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 Middlesbrough below:
Good afternoon and welcome to today’s game as we face Middlesbrough here at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
I would like to welcome the fans, players, staff and officials who have made the trip from the North-East and also their Chief Executive Neil Bausor, and I would like to congratulate him on his recent appointment as a board member of the EFL.
Our last game here against Reading saw another dramatic late winner, this time in the 98th minute. Matty Godden’s crisp left footed strike took the roof off with another amazing atmosphere at the Coventry Building Society Arena throughout the game. We had a great home record during our time playing at St Andrew’s and it is vital that we continue in this vein now we are back in Coventry and try to turn the Arena into a fortress, with you, the fans, being vital to that.
Following the Reading match, your support at Queens Park Rangers was again phenomenal and does not go unnoticed by people outside the Club. A good friend of mine who is a respected national journalist and was at the game commented to me after the game how impressed he was by our support. Your support is hugely appreciated by all of us at the Club and important to our continued success.
Since the Reading game, Season Tickets have continued to prove very popular and we have now surpassed 10,500 sold. Season Tickets remain the cheapest way to watch the Sky Blues and support the Club in all of the 20 games that are left after today. Season Tickets will remain on sale until Tuesday. Phase 2 Ricoh Return Members and also Season Ticket holders should have received their Season Cards in the post.
Our game against Fulham on Saturday 2nd October has been chosen as a live Sky Sports fixture, with a kick-off time of 12:30pm. We have decided to choose this match as our Jimmy Hill Day, in obvious recognition of his lengthy playing career with Fulham. Normally we would hold the game in honour of Jimmy nearest to the anniversary of his death in December, however it seemed appropriate to move it to our game against Fulham for obvious reasons.
We will be donating £1 from every match ticket sold to the Jimmy Hill Legacy Fund. The legacy fund helps support projects for children, young people and adults with disabilities, provide opportunities for young people, support the Sky Blues Family Zone and provide vital funds through grants to various groups and organisations in Coventry and Warwickshire – all in the name of Jimmy, who had such an impact on football and both of the Clubs involved in the game.
Today sees Sky Blues in the Community celebrating the amazing work that they have undertaken this year to date and also during the difficult period of lockdown. Celebrations will take place at half-time, with a parade around the pitch and with a video on the big screen looking back at their work.
The work that Dave Busst and his team do on behalf of Sky Blues in the Community should not be underestimated and the contribution and difference that they make on behalf of the Football Club fills me with pride.
Thanks for your support – PUSB
Dave
Dave Boddy
Chief Executive
Coventry City Football Club