Highfield Road Or The Ricoh ? (9 Viewers)

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bringbackrattles

bringbackrattles

Well-Known Member
Talking before and after the Plymouth game about the whole football experience on a match day. Did the group of fans I was with enjoy it more at Highfield Road than now at the Ricoh ? All but one said it was better at Highfield Road, and I too preferred it back then too.
I still enjoy myself today most of the time, but I grew up going to our old ground, and thought we'd be there forever. Younger fans obviously only know the Ricoh and probably love it, but us older supporters talk about the Spion Kop, the West End, and the pubs nearby etc.
Any more thoughts on this ?
 
Irish Sky Blue

Irish Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
Because of the mess here have been in since the move to the Ricoh, I don’t think we have ever seen it at it’s full potential. On a couple of occasions it has been rocking because of what has happened on the pitch, Preston in the JPT and Blackburn in the cup. There can be a good atmosphere there even with only 10k in the ground. However, it can be a soul less place too if we are losing with only 6k there. Wasn’t it voted the ground with the worst match day experience recently? With hindsight it would have been much better to stay at Highfield Road and to develop the stadium and the surrounding area so that it could have been a major force in regenerating the Stoke and Hillfields area. If we had stayed, there probably would have been no Sisu,no Tim,Joy and the gang, no year in Northampton and no Wasps. For those reasons alone I would have much prefered to have stayed at HR.
 
Skyblueweeman

Skyblueweeman

Well-Known Member
Where to start....

HR will always be remembered (mainly) in positive ways. I think it says more about the old type of stadiums compared to the new bowl type designs. The old style with 4 distinct stands seem to have much better atmospheres than these bowl types. That's the same for other clubs as well, not just us so from that point of view HR will always win over.

The Ricoh is a class stadium, there's no doubt about it. It looks good, facilities are alright, good parking, good access of the motorway etc (all bar the insect paraphernalia). The unfortunate thing for us is that the move to th Ricoh coincided with the worst 10 years in our history. The collapse of ITV digital didn't help, nor did the culmination of years of living beyond or means, nor did the fact that the motives of the boards we had both pre Sisu and since were questionable, has all added up to a lot of negative connotations around the club, including the stadium.

Had we got relegated from the Prem a couple of seasons before we moved to the Ricoh and then say got promoted back so that the game against QPR/A N Other was the first in the Prem but with different owners, the whole debate could a different.

There's no doubt people have much stronger affections for HR than the Ricoh. Had circumstances been different, I think the feelings towards the Ricoh would be vastly different and we could've been making many more happier memories there, rather than the overall shower of poop we've endured for the last 10-12 years.
 
clint van damme

clint van damme

Well-Known Member
bringbackrattles said:
Talking before and after the Plymouth game about the whole football experience on a match day. Did the group of fans I was with enjoy it more at Highfield Road than now at the Ricoh ? All but one said it was better at Highfield Road, and I too preferred it back then too.
I still enjoy myself today most of the time, but I grew up going to our old ground, and thought we'd be there forever. Younger fans obviously only know the Ricoh and probably love it, but us older supporters talk about the Spion Kop, the West End, and the pubs nearby etc.
Any more thoughts on this ?
Click to expand...

I'm actually surprised 1 person said the Ricoh.
 
S

Seamus1

Well-Known Member
Ricoh for me. I started going regularly from around 1997 and had a season ticket in the Mcdonalds family stand for 3 years from 1997 onwards, all at HR. The West Terrace offered a bit of an atmosphere in those times, but I wouldn’t say it was better than singers corner. Other than that I can only think of a handful of games where a decent atmosphere was generated (Arsenal Boxing Day win, Villa win when Keane scored, last two minutes against Manchester United in 97,98 season).

Performances on the pitch were what tended to create the better atmospheres and there have been glimpses of this at the Ricoh in recent leaner times.

I also remember being stuck in seemingly endless traffic after matches on Ball Hill or through Hillfields.

Furthermore, the Ricoh has been a benefit to the city as a whole...without it, would huge artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Pink, Bon Jovi, Oasis ever have considered playing in Coventry??
 
Old Warwickshire lad

Old Warwickshire lad

Well-Known Member
What’s the point of harping back to the past. Highfield Road has gone the Ricoh is a far better stadium for viewing and for getting to.
If we were in the premiership and doing ok this debate would never start.
And yes I did go to Highfield rd, actually started in 1963 and have great memories. None better than the three years in Div 2 64-67 (the glory years). My heroes Gibbo,Ernie Hunt, Huch and the rest. So fond memories
So remember it’s nostalgia, you need to remember Highfield rd on a cold winters night in the 70,s the stinking bogs and crap bars ( if you could get served) poor lighting inside and out and the wind whistling between the stands.
We may long for the “good old days “ but they were not. We have a world class stadium now,the only problem is it’s not ours.
 
clint van damme

clint van damme

Well-Known Member
Warwickshire lad said:
What’s the point of harping back to the past. Highfield Road has gone the Ricoh is a far better stadium for viewing and for getting to.
If we were in the premiership and doing ok this debate would never start.
And yes I did go to Highfield rd, actually started in 1963 and have great memories. None better than the three years in Div 2 64-67 (the glory years). My heroes Gibbo,Ernie Hunt, Huch and the rest. So fond memories
So remember it’s nostalgia, you need to remember Highfield rd on a cold winters night in the 70,s the stinking bogs and crap bars ( if you could get served) poor lighting inside and out and the wind whistling between the stands.
We may long for the “good old days “ but they were not. We have a world class stadium now,the only problem is it’s not ours.
Click to expand...

not for me it's not.

