Attendance issues

[tom jennings III]

One of my main gripes at Villa Park is the negativity, all around me on Saturday (even during that small spell around and after our goal) was impatience if we didn't pass forward at light speed, annoyance at playing keep ball across the middle and then anger when we rushed a pass forward and lost the ball. Of course we want to see attacking incisive football with Villa battering teams like Norwich and I feel frustrated when we play poorly or when Guzan seems to have been insturcted to lump it long but I don't think the home crowd helps sometimes. Not because it's lacking in atmosphere compared to all other top flight grounds (you only have to compare the Saturday before at Fulham where the home crowd was silent through-out the entire game until their goal) but because it's like we're pre-set to moan and grumble rather than encourage. Especially when you compare the atmosphere in the away end where the Villa fans are amazing (I know it's like comparing apples and pears but imagine if home games were like the away end, constant singing, constant support, positive reaction if the other team score etc...).

[Trinitymiddle]

Its absolutely about results. in the MON era, when we were at our strongest, I think we got over 40,000 for almost every game one season. At Man city, in Shinawatra's final season they weren't selling out their season tickets, and Everton are only selling out in the last couple of seasons since they've kicked on a bit. Same with Newcastle.

All football fans are the same. Some clubs (The "sky" clubs) have larger, more national fanbases, but those with regional appeal tend to have similar gates that follow similar patterns directly related to results and league position.

[Phil from the upper holte]

I think Newcastle have had good crowds for a long time, they were getting 40k in the championship. Big ground and big catchment area, There is literally nothing else there

[eastie]

I think Newcastle have had good crowds for a long time, they were getting 40k in the championship. Big ground and big catchment area, There is literally nothing else there

That's true but I've also seen villa play at Newcastle in front of 11,000 in the top flight when willie McFaul was their boss in 86.

[He wears a magic hat]

The biggest issue for me is not the attendances, as I think 33K against Norwich is pretty good, its the appaulling atmosphere.

Going to VP nowadays feels like going to  the theatre. I keep harping on to my son about how things used to be, my worry is that the lack of atmosphere will become the norm.

This current generation and the next ones will be coming along to football and just sitting in their seat watching, no singing no atmosphere and this is all they will know, it will become the norm.

Got to admit I am starting to find going down VP a bit boring regardless of the results, but I cling to the hope that when results improve the atmosphere and enjoyment will return.

Away games are a completely different animal.If only we could bottle the atmosphere up and bring it to VP.

For instance, look at last week at Fulham and the PL C&B army that went on for what seemed like about 20 mins none stop, Not the greatest song in the world but the whole away end was rocking. Compare that to Saturday and on the one or two occasssions it got going it just fizzled out and died

Unfortunately I have no idea what the answer is

[MarkM]

The biggest issue for me is not the attendances, as I think 33K against Norwich is pretty good, its the appaulling atmosphere.

Going to VP nowadays feels like going to  the theatre. I keep harping on to my son about how things used to be, my worry is that the lack of atmosphere will become the norm.

This current generation and the next ones will be coming along to football and just sitting in their seat watching, no singing no atmosphere and this is all they will know, it will become the norm.

Got to admit I am starting to find going down VP a bit boring regardless of the results, but I cling to the hope that when results improve the atmosphere and enjoyment will return.

Away games are a completely different animal.If only we could bottle the atmosphere up and bring it to VP.

For instance, look at last week at Fulham and the PL C&B army that went on for what seemed like about 20 mins none stop, Not the greatest song in the world but the whole away end was rocking. Compare that to Saturday and on the one or two occasssions it got going it just fizzled out and died

Unfortunately I have no idea what the answer is

Bring back standing areas where all those who want to sing and chant can gather together in one place. [as happens when we travel away]

[Chipsticks]

The biggest issue for me is not the attendances, as I think 33K against Norwich is pretty good, its the appaulling atmosphere.

Going to VP nowadays feels like going to  the theatre. I keep harping on to my son about how things used to be, my worry is that the lack of atmosphere will become the norm.

This current generation and the next ones will be coming along to football and just sitting in their seat watching, no singing no atmosphere and this is all they will know, it will become the norm.

Got to admit I am starting to find going down VP a bit boring regardless of the results, but I cling to the hope that when results improve the atmosphere and enjoyment will return.

