Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: trevor fisher on May 13, 2016, 08:52:05 AM
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the proposed takeover has raised the topic of the naming rights for the ground. Its been around for a long time, but would fans object if a new owner changed the name to raise money? Other clubs have done it, and Bayern Munich has had the Allianz stadium name for a long time, other clubs have also gone down the same route. On the other hand, Villa Park is a unique name and selling point. There is I think only one other club with a stadium named after the club - Port Vale's Burslem Stadium in Stoke is Vale Park. And Parkhead is sometimes called Celtic Park.
So it is fairly unique. But is it worth bothering about what the stadium is called?
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Yes
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Yes
I agree with Brian.
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I agree with Brian.
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We salute you, Brian.
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I agree with everybody above...as does Lady Ron.
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the proposed takeover has raised the topic of the naming rights for the ground. Its been around for a long time, but would fans object if a new owner changed the name to raise money? Other clubs have done it, and Bayern Munich has had the Allianz stadium name for a long time, other clubs have also gone down the same route. On the other hand, Villa Park is a unique name and selling point. There is I think only one other club with a stadium named after the club - Port Vale's Burslem Stadium in Stoke is Vale Park. And Parkhead is sometimes called Celtic Park.
So it is fairly unique. But is it worth bothering about what the stadium is called?
The Allianz was a brand new stadium built for World Cup in 2006, now shared by both Munich teams, I believe. The old stadium is now a museum.
Therefore that is not a good comparison, though I suspect you know that.
And I agree with Brian.
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I want a winning team. If part of that is having to adopt a new name for the stadium then so be it. Everyone will still know the real name of the ground.
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It will always be known as Villa Park whatever happens. Just like Boleyn Park *winky face*.
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There is I think only one other club with a stadium named after the club - Port Vale's Burslem Stadium in Stoke is Vale Park. And Parkhead is sometimes called Celtic Park.
Cardiff City Stadium, St Mirren Park
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Aston Villa, Villa Park, Holte End, claret and blue – all untouchable.
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We have no manager and are owned by a goon, there's a lot to sort out before naming rights. No from me too.
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Dekuip has it.
We may want to explore all possible revenue streams, that's a good thing. However soul selling isn't one of them.
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Why though. Playing devil's advocate it's the same stadium the same colours the same team. Just someone paying a lot of money to call it something else for a few seasons. To everyone else in football it will still be villa park. To us it will. It will just have a silly name in exchange for a fortune for a little while.
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I'm with Brian on this one
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I hate sponsorship, bollocks to the extra cash. put it in context, we could sell the name of the ground for 5m a year and end up playing at Tampax Park for the next 5years. Were just about to finish paying the fat end of 25m for Charles F'King N'Zogbia!
I suggest before we start whoring out our last few elements of history and sanctity we put some people in place who can make efficient use of the meager resources we already have available...
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Why though. Playing devil's advocate it's the same stadium the same colours the same team. Just someone paying a lot of money to call it something else for a few seasons. To everyone else in football it will still be villa park. To us it will. It will just have a silly name in exchange for a fortune for a little while.
Where do you draw the line though, ozzjim? Is everything up for sale? If so, at what point does Aston Villa F.C. just become any other commercial enterprise?
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Can't see us demanding big money for naming rights when we're in the Championship.
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If it brings in revenue for another quality signing like Nzogbia then I'm all for it.
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Can't see us demanding big money for naming rights when we're in the Championship.
This is the main issue. As everyone says, nobody will call it anything other than Villa Park, whatever new name it's given. So which company is going to spend a ton of money on giving something a name that hardly anybody will use?
And so if the club isn't really getting much money, what's the point?
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The level of income it could realistically bring in wouldn't make a whole pile of difference to us, so it's a no for me.
If a potential bidder was offering north of £40 million per year, it might be a dilemma.
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If it brings in revenue for another quality signing like Nzogbia then I'm all for it.
Good point, well made kipp. So I'm with Brian - mainly because everybody else seems to be.
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Can't see us demanding big money for naming rights when we're in the Championship.
This is the main issue. As everyone says, nobody will call it anything other than Villa Park, whatever new name it's given. So which company is going to spend a ton of money on giving something a name that hardly anybody will use?
And so if the club isn't really getting much money, what's the point?
Agreed. Naming rights only really work with new stadiums anyway. It'll always be Villa Park, but even if we were willing to change it no one would be willing to pay big bucks for a Championship club.
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Aston Villa, Villa Park, Holte End, claret and blue – all untouchable.
This
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If we get the type of owners I'm hoping for they'll have to invent some bullshit naming deal in order to blag their way around Financial Fair Play to buy Messi, Suarez and Bale.
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I'd like to argue about something as I'm a bit hungover but I agree with Brian.
Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle
News at Ten
Inebriated
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Villa Park sponsored by ...... would be ok
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No, makes no difference. It will still be Villa Park to us but it would need to be a huge amount of money to change the name.
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Aston Villa, Villa Park, Holte End, claret and blue – all untouchable.
This
Yep, this for me too.
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I can see multinationals climbing over each other to pay money to have their name associated with a club that has just dropped off the league table, is the current by-word for laughing stock and will be playing in the anonymous poor relation to the Premier League next season.
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Nailed it Brian.
I still call the North Stand the Witton End and the Ellis Stand Witton Lane so it will make bugger-all difference to me really
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I can see multinationals climbing over each other to pay money to have their name associated with a club that has just dropped off the league table, is the current by-word for laughing stock and will be playing in the anonymous poor relation to the Premier League next season.
Astute as ever Chico, but I'm backing Brian on this one!
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If the current rumours in the take over thread are to be believed, then by the end of the month the stadium could be renamed The Martyrs Of The Peasants Revolution Stadium.
