Coventry City fans home after 20 years of limbo

Fans have reacted with joy as Coventry City complete the purchase of the CBS Arena.

Moz Baker pictured sat down smiling in a light blue Coventry City FC shirt. He has short spiked greying hair.
Moz Baker went to his first match as a nine-year-old and has "been through it all with the team". [Moz Baker]

"We're coming home. It took us 20 years, but we are home."

Coventry City fans have had a somewhat tortuous time since the club left its Highfield Road ground in 2005.

They have endured four stadium owners, several home grounds, three club owners, and countless protests.

Buying the Coventry Building Society Arena from Frasers Group marked a "pivotal moment" in the Championship club's history, new stadium owner Doug King said.

To add to fans' joy, the club won at their newly-owned home on Saturday, defeating Queens Park Rangers 7-1.

Moz Baker has supported the club for five decades and is a former Sky Blues Supporters Trust chairman.

Seeing his team finally have a permanent base was a sign the club was on an upward trajectory, he said.

"Not having a place of our own was terrible because it's not only a disservice to the football club, but also a disservice to the community of Coventry, [as] games are not being played in the city," the 59-year-old said.

"I remember going to my first match as a nine-year-old in 1975 and I've been through it all with the team.

"From our days playing in Northampton to St Andrews, playing in front of crowds of 8,000, it has been tough but we start a new chapter now, moving forward as a club in the community.

"We've all been through such difficult times and when you've been through difficult times, what happens is you enjoy the good times when they come along."

Emma Earnshaw pictured smiling with her dad. She is wearing a Coventry City shirt and khaki shorts while stood next to her dad, who is also smiling, wearing a light blue checked shirt and cream shorts.
Emma Earnshaw, pictured with her dad, said the news was amazing [Emma Earnshaw]

The Sky Blues first captured Emma Earnshaw's heart when she went with her dad to the FA Cup final in 1987, where they beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 at Wembley.

Now, 38 years on, she said she has experienced another pivotal moment with her father and added it felt like a dream.

"Before, we always felt vulnerable not owning a place to play in, but now it is amazing to say we have a home 20 years since it was built.

"When I got the notification on my phone my heart dropped, because you're so used to bad news as a Cov fan. You think 'What now?'.

"Finding out the news with my dad, who I don't get to go to football with now, and watching the match with him at home, it took me right back to when we were at Highfield Road."

Coventry left Highfield Road in 2005 to move to the stadium, then named the Ricoh Arena, but after a rent row escalated they spent the 2013-14 season at Northampton Town's Sixfields stadium.

The Sky Blues returned to the Ricoh in September 2014 but the part council-owned stadium was then sold to rugby side Wasps.

After four seasons sharing the ground, the club went to St Andrews for two years.

Dave Poulton is pictured smiling in a selfie. He has a dark blond beard and is wearing a high neck collar jumper.
Dave Poulton said the news meant more money could start pouring into the club [Dave Poulton]

Fan Dave Poulton thought it was a prank when he was told the news.

He said: "I thought someone was winding me up at first because usually with things like this, there are rumours floating around, but I'd say that was the best kept secret."

Mr Poulton, 41, went to his first match as a six-year-old boy and said the news of the CBS Arena being bought felt like "Christmas came early".

He added: "I'm excited, we've got somewhere to call our own and with everything that goes into the ground like concerts, people buying drinks and venue hire it will pump money into the club.

"Hopefully we see a massive boom in the next three years."

With a new home to settle into and a mighty win over the weekend, the skies seem blue and the horizon clear for Coventry City fans as the EFL Championship league begins.

Supporting Coventry City has been a way of life for Claire Hardcastle.

"I've been a fan since forever and it's a family theme to be a Coventry fan," she said.

"I felt emotional shock when I heard the news because having gone through the struggles that the club has, we've come out of it, it shows we've got fight.

"It's what brings us together as a family and community, it's something that will be hard to find anywhere else."

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Category: General Sports