I can’t quite believe we’re having to deal with a situation like this so soon.ย Theย excitement of our return to the Ricoh is alreadyย being sullied by talkย surrounding the owners of Wasps attempting to hijack our stadium, and I tell you what, I’m livid.
Let me tell you “owners“, members ofย our council, and any otherย shyster fat cat with a desire to disregardย the wishes of ourย community for dubiousย financial benefit: you’re messing with the wrongย team, and the wrong community.
I’m likeย every other supporter of Coventry City, Covย 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 thinkย stealing a team from its rootsย andย brazenlyย relocating itย in the heart of another team’s patchย 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. Weย have our ownย 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?ย They won’t.
Do you think Cov Rugby club fans will abandon their clubย in favour of thisย a despicable creation? They won’t.
Do you think Coventry City fans are going to sit back and allow theย strong-armed acquisition of the home they’veย spent 18 months fighting for? They won’t.
And do you honestly think other sports fans are going to justify thisย behaviour by lining your pocketsย asย you set up camp in a stadium thatย you have no due right to? They won’t.
From a CCFC fans’ perspective, theย temptation is to flip this on its head and demand that Sisu in turnย makes a bid for the stadium. I understand that logic, and yes – if the current discussionsย prompt decisive action from our ownย bossesย 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 especiallyย with the right people. Thoseย 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 relationshipsย –ย aย rental agreement provides a safe and sensibleย middle ground while the club gets itself back on its feet. I’m fine with that;ย it feels likeย the best thing at the moment, which isย why I’m so pissed off at such an unnecessary distraction with theย potential toย sabotageย all the rebuildingย work we’ve done to this point.
It’s another unwanted fight, but at least this time weย finally have aย stance we can allย focus on. Oneย that will revolve aroundย 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 ourย principles – and in the words of Tony Montana, we don’t break them for no one.
********* MESSAGE ENDS *********
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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.