Also I still call the different parts of the ground by the names I grew up with so they can call the stadium what ever they want to call it it'll still be Villa Park to me.
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I have to say that Villa Park is the only name I want the ground to be called, but if changing it means that there are more funds available to build a better team to get us back up the top of the Premiership I'll go along with it.
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Totally inviolate - ground, club name and colours.
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Totally inviolate - ground, club name and colours.
I'm less concerned about the ground name. Like other's have said, it'll always be Villa park to me so I don't really care. But if we did a Cardiff and stopped playing in our true claret and blue... well that's a bit different.
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Let me pose the question differently.
If a huge consortium offered to invest heavily in the Villa (and I mean REALLY heavily) but only on the understanding that the name of the ground was changed.
Would you say, no thanks?
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Let me pose the question differently.
If a huge consortium offered to invest heavily in the Villa (and I mean REALLY heavily) but only on the understanding that the name of the ground was changed.
Would you say, no thanks?
I wouldn't be so polite as to just say "no thanks", I'd tell them where to stick their money.
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Let me pose the question differently.
If a huge consortium offered to invest heavily in the Villa (and I mean REALLY heavily) but only on the understanding that the name of the ground was changed.
Would you say, no thanks?
I wouldn't be so polite as to just say "no thanks", I'd tell them where to stick their money.
Madness. I know it's hypothetical, but you would swap potential European and domestic trophies just to keep the name Villa Park rather than, for example, the 'SAIC Stadium at Villa Park'?
Tradition is one thing, but football is about winning trophies.
I'm sure very few Man City fans were pining for Main Road and trips to Doncaster when they were winning the league and various cups over the last few years. Same for Aresenal and Highbury. Yes, they have new grounds, but a prefix to our name would be far less of a wrench surely?
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Villa Park, will do just fine thank you very much
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It will always be known as Villa Park whatever happens. Just like Boleyn Park *winky face*.
We should start calling it Aston Lower Grounds again
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However much money you get for naming it, you'd lose in the diminution of the "brand", Aston Villa. In our current dire state, If we have anything left that is worth anything it is our history and our universally admired stadium. The name is all part of that.
Can you imagine anyone saying, "I love that Alibaba Arena. A proper football stadium that is"?
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No problem renaming as far as I'm concerned.
Something like "Berkshire Hathaway Stadium at Villa Park" sounds good
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It will always be known as Villa Park whatever happens. Just like Boleyn Park *winky face*.
We should start calling it Aston Lower Grounds again
I'm with Comrade Blitz now - move over Brian - fickle ay we...
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I love Villa park, but really it's just 4 identikit stands, the oldest of which was built in 1977 and is a bit of a monstrosity. It does still have the feel of a traditional stadium, but times move on, just as they did when the historic stands of old were replaced with what we have today.
I wouldn't sacrifice the name for trifling amounts of money, but if it was necessary for a major investment - the sort that took us back to European glory, then yeah, you would be mad not to.
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I don't think the club would risk another potential PR disaster at this moment in time. If it's going to happen it'll be shortly after we gain promotion (whenever that might be).
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I don't think the club would risk another potential PR disaster at this moment in time. If it's going to happen it'll be shortly after we gain promotion (whenever that might be).
A renaming could be seen as part of the "sweeping changes" to bring us into a new era though...and, unfortunately, PR disasters coming out of VP have become the norm.
It'll always be Villa Park for us all though won't it?
Except commentators obliged to use the "proper" name.
Fu*k 'em!
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No to this, if we'd had a couple of seasons where we were finishing upper mid table, and extra revenue might push us on to the next level I might be for it, but we have lots to sort out before we worry about that.
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No other Premiership clubs have done it yet (apart from Newcastle briefly) but it's a no from me as well.
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I'm all for the renaming of certain footballers. If we all say gave £5 each x 30,000 to have Joeleon Lescott's name changed to ' Useless Carthorse New Car loving Tweeting Wanker' that would be grate.
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It will always be known as Villa Park whatever happens. Just like Boleyn Park *winky face*.
We should start calling it Aston Lower Grounds again
Yep. The bit where that big fountain used to be - and that some numpty was too lazy to dig out, then the shocking pitch 'back in the day'.
Actually 'Villa Park' is just fine. Now if some big corporation with deep pockets wanted to spend big on naming rights and call themselves 'Aston Villa' or 'Villa Park' then it would cost a serious sum but it might just work ... "The latest iphone from Villa Park, the business formerly known as Apple".
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Well they tried to change the name in its first year of existence 1897 from Aston Lower Grounds to Villa Park but the public didn't like it.It took ten years to get it officially accepted!
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No other Premiership clubs have done it yet (apart from Newcastle briefly) but it's a no from me as well.
And Arsenal...
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No other Premiership clubs have done it yet (apart from Newcastle briefly) but it's a no from me as well.
And Arsenal...
Hasn't the emirates always been called that?
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Boro did it as well.
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I want a winning team. If part of that is having to adopt a new name for the stadium then so be it. Everyone will still know the real name of the ground.
Is now my feelings on the matter, It's not ideal but if it brings in money for new players then so be it. You have to move with the times
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And Manchester City
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I want a winning team. If part of that is having to adopt a new name for the stadium then so be it. Everyone will still know the real name of the ground.
Is now my feelings on the matter, It's not ideal but if it brings in money for new players then so be it. You have to move with the times
Do you really? Is it law now?
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im just saying Bren. I still like it as VP and I will always call it vp.
Just my opinion mate
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No other Premiership clubs have done it yet (apart from Newcastle briefly) but it's a no from me as well.
And Arsenal...
Hasn't the emirates always been called that?
I thought initially they called it "Ashburton Grove".
That didn't last very long clearly!
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It will always be VP to generations of football supporters, so yes it does matter.
