The Club and The Fans

[Chipsticks]

The time to despair is when we have music after a goal.

Oh god there is literally nothing worse. I often wonder if clubs will eventually start to play crowd noise over the speakers to give the impression of an atmosphere. I wouldn't put it past someone like Bolton.

Arsenal already have.

Bloody hell.

[brackley]

A great post Brian and i agree with all your points. I hope your views are passed on to the club, it would be interesting to hear its response.

However, it was no different back in the old days. I can remember on one occasion in the early seventies the half time 'entertainment' consisted of thousands of Milky Bars being chucked to us by promotions girls from the back of a flat bed truck, most of them landing on the piss streaked terracing, this in itself sounds like some kind of Alan Partridge style nightmare.

I particularly dislike the over amplified cajoling on the tannoy imploring us to 'get behind the boys in claret and blue' and 'lets hear it for Aston Villa', its annoying and embarrassing, the crowd at a place like Villa Park should be left to generate its own atmosphere. Also, would it be too much to ask that people buying stinking over priced junk food in polystyrene trays consume this stuff in the concourse, not while viewing the game.

Oh, and that Aston Villa record, please stop playing that witless horrible dirge. Rant over. For now.

[ktvillan]

As My Left Foot more or less points out, I'd say the clubs have always exploited the loyalty factor of football supporters. In the past it was treating us like cattle, and providing only very basic facilities,  knowing we would still turn up in great numbers, especially as it was relatively cheap.   These days it's in the form of massive overcharging for pap, which too often includes the stuff served up on the pitch.  The "rational consumer" factor has largely prevailed over the loyalty factor in my case as I've got older, and as football has offered reduced value for money, but there's still plenty for whom it hasn't.

[David_Nab]

Frustrating for me is after the Liverpool game there was alot of PR about how well we were doing coming from the club their was articles with PF chatting out the clubs direction..since then we have been pretty much shit and all we have gotten is the usual OS PR guff ..

[Dave Clark Five]

The point about the Holte Suite is fair comment. You can take it or leave it but, for the fan who has to buy his own match tickets, what a set of great facilities we have. Years ago, I would have had several pints of Ansells Mild and a couple of cheese and onion rolls on the way to a game. Now there are fewer pubs and I drive to home games, a couple or three pints then a roast pork dinner for about £7 is great value. That side of the club is way ahead of most other clubs.

DCF please let me know where you are managing to get a "couple or three pints and a roast pork dinner for £7" please, certainly nowhere on AVFC's premises mate!!

I misled you. The £7 applies to the bit after 'then'; i.e. the pork dinner.

[eastie]

As My Left Foot more or less points out, I'd say the clubs have always exploited the loyalty factor of football supporters. In the past it was treating us like cattle, and providing only very basic facilities,  knowing we would still turn up in great numbers, especially as it was relatively cheap.   These days it's in the form of massive overcharging for pap, which too often includes the stuff served up on the pitch.  The "rational consumer" factor has largely prevailed over the loyalty factor in my case as I've got older, and as football has offered reduced value for money, but there's still plenty for whom it hasn't.

Goodness me you can have a conversation with your left foot ? That's amazing - oh I see now!
As it happens I agree with you both .

[eastie]

The point about the Holte Suite is fair comment. You can take it or leave it but, for the fan who has to buy his own match tickets, what a set of great facilities we have. Years ago, I would have had several pints of Ansells Mild and a couple of cheese and onion rolls on the way to a game. Now there are fewer pubs and I drive to home games, a couple or three pints then a roast pork dinner for about £7 is great value. That side of the club is way ahead of most other clubs.

I misled you. The £7 applies to the bit after 'then'; i.e. The pork dinner.
DCF please let me know where you are managing to get a "couple or three pints and a roast pork dinner for £7" please, certainly nowhere on AVFC's premises mate!!

Did you get stuffing as well?

[placeforparks]

The point about the Holte Suite is fair comment. You can take it or leave it but, for the fan who has to buy his own match tickets, what a set of great facilities we have. Years ago, I would have had several pints of Ansells Mild and a couple of cheese and onion rolls on the way to a game. Now there are fewer pubs and I drive to home games, a couple or three pints then a roast pork dinner for about £7 is great value. That side of the club is way ahead of most other clubs.

I misled you. The £7 applies to the bit after 'then'; i.e. The pork dinner.
DCF please let me know where you are managing to get a "couple or three pints and a roast pork dinner for £7" please, certainly nowhere on AVFC's premises mate!!

Did you get stuffing as well?

leave that that to the first team...

[Legion]

Great post, Brian.

[Dave Clark Five]

If there's one bloke down there who knows his stuff, it is Rob Bishop. I think he would like to hear specifics about what is wrong with the programme.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

"Beer" (shit lager) was £3.60 at Bradford and programmes £4 - they were certainly making the most of it!
Every event venue overcharges for ale, but I thought this was taking the piss a bit. Were Bradford supporters paying the same in their parts of the ground?

Unrelated but, stood next to a Yank at Fulham away and he couldn't get over the way the Villa fans sang "spontaneously" throughout the game - it just doesn't happen at sports' arenas in the States he said. Even asked me "why aren't all those other guys singing?" Had to explain they were Fulham supporters. He joined singing about "Aston" as he insisted on calling us, and I felt a bit proud, while pointing out "we are The Villa"!

I hate all the organised shit that goes on as well, but it is definitely what a lot of punters (not necessarily "proper" supporters) expect in this super-duper, instant celebrity, over-sensationalised, shallow world that is 2013!

Give me a pint of Ansells Mild, a cheese and onion cob and a 1982 European Cup winning Aston Villa every time! ;-)

[ez]

Good points. Throw in all-seater stadia as well.

[Marlon From Bearwood]

Personally I think giving everyone a free flag to wave for a game against Bradford is a bit small time, and embarrassing for a live TV game

[Dave Clark Five]

Personally I think giving everyone a free flag to wave for a game against Bradford is a bit small time, and embarrassing for a live TV game

Especially against a side from much lower in league status. It is cringeworthy.

[D.boy]

It's a cup semi final and I'm sure we all want to get a good atmosphere going that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Villa Park under the floodlights, a full house raising the roof, these are the sort of nights I love and miss. I don't mind the free flags as it did look impressive last time against Blackburn and right now every little helps.