Bye Coventry thanks for the memories (4 Viewers)

Gynnsthetonic · Sep 10, 2012

Born in 1972, first game in 1978 standing on a stool in the West End drawing 1-1 with Arsenal that was it i was hooked, in that time been to about 50 grounds numerous all dayers at home games the walk up to HR but after yesterday thats it never again the love has been lost. Our soul was lost when we moved from our beloved FOOTBALL GROUND to a MODERN SPORTING ARENA.
Knock down Southfields School, the Brewer and Baker and the Coventry Tubes building in Paynes lane build a 25000 FOOTBALL GROUND tight to the pitch and start again. One day One day

covcity4life · Sep 10, 2012

winning will bring people back.

Otis · Sep 10, 2012

This next manager is so key to our future. The most important signing this club has had to make since Jimmy Hill back in 1961.

The soothsayer · Sep 10, 2012

And the oscar goes to... another drama queen. you will go again.

torchomatic · Sep 10, 2012

I can never understand how people can give up so easily! If I gave up every time we had a poor season then I would have only been a City fan in the 1986/87 season. I've had one truly good season out of forty. I ain't giving it up though.

skyblueman · Sep 10, 2012

Otis said:
This next manager is so key to our future. The most important signing this club has had to make since Jimmy Hill back in 1961.

If Faggot & Wisher get this wrong then they should go.... no excuses we will need a completely new management team - top to bottom

Gint11 · Sep 10, 2012

I was excited thata new ground was being built, I wont deny that. however I miss Highfield. Rebuilding it would be class but it will not solve the problems we have now. The only way is for someone filthy rich to come in and splash it (which isnt happening) or someone low key comes in, transforms the team with a shoe string budget and somehow gets promotion. Then fans SHOULD start coming back. Otherwise we are the next Luton Town.

skyblueman · Sep 10, 2012

torchomatic said:
I can never understand how people can give up so easily! If I gave up every time we had a poor season then I would have only been a City fan in the 1986/87 season. I've had one truly good season out of forty. I ain't giving it up though.

.. it's a damn curse - a miserable existence like that of a drug addict but without the occasional high which makes you crave more.....

Obviously not condoning drug use here kids... just say NO!!

torchomatic · Sep 10, 2012

We should never had moved from Highfield Road. That has been the ruination of Coventry City. We are where we are because of that one decision.

Domino effect and all that.

Gint11 said:
I was excited thata new ground was being built, I wont deny that. however I miss Highfield. Rebuilding it would be class but it will not solve the problems we have now. The only way is for someone filthy rich to come in and splash it (which isnt happening) or someone low key comes in, transforms the team with a shoe string budget and somehow gets promotion. Then fans SHOULD start coming back. Otherwise we are the next Luton Town.

kingharvest · Sep 10, 2012

But it wasn't leaving highfield road that's made us like this, it's the way it was handled that caused it.

Done properly, moving to the Ricoh should have set us up. It's all gone to shite cause it was very badly managed

torchomatic · Sep 10, 2012

I disagree, we never had the support to sustain such a large stadium. It was ludicrous to think that we'd have 30K people watching us every week.

And someone did very well out of us moving to the Ricoh.

kingharvest said:
It's all gone to shite cause it was very badly managed

Otis · Sep 10, 2012

We were still in the Premiership we would certainly being having games with crowds of close to 30,000 (Man U, Liverpool, Villa, Chelsea, Man City, Newcastle)

torchomatic · Sep 10, 2012

True, when the big boys came to town we'd have a large crowd but they dropped off when we played the less glamourous teams. Now people turn up to Chelsea and Arsenal, but that's because playing them is a novelty. If we played them week in and week out, then the crowds wouldn't be so large and enthusiastic.

The Ricoh was a mistake for me.

Otis said:
We were still in the Premiership we would certainly being having games with crowds of close to 30,000 (Man U, Liverpool, Villa, Chelsea, Man City, Newcastle)

covboy9 · Sep 10, 2012

chin up fella, it has to get worse before it gets better!

Macca · Sep 10, 2012

Otis said:
We were still in the Premiership we would certainly being having games with crowds of close to 30,000 (Man U, Liverpool, Villa, Chelsea, Man City, Newcastle)

Not sure on this Otis, wasn't t happening when we were in the prem. if we got back up there it would happen for the first year then drop off. What we need is a 23 k capacity stadium in the heart of the city.......oh shit

Sky Blues · Sep 10, 2012

torchomatic said:
I disagree, we never had the support to sustain such a large stadium. It was ludicrous to think that we'd have 30K people watching us every week.

