look at the now famous Norwich experiment, giving away ST to young kids for free, yes they also had an upturn, but even if they didn't some of those free ST would have been turned into paying ST. (and look at our landlords, discounts on prices, trying to make matchday fun especially for the kids good PR, something SISU need to learn from)

Whatever league we are in next season the club has to look at ST prices and offers, assuming we get very little or nothing from F&B, then it will be a small financial burden on us but hey there is no money now. So if I were in a position to decide on the ticketing policy for next season:

rug rat to U14 - free with adult ticket - adult tick reduced to 75% or early bird price
U15 - U16 (and those in full-time education) - £50
Students/unemployed - £75

Adults £250 (I would like this to be lower)
OAP £150


All the above on interest free payments terms if required.

All the U15 above that want to create an atmosphere be given block 15-16, but also would be looking for ideas from them on creating an atmosphere


There are a lot of seats are in the ground, therefore I would use a section in the ground (opposite end of North stand 25/26/27) for grassroots football clubs that are FA Charter standard or above. Each club would get 12 free ST (2 adult and 10 kids – need confirmation on FA guidelines for adult/child ratios) thus the kids that play football can see football, some will turn into paying ST’s over the years, but more importantly there are people in the ground. I’m not sure how many Charter Standard clubs are in Cov, but if too many clubs draw lots, but aim to fill at least 2 sections. Use another part of a section for the school tickets but give away more than now. Basically get potential customers bums on seats


We need to make the game price cheaper and more interesting than Wasps, we have to remember that the club can only have a few ticket offers per season, therefore the cost cutting has to done via ST and 1/2 ST.


Game prices (dependant on league)

L1 - Max £20
L2 - Max £15

NOW FOR THE PAIN, if people want lower ticket prices (yes we all do) then unless more people take up ST & go to the game then the club will have less income, therefore less money to spend on players wages, therefore there are big risks in reducing prices next season.

Mild-Mannered Janitor said:

That is depressing

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Jesus yes, my exact thought when I saw that list. Even more so when you realise it's 14 years between us and team directly above us.

RegTheDonk said:

Jesus yes, my exact thought when I saw that list. Even more so when you realise it's 14 years between us and team directly above us.

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............and 17 years before that! (Europe after finishing 6th!) Never achieved again! But we still love 'em! Bless 'em! x

CCFC_Charlie said:

Hardly anyone in this city actually supports the team. When I was in sixth form a year ago I was one of two or three with a season ticket. All my little brothers mates support one of the big clubs, it's shocking.

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When I was at school it was probably 95% City

The Sky dream of football isn't about attending matches it's about watching on television. Major events aren't the FA Cup 3rd round draw it's the Transfer Deadline day.

Sky TV has a lot to answer for - good or bad.

My first competitive game of football was at for Gosford Park Junior School and we played against Aldermoor Farm Junior School. It was 1965 and I was 10 years old. Gosford Park didn't have a school football kit and we were told to bring our own kits to play in. We all turned up in our Sky Blue replica home kits.
In the 60's we were a club on the up and all the kids wanted a part of it. Happy days and a nice memory.

The main reason for that list as it stands is debt. Many clubs have entered administration and lost crippling debt, SISU ensured the same process for us kept the debt around the clubs neck despite the points deductions. All of our managers have had spending constraints since about 2000 and have been forced to sell the best players, that has gradually got worse and worse until today where the owners are still scraping around trying to flog off the best of the kids.

Houchens Head said:

Sky TV has a lot to answer for - good or bad.

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Correct. Their involvement has had positives and negatives. Putting Prem/CL games on TV will subtract from our attendances. However the insane amount of money given for the TV rights isn't being used in the correct way. Why has the increase in money also seen an increase in ticket prices? More than one PL club has admitted they would still make money even if they didn't charge a penny for entry. When the money goes into a centralised pot why can't it be split to help more efficiently? For example if 50% went to the PL clubs = £2.565bn, 20% to the FA to help grass routes = £1.026bn and 30% get each Championship, L1 and 2 club = £21.4m each. From these figures it wouldn't even need to be a tenth of that £21.4 to each FL club to make a massive difference to most of them. The money could be used to make 'Twenty's Plenty' a reality. To do more in the community. To fill the grounds that are barely half or a quarter full.

However across the pond the NBA, NHL, Nascar, NFL and MLB all have good attendances despite those sports and the Premier League being constantly shown on several sports channels 24/7. At many clubs/franchises there has been dozens and in some cases hundreds of consecutive sell outs. Why is it so different?

All through my school years there was about 5 cov fans. It's always been like that as far back as I can remember.

Therein lies the problem. If you asked the kids round my way { SW Leics} at 5-16, I'd guess that 75% of them support Leicester City. There was a time when 15% of the rest would proudly declare their team as Coventry City but I doubt it now !

CraigSBA said:

We basically live in a glory hunting big game society then ...so sad

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If you were a kid watching that crap on Tuesday night would you want to go again ?
Chuck you in your seat, nothing going on pre match, watch the "football" and home.
Don't mean to bring it up but they need to engage the kids in schools, pre match etc like the stadiums other team.

Sick Boy said:

Indeed we do. You only need to look at the glory hunters on this very site.

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.... and the few that except mediocrity means will have the same for years to come.
We all want glory. Unfortunately it's not going happen here with Sisu.

italiahorse said:

If you were a kid watching that crap on Tuesday night would you want to go again ?
Chuck you in your seat, nothing going on pre match, watch the "football" and home.
Don't mean to bring it up but they need to engage the kids in schools, pre match etc like the stadiums other team.

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Yes of course. When you are kid it's not only about watching a single game of football that makes you fall in love.

When I was child I couldn't care less about pre-match entertainment and the spectacle- if you want that then watch NFL.

italiahorse said:

.... and the few that except mediocrity means will have the same for years to come.

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I agree, we have far too many accepting of mediocrity and have done since the Thorn debacle where failure was met with half-arsed excuses.

Where is the incentive for the child though some boys just want to wear a football shirt no opportunity to do that at this club so they get another one.

Many people I went to school with followed other teams but when I look now I see them at The Ricoh.

My oldest boy is 3 and I want to get him a shirt and not a white one! So now I have to wait until the start of the new season which normally means they will be ready about November and all the time his mum is saying follow Villa and his grandad is saying I will get you a Blues shirt.

CraigSBA said:

Thats not what being a supporter is though is it ..if its bad i wont go again . Everybody should support their hometown clubs imo ..
So many young lads and lasses say they are proud coventrians and will back the city from any outside critics , its our home we are proud of it etc etc ...then say but i support man utd ...lol
Its like an englishman supporting spain ..its basically unheard of ...but club footballs different ..why

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Your assuming though that they are born supporters.

The first match they go to they are not supporters. What they see will determine what they become.

my first match was the 1977-78 League Cup replay at HR v Liverpool. Circa 36K crowd packed in under the floodlights, deafening atmosphere, the smells of Bovril and cigars, City wearing IMHO their best kit ever, great players.............We lost that night but I was hooked !!

Compare that now to a young fans first game at the Ricoh this season, Appalling atmosphere, hardly any away fans, awful football, probably no City goals, negative vibe all round, dreadful kit, boos, jeers and moaning !