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Football fan wants stadium clock back in stands

Isabella Boneham,West Midlandsand
Lorna Bailey,BBC CWR presenter
Matt Bradley A picture of Matt Bradley on the left smiling at the camera wearing a sky blue Coventry City top and his son on the right smiling at the camera wearing glasses and a sky blue Coventry City top. Behind is the CBS Arena with the green football pitch, fans far in the opposite stands and stewards dotted around.Matt Bradley
Matt Bradley, and his son Charlie, have watched games together at the CBS Arena

A Coventry City fan who bought the former stadium's clock at auction 21 years ago wants to return it to the side's current ground.

Matt Bradley bought the item in 2005 when he was 16, following demolition of the club's Highfield Road stadium, and paid for it with cake and a crate of beer.

Bradley, who now lives in Bournemouth, said the clock had been in his garage for years and it was "fitting" that the club install it at the CBS Arena.

He said: "There is no real lasting legacy of Highfield Road at the CBS Arena so hopefully we can get it put up on the stands for the fans to see and remember those days."

Matt Bradley An image showing the old Highfield clock with black spots and dashes used for the numbers. Cardboard boxes can be seen behind it.Matt Bradley
The clock from the club's iconic former stadium now lives in the garage at Matt Bradley's home in Bournemouth

Bradley, from Coventry, visited the auction sale with his dad John Anthony Sheehan, better known as Tony 'Banger' Walsh - a former vice president of the club.

Walsh bought the stadium's away dugout and Bradley purchased the clock for £80.

But a week later the auction company called to say he would be refunded as they were unable to get the clock down.

However, the demolition team managed it and Bradley ended up paying in beer and cake.

Matt Bradley A newspaper clipping from the Leamington Observer in 2005 showing a picture of Matt Bradley's dad holding the old Highfield Road Clock looking at the camera.Matt Bradley
A newspaper clipping from the Leamington Observer of Matt Bradley's dad holding the old Highfield Road clock

Bradley would now like to see the clock, which runs off a three-pin plug, placed in the stands for fans to see.

He has contacted the club to arrange its return.

"It feels fitting that the clock should go back," he added.

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