Coventry secure pitch lifeline but landlords Wasps still face huge cash woes

Coventry City have agreed a plan to solve their pitch woes with Wasps but the rugby club still face huge financial woes.

The Sky Blues prop up the Championship after their first two home games were postponed over safety fears amid a dispute over the CBS Arena pitch.

On Wednesday night the club confirmed Saturday’s home game with Huddersfield has also been postponed due to the dire pitch, which hosted the Commonwealth Games rugby 7s.

But a course of action to repair it has now been agreed between tenants Coventry and landlords Wasps to ensure the football club return for their game against Preston on Wednesday August 31.

Coventry CEO Dave Boddy said: “It has been a disappointing and frustrating start to the season for our supporters, and we are very sorry to them that this has been the case.”

Boddy apologised after a six-figure investment was agreed to make the pitch safe and playable with new synthetic fibres stitched into the turf.

But landlords Wasps are in deep financial trouble after delaying repaying a £35million bond. They also have other creditors and this week confirmed a charity run by the them has closed down.

The Coventry-based Wasps Community Foundation was "removed from the record" after failing to file its annual accounts, a club statement said.

The Sky Blues have reached a compromise with rugby club and landlords Wasps after the Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, acted as a mediator in the dispute, which could yet have further repercussions for the football club.

The EFL responded: “The EFL welcomes the news that the club and the CBS Arena have accepted the recommendations of internationally-recognised sports turf experts to undertake a re-lay of substantial parts of the pitch to try and avoid