Coventry City: Chairman Tim Fisher says club 'will die' if they do not leave Ricoh Arena

Coventry City are in the relegation zone in League One

Coventry City must leave the Ricoh Arena if they are to survive, says chairman Tim Fisher.

The Sky Blues are 20th in League One and fans protested against the club's owners, Sisu, during the 2-1 defeat by Sheffield United on Thursday.

Premiership rugby union side Wasps are landlords of the Ricoh Arena, and Fisher said Coventry must move.

"There is a requirement to have our own stadium - if we stay at the Ricoh this club will die," said Fisher.

"We do not access the revenues that are necessary for this football club," he told BBC Coventry and Warwickshire.

"We have bid on a lot of sites but we have not been able to close a deal."

It is more than two years since Coventry returned to the Ricoh Arena after a season at Northampton Town's Sixfields ground.

They do not own the ground and their academy has also been taken over by Wasps.

Despite the fan protests, Fisher said he does not think Sisu, who took over Coventry in 2007, are looking to sell the club.

"The owners are an investment management company so they wouldn't be minded to just sell up and walk away," he said.

"I'm not defending the position the club is in. I will do everything to make sure the club stays alive."

Interim boss Mark Venus, who has been in charge since Tony Mowbray resigned as manager in September, said last week the club was "in a sad state".

Fisher defended Venus' comments: "I think Mark is very, very upset. He has stepped into the breach and been very brave whilst we find a new manager," he said.

"Mark was very emotional and he cares deeply about what he does. I understand it."