Steve Round

[olaftab]

I'd love to be in a crowd of 50/60,000+ at Villa Park. One day...

I'm privileged to say that I have been on several occasions.

And me. 60K v Manure and 57K v Sunderland.

[berneboy]

I'd love to be in a crowd of 50/60,000+ at Villa Park. One day...

I'm privileged to say that I have been on several occasions.

And me. 60K v Manure and 57K v Sunderland.

I was thinking of those two!

[villa `cross the mersey]

What about the gate against Santos?

I've found it - 54,437 Feb 21 1972

[cdbearsfan]

It was just short of 60k, I think.

Edit: beaten to it. Thought it was higher. Still not bad for a Third Division club!

[FatSam]

I think that there is an opportunity to position Villa Park as an events venue for the whole region. There has been talk in the past of purpose-built stadia for the Olympics bid etc. but the Commonwealth games is taking the more economical (and probably more sensible) route of temporarily enlarging an existing venue. The fact is that Villa Park will remain the largest venue in the region for the foreseeable future. Why not make it the default venue for major events, and build up the capacity and facilities to attract them? Obviously, high quality football would be the starting point, but other sports, concerts, conferences etc. as well. This is where regeneration of the area to make it more hospitable to audiences other than football fans would help. Mixed-use development with more homes and businesses to make it more actively used. Even if this is not immediately possible due to the wider work necessary, I would like to see this sort of ambitious forward planning, if only to avoid further piecemeal development.

[FatSam]

Also, with Old Trafford, the Etihad, the Emirates, Anfield, White Hart Lane, Stamford Bridge and the new Everton stadium all pushing capacities towards or beyond 60k, anything less will start to become insufficient for the sort of showcase events that Villa Park has specialised in until recently.

[Mister E]

I'd love to be in a crowd of 50/60,000+ at Villa Park. One day...

I'm privileged to say that I have been on several occasions.

And me. 60K v Manure and 57K v Sunderland.

I was thinking of those two!

62.5k agin' ManUre in Deecember 1970 and 58k vs Blunderland in 1975. I was at both. They are the figures I recall, but I haven't chekced back.

[villa `cross the mersey]

I think that there is an opportunity to position Villa Park as an events venue for the whole region. There has been talk in the past of purpose-built stadia for the Olympics bid etc. but the Commonwealth games is taking the more economical (and probably more sensible) route of temporarily enlarging an existing venue. The fact is that Villa Park will remain the largest venue in the region for the foreseeable future. Why not make it the default venue for major events, and build up the capacity and facilities to attract them? Obviously, high quality football would be the starting point, but other sports, concerts, conferences etc. as well. This is where regeneration of the area to make it more hospitable to audiences other than football fans would help. Mixed-use development with more homes and businesses to make it more actively used. Even if this is not immediately possible due to the wider work necessary, I would like to see this sort of ambitious forward planning, if only to avoid further piecemeal development.

Maybe look at the Amsterdam Arena - which is a bit of a hike from Amsterdam city centre but has a great road/rail link
Apart from football it hosts other events (AMF for example) and has plenty of hotel accommodation too.
Aston will be a hard gig to promote so will need great ideas and serious investment - Brum has some real historical assets which could be promoted - i.e. Aston Hall and the Jewellery Quarter for example. Maybe we could attempt to prise away the National Football Museum from Manchester -   I used to love visiting it when it was at Deepdale (however I guess it was moved from there to Manchester City Centre as the Deepdale area is similar to Aston is respect of environment and community - ie. old Victorian back to backs and locals who traditionally have no interest or links with football ).
As a multicultural City Birmingham could maybe celebrate this by offering a multicultural harmony/peace zone with a mixture of ethnic restaurants, community centres or even places of worship - similar to around Wembley/Ealing where there is a beautiful Hindu temple and the Clay Pot community hall (for Indian community events) and lots of differing restaurants - an up market Ladypool Road if you like - I haven't lived in Brum for over 20 years so I am not fully aware of what facilities there are for some communities - the Afro Caribbean  community for example or the recently arrived/integrated eastern European community. One of the things that makes me proud to be a Brummie is the diversity of its population and despite difficult times its resilience to defeat racism.
This is an opportunity for the club to embrace the wider community and not just the fans to see what they would like developed and bring meaningful employment to the area - sports facilities, job training centres, community schemes,
Just an idea

[Hookeysmith]

Obviously it is all in the planning stage but the suggested ideas by Dr Xia was to regenerate the whole area and not just the football club - it was alleged to be very much welcomed by the council. City development is one of Recon's core business's so I am sure he bought us with other ventures in mind

[Toronto Villa]

That's the important bit. I don't think any plans we have for the ground would be as grand if it wasn't tied to the games and also the entire regeneration of the surrounding area. It's what happened in Manchester which Man City took advantage of and built on it. We have an opportunity to modernize the entire area including Villa Park. I have no doubt however that this is fraught with issues given where the ground is and the homes and businesses it will affect. Not an easy task at all for the council even if it is sold to residents as being very positive long term. It will be critical that they embrace and get the support of the local community leaders in order to make this happen.

[cdbearsfan]

It'll be interesting to see how many daytrippers we might attract if we are in the Premier League and HS2 is up and running. We would still be easier to get tickets for than most top-flight London clubs.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

It'll be interesting to see how many daytrippers we might attract if we are in the Premier League and HS2 is up and running. We would still be easier to get tickets for than most top-flight London clubs.

If the football is good, the fans will come from the Birmingham and the Midlands, we won't need daytrippers. The only thing that could have a negative impact on it would be a tough economic climate.

[eamonn]

It's time we brought Duran Duran home. Get them to fill the stadium every summer with some James Blunt as support and then an NFL game during the forthcoming winter break/Superbowl season. This ain't no Ordinary World!

[Tayls_7]

It's time we brought Duran Duran home. Get them to fill the stadium every summer with some James Blunt as support and then an NFL game during the forthcoming winter break/Superbowl season. This ain't no Ordinary World!

You seem well behind the times Grandad. It's all Ocean Colour Scene now.

[dave shelley]

On being in big crowds at Villa park, I may be rambling in the mists of time but, I was there when we played Preston in the sixth round of the FA Cup and the few functioning brain cells that remain to me tell me the crowd was 68/69k.  My old man reckoned it was 70+.  I'll have to check.