However due to the corporate finance, football has sold it's soul to the devil and a good percentage of us are complicit.
The best/worst analagy I can think of is Man Citeh.
Before the takeover, Etihad stadium etc. Citeh fans would have stayed to applaud Shaun Goater untie his boots, now they don't even stay to bid farewell to Pellegrini.
So if the 'big bucks' come, I suspect most of us will be going to the 'Shanghai/Nanjing/Prawn Sandwich PLC' stadium to watch our first Champions league fixture of the 2018/19 season.
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I still call it Finsbury Park Railway Sidings.
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those were the days - 'Feed the goat' !
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I'm not fully convinced it would always be Villa Park to generations if it changed name, which would be my concern. North Stand and Doug Ellis are used by far more these days than Witton End and Witton Lane.
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I'm not fully convinced it would always be Villa Park to generations if it changed name, which would be my concern. North Stand and Doug Ellis are used by far more these days than Witton End and Witton Lane.
Yes, exactly. Future generations would call it whatever it was known as during their formative years.
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You are right if course about new generations having new names for things but it is all cyclical. I have always used the word "wireless" not "radio", language moves on and now "wireless" is hipsterspeak. My Dad called a violin a fiddle, now Nigel Kennedy calls his instrument a fiddle. Orchestras are now called bands. My mother never used the word "street" it was always the "horse road". When my grandchildren come to VP and I tell them not to run in the horse road, they think I am cool. Things always come back to their point of origin. It is written.
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In the sales particulars when BOA Merrill Lynch were hawking us around, naming rights to the ground to generate revenue was one of the key selling points they put forward.
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I would quite like the Rui Kang Pharmaceutical Arena.
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I could live with The Oracle at Villa Park if it came with a few trophies.
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I could live with The Oracle at Villa Park if it came with a few trophies.
we will end up with ceefax or the test card with that girl and the blackboard
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Breaking news! American consortium from small city in California have bought us tonight!
Two birds, one stone ;)
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Naming rights in the Championship would be the square root of fuck all.
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Breaking news! American consortium from small city in California have bought us tonight!
Two birds, one stone ;)
Will we play in Orange?
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Breaking news! American consortium from small city in California have bought us tonight!
Two birds, one stone ;)
Will we play in Orange?
Yes, but we continue in claret and blue
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I could live with The Oracle at Villa Park if it came with a few trophies.
we will end up with ceefax or the test card with that girl and the blackboard
Some people would be proud of the Telewest Arena. We, on the other hand would watch games at the Teletext Arena.
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Naming rights in the Championship would be the square root of fuck all.
It's so you can generate more cash?
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I love Villa park, but really it's just 4 identikit stands, the oldest of which was built in 1977 and is a bit of a monstrosity. It does still have the feel of a traditional stadium, but times move on, just as they did when the historic stands of old were replaced with what we have today.
I wouldn't sacrifice the name for trifling amounts of money, but if it was necessary for a major investment - the sort that took us back to European glory, then yeah, you would be mad not to.
Name me another stand like The Holte End.
I used to have a picture of the Holte as my wallpaper at work. Everyone who saw it said a variation on "what the fuck is that".
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I love Villa park, but really it's just 4 identikit stands, the oldest of which was built in 1977 and is a bit of a monstrosity. It does still have the feel of a traditional stadium, but times move on, just as they did when the historic stands of old were replaced with what we have today.
I wouldn't sacrifice the name for trifling amounts of money, but if it was necessary for a major investment - the sort that took us back to European glory, then yeah, you would be mad not to.
Name me another stand like The Holte End.
I used to have a picture of the Holte as my wallpaper at work. Everyone who saw it said a variation on "what the fuck is that".
Seated or standing?
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i still call a stand the witton lane will always be Villa park to me
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It will always be Villa Park to the fans, regardless if any corporate renaming.
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Naming rights in the Championship would be the square root of fuck all.
It wouldn't be much more than that in the Premier League.
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I love Villa park, but really it's just 4 identikit stands, the oldest of which was built in 1977 and is a bit of a monstrosity. It does still have the feel of a traditional stadium, but times move on, just as they did when the historic stands of old were replaced with what we have today.
I wouldn't sacrifice the name for trifling amounts of money, but if it was necessary for a major investment - the sort that took us back to European glory, then yeah, you would be mad not to.
Name me another stand like The Holte End.
I used to have a picture of the Holte as my wallpaper at work. Everyone who saw it said a variation on "what the fuck is that".
Seated or standing?
The back of the current Holte End.
Mind you similar has been said when explaining up to 18,000 people in the old terrace at the end and over 20,000 when I started going, or showing pictures of the Holte against Inter or the Liverpool cup tie in '88.
I always used to enjoy telling the stripeys we could get most of their ground on the old Bolts.
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I'd love to see those pictures if you still have them, Villa in Denmark.
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Well they tried to change the name in its first year of existence 1897 from Aston Lower Grounds to Villa Park but the public didn't like it.It took ten years to get it officially accepted!
I wonder which faceless corporate entity is willing to pay for the naming-rights to the ground only for everyone else to still call it Villa Park for a decade?
I wonder what St James Park (or is it still The Sports Direct Arena?) Is called by barcode fans?
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I want a winning team. If part of that is having to adopt a new name for the stadium then so be it. Everyone will still know the real name of the ground.
Is now my feelings on the matter, It's not ideal but if it brings in money for new players then so be it. You have to move with the times
Do you really? Is it law now?
Devil's advocate a bit here, but....
...or we don't move with the times and the same generation of fans keep banging on about the 1976-1983 Villa teams.
We've heard enough about that, surely. We last won a trophy 20 years ago; playing nice and acting like gents is for losers in this game, sadly.
