Hillfields is a suburb of Coventry in the West Midlands of England. It is situated north of Coventry city centre, and has undergone a series of name changes throughout its history originally called "Harnall" and has seen itself change from a village, to a remote suburb, to a large postwar redevelopment zone.
144-498: Hillfields has always welcomed immigrants of all nationalities. Originally the Irish communities and then the Indian-sub continent and West Indian communities settled in the mid 20th century. The area declined in the early 90s however in recent times a wave of new immigrants from Northern Iraq ( Kurdistan ). People from Iran, as well as Africa, have settled and invested into the area and now it
288-407: A cold climate receiving annual precipitation adequate to sustain temperate forests and shrubs . Mountain chains harbor pastures and forested valleys, totaling approximately 16 million hectares (160,000 km ), including firs and countryside is mostly oaks , conifers , platanus , willow , poplar and, to the west of Kurdistan, olive trees . The region north of the mountainous region on
432-785: A fourth-round defeat to Watford , followed a season later by one of the biggest upsets in FA Cup history when they lost 2–1 to non-league Sutton United in the third round. They finished seventh in the league that season, however, their highest finish since 1978. A last-day escape in 1991–92 earned Coventry a place in the newly-formed Premier League . Bryan Richardson took over as club chairman in summer 1993, making large sums of money available for players over subsequent years. With Ron Atkinson and then Gordon Strachan as manager, Coventry signed several high-profile players such as Dion Dublin , Moustapha Hadji , Peter Ndlovu and Robbie Keane , but did not finish higher than 11th place for
576-675: A military operation wherein the Iraqi government forces attacked the Kurds, defeating them and forcing them to abandon the referendum. A month later, Iraq declared full victory over ISIS and re-established control over all previously occupied territory. Following the Kurds’ failed attempt to achieve independence, the government of Iraq has exacted severe punishment against KRI in a number of punitive measures. Some Kurdish officials in Iraq have described this as evidence of
720-489: A 3–2 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers, following two stoppage time goals from Ellis Simms and Haji Wright . In the semi-finals, Coventry fought back from 3–0 down against Manchester United to level the match in stoppage time with the help of a converted penalty from Haji Wright before losing the match by 4–2 penalties. Coventry's home shirts are either completely or predominantly sky blue. However, in past seasons, different 'home colours' were worn. For example, in 1889,
864-581: A European place. In 1980–81, Coventry reached their first major semi-final, losing to West Ham United in the League Cup . Hill returned to the club as managing director in 1975, and was elevated to chairman in 1980. He initiated several transformations at the club, including the conversion of Highfield Road to England's first all-seat stadium in 1981, and the opening of a sports centre and training ground in Ryton-on-Dunsmore . Hill attempted to rename
1008-406: A Kurdish majority, while others campaign for greater autonomy within the existing national boundaries. The delineation of the region remains disputed and varied, with some maps greatly exaggerating its boundaries. Historically, the word "Kurdistan" is first attested in 11th century Seljuk chronicles. Many disparate Kurdish dynasties, emirates, principalities, and chiefdoms were established from
1152-530: A Local Board of Health in 1849 who then surveyed the city in 1850. A result of the survey was new building guidelines for the city. As much of the city had already been developed, Hillfields became a favourable location for new houses and the area began to expand. Also, the standard of living in Hillfields was much higher than those who remained in the slums within Coventry city. The motor industry in Coventry boomed at
1296-669: A battle near Amid and Siverek in 1062 as to have taken place in Kurdistan . The second record occurs in the prayer from the colophon of an Armenian manuscript of the Gospels , written in 1200. A later use of the term Kurdistan is found in Empire of Trebizond documents in 1336 and in Nuzhat al-Qulub , written by Hamdallah Mustawfi in 1340. According to Sharaf al-Din Bitlisi in his Sharafnama ,
1440-551: A capital of the same name. The pashalics of Kirkook and Solimania also comprise part of Upper Curdistan. Lower Curdistan comprises all the level tract to the east of the Tigris, and the minor ranges immediately bounding the plains and reaching thence to the foot of the great range, which may justly be denominated the Alps of western Asia. The northern, northwestern and northeastern parts of Kurdistan are referred to as upper Kurdistan, and includes
1584-477: A contingency plan in place to play elsewhere for the 2013–14 season. It was argued by the club that this was due to ACL (Arena Coventry Limited), which managed the stadium, being unwilling to negotiate with the club to agree to a new lease. However, that led to the local newspaper, the Coventry Telegraph , starting a petition to stop Coventry City from playing outside of Coventry. It was sent to all 72 clubs in
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#17328552388921728-562: A higher-placed finish than the Birmingham club. In September 1939, the league season was aborted after three games due to the start of World War II . Many supporters at the time blamed the war for robbing the team of a probable imminent promotion to the First Division, although several top players including Bourton had been sold by 1939, and attendances had begun to fall. Coventry continued playing some friendly games until November 1940, when
1872-420: A property developer and lease it back, before construction had started. On the field, Coventry were forced by the rising debts to sell their top players without replacement, and were finally relegated in 2000–01 , ending 34 years of continuous tenure in the top flight. In their first season back in the second tier , Coventry occupied 4th place with seven games remaining, but ultimately finished 11th, outside
2016-484: A relocation to another site within the city. However it was later confirmed that Coventry City would remain at the Ricoh Arena for another year. In May 2016 the Coventry Telegraph broke the news that the club had drawn up plans with Coventry Rugby Club for a ground-share arrangement at a redeveloped Butts Park Arena . That was eventually denied by Rugby Club chairman Jon Sharp, who said there could be no deal with
2160-650: A social media campaign entitled #bringCityhome by the Coventry Telegraph and a protest march by the Sky Blue Trust supporters' group. The campaign drew praise from national media and figures within the football world. It was short-listed at the 2014 British Press Awards in the "Campaign of the Year" category. Because the tenancy agreement with Wasps was to expire in August 2018, it was reported in November 2015 that there would be
2304-430: A standing terrace later that year. The Taylor Report of 1990 led to a requirement that all top-flight teams should switch to all-seater. This led to what proved to be the final major development at Highfield Road, the construction of the new East Stand. The stadium hosted its last league game in a 6–2 Coventry win over Derby County in 2005 and was subsequently demolished to make way for a new housing development. For
2448-568: A temporary wartime division for 1918–19 . In 1919, Coventry submitted a successful application to join the Football League and were placed into the Second Division for the 1919–20 season , the first played after the war. In preparation for league football, the club invested in new players and increased Highfield Road's capacity to 40,000. They avoided finishing last in 1919–20 when they won their final game against Bury , but this result
