12,292 reasons to worry?

The lowest ever league crowd for a Coventry City fixture at the Ricoh Arena, 12,292 for the visit of Doncaster in midweek, has re-ignited the debate about what is seen as a dwindling Sky Blue support.

Some valid points have been made as to why crowds are continuing to fall, chief among them being the sheer cost of attending a match on an ad-hoc basis.

The fixture computer presented City (and 11 other Championship clubs) with a second home fixture in the sapce of a few days this Tuesday.

The majority of clubs recorded lower attendances than at the weekend and, given the choice of attending one or other of the games (at £27 a time remember) the Saturday fixture is always likely to be favoured unless the midweek game is a more important one or local derby.

City, having lost against Preston just a few days earlier, were always likely to record a season-low crowd against Doncaster only 72 hours later.

Access to the Ricoh Arena (always worse in midweek by public transport) and the lack of infrastructure around the ground are also valid factors but the charge of being unambitious doesn't ring true at this stage.

Aidy Boothroyd is actually being allowed to run with a squad that the manager himself has called 'top-heavy', with a host of established players regularly sitting on the bench or in the stands at a not inconsiderable cost.

Marlon King's signing, controversial thought it may have been, also didn't come cheap and is in its own way a sign of ambition from the board.

At the end of the day its all about results and if City are in or around the top six come February or March then gates will be healthier.

If not, the empty spaces will remain and the financial future of the club may also be up for debate.

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.