Highfield Road in the Winter (1 Viewer)

[bringbackrattles]

Talking in the pub recently a fellow fan said weren't matches great in the winter at Highfield Road ? Snow covered pitches,floodlights on at night,fans wrapped up,orange ball,and some good games.I know it was bloody freezing on the Spion Kop at times though.The great 5-4 win over Norwich was on a cold Boxing Day which warmed us all up. Anymore ?

 

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[rupert_bear]

I think if some of these so-called foreign superstars had to play on a snowy pitch they would die. Fucking hell half of them wear gloves in the summer

 

[AFCCOVENTRY]

I remember the Cov v Blackburn game in the snow. Orange ball was out and we won 5-1 I think. Memory is scatty on the score. Derek Whyte on loan at centre back!

 

[Jack Griffin]

Talking in the pub recently a fellow fan said weren't matches great in the winter at Highfield Road ? Snow covered pitches,floodlights on at night,fans wrapped up,orange ball,and some good games.I know it was bloody freezing on the Spion Kop at times though.The great 5-4 win over Norwich was on a cold Boxing Day which warmed us all up. Anymore ?

Nothing beats losing all feeling in your feet standing on the terraces in the middle of winter to watch a 0-0 draw.

Followed by chilblains after you get home and try & restore some feeling in front of the fire.

 

[bringbackrattles]

I think if some of these so-called foreign superstars had to play on a snowy pitch they would die. Fucking hell half of them wear gloves in the summer

You're spot on there. It must be my age but I love football played on a pitch covered in snow and with an orange ball.I remember watching the Hud scoring a hat-trick on a freezing day and he had his sleeves rolled up !

 

[Travs]

I remember the Cov v Blackburn game in the snow. Orange ball was out and we won 5-1 I think. Memory is scatty on the score. Derek Whyte on loan at centre back!

Think it was Chris Whyte...

I remember this, think it was my first year with a season ticket, and quite possibly my first 'great' memory from Highfield Road (I had been going to odd games since 92, but wasn't there for any of the Villa/Liverpool wins).

Remember smashing the bloke in front in the back of the head and his glasses flying off and smashing on the floor at the top of the East Stand.

Although the coldest I have ever been at football is that terrace at Peterboro.

 

[bringbackrattles]

There's a great photo of Neil Martin scoring for the City v Liverpool in the Cup at Highfield Road on a winters night game and he's got sleeves rolled up too and not a pair of gloves in sight !

 

[Sky Blue Dal]

I remember sitting in the west stand watching the sky blues playing against I think it was Newcastle on one winter Saturday and there was a very thick fog.. so bad we could not see past the halfway line. We had to rely on the sound from the roaring spion kop crowd to indicate if we scored or not. Bloody freezing too.

Today the game would have been postponed.

Good days

 

[LB87ccfc]

Blackburn 5.0 was quality, and the superb xmas games vs UTD and Arsenal to name a few.

 

[skybluesam66]

when we beat villa at home - 2 for quinny in the fog
Beating Bolton 3-1 an ian wallace hat trick i think (Request went out on tv in the morning for people to clear the snow)
Arsenal 3-2 boxing day
spurs 4-3 around the same time

 

[covcity4life]

I think if some of these so-called foreign superstars had to play on a snowy pitch they would die. Fucking hell half of them wear gloves in the summer

lol but british players are real superstars.......

 

[Ashdown]

The whole event of watching football was so much better in the late 70's and 80's and even 90's. Maybe it was because I was a kid and there was a magic to it but the atmosphere, the smells of cigars and hotdogs, the terraces. The main thing was also that apart from highlights if you didn't go to a match you hardly ever got to see live football. There was even something special about getting the final scores from the 'Pink' or back home for Final Score, nowadays phone apps keep you in touch constantly.