2592-471: A thorough delineation is difficult, the Encyclopaedia of Islam delineated Kurdistan as following: In Turkey, the Kurds inhabit the whole of the eastern region of the country. According to Trotter (1878), the limit of their extent to the north was the line Divriği — Erzurum — Kars ... The Kurds also occupy the western slopes of Ararat, the districts of Kağızman and Tuzluca . On the west they extend in
2736-457: A wide belt beyond the course of the Euphrates, and, in the region of Sivas , in the districts of Kangal and Divriği. Equally, the whole region includes areas to the east and south-east of these limits... Turkish Kurdistan numbers at least 17 of them almost totally: in the north-east, the provinces of Erzincan , Erzurum and Kars ; in the centre, going from west to east and from north to south,
2880-413: A year in the plains, and between 700 and 3,000 mm a year on the high plateau between mountain chains. The mountainous zone along the borders with Iran and Turkey experiences dry summers , rainy and sometimes snowy winters, and damp springs, while to the south the climate progressively transitions toward semi-arid and desert zones. Kurdistan is one of the most mountainous regions in the world with
3024-549: Is a lively neighbourhood bustling with shops and restaurants selling intercontinental produce and cuisine. Hillfields used to be home to Coventry City Football Club on the Highfield Road stadium until the club relocated to the Coventry Building Society Arena . Hillfields is also home to Sidney Stringer Academy and it additionally includes Primrose Hill Park . Hillfields was originally known as Harnall and
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#17328552388923168-610: Is a professional football club based in Coventry , West Midlands, England. The club plays in the EFL Championship , the second tier of English football . The club is nicknamed after the sky blue colours that were part of the club's early years, before making a return in 1962. Coventry City formed as Singers F.C. in 1883 following a general meeting of the Singer Gentleman's club. They adopted their current name in 1898 and joined
3312-903: Is a roughly defined geo- cultural region in West Asia wherein the Kurds form a prominent majority population and the Kurdish culture , languages , and national identity have historically been based. Geographically, Kurdistan roughly encompasses the northwestern Zagros and the eastern Taurus mountain ranges. Kurdistan generally comprises the following four regions: southeastern Turkey ( Northern Kurdistan ), northern Iraq ( Southern Kurdistan ), northwestern Iran ( Eastern Kurdistan ), and northern Syria ( Western Kurdistan ). Some definitions also include parts of southern Transcaucasia . Certain Kurdish nationalist organizations seek to create an independent nation state consisting of some or all of these areas with
3456-596: Is a terrorist group and has acted accordingly. According to 2016 estimate Kurdish Institute of Paris , total population of Kurdistan is around 34.5 million, and Kurds making 86% of population of Northern Kurdistan. There are Arab , Turkic , Assyrian (Syriac), Armenian and Azerbaijani minorities in Northern Kurdistan. In Southern Kurdistan there are Christian (Assyrian and Armenian) and Turkish (Turkmen) minorities as well. Iraqi and Syrian Turkmen share close ties with Turkish people and do not identify with
3600-419: Is given in the text of Sharafnama , written by Prince Sharaf al-Din Bitlisi in 1597. The emirates included Baban , Soran , Badinan and Garmiyan in the south; Bakran, Bohtan (or Botan) and Badlis in the north, and Mukriyan and Ardalan in the east. The earliest medieval attestation of the toponym Kurdistan is found in a 12th-century Armenian historical text by Matteos Urhayeci . He described
3744-458: Is home to an estimated 6 to 8 million Kurds. In A Dictionary of Scripture Geography (published 1846), John Miles describes Upper and Lower Kurdistan as following: Modern Curdistan is of much greater extent than the ancient Assyria, and is composed of two parts the Upper and Lower. In the former is the province of Ardelan, the ancient Arropachatis, now nominally a part of Irak Ajami, and belonging to
3888-485: Is not self-ruled. Kurds fighting in the Syrian Civil War were able to take control of large sections of northern Syria and establish self-governing regions in an Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (commonly called Rojava), where they seek autonomy in a federal Syria after the war. Kurdistan means "Land of the Kurds" and was first attested in 11th-century Seljuk chronicles. The exact origins of
4032-616: The Financial Times indicating Turkey's readiness to accept an independent Kurdistan in northern Iraq. This became increasingly less likely, however, when in July 2017, the Iraqi government declared victory in the Battle of Mosul against ISIS in the group’s last stronghold in the country. Following this, in September 2017, Iraqi Kurds held a one-sided independence referendum which eventually triggered
4176-530: The Bescot Stadium or attempt to stay at the Ricoh Arena, following the appointment of new owners. However, by July 2013, the Walsall rumours were denied and the club ground-shared at Northampton Town 's Sixfields Stadium – a venue that had less than a quarter the capacity of the Ricoh Arena, and involved a round-trip of 70 miles (110 km). That arrangement was due to continue until at least 2016. Plans for
4320-563: The Coventry Blitz damaged the stadium and brought all football in the city to a halt. Friendly matches resumed again in 1942, as parts of Highfield Road had been rebuilt, and the team joined the Midland Regional League. Storer left Coventry for Birmingham City after the war, and many of the 1939 squad had retired by 1945. New manager Dick Bayliss assembled a squad with a mixture of pre-war players and newcomers, but his tenure
4464-598: The Coventry Building Society Arena. The name change came into effect in July 2021 as a part of a 10-year naming rights deal with the building society . On 8 August 2021, Coventry City played Nottingham Forest at the Coventry Building Society Arena in the club's first game back at the ground in 2 years and their first Championship game in Coventry since 2012. They won the match 2–1. On 16 September 2021, Coventry City owner Joy Seppala told
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4608-661: The Encyclopaedia of Islam , Kurdistan covers around 190,000 km (73,000 sq mi) in Turkey, 125,000 km (48,000 sq mi) in Iran, 65,000 km (25,000 sq mi) in Iraq, and 12,000 km (4,600 sq mi) in Syria, with a total area of approximately 392,000 km (151,000 sq mi). Turkish Kurdistan encompasses a large area of Eastern Anatolia Region and southeastern Anatolia of Turkey and it
4752-685: The Kurd Dagh ;..., to the east of the Euphrates where the river enters Syria near Jarablus ; and finally, a belt of 250 km. in length by 30 km. in depth in the Jazira . Many of the maps delineating Kurdistan are greatly exaggerated, also incorporating non-Kurdish regions, which has made the subject very controversial. Various groups, among them the Guti , Hurrians , Mannai ( Mannaeans ), and Armenians , lived in this region in antiquity. The original Mannaean homeland
4896-496: The Middle East region. It is the source for much of the water supply for neighboring countries. It means that political stability and peace in the region are important to the water supply of the region and preventing wars. Many think that for conserving the water "returning to traditional water-conserving cultivation techniques" will be needed, as well as "communal economy" Coventry City F.C. Coventry City Football Club
5040-633: The Persian Gulf near Bushehr , and included the Lur inhabited areas of southern Zagros . The historian Jordi Tejel has identified "Greater Kurdistan" as being one of the "Kurdish myths" that the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Syria (KDPS) were involved in promoting to Kurds in Syria. An academic source published by the University of Cambridge has described maps of greater Kurdistan created in
