Football League ‘reluctantly’ Approve Coventry City Groundshare with Northampton

The Football League has ‘reluctantly’ approved Coventry City’s bid to play their home games at Northampton Town’s Sixfields Stadium.

The Sky Blues made the decision to share with the Cobblers, approximately 35 miles away from their home at the Ricoh Arena, where they have played since 2005.

A statement from the Football League read: “The Board of Directors of The Football League has reluctantly approved an application by Otium Entertainment Group – the Administrator’s preferred bidder for Coventry City FC Limited – for Coventry City to play its home matches at Northampton Town’s Sixfields Stadium for an initial period of three seasons.

“In the Board’s view, it was a matter of “deep regret” that it had not proved possible for the club’s proposed purchaser to reconcile its differences with the owners of the Ricoh Arena – Arena Coventry Limited (ACL).

“However, with the new season less than four weeks away, the Board required certainty as to where the Club would play its matches from the start of the new campaign.”

Coventry will have to pay Northampton to hire the ground on matchdays and occasions when both sides are playing at home on the same day, Northampton would have preference with Coventry moving to a different day.

Clubs should play in home towns

Greg Clarke, Football League Chairman said: “The Football League believes that clubs should play in the towns and cities from which they take their name. Nonetheless, from time to time, the Board is asked to consider temporary relocations as a means for securing a club’s ongoing participation in our competition. 

“With no prospect of an agreement being reached between Otium and ACL, the Board was placed in an unenviable position – with the very real possibility of Coventry City being unable to fulfil its fixtures for next season. This would inevitably call into question the Club’s continued membership of The Football League.

“The Board did not take this decision lightly and it remains a matter of deep regret that the two parties involved cannot come to an agreement. I urge both Otium and ACL to continue to explore every possible opportunity to resolve this dispute, for the good of the City of Coventry, its football club and people living in the local community.”

The Football League will now continue working with the Administrator and Otium to achieve an exit from Administration in line with the Board’s Insolvency Policy.