Coventry City have been slapped with a transfer embargo by the Football League. 

It means that they are unable to buy or sell players until they repay money which they owe to the British taxman (HMRC).

The Midlands club were forced to postpone their first three home games of the season because the pitch was deemed unsafe, something which had a detrimental effect on cash flow.

The death of the Queen which followed caused the postponement of another home game.

It is hoped that repayment in full can be completed in December; three out of the six instalments due have already been paid.

They currently play their home games at the Coventry Building Society Arena – formerly the Ricoh Arena – which they shared with Premier rugby union club Wasps.

But Wasps have been placed into administration, and have ceased trading because of unpaid debts that includes a substantial amount of money owed to HMRC as well. 167 employees lost their jobs including all members of the playing squads and coaching staff.

The club have also been demoted to the second tier of English rugby.

Coventry are now looking for a new home, in the latest stage of what has been a nomadic existence since they were once a staple top flight club.

In 2005, they left Highfield Road, their home for 106 years, and moved to the brand new Ricoh Arena. However, when relegation threatened club finances and they were forced to accept funding from the local council, they moved in as tenants and not owners.

Subsequent disputes with a succession of landlords led to them relocating to Northampton’s Sixfields Stadium – 34 miles away from Coventry for the 2013-1014 season, before they returned to the Ricoh Arena.

But further disputes saw them leave their home for s second time in a decade, and relocate to St. Andrews in Birmingham. Not only was this 23 miles away but, for many of the club’s supporters a bridge too far. They refused to travel to watch their team play at the home of what many consider their bitterest local rivals.

When the club returned to Coventry, they came back, but slowly.

Given this upheaval, their promotion back to the Championship after eight years in the lower tiers under manager Mark Robins can be regarded as something of a miracle.

The club’s long suffering supporters will be hoping that their status is not undermined yet again by problems off the pitch.