5184-536: The Rudge Cycle Company team, with games between the two clubs attracted crowds as high as 4,000 by the end of the 1880s. In 1899, shortly after Singers became Coventry City, they were forced to vacate Stoke Road due to an extension of King Richard Street and a housing development to accommodate Coventry's rising population. The club acquired a site previously owned by the Craven Cricket Club and built
5328-480: The Safavid and Ottoman empires. A major division of Kurdistan occurred in the aftermath of the Battle of Chaldiran in 1514, and was formalized in the 1639 Treaty of Zuhab . In a geography textbook of late Ottoman military school by Ahmet Cevad Kurdistan span over the cities Erzurum , Van , Urfa , Sulaymanyah , Kirkuk , Mosul and Diyarbakir among others and was one out of six regions of Ottoman Asia. After
5472-657: The Southern League in 1908, before being selected into the Football League in 1919. Relegated in 1925, they returned to the Second Division as champions of the Third Division South and Third Division South Cup winners in 1935–36. Relegated in 1952, they won promotion in the inaugural Fourth Division season in 1958–59. Coventry reached the First Division after winning the Third Division title in 1963–64 and
5616-497: The Third round FA Cup tie versus Southampton, the team wore a commemorative blue and white striped kit, marking the 25th anniversary of the club winning the FA Cup in 1987 . The strip was worn again in January 2013 for Coventry's 3rd round FA Cup fixture with Tottenham Hotspur, whom they beat in the 1987 final. In 2019, Coventry City announced a new third kit in black and white honouring
5760-915: The Turkmen of Turkmenistan and Central Asia . Kurdistan has also significant Caucasian population, Caucasians of Kurdistan included Chechens and Ingushes in Varto , Ossetians in Ahlat and Circassians . From early stage on, these Caucasians went through a process of Kurdification and thereby had Kurdish as their mother tongue. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica , Kurdistan covers about 190,000 km (or 73,000 square miles), and its chief towns are Diyarbakır (Amed), Bitlis (Bedlîs) and Van (Wan) in Turkey, Erbil (Hewlêr) and Sulaymaniyah in Iraq, and Kermanshah (Kirmanşan), Sanandaj (Sine), Ilam and Mahabad (Mehabad) in Iran. According to
5904-478: The military coup of 1980 , the Kurdish language was officially prohibited in public and private life. Many people who spoke, published, or sang in Kurdish were arrested and imprisoned. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, political parties that represented Kurdish interests were banned. In 1983, the Kurdish provinces were included in the state of emergency region , which was placed under martial law in response to
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6048-526: The play-off places. The new stadium opened in 2005, having been reduced in size and delayed several times; the club had previously sold its 50% share to the Alan Higgs charity to repay debts. The club's financial situation remained poor, and by 2007 they faced the possibility of being forced out of business; this was averted when the club was bought by hedge fund owner Sisu Capital. Led by chairman Ray Ranson , Coventry signed several promising youngsters in
6192-502: The red fox , goitered gazelle , Eurasian otter , striped hyena , Persian fallow deer , long-eared hedgehog , onager , mangar and the Euphrates softshell turtle . Birds include, the hooded crow , common starling , Eurasian magpie , European robin , water pipit , spotted flycatcher , namaqua dove , saker falcon , griffon vulture , little crake and collared pratincole , among others. Mountains are important geographical and symbolic features of Kurdish life, as evidenced by
6336-509: The 1937 Dersim rebellion . All were forcefully put down by the authorities. The region was declared a closed military area from which foreigners were banned between 1925 and 1965. In an attempt to deny their existence , the Turkish government categorized Kurds as " Mountain Turks " until 1991. The words "Kurds", "Kurdistan", or "Kurdish" were officially banned by the Turkish government. Following
6480-474: The 1940s and forward as: "These maps have become some of the most influential propaganda tools for the Kurdish nationalist discourse. They depict a territorially exaggerated version of the territory of Kurdistan, extending into areas with no majority Kurdish populations. Despite their production with political aims related to specific claims on the demographic and ethnographic structure of the region, and their questionable methodologies, they have become 'Kurdistan in
6624-565: The 2005–06 season, Coventry City moved to the new 32,609-capacity Coventry Building Society Arena (then named the Ricoh Arena) after 106 years at Highfield Road. In 1998, the club had decided that it was time to relocate to a new stadium in the Rowleys Green area of the city, 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles (5.6 km) north of the city centre and close to junction 3 of the M6 motorway . The original plan
6768-421: The 2021–22 season. The deal, described by the club's owners as "the best the club has had in terms of commercial revenue" during their time at the stadium, would not affect the longer-term goal of constructing a new stadium. The new deal also included a seven-year break clause should the club require it. On 5 May 2021, it was announced that the Ricoh Arena would be renamed for the first time, when it would become
6912-521: The 8th to 19th centuries. Administratively, the 20th century saw the establishment of the short-lived areas of the Kurdish state (1918–1919), Kingdom of Kurdistan (1921–1924), Kurdistansky Uyezd i.e. "Red Kurdistan" (1923–1929), Republic of Ararat (1927–1930), and Republic of Mahabad (1946). In Iraq, following the Aylūl Revolt , the government entered into an agreement with the rebellious Kurds, granting Kurds local self-rule. Soon after, however,
7056-505: The BBC the club remained "firmly committed" to a new stadium, planned for a site owned by the University of Warwick. The club were forced to move at least 1 match away from Coventry again in August 2022 when their EFL Cup match against Bristol City was held at Burton Albion 's Pirelli Stadium due to the pitch being deemed "unsafe". Arena Coventry entered Administration in November 2022 and
7200-553: The Championship at the end of the season, earning a play-off place . After beating Middlesbrough in the semi-final they played in the 2023 EFL Championship play-off final at Wembley, missing out on promotion to the Premier League after a 6–5 penalty shoot-out defeat against Luton Town . In the 2023–24 season, Coventry City progressed to the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since their 1986–87 FA Cup victory with
7344-400: The Coventry Building Society Arena in August 2021, ending the ground-share agreement between Coventry and Birmingham. In July 2020, the club confirmed that they had commenced a partnership with the University of Warwick which would see land provided for a new stadium. In March 2021, the club announced that they had secured a ten-year agreement to return to the Ricoh Arena from the start of
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#17328552388927488-698: The Coventry Priory had owned land in Harnall. In 1542, the land was given by the Priory to the Corporation, and in 1551 the Prior's Orchard with Swans Pool, New Pool, Harnall Field and other land were included in the endowment of Sir Thomas White 's Charity. In 1632, Prior's Orchard Mill, located near Springfield Brook and Swanswell Pool, was absorbed into Swanswell Waterworks. The waterworks produced water for Coventry. In 1816,