 

[covcity4life]

The whole event of watching football was so much better in the late 70's and 80's and even 90's. Maybe it was because I was a kid and there was a magic to it but the atmosphere, the smells of cigars and hotdogs, the terraces. The main thing was also that apart from highlights if you didn't go to a match you hardly ever got to see live football. There was even something special about getting the final scores from the 'Pink' or back home for Final Score, nowadays phone apps keep you in touch constantly.

yeah i agre

i also put it down to being a kid but saying that if we ever get back to prem the matchdays will be absolutley buzzing.

 

[LB87ccfc]

yeah i agre

i also put it down to being a kid but saying that if we ever get back to prem the matchdays will be absolutley buzzing.

Back in the championship instead of this awful shit league would be nice first.

 

[Joy Division]

The Blackburn game was 5-0 not 5-1. Apparently Lars Bohinen who played for Blackburn was colour blind and could not see the orange ball

 

[Cheshire Sky Blue]

The whole event of watching football was so much better in the late 70's and 80's and even 90's. Maybe it was because I was a kid and there was a magic to it but the atmosphere, the smells of cigars and hotdogs, the terraces. The main thing was also that apart from highlights if you didn't go to a match you hardly ever got to see live football. There was even something special about getting the final scores from the 'Pink' or back home for Final Score, nowadays phone apps keep you in touch constantly.

Wow made me feel quite nostalgic. The smell of cigars or pipe smoke, really strange how that memory is so evocative. Remember my dad getting My brothers & I into the pen behind the goal on the Kop. What I can really remember is the smell of the embrocation that the players rubbed on their legs wafting over as Bill Glazier and Mick Coop, Chris Cattlin and Jeff Blockley and co warmed up............................shit I'm going to cry.

 

[robbieray]

Think it was Chris Whyte...

I remember this, think it was my first year with a season ticket, and quite possibly my first 'great' memory from Highfield Road (I had been going to odd games since 92, but wasn't there for any of the Villa/Liverpool wins).

Remember smashing the bloke in front in the back of the head and his glasses flying off and smashing on the floor at the top of the East Stand.

Although the coldest I have ever been at football is that terrace at Peterboro.

Did nick Pickering get booked for lobbing a snowball instead of the ball at a throw in

 

[Ashdown]

Wow made me feel quite nostalgic. The smell of cigars or pipe smoke, really strange how that memory is so evocative. Remember my dad getting My brothers & I into the pen behind the goal on the Kop. What I can really remember is the smell of the embrocation that the players rubbed on their legs wafting over as Bill Glazier and Mick Coop, Chris Cattlin and Jeff Blockley and co warmed up............................shit I'm going to cry.

Used to go with both sets of Grandparents at different times { All sadly departed now}, waiting for the ground to fill up, especially the West End terrace just down to our right. The noise that belted out of there was incredible on a good day. It used to swirl and surge with the action. Tommy Hutch's magic feet, Steve Hunt, Wally and Fergie, Bobby Mac. If they were all fit you could name the team before you got there, in those days in the close season we'd lose a couple and gain a couple not like the mass exodus and intakes of uncaring mercenary dickheads we get today, here today and gone tomorrow. The famous and original tram track kit, the best ever ! We used to go to Hall Green dogs at night then back to the chippy on Holyhead Rd and back up to my Grandads house on Shorncliffe Rd in Coundon for MOTD ! Happy Days !

 

[Malaka]

Standing on the Kop watching us beat Bolton in the FA Cup third round in 87, freezing my nuts off, I didnt know it was the start of an epic journey.

 

[musicmanskyblue]

Was Freezing before the game as I used to get there as soon as the turnstiles were open to ensure a place down by the wall, so I could see. Used to go in the kop mainly but also in front of the stand were the players used to come out. Just to the left of the kop, forget what it was called. Was always the closest place to Dave Clements at left back.. The portable soup machines were not only fascinating but essential, as were the mobile pie delivery's, brilliant!. Felt like arctic conditions after a few hours of that but what epic experiences...

