 THE City supporter co-ordinating our Sky Blues appeal has a simple message for anyone doubting fan power – look to history.
In the 1920s, Coventry City FC faced a similar financial crisis to today.
But the supporters helped rescue it from bankruptcy with a huge fund-raising drive, says Lionel Bird, who is co-ordinating the Coventry Times/Sky Blue Trust Appeal alongside us.
Flash forward to 1964, and the supporters’ club raised a staggering £90,000 for ground improvements and to level the sloping Highfield Road pitch.
In fact, Lionel estimates fans raised the equivalent of a colossal £1.3million in today’s money, between 1927 and 1970.
His calculations were checked with bank conversion rates as part of research for his new book, called One Man’s Vision: The History of Coventry City Supporters Club 1920-2007.
Lionel said during one of several 1920s crises, supporters’ club founder Herbert Kendall issued a clarion call to fans in a letter published in the Midland Evening Telegraph, writing: “NOW IS THE TIME TO RENDER HELP TO THE CITY CLUB.”
Lionel is now repeating his kindred spirit’s words in appealing for YOUR help to throw a lifeline to the club he loves.
In helping set up the Sky Blue Trust four years ago, Lionel’s vision was to resurrect the “special relationship” between the football club and the supporters’ club which existed from 1920 until World War Two, and then up until the late 1970s.
The 51-year-old factory logistics operator from Courthouse Green said: “I didn’t know myself about this special relationship until I began researching my book six years ago.
“Fund-raising over decades paid for huge ground improvements at Highfield Road, which freed up the club’s finances to spend on players.
“The supporters felt they were part of a family. We need to emulate that special relationship now.”
Lionel believes the special relationship disappeared in the late 1970s and 1980s – a turbulent period for football nationally.
But he believes the Sky Blue Trust is helping to rebuild relations, a sentiment echoed by Sky Blues’ chairman Joe Elliott.
The trust was formed out of crisis over mounting Sky Blues debts before the city council and Alan Higgs Trust took ownership of the new Arena Company Ltd and the Ricoh became the club’s new home.
The trust is now an umbrella organisation for all the major supporters’ groups across the country. It also set up a consultation group which meets with the football club every month.
Lionel honed his organisational skills on the committee of the supporters’ club in Freehold Street, and as a Sky Blues shareholder. He is an avid fan of 43 years, a season-ticket holder who went to 521 consecutive first team games, including friendlies, between 1972 and 1982.
His book is published next month, and will be sold exclusively in the Sky Blues’ shops, to guarantee all proceeds go to the club’s youth academy.
Lionel is eager to point out today’s crisis doesn’t completely parallel the 1920s. The supporters’ club members, some of whom were leading club shareholders, then had the power to axe the football club’s board.
And in May 1920, Coventry City chairman David Cooke bribed Bury into fixing the final match of the season. Coventry won it 2-1 and avoided relegation out of the Football League in their first season there.
Cooke was later banned for life by the Football League, but remained a local hero for writing off personal debts to ensure the football club’s survival.
| 