7632-515: The European Commission declined to hear an appeal. The Sisu era at Coventry City ended in 2023, when local businessman Doug King purchased the club. King had also attempted to acquire the CBS Arena, after both Wasps and the stadium holding company had fallen into administration, but his bid came too late and the stadium was eventually sold to Mike Ashley . Coventry went on to finish fifth in
7776-511: The Football League and Football League chairman Greg Clarke . In May 2013, managing director Tim Fisher set a plan of building a new stadium within the city over the next three years, and ground-sharing whilst the new ground was being built. In June 2013, ACL made an offer that Coventry City F.C. could play at the Ricoh Arena rent free while the club was in administration. It was believed that Coventry City might ground-share with Walsall at
7920-427: The Iraqi government to punish Kurdistan Region has resulted in the latter losing authorities it had previously possessed, and the future of Kurdish autonomy in Iraq has been called into question. Iraqi Kurdish officials have also complained of efforts by the Iraqi government to return to the pre-2003 centralized government and dismantle Kurdistan Region altogether. There is also a Kurdistan Province in Iran, which
8064-618: The Iraqi government’s aim to return to a centralised political system and abandon the federal system it adopted in 2005. In a leaked letter published by Al-Monitor in September 2023, Masrour Barzani , the prime minister of KRG warned about an imminent collapse of the federal model in Iraq (i.e. a return to centralism ) and urged the United States to intervene, saying: "I write to you now at another critical juncture in our history, one that I fear we may have difficulty overcoming. …[W]e are bleeding economically and hemorrhaging politically. For
8208-641: The Kurdish-inhabited regions of eastern Anatolia was opposed by many Kurds, and has resulted in a long-running separatist conflict in which tens of thousands of lives have been lost. The region saw several major Kurdish rebellions, including the Koçgiri rebellion of 1920 under the Ottomans, then successive insurrections under the Turkish state, including the 1924 Sheikh Said rebellion , the Republic of Ararat in 1927, and
8352-462: The League One championship via a points-per-game system after the season was curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic . At the time of curtailment in March 2020, they led the table with 67 points from 34 games. They were exiled from the Ricoh Arena again from 2019 to 2021, playing their home games at St Andrew's in Birmingham, amid ongoing legal action by Sisu over the 2014 purchase of the stadium by rugby club Wasps , which concluded only in 2022 when
8496-412: The Ricoh Arena was played against Gillingham on 5 September 2014. Steve Waggott, who led the negotiations for the club, said: "We are delighted to get this deal done and I am sure every supporter of Coventry City will be thrilled with the news." City won their first match back at the Ricoh Arena 1–0 with Frank Nouble scoring the only goal of the match in front of 27,306 supporters. The return followed
8640-419: The Second Division title in 1966– 67 under the management of Jimmy Hill . In the 1970–71 season, the team competed in the European Inter-Cities Fairs Cup , reaching the second round. Despite beating Bayern Munich 2–1 in the home leg, they had lost 6–1 in the first leg in Germany, and thus were eliminated. Coventry's only period in the top division to date lasted 34 consecutive years between 1967 and 2001, and
8784-411: The Sky Blues to eighth in League One the next season and then led the club to promotion back to the EFL Championship as League One champions in 2020. In the 2022–23 season , Coventry secured a play-off place in the Championship , before losing the play-off final to Luton Town on penalties. For 106 years, from 1899 to 2005, Coventry City played at Highfield Road . The 32,609-capacity Coventry Arena
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#17328552388928928-407: The Syrian and Bar Hebraeus . They mention the mountains of Qardu, city of Qardu and country of Qardawaye. In the tenth and eleventh centuries, several Kurdish principalities emerged in the region: in the north the Shaddadids (951–1174) (in east Transcaucasia between the Kur and Araxes rivers) and the Rawadids (955–1221) (centered on Tabriz and which controlled all of Azerbaijan ), in
9072-427: The activities of the militant separatist organization the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). A guerrilla war took place through the 1980s and 1990s in which much of the countryside was evacuated, thousands of Kurdish villages were destroyed by the government , and numerous summary executions were carried out by both sides. Food embargoes were placed on Kurdish villages and towns. Tens of thousands were killed in
9216-429: The agreement collapsed . Later, during the Iraqi no-fly zones conflict , which followed the Gulf War , the Iraqi military withdrew from parts of northern Iraq, allowing the Kurds to fill the vacuum and regain lost control in those areas. After the invasion of Iraq , and since the creation of the new Iraqi federal state , the new constitution issued in 2005 recognises Kurdistan Region as a federal region; even though
9360-420: The appointment of J.G. Morgan as club secretary, who transformed the club's operations and was the first to hold a manager role. Unlike Dowells Field, Stoke Ground was fully enclosed by hedges and trees and featured a small stand and entrances close to the White Lion and Binley Oak pubs. An admission fee of two pence was charged for attendance at games. Singers' biggest rivals during the Stoke Road years were
9504-405: The area. There was a large fire at the school on 25 September 2007 in which about 60% of the school was burnt down. Coventry City Farm, opened in 1983, was based on a small plot situated off Clarence Street, Hillfields. It was surrounded by the houses, flats and roads of Hillfields. Its main purpose was to show some aspects of farms and a few farm animals to local children who might not get out to
9648-407: The areas from west of Amed to Lake Urmia. The lowlands of southern Kurdistan are called lower Kurdistan. The main cities in this area are Kirkuk and Arbil. Much of the region is typified by a continental climate – hot in the summer, cold in the winter. Despite this, much of the region is fertile and has historically exported grain and livestock . Precipitation varies between 200 and 400 mm
9792-434: The autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government . The word 'Kurdistan', whether written or spoken, can still lead to detention and prosecution in Turkey. Kurdistan has been characterized as an "international colony" by the scholar Ismail Besikci . The successful 2014 Northern Iraq offensive by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), and the resultant weakening of the ability of the Iraqi state to project power at
9936-440: The beginning of the 'sky blue revolution'. The colour made its return in 1962 thanks to the then manager, Jimmy Hill. To mark the 125th year of the club, Coventry wore a special brown shirt in the last home game of the 2008–09 season against Watford, having first worn a chocolate brown away kit in 1978. This kit has been cited by some as the worst in English football history, but also has an iconic status with some fans. In 2012, in
10080-676: The border with Iran and Turkey features meadow grasses and such wild trees as, Abies cilicica , Fagus sylvatica , Quercus calliprinos , Quercus brantii , Quercus infectoria , Quercus ithaburensis , Quercus macranthera , Cupressus sempervirens , Platanus orientalis , Pinus brutia , Juniperus foetidissima , Juniperus excelsa , Juniperus oxycedrus , Prunus cerasus , Salix alba , Fraxinus excelsior , Paliurus spina-christi , Olea europaea , Ficus carica , Populus euphratica , Populus nigra , Crataegus monogyna , Crataegus azarolus , Prunus cerasifera , rose hips , Cercis siliquastrum , pistachio trees , pear and Sorbus graeca . The desert in