And no way is the Ricoh a world class stadium, not a fucking chance!!
 
Mcbean

Mcbean

Well-Known Member
We have a better view of the football at the Ricoh - we moved from the West Terrace to the East stand at HR similar view - the group could be together more and we enjoyed the crack - had started on Spion cop - so of course the best memories are there from HR - i miss the drink with the gang at the Dead Horse ( Barras chippy east stand ) and formally at the Gland in hand ( Fargo West terrace) - parking of course was free at HR - we went to Sixfields but the seats were too close together and my knees were often in someones back - its takes the same time to get there and park at the Ricoh but we have to pay - i like the electronic card entry much simpler !
 
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hinckley cov

hinckley cov

Well-Known Member
Loved Highfield Road lots of great memories, but herd we were refused permission to push road back and extend sky blue stand to make capacity 28 to 30 thousand.
 
fernandopartridge

fernandopartridge

Well-Known Member
Highfield Road. The Ricoh on its day is much louder, but for 95% of the time it's too big for us and just feels completely soulless. The matchday experience overall is dreadful.
 
Liquid Gold

Liquid Gold

Well-Known Member
Highfield Road every time.

I don't think any of the new bowl arenas are better than the atmospheric stadiums they replaced.
 
Terry_dactyl

Terry_dactyl

Well-Known Member
HR every time. I could walk up the game, I knew where everything was and what all the stands were called. I could smoke in my seat, sneak booze into the ground, chant at the refreshment staff as they walked past the west terrace towards the end of the game, laugh at the ineptitude of the stewards (my dad was a steward), hurl abuse at the racist Newcastle fans, hurl abuse at the racist Swindon fans, have stones/coins thrown at me by Liverpool fans, then immediately after go out on the piss in cov without having to get a taxi. Basically I was younger and more fun/stupid.
Seriously though, I think it’s more about location than anything else.
 
fernandopartridge

fernandopartridge

Well-Known Member
Terry_dactyl said:
HR every time. I could walk up the game, I knew where everything was and what all the stands were called. I could smoke in my seat, sneak booze into the ground, chant at the refreshment staff as they walked past the west terrace towards the end of the game, laugh at the ineptitude of the stewards (my dad was a steward), hurl abuse at the racist Newcastle fans, hurl abuse at the racist Swindon fans, have stones/coins thrown at me by Liverpool fans, then immediately after go out on the piss in cov without having to get a taxi. Basically I was younger and more fun/stupid.
Seriously though, I think it’s more about location than anything else.
Click to expand...

Yes, location was everything. The wander up Gosford St into town was great.
 
M

Magwitch

Well-Known Member
Highfield Road was tired and did need a massive overhaul and there were ambitious plans which I saw to do so, but there was money to be made for some by moving lock, stock and barrel to the then disused old Foleshill gas works. For me it’s not so much the stadium or it’s design it’s just the location, the pathetic parking restrictions and the lack of public transports serving it. Under its current policy stewarding etc, the full houses we could get if we got to the promised land will turn the whole football event into a farce , yet it works for Wasps ?
So reference the OP has to be HR
 
E

Earlsdon-Loyal-Blue

Well-Known Member
HR, always. My first season ticket was the 1999/2000 season and looking back I was spoilt with some of the games/atmospheres I got that year! I saw us beat Arsenal 3-2, beat Villa 2-1 on that Monday Night and we beat the likes of Newcastle, Watford, Bradford and Wednesday - scoring 4 goals against each (not by four goals mind).

Would love to go back in time and do a game at HR, with all the pubs that were around then, with my current group of mates.
 
Paxman II

Paxman II

Well-Known Member
Many times we have had this debate. Nostalgia is one thing but reality is another. The Ricoh is by far a better stadium and that includes it's amenities,it's location and when nearer capacity a fantastic atmosphere. Sadly we have had few of those due to our current plight.
It's also tainted for all of us by the schenanigans off the field,from owners to shocking decisions by the council and ultimate control by a Rugby club making it feel like someone else's home and not ours to some extent.
If we get back to a top 6 postion or the premeir league the crowds will grow dramatically and we will need the Ricoh more than we need it now.
The only 'soulous' part of all this is our current owners. Lets hope a good outcome is still a possibility in the courtroom drama and we get some ownership rights back. From there and improved performance on the pitch back to the Championship I beleive will see them sell and recoup some of their so called disaterous investment and put and end to their tenure.
 
