Jan 2026 Supporters' Forum; 'to entertain, inspire and bring enjoyment to all' - with a little a help from our friends

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends

Hmm, I get high with a little help from my friends

Hmm, going to try with a little help from my friends

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends - The Beatles

The key topics discussed at yesterday's Forum, which took place in the Millerchip Suite at the BPA and was attended by around 85 supporters, are outlined below.

They are as accurate as possible given my mental acuity has never been great and of late has been reduced even further as old age inexorably creeps up on me. If you were present, please feel free to let me know of any inaccuracies so I can update the post accordingly.

Tim

---

Jon Sharp

Jon Sharp started the evening off with a few words about John Wilkinson who sadly passed away earlier in the week, reminding everyone of his role in rescuing the club at the 11th hour from what seemed like certain closure back in 2008/09.

JS then surprised many in the audience by revealing that nearly a year after Nick Newbold's passing, the ground will be officially renamed the Nick Newbold Stadium on February 21st (when Cov hosts a home game against Hartpury) to honour Nick's significant influence on the club during his time there.

Following that, the evening quickly moved into its main focus, with JS setting the tone by justifiably criticising the RFU. He referenced a study commissioned by the RFU and conducted by Deloitte, highlighting two significant findings:

• The minimum stadium capacity for entry into the Premiership of 10,001 was deemed inadequate and should be increased to 15,001.

• There should be a salary floor in the Premiership, meaning a minimum 'basic' salary, which would further challenge promoted clubs in terms of competitiveness.

A vote on these and other important issues is scheduled at the Premiership Council on the 26th (January or February?), and JS believes there will be no relegation until at least 2030, at which point another review will take place.

JS remarked that it was unsurprising Doncaster Knights had announced their decision to go semi-professional earlier in the week. Given the RFU's incompetence and total disregard for The Championship, Cov has needed to completely reassess their current position and future goals, too.

JS paused at this point to allow Brett Townsend to take over, introducing BT as the newly appointed MD of Coventry Rugby. His connection with the club began through the Academy and, after his son moved to Leicester's Academy, he became a major benefactor and shareholder in Cov Rugby. He is also on the board of directors, volunteering his time for free, for which JS is very thankful.

Brett Townsend

BT began by addressing the question of 'Who are we?', highlighting that while Jon Sharp and a few shareholders primarily own the club (with BT being the second-largest shareholder), Coventry Rugby belongs to 'everyone in the city, everyone who comes to watch the games'. The shareholders are merely 'custodians'; the club will continue to thrive long after they are gone. They have a duty to build on the club's success to ensure its future.

BT emphasised that Cov is the only professional club in the West Midlands (with the only full-time Academy), and therefore, it's important to engage with the broader community and attract more people to the club, ensuring they return once they've made that initial visit.

BT then reviewed some of the key highlights from last season (2024/25):

• The two largest attendances at the BPA (5,202 against Saints and a full capacity of 5,250 against Leicester)

• The highest average league attendance

• Record numbers participating in pre-match hospitality

• The visit of the men's England U20 side (with the women's U21s set to play Ireland this May)

• The best away support in the league

Comparatively, BT shifted his focus to The Prem:

• The Prem currently has a collective debt of £342 million, with the same 10 clubs experiencing a combined loss of £34 million in the 2024/25 season. Some clubs are in a better financial situation than others; for instance, Exeter alone lost £10.4 million.

• PRL clubs received £3.3 million each for the 2024/25 season, PLUS an additional £2.5 million from central commercial rights, whereas Champ clubs received just £145,000 each (which increased to £183,000 this season).

• PRL clubs also each received £350,000 to operate their Academies, while Champ clubs receive no funding at all for theirs, relying heavily on sponsorships, donations, and so on.

• The current theoretical value of the infamous P-share ranges from £9m-£25m, as no club has been required to purchase one yet. For any promoted team to receive equal funding, it would need to buy this P-share. Promotion is possible without one, but there would be no access to the additional £2.5 million for commercial rights funding.

