Higgs and connexion (8 Viewers)

[Balli001]

the council could quite legitimately say that the club have had opportunities to buy the stadium. and labour have already openly stated that they are not afraid of upsetting people to drive through their building policy. so the local council would have no say in the matter anyway. it has nothing to do with them.
like i've already stated a couple of times, i'm not saying it will happen. but it is a very real possibility, as anything that appears to be an obstacle to it being sold for building can very easily be overturned.
and there's talk of us building another stadium elsewhere anyway. what would that do to the viability of the cbs? occasional visits from bon jovi and bryan adams wouldn't be enough.

The talk being that King instantly dismissed it on his first day in office.

 

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[andy86]

I hope we can get the Connexion back. It was built with the proceeds of Ian Wallace's sale and was sold for a fraction of that due to the money frittered away in the States. Needs knocking down, and I would presume it's the land Doug wants rather than the building itself.

How did we fritter away money in the States?

I’ve seen it mentioned a few times now, but never understood what really went on.

 

[MalcSB]

American football club, Detroit Express.

 

[Covkid1968#]

I like watching planes

I spend most days watching planes…. But my garden is less than 1 mile from East Midlands runway and there is nothing in between…. It’s quite relaxing on a summer night with a beer

 

[torchomatic]

How did we fritter away money in the States?

I’ve seen it mentioned a few times now, but never understood what really went on.

Jimmy Hill made a shit load of cash in the mid 70s in Saudi being a football consultant for their royal family. He invested heavily in the American professional league with Detroit Express. Trevor Francis played for them and was paid handsomely to do so.

For some reason Hill and his son moved the franchise to Washington for one (and final) season and lost all his and some of our money that had been invested. Hence cuts at the club like selling on the Connexion.

Seemed a stupid idea. They had good crowds apparently in Detroit but Hill thought Washington was a good location and would take to 'soccer'. They didn't.

I vaguely remember the team coming over to train in Cov and playing against us at HR. They arrived as Detroit Express and left as Washington Diplomats. Sounded dodgy. I think they got the players out of the country so they could finalise the move.

 

[skybluegod]

The talk being that King instantly dismissed it on his first day in office.

It's an interesting one, King was completely right to scrap it with where we are at as a club. If we do get to the premier league though, there is a choice to be made.
We don't want to be tenants on our stadium and we would want need an even better trg and academy set up long term. Although I fully expect that King will immediately be willing to sell up should we get promoted.

 

[letsallsingtogether]

There's little chance if CCC are involved.
Absolute bunch of incompetent cunts.

They now seem happy to talk to the club.
Seems Doug is more business minded and approachable then our previous owners.

But most Coventrians must be happy with them, as they vote them in every time, seems they can't do wrong.

 

[eyesee]

It’s about as probable as demolishing the cathedral and building there.

yeah, ok.

 

[WestEndAgro]

There's little chance if CCC are involved.
Absolute bunch of incompetent cunts.

Good point well made

 

[Balli001]

They now seem happy to talk to the club.
Seems Doug is more business minded and approachable then our previous owners.

But most Coventrians must be happy with them, as they vote them in every time, seems they can't do wrong.

Labour could have 6 convicted criminals up for election and would always get in in Coventry.

 

[David O'Day]

the council could quite legitimately say that the club have had opportunities to buy the stadium. and labour have already openly stated that they are not afraid of upsetting people to drive through their building policy. so the local council would have no say in the matter anyway. it has nothing to do with them.
like i've already stated a couple of times, i'm not saying it will happen. but it is a very real possibility, as anything that appears to be an obstacle to it being sold for building can very easily be overturned.
and there's talk of us building another stadium elsewhere anyway. what would that do to the viability of the cbs? occasional visits from bon jovi and bryan adams wouldn't be enough.

it's not a possibility, stop talking shite

 

[WestEndAgro]

it's not a possibility, stop talking shite

"How to make friends and influence people" by David O'Day.

 

[Calista]

the council could quite legitimately say that the club have had opportunities to buy the stadium. and labour have already openly stated that they are not afraid of upsetting people to drive through their building policy. so the local council would have no say in the matter anyway. it has nothing to do with them.
like i've already stated a couple of times, i'm not saying it will happen. but it is a very real possibility, as anything that appears to be an obstacle to it being sold for building can very easily be overturned.
and there's talk of us building another stadium elsewhere anyway. what would that do to the viability of the cbs? occasional visits from bon jovi and bryan adams wouldn't be enough.

