Duke opens Trinity Road Stand for Villa's jubilee

[Salsa Party Animal]

It would be interesting to see Randy Lerner's vision for new Trinty Road stand if he came 5 years earlier or whatever. Look like we have to put it right by building an incredible North Stand when the time come.

[London Villan]

The sad thing is over ten years on it still creates a reaction on here.  Shows the depth of feeling the decision had. I'll always feel ashamed that as a group of fans we didn't do more (well, anything really) to save it.

[bertlambshank]

Wasn't it when they extended the roof meant it couldn't be listed?

[OCD]

It would be interesting to see what the long-term vision for the stadium is and when the key milestones e.g. re-building the North Stand are. I thought they hired some architects to plan everything and that the plans would be released. With how Lerner values the history and traditions of the club, I would hope that the plans would restore a lot of what was lost.

[Dave Clark Five]

How many of the windows that were in the old stand have made it into the new stand or other parts of the ground? I know that some of them have, as I have closely inspected them, but there are some reproductions.

I didn't think anything had survived into the new stand.

There is a window in the 1874, to the right of the bar (the one towards the Witton).
It looks genuine and is hinged so it can swivel open. It is puttied in place. I think it is genuine as I don't think such detail would have been bothered with.

[wittonwarrior]

Something had to happen to the Trinity Road Stand in terms of modernisation, however its been made a right pigs ear.  It is out of sec with the rest of the ground. 

As for the North Stand, I remember the sketches and photos of what it was likely to become, another own goal.  I am not even particularly happen with the Holte development, the only side in my mind which is worthy of a star is the Witton Lane development (apart from the name)

[montague]

Nice bit of film with the old Trinity

[steamer]

My first memories of Villa Park were standing on the Holte but looking at the Trinity in Awe.
For me the Trinity epitomised the heart of Aston Villa, Class, Tradition and packed ranks of Villa fans.
When the Toffs in the Trinity seats joined the Holte in banging their seats to, Villa, boom boom bomm, Villa,boom, boom, boom, Villa Park rocked.
Created by Victorian Visionaries, destroyed by a jumped up travel Agent.
When fans warble on about Doug, it is clear that age and distance soften the heart.
I can not believe that because the old twat shuffles into his seat with a wave that he is forgiven for destroying that most sacred part of Villa Park.
He never understood the tradition of Aston Villa.
And by the way he carelesly lost the best Manager we ever had.
A curse on your house Mr Ellis

[Chico Hamilton III]

I get a little bit jealous everytime there's a reporter standing in front of that beautiful stand at Ibrox (also built by Leitch).

I was up in Scotland at the weekend ( Morton v Cowdenbeath with a Morton fan mate - who needs the Villa/Arsenal multimillion quid bitch fight when you can stand on a freezing terrace in gloomy West Scotland). Driving from Edinburgh to Glasgow we stopped off at a few grounds to take a look. The Leitch-designed stand at Tyncastle looked nice, Partick thistle's ground looked like it had been closed for a few decades but Ibrox was absolutely stunning. I spent about 20 minutes standing outside, staring at it and taking pictures. Head and shoulders above any other ground in the country. A plaque on the wall as well, dedicated to Leitch

The saddest thing about it is that, beautiful as it is, it's not a patch on what we had at Villa Park. Apparently, when Rangers commissioned Leitch to design their main stand, he took them down to Villa Park to show them the Trinity and the Rangers directors said " we want that....but cheaper" .

And Morton won with a late winner....

[Chico Hamilton III]

Created by Victorian Visionaries, destroyed by a jumped up travel Agent

Nerd alert - the Trinity was built in 1922(?) which means it wasn't Victorian or even Edwardian.

Actually, what is the period after Edwardian known as?

[steamer]

Well spotted, I had a few drinks on Friday when I wrote that.
I was misty eyed and pictured whiskery (do not think that is a proper word) gents in long black coats and stove pipe hats pouring of maps of the Empire.
Flash to Doug offering specials to Majorca and advertising for tenders on cheap building plans.

[TopDeck113]

One for our older posters: did people mourn the passing of the old barrel roof on the Witton Lane stand?

That was the last surviving link to the original Villa Park, but back in the 60s Victorian architecture was being torn down all over Brum.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

My first memories of Villa Park were standing on the Holte but looking at the Trinity in Awe.
For me the Trinity epitomised the heart of Aston Villa, Class, Tradition and packed ranks of Villa fans.
When the Toffs in the Trinity seats joined the Holte in banging their seats to, Villa, boom boom bomm, Villa,boom, boom, boom, Villa Park rocked.
Created by Victorian Visionaries, destroyed by a jumped up travel Agent.
When fans warble on about Doug, it is clear that age and distance soften the heart.
I can not believe that because the old twat shuffles into his seat with a wave that he is forgiven for destroying that most sacred part of Villa Park.
He never understood the tradition of Aston Villa.
And by the way he carelesly lost the best Manager we ever had.
A curse on your house Mr Ellis

If you mean Ron Saunders, Ellis was not there.
There's plenty you can have a go at him for if you wish but you can't blame him for Ron Saunders departing.

[dave.woodhall]

Well spotted, I had a few drinks on Friday when I wrote that.
I was misty eyed and pictured whiskery (do not think that is a proper word) gents in long black coats and stove pipe hats pouring of maps of the Empire.
Flash to Doug offering specials to Majorca and advertising for tenders on cheap building plans.

Bewhiskered.

[Dave Clark Five]

Even when the stand was still there, they covered that balcony with tacky adverts. It is surprising what a difference that made to the appearance of the stand.  My view is that more of it should have been saved. That could really only apply to the outer wall and the gable as the inside was mainly wooden and, therefore, unsafe.