Gary Hoffman: Ex-Coventry City director lined up to join CBS Arena board
- Published
Gary Hoffman has previously been on the board of both Coventry City and the Coventry Building Society
Ex-Coventry City director and Premier League chairman Gary Hoffman has been lined up to join the Coventry Building Society Arena operating company board.
BBC CWR understands the appointment could be confirmed in the next few weeks - when Hoffman returns from watching the men's World Cup in Qatar.
Ashley's Frasers Group secured the stadium business on 17 November.
The former Coventry Building Society chairman has been linked with several previous Sky Blues takeover bids.
Now Hoffman is expected to play a key role in the operation of the stadium, where the Sky Blues now play again.
The investment banker has also held positions with Northern Rock, NBNK Investments, Monzo Bank - and was chief executive of Barclaycard when they first started sponsoring the Premier League in 2001, the same year Coventry were relegated.
Frasers Group has been contacted about Hoffman, but are yet to respond.
Coventry, 11th in the Championship, are going through a change of ownership after owners SISU agreed on 16 November to sell a majority 85% stake in the Championship club to local Stratford-based businessman Doug King.
But, a fortnight on, neither Sisu nor King have confirmed that a sale agreement has actually been signed.
The Sky Blues first played at the CBS Arena in 2005, after moving from their long-time home at Highfield Road - but they have never owned the stadium.
When it first opened as the Ricoh Arena in 2005, the stadium was run by Arena Coventry Ltd (ACL), jointly financed by Coventry City Council and the Alan Higgs Trust, a charity set up by the estate of a lifelong Sky Blues fan.
ACL then passed into Wasps' ownership when they were loaned money by Coventry City Council to buy the stadium in 2014.
Wasps are currently suspended from this season's rugby union Premiership after going into administration on 17 October - and an offer for the club was reportedly accepted on 30 October.
Analysis
Simon Gilbert, political reporter for BBC CWR and Midlands Today
This move will go some way to calming concerns around the future relationship between the stadium owners and the football club.
Gary Hoffman is a passionate Sky Blues fan, and it would seem unlikely he would be willing to support actions that could hurt the club.
Of course, he could end up having a foot in both camps.
He is part of the team assembled by William Storey, the businessman who is challenging the sale of the club by Sisu to Doug King.