First ever CCFC memories ? (1 Viewer)

Not from a sporting family so we never watched match of the day or looked out for football results or anything. The only time I ever remember the house getting excited about football was Spain 82 and Northern Irelands heroics. Anyway a work mate had a spare ticket and invited me along and in truth I went for the all day drinking session more than anything but the atmosphere put its hooks in me and I specifically remember the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end when Noel Whelan scored the winner. So this is my first game and first memory

Born 93, the old man says I was at games before I could walk. I’ve tried to ask him what my first game was but he doesn’t remember the opponents. An early memory that sticks for me is Heskey scoring for Leicester at HR. Can remember the Summerbee tackle on Froggatt. Can remember the Arsenal game on Boxing Day. The earlier memories are pretty scattered. The smell of cigars reminds me of sitting in the McDonalds family stand. Weird.

Cov 1 WBA 2. Our goal was an own goal and I got a clip round the ear for throwing my programme away over a wall on the way back to the car. Think it was 1977 or 1978

43 years later still going up even though we moved from Cov in 1980. Even managed to harangue my eldest into being a cov fan even though all his mates are Albion or Wolves. Poor kid

If you go onto YouTube there’s a piece on Sky Blues through the 60s covers the Jimmy Hill era and early first division games loads of nostalgia on it for me.

First ever game was December 85, night game against Everton. Cousin took me, floodlights and great atmosphere. Everton was superb that night. As a 5 yr old kid the knowledge of the game was sketchy but was amazed how easily Everton played the ball around.

another game that sticks in the mind was the 5-0 thumping of Blackburn in the snow. Everyone was in real spirits and the goals just kept coming. Great day all round

Honestly can’t remember my first game, it would have been early 70’s with my dad. What I can remember is walking up the steps of the West stand into brilliant sunshine and seeing the greenest pitch with the brightest of white lines. I fell in love with football properly that day. Just me & my dad spending time together. I was born in ‘66 so I’m guessing I’d have been 6 or 7

It took a bit of cajoling from the old man to get me to a game. So despite being entirely football mad for a few years, I didn’t got until I was about 8 or 9, and was immediately hooked on going up to HR. My dads abiding memory of my first game was that, thanks to panini sticker albums, I was able to tell him who all the players for Luton Town were...”thats Tim Breaker”!!!
I think my first memory was just how big, loud and exciting everything was. This was a game that we lost 0-1 (Brian Stein)...I’m easily pleased!

First game I ever went to was with my father when I was quite little. I don't know exactly when it was or who the opposition team were. Must have been the late 1950's. We were in the old third division. My Dad and I stood on the terraces at Highfield Road. He would bring a little fold-up stool for me to stand on.
A couple of the players names I remember were forward Ken Satchwell and goalkeeper Arthur Lightening (which I thought was a great name for a goalie).
Coventry played in royal blue and white. The Sky Blues had not been invented yet. Most people called the team "The City". Hardly anyone ever used their official nickname, The Bantams.
You would hear people yelling "Up the old five" quite often.
People would bring their own thermos flasks full of tea or coffee.
Young fans wore blue and white scarves and hats with pom-poms. Many carried rattles.
No hooliganism or racism (there were no black players).
There was good-natured banter between home and away fans and very little animosity.

Terry_dactyl said:

It took a bit of cajoling from the old man to get me to a game. So despite being entirely football mad for a few years, I didn’t got until I was about 8 or 9, and was immediately hooked on going up to HR. My dads abiding memory of my first game was that, thanks to panini sticker albums, I was able to tell him who all the players for Luton Town were...”thats Tim Breaker”!!!
I think my first memory was just how big, loud and exciting everything was. This was a game that we lost 0-1 (Brian Stein)...I’m easily pleased!

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My lads like that with opposition players, only cos he plays football manager on his tablet

Gazolba said:

First game I ever went to was with my father when I was quite little. I don't know exactly when it was or who the opposition team were. Must have been the late 1950's. We were in the old third division. My Dad and I stood on the terraces at Highfield Road. He would bring a little fold-up stool for me to stand on.
A couple of the players names I remember were forward Ken Satchwell and goalkeeper Arthur Lightening (which I thought was a great name for a goalie).
Coventry played in royal blue and white. The Sky Blues had not been invented yet. Most people called the team "The City". Hardly anyone ever used their official nickname, The Bantams.
You would hear people yelling "Up the old five" quite often.
People would bring their own thermos flasks full of tea or coffee.
Young fans wore blue and white scarves and hats with pom-poms. Many carried rattles.
No hooliganism or racism (there were no black players).
There was good-natured banter between home and away fans and very little animosity.

