When did the Arena change for you? (1 Viewer)

Saddlebrains · Aug 16, 2023

For a long time we were all in agreement the place was a cursed soulless bowl, we all disliked it.

But now, and for a while to be honest we have turned it into an arena well known as having one of the best atmospheres in the country. Yes the on pitch improvements have helped but do you feel anything else has helped bar the obvious? And when did you start thinking it was 'home' and stopped pining for Highfield Road?

TomRad85 · Aug 16, 2023

Saddlebrains said:
For a long time we were all in agreement the place was a cursed soulless bowl, we all disliked it.

But now, and for a while to be honest we have turned it into an arena well known as having one of the best atmospheres in the country. Yes the on pitch improvements have helped but do you feel anything else has helped bar the obvious? And when did you start thinking it was 'home' and stopped pining for Highfield Road?

Easy... when Wasps died

Seamus1 · Aug 16, 2023

For me, personally, it was after the return from St Andrews. I got the feeling that this was the moment that Wasps needed us there, and that it felt it was OUR home and that those scumbags were on borrowed time. Obviously the last minute winners in that season also helped sending everyone home buzzing (please excuse the pun)

Kingokings204 · Aug 16, 2023

I’ve always like the stadium. It’s been brilliant to have but when it’s never been run properly and then with us tumbling down the leagues and having the stadium at best half full and some cases 5-6k then it’s going to feel soulless and horrible.

when we were sell out last seasons or close to just like Saturday. The atmosphere is brilliant and I barely hear the away fans all game.

rexo87 · Aug 16, 2023

Don't think our atmosphere has ever been any worse than most clubs. Even in league 1 and 2 the corner made plenty of noise. This stepped up a level after covid when we came back from St Andrews. Wouldn't say it ever felt like home until the insects died

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Broken Hearted Sky Blue · Aug 16, 2023

No we weren’t all in agreement that it was soulless another term that was thought up. Nor did everybody dislike it the majority of people liked it. I have never pined for Highfield Road It was sad on the last day and that was it

cstring82 · Aug 16, 2023

Like some said above when we moved back from Brum, first season ticket for years (although used to go every year to at least a game or two).
Loved Highfield Road as a kid myself with my grandad and the time we spent together.
Now I can take my lad to watch a decent team most weeks and have the buzz again as does he.

Sick Boy · Aug 16, 2023

Broken Hearted Sky Blue said:
No we weren’t all in agreement that it was soulless another term that was thought up. Nor did everybody dislike it the majority of people liked it. I have never pined for Highfield Road It was sad on the last day and that was it

The only reason I miss HR is the location (pubs) and it being our stadium, at the time the move was seen as a major positive by the fanbase. The CBS also generates a much better atmosphere, IMO.

Saddlebrains · Aug 16, 2023

Broken Hearted Sky Blue said:
No we weren’t all in agreement that it was soulless another term that was thought up. Nor did everybody dislike it the majority of people liked it. I have never pined for Highfield Road It was sad on the last day and that was it

Could have just said 'I disagree with everything you said' probs been easier

matesx · Aug 16, 2023

Dinosaur here but give me HR any day.

Darth Robins · Aug 16, 2023

I never disliked it, there was always big potential for a great atmosphere in there but we had so much apathy from the people running it and the club. Nobody cared about trying to make it a home. The fans who do like to make some noise were spread out all over the place. Even when Singers corner first started to develop the clubs first instinct was to try and shut it down because it was causing them hassle! The fact they actually embrace that now makes a huge difference. Safe standing is going to really take it up a notch too in my opinion.

I give MR a lot of credit too, he made a point of repairing the relationship with the fans and giving us a team worth making a racket for.

Domo · Aug 16, 2023

im thinking that the kids born in 2000/2001 are now fully late teens/early twenties, wanting to go to the ground and filling seats, and have never experienced HR, so the arena is their home, and have no past experience of anything other.

matesx · Aug 16, 2023

lacesoutdom said:
im thinking that the kids born in 2000/2001 are now fully late teens/early twenties, wanting to go to the ground and filling seats, and have never experienced HR, so the arena is their home, and have no past experience of anything other.

aye my lad is 21 and although i took him to HR as a wean he doesn't remember.

