Football
Fans set to protest over City owners

Buy photos » Ken Dulieu angered fans when he took a seat in the Coventry dugout last month. 50.011.017.cov.jg9

A GROUP of Sky Blues supporters are hoping a large-scale protest before this weekend's FA Cup clash against Southampton will encourage current owners Sisu to put the club up for sale.

Fans have become increasingly frustrated with the owners in recent months as the club's off-field drama continues to steal the headlines over on-field affairs.

A series of resignations, including more recently chairman-turned head of football operations Ken Dulieu, a lack of investment and endless broken promises have pushed fans over the edge.

And with the side currently bottom of the Championship, supporters have taken action by setting up a campaign with the aim of getting hundreds of fans to protest by the Jimmy Hill statue before Saturday's fixture.

"Sisu's failings are there for all to see," said Jan Mokryzcki, a lifelong fan who helped kick start the Save Our City campaign.

"We don't want to highlight the fact we are bottom of the league, or that we have sold our best players, we want to highlight the mis-management of our club.

"We had a large turnout at the first meeting last month which took us by surprise and support has grown ever since.

"Lot's of us are boycotting the game. Anyone can join in but we understand there are those who don't want to tarnish their attendance record.

"If we can damage their reputation in some way then hopefully that will have an effect."

The protests come at a time when it is widely expected that former chief executive Gary Hoffman will make a formal offer to buy the club.

He has already had one failed takeover attempt back in August with a group of investors linked with West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce, and Mr Mokryzcki was quick to deny the campaign was fully behind City fan Hoffman.

"We don't want to be seen as doing this for Hoffman," he added.

"We simply want to encourage Sisu to put the club up for sale at a reasonable price.

"We are grateful there is somebody else out there with an alternative plan but we don't want to find ourselves in the same position in three or four years time."