By James Roach
September 22 2005

The supporters were offered the chance to put their questions regarding the club to the chairman, Keith Fairbrother. He has given us an exclusive statement answering the majority of these questions.

Further to the questions put to the Club by the Unofficial Web site, answers to most are contained in the following.

 

Unfortunately, many of the questions were from persons using an alias.  This Website Board has threads posted from persons with several aliases. 

 

In the main, the threads are from people with the good of the Club at heart, people who agree that, since the old Members owned Club bankruptcy of ‘98, the Club has moved on to its current facilities, which are admired by all other clubs in our league and the game at large.

 

Current spending on these facilities is approaching £4 million, which includes the purchase of the derelict Butts Site for over £1.5 million from the Council (including development premiums).

 

This has been funded by Butts Park Ventures Ltd.  Coventry Rugby Club, however, enjoys full use of the Stadium and its facilities, rent free, on a seven day basis, unlike the Sky Blues Soccer Club, which is a tenant, paying a substantial commercial rent of over £1 million per annum, for strictly limited use of the stadium.

 

From the new Butts Stadium, the Rugby Club is now steadily building up its income and trade on a 24/7 basis from the first class air-conditioned facilities, i.e. conferences, functions, weddings, exhibitions, room hire etc. as against just 13 Home League Matches per season, as was the case at Coundon Road, in its very tired, worn out facilities.

 

This, therefore, gives the Club the opportunity to build revenues towards the Club’s ambitions of a Squad, capable of Premiership status in the future.

 

In it’s current form, with minor improvements, the Stadium and Club will meet the Premiership Ground Rules Criteria.  (Having said that, we are still a long way from filling the current capacity of 6,000).  (Let’s hope we do it with the Quins visit.)

 

We believe that by providing top quality facilities, we should be able to charge a reasonable price and not have to be down market, as was the case at Coundon Road.  Bookings are coming along well and by next year, we expect to have a strong and profitable business outside of Rugby days.

 

We try to produce a premium product.  We are very proud of our Squad, which is the best and most expensive we have ever had, containing many high quality players of international repute, including a modern hard-working Coaching and Team Management set-up and all are keen to get on with the hard season ahead.

 

Our Club Management Personnel, Bar, House and Ground Staff are extremely loyal to you the Fans and all our Commercial Sponsors and simply do not deserve to be subjected to the horrible and insulting remarks made by people hiding behind an alias on this unofficial Web Site. 

 

We are not interested in popularity contests, but will always listen to constructive comment or criticism, if from a person who puts their own name to the comments.

 

Certainly, we all have the utmost respect for our loyal Fans and Sponsors and for anyone else who wishes to support this famous Club.

 

Our policy is to try to operate on a balanced budget basis and look to spend everything possible on our Squad (rather than for profit).  This is over a 5 year term.

 

In the recent relegation battle, we spent a lot over budget on new players to save ourselves and if you remember, paid for Supporters bus trips and a celebration drinks party to assist in our battle on the away trips.

 

As in any business, employees and personnel come and go. 

 

Questions and speculation about the sale of the Club are hypothetical and simply cannot be answered accurately.

 

One can never say never, but if anything gets firmed up, then we will be the first to inform you.  To date, we have had approaches with regard to many aspects and proposals in our attempts to build out the site and also take the Club forward.  Meanwhile, it may be worth pointing out that to date, Butts Park Ventures has made all of the £4 million investment and has taken on the considerable risk of succeeding with the proposed property development at The Butts.

 

When the build-out is completed, then the position will be that a Win Win situation will have been achieved, i.e. (1) the derelict Butts Site will have been developed into a major City Community asset, (2) Butts Park Ventures gets a reasonable return on its investment risk, (3) the Rugby Club acquires a Premiership standard Stadium with income producing facilities to fund its future growth at No Rent or cost to the Rugby Club.

 

Compare this situation with 1998, when the Club was bust, in a worn out stadium and debts of £2.3 million.

 

Finally, all of the Staff, Management and Playing Squad are 100% committed to doing all in their power to make “Cov” a bigger, more famous and respected Club in the world of Rugby.  Visiting fans and officials are in awe of The Butts, Cov’s history and most of all, its large Spectator and Fan base.

 

The International Children’s Games Ceremony was a huge success.  Our community work is awarded year on year.

 

Why weaken this with negative and abusive comments on an unofficial web site. 

 

Instead, let’s all get behind our people, Management and Squad to achieve our dreams and ambitions for the Club.

 

In closing, we do not propose to make regular or weekly answers, especially to anonymous questions in the future, but will always listen to constructive comments from our Fans.

 

Signed

 

Keith Fairbrother

Chairman