A generation that wont remember HR, onwards and upwards i suppose that's life.

covcity4life · Aug 16, 2023

Saddlebrains said:
For a long time we were all in agreement the place was a cursed soulless bowl, we all disliked it.

But now, and for a while to be honest we have turned it into an arena well known as having one of the best atmospheres in the country. Yes the on pitch improvements have helped but do you feel anything else has helped bar the obvious? And when did you start thinking it was 'home' and stopped pining for Highfield Road?

Never agreed it was souless in first place actually. We were just in a shit place as a club and fans blamed the arena because Highfield road full of better memories

I always said soon as we are successful the arena will be fine for atmosphere etc

Voice_of_Reason · Aug 16, 2023

matesx said:
Dinosaur here but give me HR any day.

Me too

Skyblueweeman · Aug 16, 2023

TomRad85 said:
Easy... when Wasps died

Yeah, this. Once those parasites had f*&ked off.

Every minute they owned the place, it was just some horrible rental agreement with a bunch of twats who had no interest in anything other than trying to steal local support, trying to lord it over us and refusing to keep up maintenance/appearances of the stadium and surrounding areas.

I fell in love with the place on that sunny day vs QPR all those years ago. I fell in love with it again when the pricks went bust.

Flying Fokker · Aug 16, 2023

Saddlebrains said:
For a long time we were all in agreement the place was a cursed soulless bowl, we all disliked it.

But now, and for a while to be honest we have turned it into an arena well known as having one of the best atmospheres in the country. Yes the on pitch improvements have helped but do you feel anything else has helped bar the obvious? And when did you start thinking it was 'home' and stopped pining for Highfield Road?

Were we? I'm not sure that was the case for me? The fans make the arena what it is. Much of what has happened at the arena was shaped by SISU. The ridiculous pantomime of the Derby County Game a few years ago was a low. Then the row between SISU etc. I don't think fans rushed to Northampton or Birmingham because the ground was shit.

For me, the turnaround is due to SISU leaving. The fans even took it on the chin with all the season ticket changes etc. Simply because King is not SISU...And that is perhaps why the Arena in 'better for some.' Its about football now.

Oops, I forgot W.... The ground belonged to them. We still need a ground but at least its not them that own it.

It all seems a bit adversarial to me. We generally vote for the political party that performs less badly.

ajsccfc · Aug 16, 2023

Coming back after St Andrews and covid, felt like everyone was just happy to be able to go again and it coincided with a lovely spell of injury time winners

Saddlebrains · Aug 16, 2023

Skyblueweeman said:
Yeah, this. Once those parasites had f*&ked off.

Every minute they owned the place, it was just some horrible rental agreement with a bunch of twats who had no interest in anything other than trying to steal local support, trying to lord it over us and refusing to keep up maintenance/appearances of the stadium and surrounding areas.

I fell in love with the place on that sunny day vs QPR all those years ago. I fell in love with it again when the pricks went bust.

I think thats the same for me

rob9872 · Aug 16, 2023

Atmosphere was good at Brum with small numbers and growing away, then we brought it home with us.

SBT · Aug 16, 2023

That string of comeback wins in the first season after the Covid break was where it clicked from me - the atmosphere was great.

The Wasps thing really didn't make much difference - the first game after they buggered off had quite a muted atmosphere, if anything. Obviously better that they’re gone though.

Hobo · Aug 16, 2023

It was ok until we got relegated from Championship and gates dropped.
When they compacted the fans opposite the main stand it improved the atmosphere no end. The upward curve since Robins return has built on that. Wasps going has helped too

Old Warwickshire lad · Aug 16, 2023

Always liked it,far better than HR. Good views from all parts of the ground, a great upgrade on an old stadium.

clint van damme · Aug 16, 2023

Going to the stadium definitely isn't the chore it once was but if they announced we were moving to somewhere else in Cov tomorrow I honestly couldn't care less.

