I wasn’t on the terrace, I was in the Bob Lord stand… I think the gate was around 1,700. Proud I was there, but certainly did not feel much pride at the time. They were very worrying times, I hope no-one gets the chance to re-visit those experiences. I was on the Colchester game and the one against...

Yes some big crowds during their promotion season and first few years in the topflight .. declined in the 70s and 80s in tandem with a general fall in attendances everywhere but particularly so in the Midlands during a period of rapid deindustrialisation

TheFamilyCat wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 14, 2022 7:26 pm

They've been much closer to going bust than they have returning to the top flight.

True .. they sold Highfield Road to clear debt but look at the state of them again now . I can’t even begin to understand what is going on down there at the moment .

TheFamilyCat wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 14, 2022 7:25 pm

Apologies, I misread your post as they dropped like a lead balloon as a result of going all-seater.

No worries

Indeed the average gate at Highfield Road went down by around 5,000 between 80/81 and 81/82 as Mr Hill bumped
ST prices up considerably over the summer of 1981 , though gates did improve again in subsequent years .

dougcollins wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 14, 2022 7:15 pm

I recall attending old-fashioned lectures where the professors were non too keen on being asked questions!

Yes often very true

TheFamilyCat wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 14, 2022 7:13 pm

They won the FA cup in '87 and stayed in the PL until the 2000's. Hardly a lead balloon.

The decision to make Highfield Road all seater was extremely unpopular amongst Sky Blues fans so yes a lead balloon - not entirely sure what point you’re making by the way?

Aye and I'm sure at your next UCU meeting you will be suggesting that the community college or University you work at is run by investment bankers? Not... Apologies for the late reply but I’ve been rather busy completing some transcription work and I managed to lose my UTC password anyway I digress...

Highfield Road was initially all seater between 1981 and 1985 .. putting seats in reduced the capacity from 36500 to around 20500 and went down like a lead balloon in Coventry.

You can’t beat an old fashioned lecture …

Especially when it’s delivered by a more than slightly eccentric middle-aged Claret