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Stu
The same generation of fans will keep banging on about the 76-83 teams because they were quite simply the finest That they have ever seen at vp.magical times magical players that I hope one day that I see again and I know that I will never stop going on about those teams for as long as I live.
Can you ever imagine man yoo fans getting fed up of hearing about best law charlton etc
I can see what you are saying that where's the awesome villa team for our generation to talk about for years to come.
But 40 years later I am still waiting to see a better right back than gidman or a left back like Charlie aitken or midfielder better than Cropley or a front two that can match gray and little in there prime so sorry mate until those come along we will still have to bang on about them
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Naming rights will just be a way around FFP , no one will ever call it by its new name.
Naming rights only work on new grounds ie The Emirates as thats all its ever been known as.
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Stu
The same generation of fans will keep banging on about the 76-83 teams because they were quite simply the finest That they have ever seen at vp.magical times magical players that I hope one day that I see again and I know that I will never stop going on about those teams for as long as I live.
Can you ever imagine man yoo fans getting fed up of hearing about best law charlton etc
I can see what you are saying that where's the awesome villa team for our generation to talk about for years to come.
But 40 years later I am still waiting to see a better right back than gidman or a left back like Charlie aitken or midfielder better than Cropley or a front two that can match gray and little in there prime so sorry mate until those come along we will still have to bang on about them
Fully agree, they were days we shouldn't stop going on about and to a slightly lesser extent the SGT/Big Ron/Brian Little days of the early-mid 1990s, where we both had a team to be proud of and actually won something.
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I'm reading about this lotus health and the opportunity for villa park to be rebranded as lotus villa park. I think that's interesting and very business like by the dr
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Lotus Villa park is hardly the end of the world is it ?
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Villa Park is Villa Park, and will always be so.
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I'd rather these things don't happen (a better idea would be someone sponsoring the Witton) but it's a sad part of modern football. Surprised Lerner never looked at doing it tbh.
In any case aside from press the ground will still be often referred by its historic name. Everyone still calls it St James Park and I reckon plenty will still be saying the Britannia stadium next season even though it's the Bet365 arena now.
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Well Randy wasn't the most savy of businessmen and apart from the middle of the Trinity barely pushed the commercial side of the club. If it is renamed and using one of the Dr's companies as the sponsor it's a sure fire way of beating the leagues FFP rules.
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I'd rather these things don't happen (a better idea would be someone sponsoring the Witton) but it's a sad part of modern football. Surprised Lerner never looked at doing it tbh.
In any case aside from press the ground will still be often referred by its historic name. Everyone still calls it St James Park and I reckon plenty will still be saying the Britannia stadium next season even though it's the Bet365 arena now.
So one sponsored name's stuck, then.
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You are right if course about new generations having new names for things but it is all cyclical. I have always used the word "wireless" not "radio", language moves on and now "wireless" is hipsterspeak. My Dad called a violin a fiddle, now Nigel Kennedy calls his instrument a fiddle. Orchestras are now called bands. My mother never used the word "street" it was always the "horse road". When my grandchildren come to VP and I tell them not to run in the horse road, they think I am cool. Things always come back to their point of origin. It is written.
As Tony Xia will tell you, the Chinese use the words " horse road " for street so you were very prescient
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So, Lotus Villa Park then?
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I'd rather these things don't happen (a better idea would be someone sponsoring the Witton) but it's a sad part of modern football. Surprised Lerner never looked at doing it tbh.
In any case aside from press the ground will still be often referred by its historic name. Everyone still calls it St James Park and I reckon plenty will still be saying the Britannia stadium next season even though it's the Bet365 arena now.
So one sponsored name's stuck, then.
It's always been called the Britannia stadium though, it's never been known as anything else.
Look, they can rename Villa Park the Mr Egg's Arse Biscuits Arena for all I care (especially if there's a few quid in it for us), I'll still call it Villa Park as would most other people.
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At least it's still got Villa Park in it I don't mind it so much.
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I'd rather these things don't happen (a better idea would be someone sponsoring the Witton) but it's a sad part of modern football. Surprised Lerner never looked at doing it tbh.
In any case aside from press the ground will still be often referred by its historic name. Everyone still calls it St James Park and I reckon plenty will still be saying the Britannia stadium next season even though it's the Bet365 arena now.
So one sponsored name's stuck, then.
They had had it for near enough 20 years so longevity at least. It's a bit like Pride Park at Derby, I still call it that even though it's the Ipro now. Probably a good point it only really works with new stadiums where there's no sense of history.
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Exactly. Arsenal will always be the Emerites etc.
Lotus Villa Park is just a name. If it helps, carry on. We might win more in it.
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I've no problem with Lotus Villa Park. If it helps with more revenue streams so be it. This is a battle of money these days which, although unfortunate, is a fact of life. I really don't mind if we become a Man City or Chelsea. I want to see us competing at the top again instead of the last 6 dire years.
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Given a choice i would prefer it to always be known as Villa Park. However if changing it to Lotus Villa Park brings in lots more revenue then it is fine with me .Maybe the new owner may change the Doug Ellis Stand to the Lotus stand ,that would sound fine to me
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Don't really mind as long as Villa Park remains in the name.
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In the modern game we can't have it both ways, money to spend without a way to get around FFP. This is one of the obvious ways, I think Arsenal have a deal of £200m for Emirates to sponsor their stadium...
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I think it will happen at some point. I can't see it for a few years yet though.
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I think it will happen at some point. I can't see it for a few years yet though.
A few months more like. Dr Xia won't mess around like the incompetent for Lerner.
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Villa Park Choi
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Villa Park Recon
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The Recon arena, that'll lead to a few away fans rocking up in Coventry. Bloody satnav!!
