Coventry City's game against Sheffield United on 13th October which is live on Sky, is an opportunity to get our voice heard but some people are completely exaggerating its importance.
This is a war of attrition and there are going to be a lot more battles yet. 13th October isn't going to be when the war is won or lost.
There is no consensus as to what to do for the Sheff U game but personally I don't see that as a problem. If we all agree that CCFC should play in Coventry then whether/how to get that message heard on 13 Oct is entirely up to each individual to choose.
The line I will give to the media is that the empty seats at sixfields show the overwhelming majority of City fans oppose the move to Northampton, we want CCFC back in Cov and on 13 October supporters will be demonstrating that in different ways.
So for those members of the Sky Blue Army who want to go to the hill, Kev Kelly will be organising things including transport. I have been approached by The Old Shepherd on Keresley Road CV6 2JJ who will be providing a family friendly screening of the game and at the same time, given last weekend’s really sad news about Jimmy Hill, will be raising money for the Alzheimer’s Society. The Old Shepherd website is here and full details are –
“Coventry City fans wondering what to do for the Sky Blues’ televised game against Sheffield United on Sunday 13 October (kick off 4pm) are being offered a family friendly screening of the game by The Old Shepherd on Keresley Road, working with fans’ campaign group Keep Cov in Cov and the Alzheimer’s Society.
Old Shepherd Manager, Clive Brookes, and his Assistant Manager, Ashley Sharpe, are both City fans. Ashley explained: “Clive and me are big sports fans. We sponsor three football teams in our community including The Shepherd FC and Coventrians Ladies Football Club”. Like the overwhelming majority of City fans they are opposed to CCFC playing in Northampton and decided to contact Keep Cov in Cov Coordinator, Michael Orton, to see if there was any way they could help. As Ashley explained “it is obviously up to every City fan to choose what they want to do but there are many fans who are not going to travel to Northampton but would welcome watching the televised game against Sheffield United in the company of other fans rather than on their own. Michael suggested a family-friendly approach might be an idea because we are all concerned about what is happening to the next generation of Sky Blues fans. At The Old Shepherd we pride ourselves on welcoming all ages. We have a children’s outdoor play area and we always have things like colouring sheets available – and our mars bar milkshakes are very popular with the kids too!”
While City supporters are hurting over the move to Northampton, many local businesses have suffered too. Several in the vicinity of the Ricoh Arena have reported a downturn in trade on match days and The Old Shepherd itself is less than a 10 minute drive from what was the Sky Blues’ home for the last eight years. But while pubs and clubs might be hoping for a boost from the televised game, The Old Shepherd event is also going to be used as an opportunity to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society. As Ashley went on:
“We are always keen to help good causes so, given the really sad news about City Legend Jimmy Hill, when the Alzheimer’s Society was mentioned we thought that was a great idea. We will be doing a half-time collection which we hope both regulars and those coming to watch the City game will generously support.” Anyone wanting more information can contact Ashley at The Old Shepherd on 02476 33 3351.”