I have absolutely no affinity with the place.

Flying Fokker · Aug 16, 2023

clint van damme said:
Going to the stadium definitely isn't the chore it once was but if they announced we were moving to somewhere else in Cov tomorrow I honestly couldn't care less.

I have absolutely no affinity with the place.

I’m different. If we end up Outside the city boundaries it will be tough on the fans again. Anyway, at some point we need the Arena to be linked to us. I’d like to see the Rugby posts burned. Manage concerts similar to this year. i wonder if King needs to have a bigger brand involved?

clint van damme · Aug 16, 2023

Flying Fokker said:
I’m different. If we end up Outside the city boundaries it will be tough on the fans again. Anyway, at some point we need the Arena to be linked to us. I’d like to see the Rugby posts burned. Manage concerts similar to this year. i wonder if King needs to have a bigger brand involved?

That's why I said in Cov, I'd be raging if we ended up outside the city again.
But the stadium does nothing for me.
Though realistically it's the only show in town venue wise and I'm fine with that.

Flying Fokker · Aug 16, 2023

clint van damme said:
That's why I said in Cov, I'd be raging if we ended up outside the city again.
But the stadium does nothing for me.
Though realistically it's the only show in town venue wise and I'm fine with that.

Ha. The last sentence brings back memories of Fisher. ‘We are the only show in town’. Two turkeys do not an eagle make.

Now look what you started!

Im glad Wasps imploded. What a shit shower. SISU/ CCC, others. Years of each side scheming to make the other lose. Wasps come in and show them how it’s really done! Good riddance the lot of them.

alexccfc99 · Aug 16, 2023

The years in L1/2 at the arena were purgatory and I actively found it a chore to go

But it’s been a tremendous place to go and watch football since we come back from Brum

Flying Fokker · Aug 16, 2023

alexccfc99 said:
The years in L1/2 at the arena were purgatory and I actively found it a chore to go

But it’s been a tremendous place to go and watch football since we come back from Brum

Some of the years prior to that were the same for me. The best bit was the walk to and from the stadium!

SkyBlueSoul · Aug 16, 2023

I think coming back after Brum and having stayed up the year before meant there was a general feelgood factor. Add in the Anecdote and Dhillon's and it became somewhere you might want to go before a game and stay afterwards. Can throw the Tavern in as well, felt like the club actually cared and wanted to connect with us again.

Alkhen · Aug 16, 2023

After the initial disappointment of it not being ARENA 2000 with the roof and retractable pitch ive always quite like the stadium. only bugbear (bar the Wasp infestation) was the concourses always looked a bit unfinished. im hoping the investment continues there as it has been improved with only minimal effort already

shmmeee · Aug 16, 2023

Yeah first season back up after COVID.

Bad Boy · Aug 16, 2023

It hasn't changed for me and probably never will in my lifetime.

The stadium and football club need to be allied to become one and rid itself of all connection with CCC.

Sky Blue Pete · Aug 16, 2023

Skyblueweeman said:
Yeah, this. Once those parasites had f*&ked off.

Every minute they owned the place, it was just some horrible rental agreement with a bunch of twats who had no interest in anything other than trying to steal local support, trying to lord it over us and refusing to keep up maintenance/appearances of the stadium and surrounding areas.

I fell in love with the place on that sunny day vs QPR all those years ago. I fell in love with it again when the pricks went bust.

Always loved it, fell in love again with the roar for the first goal on Saturday

Calista · Aug 16, 2023

In the early days of the stadium, I'm pretty sure there was frequent talk of the 'Ricoh Roar', mainly referring to the home end (North Stand). The atmosphere only became terrible when the team became terrible.
Now it feels like the 'home end' is actually the entire east side, and it's awesome at times.
Still a bit frustrated about the apparent impossibility of extending the home crowd into the South Stand on a permanent basis.

When did the Arena change for you? (1 Viewer)

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