Highfield Road or Ricoh? (1 Viewer)

[guicey15]

Highfield road of course It was a proper football stadium, walk through the park with the big Cov badge on the side of the stadium just coming into view. Then the walk down the street towards the ground, with choruses of sky blues song billowing out as you walked past the open corners of the stadium and got a glimpse inside. Now its overall a poor match experience, no train station, £10 to park a car etc. If we were so keen on a stadium change, i would have preferred just to of extended Highfield Road. One good thing that came out of moving though was the last game at Highfield Road, i'll never forget that Andy Whing goal

 

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[pusbccfc]

The ricoh in my opinion is the best structurally in the league and with all its attractions and special features its a top entertainment complex in the country,
BUT
That's not where I want to watch my team, it just doesn't right playing there, its to empty and has a very dull atmosphere.
Recently it has improved with the singers corner etc but its still not enough to improve the overall atmosphere.
Having a train station would slightly improve attendances, especially away fans, it would also improve the rough looking area where it is planned.
Its great having the tesco there and the food outlets for pre match food but, I still prefer going into a little newsagents around the ground.
Also now I have to get 2buses there and 2 back which is pretty annoying as there isn't a straight bus from the eastern green area to that part of the city.

But I think if it ever gets regular high attendances I believe the overall atmosphere and match day experience would improve, just look at leeds, chelsea days.

PUSB

 

[joemercersaces]

I started going to HR as a kid in the early 70s and stood on a wooden crate in the Kop. I used to long to go in the West End where the noise and antics were. One magic day I was allowed to go in there, I loved the deafening noise of the two sets of fans singing at each other across the barrier behind the goal and the frisson of excitement when there was a bit of aggro. I'd love just once more to come through the turnstiles and walk up that alley at the back and up the steps hearing the roar and seeing the hundreds of hands in the air clapping. Makes me all nostagic. Have to say, though, that give us a half decent team and a bit of success and Singers corner will provide the noise, it's getting better.

 

[covcity4life]

west stand was epic

 

[skybluelee]

Highfield Road by a mile but then its like comparing apples with pears.

My HR experience was of watching Oggy, Nilsson, Pearce, Peake, Kilcline, Hadji, Ndlovu, McAllister, Boateng, Keane and Dublin playing against (and often beating) Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal in front of sell-outs every week.

My Ricoh experience is of watching Marshall, McNamee, Hall, Mills, Page, Simpson, Doyle, Hughes, McIndoe, Kyle and Platt playing against (and often being beaten by) Scunthorpe, Doncaster, Barnsley and Brighton in front of 12,000 every week.

And reading that back it makes me want to cry.

 

[Covstu]

its all relative, HR had great memories, premiership football and was a close atmosphere but i did nto hear anyone complaining when we were looking ta a new ground. We need to fill the Ricoh with good memories also but sadly this is coincided weith a time where are are a poor championship side.

 

[joemercersaces]

"Oh me lads, you should have seen us coming
Running down to Highfield Road
Just as they were coming
Men with axes picks and chains
and boys from other places
Running down the Highfield Road
To see Joe Mercers Aces"

To the tune of Blaydon Races. 1972 or 1973 when briefly Joe Mercer was manager with Gordon Milne. God, how I loved the West End. How I hated the away fans. How I still do !

 

[torchomatic]

HR for me too. I watched in most places: West End obviously, also on the Kop, which was great unless it rained. Happy days.

 

[Changeyourface]

How can you ever grow to be proud of a place which is named after whichever business is deciding to sponsor it for the next few years and is almost identical to another 30 grounds in the country. Highfield Road was unique, and it was home, leaving there was the worst thing to ever happen to this club.

 

[les_miserables]

The Ricoh is a soulless excuse of a stadium. All these "new" stadiums are drab crap pieces of tat. Even the re-built Old Trafford when full is crap compared to the one I remember and they have stayed on site. If i became seriously rich and was able to take the reins at City, i would have the current stands demolished one by one and re-create a proper football ground even copy the old HR design.