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There was Steve "Kalamazoo" Mokone. He played four games for City between 1955 and 1957 according to Wikipedia, scoring once. He was very skillful but the pitch and heavy leather ball probably didn't help him much in wet conditions. Our family thought he should have been played more often. I remember he scored a goal. I think he also sticks in my mind because our family moved to Cardiff in 1959 when I was 12 and shortly afterward Steve Mokone signed for Cardiff City. After two successful seasons in Holland his second spell in the UK was also a bit of a let down. Just as when he had been at City, there were those in the crowd who thought he wasn't physical enough and gave him the bird. But many fans enjoyed his skills. I think I saw him play three times for Coventry and once for Cardiff.

He was a history maker:
"Stephen Madi MokoneOIG (23 March 1932 – 19 March 2015) was a South African footballer who was the first black South African player to play in a professional European league." (from Wikipedia)

Interesting that Coventry were sometimes trailblazers even before Jimmy Hill arrived.

As for my first game, I think it was 1952 or 1953. Not sure who it was against. Leyton Orient, Millwall or Bristol City perhaps. My favourite player in those early days was Ray Sambrook, our left winger. I was over the moon when he played a blinder in a pre-season friendly in 1957. I couldn't remember the year, but just looked it up. He had been brilliant the previous season in the old Third Division (South) and I was looking forward to watching him in the 57-58 season. it turned out to be one of my early Coventry City disappointments. Many were still to come. But after my delight as he took First Division Manchester City to pieces in the pre-season friendly which we won 3-1 with two goals from Sambrook, I was shattered to find out that he had played too well. He was signed by Man City shortly afterwards, played 62 games for them in the next 5 years and scored 13 goals. And I didn't get to see him play again. Once we got Willie Humphries and Ronnie Rees I stopped minding.

We didn't have a car, so we may have caught a No 2 bus from Cheylesmore and walked from the city centre. But,more likely, the whole family may just have walked along London Road and down past Gulson Road Hospital, just the same as we always did once we got our first car - a 1938 Hillman Minx - when I was seven (so after June 1953). Always loved the whole Saturday routine from coming back from a match, listening to the football results and then going down to the shops on Daventry Road to wait for a pink 'un. If we were lucky we got some Fish and Chips at the same time. Happy days!

Gleneagles65 said:

The Norwich 5.4 match was crazy to witness. Christmas time mid late 70s ?

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I didn't miss many games in the '70's but that was one. I was stuck at home after an operation on a football injury.

Brighton Sky Blue said:

First game I went to was a 2-2 draw at home to Arsenal, we were sat right behind the goal and I remember Grandad checking I wouldn't cry if we lost (I was 7). When people got up at half time I thought it meant everyone had to change seats and I also remember someone saying 'we should have killed these off already' which of course we didn't. Got a pretty good view of Paul Williams' red card

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I remember this game. Bergkamp’s swan dive for the red card, I never quite got over that! Was right in line with it.

First game was actually at the City Ground, around 87-88. I don’t remember anything apart from it was 0-0! My first game at HR was against Luton - smashed them 5-0 and that was me hooked!

My first game was a 2-0 home defeat to Arsenal in 1993 when I was 8.

Premier League (Sky Sports)

kg82 said:

I remember this game. Bergkamp’s swan dive for the red card, I never quite got over that! Was right in line with it.

First game was actually at the City Ground, around 87-88. I don’t remember anything apart from it was 0-0! My first game at HR was against Luton - smashed them 5-0 and that was me hooked!

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At the time I had a friend who was a big Arsenal fan and some point afterwards we got to sit in a box at Highbury and meet players afterwards. Still didn’t switch me from CCFC!

As posted on another thread, my first game was at HR on 8th April 1947. oObviously can't remember much about it as I was only 4 at the time. The first match I can recall though is the one against Sheff Wed in 52. They beat us and consigned us to relegation. Bawled my eyes out. Can anyone remember who played n goal that day I know that Alf Wood was the regular keeper and that he was injured but I can't recall who took his place

Citysince47 said:

As posted on another thread, my first game was at HR on 8th April 1947. oObviously can't remember much about it as I was only 4 at the time. The first match I can recall though is the one against Sheff Wed in 52. They beat us and consigned us to relegation. Bawled my eyes out. Can anyone remember who played n goal that day I know that Alf Wood was the regular keeper and that he was injured but I can't recall who took his place

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Haven't checked but Peter Taylor was with us around that time I think.

oscillatewildly said:

Haven't checked but Peter Taylor was with us around that time I think.

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1945-1955 (86 appearances) Maybe?

