After each matchday programme this season, we publish the regular column from the Coventry City board on our website. You can read Coventry City Chief Executive Dave Boddy's column our game against West Bromwich Albion below:
Good afternoon and welcome to today’s game as we host West Bromwich Albion here at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
I would also like to welcome the players, staff, officials and supporters from West Brom to today’s game, the first league game we have hosted between these two teams for over 12 years.
Early Tuesday morning, we received the devastating news of the passing of Club President John Sillett. There has been an outpouring of emotion for John following news of his death.
The tributes to him, that have been nationwide, have been richly deserved. He truly was a remarkable man, whom I had the pleasure and privilege of knowing during the last five years. He is a giant of this Football Club, who achieved so much at the Sky Blues, as both player and as a manager over many, many years. He had continued to offer inspiration as Club President in recent years. He was a great character and when he walked into a room, he would light it up with his personality and humour. Although John had been in poor health for a number of years, he was always excited about attending games and he was in attendance for our first game this season, back in Coventry, against Nottingham Forest.
I would like to offer my sincere condolences to his widow Jean and the rest of the family, who have also always been massively supportive of the Club. We are pleased to be able to welcome the Sillett family to the game today.
Half Season Tickets went on sale last week, with them being valid from the game against Millwall just after Christmas. The Half Season Ticket still remains the best value for watching the remainder of the Sky Blues home games in what promises to be an exciting second half to the campaign. Having passed the 11,000 mark previously, it would be great to continue to build the number of Season Ticket holders that we have and try to surpass the 11,500 mark that we reached last time in the 1969/70 season. Building our Season Ticket base is important in increasing attendance levels, but it also forms a really important revenue stream for the Club to continue to try and push the Club forward.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has purchased a Season Ticket or a Ricoh Return Membership for this campaign in what was an uncertain time and we believe they represented excellent value, reflecting the COVID uncertainty as we announced the return to Coventry last March. As we look forward to the New Year, we are starting to formulate our plans for the 2022/23 Season Tickets, which will be important in our preparations for that campaign.
Today we are expecting our biggest crowd of the season to date, reflecting the appetite within the City and local area for this Football Club and the progress that we have made over the last few years.
Today is also the first chance to purchase the new League One Champions book in our Club Shop, with the pre-orders having been dispatched earlier in the week.
Thank you for your support as always, enjoy the game.
Dave