 

[Skyblueloyal]

I Hate the Ricoh always have done, it has nothing compared to Highfield Road. You could have 25,000 in the Ricoh and 14,000 at Highfield Road and I know where the best atmosphere would be. We should never have moved to the lifeless bowl we have now

 

[Covstu]

BUT if we were in the premier league (like we were in HR) we would probably have 20K in the ground, better players, more to spend (maybe) so people may have a different view. We have had good atmopshere in the Ricoh i.e. Chelsea game and some local derbies so we know it can be a good place to play but again all relative.

 

[CCFC123]

I hate the Ricoh. Highfield Road was a superb old style stadium. We should never of left there.

 

[TheParsonsHose]

Highfield road was seen by some as a real shit hole with big q's, warm beer, grotty toilets and shitty stands..........................................Despite that it was a cracking atmosphere and we should have just filled the corners in (with seats), developed the M&B, painted the toilets and stuck a big screen above each goal.

Don't get me wrong I don't hate the Ricoh but given the choice I would go back tomorrow to HR. I grew up with that place and watching it knocked down ripped the heart out of this club for some...we were in a mess at that point what with double mortgages on a ground we once owned and the subsequent lease etc. We should have all seen the writing on the wall in terms of our current stadium debacle. I loved the fact people walked in and out of town to the ground and the pubs on the way, gone but never forgotten by this era.:claping hands:

 

[Marty]

Highfield Road was great to watch football at, but that was about it, the facilities were poor at best and needed a massive cash injection to bring them upto a half decent standard. the maintenance cost of that place would of been unreal, i always remember going into the toilets at the back of the west terrarce and standing in about an inch of piss as the drains would always block up. I would of loved it if they redeveloped the whole stadium but in the end that wasn't an option.

Ricoh has great facilities and a great view from everywhere but it lacks that something speical that makes it home. Think we need to create something that gives us some great memories of the Ricoh so it feels more like home.

Would take HR everyday of the week if given the option.

 

[TheParsonsHose]

The only thing that would make a massive difference is promotion and that is some long shot.

 

[Macca]

what I don't like about the ricoh is all the stuff underneath the ground, never felt we were missing anything in the old days at HR without mass catering, bookies etc. Makes me laugh how people can't sit down in time for kick off and then go down at 3.35 cos they can't possibly go without another pie or pint

 

[WillieStanley]

For me its Arena 2000. Retractable roof, sliding pitch, removable seats (for the smaller events) a train station and Premiership football (as well as European football, I believe the chairman promised).

 

[quinny1993]

Man city fan and season ticket holder here, I come in peace. Sorry to bring up an old thread but I just put a deposit on my uni house for next year on king Richard street, thought I'd learn a bit about highfield road as I remember city playing there when I was a kid. I feel quite similar to most that have posted so far, I would rather you were still at HR cause I myself really miss Maine road. I grew up in that ground and even the etihad now doesn't feel like home despite seeing success. The terraced housing estates filled with pubs and corner shops, hiding the 4 differently designed stands, back alleys filled with fans making their way to the match, all feels so much more familiar than the open areas of eastlands and the Ricoh. I recommend to those that haven't been back to HR since it was knocked down to not go back until you feel at home in the Ricoh. I've been back to moss side twice now, and couldn't help but shed a few tears. Truly is emotional and feels like a huge part if your soul is missing. Anyway, I wish Coventry city all the best for the future, I will hopefully try and get to a few games when I'm not going home for the matches, as i feel quite a similarity between us (based on grounds). Fingers crossed we see you in the premier league in a few years, I'd take an away trip to you over a home trip to teams like reading and Wigan any day of the week.