fernandopartridge

fernandopartridge

Well-Known Member
Amenity and location are dreadful at the Ricoh. It is very poorly accessed, being close to a motorway isn't all that.
Paxman II said:
Many times we have had this debate. Nostalgia is one thing but reality is another. The Ricoh is by far a better stadium and that includes it's amenities,it's location and when nearer capacity a fantastic atmosphere. Sadly we have had few of those due to our current plight.
It's also tainted for all of us by the schenanigans off the field,from owners to shocking decisions by the council and ultimate control by a Rugby club making it feel like someone else's home and not ours to some extent.
If we get back to a top 6 postion or the premeir league the crowds will grow dramatically and we will need the Ricoh more than we need it now.
The only 'soulous' part of all this is our current owners. Lets hope a good outcome is still a possibility in the courtroom drama and we get some ownership rights back. From there and improved performance on the pitch back to the Championship I beleive will see them sell and recoup some of their so called disaterous investment and put and end to their tenure.
Click to expand...
 
pusbccfc

pusbccfc

Well-Known Member
Highfield Road - Better pubs, better match day experience, lots of good memories and a big game atmosphere on its day. Even when it was half empty it felt more populated than the Ricoh.

Ricoh - better facilities, better views across the ground, on its day a better atmosphere.

Highfield Road was full of memories but there were plenty of negatives. A Ricoh in the Premier League sold out would be better ground. The Ricoh return game showed what it was capable of.

The biggest problem with the Ricoh at the moment is the match day experience. There is nothing before to get you up there early, the pubs aren't great, the prices are a disgrace and as a result, the majority of the fans don't arrive in their seats until 2:50. On top of that, on some days the atmosphere is horrific and depressing.
 
Terry_dactyl

Terry_dactyl

Well-Known Member
Paxman II said:
Many times we have had this debate. Nostalgia is one thing but reality is another. The Ricoh is by far a better stadium and that includes it's amenities,it's location and when nearer capacity a fantastic atmosphere. Sadly we have had few of those due to our current plight.
It's also tainted for all of us by the schenanigans off the field,from owners to shocking decisions by the council and ultimate control by a Rugby club making it feel like someone else's home and not ours to some extent.
If we get back to a top 6 postion or the premeir league the crowds will grow dramatically and we will need the Ricoh more than we need it now.
The only 'soulous' part of all this is our current owners. Lets hope a good outcome is still a possibility in the courtroom drama and we get some ownership rights back. From there and improved performance on the pitch back to the Championship I beleive will see them sell and recoup some of their so called disaterous investment and put and end to their tenure.
Click to expand...
Can’t agree about the location, although I concede that this may be for entirely selfish reasons. However, having said that, Cardiff does very well with stadia in central locations.
 
hill83

hill83

Well-Known Member
Plonk the Ricoh directly where highfield road was, take the corners out and throw rubbish everywhere and we’ll be onto a winner.

It’s all about location for me, and the surrounding area at the Ricoh is shite. Yes Hillfields wasn’t a looker but pubs, walking distance to town and the station.
 
Skyblueweeman

Skyblueweeman

Well-Known Member
fernandopartridge said:
It is very poorly accessed, being close to a motorway isn't all that.
Click to expand...

It is if you have lots of function space when you're trying to attract business from all over the midlands to use your facilities.

I get your point though...from a matchday point of view, it's less desirable than HR. From an Arena/non-matchday revenues point of view, just off a major motorway is ideal.
 
Otis

Otis

Well-Known Member
pusbccfc said:
Highfield Road - Better pubs, better match day experience, lots of good memories and a big game atmosphere on its day. Even when it was half empty it felt more populated than the Ricoh.

Ricoh - better facilities, better views across the ground, on its day a better atmosphere.

Highfield Road was full of memories but there were plenty of negatives. A Ricoh in the Premier League sold out would be better ground. The Ricoh return game showed what it was capable of.

The biggest problem with the Ricoh at the moment is the match day experience. There is nothing before to get you up there early, the pubs aren't great, the prices are a disgrace and as a result, the majority of the fans don't arrive in their seats until 2:50. On top of that, on some days the atmosphere is horrific and depressing.
Click to expand...
It's a total no brainer for me.

Don't do the pubs and not bothered about any match day experience. Always been about the game for me.

At HR, it was drive up, park, go to the game, drive back home again.

At the Ricoh, it's walk, go to the game, go back home again.

On that basis and with the Ricoh being much the better stadium and with a much, much, much better view, it is the Ricoh all long for me.

I remember one season at HR having a ST and there was a pillar right in my line of vision for the goal at the West End.

Loads of poor views at HR and still a crappy atmosphere.

For me it is all about the game. Same too when I went to Wembley. Off the coach, straight to the stadium, watch the game and back to the coach.

It's a game of football and that's all I'm interested in.

Obviously different for everyone, but it's a total no brainer for me.
 
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