The owners of Coventry City’s Ricoh Arena have called on the Football League to block the club’s proposed move to Northampton, and keep the club in its “rightful home.”
Arena Coventry Limited (ACL) has said the Ricoh is still available for the Sky Blues to play their home games, having previously offered to let them play there rent-free next season.
The onerous rental cost of £1.2 million a year has been a key factor in the club’s problems.
It emerged earlier this week that a deal has been agreed for the Sky Blues to play their home games at Sixfields for the next three years, but this is yet to be ratified by the Football League.
An ACL spokesman said: “We want to see the Sky Blues playing home games in their home city at their rightful home the Ricoh Arena. This is what the supporters of Coventry City are pleading for.
“The way the fans have been treated by the club’s owners is utterly cruel and any proposal that the club should be ripped from Coventry and relocated to Northampton, or anywhere else outside the city, is absolutely heartbreaking for everyone involved. It cannot make financial sense for the club.
“With the club set to remain in administration for some months to come, we have already made an offer to the joint administrator for them to play at the Ricoh Arena during this time.
“There is no reason for the club to leave the City of Coventry. We trust that the Football League, as an organisation which holds the passions and interests of fans close to its heart, will not sanction this proposed move under any circumstances.”
In response, administrator Paul Appleton said: “The offer made by ACL to allow the club to play at the Ricoh was dependent on Coventry City FC Limited remaining in administration. That is obviously still the case.
“However, as I’ve stated on many occasions, including my press release last Thursday following the completion of the sale of the company’s assets, holdings employs the players.
“There are insufficient assets to employ either a team of players, associated coaching staff or commercial operations to take up this offer.”