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 Southampton below:
Good evening and welcome to the Coventry Building Society Arena for tonight’s game as we host Southampton.
I would also like to welcome the players, staff, officials and supporters who join us from Southampton for tonight’s Sky Bet Championship match.
Our last meeting with the Saints was at St Mary’s Stadium in February 2022 when we lost in extra time in a pulsating FA Cup tie against the then Premier League side. Many will remember the game itself and the fantastic atmosphere generated by the huge travelling contingent of Sky Blues fans.
Our last home game against Birmingham City on Friday night saw us supporting the White Ribbon campaign, highlighting the issue of domestic abuse. Our players wore a White Ribbon on their shirts for the game on Friday. Not only did we support the campaign on matchday, but also the 16 days of action leading up to the game and it is the Club’s intention to continue to highlight and support the campaign going forward.
Also on Friday night for the first time for a Coventry City game at the Coventry Building Society Arena, we introduced road closure of the A444/Jimmy Hill Way post-game. As supporters will be aware through our various media channels, the Club and the Arena has had massive concerns about supporters egress from the Arena streaming across the island on the A444 at the bottom of Judds Lane and the safety of fans crossing the road.
The problems generally arise when people try to cross the road at places other than the designated crossings. It is not the intention to have road closures at every game, just for those with the larger expected attendances (and on Friday night, there was also an event clash at the Arena which created further pressures). We would therefore appeal to supporters to be patient in crossing the road at the designated crossings, as opposed to entering live traffic directly across the island.
In my programme notes for the Birmingham game, I confirmed the news that had been announced earlier in the week of my leaving the position of Chief Executive. Doug King is in the process of restructuring lots of aspects of the Football Club behind the scenes and to replace part of the role that I did he has created the position of Chief Operating Officer.
The Club announced last week that John Taylor would be taking this post in January. John joins us after recently leaving a similar post at Nottingham Forest and brings with him a wealth of experience. He oversaw their promotion from the Championship to the Premier League and all of the logistical challenges that come with Premier League status. I was part of the interviewing process and believe that John will be an excellent fit for the Football Club and wish him well in the post.
Last Wednesday the Under 18s were successful in winning their FA Youth Cup Third Round tie against Preston North End at Deepdale on penalties, after a 3-3 draw. Their reward for that success is a home tie at the Arena against Barnsley, which will be played in early January – details will be confirmed on our website and social media once finalised.
Enjoy the game – PUSB.
Dave
Dave Boddy
Chief Executive
Coventry City Football Club