What is the future of Villa Park?

[bertlambshank]

Did anyone else see that article on Vital Villa suggesting we should move our stadium nearer to the city centre? (I'll try and retrieve the link after) I would be open to the idea if I thought that it would be beneficial to the club. But then again I don't live in Brum and not a regular attender to VP, so the stadium doesn't hold as much sentimental value to me as it no doubt does to others.

No. No way. Ever.

Percy sings this at Celtic Park.

[dave.woodhall]

Did anyone else see that article on Vital Villa suggesting we should move our stadium nearer to the city centre? (I'll try and retrieve the link after) I would be open to the idea if I thought that it would be beneficial to the club. But then again I don't live in Brum and not a regular attender to VP, so the stadium doesn't hold as much sentimental value to me as it no doubt does to others.

How many new grounds have been built closer to the City Centre of the town/city they represent than the current ground in the past 20 years?

The Riverside, Stadium of Light, Emirates, ComS, Pride Park, DW Stadium for starters.

[mike]

Best ground in the Championship is the answer to the question the way we're going!!

[SoccerHQ]

Villa Park is close enough to the City centre as it is, it takes 6 minutes on the train from New Street to Witton and 10 minutes on the bus. The debate a while ago was when the possibility of a new stadium was mooted near the NEC. I would be dead against that.

Can't see the point of extending the ground to 50k. I would say though when I went on the ground tour a while ago it did disappoint me a fair bit that never mind a musuem we don't even have a proper trophy room.

[itbrvilla]

Here is the link by the way: www.astonvilla.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=7513646

Very well argued.  Imagine popping into town shopping with the Mrs and seeing our stadium in the back ground. I'd be willing to leave if they put effort into it rather than some bowl shite.  Something along the lines of Koln would be my choice.

[dave.woodhall]

As it is every time the topic of a new ground is mentioned, the underlying idea behind this is build it and they'll come. The difference here is that they'll apparently also come to a host of mixed leisure/retail outlets despite these now increasingly being located out of the city centre. Have a look at how many closed shops there are in the city centre, how many bars on Broad Street are now shut and ask why, if it's such a viable proposition, nobody has built such a place there before. We don't need it, we can't afford it and it smacks of theoretical change for the sake of it.

[Chipsticks]

This would literally be the end of the world.

How so?

A massive bout of hyperbole on my part, but I would be angry as hell and very upset. 'The end of the world' is more in the context of my emotions than from a business perspective.

[Dave Clark Five]

I suppose if they did move the ground, it would be great for the 'I'm never going again while McLeish  / Ellis / etc are there' crowd. It would be a lifetime excuse for them. Mind you, I would probably be tempted to join them.

[Billy Walker]

As it is every time the topic of a new ground is mentioned, the underlying idea behind this is build it and they'll come. The difference here is that they'll apparently also come to a host of mixed leisure/retail outlets despite these now increasingly being located out of the city centre. Have a look at how many closed shops there are in the city centre, how many bars on Broad Street are now shut and ask why, if it's such a viable proposition, nobody has built such a place there before. We don't need it, we can't afford it and it smacks of theoretical change for the sake of it.

I don't think it would be change for the sake of it, it would be change in order to remain a competitive football club.  If we allow clubs from the other major cities of England to race ahead with 55-60k capacity stadia whilst we settle for a 42k ground we may as well give up any pretence that we are a club with ambition and a desire to compete at the very top.  Ironically, it's this perceived lack of ambition that stops us getting full houses in the first place.  It's a real catch 22 situation for us, as a club. 

[1874]

Villa Park is close enough to the City centre as it is, it takes 6 minutes on the train from New Street to Witton and 10 minutes on the bus.

Before I say this, it is worth remembering that I'm speaking as an outsider (Londoner to be specific) who only visits Brum every so often to watch the Villa when I can. So some of what I say may be incorrect. Although the journey to VP from the city centre is quite quick, I get the impression that Brum is one of those cities where nearly every journey from one part of the city to another has to be via the city centre. I remember once going to Small Heath (came early for a match and thought I'd check out the enemy area for something to do) and thought I could probably go directly to VP (or at least somewhere near) from there. Little did I know that I had to go all the way back to the town centre and then on from there. So I assume it is pretty awkward to get to VP from some parts of Brum? Also, although Witton is a decent enough area, I am not sure it is best suited hosting a top-flight football club. It seems very much like a humble residential area with a localised outlook. By this I mean it isn't really great for catering to the needs of people who come from many different places (which the stadium obviously attracts) and is mainly suited for the local community. Look at the little high road that is there. Some small eateries, a couple of butchers, hairdressers, internet cafe...oh and a Mosque if I remember correct. The Tescos is the only real landmark of any kind there. To me the stadium actually seems out of place there and almost like Aston Villa have outgrown the area.

[brian green]

How very London

[mr underhill]

to me the notion of aston villa not being located in aston is unthinkable. isn't this the same type of debate the bin dippers have been agonising over and, millions of wasted pounds later, have come to the same conclusion.

[bones.]

Villa Park is close enough to the City centre as it is, it takes 6 minutes on the train from New Street to Witton and 10 minutes on the bus.

Before I say this, it is worth remembering that I'm speaking as an outsider (Londoner to be specific) who only visits Brum every so often to watch the Villa when I can. So some of what I say may be incorrect. Although the journey to VP from the city centre is quite quick, I get the impression that Brum is one of those cities where nearly every journey from one part of the city to another has to be via the city centre. I remember once going to Small Heath (came early for a match and thought I'd check out the enemy area for something to do) and thought I could probably go directly to VP (or at least somewhere near) from there. Little did I know that I had to go all the way back to the town centre and then on from there. So I assume it is pretty awkward to get to VP from some parts of Brum? Also, although Witton is a decent enough area, I am not sure it is best suited hosting a top-flight football club. It seems very much like a humble residential area with a localised outlook. By this I mean it isn't really great for catering to the needs of people who come from many different places (which the stadium obviously attracts) and is mainly suited for the local community. Look at the little high road that is there. Some small eateries, a couple of butchers, hairdressers, internet cafe...oh and a Mosque if I remember correct. The Tescos is the only real landmark of any kind there. To me the stadium actually seems out of place there and almost like Aston Villa have outgrown the area.

I like all that about Villa Park, football grounds that rise out of the centre of a community surrounded by terraced streets look to be in their rightful place, like a church would be built on high ground ,so a football stadium should stand above its locality built as a place of pilgrimage. I dont think Villa have outgrown the area and it would be good to attract more of the area in through the turnstiles. History is one of the Villas strongest attributes and our historic ground is one of the things other people like about the Villa, its known to be reasonably easy to reach, easier even than some in London. Which cities have a transport system that dosent radiate out from the centre? If you travel from anywhere outside of London using public transport you will find yourself arriving in the city centre and have to reach the match from there so Im struggling to find a big difference. Besides how can we call ourselves Aston Villa with a straight face if we leave Aston? I would hate us to move away from Villa Park.

[Matt Collins]

In afraid public transport in most cities outside London is pretty crap. But locating a football club in the city centre would be very expensive due to land prices etc. you can still get to villa park in about an hour from most parts of the city.

There doesn't seem any case to get ourselves further on debt to increase stadium capacity when we hardly ever get close to capacity now. I think it would be the most stupid thing lerner could do. Plenty of white elephant stadiums dotted around the north and midlands, let's not have another one

[Rioch is King]

Villa park is a sacred site for me and should never be moved.