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Villa Park Choi
Like it
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If it generates money for the club and is a way around FFP (Although as soon as Villa suggest doing this, then the league will introduce new rules to stop this happening) then to be honest I have no issue with it
I would prefer it if the new name contained the words "Villa Park" in the title
if Dr X is as ambitious as he claims, them in my opinion the name change of the ground will happen fairly swiftly
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If it generates money for the club and is a way around FFP (Although as soon as Villa suggest doing this, then the league will introduce new rules to stop this happening) then to be honest I have no issue with it
I would prefer it if the new name contained the words "Villa Park" in the title
if Dr X is as ambitious as he claims, them in my opinion the name change of the ground will happen fairly swiftly
Easily done....
"Recon Stadium at Villa Park"
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Reading the OS, a casual observer might already think its name is "B6", anyway.
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I'd rather these things don't happen (a better idea would be someone sponsoring the Witton) but it's a sad part of modern football. Surprised Lerner never looked at doing it tbh.
In any case aside from press the ground will still be often referred by its historic name. Everyone still calls it St James Park and I reckon plenty will still be saying the Britannia stadium next season even though it's the Bet365 arena now.
Except Sunderland fans, they call it the Sid James Wonga Stadium.
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I'd rather these things don't happen (a better idea would be someone sponsoring the Witton) but it's a sad part of modern football. Surprised Lerner never looked at doing it tbh.
In any case aside from press the ground will still be often referred by its historic name. Everyone still calls it St James Park and I reckon plenty will still be saying the Britannia stadium next season even though it's the Bet365 arena now.
Except Sunderland fans, they call it the Sid James Wonga Stadium.
As do I, from now on. Thanks for that!
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Don't really mind as long as Villa Park remains in the name.
Agreed!
The lotus name benefits the business as much as it would villa. It would be primarly to promte the brand as global tv market and advertising
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I think it will happen at some point. I can't see it for a few years yet though.
A few months more like. Dr Xia won't mess around like the incompetent for Lerner.
I just can't see it being one of the first things he does, there's more important things to deal with, like getting back up. It'll happen, but not in a few months.
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Yes
Wise words there Mr G. ;)
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Villa Park Choi
Chuckle! :-)
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Not something that really appeals to me but hey,we've got to move with the times & if it keeps the name Villa Park (e.g. Lotus Villa Park) somewhere in it then I'll be happy.
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Lotus Villa Park is fine by me IF it comes with major investment - ie allowing the owners to bend the FFP rules.
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They can call it 'The Everyone Hates Richard,He's A Nonce Stadium' for all I care if it means the funding that delivers us an FA Cup in my lifetime. Everyone will still call it Villa Park anyway.
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Frankly, I think this rebranding of VP is bloody awful - but then I'm not one for all this modern day BS in football. Still, he who pays the piper...
:(
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They can call it 'The Everyone Hates Richard,He's A Nonce Stadium' for all I care if it means the funding that delivers us an FA Cup in my lifetime. Everyone will still call it Villa Park anyway.
Now that is a catchy name.
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Frankly, I think this rebranding of VP is bloody awful - but then I'm not one for all this modern day BS in football. Still, he who pays the piper...
:(
It's never ideal. But hypothetically if you had a straight choice between:
a. Villa Park in the Championship; or
b. Lotus Villa Park in the Premier League and pushing for top 6
Which would you choose?
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There is I think only one other club with a stadium named after the club - Port Vale's Burslem Stadium in Stoke is Vale Park. And Parkhead is sometimes called Celtic Park.
Cardiff City Stadium, St Mirren Park
St Mirren had a fantastic opportunity naming their new stadium and totally duffed it.
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Frankly, I think this rebranding of VP is bloody awful - but then I'm not one for all this modern day BS in football. Still, he who pays the piper...
:(
Get with the programme, old man.
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Frankly, I think this rebranding of VP is bloody awful - but then I'm not one for all this modern day BS in football. Still, he who pays the piper...
:(
Get with the programme, old man.
Haha. It's how it is. I can see the world media calling it the lotus in seasons new.
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Villa Park Choi
Excellent.
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Let's be honest - no-one would ever use the Lotus bit would they? Money for old rope.
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Let's be honest - no-one would ever use the Lotus bit would they? Money for old rope.
Only in the advetsting of matches across tv and online . So that's where Tony brand awareness kicks in the market audience he can reach. It's why Tony Fernandez bought qpr to promote his business inteteests
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Frankly, I think this rebranding of VP is bloody awful - but then I'm not one for all this modern day BS in football. Still, he who pays the piper...
:(
It's never ideal. But hypothetically if you had a straight choice between:
a. Villa Park in the Championship; or
b. Lotus Villa Park in the Premier League and pushing for top 6
Which would you choose?
or there could be an option c ... Lotus Villa Park in Div 3.
Selling your soul doesn't guarantee happiness ever after.
Dr fucking X is already getting on my tits with some of his comments to be honest.
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I reckon He'll take over the entire development going on around Villa Park. Turn it into a Football related theme park called "Villa Park" with the stadium renamed "The Recon Lotus Stadium at Villa Park". It'l be like Alton Towers in Claret and Blue.
Or, given his background, millions will be relocated from Lichfield, Tamworth and Rugeley to live in high rise concrete towers and work in the Villa Park "Smart" City.
One final thought, Lotus always stood for Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious.
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Sounds like gabby agbonlahor previously on the pitch now off it.
I like to think villa will give defences lots of trouble and usually serious ones to defences now we have super powers 😊
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Lotus Villa Park is fine by me IF it comes with major investment - ie allowing the owners to bend the FFP rules.
Really not keen on the idea at all, but if it is going to happen then something like that would be the most palatable option I suppose. In cricket, The Oval has been named The Brit Oval or The Kia Oval in recent years, which is somewhat acceptable I suppose.
