After each matchday programme, we will be publishing the 'From the Boardroom' article on our website. For Friday's match against Stevenage, Coventry City Chairman Tim Fisher wrote the column and his article is published below:
"Good evening and welcome to all Sky Blues supporters who join us for our match tonight here at the Ricoh Arena against Stevenage.
I would like to extend that welcome to the fans, players and officials who join us tonight’s opposition.
We now enter the final four games of the season, three of which are at home. We did a special offer firstly for the Final Five games of the season, which was well received, and we have then replicated it for ‘The Final Push’ which includes the last three home league games of the campaign. We need as many fans as possible in the stadium backing the team. Having three home matches among these last four league games is a real opportunity for the players to make the final push, and for you as supporters to back your team as we push for promotion. We have been delighted with the uptake of both of the offers, which will add at least 500 fans in total across each of these matches.
Our first 2018/19 Early Bird Season Ticket period concludes at midnight on Monday, the 23rd April. We are in line with many clubs in this division by selling Season Tickets at this stage of the season but this also means that we end the first Early Bird period before the end of the season.
As said previously, this initial Early Bird period will not be extended – but a second Early Bird period has been introduced. This will run from 24th April up until 3rd June, and sees adult Season Ticket prices increase by £1 per game, so that prices start from £322.
This still represents great value for supporters, equating to paying £14 per game. However, if you want to pay £13 per game – please make sure you purchase before midnight on 23rd April.
There was news earlier this week regarding the Ryton Training Ground. This has been the club’s training ground and home for many years, and somewhere which has been held in great affection by many people over the years. However, the requirements of a modern training ground facility have outgrown the Sky Blue Lodge building and the size of the site.
On Wednesday, plans to move training ground to a new facility and to redevelop the 8 acre Ryton site for housing to help fund the new facility were heard by an Inspector examining the Rugby Local Plan.
The plans for Ryton have been included in the emerging Rugby Local Plan and are supported by Rugby Borough Council and by Sport England. At the hearing, the club were able to update the Inspector on the timescale for relocating the training facility to a new site to allow the Ryton site to be developed for housing and we are confident that the Inspector will endorse the allocation when he reports to the Council later this year.
We have secured an option to buy a piece of land which has a significantly larger footprint than Ryton. An alternative use for Ryton can only happen when the new training ground facility development is operational - this is a requirement of the planning for Ryton. We will keep fans updated as to the progress of the application and plans, while there is further explanation of the process on our website.
Our principal focus remains on the field of play and the final four league games of the season. These are all massive games for the club, and we all look forward to an exciting and positive end to the season."
Tim Fisher
Chairman
Coventry City Football Club