 

[Ashdown]

Was Freezing before the game as I used to get there as soon as the turnstiles were open to ensure a place down by the wall, so I could see. Used to go in the kop mainly but also in front of the stand were the players used to come out. Just to the left of the kop, forget what it was called. Was always the closest place to Dave Clements at left back.. The portable soup machines were not only fascinating but essential, as were the mobile pie delivery's, brilliant!. Felt like arctic conditions after a few hours of that but what epic experiences...

Character building ! I'm not sure many youngsters ever really feel the cold these days with all the mod cons !

 

[Covstu]

Blackburn game was the one that stuck out for me also, happy times!!

 

[bringbackrattles]

Floodlights,cigars,soupy Sam,Spion Kop,rattles,Beatles on the tannoy,and a winning team.My son said to me "Was that when the ball had a lace in it ?" Bloody hell it wasn't that far back !But it does feel like it.

 

[bringbackrattles]

A game that stands out was a Boxing day game in the sixties v Liverpool and I was on the Spion Kop with my dad and uncle. They had Hunt,Callaghan,Thompson,and St John who was being roughed up by Brian Lewis.It was a freezing day with heaps of snow piled up around the side of the pitch,but with a brilliant atmosphere which even though I was only a kid I can still remember it.Anyway St John must have had enough of Lewis because he left hooked him a beauty and he was out like a light on the pitch. The Scot just walked off straight away without the ref having time to send him off.
My dad who was a boxing fan said what a punch ! One Christmas Lewis won't ever forget !

 

[skybluerors]

It wasn't a classic but I remember seeing city beat Sheff Wednesday 1-0 with a Lloyd McGrath goal (did he score another for the city?) in the 1986-1987 season in a snow storm. I was sat in the west terrace near the front and it was freezing. It's the worst conditions I can remember for a match.

 

[skybluerors]

It wasn't a classic but I remember seeing city beat Sheff Wednesday 1-0 with a Lloyd McGrath goal (did he score another for the city?) in the 1986-1987 season in a snow storm. I was sat in the west terrace near the front and it was freezing. It's the worst conditions I can remember for a match.

Just found it on youtube. It's even worse than I remember! How the hell did it not get called off and it was in March as well!

I'm a complete technophobe but I'll try to do a link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNLVIuDyMJ4

If it doesn't work then the title of the video is

[h=1]Coventry City 1 Sheff Weds 0 March 7th 1987[/h]

 

[wingy]

This Is a great thread .

What It highlights Is the clueless lack of thinking foresight .

That genious to take the product to the customer was so fruitful for the Club I'm sure It pushed sales far higher than just queing at the outlets..

If they had the brains required they'd bring It back to the Arena .

One the endless queing Is drainingly dull ,two If there were to be an Atmosphere In the ground /Crowd ,they might maintain It.

Sorry for bringing It down Rattles.

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

As mentioned above, when I think of wintry cold snowy night games at HR I think of Liverpool. I think it might be the bright red kit against the white pitch which could stick out , but I used to love the evening games at HR, the atmosphere it created was special and my dad didn't seem interested in fighting the nearest away fan where we sat in the Press tables/benches .

I put it down to that he was too knackered after he had a hard day at work ,so I could relax for once and enjoy the game

 

[bringbackrattles]

By starting the thread it has reinforced my belief that leaving our spiritual home was the worse thing ever to happen to my club.Who cared you froze your nuts off in winter,got soaked on the Spion Kop,had a punch up with a rival fan,and had to put up with Peter Reid,it was our ground and the majority of us loved the place warts and all !

 

[Ashdown]

That was all good until you mentioned monkey head !

 

[wingy]

That was all good until you mentioned monkey head !

Wonder If Ian Brown Is a Rogue offspring ?

 

[Gynnsthetonic]

I remember the the Sheff Wed game in 87 there may have been 10000 or 11000 thousand there and they were singing where's your 14000 as to the 14000 of us at Hillsboro the following week. Also remember an FA cup tie at home 3rd round in 85 against Watford and the snow started belting down, remember throwing snowballs at Tony Coton in the goal in front of the Kop, we lost 1-3 as I remember.