An insult to the memory of Jimmy Hill (5 Viewers)

[Irish Sky Blue]

The OP has tried to introduce Jimmy Hill as a way of emphasising the point of ownership incompetence and neglect.

However, in his capacity as chairman there were similarities.

Dire crowds down to 8,000
Players being sold at a whim
Money thrown down the drain with disastrous USA franchise losses
Mass protests with threats of a very serious and vilolent nature aimed at hill
An absurd attempt to destroy the clubs heritage and rebrand it

The op has very rose tinted glasses and neglects the fact that similarities actually existed.

Average crowds were never that low. The big difference was that anything he did he did it in what he thought would be the the best interests of the club. Yes, he made mistakes second time around. You exaggerate the anti JH feeling of the time. Amazing that if he was so reviled he always had such a good reception any time he came back to the club. (Including having the statue made).

 

---

[Deleted member 5849]

We've never averaged that. It was when you factor out away fans nowhere near. The number of games we've ever had with more than 25,000 Coventry fans at a game st home in the last half a century is less than 10

Last time we averaged over 25,000 was 1971 btw.

Four and a half decades ago.

 

[Irish Sky Blue]

We've never averaged that. It was when you factor out away fans nowhere near. The number of games we've ever had with more than 25,000 Coventry fans at a game st home in the last half a century is less than 10

You should look at the average gates and also the high gates for the late sixties. You are completely wrong.

 

[skybluebeduff]

Bit impossible to have half a century of over 25,000 when HR was only 23500 for how many years? If you looked at it at how close to full capacity we were then I think that's his point..

 

[Grendel]

Average crowds were never that low. The big difference was that anything he did he did it in what he thought would be the the best interests of the club. Yes, he made mistakes second time around. You exaggerate the anti JH feeling of the time. Amazing that if he was so reviled he always had such a good reception any time he came back to the club. (Including having the statue made).

There were many crowds at around that figure. In fact even in the mid 70's gates started to get as low as 10,000

People rightly remember his achievements as a manager. Also as a force majeur character - however there was definitely a large pitch invasion a lot of chanting and he left.

 

[Grendel]

You should look at the average gates and also the high gates for the late sixties. You are completely wrong.

I said on the last half century - I'm completely right

 

[rondog1973]

Last time we averaged over 25,000 was 1971 btw.

Four and a half decades ago.

About the time of the last top 6 finish.....

 

[Ashdown]

Yeah, I'd see a club with gates of 0K, no assets and plenty of debts and think 'that's the club for me'!

It's a perfectly logical reaction...

Well I'd say that was at 'The bottom of the cycle' wouldn't you !? That's when most takeovers take place ?!
You honestly think the Mayfair cunts wouldn't rub their hands together if the gates ramped up to 30k per game, we would hear a lot more of 'We're not for sale then' !

 

[skybluetony176]

I said on the last half century - I'm completely right

You're completely wrong. The late sixties is in the last 50 years for starters. Also according to the clubs official website for our first season in the old division one we averaged crowds of over 30k. Correction over 34.5K We played 21 league games at home that season so you're only out by about 49 years.

 

[Ashdown]

We've never averaged that. It was when you factor out away fans nowhere near. The number of games we've ever had with more than 25,000 Coventry fans at a game st home in the last half a century is less than 10

When you factor out away fans FFS !

 

[Deleted member 5849]

Well I'd say that was at 'The bottom of the cycle' wouldn't you !? That's when most takeovers take place ?!
You honestly think the Mayfair cunts wouldn't rub their hands together if the gates ramped up to 30k per game, we would hear a lot more of 'We're not for sale then' !

Given their plan has always been to shift us on for a value, I'd say we're far more likely to be sold when we have a value.

 

[Grendel]

Last time we averaged over 25,000 was 1971 btw.

Four and a half decades ago.

Yes to be fair I meant last 40 years as the 70's was when I started attending.

It's all irrelevant as clubs like charlton and Notts county could claim huge historic attendances.

