Coventry City

Coventry City Football Club

Supporters’ Consultative Group Meeting

Thursday, 4 December 2014, 6.30 p.m.

Alan Berry Building, Coventry University, Coventry

Pat Abel - PA

Steve Barnett - SBA 

Jim Brown - JB

Steve Brown - SBR

Lee Corden (Advent Communications) - LC

Kieran Crowley (CCFC) - KC

Ian Davidson - ID

Darren Davies - DD

Dale Hayward - DH

Mark Hornby (CCFC) - MH

Chris McGrath - CM

Kevin Monks - KM

Pat Raybould - PR

Tynan Scope (CCFC) - TS

Ray Stephens - RS

Jonathan Strange, Chairman - JS

Robert Tidmarsh - RT

David Busst

Sandra Garlick

Kevin Heffernan

Jan Mokrzycki

Mark Sorbie

Ravinder Singh Takhar

Peter Ward

JS welcomed two guests to the SCG, Dale Hayward and Robert Tidmarsh, who are representative of younger supporters.

JS asked PR to show the meeting the Tapestry that is being made by JSB’s. Everyone congratulated Pat for the hard work she and her helpers do. It was agreed that like last year the SCG members would make a donation to the JSB’s to enable Pat to purchase things for the children to make on a match day. Covsupport News Service, Diamond Club, the CCFPA and CCLSC had either made or were pledging donations. Pat asked the meeting for any suggestions they may have for the JSB’s when the Tapestry is completed. 

Simon Gilbert's article in the Coventry Telegraph had insinuated that the SCG was not independent. JS said the group should be sure to undertake its own PR and the responsibility for its own minutes. 

It was agreed that the minutes of meetings would be published within two weeks. Anything less created problems for the minute taker. CM agreed to carry on taking the minutes until someone else could be found. Whenever necessary, the chairman would issue an interim statement.

SBR asked why it took two weeks to issue the minutes.  JS stated that it was unfair to expect them to be typed and sent out in the precise way they are in 5/6 days. Perhaps we are being too punctilious now the minutes are being more publicly circulated. 

JS received an e-mail from a fan suggesting that the SCG put a thread on the Sky Blue Talk website. It would be specifically for questions. ID suggested it might not be a good idea and that the group should look at it with caution. TS said it would perhaps be a good idea to just put a single question thread.  It was agreed that the group should also put its email address on the GMK website.

Uneven surface to the right of the steps from the Tesco underpass where a supporter had tripped. Tunnel lighting very dim. Long cash queues at the Plymouth match. MH to look into this.

Poor tannoy system – especially Blocks 19 and 36. This has been raised with ACL, also the lack of hot water in the men's toilets. This was fixed but has now gone again. Colour of water in the urinals. MH

Filthy tables in the family zone, described as a disgrace by PR who had forwarded photo to MH. They had to clean them before they could use them. This is a health and safety issue. MH

PR said food she had bought on concourse was burnt. JB said friend had reported food was sold out when he got to front of queue. There were still issues with away subs on scoreboard. MH 

Blitz Remembrance better handled than minute’s silence on Remembrance Day. MH said the problem with the former lay with the referee. He had been informed before the match about the procedure, but took it upon himself to get on with it. 

JS thanked the club for the improvement in the provision and quality of ball boys.

KM said he had tried to get through to the ticket office recently. He had been overcharged for tickets and called the number 29 times. He also emailed Karen Bennett but got no response. In the end he had to use Facebook to communicate with the club. KB

JS asked about home printing of tickets. KB 

Share certificates. TF.

Club photos and Legends lounge. JB said that he had received no response from Justin Hewitt. TS said that he had spoken to ACL who had been amenable but had yet to offer any tangible response. 

PA had suggested making use of the help of Diamond Club members for Tickets for Schools. RS of the Diamond Club felt this was for younger and fitter people. MH wasn't keen. PA also advised that Peter Ward's wife had been looking after Rugby School, selling sixty tickets - some of them to girl pupils. SBR suggested that Coventry City Ladies FC could get involved in TFS, but TS felt full-time jobs would get in the way of this.

DH asked about discounts for groups and the disabled. MH advised him that groups are already discounted and that disability discounts would be discussed another time. A special session over disability issues would be scheduled when Mark Sorbie is available.

SBA’s question about CCLSC and Wasps supporters is now closed

NB: In future, after every home match as well as in other instances, practical and operational issues should always be e-mailed primarily to Tynan Scope, Mark Hornby and Karen Bennett and copied to Steve Waggott

JS introduced Nick Eastwood, the CEO of Wasps, who answered questions on a wide variety of strategic and practical issues affecting the Ricoh Arena and the relationship between the two clubs, on the pitch, refurbishment work to the dressing rooms, the naming of stands, new food outlets and a real ale bar, practical issues in the concourse and the legacy of poor customer value.  

JS and Peter Ward had attended the CCFC board meeting in London which finished less than three hours before. JS gave an outline of the meeting. He and PW had been impressed by the level of frankness and openness. It was clear that there was a keen spirit of co-operation between CCFC and Wasps. Discussion ranged across stadium plans, the state of the Ricoh pitch and player recruitment in January. A statement about the meeting would be issued by the football club in the morning and in due course by JS and PW. JS reiterated that it would always be a minimum of two members attending.  

KC agreed to act as election officer. Members wishing to stand should e-mail JS no later than 24.00 on Friday 12 December. Candidates would be announced the following day. KC would then accept votes by e-mail until no later than 24.00 on Wednesday 31 December. 

Due to pressure of time, this will be held over

JS said that Steve Brookfield had requested members of the group to submit any suggestions for merchandise.

CCFC Newsletter is always a month old in its news items. KC explained why and that the problem would soon be tackled.KC will update details of SCG members on website as well as uploading minutes of the September meeting into the SCG section. 

PA spoke of current challenges over Tickets for Schools. Wasps are giving away a large number of tickets to schools.

JB says there seems to be a lot of advertising all over the city about Wasps. Where is the Coventry advertising? MH spoke about this.

SB asked if the club were looking at shirt designs/ticket prices for next season. TS said at the moment they were still focused on the present season. As and when, the SCG would be consulted.

To be confirmed