Football supporters up and down the country and some from abroad have pledged their support for the fighting fund set up by City fanzine/website GMK and it’s Editor Neville Hadsley to defend a libel action being taken by the Chairman and Board of Coventry City Football Club (Holdings) Limited.
The action has come after Mr McGinnity told shareholders at the club’s AGM last week that "I am sick and tired of people kicking me from pillar to post. "What concerns me is the abuse myself and the board have taken and I am not prepared to let people get away with it.”
According to a statement issued by Coventry City on their official website yesterday, the action revolves around the publication of an email not written by Mr Hadsley on GMK and states: “The author of this letter has since admitted that this contained a word which was intended as reference to persons of a dishonest disposition.”
Most message boards in common usage on the internet only allow retrospective removal of any messages deemed unsuitable and Mr Hadsley removed the offending message as soon as he saw it, thus not adding to or inciting the publication of the defamation.
Support has come via way of financial assistance from not just supporters of Coventry City but in the two days since the fighting fund was launched, supporters of more than thirty Premiership and Football League clubs have so far rallied to offer their support in practical and monetary terms.
Mr Hadsley today issued a statement saying: “I am very thankful to all of you from all over the country who have responded to the GMK Fighting Fund Appeal.
"Also the online donations have been tremendous and I sincerely thank everyone who has made a contribution, not just the Sky Blues fans who have rallied to the cause, but also fans of other clubs.
"I've even had a donation from a Chelsea fan in Iceland. I'm also very impressed by the number of people who have sent me the money they would have spent on tickets and travel for this Saturday's game against Crewe.
"Thanks too, for the hundreds of messages of support I have received. It's all rather humbling. You are all stars.
"Thanks again for all your support in what is a very difficult and stressful time for my partner Lynne and our son Oscar.”
Anyone wishing to support Neville can do so by clicking on the following link