Here and now the reality is not the case. The Ricoh has had how many plus 25,000 ccfc fans in attendance in the last decade. I would say around 6 or 7

 

[Deleted member 5849]

About the time of the last top 6 finish.....

Close Season of Europe, that one.

To be clear however, I'm not arguing the fans are shit for not turning up... I'm just arguing the backwards logic that says lower crowds makes us more appealing to potential buyers!

 

[blueflint]

The present day ccfc is an insult to the memory of Jimmy Hill and all he achieved for the Sky Blues. He transformed an ailing club into a major force and built a foundation for it's future only to have it dismantled over the last ten years by successive owners before sisu arrived to virtually finish it's demolition.
I can no longer live on memories of the 60's 70's 80's and 90's,
although they will always remain dear to my heart.
I no longer recognise ccfc as my club, the ccfc I new has been in terminal decline until, to my mind, it no longer exists.
I have no enthusiasm for the team now masquerading as ccfc, to me it no longer is ccfc - my ccfc is no more. It has passed away. RIP ccfc.

when i said the same two years back everone said i was wrong you have confirmed my feelings and i hate the fact i can no longer support my club

 

[Grendel]

You're completely wrong. The late sixties is in the last 50 years for starters. Also according to the clubs official website for our first season in the old division one we averaged crowds of over 30k. We played 21 league games at home that season so you're only out by about 49 years.

I've amended to 40 years my favourite little stalker with his debut post of the day. What a little munchkin you are Tony. Still I guess you never bothered even going until what mid 90's? You weren't a fan until your were in your twenties were you?

 

[dongonzalos]

Yes his business interests in America did. The club partly funded a failed venture in the states.

No a large section didn't trust or relate to him at all. He sold many players to balance the books, wasted money on an absurd stadium design and fans voted with their feet. We had numerous gates of around 8,000 and even relatively big games attracted pathetic attendances. It cumulated with fans yelling "kill Jimmy hill" at the directors box and he stood down.

No he didn't throw money at the club he'd already blown it

His parting gift was to put a whole host of promising young players on contracts that all ended at the same time and collectively they decided to walk out on the club when the deals ended. As a result we had hardly any players left.

I say it as the op mentioned his name to get an emotional response. There's no denying he was a great manager a force of nature and an innovator. He also was a reckless gambler with no real strategy long term at all and as a chairman was a disaster.

I am not clued up on his time as a chairman. Always just assured he was viewed as a legend as both previous manager and chairman.
It's good his spell as chairman hasn't ruined his stats due to his manager exploits

 

[rondog1973]

Close Season of Europe, that one.

To be clear however, I'm not arguing the fans are shit for not turning up... I'm just arguing the backwards logic that says lower crowds makes us more appealing to potential buyers!

Don't think that is the logic though to be fair. Think it's more any would be investor would do their homework and realise the potential fanbase here.

 

[skybluetony176]

I've amended to 40 years my favourite little stalker with his debut post of the day. What a little munchkin you are Tony. Still I guess you never bothered even going until what mid 90's? You weren't a fan until your were in your twenties were you?

Grendull in a move's the goal posts shocker. You've even then (in what must be a first) brushed of your own argument aside as irrelevant.
Grendull in realising his own argument is irrelevant shocker. Yesterdays news today. We all knew that anyway.

You then accuse me of being your stalker while admitting to know my intimate details of being a CCFC fan as if that somehow dismisses me pointing out your error with facts you didn't despite still shitting green as a CCFC fan. Never mind old man.

 

[Alan Dugdales Moustache]

We've never averaged that. It was when you factor out away fans nowhere near. The number of games we've ever had with more than 25,000 Coventry fans at a game st home in the last half a century is less than 10

Very true Grendel. I'd like to add that unlike other teams we would like to compare ourselves to we have never had a sustained period of success .

 

[Alan Dugdales Moustache]

There were many crowds at around that figure. In fact even in the mid 70's gates started to get as low as 10,000

People rightly remember his achievements as a manager. Also as a force majeur character - however there was definitely a large pitch invasion a lot of chanting and he left.

