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 from our game against Blackburn Rovers below:
Good afternoon and welcome to the Coventry Building Society Arena as we face Blackburn Rovers today in the Sky Bet Championship.
I would like to welcome the players, staff, officials and supporters who join us from Blackburn this afternoon. In particular, I would like to welcome a trio of ex Sky Blues – Tony Mowbray, Steve Waggott and Mark Venus. Mark was instrumental in bringing me to the Football Club back in February 2017 and we have kept in touch with each other regularly since he left. I will always be grateful to Mark for giving me the opportunity to come here.
The 2022/23 Season Tickets and Premium Memberships have been on sale now for nearly three weeks and we have already reached over 3,300 in our bid to eclipse this season’s record total of 11,555. We are delighted with the response at this early stage and we thank those that have already committed to supporting us in the 2022/23 campaign.
A reminder to fans that existing 2021/22 Season Ticket holders have until 5:30pm on 19th April to renew their current seat, at which point seats that have not been purchased will be released for other supporters to buy. The Early Bird deadline ends on Monday 25th April at Midnight.
In my last notes I congratulated our Under 18s for reaching the final of the Premier League Development cup, and they look forward to the final against Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Tuesday 26th April at 2pm. Since then, our Under 16s have followed suit, winning 2-1 away at Barnsley, with two very late goals to clinch a place in the Premier League Development Under 16s cup final. The opponents again for them will be Ipswich Town, and the game has been scheduled to be played at the Coventry Building Society Arena on Bank Holiday Monday, 2nd May, with a 1pm kick-off, subject to our home Championship game with Huddersfield Town not being moved for television coverage. If you are looking for something to do on Bank Holiday Monday, our young players would love your support.
Once again, these two results are testament to the outstanding work that all of the Academy staff, led by Dan Bolas, are doing.
On Monday 21st March, there was a service to celebrate the life of John Sillett, which was held at Coventry Cathedral. The invitation only service was attended by over 600 people, with numerous former Sky Blues players, including members of the 1987 FA Cup winning team, and many friends of John within the football and horse racing families. It was a wonderful occasion and a very fitting celebration and tribute to the legend that was John Sillett. With half a dozen speakers paying fitting tribute, along with a host of video tributes from numerous ex-players and managers, including Sir Alex Ferguson.
Thank you once again for your support today, I hope you enjoy the game – PUSB.
Dave