Key facts
| Address | Highfield Road Stadium, King Richard Street, Coventry, England, CV2 4FW |
| Capacity | 24,000 seats |
| Build Date | 1899 |
| Demolished | 2005 |
| Record Attendance | 51,455 |
Description
Highfield Road used to be a football stadium located in Coventry, the UK. The ground was used by Coventry City F.C. for more than 100 years until 2005.
The stadium was constructed in 1899, and the very first football game played at the ground was a match between Shrewsbury and Coventry that resulted in the victory of the latter. The highest attendance at Highfield Road was 51,455 people in 1967 during Wolverhampton Wanderers and Coventry City F.C games.
Highfield Road was the first all-seater stadium in UK league, and it was one of the UK largest stadiums. In 1981, the fans of Leeds United fans destroyed many seats, when their club was beaten by Coventry City with the score of 4-0. New seats were installed only in several months.
From 1983 to 1994, the standing accommodation was installed at the ground again, but due to the Taylor Report, the ground had to be redeveloped into all-seater again with the capacity of 23,489. By the time, the stadium had been renovated, so it had a modern look. However, it did not have enough facilities if compared to the similar stadiums, which was one of the reasons why Coventry City F.C. decided to move to another ground. Also, the stadium could not provide enough of parking places.
In 2005, the football club moved the Ricoh Arena, and no more football games were played at Highfield Road. Later, the ground was also used for music events, including Elton John’s concert. The stadium was demolished in 2006. Today, the area of parking and stands are used for housing, but the playing surface was covered with grass to allow local children play football.
FAQ
Highfield Road stadium was opened in 1899. It served as the home ground for Coventry City Football Club for over a century until its closure in 2005.
The stadium was named after the street on which it was located – Highfield Road in Coventry.
The capacity of Highfield Road varied over the years due to renovations and safety regulations. At its peak, the stadium could hold around 47,000 spectators. However, by the time of its closure, the capacity had been reduced to approximately 23,489 due to safety measures and the conversion to an all-seater stadium.
Highfield Road became an all-seater stadium in 1994, following the recommendations of the Taylor Report which was published after the Hillsborough disaster. This conversion significantly reduced the stadium’s capacity but improved safety for spectators.
Highfield Road has a rich history in English football. It was one of the first grounds to have floodlights installed in 1953, allowing for evening matches. The stadium also hosted England under-21 international matches and was the venue for Coventry City’s greatest triumphs, including their FA Cup victory celebrations in 1987.
Highfield Road was closed in 2005 as Coventry City FC moved to the newly built Ricoh Arena (now known as the Coventry Building Society Arena). The decision to move was primarily driven by the need for a more modern, larger capacity stadium with improved facilities for both players and fans.