Citysince47 said:

As posted on another thread, my first game was at HR on 8th April 1947. oObviously can't remember much about it as I was only 4 at the time. The first match I can recall though is the one against Sheff Wed in 52. They beat us and consigned us to relegation. Bawled my eyes out. Can anyone remember who played n goal that day I know that Alf Wood was the regular keeper and that he was injured but I can't recall who took his place

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The keeper that day was Derek Spencer made his debut we signed him in December1951 from Lockheed Leamington .That info came from www11v11.com

My longest friend Julian and I first went to Highfield Road circa 63/64 and our Dad’s made us wooden steps about eight inches high which were painted Sky Blue. They were well made and pretty heavy. Yet we carried them all the way from Cheylesmore to Highfield Road cutting across by the London Road cemetry. Can you imagine these days being allowed to take such heavy potential weapons into a ground?! This all stopped a couple of years later when we were taller and taking such things was certainly not cool!


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bob87wright said:

My longest friend Julian and I first went to Highfield Road circa 63/64 and our Dad’s made us wooden steps about eight inches high which were painted Sky Blue. They were well made and pretty heavy. Yet we carried them all the way from Cheylesmore to Highfield Road cutting across by the London Road cemetry. Can you imagine these days being allowed to take such heavy potential weapons into a ground?! This all stopped a couple of years later when we were taller and taking such things was certainly not cool!


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Do you still have those steps, bob?

Citysince47 said:

As posted on another thread, my first game was at HR on 8th April 1947. oObviously can't remember much about it as I was only 4 at the time. The first match I can recall though is the one against Sheff Wed in 52. They beat us and consigned us to relegation. Bawled my eyes out. Can anyone remember who played n goal that day I know that Alf Wood was the regular keeper and that he was injured but I can't recall who took his place

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This may be my favourite thread- I love hearing this stuff. A question- do you have much memory of Harry Storer? I have images of him as a prototype Brian Clough, tough as nails and had players doing anything for him, there’s no doubt in my mind that had WW2 not intervened then we’d have been a top division club 20 years before we were, and I have him in top 3 managers ever... but that’s only based on what I’ve read and heard in snippets from grandparents.

thekidfromstrettoncamp said:

The keeper that day was Derek Spencer made his debut we signed him in December1951 from Lockheed Leamington .That info came from www11v11.com

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Thanks. Have looked at the site you quoted. loads of info Thanks again

If my dad was here he would argue strongly Harry Storer was our best ever manager, but he was not a big fan of Jimmy Hill but that’s another story. I think when Storer became manager like when JH joined we were a struggling outfit but he turned us into realistic prospects for the first division but war intervened.
I worked at Masseys with old City goalie Alf Wood and he had loads of stories about Storer he was certainly a one off. He told me one when we were playing similar relegation threatened rivals last match of the season losing 1-0 at half-time and his team talk was short and sweet simply “ second division players get second division wages, third division players get third division wages. We won. Like you RoS I love the old Cov stories and used to sit with Woody and Reg Matthews for hours listening to them.

oscillatewildly said:

1945-1955 (86 appearances) Maybe?

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He definitely played in the first games I went to in 1952 or 53. Always remembered the name, but never realised that his "namesake" who worked with Brian Clough were one and the same person! Not till their managerial partnership broke up and there was a lot in the papers about their playing days as well.

I never realised it was that Peter Taylor - interesting. My first game 25 March 1963, against Sunderland, FA Cup 5th round, under lights. We won 2-1, Curtis and Bruck. Attendance given as just over 40,000, but thought to be nearer 50,000, as a gate was broken down and thousands streamed in. Went with my Grandad, who was from South Shields and a Sunderland fan, but he was chuffed that City won that night.

Second game was Man U in the 6th round at home, third game, and my first league game, v Halifax, which we won 5-4. Goal scorers, George Hudson on his City debut, Dietmar Bruck, and Jimmy Whitehouse. I think a few people on here will have been at those games, pretty certain that Houchen’s Head was one who was there. I was hooked!

I can't remember much about my first game. Guess it would be mid 70's. My step dad took me I would of been around 5. I do remember sitting on the wall backwards because we weren't allowed to put our legs over the wall. Watched the game over my shoulder and got neck ache. We played a team in orange so must of been Blackpool,Luton or Wolves. I was fascinated by the sky blue 3 wheelers that parked at the side of the pitch.

