COVENTRY UNITED LADIES prospective new owner Lewis Taylor has confirmed the club is “saved for sure” after his late takeover bid was accepted by shareholders.
Taylor, who is chief executive of Midlands-based company Energy Angels, reached a verbal agreement to buy the club just hours before the deadline on Tuesday, January 4.
The club entered voluntary liquidation on December 23 and were set to be liquidated at 11.59pm on Tuesday with those instructions terminated by administrators BK Plus Limited at 4.52pm.
And Taylor insists the Red and Greens have now been saved from the threat of liquidation and could even take charge of the club within a week.
Taylor said: “The club is saved for sure, there’s no reason for this not to go through now.
“I met with Jay [Bradford] before the whole process began, I can’t physically act as owner until the paperwork is done, I’m hoping to get over and meet everyone early next week.
“There’s a few things with the FA we need to do, they’ve been hugely supportive of the process, a stretch target would be physically taking the reins inside of a week but it will certainly done this month.
“The financial element will have our full backing and support to make sure everything continues to tick over as it should.
“In terms of the investment and future element, we’ve spotted a few things that we might want to invest in to help the squad and support Jay with.”
Taylor has set his sights on taking the club into the Women’s Super League and thanked the Red and Greens players and supporters following his successful takeover bid.
Taylor added: “The long-term goal is to win promotion to the Women’s Super League.
“It’s been really heart-warming, all the messages of support, it just goes to show how much support Coventry United and women’s football has got from the public, everybody wants to see it do well.
“We just need to take all of that enthusiasm and turn it into something that is more sustainable for the club.
“I just want to say a huge thank you to every single player and supporter, they’ve all been hugely supportive of what we’re trying to do, we’re all pulling in the same direction.
“Jay and her backroom team have still been treating and caring to players, hats off to them, they’ve got my full support.”
And Taylor is already involved within the women’s game, with his Energy Angels company the main sponsor of FA Women’s National League North side Wolves Women this season.
He said: “I always expected to be involved in football, albeit not this season, when I saw what the players and staff were going through at Coventry United over the Christmas period, I thought it was something that could be saved.
“I’ve been involved with women’s football for a few years now, Energy Angels are the front of shirt sponsor for Wolves Women, I’m very supportive of women’s football.
“I’ve taken my kids up to see some Wolves games, it’s really entertaining, the environment and atmosphere around women’s football is really healthy.
“I’d like to take what I’ve seen there and try and establish some of that at Coventry United, we’ve got a great following already and we want to try and enhance that and create a really good vibe around match days.
“The whole women’s football arena in general needs help, the long term is so good, women’s football has absolutely exploded in America, naturally that’s going to come over here.
“It would be a crying shame if Coventry United didn’t get to see that because of something that can be fixed.”
Coventry United Ladies are currently 11th in the FA Women’s Championship and are next scheduled to take to the field against Sheffield United on Sunday, January 16.
