Memories of Playing footie in the streets. (1 Viewer)

[Sky Blue Dal]

Someone in one of the posts mentioned, what ever happened to kids playing footie in the streets today.
Here is where I and my mates used to play.

As a kid in the early 80’s, I lived in Wren Street and we used to play football in a car park in Paynes Lane opposite the Binley Oak pub. The car park was owned by an engineering factory works at the time which today is now the Coventry cash and Carry. We used the car entrance as one of our goals. I remember we used to play with a Wembley trophy five football. They were great, much better than the Striker balloon balls we used play with, that would always float away in a gust of wind. As we were all poor, the Trophy Five was the choice of football and in our eyes the master of them all. I have real fond memories of this.

When we could not play in the car park, we played at HR or should I say King Richard Street , Main Stand to be precise. Right under the big "Coventry City FC" signs. We used the gangway consisting of that famous big blue gate for our goals. If anyone in that time ever wondered what happened to the broken Blocks L and M lettering above the gangway that was us breaking it with the football. I thought I would take this secret with me to the crematorium but now I have told you all, it is a heavy weight of guilt of my shoulders.

Below is the famous gangway leading to the main stand with the big blue gate. The row lettering was replaced with a simpler tacky cheap signage board instead of the nicer individual plastic screwed on lettering which we broke…Sorry!!!

http://s0.geograph.org.uk/photos/01/83/018374_f2355a06.jpg

One famous incident was without knowing, we had a young Tommy English join us to play footie there. He was only interested in getting info from us about one of the local Irish girl living in our street who we knew and who he had an itchy dick for. When I and the girl used to walk past the Catherine street sky blue youth hostel where he stayed, he would stick his head out of the window to start a conversation with me, only so I would introduce him to her, Which I did.

At the time I did not know who he was until I saw him score a goal on TV for City against Man U in one of the midweek games which was played at HR and televised on bbc Sportnight that day.

They were the good ole days… Miss them!!

So as kids, where did you guys play.

 

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[covcity4life]

besides the garages cul de sac at bottom of my old street i used to play at thinbars in holbrooks alot(behind gateway/somerfield/morrisions), really big park that it seemed only 10 people in coventry knew about, we always had loads of space to ourselves.

they played gaelic football there on saturdays i think. if the ball went over into some closed off supermarket sectrion we were (*%^*% unless we has one of our mates who loved climbing and wasnt afraid to fall lol

best bit was non footballing though, me and my mate once found a porno in the bushes, we stored that thing in secret place(secure in branches lol) for months till a rain storm destroyed it and we came back to find it in a million different trees lol

 

[Houchens Head]

Living on Holyhead Road (opposite Chester St) as a kid, me and my mates would go down to the Nauls Mill Park and have a kick about down there. It was either there or walk all the way to Four Pounds Avenue and have a really good game on the park area there. Couldn't play in the road as Holyhead Road was a tad busy!

 

[andrew.roberts]

I used to live at the bottom end of Allesley Old Rd., opposite what is now the pitch and put golf course. Despite the undulating surface, in the mid to late sixties during school summer holidays, games of football would go on for what seems like days on end, starting in the morning and continuing until dusk. I remember going home for a quick sandwich and then reincorporating myself back into the game afterwards. What wonderful times.

 

[covcity4life]

I used to live at the bottom end of Allesley Old Rd., opposite what is now the pitch and put golf course. Despite the undulating surface, in the mid to late sixties during school summer holidays, games of football would go on for what seems like days on end, starting in the morning and continuing until dusk. I remember going home for a quick sandwich and then reincorporating myself back into the game afterwards. What wonderful times.

haha yeh i used to love that,rolling subs dependent on if you have eaten ya food yet.

 

[italiahorse]

Local farmers field. Think we even "borrowed" fencing from Bedworth Bypass to make goals.
Played in culdesac as not many cars actually in road then. Couldn't do it now.
I think Mr Aston has still got a lot of our balls in his garage. All with garden fork holes in them.

 

[RoboCCFC90]

My first memories of playing football and other sports was in the bottom of Lime Grove in Tile Hill

 

[covcity4life]

i would say lets arrange a SBT 5 a side game but forum fueds might boil over into real life.