10224-480: The boundaries of the Kurdish land begin at the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf and stretch on an even line to the end of Malatya and Marash . Evliya Çelebi , who traveled in the region between 1640 and 1655, mentioned that Kurdistan includes Erzurum , Van , Hakkari , Cizre , Imaddiya , Mosul , Shahrizor , Harir , Ardalan , Baghdad , Derne, Derteng, until Basra . In the 16th century, after prolonged wars, Kurdish-inhabited areas were split between
10368-408: The city's connection with 2 Tone Records on the 40th anniversary of the record label. Since the 2019–20 season, the kit is made by Hummel . The home, away and third kit is sponsored by Monzo as the main club sponsor across the front of the shirt and King of Shaves on the reverse. The first official kit manufacture deal came in 1974 when Umbro signed a deal with the club. Coventry also had
10512-481: The club "Coventry Talbot", after their sponsors , but this was rejected by the Football Association . To pay for the developments, the club sold top players including popular striker Tommy Hutchison , and results suffered. Hill was forced out of the club in 1983 and terraces reintroduced two years later. Despite surviving relegation battles for four successive seasons, with three changes of manager, by 1986
10656-418: The club had assembled a strong squad. Under duo George Curtis and John Sillett , they spent most of the following season in the top eight, and advanced to the 1987 FA Cup final . In a match later described by Steven Pye of The Guardian ' as a "classic final", Coventry beat Tottenham Hotspur 3–2 at Wembley which, as of 2024 , is the club's only major trophy to date. Coventry's FA Cup defence ended with
10800-444: The club to play its home matches outside of the city were met with strong opposition, and led to protests by Coventry fans. Member of parliament for Coventry South , Jim Cunningham , described the move as "a disgrace". On 21 August 2014 it was announced that an agreement had been reached allowing the club to return to the Ricoh Arena for the next two years with the option of another two years. Coventry City's first home game back at
10944-488: The club was being mismanaged, leading to resignation of chairman W. Carpenter and his replacement by Walter Brandish . The club's form began to improve under the new board, and the appointment of Harry Storer as manager in 1931 brought in an era of success at the club. Coventry scored a total of 108 goals in the 1931–32 season , gaining the nickname "The Old Five" as a result of scoring five or more in many games. New signing Clarrie Bourton 's individual tally of 49 goals
11088-413: The club was relegated, amid renewed financial problems. Its economic health worsened as attendances dropped sharply, and the club was in danger of dissolution. It was saved in part by the abandonment of competitive football in mid-1915 due to World War I . The club's debts were then paid off by benefactor David Cooke in 1917. During the war, they played some friendly matches against local clubs and joined
11232-634: The club were inaugural members of the Premier League in 1992. They won the FA Cup in 1987, the club's only major trophy, when they beat Tottenham Hotspur 3–2. They experienced further relegations in 2012 and 2017, though did manage to win the EFL Trophy in 2017 . Coventry returned to Wembley in 2018 , beating Exeter City in the League Two play-off final. Manager Mark Robins built on this success guiding
11376-436: The club, and it was renamed Coventry City in 1898. Highfield Road opened in 1899, but its construction caused a financial crisis and subsequent salary disputes with the players. The club endured several poor seasons on the field, having to re-apply for membership of the league three times in the space of five years. In 1901, Coventry suffered their worst ever defeat with an 11–2 loss against Worcester-based Berwick Rangers in
11520-553: The collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the Allies contrived to split Kurdistan (as detailed in the ultimately unratified Treaty of Sèvres ) among several countries, including Kurdistan, Armenia and others. However, the reconquest of these areas by the forces of Kemal Atatürk (and other pressing issues) caused the Allies to accept the renegotiated Treaty of Lausanne (1923) and the borders of
11664-583: The company founder George Singer was its first president. Singers joined the Birmingham County Football Association in 1884 and played around forty games in their first four years at Dowells Field in the Stoke area. In early seasons they lacked a regular playing staff and sometimes lacked equipment such as goal nets. In 1887, the club moved to the larger Stoke Road Ground, which had rudimentary stands, and they charged an entrance fee for
11808-421: The completion of the construction, thirteen tower blocks had been built. Some of these tower blocks have since been demolished. In the 1970s, the view changed and the aim was to modernise and improve the existing older houses. An area once proposed for clearance was designated "General Improvement Area" status, which allowed residents a budget for improving the environment and house. The final council housing estate
11952-417: The constitution does not include the term “autonomy”, it emphasises decentralisation and devolution , allowing regions and governorates to administer local affairs. In practice, however, only Kurdistan Region has exercised this authority granted by the constitution. In September 2017, Iraqi Kurds held a one-sided independence referendum , which eventually failed and was abandoned. The subsequent effort by
12096-499: The countryside very often. The farm was closed on 12 March 2008 after financial difficulties which became first apparent in early 2007. 52°24′47″N 1°29′49″W / 52.413°N 1.497°W / 52.413; -1.497 Kurdistan Kurdistan ( Kurdish : کوردستان , romanized : Kurdistan , lit. 'land of the Kurds';; [ˌkʊɾdɪˈstɑːn] ), or Greater Kurdistan ,
12240-404: The early Sisu years, but they failed to achieve on-field success. Sisu began reducing investment from 2009 as debts mounted, leading eventually to Ranson's resignation in 2011. They were relegated to League One in 2012 , and were forced to groundshare with Northampton Town for more than a year from 2013, following a rent dispute with the Ricoh Arena owners. Coventry City Football Club Ltd
12384-509: The east of the ground, known as the Spion Kop , was opened in 1922, and in 1927 a roof was added over part of the western terrace, taken from Twickenham Stadium and funded by the supporters' club. In 1936, a new main stand was built and in the club also bought the freehold of the ground from the Mercers' Company , following a £20,000 loan by automotive entrepreneur John Siddeley . The stadium
12528-825: The east the Hasanwayhids (959–1015) (in Zagros between Shahrizor and Khuzistan ) and the Annazids (990–1116) (centered in Hulwan ) and in the west the Marwanids (990–1096) to the south of Diyarbakır and north of Jazira . Kurdistan in the Middle Ages was a collection of semi-independent and independent states called emirates . It was nominally under indirect political or religious influence of Khalifs or Shahs . A comprehensive history of these states and their relationship with their neighbors
12672-490: The final game that season, some calling for the club to be wound up and a phoenix club established in its place. In 1928, the club's worst ever attendance was recorded with a gate of 2,059 for a match against Crystal Palace . In addition to poor form on the field, the club ran into financial difficulties by the end of the 1920s, having to rely on fundraisers by supporters and a cash injection by Cooke, who had become club president. A committee of enquiry in 1928 concluded that
12816-489: The first kit sponsorship deal in the football league, when Jimmy Hill, then chairman of the club, negotiated a deal with Talbot , who manufactured cars in the city. Isuzu (away) Coventry's first ground was at Dowells Field, where they played as Singers F.C. from their founding in 1883 until 1887. It was located in the Stoke area south of Binley Road close to a landmark called Robinsons Pit, in an area of fields which belonged at
