After each matchday programme, we will be publishing the 'From the Boardroom' article on our website. For Friday night's match against Wycombe Wanderers, Coventry City Chairman Tim Fisher wrote the column and his article is published below:
"Good evening and a warm welcome to this evening’s game against Wycombe Wanderers here at the Ricoh Arena. I’d also like to welcome the fans from Wycombe, who have made the trip to Coventry on the final Friday before Christmas.
As we enjoy the festive season and the conclusion of 2017, it is important that we reflect on the positives of the last year as we look to drive the club towards a positive future. A trip to Wembley and winning the Checkatrade Trophy was a momentous occasion which highlighted just what a great set of fans the club has. The start of the new season saw Mark Robins building a fit, strong and talented squad to try and ensure that the club can move up the leagues at the first attempt.
This season has seen a number of young players break through to the first team. Jordan Shipley, Jordan Ponticelli and most recently, Tom Bayliss have all stepped up from the Academy set-up and their contributions and impact on the pitch have set high standards and expectation. Once again, the success of these players is great testament to the on-going work at our Academy. However, opportunities for the Academy Cov Kids has come at a cost.
The physical nature of the game means that from time to time clubs suffer injury setbacks and disappointingly we have Liam Kelly, Jodi Jones and Tony Andreu recovering from long-term injuries all at the same time. Taking all of these factors into consideration we sit in a strong position – in and around the play-offs. This is an excellent position from which to mount our push for promotion in the second half of the season.
During Christmas many of us will be sharing time with family, friends and the wider community. The club continues to commit time and energy to offering support and building links with local people and groups. This ranges from the excellent and expanding work of Sky Blues in the Community, the appearances of players in the community through to our support of various charities and community groups. In the last few weeks alone, first-team players have visited local schools, the Diamond Club and University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, while the Under 18s have been helping serve food at a homeless shelter.
We are close to releasing full details of our new ‘Supporters’ Forum’ and look to announce this formally in the New Year. This will be an opportunity for fans and local support groups to engage in open dialogue with the club. While communication on significant matters cannot always be immediate, we hope that establishing this new avenue for discussion will help fans to continue to feel part of the club’s journey.
CCFC is built on teamwork and there are many dedicated people who ensure the club runs smoothly. Everyone has an important role to play, from the footballers and staff at Ryton and the Academy, to the team in the Ticket Office, our colleagues at Sky Blues in the Community and Club Shop through to the staff on match days at the Ricoh Arena. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the staff for their continued hard work and commitment to the football club.
My sincere thanks must also go to the volunteers and helpers who all contribute right across the club, and to our commercial partners and sponsors.
The final word goes to our supporters. On behalf of everyone at the club, I would like to thank you for your continued loyalty and support at both home and away games up and down the country. Your support for the Manager and the team is a huge factor in our push for promotion in 2018.
Tim Fisher
Chairman
Coventry City Football Club