 

[italiahorse]

Always remember 'Big Eddie' from the local foundry having to take his steel toe caps off and play in bare feet.
Later became the brother in law, not with us now unfortunately. ;(

 

[Houchens Head]

I remember December 1963, when I lived at "The Grange" (a kids home), and the bloke in charge made us all go over the road to Coundon Park to play football. It was absolutely FREEZING! Minus degrees temperatures and ice in the grass. Bloody horrible day! I was only 11 at the time!

 

[Sky Blue Dal]

best bit was non footballing though, me and my mate once found a porno in the bushes, we stored that thing in secret place(secure in branches lol) for months till a rain storm destroyed it and we came back to find it in a million different trees lol

Ahh... we had a few of them too. Finding a copy of a 50p Razzle was like striking oil. We all shared it for one week each. Used to wondered why some of the pages were stuck together. In my street, due to the government modernisation given to all older home in the UK in the 80's, we used to find many porn books left behind by builders in skips.

Still remember the guys going mental when we found a copy of playboy showng Victoria Principle in her heavenly glory. btw she is Pam Ewing from Dallas if you too young to remember. She was a hottie of that time and to find this was like you were the main man at school with all the lads. It was finally confiscated from us by one of the male teachers when one of the kid was irresponsible with this precious transcript and got caught out. You always get one kid who screws it up for everyone.

Harsh lesson was learnt that made me realise that them lads I thought were now my new friends were only after one thing. Using bastards!!

 

[Houchens Head]

i would say lets arrange a SBT 5 a side game but forum fueds might boil over into real life.

'fraid my playing days are long over, what with my dicky ticker, arthritis etc, but I like the idea!

 

[ajsccfc]

The mean streets near Highfield Road. One day we stopped for a car, and Sean Flynn poked his head out the driver's window asking for directions to the ground. I'm not sure if he was taking the piss or just a bit dim.

Also, Steve Livingstone used to live on Burlington Road and I knocked his door far too often to sign all the stickers of him I'd end up getting as swaps.

 

[covmark]

Used to play at the top of our cul de sac, portsea close in cheyelsmore, one goal was the garages and the other goal was the side of some old hags house. If the ball went in her garden, she would come out with a carving knife and slam it straight into the ball. What a bitch, Tbf though, I can imagine the constant bump of a football on the side of your house would drive you insane.

 

[italiahorse]

i would say lets arrange a SBT 5 a side game but forum fueds might boil over into real life.

I'm in. Still playing at 58 (have I mentioned it??). Higgs tonight outdoor pitch.

 

[87mint]

this chime with anyone?

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/fo...ct/31/talking-language-sunday-league-football

http://www.buzzfeed.com/samjparker/football-rules-when-youre-a-kid

very very amusing and on point

 

[Monners]

Used to play in the "entry" as we called it which ran at the back of the houses to garages between Middlemarch Rd (where I lived) and Grangemouth Rd. Came in the house a fair number of times with gravel in my knees - turns out that sliding tackles aren't really the best idea on that particular type of artificial surface. Did the same thing playing at St Augustiines school playground. Still have the scars (and bad knees for some reason).

 

[ajsccfc]

'Time!' is handy, I use that. 'Man on' tends to just panic someone who hears a shout and has no idea where the imminent threat is coming from.

 

[skybluefred]

Radford Rec: was the Wembley Stadium of my childhood,bomb crater and all. Martin 3 David's Alan John Tony Arthur Jimmy
Ben Bob and Peter, Just some of the local lads who lived for Football.

 

[Sky Blue Dal]

Radford Rec: was the Wembley Stadium of my childhood,bomb crater and all. Martin 3 David's Alan John Tony Arthur Jimmy
Ben Bob and Peter, Just some of the local lads who lived for Football.

Did you ever play against a rival street. It used to be us Guys in Wren St and Brittania St Vs King Richard street. One of our player was from king Richard street and he decided to play for us as he fell out with his own King Richard street scum.

Always a high powered game.. with the the odd fight.