You clearly have concerns, but none of this makes sense

 

[MalcSB]

You clearly have concerns, but none of this makes sense

It’s bonkers, whilst pretty much anything is possible, those concerns are highly improbable.

 

[eyesee]

You clearly have concerns, but none of this makes sense

frankly, i don't understand the argument that somehow the stadium would be out of bounds. there's no grounds for that optimism.
i think people would be surprised at how few buildings are "untouchable" in coventry, especially when you consider buildings like the architecturally significant swimming baths are at risk. and that's listed.
a cheaply built, relatively new, metal and concrete building like the stadium is in no way untouchable. however much 25000 fans out of a population of 350000 would be upset by that.

just saying. i'm not planning to visit with a bulldozer any time soon.

 

[wingy]

frankly, i don't understand the argument that somehow the stadium would be out of bounds. there's no grounds for that optimism.
i think people would be surprised at how few buildings are "untouchable" in coventry, especially when you consider buildings like the architecturally significant swimming baths are at risk. and that's listed.
a cheaply built, relatively new, metal and concrete building like the stadium is in no way untouchable. however much 25000 fans out of a population of 350000 would be upset by that.

just saying. i'm not planning to visit with a bulldozer any time soon.

Bout a 90yr life span with maintenance,so not an immediate problem?

 

[Grendel]

frankly, i don't understand the argument that somehow the stadium would be out of bounds. there's no grounds for that optimism.
i think people would be surprised at how few buildings are "untouchable" in coventry, especially when you consider buildings like the architecturally significant swimming baths are at risk. and that's listed.
a cheaply built, relatively new, metal and concrete building like the stadium is in no way untouchable. however much 25000 fans out of a population of 350000 would be upset by that.

just saying. i'm not planning to visit with a bulldozer any time soon.

The council have zero authority to sell the land

 

[eyesee]

The council have zero authority to sell the land

the council do what the hell they want.
it's just as well the owner of the stadium isn't a money grabbing tosspot, isn't it.

 

[chiefdave]

frankly, i don't understand the argument that somehow the stadium would be out of bounds. there's no grounds for that optimism.
i think people would be surprised at how few buildings are "untouchable" in coventry, especially when you consider buildings like the architecturally significant swimming baths are at risk. and that's listed.
a cheaply built, relatively new, metal and concrete building like the stadium is in no way untouchable. however much 25000 fans out of a population of 350000 would be upset by that.

just saying. i'm not planning to visit with a bulldozer any time soon.

why the fuck would the council want to bulldoze the site?

Pretty sure most of the city, even if they're not football fans, wouldn't be in favour. There would be huge compensation payouts to people who have leases, the cost of cleaning the land and potentially more decontamination work to make it suitable for housing wouldn't be cheap.

What is the upside for the council?

 

[shmmeee]

why the fuck would the council want to bulldoze the site?

Pretty sure most of the city, even if they're not football fans, wouldn't be in favour. There would be huge compensation payouts to people who have leases, the cost of cleaning the land and potentially more decontamination work to make it suitable for housing wouldn't be cheap.

What is the upside for the council?

They’re just evily evil people Dave who hate good honest hard working decent people and want to ruin their fun.

 

[bulko]

Jimmy Hill made a shit load of cash in the mid 70s in Saudi being a football consultant for their royal family. He invested heavily in the American professional league with Detroit Express. Trevor Francis played for them and was paid handsomely to do so.

For some reason Hill and his son moved the franchise to Washington for one (and final) season and lost all his and some of our money that had been invested. Hence cuts at the club like selling on the Connexion.

Seemed a stupid idea. They had good crowds apparently in Detroit but Hill thought Washington was a good location and would take to 'soccer'. They didn't.

I vaguely remember the team coming over to train in Cov and playing against us at HR. They arrived as Detroit Express and left as Washington Diplomats. Sounded dodgy. I think they got the players out of the country so they could finalise the move.

I went to that game at HR still got the program which was an A4 team sheet

 

[wingy]

why the fuck would the council want to bulldoze the site?

Pretty sure most of the city, even if they're not football fans, wouldn't be in favour. There would be huge compensation payouts to people who have leases, the cost of cleaning the land and potentially more decontamination work to make it suitable for housing wouldn't be cheap.