Away games are a completely different animal.If only we could bottle the atmosphere up and bring it to VP.

For instance, look at last week at Fulham and the PL C&B army that went on for what seemed like about 20 mins none stop, Not the greatest song in the world but the whole away end was rocking. Compare that to Saturday and on the one or two occasssions it got going it just fizzled out and died

Unfortunately I have no idea what the answer is

I completely agree with this. I take pride in the fact that I always go to the Villa with the intention of making some noise and singing, but I'm starting to know fewer and fewer people my age who feel the same. I mean, you can't fault them; it's their choice - there's just no better feeling in the world than being right in the middle of a Holte End that's rocking. I wish more people wanted that feeling more often.

[Stu]

Dig up the standing argument all you want, but IMO it's down to results and that's it. For the last few years Villa have underperformed at home, and have have done since MON was in charge. You could probably go back even further. There's the odd exception that proves the rule; Blues 5-1, Ajax 2-1, but all that tells me is that it isn't about the seating, rather about the performance and result.

[saunders_heroes]

The gate and atmosphere are poor because of how bad the team is doing. It's always been the same at Villa and it always will be. And any team that produces the shit Villa are at the moment would be the same. Lerner has sold our best players and replaced them with rubbish. It's only natural the 7-8k that turned up when we were flying high in the league will stop coming.

[placeforparks]

DID SOMEBODY SAY "FICKLE"?

[saunders_heroes]

DID SOMEBODY SAY "FICKLE"?

All football fans are fickle. It's hardly a big deal.

[astonvillan]

The scousers are in no better situation than we are, yet they both have a larger home/away following.

Forget Liverpool, they have a massive following and you can't make a comparison with Villa.

Everton though, look at their average attendances for the last 4 or 5 years and they're pretty much identical to ours. And Everton's away following is certainly no bigger than Villa's.

Next

Oh it most certainly is. It's far superior to us, Chelsea, Spurs, Man City & Newcastle. Apart from Stamford Bridge, where ticket prices for away fans are fast approaching £60, they take and sell the full allocation at nigh-on every ground, whatever the time of day, however well they're playing. (And even at Chelsea they still always fill the 1500 allocation, whereas we took 900 there last season)

You won't ever see Everton take less than 1000 fans to an away game. We already have in our second away game of the season. And will do again at Chelsea, possibly Liverpool, and possibly Man United. They've just taken 3000 to QPR on a Sunday at £40-£45 a ticket. We're being charged the same, playing them on a Saturday at 3pm, but we'll struggle to sell the initial 1700 allocation. They always bring 3000 to Villa Park, more often than not we only take 1800 to them at far more reasonable prices than we charge their fans.

Numerically, Everton are on a par with Man United and Liverpool. We don't come close to them. Or Chelsea. Or Spurs. Or Man City. Or Newcastle. Vocally however, give me our support over all of those clubs every day of the week. Especially Everton. They're dreadful.

[Chico Hamilton III]

Yep, people shouldn't run away with the idea that Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge or the Emirates are exactly cauldrons of noise. They're all souless these days and Villa Park is no worse than any other ground. That's the Premier League for you. The EPL.

10 years ago it would be unhinkable that fans of a European side could embarrass an English team at home. Happens every time now.

Shit innit

[montague]

Yep, people shouldn't run away with the idea that Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge or the Emirates are exactly cauldrons of noise. They're all souless these days and Villa Park is no worse than any other ground. That's the Premier League for you. The EPL.

10 years ago it would be unhinkable that fans of a European side could embarrass an English team at home. Happens every time now.

Shit innit

Agree with that. The exception would be Spurs which always generates a big noise and that comes over on TV as well. The only thing i could hear most of the time on Saturday was Chris Houghton shouting.

[Risso]

Yep, people shouldn't run away with the idea that Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge or the Emirates are exactly cauldrons of noise. They're all souless these days and Villa Park is no worse than any other ground. That's the Premier League for you. The EPL.

10 years ago it would be unhinkable that fans of a European side could embarrass an English team at home. Happens every time now.

Shit innit

Those Vienna fans were mental.  The problem in England is the all seater stadia though isn't it?  They're just dull.  Going away is fine because you still just about get that close knit feeling, and everybody still stands up, but in a 3/4 full Villa Park, it's just never going to happen.