 

[blueflint]

was born on king richard st played there all the time broke many a window got clipped round the ear a few times as well. as i got older moved to tile hill
played on the fields at the top of nailcote ave. progressed to tile hill old boys played as full back was told i was a dirty player can't believe that tho.

 

[andrew.roberts]

I remember December 1963, when I lived at "The Grange" (a kids home), and the bloke in charge made us all go over the road to Coundon Park to play football. It was absolutely FREEZING! Minus degrees temperatures and ice in the grass. Bloody horrible day! I was only 11 at the time!

Didn´t Franki Valli and the Four Seasons write a song about that Houch ?

 

[thaiskyblue]

i would say lets arrange a SBT 5 a side game but forum fueds might boil over into real life.

i reckon that's a great idea, we could have a knock out tournament , then proper session after, i'm in.

 

[covcity4life]

i reckon that's a great idea, we could have a knock out tournament , then proper session after, i'm in.

told you it would get violent.

 

[Sky Blue Dal]

was born on king richard st played there all the time broke many a window got clipped round the ear a few times as well. as i got older moved to tile hill
played on the fields at the top of nailcote ave. progressed to tile hill old boys played as full back was told i was a dirty player can't believe that tho.

Where you a member of that dirty clan we used to play against ???

If you are, then I want to remind you ...

20 - 17
20 - 17
Oh Yeah!! Oh Yeah!!

20 - 17
20 - 17

Who are ya! who are ya!!
ointlaugh:

Yo so sh*t it's unbeleeeeivable!!

 

[torchomatic]

We never used to play in the street as such though I did like a game of "kerby". We tended to play down the 'wreck' or hop into the playing fields of the secondary school and use their goals. No dogs either that way.

 

[covcity4life]

curby surely?

 

[ajsccfc]

Higgs tonight outdoor pitch.

I loved playing outdoors on the 4G, but eventually it died out because fewer people fancied playing in the cold. Bunch of nerds.

 

[sky_blue_up_north]

besides the garages cul de sac at bottom of my old street i used to play at thinbars in holbrooks alot(behind gateway/somerfield/morrisions), really big park that it seemed only 10 people in coventry knew about, we always had loads of space to ourselves.

they played gaelic football there on saturdays i think. if the ball went over into some closed off supermarket sectrion we were (*%^*% unless we has one of our mates who loved climbing and wasnt afraid to fall lol

best bit was non footballing though, me and my mate once found a porno in the bushes, we stored that thing in secret place(secure in branches lol) for months till a rain storm destroyed it and we came back to find it in a million different trees lol

Remember playing there by the lights from factory night after night, use to be little old Irish chap who had a caravan, supposed to be looking after the fields chase use off every now and then. I can remember big crowds foir the Gaelic football.. never had a luck finding a porno mag though :laugh:

 

[covcity4life]

Remember playing there by the lights from factory night after night, use to be little old Irish chap who had a caravan, supposed to be looking after the fields chase use off every now and then. I can remember big crowds foir the Gaelic football.. never had a luck finding a porno mag though :laugh:

had first ciggerete there too lol, my mate sburnt his top lip with the lighter haha

 

[blueflint]

Where you a member of that dirty clan we used to play against ???

If you are, then I want to remind you ...

20 - 17
20 - 17
Oh Yeah!! Oh Yeah!!

20 - 17
20 - 17

Who are ya! who are ya!!
ointlaugh:

Yo so sh*t it's unbeleeeeivable!!

if you were there in the mid to late fifties then yes

 

[skyblueinBaku]

I lived in Harper Rd and played football in the field by the Charterhouse club. We called the area Colonel Wylie's fields.

 

[North York’s Blue]

Used to play on the wreck at the top of Middlemarch Road, after moving to Allesley there was a decent sized grassed area by some flats near Allesley junior school, used to play there or on the Jag's playing fields.

 

[bringbackrattles]

We used to play on the farmers field on Woodway Lane or on Cardinal Wiseman pitches.
Sunday morning was good on Wiseman as they sometimes left the hockey nets on the goals.
Great days !

 

[torchomatic]

The mean streets near Highfield Road. One day we stopped for a car, and Sean Flynn poked his head out the driver's window asking for directions to the ground.

Pity you told him.



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