What is the future of Villa Park?

[spk]

Irish villa,great positive response,im with you

[Chipsticks]

I'd love standing implemented into the Lower Holte, I think it would really help win back the current generation of teenagers, a generation I really feel is being lost and neglected at the moment.

[Handsworth Wood Villa]

Our highest average attendance in recent years was 40,029 in the 2007-2008 season.

Our highest ever average attendance was 47,320 in the 1948-1949 season.

[FatSam]

I agree that there seems little prospect of any substantial redevelopment in the near future. As things stand, the capacity and quality of facilities at Villa Park really aren't the most important issues with the club. Having said that, its a shame that the current regime haven't been able to bring their long-term strategic approach to bear on the ground, as I for one would have trusted them to have made better decisions than HDE (certainly until 18 months ago). I understood that they had engaged architects to undertake feasibility studies a few years ago, but no outcomes have been made public to my knowledge. The piecemeal redevelopment of Villa Park during HDE's time was very frustrating. Especially when compared to the seamless redevelopment of Old Trafford since the 1960s (not that I'm a fan of the stadium).

A safe standing area should certainly be located at the Holte End. The proposed position in the corner initially would avoid any issues with sightlines from seating areas behind. A small area of safe standing would be similar to the area at the San Siro - which is almost a token gesture. If this took off, further down the line I'd like to see this end returned to a single tier to emphasise its special status in relation to the other stands. The inherent characteristics of its context already do this to a certain extent, with the Trinty Road cutting into the corner of the ground and separating it from the Trinty Road Stand. This gives the Holte End its distinctive profile.

[Handsworth Wood Villa]

We have a bigger stadium than Juventus 

[pauliewalnuts]

We have a bigger stadium than Juventus 

And?

Juventus have just rebuilt ther stadium 20,000 smaller than their previous one as it was unloved and rarely filled.

On the other hand, if Juventus played their home games in Naples, or Bari, they'd probably get 60k every week.

[saunders_heroes]

We have a bigger stadium than Juventus 

You're right, the Sty is certainly smaller. In fact you should take a leaf out of Juve's book and knock down one of the stands as you certainly don't need it for supporters.

[Handsworth Wood Villa]

We have a bigger stadium than Juventus 

And?

Juventus have just rebuilt ther stadium 20,000 smaller than their previous one as it was unloved and rarely filled.

On the other hand, if Juventus played their home games in Naples, or Bari, they'd probably get 60k every week.

Glory hunting club of Italy.

[DB]

Looks as though Wulvz are turning the custard bowl into something of similar size, I was quite surprised by the size of their new stand.

It'll look daft when they're entertaining Hull in front of 12,000 though.

I read yesterday that Wolves aren't actually doing the top level yet. They've stopped work on it and are going to wait till they need it.

They're finishing the upper tier, it's the continuation of the stand around the Steve Bull side of the ground that's been put on hold

The roof of the new stand has been delayed due to recent high-winds.

[LeeB]

I read yesterday that Wolves aren't actually doing the top level yet. They've stopped work on it and are going to wait till they need it.

So they're going to have a section of the ground cordoned off? Fair play to them, that's a nice nod to tradition.

They could have just built the new stand somewhere in town, like they did the John Ireland.

[Vanilla]

Isn't it just over 10 years since the new Trinity Road stand was completed. Does anyone remember the problems that occurred in the rebuilding of that stand e.g. the building firm going bust half way through?

[Ad@m]

Looks as though Wulvz are turning the custard bowl into something of similar size, I was quite surprised by the size of their new stand.

It'll look daft when they're entertaining Hull in front of 12,000 though.

I read yesterday that Wolves aren't actually doing the top level yet. They've stopped work on it and are going to wait till they need it.

They're finishing the upper tier, it's the continuation of the stand around the Steve Bull side of the ground that's been put on hold

The roof of the new stand has been delayed due to recent high-winds.

I heard it was because their steel supplier had gone bust.  Not sure I buy the 'high winds' story - we've hardly had a hurricane recently.

[Billy Walker]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/jan/31/tottenham-hotspur-white-hart-lane

Spurs making progress with their stadium plans.  They seem to be getting their hands on substantial funding, too.  I wonder if Villa could gain access to similar help?

[ez]

Bringing back standing to the holte may not stop people standing in the lower north. After all its a terrace with seats bolted on.

[Macho Man Randy Savage]

We do not need to vastly increase the capacity of the stadium to increase revenue.  As the biggest club in the midlands we should be the ideal corporate venue for Tata/Jaguar/Rover etc to schmooze their clients (and countless other companies that have their HQ in the Midlands). 

I think a redeveloped North Stand could probably provide this VIP space.  As others have mentioned - if the laws allowed - it would be cool to have a standing section for the lower tier.  A bit of ting for the corporate yang.

What the hell it can even be renamed the Jaguar Stand for all I care.

A museum, the shop and even a small hotel should also be incorporated into the Jaguar Stand allowing the carpark area (and where the shop is now) to become some sort of retail/Leisure area to generate a bit more revenue and also bring people to the ground on non-match days.

I think corporate facilities would be a more logical reason to redevelop than capacity given how infrequently our stadium actually gets filled, but then I wouldn't really know how much demand there is for corporate space at Villa Park.

I definitely remember Randy pulling us out of hosting Olympic football because we were due to be redeveloping at the time of the Games. Shows how things have changed.