I recall Chelsea getting crowds of 14,000 around about the same period.

 

[letsallsingtogether]

I am not clued up on his time as a chairman. Always just assured he was viewed as a legend as both previous manager and chairman.
It's good his spell as chairman hasn't ruined his stats due to his manager exploits

Grendel has hated all our chairmen apart from the current ones

 

[skybluetony176]

I am not clued up on his time as a chairman. Always just assured he was viewed as a legend as both previous manager and chairman.
It's good his spell as chairman hasn't ruined his stats due to his manager exploits

The big difference is he acted in what he believed was the best interests of the club. Did he get it wrong? Absolutely. Did he do it in the best interests of some anonymous, off shore, tax haven based hedge fund over the interest of the club? Absolutely not. Why Grendull keeps repeatedly dancing on his grave in some kind of weird justification, dilution of neglect, justification, defense (to be honest I'm not sure what it is he's trying to achieve but it's definitely weird) of the current mob is beyond me. There is no comparison.

 

[skybluetony176]

Grendel has hated all our chairmen apart from the current ones

He's lost loads of weight you know? The current chairman that is, not Grendull. He was shouting it from the rooftops with pride. Grendull that is, not the current chairman.

 

[letsallsingtogether]

He's lost loads of weight you know? The current chairman that is, not Grendull. He was shouting it from the rooftops with pride. Grendull that is, not the current chairman.

Yes but he is still full of shit, that must weigh a few stone

 

[Sky Blue Kid]

We've never averaged that. It was when you factor out away fans nowhere near. The number of games we've ever had with more than 25,000 Coventry fans at a game st home in the last half a century is less than 10

Your maths are way out Grendel..
This is just at the Ricoh

Coventry City 0–2 Chelsea FA Cup quarter-final 7 March 2009 31,407 [77]
Coventry City 0–3 Crewe Alexandra Football League Trophy area-final 5 February 2013 31,054 [78]
Coventry City 2–3 Leeds United Football League Championship 6 November 2010 28,184 [84]
Coventry City 0–5 West Bromwich Albion FA Cup Fifth Round 16 February 2008 28,163 [86]
Coventry City 1–1 Middlesbrough FA Cup Fourth Round 28 January 2006 28,120 [87]
Coventry City 1–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Football League Championship 26 April 2008 27,992 [88]
Coventry City 1–0 Gillingham Football League One 5 September 2014 27,306 [89]
Coventry City 0–1 Birmingham City Football League Championship 31 October 2006 27,212 [90]
Coventry City 2–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Football League Championship 2 January 2006 26,851 [91]
Coventry City 1–1 Leicester City Football League Championship 17 April 2006 26,672 [92]
Coventry City 1–1 Leeds United Football League Championship 18 March 2006 26,643 [93]
Coventry City 0–1 West Bromwich Albion Football League Championship 28 April 2007 26,343 [94]

At Highfield road...
After 1980 capacity was cut to 20k for nearly 5 years.
1980 19.315
1979 22.638
1978 23.353
1977 21.242
1976 19.370
1975 19.100
1974 23.280
1973 24.623
1972 23.724
1971 26.039
1970 32.043
1969 33.223
1968 34.705
1967 28.269
1966 25.370
1965 26.621
1964 26.017
1963 17.098

 

[Moff]

The big difference is he acted in what he believed was the best interests of the club. Did he get it wrong? Absolutely. Did he do it in the best interests of some anonymous, off shore, tax haven based hedge fund over the interest of the club? Absolutely not. Why Grendull keeps repeatedly dancing on his grave in some kind of weird justification, dilution of neglect, justification, defense (to be honest I'm not sure what it is he's trying to achieve but it's definitely weird) of the current mob is beyond me. There is no comparison.

Was letting the contracts of possibly the best crop of young players we had had for years run out at the same time, and selling Garry Thompson against the managers wishes in the best interests of the club? Sorry I don't think it was.