BT described it as a flawed model.

Interestingly, BT further mentioned that ClubberTV doesn't have a large viewership. However, during a recent Champ Club Committee Meeting, it was announced that a major sponsor has been secured which will generate additional revenue for The Champ clubs. Additionally, commercial rights for The Champ are also being explored, potentially bringing in more much-needed income.

The goal is clearly to ensure that The Champ becomes the leading league in the RFU pyramid.

Financial status of Coventry Rugby:

Over the past four years, the club has incurred losses of £3.4 million, averaging around £800K +/- annually.

This situation is unsustainable, and the club has historically relied heavily on personal investments from JS and more recently from BT.

BT acknowledged that Coventry Rugby has been pursuing the dream of Premiership rugby for too long, a dream that was always out of reach. It has become crucial for the club to now focus on achieving the more realistic goal of financial stability.

Nevertheless, the club will continue as a professional entity (though it wasn't unclear if this means fully professional, which I assume it does).

BT suggested this could be accomplished by managing costs wisely and improving operational efficiency; Doncaster's 'hybrid model' isn't suitable for Coventry Rugby.

In summary, the objectives are:

• to play 'thrilling' rugby at the top level of The Champ

• to achieve financial sustainability and mutual ownership

• to place the club at the community's core (avoiding any form of elitism)

• to continue nurturing a successful academy

• to remain proudly located at the BPA (the Nick Newbold Stadium)

• to entertain, inspire and bring enjoyment to all

Moreover, if promotion rules change and the competition becomes fairer, they will reconsider the possibility of moving up to The Prem. Until then,

The Prem is not among Cov's current objectives.

JS and BT own 92% of Coventry Rugby's shares, while the remaining 8% is held by 26 other shareholders, with a total of 446 shares issued.

The board is eager to expand the club's ownership. With attendances currently down 10-15% this season, due to both Cov City's current success and the state of the economy (???), they are now offering a new class of share priced at £1000 each, allowing buyers to gain part ownership in the club.

BT highlighted the potential of the BPA as a valuable asset, with a lease currently being negotiated for 280 years at a peppercorn rent.

Once financial sustainability is achieved (potentially within two years), the stadium could be expanded to accommodate 7,500 people. This would include creating a structure similar to a Cowshed opposite the main stand, along with modern facilities for players and spectators where the marquee is currently located.

Matt Jones

(Matt covered a lot of information in a short time, so apologies if this summary is incomplete)

The Academy is aiming for 80% of its students to come from state schools where rugby exposure is minimal or nonexistent. In Year 11, which is the youngest cohort the Academy is working with, the goal is to deliver a level of rugby comparable to that of private schools within a state school setting.

The Academy asserts that the quality of its current programmes for young players is on par with that of the Premier Academies in terms of both structure and instruction. The current group of young players is benefiting from approximately £250,000 worth of resources, despite receiving no funding from the RFU.

To reinforce this, BT highlighted that Premier clubs have been advised not to compete against our Academy teams. Furthermore, to qualify for an England age group team, players must be part of a Premier Academy. This is despite the Academy having at least one player, Will Durrell, who is potentially at that level. Although only 16, he was invited to an U18 England front five camp but had to be 'registered' with Gloucester to attend.

Currently, 5 full-time staff are working with the Academy, overseeing 8 Senior Academy players, 45 in the Under 23s, and 70 U17s. Sixth form programmes are being offered in two schools, with 35 students enrolled in each course.

Overall, 500 students engage in Academy-led activities each year. While MJ acknowledges that there will be cases where the Premier teams try to recruit their best young players, he is determined to prevent this and mentions the example of Will Dorrell, a promising talent the club hopes to sign next season.

The club is currently considering contracts that will commit players to the club for at least one season, with additional options available.

The Supporters' Club, sponsors of the Academy, have pledged £2500 towards the hotel accommodation for the upcoming U17/18s trip to Scotland.