If I remember correctly, there were figures being banded around back then along the lines of "new stadiums produce a 50% boost in attendance" and being used to justify the move. The problem was people were comparing apples and pears. The 50% figure was skewed by clubs like Sunderland, which got a huge boost out of leaving Roker Park because they had a large latent support but were playing games in a stadium that was a dinosaur in the Premier League era. We on the other hand, had been pioneers in all seater stadia at one time. We already had a decent ground so the boost from moving was never going to be as big. To be honest, I was surprised our attendances jumped as much as they did after the move, but I'm not surprised that they have since returned to Highfield Road levels.

ccfcway · Sep 10, 2012

then there was 8,999...

the butts attendance of 4,000 gets nearer every week

torchomatic · Sep 10, 2012

No doubt bandied about by Bryan "Filling My Back Pocket" Richardson. He made a cool £300K from selling retail space to Tescos.

Sky Blues said:
If I remember correctly, there were figures being banded around back then along the lines of "new stadiums produce a 50% boost in attendance" and being used to justify the move. The problem was people were comparing apples and pears. The 50% figure was skewed by clubs like Sunderland, which got a huge boost out of leaving Roker Park because they had a large latent support but were playing games in a stadium that was a dinosaur in the Premier League era. We on the other hand, had been pioneers in all seater stadia at one time. We already had a decent ground so the boost from moving was never going to be as big. O be honest, I was surprised our attendances jumped as much as they did after the move, but I'm not surprised that they have since returned to Highfield Road levels.

Moff · Sep 10, 2012

torchomatic said:
No doubt bandied about my Bryan "Filling My Back Pocket" Richardson. He made a cool £300K from selling retail space to Tescos.

Torchy, I think he did even better than that. I seem to recall it was nearer the 450k mark.

Regarding the Stadium, i always felt it was a diabolical move, to a souless stadium, with restrictions on transport links and parking.

I wont lose hope though that we may never reverse this idiotic decision, when you look at the example of Torino and Juventus, although more so Torino.

If I remember correctly both clubs sold their own popular stadiums to move to the awful Stadio Delle Alpi in 1990 (it was a world cup ground) which like us was extremely unpopular, out in the sticks, terrible to get to, and souless.

Both clubs lost supporters due to the move, but more so Torino who were not as successfull as Juve. Torinos fans were also more turin based (unlike juve whose fans are from all over like Man Utds) and so because the stadium was so unpopular with locals, and hard to get to, they suffered badly in terms of gates and success.

This unpopular move has now been reversed though. In 2006 they moved back into Turin to the smaller, more popular, more local Stadio Olimpico (capacity 28000) which was welcomed by fans. Although their fortunes are still wavering a bit they have just been promoted to Serie A, attendances I believe are up and they are back amongst their fans, after 16 forgettable years at the Stadio Delle Alpi, which was demolished in 2009, after Juventus left as well.

I know we are not in any financial position to even consider this in the short, or medium term at present, but it just shows in the long term there is always hope that it could happen.

scroobiustom · Sep 10, 2012

Don't worry,

given my 'impressive football manager CV' my application to fill the job was accepted and i'm being interviewed this afternoon at 2 imp:

TheSnoz · Sep 10, 2012

Moff, so glad you've given a bit of serious consideration to how much the Ricoh has become a millstone around our necks. For the immediate and long term future of our club it needs to be investigated. It sounds complicated and far fetched to some but to many it seems a realistic idea. Let the Ricoh become an events place and give the club back to the fans by moving to a more central location. The Torino example shows it can be done. A 20,000 capacity ground, with options to expand, would be fine. Near to transport, pubs, cafes, more people can walk there. etc. etc. As it is we are doomed to exist in this cavernous bowl that thousands of fans dislike for any number of reasons. And for seasons to come.
I'm not rose tinted about Highfield Road, it was not fit in many ways. Especially cramped, but with some purchasing of housing around it the place could have been expanded. But there are plenty of sites more centrally located. I really do think it should think seriously about it. Torino did it, why not us?

ajsccfc · Sep 10, 2012

The Brewer and Baker is on a hill. For that reason alone I can't see your otherwise excellent and non-reactionary plan coming to fruition.

nicksig · Sep 10, 2012

For me Highfield Road was a great little ground - really run-down when I first went there with some open terraces and subutteo looking floodlights. But when it was developed it was a great home for the club: the right size, you could walk there easily from town, you were close to the players, the atmosphere was great (I used to love it when the West terrace used to sign to the East down the other end of the pitch), and for some seasons it turned into a bit of a fortress. I hate the Ricoh - it could be any ground anywhere. For me it's completely souless.

melbourneskyblue · Sep 10, 2012

torchomatic said:
We should never had moved from Highfield Road. That has been the ruination of Coventry City. We are where we are because of that one decision.

