I can’t quite believe we’re having to deal with a situation like this so soon. The excitement of our return to the Ricoh is already being sullied by talk surrounding the owners of Wasps attempting to hijack our stadium, and I tell you what, I’m livid.
Let me tell you “owners“, members of our council, and any other shyster fat cat with a desire to disregard the wishes of our community for dubious financial benefit: you’re messing with the wrong team, and the wrong community.
I’m like every other supporter of Coventry City, Cov 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 think stealing a team from its roots and brazenly relocating it in the heart of another team’s patch 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. We have our own 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? They won’t.
Do you think Cov Rugby club fans will abandon their club in favour of this a despicable creation? They won’t.
Do you think Coventry City fans are going to sit back and allow the strong-armed acquisition of the home they’ve spent 18 months fighting for? They won’t.
And do you honestly think other sports fans are going to justify this behaviour by lining your pockets as you set up camp in a stadium that you have no due right to? They won’t.
From a CCFC fans’ perspective, the temptation is to flip this on its head and demand that Sisu in turn makes a bid for the stadium. I understand that logic, and yes – if the current discussions prompt decisive action from our own bosses 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 especially with the right people. Those 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 relationships – a rental agreement provides a safe and sensible middle ground while the club gets itself back on its feet. I’m fine with that; it feels like the best thing at the moment, which is why I’m so pissed off at such an unnecessary distraction with the potential to sabotage all the rebuilding work we’ve done to this point.
It’s another unwanted fight, but at least this time we finally have a stance we can all focus on. One that will revolve around 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 our 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.