12960-463: The first school in the area is recorded as being located within Primrose Hill House, which had been converted to serve as a school. This closed in 1837; however, it was reopened as a boarding school in 1848 by Rev. J. S. Gilbert and T. Wyles. In 1828, Harnall became the first suburb in Coventry after the city expanded outside the city walls. This resulted in the construction of villas throughout
13104-502: The first time in my tenure as prime minister, I hold grave concerns that this dishonorable campaign against us may cause the collapse of … the very model of a Federal Iraq that the United States sponsored in 2003 and purported to stand by since." According to a report published in 2024 by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy , Kurdistan Region's autonomy "hangs in the balance" due to several punitive measures imposed against
13248-458: The first time. The following five seasons were very successful, culminating in back-to-back Birmingham Junior Cup titles in 1891 and 1892. Singers turned professional in 1892 and joined the Birmingham & District League in 1894, competing against strong reserve sides from established regional teams such as Aston Villa . Coventry residents not connected to the cycle company began supporting
13392-408: The football club while it was still owned by SISU. On 7 June 2019 it was reported that talks between SISU and Wasps had again broken down meaning that Coventry would have to play their 2019–20 home matches at Birmingham City's St Andrew's ground. The club had the option to spend a further two seasons away from Coventry and remained at St Andrew's for the 2020–21 season. The club returned to
13536-479: The former by the government of Iraq in an effort to punish it and ultimately strip it completely of its autonomy. Various sources have reported that Al-Nusra has issued a fatwā calling for Kurdish women and children in Syria to be killed, and the fighting in Syria has led tens of thousands of refugees to flee to Iraq's Kurdistan region . As of 2015, Turkey was actively supporting Al-Nusra, but as of January 2017, Turkey's foreign ministry has said that Al-Nusra
13680-422: The ground forced Coventry City to play their first three games of the season away and postpone their home games. On Saturday 20 August 2005, City hosted Queens Park Rangers in the first-ever game at the Ricoh Arena; Coventry won the game 3–0. On 28 July 2011, a statue of Jimmy Hill was installed at the main entrance to the Ricoh Arena, with Hill appearing in person to unveil it. On 3 May 2013, Coventry City put
13824-412: The ground was a 1–0 win against Stoke City with an attendance of 3,000, but the club went on to finish bottom of the Birmingham & District League in the opening season. A run to the FA Cup quarter finals in 1910 saw a then-record 18,995 attendance at Highfield Road, and the club spent the revenue generated by the cup run on the construction of a new stand on the northern side. A new terrace at
13968-573: The instability in Syria and Iraq that exists as of 2014, attested that "Kurdistan may exist by 2030". The weakening of the Iraqi state following the 2014 Northern Iraq offensive by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant has also presented an opportunity for independence for Iraqi Kurdistan, augmented by Turkey's move towards acceptance of such a state although it opposes moves toward Kurdish autonomy in Turkey and Syria. The incorporation into Turkey of
14112-432: The lease included that City would be the sole tenant of the CBS Arena throughout the lease, would move back into the original home dressing room (previously used by Wasps), a new club shop, and enhanced Sky Blues branding in the concourse. In February 2007 a Former Players' Association was launched. Set up by club historian and statistician Jim Brown, former 1980s player Kirk Stephens and a committee of volunteers, its aim
14256-407: The liwaʾs of Kirkuk , Arbil and Sulaymaniyah (entirely Kurdish) and, in the... nahiyas of Khanaqin and Mandali , where they are neighbours of the Kurds of Iran to the west of the Zagros. In Syria, they constitute three distinct belts, in the north of the country and to the south of the highway which forms a frontier and where they are in direct contact with their compatriots in Turkey... [I]n
14400-410: The managing of the club's finances by previous club officials, because in 2001 the club was the fourth-longest serving club in the top flight of English football. The stadium naming rights were originally sold to Jaguar Cars , which has strong links with Coventry. Jaguar pulled out of the project on 16 December 2004 and a new major sponsor was needed. A £10 million deal, which included naming rights,
14544-420: The mid-1970s, the club faced renewed financial difficulty and sold several top players. A relegation battle followed in 1976–77 , which culminated in a controversial 2–2 draw with Bristol City that saw both sides survive at the expense of Sunderland, playing out the final minutes without any attempt to score further goals. A season of success followed in 1977–78, as Coventry finished seventh, narrowly missing
14688-556: The minds of Kurds' and the boundaries they indicate have been readily accepted." At the end of the 1991 Gulf War , the Coalition established a no-fly zone over northern Iraq to provide humanitarian relief to and safeguard the Kurds who would be subjected to Iraqi air attacks. Amid the withdrawal of Iraqi forces from three northern provinces, Kurdistan Region emerged in 1992 as an autonomous entity inside Iraq with its own local government and parliament. A 2010 US report, written before
14832-617: The modern Iraq-Turkey border, while Hazza is 12 km southwest of modern Erbil . In another passage in the same document, the region of the Khabur River is also identified as land of the Kurds . According to Al-Muqaddasi and Yaqut al-Hamawi , Tamanon was located on the south-western or southern slopes of Mount Judi and south of Cizre . Other geographical references to the Kurds in Syriac sources appear in Zuqnin chronicle, writings of Michael
14976-539: The modern Republic of Turkey, leaving the Kurds without a self-ruled region. Other Kurdish areas were assigned to the new British and French mandated states of Iraq and Syria . At the San Francisco Peace Conference of 1945, the Kurdish delegation proposed consideration of territory claimed by the Kurds, which encompassed an area extending from the Mediterranean shores near Adana to the shores of
15120-489: The modern names of Kurds and Kurdistan; T. A. Sinclair and other scholars have dismissed this identification as false, while a common association is asserted in the Columbia Encyclopedia . Some of the ancient districts of Kurdistan and their corresponding modern names: One of the earliest records of the phrase land of the Kurds is found in an Assyrian Christian document of late antiquity , describing
15264-486: The name Kurd are unclear. The suffix -stan ( Persian : ـستان, translit. stân ) is Persian for land. "Kurdistan" was also formerly spelled Curdistan . One of the ancient names of this region was Corduene . The 19th-century Kurdistan Eyalet was the first time that the Ottoman Empire used the term 'Kurdistan' to refer to an administrative unit rather than a geographical region. Albeit admitting
15408-399: The new Sky Blue Stand on the north side of the ground. Hill also oversaw the ground's conversion to all-seater as Chairman in 1981, but this was deeply unpopular with fans as well as Hill's successor John Poynton, and a report in early 1985 concluded that it was not achieving its desired effect of combatting hooliganism at Highfield Road. The Spion Kop was reconfigured and converted back to
15552-402: The new stadium there. It was named Highfield Road after the road to the north of the ground, at the time the only access route from the city centre, which was in turn named after a Highfield Farm that had stood on the site earlier. Construction cost £100, a large amount for the club at the time, and on opening the ground featured a single stand on the southern side of the field. The first game at