I think Hill was a magnificent manager for the club, and did some good things as a chairman, but his last couple of years nearly crippled the club and were pretty dismal.

In case anyone accuses me of being a SISU lover for having the temerity of dissing something that Hill did, I must add SISU are shit, but then we all know that anyway, and answering you Tony was purely about what you had said about Hill, and nothing to do with how bad things have been under the pricks that own us.

 

[Sky Blue Kid]

I said on the last half century - I'm completely right

Completely WRONG!!!.... check my post #235

 

[skybluetony176]

Yes but he is still full of shit, that must weigh a few stone

Grendull or the current chairman?

 

[Deleted member 5849]

Was letting the contracts of possibly the best crop of young players we had had for years run out at the same time, and selling Garry Thompson against the managers wishes in the best interests of the club? Sorry I don't think it was.

The point about motivation is not an unreasonable one though, is it?

I'm assuming(!) we can all agree that even if turning out badly, Hill's motivation was always to do what he thought best for the club.

Not sure we can say that for the current owners...

 

[Sky Blue Kid]

There were many crowds at around that figure. In fact even in the mid 70's gates started to get as low as 10,000

People rightly remember his achievements as a manager. Also as a force majeur character - however there was definitely a large pitch invasion a lot of chanting and he left.

Chatting shit again Grendel. Our lowest average gate in the 70's was over 19k. But lets not let FACTS get in the way eh!

 

[Sky Blue Kid]

The point about motivation is not an unreasonable one though, is it?

I'm assuming(!) we can all agree that even if turning out badly, Hill's motivation was always to do what he thought best for the club.

Not sure we can say that for the current owners...

The only thing that JH did that I was 100% against was to get rid of the wage cap. Can anybody truthfully say that Wayne Rooney is worth his £320k pw ?

 

[Moff]

The point about motivation is not an unreasonable one though, is it?

I'm assuming(!) we can all agree that even if turning out badly, Hill's motivation was always to do what he thought best for the club.

Not sure we can say that for the current owners...

No I don't disagree with your point about motivation, but I would still question what Motivation caused Hill to let all those contracts run down. It was scandalous, we lost if I recall correctly Les Sealy, Danny Thomas, Paul Dyson, Garry Gillespie, Steve Whitton, Gerry Francis, Jim Melrose, Garry Thompson, Mark Hateley, John Hendrie and Peter Bodak all within a six month period. (I have probably forgotten a couple of others)

Whatever the motivation was for that, it was awful planning.

 

[Grendel]

Grendull or the current chairman?

How's the DIY going Tony - finished before the next game?

 

[Sky Blue Kid]

How's the DIY going Tony - finished before the next game?

What's up Grendel? No reply to my posts, not like you eh

 

[skybluetony176]

Was letting the contracts of possibly the best crop of young players we had had for years run out at the same time, and selling Garry Thompson against the managers wishes in the best interests of the club? Sorry I don't think it was.

I think Hill was a magnificent manager for the club, and did some good things as a chairman, but his last couple of years nearly crippled the club and were pretty dismal.

In case anyone accuses me of being a SISU lover for having the temerity of dissing something that Hill did, I must add SISU are shit, but then we all know that anyway, and answering you Tony was purely about what you had said about Hill, and nothing to do with how bad things have been under the pricks that own us.

I wouldn't argue that those decisions weren't in the best interest of the club. But you're missing the point Moff. Did JH make those decisions or any other decisions for that matter in what he thought was the best interests of the club or did he make them in the best interest of an anonymous outside party? I think you probably know the answer to that one and that is the difference. Also Grendull seems to be concentrating on things he got wrong as chairman in some poor taste attempt to exonerate SISU. How about listing some of his achievements as chairman for balance. I'm sure he didn't get everything wrong. Then maybe try doing the same exercise with SISU's failures and achievements (ha ha, I used SISU and achievement in the same sentence). I bet there isn't a comparison. That's even before you start adding his achievements as manager into the equation. Dancing on his grave is an understatement for Grendulls wumming on this thread.