I can’t quite believe we’re having to deal with a situation like this so soon.Β TheΒ excitement of our return to the Ricoh is alreadyΒ being sullied by talkΒ surrounding the owners of Wasps attempting to hijack our stadium, and I tell you what, I’m livid.
Let me tell you “owners“, members ofΒ our council, and any otherΒ shyster fat cat with a desire to disregardΒ the wishes of ourΒ community for dubiousΒ financial benefit: you’re messing with the wrongΒ team, and the wrong community.
I’m likeΒ every other supporter of Coventry City, CovΒ Rugby Club, Wasps, and any other supporter of a sports team out there. I understand and value the sanctity of the local team, because I know how intrinsic it is to the culture, heritage and sheer enjoyment of being a fan. You don’t mess with that.
If you thinkΒ stealing a team from its rootsΒ andΒ brazenlyΒ relocating itΒ in the heart of another team’s patchΒ is in any way acceptable, you’re in for a rude surprise. We’re not Milton Keynes. There’s no gap in the market here. WeΒ have our ownΒ teams and our own history. Coventry is full.
Do you think your own fans will follow you once you’ve stolen their team and placed them a hundred miles from home?Β They won’t.
Do you think Cov Rugby club fans will abandon their clubΒ in favour of thisΒ a despicable creation? They won’t.
Do you think Coventry City fans are going to sit back and allow theΒ strong-armed acquisition of the home they’veΒ spent 18 months fighting for? They won’t.
And do you honestly think other sports fans are going to justify thisΒ behaviour by lining your pocketsΒ asΒ you set up camp in a stadium thatΒ you have no due right to? They won’t.
From a CCFC fans’ perspective, theΒ temptation is to flip this on its head and demand that Sisu in turnΒ makes a bid for the stadium. I understand that logic, and yes – if the current discussionsΒ prompt decisive action from our ownΒ bossesΒ in securing the long-term future of Coventry City, then we’ll all be happy.
But I want those terms to be water-tight, for the right reasons, and especiallyΒ with the right people. ThoseΒ who have the best intentions of Coventry City at heart, and the capability to safeguard them. This can’t just be another by-product or ill-considered response to rogue external influences. We’re back home and rebuilding relationshipsΒ –Β aΒ rental agreement provides a safe and sensibleΒ middle ground while the club gets itself back on its feet. I’m fine with that;Β it feels likeΒ the best thing at the moment, which isΒ why I’m so pissed off at such an unnecessary distraction with theΒ potential toΒ sabotageΒ all the rebuildingΒ work we’ve done to this point.
It’s another unwanted fight, but at least this time weΒ finally have aΒ stance we can allΒ focus on. OneΒ that will revolve aroundΒ refusing and refuting any acknowledgement from our own council of this outrageous attempt at destabilising the fabric of sport in Coventry.
We have our teams, we have our stadiums, and crucially, we have ourΒ principles – and in the words of Tony Montana, we don’t break them for no one.
********* MESSAGE ENDS *********
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Thanks babes. You can vote in three different ways. See below.
[tabby title=”Form”]Method one: Complete a Nomination form
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4 comments
Too bloody right! Wasps can fuck right off in short order. FACT – The Ricoh Arena was built to be the home of Coventry City Football Club. We have just been through the best part of eighteen months of sheer hell in order to get OUR club playing back where they belong, at The Ricoh. Why on earth are ACL talking about selling a major share in OUR stadium to a LONDON rugby team? In this long and painful saga I thought I’d seen it all – this simply beggars belief. Do ACL want to play into the hands of SISU and their fantasy new stadium?
Note this – we are talking about our proud club being a tenant at a ground owned by a rugby football club. Where’s the fucking progress there?
The Ricoh, like it or not, is our home. Let’s keep it that way! Apologies for the swearing but I am really fucking angry.
The potty mouth is fully justified Robert. Completely agree with you – that this ludicrous problem has come up so soon after our return is literally incredible.
Second great article in two days Neil. We have a manager who won’t accept second best, we have fans reunited who won’t accept this, now could be the moment Joy has a full circle redemptive Road to Damascus moment and buys the Ricoh properly (or a part share with the council). I can’t see the Wasps logic anyway. Nobody will come. And we will have to play elsewhere because the league rules dictate football has to be the primary sport. I can only hope it’s some sort of bargaining stance by ACL perhaps. Or maybe even SISU – so they can turn out to be our saviour. Oh the bloody irony. I don’t know who to hate now!
Glad to hear you’ve enjoyed them Rich! It’s left us in a strange place, that’s for sure. I want us to own the stadium of course, but I also have huge doubts over Sisu’s competencies and intentions. This period of consolidation felt crucial to figuring out just where they are.
Either way, there’s no way this Wasps move can be allowed to happen. There are just far too many parties who it complete fucks over.