Doug King takes ‘blame’ and overturns ‘mistake’ after Coventry City backlash.
Coventry City news from CoventryLive as club owner Doug King listens to fans’ concerns and does a U-turn on unpopular decision.
Coventry City have back-tracked on their decision to only allow young season ticket holders to become Junior Sky Blues members, with club owner Doug King taking personal “blame” for what he has described as an “oversight”.
There was a huge backlash from fans when the club made the surprise announcement last week, with many taking to social media to criticise a move they felt alienated young Sky Blues supporters whose families couldn’t afford a season ticket or lived too far away from the club to go on a regular basis.
The JSB membership scheme was set up in 1970 and sends out birthday and Christmas cards from the club to young Sky Blues fans as well as giving them other gifts, ticket vouchers and club shop discounts.
King today released a statement on the club website saying: “Last week the cub made a mistake by linking the iconic JSB membership with having to own a season tcket. This has alienated around 350 or so of the nearly 4,000 JSB members from our club.
“As always as leader of this club, I take the blame for that oversight but as of today this requirement has been shelved and JSB membership will remain available to all those who want it, and of course we encourage our young supporters to sign up again and begin what we hope is the longest possible journey with our club.”
Consecutive trips to Wembley for the Championship play-off final and an FA Cup semi-final suggests something special is happening with the Sky Blues – a club that’s been on an upward curve on the pitch for the last seven years under manager Mark Robins.
The arrival of new owner Doug King has also brought stability and investment in the club’s infrastructure with a major refurbishment of the club’s Ryton training base transforming what was a tired facility into an elite level complex.
Throw in a new-look squad built from high profile sales last summer, and added to again in the current transfer window, and fans can see the makings of a side equipped to go one better this time around.
Four players have been added so far with a bit of wing wizardry in the form of Ephron Mason-Clark from Peterborough United and Raphael Borges Rodrigues from Australian A-League side Macarthur FC, the re-signing of centre-half Luis Binks on a permanent deal from Bologna and the exciting attacking addition of Jack Rudoni from Huddersfield – a dynamic midfielder who can operate as a box-to-box eight or goal-getting 10 supplying the strikers.
And there are more deals to come, with Swedish goalkeeper Oliver Dovin understood to be on his way from Hammarby and a replacement front man for Matty Godden surely not too far away, to mention just two in the transfer pipeline.
Success will not come easy, of course, in a hugely competitive division with Burnley, Luton and Sheffield United parachuting down from the Prem and looking for a swift return, while the likes of Leeds and Norwich will again be among the favourites to return to the top table of English football.
Whichever way you look at it, this is a great time to be a Sky Blues fan – and to celebrate the optimism at the CBS, where more than 21,000 season ticket holders have committed to the new campaign, we’ve produced a Coventry City 2024/25 Kick Off special, our brilliant guide to the new season.
Our man at City, Andy Turner, will waltz you through what to expect from the Sky Blues in 2024/25, turn the spotlight on Robins and pinpoint what could be the key to success.
Our club-by-club guide gives you the lowdown on City’s Championship rivals and the managers in the division, while our away-day pages will tell you all you need to know about the grounds Coventry will be visiting.
With a full fixture list and key dates for the campaign, Coventry City 2024/25 Kick-Off will get you in perfect match shape in time for the Sky Blues’ opening day curtain-raiser at Stoke City on Saturday, August 10.
Order your copy now from our online store and get it delivered direct to your door.
On sale in selected independent retailers and supermarkets in Coventry and Warwickshire priced at £3.50 from Wednesday, July 31, 2024. Worldwide shipping available, postage and packaging applies.