 

[deanocity3]

Ricoh has no atmophere at the mo because we never fill it,if we filled it more regularly we would create that,whose remembers the early 1980's when HR only got 12,000 every game.no atmosphere then either,just look the crowd on some video's around that time.only had large att. for league cup tie v west ham.

 

[Skyblueloyal]

Its a no contest for me Highfield Road any day

 

[dadgad]

The station will help and PARTICULARLY IF when it happens the HOME END becomes the North Stand.
:guitar2::claping hands:

 

[Nick]

I miss having fans behind both goals

 

[Black6Osprey]

There are no fans singing behind any goal now!

I think it's about what goes on inside the ground that makes it good/bad. There are a lot of rose tinted views about HR and I've got plenty myself. There is nothing wrong with the Ricoh it's just nothing good has happened there yet and is defo too big for league one gates. Get back to championship get a decent team, win more games than you lose have some decent experiences and people's opinions of the place will improve.

 

[coundonskyblue]

Hopefully next Tuesday will give us a happy Ricoh memory.

 

[dadgad]

We - the fans - should start a petition to get the HOME END moved.
This would help boost home match atmosphere.
:guitar2::guitar2:

 

[SBS]

I really miss HR. I hate the fact that apart from the badge that looks like a fridge magnet, there's very little that identifies it as our ground. The stand are named after supermarkets which I find a bit sad as well. It's a shame that the younger fans will never experience HR. The Ricoh is too comfortable for opposition teams.

 

[dadgad]

The Ricoh is too comfortable for opposition teams.

I agree.....perhaps this is a consequence of being tenants.
This needs to change......and to cultivate a more intimidating atmosphere would help.

 

[SBS]

I agree.....perhaps this is a consequence of being tenants.
This needs to change......and to cultivate a more intimidating atmosphere would help.

An intimidating atmosphere is a start, but the pitch is miles away from the stand which makes it difficult. Even the changing rooms etc - look at Liverpool at Oldham today, not looked comfortable at all.

 

[CovisGod]

I think for everyone it will be HR because that's where we were when we ossciate Cov with the goods times, as yet we've not had any really stand out moments at the Ricoh and until we atleast own a part of the stadium for me it will never feel like "home".....

Of course, back to back promotions resulting in a takeover and stadium buy out calling the Ricoh its rightful name "The Coventry Arena" would go a fair way to changing my mind

 

[coundonskyblue]

I really miss HR. I hate the fact that apart from the badge that looks like a fridge magnet, there's very little that identifies it as our ground. The stand are named after supermarkets which I find a bit sad as well. It's a shame that the younger fans will never experience HR. The Ricoh is too comfortable for opposition teams.

In fairness, in the final years at HR we had a stands named after a local tyre fitters, a brewery, a house building company, and a local drill company.

 

[SBS]

In fairness, in the final years at HR we had a stands named after a local tyre fitters, a brewery, a house building company, and a local drill company.

Not in the same way though was it? It was always the East Stand, Terrace, Main Stand etc. This season Tesco aren't sponsoring the stand, but its still referred to though they are. Just find The Ricoh covered in too much advertising, I understand its a money maker but it looked so much better during the Olympics.

 

[dadgad]

An intimidating atmosphere is a start, but the pitch is miles away from the stand which makes it difficult. Even the changing rooms etc - look at Liverpool at Oldham today, not looked comfortable at all.

The away changing rooms should have no heating.....showers that scald and


Sky blue song full blast....non stop. Just 3 easy to arrange suggestions.:guitar2:

 

[ccfctommy]

I think the Tesco Stand is now just the East Stand.

But seriously, go to Derby and Leicesters new(ish) grounds and there are picutes and decorations of ex players ect everywhere. Here, Paul Fletcher had to go through all sorts of crap just to have the club crest erected on the side.

 

[ccfctommy]

....I'm happy that we now have a Jimmy Hill statue and its starting to look better than it was a few years ago. But its like MK Dons last month. Nice ground but you wouldn't even know its their ground.