Highfield Road stand question? (1 Viewer)

dutchman · Nov 6, 2012

I was looking at this 1963 painting by James Kessell and wondering:

a) Which stand are we viewing?

b) Which year was the Sky Blue Stand built?

coundonskyblue · Nov 6, 2012

That's the old main stand, the kop can be seen at the end. Not sure about the sky blue stand, about '64?

Otis · Nov 6, 2012

That can't be of Coventry City, we're scoring a goal.

ohitsaidwalker king power · Nov 6, 2012

Yep Main Stand gets my vote....

Voice_of_Reason · Nov 6, 2012

The old Sky Blue stand was fab ! Benches to sit on and cushions they handed out ! Mostly timber, but so much atmosphere !

dutchman · Nov 6, 2012

Doh! It occurs to me now it has to be the main stand otherwise there would be a high wall and invalid carriages parked in front of it! :facepalm:

Houchens Head · Nov 6, 2012

Wasn't that wall only along the old Spion Kop end?

dutchman · Nov 6, 2012

Houchens Head said:
Wasn't that wall only along the old Spion Kop end?

It got progressively higher/deeper from the west end to Spion Kop.

sw88 · Nov 6, 2012

When looking into my question yesterday re: Sky Blue Tavern / Mercers Arms, i came across (what I thought was) an interesting write up from Jim Brown which listed dates of how Hr was built up to be the stadium it once was. I will see if i can find that site again as it may answer your second question. Im too young to recognise the stand / photo

Black6Osprey · Nov 6, 2012

Otis said:
That can't be of Coventry City, we're scoring a goal.

I don't know, there's not much of a crowd surge and there's enough room for a bloke to set up with an easel.

Not sure about the keepers positioning though.

Bad Boy · Nov 6, 2012

Definitely the main stand, destroyed by fire in 68 just before we played Manchester United (Charlton, Law, Best et al).

Most of the clubs records were burnt along with the 2nd division champions cup.

The Sky Blue stand was built in 63 I think.

dadgad · Nov 6, 2012

Definitely the Main Stand - the shadows confirm this.

ccfcdan · Nov 6, 2012

Its definately the main stand, thats my house in the bottom corner.

Its a great picture,and he even managed to get me in it holding up my Robins out banner!!

elephanttears · Nov 6, 2012

That painting gets better the more you look at it, must have taken him ages to paint all those little heads, could have used a ruler on the net though

Glen · Nov 6, 2012

Brilliant painting where can I get one

dutchman · Nov 6, 2012

Glen said:
Brilliant painting where can I get one

The original is in the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum but a copy can printed by clicking on a link at this page:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/one-up-for-the-sky-blues-55183

Houchens Head · Nov 6, 2012

Was this in the days before photographers with cameras were invented for the sports pages? Makes you wonder how they got it printed in the papers the next day? :thinking about:
The players would have to hold a pose for a long time aswell?

georgehudson · Nov 6, 2012

i do believe that the stand in question was the forerunner to the sky blue stand,
i.e. opposite the main stand,
i was there to watch CCFC live on TV from, i think, Cardiff,
that painting with appropriate licence was from the spion kop

dutchman · Nov 6, 2012

It's definitely the old Main Stand. This is a picture from 1962 taken from Spion Kop showing the old Main Stand on the left and the forerunner of the Sky Blue Stand on the right:

The same source says work to dismantle the old stand began in 1963 and the Sky Blue Stand was completed in time for the start of the 1964-65 season.

blueflint · Nov 7, 2012

main stand think thats me leaning on the wall always went opposite the kop

Block19 · Nov 7, 2012

Black6Osprey said:
I don't know, there's not much of a crowd surge and there's enough room for a bloke to set up with an easel.

Not sure about the keepers positioning though.

Must be baker and bell playing, as the artist would have needed the players to stay still long enough.

TrueSkyBlueLiam · Nov 7, 2012

The East stand should be renamed The New Highfield Road Stand. That could help The Ricoh feel more like home to the sky blue army and the players aswell. We're not gonna get a new sponsor for that stand in our position. Even Tesco and the Telegraph have pulled out, so we might as well take up this opportunity to make the Ricoh feel like the new home of the sky blues

Sky Blue Kid · Nov 7, 2012

Wow! brings back memories for me, all of the kids queing up for "Pop and Crisps" lol. Definately the Main(South stand) with the "Kop at the other end. That sloping wall(Must have been a 10-12 feet drop to pitchside in the Kop end) always gave me the impression that the pitch was falling into a hole in that corner lol.
Nice one mate...Thanks for bringing back some great memories.:claping hands:

TheSnoz · Nov 7, 2012

It's the old main stand. Someone rightly pointed out that it was burnt down in 1968. The Sky Blue stand was partly built up in the summer of 1964 after we won promotion from Division 3 (the division we are in now). For quite a while the next season the stand was used part unfinished. I have some photos (from Telegraph) of it. Some of the season it had no roof. & me and a few mates earned some pocket money by helping the builders - I was 13 - no health and saftety then. Thanks for posting it. Wish we were back there. That main stand had terracing at the front. Mostly wooden construction. They did renovation work on it too that summer. It was easy to get in. And we did. Held the Third division trophy. Could've walked out with it. Jimmy Hill was God.

wingy · Nov 7, 2012

Sky Blue Kid said:
Wow! brings back memories for me, all of the kids queing up for "Pop and Crisps" lol. Definately the Main(South stand) with the "Kop at the other end. That sloping wall(Must have been a 10-12 feet drop to pitchside in the Kop end) always gave me the impression that the pitch was falling into a hole in that corner lol.
Nice one mate...Thanks for bringing back some great memories.:claping hands:

I think it did SBK looking at the way the waters lying on the Pitch in the photo.

Covcraig@bury · Nov 7, 2012

Main Stand, and it burnt to the ground

dadgad · Nov 7, 2012

You say it burnt t the ground but a few days later we played Man U at home and had a gate of around 48, 000. If memory serves?
??

Disorganised1 · Nov 7, 2012

I used to stand on that corner, the bottom row of bricks stuck out a bit so you could stand on it to see over the wall. I'd have been the gigner haired one on the right - except in those days I only went to evening matches, because my Dad worked Saturdays. I'd have been 9 in 1963, and I remember the Marston's ad above the main stand. (though I suppose their could have been one on the East stand as well)

wingy · Nov 7, 2012

Great picture ,so obviously Ball Hill in the background .Looks like away fans mingling in what would become the West End ,is that a rattle or two in some of those hands .nit picking here but the perspectives a little off with the goal apparrently in the cornrer of the pitch:facepalm:

Bad Boy · Nov 7, 2012

dadgad said:
You say it burnt t the ground but a few days later we played Man U at home and had a gate of around 48, 000. If memory serves?
??

Not sure it was totally destroyed in the fire, I know we had to get temporary seating in pretty damn quick to facilitate the Manchester United game a few days later.

I didn't get to go, my bloody sister had to go and get married that day and I was an usher. 16th March 1968???

I didn't know the attendance was 48K that day. :claping hands:

Highfield Road stand question? (1 Viewer)

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