Alex Rae

On the on-field performance so far:

Cov had a varied start to the season after adding 17 new players after losing several key members from the squad in the summer.

• The outcome against Worcester might have been different if not for some contentious refereeing decisions at crucial times.

• The game against Chinnor was highly disappointing and served as a significant wake-up call for many players.

• The match with Hartpury was unusual, marked by a very poor first half.

• The Donny game was decided by a single missed tackle.

Cov understands the need to win games in various ways but is committed to their philosophy of playing attacking and entertaining rugby.

Injuries

• Suva Ma'asi is unlikely to play for Cov again due to a severe neck injury and is scheduled for surgery soon.

• Toby Trinder has a back injury with no fixed return date, and his progress is being evaluated weekly.

• Pete Sullivan will be out for 2-3 months with a knee injury, possibly returning in April.

• Oli Morris is close to making a comeback.

• Morgan Strong came with a poorly managed knee injury from Doncaster. The break has allowed for proper treatment, and he might return by the Chinnor game, but more likely the following week.

• Mackenzie Graham will be back shortly.

• Chester Owen is now available for selection.

• Eliot Salt will return next week. Although he could have played on Saturday, it's better to allow him an extra week.

Jack Reeves was coming before Pete Sullivan's injury but is a perfect fit.

In summary, the club's goals are:

• We are Cov and we're in this together

• Your regional, professional rugby club owned by local people

• Financially self-sustaining

• Building our future around the Academy and local talent

• An ambition to excel in The Champ

Responses to questions:

• (MJ) Regarding the Women's Academy, the club benefits from the involvement of last year's Scottish World Cup women's scrum half, Caity Mattinson, with the Academy. There is no current plan to form a women's team, but the club intends to start a sixth form programme and incorporate it into the Academy's setup. Players will join local clubs rather than being taken away from them.

• (MJ) Concerning younger age groups joining the Academy, it's not always beneficial for children under Year 10 to participate in academy setups. Maturation varies significantly, and those who excel at 14 may not maintain their performance by 18, which is why Cov won't further expand the Academy. Activities like the Cov rugby camps introduce youngsters to the Academy and a rugby environment from an early age.

• (MJ) About connections with local universities, Coventry and Warwick universities have shown limited interest, but the club is exploring partnerships with an academic university within 30 miles of Cov and Moreton Morrell College. They are developing a specialised sports degree linked to higher-level BUCS rugby.

• (MJ/AR) On safeguarding the club's interests regarding losing players to Premiership clubs, at least one player has already been signed by a Premiership club, and more are likely to follow. AR is realistic about Cov's position in the hierarchy, acknowledging "we are where we are." Many Academy players view it as a path to the Premiership, so the challenge is to create a culture that makes them want to stay at Cov.

• (BT/MJ) Regarding whether there will be a combine this season - yes, it is likely to occur in May.

• (JS/BT) As for the possibility of Championship clubs breaking away from the RFU to join the URC, the decision has been made to remain in the Championship and strive for success within that framework. Considering the uncertain future of the Welsh clubs, joining the URC may not be in Cov's best interest. The Champ has made great strides forward of late which cements the club's decision to be part of a strong top tier in the RFU pyramid

• (JS/BT) Regarding Covid repayments - The Covid loans have not been completely repaid to the DCMS/Sports England. The club has been making regular payments but have not met targets and has agreed on future amounts, but no Premier League clubs have made any payments so far (?)

• (BT) Regarding ClubberTV - The club does not receive any financial benefits from its partnership with ClubberTV and has incurred an £8000 expense for scaffolding installation.

• (JS) Regarding the Harry Walker Cup - No arrangements have been made so far.

Throughout the evening, Cov supporters were frequently encouraged to provide as much support as they could, whether by cheering at games, raising awareness about events at the BPA and upcoming matches, or offering financial assistance.

Sustainability is achievable...

...with a little help from our friends.

Up the Cov!

---