15696-437: The north and south divisions were replaced by a single nationwide third and a new fourth . Coventry were placed in the latter as a result of a bottom-half finish in 1957–58 . Three games into 1958–59 , the club occupied its lowest ever overall league position, 91st, but recovered to secure promotion back into the third tier. The appointment of Derrick Robins as chairman in 1958 and Jimmy Hill as manager in 1961, marked
15840-419: The north west division called Al Jobal. It contains five others namely, Betlis, the ancient Carduchia, lying to the south and south west of the lake Van. East and south east of Betlis is the principality of Julamerick, south west of it is the principality of Amadia. the fourth is Jeezera ul Omar, a city on an island in the Tigris, and corresponding to the ancient Bezabde. the fifth and largest is Kara Djiolan, with
15984-414: The official gate was 51,455 although the club estimated that the figure was higher. In 1969–70 , under Hill's successor Noel Cantwell , the club finished sixth in the First Division, which as of 2022 remains their highest ever position. The top-six finish earned them a place in the 1970–71 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup , which ended in the second round with a 7–3 aggregate defeat against Bayern Munich . In
16128-402: The pitch was retained as public open space. The Mercer's Arms pub opposite it was for many years a jazz venue, hosting both the local 1920s/30s-style Dud Clews Jazz Orchestra and modern-jazz musicians who would travel from London. A tower block of flats has been pulled down to make space for the new city college at Swanswell. Sidney Stringer Academy is the coeducational secondary school for
16272-407: The provinces of Malatya , Tunceli , Elazığ , Bingöl , Muş , Karaköse ( Ağrı ), then Adıyaman , Diyarbakır , Siirt , Bitlis and Van ; Finally, the southern provinces of Şanlıurfa , Mardin and Çölamerik ( Hakkarî )... [Kurds] inhabit the north-west of Iran. Firstly in the provinces of West Azerbaijan , to the east of Lake Rida'iyya ..., the districts of Maku , Kotur , Shahpur , and to
16416-560: The qualifying round of the FA Cup . The club became a limited company in July 1907 and the team was more successful the following season, reaching the first round proper of the FA Cup for the first time before being eliminated by Crystal Palace . In 1908, Coventry joined the Southern League , at the time the third-strongest English division. In their second season, Coventry reached the FA Cup quarter-final, beating top-flight teams Preston and Nottingham Forest before losing to Everton. Another two successful seasons followed but in 1914
16560-471: The remainder of their Premier League tenure. In 1997, Richardson revealed the initial proposals for a new stadium in the north of Coventry, at the time envisaged as having 40,000 seats and included in England's unsuccessful bid for the 2006 World Cup . The project was backed by Coventry City Council and gained planning permission in 1998, but involved high costs, inducing the board to sell Highfield Road to
16704-404: The saying "Kurds have no friends but the mountains." Mountains are regarded as sacred by the Kurds . Included in the region are Mount Judi and Ararat (both prominent in Kurdish folklore), Zagros , Qandil , Shingal , Mount Abdulaziz , Kurd Mountains , Jabal al-Akrad , Shaho, Gabar, Hamrin , and Nisir . Iraqi Kurdistan is a region relatively rich in water, especially for countries in
16848-404: The second tier, finishing eighth, fourth and fourth again between 1936 and 1939. They also constructed a new main stand and purchased the freehold of Highfield Road, utilising a loan of £20,000 from local motor-industry entrepreneur John Siddeley . In 1937–38 they met with Midlands rivals Aston Villa the first time in league football, securing with a win and a draw in the two meetings as well as
16992-455: The south is mostly steppe and would feature xeric plants such as palm trees , tamarix , date palm , fraxinus , poa , white wormwood and chenopodiaceae . The steppe and desert in the south, by contrast, have such species as palm trees and date palm . Animals found in the region include the Syrian brown bear , wild boar , gray wolf , the golden jackal , Indian crested porcupine ,
17136-455: The south of the lake, Mahabad (ex-Sabla); in the province of Ardalan, called the province of Kurdistan , whose capital is Senna or Sanandaj , Hawraman ; in the province of Kermanshah , Qasr-e Shirin ... In Iraq, the Kurds occupy the north and northeast of the country in the liwaʾs or provinces of Duhok ... Left outside their administration are Sinjar and Shekhan , peopled by the Yazidis ;
17280-568: The start of the "Sky Blue revolution" at the club. Hill changed the club's kit colour and nickname, introduced the Sky Blue Song , and added pre-match entertainment. Backed by an injection of cash from Robins, Hill led Coventry to the Third and Second Division championships in 1964 and 1967 respectively, taking them to the top division for the first time. Coventry's record attendance was set in 1967, against fellow title-chasers Wolverhampton Wanderers ;
17424-519: The start of the 20th century and by 1905, there were 20 motor manufacturers in Hillfields alone. In the 1930s, the Singer Company became Coventry's largest manufacturer and it operated five different sites in Hillfields. The war saw Hillfields being bombed by the Luftwaffe . The Town and Country Planning Act 1944 allowed local authorities to declare Areas of Comprehensive Development , and Hillfields
17568-573: The stories of Assyrian saints of the Middle East , such as Abdisho . When the Sasanian Marzban asked Mar Abdisho about his place of origin, he replied that according to his parents, they were originally from Hazza, a village in Assyria . However, they were later driven out of Hazza by pagans , and settled in Tamanon, which according to Abdisho was in the land of the Kurds. Tamanon lies just north of
17712-474: The suburb. It became known as New Town. Problems arose soon after its incorporation into Coventry when the River Sherbourne , which separated the two areas, began to flood as a result of two mills. These two mills were finally removed in 1844 by an Act of Parliament . Once the two mills were removed, New Town could develop and connect to Coventry. The Health of Towns Act 1848 resulted in the establishment of
17856-406: The then Singers FC wore pink and blue halved shirts (mirroring the corporate colours of Singers Motors). Furthermore, in the 1890s, black and red were the club's colours. In the early 1920s, the club wore red and green (to reflect the colours of the city crest). Sky blue was first used by Coventry in 1898 and the theme was used until 1922. Variations of blue and white were then used until the 1960s and
18000-478: The time to a landowner named Samuel Dowell. The site was later the location of the Gosford Park Hotel and the Coventry loop line railway , and much of the former pitch is now occupied by housing. The club's second pitch was at Stoke Road, to which Singers moved in 1887. It was located between Paynes Lane and Swan Lane, immediately to the south of the eventual Highfield Road stadium. The move coincided with
18144-508: The time, also presented a "golden opportunity" for the Kurds to increase their independence and possibly declare an independent Kurdish state. The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant , who took more than 80 Turkish persons captive in Mosul during their offensive, is an enemy of Turkey, making Kurdistan useful for Turkey as a buffer state. On 28 June 2014 Hüseyin Çelik , a spokesman for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), made comments to
