So Now We Know?

The Coventry Telegraph’s exclusive story on Wednesday will have been a dagger through the heart of most Coventry City fans as it outlined plans for a groundshare at Sixfields, the home of Northampton Town.

Although it has been rumoured for many months that the Sky Blues would be moving out of Coventry, the lack of concrete news will have led to many supporters hoping that a deal could be reached which would have seen a return to the Ricoh Arena, if only on a temporary basis.

News that a potential new stadium has edged ever so slightly closer will do nothing to alleviate the sickening feeling that most fans would have had upon reading the news.

It now means that a very, very tough decision has to be made by supporters as to whether they cut all ties with the club, boycott any activities that bring money in to CCFC or to continue attending ‘home’ matches with a heavy heart.

‘Clash’

Key dates in the short-term are now the ratification of the groundshare move by the Football League, the creditors’ meeting on 22 July when ACL’s intentions will become clearer and the first ‘home’ game at Sixfields, which will not take place on a Saturday as Northampton are scheduled to play there on that same day (in fact City’s first five home games clash with the Cobblers).

ACL director Peter Knatchbull-Hugessen told BBC Coventry & Warwickshire that the future of the club remained unclear.

“They have not yet satisfied the Football League that they can come out of administration in accordance with the rules of the League,” he said.

“They can’t have done that yet as the CVA (Company Voluntary Agreement), a 35-page document with a lot of detail, only arrived on our desk late yesterday afternoon and we’re starting to pore over it.”

Mr Knatchbull-Hugessen has also been talking about the club’s Academy and their apparent exit from the Alan Higgs Centre to cap a very sad day of news for all CCFC supporters.