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This subject has cropped up a number of times over the years and my opinion remains the same as it did when this notion was first muted. For commercial purposes I see the logic, especially if we can get back into the Premiership asap. From a practical perspective I don’t believe a single Villa fan will name it anything else other than Villa Park, so I say he can knock himself out with the name of the stadium. Of course, if he fancies a quick win renaming a part of the ground, he’s welcome to start on the Doug Ellis stand tomorrow.
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Frankly, I think this rebranding of VP is bloody awful - but then I'm not one for all this modern day BS in football. Still, he who pays the piper...
:(
Get with the programme, old man.
Cheeky bugger, I'm a 52 year old Woman! And no, I WON'T get with the bloody programme. So there. ;)
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Frankly, I think this rebranding of VP is bloody awful - but then I'm not one for all this modern day BS in football. Still, he who pays the piper...
:(
Get with the programme, old man.
Haha. It's how it is. I can see the world media calling it the lotus in seasons new.
Indeed.
Triffick. ::)
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'Lotus Villa Park' is much more than last year's rebranding, 'Let us out of Villa Park'.
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This subject has cropped up a number of times over the years and my opinion remains the same as it did when this notion was first muted. For commercial purposes I see the logic, especially if we can get back into the Premiership asap. From a practical perspective I don’t believe a single Villa fan will name it anything else other than Villa Park, so I say he can knock himself out with the name of the stadium. Of course, if he fancies a quick win renaming a part of the ground, he’s welcome to start on the Doug Ellis stand tomorrow.
At one time I would have been all in favour of that, but to do it now would just seem like gratuitously kicking an old bloke. If the stand were to be rebuilt then fair play, all bets are off.
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If he can re generate the area around VP and make us a more attractive proposition then go for it. Most importantly, if he can open a pub that doesn't fleece the fans for entry he can call it whatever he likes.
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The whole point of renaming a stadium is that whoever pays for the change is hoping to increase awareness of their their brand. If Dr X wants to increase awareness of brand Aston Villa and make the club one of the world's top 3, then surely a good step towards that would be to name the ground accordingly, perhaps something like 'Villa Park'.
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If he can re generate the area around VP and make us a more attractive proposition then go for it. Most importantly, if he can open a pub that doesn't fleece the fans for entry he can call it whatever he likes.
I hope he realises he can't move the residents of Witton Lane into a Nechells tower block while he flattens their homes to build a new stand, even if he does offer them jobs in the Lotus Health Food Superstore on the Serpentine to help pay the rent.
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Villa Park Choi
Excellent.
Villa Park Bus. If we keep Eric "37 years" on.
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Now about "Lotus" Villa Park.
(http://i2.cdscdn.com/pdt2/1/7/4/1/700x700/lot3133200037174/rw/papier-hygienique.jpg)
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Splash your logos and adverts wherever you like but we play at Villa Park it's non negotiable. Where does this end? next we'll be discussing the new blue and white home kit - Rule number 1 Doc, don't mess with our tradition.
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Doesn't bother me in the slightest. I still call the NEC the NEC, I still called the Trough in Walsall the Trough when it tried to change it's name (ditto The Wheatsheaf), I still call Hammersmith Odeon the Hammersmith Odeon and i'll still call it Villa Park like everyone else bar the TV/Radio folks if it happens
It's just a name for a building. Now changing the club name would be something quite different obviously
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Splash your logos and adverts wherever you like but we play at Villa Park it's non negotiable. Where does this end? next we'll be discussing the new blue and white home kit - Rule number 1 Doc, don't mess with our tradition.
It is negotiable though isn't it? And if it helps bring us the funds to get us back towards the top of the PL, then so be it.
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Given he's already bought the club, does it actually generate any revenue for us though ?
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Given he's already bought the club, does it actually generate any revenue for us though ?
Exactly. This is the worst possible outcome - he'll give the ground a ridiculous name whilst at the same time adding precisely fuck all to the club's coffers.
Whilst Randy's tenure ultimately went very pear-shaped at least he started off by acknowledging and appreciating the club's heritage. This fella's had his name above the door for 24 hours and has already started dismantling it.
It's just a name for a building. Now changing the club name would be something quite different obviously
How is that any different? The heritage of the club consists of all sorts of things - the club's name, the ground, the colours we play in. Changing the ground's name to Lotus Villa Park is no different to changing the team name to Lotus Aston Villa in my eyes.
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Has anyone not realised that this is poor journalism, from poorly educated hacks that have nothing better to right about than some sensationalist story that may have been said as a throw away comment.
In modern football, renaming the stadium is de rigueur. Knowing that we villa fans very traditionalist in our views the truffle snuffling hacks with nothing else better to write about decide to see how far they can wind the fans up.
Until I hear it from the horses mouth, I cannot be drawn into putting an opinion and feeding the fire of the lower rate journalists of the Meaning Evil and the SCUM.
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Danny Kelly @dannykellywords 5m5 minutes ago
Why doesn't he rebrand his "health foods" Nutricious Villa Park Snacks instead!? StopMessingWithFootball!
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Villa Park is Villa Park and there is no changing that. Dr Tony needs to learn that he can't fuck about with our traditions, I don't care how much money he has. Put lotus on our shirt, or we can have the 'Lotus North Stand' but we can't be playing at 'Lotus Villa Park'. If we let him win this one then he will try to change other things and next thing you know we have another Vincent Tan.
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Villa Park is Villa Park and there is no changing that. Dr Tony needs to learn that he can't fuck about with our traditions, I don't care how much money he has. Put lotus on our shirt, or we can have the 'Lotus North Stand' but we can't be playing at 'Lotus Villa Park'. If we let him win this one then he will try to change other things and next thing you know we have another Vincent Tan.
