Coventry City FC groundshare with London Wasps will 'never work' says man behind Ricoh Arena

[dutchman]

The man who oversaw the construction of the Ricoh Arena has said sharing the ground with London Wasps will never work.



Paul Fletcher, Coventry City FC’s former managing director, has given his view of the current stadium ownership situation in an exclusive interview with the Telegraph.

Mr Fletcher, who also worked on the Wembley Stadium project and is currently constructing grounds in Philadelphia and India, said the Sky Blues must own their own ground if they are ever to return to the Premier League.

The football club currently pays a reported £100,000 annual rent to stadium owners Wasps and keeps all ticket money, and receives 50 per cent of food and drink revenue, as well as a slice of parking income.

But asked if that arrangement was acceptable, Mr Fletcher said: “It will never work. It’s a fair old middle of the road. Every single penny needs to be given to the manager so he can get into this greatest league in world football.

“It’s the greatest league in world football and Coventry should be there. Then the word Coventry would be emblazoned all over the world and it would be great for the city, because this is a great city.

“I don’t like seeing the word Coventry alongside Rochdale and Scunthorpe. I want to see Coventry alongside Manchester, Chelsea and Liverpool - that’s where Coventry should be.”

Asked about his views on the current situation, which sees London Wasps in control of the ground he helped build for the football club, he said: “I have to honestly say I don’t like it.

“When I was there, it was difficult to get the building built, but I thought if we could get the building built it had enough revenue streams to keep Coventry in the Premiership.

“That’s why the Ricoh Arena was built, that’s why it is there and that’s why all the hotels and casinos are there.

“So that when Coventry got into the Premier League, all that revenue would keep them there and they wouldn’t have to put the ticket prices up as they’ve done at Liverpool.

“I’m sad that’s not happened, it’s a great building. When people talk to me about football stadiums, I think the Ricoh is as good a stadium as you can get. I’m just saddened that Coventry are not in the Premier League.”

Mr Fletcher - who some Sky Blues fans will remember as the man who coined the phrase ‘Operation Premiership’ - also said finger-pointing would not help turnaround the club’s fortunes, and that success could only be achieved by the club owning its own ground.

Asked who was responsible for the current situation, he said: “Have you got about 12 hours for me to give you my view on it? Probably everyone will have different views, but the thing that must happen soon is that Coventry City must own their own stadium - they just have to.

“If they don’t they will never have a chance of getting back. A message to the city - this is a fabulous city, it deserves a Premier League football club. It will only have that if Coventry City can own its own ground.”

But Mr Fletcher conceded he did not think this was a realistic aspiration.

He said: “No, they won’t build a new stadium. I don’t think that would ever happen. If it did it would be a stupid thing because I don’t think the fans would follow.

“The fans have started to have a voice. They do have a strong voice these days.

“I loved the Coventry City fans during my time here. I thought they were fantastic and very patient. They waited until we got this great building put together.

“I think they expected better things of both their football club and their council.”