New Where Is This Ground

That's right, Barton. 2-0 it was. We were all given a police escort from Seaburn station to the ground in order to protect us from the local heavies but that didn't banish the fear of what might happen after the match.

Our afternoon took a turn for the worse near the end of the game when Ernie Moss's knee collided with the head of local hero Jim Montgomery. As Monty was carried off, the cries of "You're gonna get your effing heads kicked in" became even more alarming than they had been for the previous 80 minutes.

I hope you found the atmosphere a lot more peaceful when you dropped by there today.

Or, to use the local vernacular from where I'm writing, "Joker Park".

Now a small housing estate which stands out from the distinctive older terrace housing of the Roker area. The road names are football references: goalmouth, turnstile, midfield, promotion.

Not my photo as I didn't have a camera but I was here today

Yes. I guess my current residency is a bit of a giveaway

It's a sad sight but it has been tastefully done. Most of the area that used to be covered by the pitch remains grass or the kids' play area. There is a sculpture that I think marks the centre spot, or at least is very close. Unfortunately it has a few errors



Having not been to a proper ex-ground before, it is quite a surreal experience to think that this used to be one of the few places to see some of the best players in the world play only a few years ago. I remember Coventry in the top flight. I remember seeing matches at Highfield Road on Match of the Day. And now it's mostly houses

I went with a mate who is a Coventry fan and used to go to the ground regularly. He told me about how King Richard Street, leading to the Main Stand, would be filled with people on a match day. Nowadays it's silent. The Hillfields area where the stadium was is quite run down. And the club's in a bad way, stuck at an out-of-town stadium they don't own or gain much of the profits from that's too large for the size of the club. It seems like one of English football's great mistakes - Highfield Road was suitable for a club of Coventry's size, and had been developed into a relatively modern stadium; there was no real need for them to leave

is it Phil (Chelstongull's) kitchen?? certainly not the Barn Owl by the portion size

Not the greatest of pies I'm afraid. But only a pound; 50p for the peas.

Good of you to say that, gullone.

As for casual orientalists, I guess crowds have fluctuated at Brisbane Road over the years.