What is the upside for the council?

Outside City sports Fields Pop up all the time, maybe Mike's headquarters will be on hold or moving again?🫣

 

[SHUNT31]

frankly, i don't understand the argument that somehow the stadium would be out of bounds. there's no grounds for that optimism.
i think people would be surprised at how few buildings are "untouchable" in coventry, especially when you consider buildings like the architecturally significant swimming baths are at risk. and that's listed.
a cheaply built, relatively new, metal and concrete building like the stadium is in no way untouchable. however much 25000 fans out of a population of 350000 would be upset by that.

just saying. i'm not planning to visit with a bulldozer any time soon.

Genuine question, what happens to the 250 year lease in place at the arena?

 

[torchomatic]

I went to that game at HR still got the program which was an A4 team sheet

Ah, thanks for the confirmation. I didn't go and I thought I'd maybe imagined the whole thing. They did train over here at Ryton too, I think. They may have also played another English team in a friendly.

 

[Senior Vick from Alicante]

the council do what the hell they want.
it's just as well the owner of the stadium isn't a money grabbing tosspot, isn't it.

The Council cant do whatever they like when it comes to planning. Coventry tax payers are always having to pay costs when planning applications get refused, then appealed and overturned and they end up loosing. Also they can be taken to the Government Ombudsman by private citizens and businesses if they are dicking people about.

 

[Robinshio]

I went to that game at HR still got the program which was an A4 team sheet

i went too, ended with a US style run from half way instead of a penalty shoot out - we also got the legend that was David Bradford off them

 

[Deleted member 9744]

Jimmy Hill made a shit load of cash in the mid 70s in Saudi being a football consultant for their royal family. He invested heavily in the American professional league with Detroit Express. Trevor Francis played for them and was paid handsomely to do so.

For some reason Hill and his son moved the franchise to Washington for one (and final) season and lost all his and some of our money that had been invested. Hence cuts at the club like selling on the Connexion.

Seemed a stupid idea. They had good crowds apparently in Detroit but Hill thought Washington was a good location and would take to 'soccer'. They didn't.

I vaguely remember the team coming over to train in Cov and playing against us at HR. They arrived as Detroit Express and left as Washington Diplomats. Sounded dodgy. I think they got the players out of the country so they could finalise the move.

Didn't some of our players also go out there to play for them and missed the start of our season as a result? It was a calamity for the club.

 

[torchomatic]

Didn't some of our players also go out there to play for them and missed the start of our season as a result? It was a calamity for the club.

I remember Alan Green playing out there. Not sure if that was just an end of career thing or a reciprocal arrangement with CCFC.

 

[torchomatic]

Back in the 80

Back in the 80’s that land was actually another pitch as I played on it every Saturday morning.

I did too in the early 90s when I played for Long Itch in the Coventry Suburban league.

 

[ccfcchris]

I'm not so sure Doug will sell when we get promoted. He appears to be emotionally invested in us already. I could of course be wrong as money talks.

 

[torchomatic]

I enjoyed that post, never knew that. nice one

Pleased to hear. I was 14/15 when this was all happening so took a keen interest. There was talk of us signing Francis from Brum and Hill had some idea of him playing jointly for us and Detroit Express, but he went to Forest for a million, of course.

 

[SkyB]

There was talk of us signing Francis from Brum and Hill had some idea of him playing jointly for us and Detroit Express, but he went to Forest for a million, of course.

Glad to hear this isn't a new phenomenon then!

 

[torchomatic]

Glad to hear this isn't a new phenomenon then!

He had some great, but also totally bizarre ideas.

 

[torchomatic]

I enjoyed that post, never knew that. nice one

Interesting further reading, Jimmy Hill and the Saudis:

 

[torchomatic]

I enjoyed that post, never knew that. nice one

Interesting further reading, Jimmy Hill and the Saudis:

Jimmy Hill a football and media revolutionary hidden by those glasses | Barney Ronay

Barney Ronay: The former Fulham player, Coventry manager then chairman, linesman, impresario, pundit, TV magnate and outright mainstream celebrity remains one of a kind at 85 years of age

www.theguardian.com

Jimmy Hill and Detroit Express:

Four decades later, Detroit Express chugs along in professional soccer lore

They had cheerleaders, a catchy theme song, international flair and razzmatazz in an era when soccer and disco balls went hand in hand.

eu.detroitnews.com