First game was against Southampton, August 1972. I was 10. My sister was 6 years older and her boyfriend took me (Can't remember his name, they broke up soon after!) Stood in the West End. Finished 1-1, Ernie Hunt scored a penalty just in front of us.
None of my family were sporty, so it was Jan 1976 before I next went, although saw the Coventry Sporting cup games just before. One of those early games was against Newcastle and I remember a load of Geordies getting on the bus by the Council House. I was a bit unnerved, to say the least!
Talking of Millwall, there was a Cup game in 77. I do recall absolutely legging it down to Pool Meadow as there were a load of Millwall fans running at City fans.
Early away games were 77 onwards. Me and my mate next door used to get coaches run by a guy called Happy! I'm sure many of you will remember him.

Wheres Wally (and Fergie) said:

First game was against Southampton, August 1972. I was 10. My sister was 6 years older and her boyfriend took me (Can't remember his name, they broke up soon after!) Stood in the West End. Finished 1-1, Ernie Hunt scored a penalty just in front of us.
None of my family were sporty, so it was Jan 1976 before I next went, although saw the Coventry Sporting cup games just before. One of those early games was against Newcastle and I remember a load of Geordies getting on the bus by the Council House. I was a bit unnerved, to say the least!
Talking of Millwall, there was a Cup game in 77. I do recall absolutely legging it down to Pool Meadow as there were a load of Millwall fans running at City fans.
Early away games were 77 onwards. Me and my mate next door used to get coaches run by a guy called Happy! I'm sure many of you will remember him.

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Happy:
That was Dave Kelly went everywhere following Cov was a large fella he also refereed mainly in the minor league on Sunday mornings sadly passed away a few years ago possibly before the sisu years.

skybluetony176 said:

Not from a sporting family so we never watched match of the day or looked out for football results or anything. The only time I ever remember the house getting excited about football was Spain 82 and Northern Irelands heroics. Anyway a work mate had a spare ticket and invited me along and in truth I went for the all day drinking session more than anything but the atmosphere put its hooks in me and I specifically remember the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end when Noel Whelan scored the winner. So this is my first game and first memory

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Telfer with some good touches

First game was in September 1998 for my 7th birthday.

We lost 5-1... Shearer scored twice after we scored after a few mins (can't remember who without looking)

Haven't stopped going since!

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Magwitch said:

Happy:
That was Dave Kelly went everywhere following Cov was a large fella he also refereed mainly in the minor league on Sunday mornings sadly passed away a few years ago possibly before the sisu years.

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That's him! I knew he'd died but forgotten his name. A lot of underage drinking on those coaches! We used to pull into a pub on the way home.

Wheres Wally (and Fergie) said:

That's him! I knew he'd died but forgotten his name. A lot of underage drinking on those coaches! We used to pull into a pub on the way home.

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Can tell you a story about Dave, his father was a big tough no nonsense Irishman, bouncer round the toughest venues in those days if he said jump you asked how high. Dave had a brother Pete sadly now passed on also. We went to Burnley, Pete had got arrested and fined at football a few weeks before and his old man had barred him from footie but relented and let him come to Burnley under strict rules to keep out of trouble or else that was for both brothers. On the way back Dave did a collection for the driver as you do and as he came back up the bus it lurched and Dave who carried a bit of weight fell forward hit his eye on the corner of a seat but as he fell put his hands forward and smacked his brother also in the eye they both had the most superb black eyes to try and explain to their always angry old man how it happened, he didn’t believe them poor sods.

Danceswithhorses said:

1st game was '77 preseason game against Japan/Japanese side.
The bright floodlights and super green pitch mesmorized me...think we won 3-0 ?

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Hey. Probably not the same game I visited the Japanese Football Association a couple of years ago and took a photo of this picture which was on the wall - Japan national team v Cov in ‘72.

My take on that week in 1963 when we played Sunderland on the Tuesday and Man Utd on the Saturday the night of the Sunderland game went straight from work in Rugby arrived about 6 at Gosford Green when we got to the ground got straight in only time in my life we ever stood at the front of the main stand stood about 3 or 4 steps from the wall we ended up right next to the wall after a surge not long before the kick off.The 1 thing that sticks in the memory was from when Sunderland took the lead up until 8 or 9 minutes from the end all you could here raining down from the stand above was "The Blaydon Races" but Dietmar Bruck stopped all that with a shot from well outside the box and George Curtis's header becoming the icing on the cake we flouted home that night.Next day as i have said before on here queued 6 deep round the ground . Ticket sales should have started at 5 o'clock because of the queue started at about 3.The Saturday to me was an anticlimax ( sides from the 3 division don't get to the final)stood on the Spion Kop although we played well for me our Cup final was that Tuesday night what a night.

Gleneagles65 said:

The Norwich 5.4 match was crazy to witness. Christmas time mid late 70s ?

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December ‘77. People think that amazing game was on Boxing Day, but it was actually on the 27th. We’d drawn 1-1 at Villa the day before!