For a ground that is supposed to be open to paying customers for the first time tomorrow, the Ricoh Arena did not look in any state of readiness yesterday.

There were men in hard hats everywhere. An aerial view of Coventry City's new stadium would have made them look like an angry army of yellow ants as they scampered in all directions, trying to add the final touches.

It was like a private Bob the Builder convention, with joiners, plasterers, electricians, drillers, forklift drivers and last-minute jobbers in their hundreds. Collectively, they would have provided the sort of gate any non-League club would be more than grateful for this weekend.

But, amid the confusion, there was at least one totally calm, authoritative figure assuring everyone that it will all be ready on time.

The Arena's chief executive is former Burnley and Bolton Wanderers striker Paul Fletcher, an expert in completing the construction of football grounds after his previous efforts at the McAlpine Stadium and the Reebok Stadium.

He exudes confidence that everything will be all right on the day. After last night's dress rehearsal, when the club's fans were invited to test out facilities at what will be their proud new 32,000 all-seater home, that is good enough for Coventry's ever-pragmatic manager, Micky Adams.

The Sky Blues boss has made quite clear just what he thinks of starting the season with three away games on the trot, thanks to the fortnight's delay in moving into their new home.

The effect of too much travelling finally caught up with Coventry last Saturday, when they lost 4-0 at Burnley on the sort of day when everything that could have gone wrong did.

But Adams can still smile at the suggestion that tomorrow will, in many senses, seem like a fourth away game in succession. "I can see why some people might think that," he said. "I suppose the answer is 'No' if we win and 'Yes' if we lose.

"All I know is the pitch is ready and that's all I'm concerned about. I'm not Bob the Builder, I'm Micky the Manager and we'll have a team ready out there, trying to win our first game."

Sadly for Adams, that team will be deprived of his skipper, Stephen Hughes, against Queens Park Rangers.

Hughes is suspended for tomorrow's game after his dismissal at Turf Moor but Adams has filled the hole by signing Manchester City youngster Willo Flood on a month's loan, having been done a favour by Flood's manager, the former Sky Blues legend Stuart Pearce.

The Republic of Ireland Under-21 international will go straight in for that first game at the Ricoh Arena, in a team that may be deprived of chief attacking outlet Gary McSheffrey, who is "50-50" with a groin strain.

Adams, who would not reveal who will replace Hughes as captain, said: "Stephen has lost the honour of leading the team out in the first game in our new stadium and that will hurt him more than the club fine he has had or his suspension.

"It's a painful lesson for him but we've managed to get young Willo in. I'm grateful to Stuart Pearce for that and I'm confident he will give us a real spark."