Domino effect and all that.

My dad said from day one that moving from HR was going to be a massive mistake and by god he was right.

A club HAS to own its own ground....without that there is no 'belonging' never mind the total lack of renenue raising.

Otis · Sep 10, 2012

Macca said:
Not sure on this Otis, wasn't t happening when we were in the prem. if we got back up there it would happen for the first year then drop off. What we need is a 23 k capacity stadium in the heart of the city.......oh shit

Err, hang on a sec, we've never played at the Ricoh in the Premiership.

We had Man U here or Liverpool or Chelsea or Man City and we would get 30,000.

Sky Blues · Sep 10, 2012

Otis said:
Err, hang on a sec, we've never played at the Ricoh in the Premiership.

We had Man U here or Liverpool or Chelsea or Man City and we would get 30,000.

In the '90s we only really sold out Highfield Road when the Man Utds, Liverpools and Arsenals of the world came to town. The extra revenue from what is now a once in five season game (I.e. depending on cup ties) really does not seem worth the pain selling off Highfield Road has caused this club.

tippex9 · Sep 10, 2012

Stoke, Bolton, Reading, Wigan, Swansea, Sunderland, Southampton, Brighton......

I wonder if they class their new stadiums as millstones around their necks... Doesn't seem to have effected them in a negative manner, if anything most have them have risen since the stadiums were built.

Maybe it's not actually a purpose built arena that's our problem but the operations of the club from board to players...

torchomatic · Sep 10, 2012

Exactly. So what is the difference between them and us?

tippex9 said:
Stoke, Bolton, Reading, Wigan, Swansea, Sunderland, Southampton, Brighton......

I wonder if they class their new stadiums as millstones around their necks... Doesn't seem to have effected them in a negative manner, if anything most have them have risen since the stadiums were built.

Maybe it's not actually a purpose built arena that's our problem but the operations of the club from board to players...

Macca · Sep 10, 2012

Otis said:
Err, hang on a sec, we've never played at the Ricoh in the Premiership.

We had Man U here or Liverpool or Chelsea or Man City and we would get 30,000.

Misunderstood you obviously. So we would get nearly 10000 more against these teams now we are at the ricoh than when we were at HR. possible in the first novelty season but don t reckon it would continue. Besides these extra attendees may well be interested on lookers rather than real city fans

tippex9 · Sep 10, 2012

The club that rent it is the problem, not the Arena itself.

Our downward spiral began before we left HR.

SBS · Sep 10, 2012

I think the premier league is a lot better marketed than back in those days and we would attract more fans if we were there today. The Ricoh is a lot more inclusive - HR was built for the white working class man. Football today aims to attract middle class fans, who will typically spend more whilst at the ground. Unfortunately, the same people tend to be a lot less connected to the club and find it easy to stop going when shits hitting the fan. We've had 20 years of this, it's no wonder that the small number of fans we do have tend to loathe the ground. There is plenty of research available if you disagree me, Richard Giulianotti has wrote quite a lot on the subject

sky_blue_up_north · Sep 10, 2012

If we get the manager wrong this time I believe the club will go into a terminal decline that will be difficult to recover from. Years and years of dross with no hope of even mounting a challenge for promotion, or winning anything. Even the die hard fans are at their wits end, enough is enough you can hear it at every game now. As the classic saying is 'Don't let the bastards grind you down', well in most of our cases the bastards have....

theprince · Sep 10, 2012

When i voiced anti Ricoh feelings on other websites before a stone was turned there i was castigated, been proved right on all issues. We could have re-built HR there was plenty of scope and it would have transformed the ground BUT would still be on a our traditional patch. Remember the old Old Trafford nothing like todays masterpiece of a ground but stands on the same spot. What have Arsenal won since moving from Highbury ? When the Coventry epitaph is written and we ain't far away that ill thought out venture will feature prominantly.

ajsccfc · Sep 10, 2012

theprince said:
What have Arsenal won since moving from Highbury ?

Or Man City since moving from Maine Road?

Macca · Sep 10, 2012

ajsccfc said:
Or Man City since moving from Maine Road?

Hmm there may be another factor there

Bye Coventry thanks for the memories (4 Viewers)

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