"If we let him win this one" and what exactly are "we" going to do then?
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Villa Park is Villa Park and there is no changing that. Dr Tony needs to learn that he can't fuck about with our traditions, I don't care how much money he has. Put lotus on our shirt, or we can have the 'Lotus North Stand' but we can't be playing at 'Lotus Villa Park'. If we let him win this one then he will try to change other things and next thing you know we have another Vincent Tan.
"If we let him win this one" and what exactly are "we" going to do then?
And this is where the problem lies, both the current and previous owner could do what the hell they like - its not our club anymore. I wasn't present at the recent supporters consultations but would like to know if there was any discussion around supporter representation with the new owners? The interview with Dr Xia has made me more nervous than when Dr Do nothing and the Shunamitte took over.
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If adding a prefix before Villa Park brings in £20m a year and circumvents FFP rules, I wouldn't be unhappy with that.
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As long as Villa Park in it I'm fine.
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Danny Kelly @dannykellywords 5m5 minutes ago
Why doesn't he rebrand his "health foods" Nutricious Villa Park Snacks instead!? StopMessingWithFootball!
Why don't they drop King Power from Leicesters stadium name? Or are we all still sucking Leicester of at the moment?
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As long as Villa Park in it I'm fine.
Ditto that for me too.
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Danny Kelly @dannykellywords 5m5 minutes ago
Why doesn't he rebrand his "health foods" Nutricious Villa Park Snacks instead!? StopMessingWithFootball!
Why don't they drop King Power from Leicesters stadium name? Or are we all still sucking Leicester of at the moment?
Slightly different as it's a new stadium with no history like VP.
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Whatever it's named it will always be known as Villa Park.
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I hate the whole concept of naming rights and feel even adding a commercial prefix to Villa Park would cheapen it immeasurably. And if Top Three in the World is the good Doctor's ambition, I see no sponsorship of Old Trafford, the Camp Nou or the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.
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I hate the whole concept of naming rights and feel even adding a commercial prefix to Villa Park would cheapen it immeasurably. And if Top Three in the World is the good Doctor's ambition, I see no sponsorship of Old Trafford, the Camp Nou or the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.
What cheapens Villa Park most of all is when Aston Villa get battered there match after match. If renaming the stadium means we can circumvent FFP rules, then it won't be so bad. It will always be Villa Park to anyone with a memory.
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Whatever it's named it will always be known as Villa Park.
It'll always be The Factory of Sadness to me.
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Whatever it's named it will always be known as Villa Park.
It'll always be The Factory of Sadness to me.
Not really...
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What cheapens the ground is having wanker players and shit teams routinely turning us over whilst their fans jump around on the side of the pitch and everyone goes months without seeing a win there. They can prefix it with whatever they want if they're going to turn us from being a laughing stock in to a serious team again.
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I was discussing ground re-naming with a Man City-supporting friend this morning and he made a couple of comments. (1) The naming of the Etiad has been successful only because the original "City of Manchester Stadium" was too wordy and Eastlands, his preference, didn't have time to stick. (2) On the subject of original names, the most successful renaming of a venue (as opposed to a football ground) that he can think of is the Millennium Dome which now absolutely nobody ever refers to as the Millennium Dome.
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I was discussing ground re-naming with a Man City-supporting friend this morning and he made a couple of comments. (1) The naming of the Etiad has been successful only because the original "City of Manchester Stadium" was too wordy and Eastlands, his preference, didn't have time to stick. (2) On the subject of original names, the most successful renaming of a venue (as opposed to a football ground) that he can think of is the Millennium Dome which now absolutely nobody ever refers to as the Millennium Dome.
I still call it the Millennium Dome. In fact i didn't even know that it had another name
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I was discussing ground re-naming with a Man City-supporting friend this morning and he made a couple of comments. (1) The naming of the Etiad has been successful only because the original "City of Manchester Stadium" was too wordy and Eastlands, his preference, didn't have time to stick. (2) On the subject of original names, the most successful renaming of a venue (as opposed to a football ground) that he can think of is the Millennium Dome which now absolutely nobody ever refers to as the Millennium Dome.
I still call it the Millennium Dome. In fact i didn't even know that it had another name
Me too!! 😀
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Well I'll tell Andy that he's talking bollocks!
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I was discussing ground re-naming with a Man City-supporting friend this morning and he made a couple of comments. (1) The naming of the Etiad has been successful only because the original "City of Manchester Stadium" was too wordy and Eastlands, his preference, didn't have time to stick. (2) On the subject of original names, the most successful renaming of a venue (as opposed to a football ground) that he can think of is the Millennium Dome which now absolutely nobody ever refers to as the Millennium Dome.
I still call it the Millennium Dome. In fact i didn't even know that it had another name
I still call it The Dome. You can see it from our road....
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I still call House of Fraser Rackhams.
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You old folk make me laugh
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I was discussing ground re-naming with a Man City-supporting friend this morning and he made a couple of comments. (1) The naming of the Etiad has been successful only because the original "City of Manchester Stadium" was too wordy and Eastlands, his preference, didn't have time to stick. (2) On the subject of original names, the most successful renaming of a venue (as opposed to a football ground) that he can think of is the Millennium Dome which now absolutely nobody ever refers to as the Millennium Dome.
I still call it the Millennium Dome. In fact i didn't even know that it had another name
I still call it The Dome. You can see it from our road....
The Dome?
It's The Night Out.
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Libertys on the Hagley road will always be that to me
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Well I'll tell Andy that he's talking bollocks!
Even da Wiki says that its commonly referred to as 'The Dome'
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If he can re generate the area around VP and make us a more attractive proposition then go for it. Most importantly, if he can open a pub that doesn't fleece the fans for entry he can call it whatever he likes.
