Source: FOOTYMAD
Vice chairman speaks about changes at the club
John Clarke answer questions Coventry City's newly appointed vice chairman has been thrown in at the deep end, taking over at a particularly difficult time for the club, but he is getting to grips with his new found responsibility and has been speaking to the Coventry Telegraph about the problems at the club and what the board are doing to rectify them. The club are expected to release a statement later today to announce the press conference and to clarify a few of the situation surrounding the fate of chairman Ray Ranson and other questions that have been raised over the last few days. Mr Clarke thinks that with continued backing from Sisu, the club could break even by this time next season. He revealed that the club are looking to appoint a full time Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and that the details will be announced at Wednesday's press conference. Coventry City recently appointed former marketing director of Premier League Brian Phillpotts as their commercial director. Mr Clarke confirmed, “We are looking for a full time CEO and the man we have identified has an excellent track record. I think it will be a real step forward, commercially, for the club because this is a tough economic situation and you need full time focus.” Two questions Mr Clarke refused to answer was why the club hadn't filed their accounts yet. The accounts should have been filed by the end of February. The other question bypassed was why the club was under a transfer embargo. Mt Clarke suggested that these would be questions better asked at Wednesday's press conference. On the question of the transfer embargo, Mr Clarke said he did not know all of the details such as whether it was in place in January, which would account for the lack of movement on the transfer market by the previous manager Aidy Boothroyd, but he did confirm that there is a transfer embargo in place at Coventry City. Mr Clarke has urged the City fans to get behind the club and give their wholehearted support in the end of season run in as the club fights to maintain its Championship status. Clarke insists he has acted swiftly to the need for a local director to put the record straight following last week’s fiasco and has called on the fans to get behind the club and focus on the main priority of getting three points on Saturday and getting nearer to retaining the club’s Championship status. He pleaded, “Let’s demonstrate to our players and the opposition that we are right behind Andy Thorn, Steve Harrison and the team and shout them to a much needed win.” Mr Clarke, a life long Sky Blues fan revealed he had never taken a penny from the club in payment for his services, neither had his fellow Coventry businessmen and former City directors Joe Elliott and Gary Hoffman. "I have never been paid by Coventry City for anything and I am very proud of that. That’s my decision," said Mr Clarke. "I don’t want expenses and have never asked for them. I am a fan with Sky Blue blood in my veins and no more important than the fan in the stands." "The fans are the real owners of the club, we are simply the custodians. Any fan can aspire from the stands to the board room and I am privileged to be on the board, but as a director I am also aware of my responsibility to act in the best interests of the football club.”
