New investment could provide hope for Coventry

The recent past hasn’t been the easiest of times for the fans of Coventry City, four managers have been and gone in the four years under the ownership of the Ray Ranson led SISU group and terminal decline has set in. The club now lies bottom of the league under the much maligned Andy Thorn, a Thorn in the side of many supporters (I’m sorry), and blighted by financial trouble.

The club has attracted a storm of disillusionment with its supporters who have protested tirelessly for the removal of SISU, the London based investment company, and led mass-protests back in Auugust and the general feeling since then, as Thorn has led them to just four wins since then, is one of such endearing sentiments as “Thorn out” and F**k SISU”.

However, this could all be about to change as Gary Hoffman, who used to be a Vice-Chairman on Ranson’s board, has returned better than ever and ready to talk business after his last takeover attempt ended sourer than the chicken from the local Chinese.

The fact that SISU have merely agreed to even talk again to life-long City supporter Hoffman, not to be confused with Dustin of course, is big news and even though it remains to be seen if his bid can persuade the shared-investment seeking SISU to accept a full take-over, it could provide a cloud-free future for the Sky Blues. Excuse the pun.

Hoffman’s first approach earlier in the season was understood to be worth above a neat little sum of £30million and if that wasn’t enough, £10m set aside for investment in players, £10m to fund on-going losses and another £10m towards the purchase of half of the Ricoh Arena stadium.

This would be more than what Coventry have seen under the scrooge-like SISU group who have still not been visited by the three ghosts and have only allowed Thorn to loan in 37 Herman Hreidarsson and Manchester City’s youngster Alex Nimely to fight the relegation battle which is looking more and more like a mountain climb with every passing game. They have also had to see the departure of Lukas Jutkiewicz, the football writer’s dream, to Middlesbrough for £1.3 million after hitting nine goals so far this season.

With the help of Hoffman, who has made an approach to begin preliminary talks over a possible investment, they may be able to buy players of their own rather than beg, steal and borrow. Rather than all the antipathy, there could slow be brighter skies above the Ricoh rather than the blue air from “f**k SISU” and all the anti-ownership banners that have blackened this well-reputed club.

 @AdamGray1250

Comments

[MC]

Good article - however you are wrong to suggest that the fans are on the back of the manager. In fact, we have the utmost respect for AT who continues to get the team to play football the right way in very difficult circumstances. We may be bottom of the league but AT has had his hands and legs tied and been blindfolded in the process!