I hope he realises he can't move the residents of Witton Lane into a Nechells tower block while he flattens their homes to build a new stand, even if he does offer them jobs in the Lotus Health Food Superstore on the Serpentine to help pay the rent.
Bearing in mind what was done around the area of the Birds Nest in Bejing - where people were summarily moved without consultation - it's an interesting point!
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Whatever it's named it will always be known as Villa Park.
Perhaps we can create a new formation where one player can play in the Lotus Position.
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Libertys on the Hagley road will always be that to me
To me and a few others on here it will always be The Romulus.
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To me and you it will always be Villa Park - the Holte End the Holte End, the Witton Lane you know by now, Trinity Road just the same and the North Stand the Witton End - twist the names as much as you want - do I care!
Now onto the important things in life - find me our players and a manager.
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*Unwraps Marathon bar and observes*
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If they call it Lotus Villa Park or Recon Villa Park I could probably learn to live with that if it brings in the dosh to get us back amongst the elite. Fans of all clubs including our own will always refer to it as plain Villa Park anyway.
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I am fine with it.
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I am fine with it.
Me too. I'm sure that we will have shirt sponsorship with one of Dr Xia's company's on it too at some point. Lotus Villa Park sounds quite cool.
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I wonder how many people who now attend Villa Park realise that the stand on Witton Lane has ever had another name? Times change and in the same way, I'm still convinced that at some time in the future the biggest argument about ground sponsorship will be that ours doesn't bring us in as much as it should.
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For me you have to earn the right to change the name of the ground. Make the right appointments off the pitch, spend money getting a team on the pitch Villa fans can be proud of THEN you can think about doing it if it's the right deal for the club.
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Surely earning the right is spending £75m or whatever it is and buying the club?
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Surely earning the right is spending £75m or whatever it is and buying the club?
There's a difference between 'earning' and 'buying'.
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He'll earn the right in my eyes if I don't have to watch Guzan, Bacuna, Hutton, Clark, Baker, Westwood, Lescott, Agbonlahor or Richards next season.
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Wyness has stated categorically that Villa Park will remain Villa Park and not be renamed
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Wyness has stated categorically that Villa Park will remain Villa Park and not be renamed
Reassuring. Saying that, I went to watch Wales v Slovakia in Bordeaux last weekend and being in the impressive new stadium there got me thinking about our ground. Although matters on the field are far more pressing in the short term, some sort of redevelopment (particularly of the North Stand) will hopefully be on the cards in the not too distant future.
I've always been opposed to the merest idea of a new stadium (no current need I know), but if it were to be done as well as the one in Bordeaux, was in the city centre and would benefit the club significantly, I found myself thinking I could just about stomach it.
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Wyness has stated categorically that Villa Park will remain Villa Park and not be renamed
Reassuring. Saying that, I went to watch Wales v Slovakia in Bordeaux last weekend and being in the impressive new stadium there got me thinking about our ground. Although matters on the field are far more pressing in the short term, some sort of redevelopment (particularly of the North Stand) will hopefully be on the cards in the not too distant future.
I've always been opposed to the merest idea of a new stadium (no current need I know), but if it were to be done as well as the one in Bordeaux, was in the city centre and would benefit the club significantly, I found myself thinking I could just about stomach it.
thought the whole point of re-naming it was to get around the FFP rules? ReCon Villa Park would be ok - especially if it meant that Dr X could pour $100m a year in return for the naming rights, like arsenal do with Emirates and Man City with Etihad, reportedly.
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I've always found it weird on the official site, mainly on ticketing pages, sometimes it says Villa Park Stadium - it always slightly grates with me - just Villa Park please.
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I like Lotus Park. Sounds like the alter ego of a superhero. Or his female sidekick in the office.
Lotus Arena is shite
Lotus Valley sounds pretty
Lotus Stadium is boring
Lotus Parade is too twee
Lotus Camp erm, no
Lotus Villa Park - nah
Lotus Eaters? Lotus lyceum? Ooooh yeah. "And straight to the Lotus Lyceum where the Villa Lions are giving Roma are right mauling"
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Good grief
::)
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Lotus Arms Park? Stadium of Lotus(ersezzz）
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Wyness has stated categorically that Villa Park will remain Villa Park and not be renamed
Reassuring. Saying that, I went to watch Wales v Slovakia in Bordeaux last weekend and being in the impressive new stadium there got me thinking about our ground. Although matters on the field are far more pressing in the short term, some sort of redevelopment (particularly of the North Stand) will hopefully be on the cards in the not too distant future.
I've always been opposed to the merest idea of a new stadium (no current need I know), but if it were to be done as well as the one in Bordeaux, was in the city centre and would benefit the club significantly, I found myself thinking I could just about stomach it.
Rebuilt the North Stand? I remember the build back in 78 like only yesterday. I was never its biggest fan but as far as the ground goes we don't need to do anything for at least the next 10 - 15 years. Still remains one of the best in Britain.
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Didn't the Doctor say in one of his earlier interviews that he has no intention of changing the name from Villa Park because it's a name known throughout the football world and you don't re-brand something just because you can.
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Didn't the Doctor say in one of his earlier interviews that he has no intention of changing the name from Villa Park because it's a name known throughout the football world and you don't re-brand something just because you can.
That is true, The Laughing Policeman, but he has since gone further and stated that he intends to buy other teams/franchises(sob) , and put Villa in their name.
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Didn't the Doctor say in one of his earlier interviews that he has no intention of changing the name from Villa Park because it's a name known throughout the football world and you don't re-brand something just because you can.
That is true, The Laughing Policeman, but he has since gone further and stated that he intends to buy other teams/franchises(sob) , and put Villa in their name.
First club reported to be in the Philippines.
Manila Villa
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I can see the headlines now...... Villa Thriller In Manila.