18288-506: The violence and hundreds of thousands were forced to leave their homes. Turkey has historically feared that a Kurdish state in Northern Iraq would encourage and support Kurdish separatists in the adjacent Turkish provinces, and have therefore historically strongly opposed Kurdish independence in Iraq. However, following the chaos in Iraq after the US invasion , Turkey has increasingly worked with
18432-534: The vying Parthian and Roman empires. Corduene became a vassal state of the Roman Republic in 66 BC and remained allied with the Romans until AD 384. After 66 BC, it passed another 5 times between Rome and Persia. Corduene was situated to the east of Tigranocerta , that is, to the east and south of present-day Diyarbakır in south-eastern Turkey. Some historians have correlated a connection between Corduene with
18576-594: Was a district under the Holy Trinity Parish. Harnall was first mentioned in Coombe Abbey Charter as being in the ownership of the Prior's Half of Coventry in the 12th century. It was again mentioned in the 12th century in a passage noting a road that lead "through the middle of Harnall along the country of Stoke". In the 13th century, Harnall was owned by Roger de Montalt and was one of his estates consisting of little more than cottages and crofts . Before this,
18720-458: Was bombed in the Coventry Blitz in 1941, damaging the pitch and the main stand, writer Nemo in the Coventry Telegraph that Adolf Hitler had "done a spot of ploughing". The first floodlights were installed at the ground in 1953, and were upgraded in 1957, using money raised by the supporters' club. The "Sky Blue revolution" of Derrick Robins and Jimmy Hill in the 1960s saw large-scale development at Highfield Road, including construction of
18864-561: Was built in 1979 in the Brook Street area. The housing improvement scheme also ended in the 1980s with grants being offered to those in most need of care instead of whole areas. In 1899, Coventry City Football Club built a stadium at Highfield Road in the area. They played there for 106 years until 2005 when they relocated to the Ricoh Arena at Foleshill . The stadium was demolished the following year and redeveloped for housing, although
19008-418: Was built to a standard bowl design with steep stands in line with several other new stadia built during that period. It has excellent acoustics and has been used to host several major rock concerts. Despite initiating the project and being the principal attraction there, Coventry City's financial situation means that it no longer owned the stadium and must pay rent to use it; this appeared to raise concerns over
19152-777: Was cut short when he died after being stranded in a snow storm in 1947. Replacement Billy Frith was dismissed following a poor start to 1948–49 and the club persuaded Storer to return from Birmingham. In 1950–51 , Coventry led the Second Division table at Christmas, but a poor run ended their promotion hopes and the following season they were relegated. They spent the next six seasons in the Third Division South, with seven different managers, but were never in contention for promotion. The average attendance at Highfield Road dropped sharply during this period, and several top players had to be sold amid financial difficulties. In 1958,
19296-521: Was declared one of three in Coventry in 1951. It was declared that 53% of the houses were unfit to live in within the next five years, and this gave the local authorities the right to use Compulsory Purchase Orders on the properties. Redevelopment of the area began in the early 1960s with the intention of housing a population of 6,000 people in high-density areas. Halfway through the decade, three mid-rise tower blocks had been completed, with two more larger ones being under construction and in planning. Upon
19440-573: Was dissolved, but the team were allowed to continue playing in League One under Sisu Company Otium. In 2016–17 , Coventry were relegated to League Two , but also won the EFL Trophy in the same season, their first trophy for 30 years. The following season, their first in the fourth tier since 1959, they were promoted straight back, finishing sixth and beating Exeter City in the play-off final . Two seasons later, they were promoted again, being awarded
19584-486: Was for a state-of-the-art, 45,000-seater multipurpose stadium with removable pitch and retractable roof. It was due to be ready for the 2001–02 season and was touted to be one of the finest and most advanced stadiums in Europe. However, the club's subsequent relegation, financial problems, financier/contractor withdrawals, and England's failure to secure the 2006 World Cup competition led to a radical redesign. The resulting stadium
19728-577: Was later found to be rigged , the club receiving a heavy fine in 1923. In 1924–25 , after their sixth successive relegation battle, Coventry finished bottom of the table and dropped into the Third Division North . A year later they were asked by the League to switch to the Third Division South , to keep the sizes of the divisions even. Their poor form continued, and in 1927–28 they narrowly avoided having to seek re-election . Supporters rioted after
19872-575: Was opened in August 2005 to replace Highfield Road, but the club has struggled with the new stadium lease since moving. Coventry City was founded in 1883 as Singers F.C., following a meeting between William Stanley and seven colleagues from the Singer Cycle Company at the Lord Aylesford Inn in Hillfields . It was one of several 19th century clubs linked to Coventry's bicycle factories, and
20016-463: Was published in autumn 2007 and a website launched. The launch of 2007 was followed by subsequent Legends' Days. The 2009 event, held at the home game against Doncaster Rovers was attended by 43 former players including the first visit to Coventry for many years of Roy Barry and Dave Clements . In March 2012 the membership had increased past the 200 mark with former captain Terry Yorath inducted as
20160-416: Was signed and electronics manufacturer Ricoh became the new chief sponsor for the stadium. The project was funded largely by Coventry City Council and the (Alan Edward) Higgs Charity (of which former CCFC and ACL director the late Sir Derek Higgs was a trustee), and includes shopping facilities, a casino, exhibition halls and a concert venue. At the beginning of the 2005–06 season, construction delays at
20304-547: Was situated east and south of the Lake Urmia , roughly centered around modern-day Mahabad . The region came under Persian rule during the reign of Cyrus the Great and Darius I . The Kingdom of Corduene , which emerged from the declining Seleucid Empire , was located to the south and south-east of Lake Van between Persia and Mesopotamia and ruled northern Mesopotamia and southeastern Anatolia from 189 BC to AD 384 as vassals of
20448-479: Was subsequently bought by Frasers Group . Coventry City did not sign to continue the previous deal with the new owners and were issued a notice of eviction on 5 December unless they signed a new deal which only ran until May 2023. The new deal was signed on 13 December meaning the Sky Blues would remain at the CBS Arena only until at least May 2023. The deal was subsequently extended by 5 years; additional guarantees in
20592-541: Was the Football League record for that season, and his overall total of 50 remains the club record. Two further 100-goal seasons followed, the first time in the league that a team had achieved three in a row, and Coventry recorded their largest ever league victory in April 1934, 9–0 against Bristol City . Despite scoring heavily, Coventry missed out on promotion every season until 1935–36 , when they finished as Third Division North champions. The club continued their good form in
20736-403: Was to bring former players of the club together and cherish their memories. To qualify for membership players have to have made at least one first-team competitive appearance for the club or been a manager. Around 50 former stars of the club attended the launch including Coventry City legends George Hudson , Cyrille Regis , Charlie Timmins and Bill Glazier . The association's first newsletter
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