80% chance of return to Ricoh this season (4 Viewers)

AFCCOVENTRY

Well-Known Member
Former Sky Blues winger Wallace confident of Ricoh Arena return next season

Sky Blues legendary winger Ian Wallace strongly believes Coventry City will be back playing at the Ricoh Arena during the new season.

The winger has backed the #bringCityhome campaign telling BBC Coventry and Warwickshire that there's an '80 per cent chance' the club will return to the city.

"I didn't go to any games last year as I am a Coventry City fan at heart and I'm not going down to Northampton for home games, simple," Wallace revealed.

A long-running dispute between the club’s owners Sisu and Ricoh Arena operators ACL has seen the club leave Coventry to play 'home' matches 35 miles away at Northampton Town's Sixfields stadium.

However, Glaswegian Wallacewsays he has heard 'a whisper' that a welcome return to the city could be on the cards.

He said: "I believe there is a big chance they will be playing at the Ricoh Arena this season - 80 per cent they will be back at the Ricoh.

"I've heard a little whisper, it's not 100 per cent but hopefully fingers crossed I'll be at a lot of home games next year."


Adored by the fans in his late 1970s' pomp, the inside forward struck up a formidable partnership with Mick Ferguson, scoring 40 between them in the 1977-78 season.

The Scot ended up scoring an outstanding 58 goals in his 130 first-team appearances for the Sky Blues and won international recognition with Scotland as he established himself as a Coventry legend.

Wallace said: "The last time I saw Coventry was when they played Crewe in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy Northern semi-final and what an atmosphere it was - it just shows you if Coventry City get back to the Ricoh the fans will come back for sure.

"And it would be a massive boost for the City alone, apart from the football club, to get people who want to support the football team."

The former winger still has a strong affinity with the club where he spent four glorious seasons between 1976 and 1980.

"Coventry City helped put me on the map and I got my first Scotland caps out of that. Coventry is a great club, it's a family club, it's very sad to see the current situation.

"There could be a revival there - they have a good manager just now. He's a young manager who knows his stuff, he doing the right things and it will be a lot easier if they sold 14,000/15,000 season tickets back at the Ricoh, which I believe they will be soon."
 

RFC

Well-Known Member
Have been saying (despite denials to the contrary), things have been and are still happening.
 

Monners

Well-Known Member
He was a forward. And a very good one at that (for us anyway). 80% of what by the way. Meaningless - it is either signed and sealed (therefore 100%), or not (0%).
 

bringbackrattles

Well-Known Member
One of my all time favourite City players but sadly he doesn't know anymore than us lot on here.
I hope his optimism will turn out to be true but why spend money on Sixfields pitch if we're returning back home ?
 

wingy

Well-Known Member
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PICTURE , THE SPOIN BATHED IN SUNSHINE AND FULL ,BUT SADLY CAGED.


PM3036982cr-12889.jpg
 

hill83

Well-Known Member
Have been saying (despite denials to the contrary), things have been and are still happening.

Hopefully it's true. But we don't believe anything you come out with. So you might as well say the Wheatsheaf are opening a bar on Mars.
 

torchomatic

Well-Known Member
Nice one, Wingy. Those years 77/78/79 where the seasons where I started going to most home and away matches with me Dad and where the bug really kicked in. Wally and Fergie were my heroes. My favourite kit too. Great memories.
 

torchomatic

Well-Known Member
Well, no one's looking. Is it Donal Murphy?

Was that the 5-4 game with Norwich (a game I sadly missed), and who is that giving himself a scratch in the background
 

JulianDarbyFTW

Well-Known Member
Seriously though, those are how football kits should look. Quality material, simple design yet full of character. I want one. Now.
 

torchomatic

Well-Known Member
Best of all. You weighed three stone heavier every time it rained.

Seriously though, those are how football kits should look. Quality material, simple design yet full of character. I want one. Now.
 

Monners

Well-Known Member
Starting to well up over here! Nostalgia can be a terrible thing. Also, I now weigh more than 3 stone heavier, and it hasn't rained for weeks!
 

wingy

Well-Known Member
Nice one, Wingy. Those years 77/78/79 where the seasons where I started going to most home and away matches with me Dad and where the bug really kicked in. Wally and Fergie were my heroes. My favourite kit too. Great memories.


The Great Milne years Torch ..Should never have moved him up and eventually on .

Just look at this Resume .

How could they consider a League Semi last minute defeat with a team of Kids as Failure ?


Milne turned to management and coaching with Wigan Athletic as player-manager in January 1970.[SUP][1][/SUP] He managed Wigan from 1970 to 1972, making 73 Northern Premier Leagueappearances for the club,[SUP][2][/SUP] and guided them to a league title and an FA Cup run, which ended with a narrow defeat to Manchester City at Maine Road.
Milne also became the part-time manager of the England Youth team in 1972, helping them to win the European Youth Championship that year.
Milne joined Joe Mercer at Coventry City as team manager in June 1972, taking full control in 1974, upon Mercer's elevation to the Board. He was shortlisted for the England management role following the departure of Sir Alf Ramsey, but was overlooked in favour of Don Revie. He continued at Coventry until 1981, producing several exciting teams and securing the club's First Division status. The 1977–78 season saw Coventry's most exciting top-flight team. Gordon Milne settled on an attacking 4–2–4 formation. A side containing Tommy Hutchison, Mick Ferguson, Ian Wallace, Terry Yorath, Graham Oakey, Bobby MacDonald and Jim Blyth played attacking football that swept many teams aside, often by large margins of victory.
Milne became boss at Leicester City in August 1982, winning promotion in 1982–83 and staying until 1986. He managed Beşiktaş in Turkey for seven years(1987–1994) (where he won three successive titles, during the early 1990s). He has succeeded in creating one of the most successful periods in the history of Beşiktaş J.K. and is still a legend for the Beşiktaş fans. He also managed Nagoya Grampus Eight in Japan before returning to Turkey to take charge of Bursaspor (1996–1997) and then Trabzonspor (1998–1999).
Milne then accepted the role of Director of Football at Newcastle United, and worked alongside manager Bobby Robson between 1999 and 2004.
After a spell as chief executive of the League Managers Association, Milne was employed as Director of Football at Beşiktaş JK Istanbul, Turkey in 2006.
 

bringbackrattles

Well-Known Member
Ah yes, it was a Christmas game - thanks for the memory prompt. My old man mut have had a pretty good reason (probably female) for us not going to that.
For me it has to be the best game I saw at Highfield Road,it had the lot and when Blyth saved a last minute penalty the whole ground erupted.Good memories !
 

torchomatic

Well-Known Member
Yes, one of the one's that sticks in my mind too. Along with a 4-4 draw with Brum on our first ever Sunday game and that great 5-4 Forest League Cup match.

For me it has to be the best game I saw at Highfield Road,it had the lot and when Blyth saved a last minute penalty the whole ground erupted.Good memories !
 

Sba180

Member
Have been saying (despite denials to the contrary), things have been and are still happening.

Wouldnt bother you as you dont really care if we come home or not, as you have previously stated. Dont know what thread it was on, but someone will
 

torchomatic

Well-Known Member

Monners

Well-Known Member
Yes, one of the one's that sticks in my mind too. Along with a 4-4 draw with Brum on our first ever Sunday game and that great 5-4 Forest League Cup match.

I missed noth of those games as well! And i call myself a real fan!

At least I was there for Cyril's last minute winner in the 4-3 v Spurs!

Seem to recall us beating Man City 4-2 in the 77/78 season. Great football when it clicked with Milne's teams.
 

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