Home truths

[john e]

I can remember when some bright spark thought putting the away fans in the Holte was a good idea

[PeterWithesShin]

I can remember when some bright spark thought putting the away fans in the Holte was a good idea

That was Doug wasn't it? Give away fans half the Holte, genius. I've been told by people who were there that after they put the fence up it was torn down again next match and the idea was quietly forgotten.

[PaulWinch again]

With the news about Okore, there can be no messing about this year we need a centre half on loan in January. We also desperately need a creative midfielder.

[Irish villain]

Just to clarify, when I made my comment about putting away fans in the Trinity I meant in the corner near the north stand high up away from the pitch so that they are further away from their own players.

My comment was inspired by the knowledge that other clubs seem to stick the away fans high up in the clouds (say Newcastle for eg), and that this might help towards making the ground a less enjoyable place for other clubs to come and spank us on our own hallowed turf.

[oldham_villa]

On this subject I never did understand why some fans will spend the majority of the match gesturing to opposition fans, with their arms out, safe in the knowledge they are protected by barriers. Do they not want to watch the match?

[Legion]

On this subject I never did understand why some fans will spend the majority of the match gesturing to opposition fans, with their arms out, safe in the knowledge they are protected by barriers. Do they not want to watch the match?

It puzzles me aswell. Neanderthal instincts. Cavefans.

[LeeB]

Fans in the Witton Lane exit as normal.

How many games was there actually any sort of pavement dancing in last season? One, this being against the Albion?

I really don't see the difference between having fans at the top of the Witton Lane as opposed to them being at the bottom as they are now. In the vast majority of cases they will exit as normal and mingle with Villa fans on the lower end of the Witton lane heading towards the station. Games where there is a risk, the police split Witton Lane in half anyway. On the off chance that we play the Noses again this century, the 30 coaches they all arrive on can be used as a physical barrier if needs be.

People point at each other at games and give it the big one; they probably wouldn't if they could actually get at each other. Whatever, it happens, but that's not the issue. Completely neutralising the away fans making any noise, by putting them next to the Holte, may give us an extra percentile. Breaking all the light bulbs in the away dressing room, hiding some rotten fish in the ceiling space, hypnotherapy on our players all might be necessary too.

Yes, I'm sure coach companies would love their multi-million pound glass-covered fleets being used as barriers - presumably parked nose to tail across the road to prevent anyone from going round them.

One minute you're saying there would be a need for metal barriers, the next you're saying everything would be fine. I've got a great idea - we leave things how they are now, how they've been proved to work for years for the benefit of all concerned and in order to maximise safety and don't try to change the entire configuration of the ground just for some spurious increase in atmosphere.                           

And buy some better players.

[steamer]

I can remember when some bright spark thought putting the away fans in the Holte was a good idea

That was Doug wasn't it? Give away fans half the Holte, genius. I've been told by people who were there that after they put the fence up it was torn down again next match and the idea was quietly forgotten.

If I remember correctly, the fences had been set up down the centre of the Holte.
The 1st most fans knew about it was when they came into the ground and could not cross the centre.
I think it was a midweek game against Man City.
They had been put in and I guess it was in anticipation of the policy to come.
The problem for Doug and his plan was that the concrete had not set properly.

"The Holte did not like it and rose up above it, they pulled down the fences and tossed them away"
sorry about the plagiarism.
Another reason then for me to believe that Doug had no clue about the sprit of Aston Villa !!

[LeeB]

I can remember when some bright spark thought putting the away fans in the Holte was a good idea

That was Doug wasn't it? Give away fans half the Holte, genius. I've been told by people who were there that after they put the fence up it was torn down again next match and the idea was quietly forgotten.

If I remember correctly, the fences had been set up down the centre of the Holte.
The 1st most fans knew about it was when they came into the ground and could not cross the centre.
I think it was a midweek game against Man City.
They had been put in and I guess it was in anticipation of the policy to come.
The problem for Doug and his plan was that the concrete had not set properly.

"The Holte did not like it and rose up above it, they pulled down the fences and tossed them away"
sorry about the plagiarism.
Another reason then for me to believe that Doug had no clue about the sprit of Aston Villa !!

Classic Tory tactics there from Our Doug, divide and conquer.

[Pat McMahon]

I can remember when some bright spark thought putting the away fans in the Holte was a good idea

That was Doug wasn't it? Give away fans half the Holte, genius. I've been told by people who were there that after they put the fence up it was torn down again next match and the idea was quietly forgotten.

If I remember correctly, the fences had been set up down the centre of the Holte.
The 1st most fans knew about it was when they came into the ground and could not cross the centre.
I think it was a midweek game against Man City.
They had been put in and I guess it was in anticipation of the policy to come.
The problem for Doug and his plan was that the concrete had not set properly.

"The Holte did not like it and rose up above it, they pulled down the fences and tossed them away"
sorry about the plagiarism.
Another reason then for me to believe that Doug had no clue about the sprit of Aston Villa !!

Yup, it was the midweek home game - first home game of the season - v Man City on a Wednesday eve. We were annihilated 1-4 but the fence went.

[kippaxvilla2]

I can remember Small Heath fans having the whole of North Stand Lower Terrace and the whole of the Witton Lane stand in a derby in the old 2nd Division in 1986 - when they score they all flooded onto the pitch up to the Holte doing the offering out signs - oh how times have changed since then.........................

[dave.woodhall]

I can remember Small Heath fans having the whole of North Stand Lower Terrace and the whole of the Witton Lane stand in a derby in the old 2nd Division in 1986 - when they score they all flooded onto the pitch up to the Holte doing the offering out signs - oh how times have changed since then.........................

They didn't have all the Witton Lane. A couple of hundred of them were in there, but the rest of the stand was as normal.

[kippaxvilla2]

Ah ok.  Just seemed like it.  Anyway that was a horrible day against them.   0-2 if memory serves.  The late Ian Handysides scoring one of them.

[dave.woodhall]

Ah ok.  Just seemed like it.  Anyway that was a horrible day against them.   0-2 if memory serves.  The late Ian Handysides scoring one of them.

And that new manager we'd got was never going to do anything.

[kippaxvilla2]

Twas true.  We were only a decent away side that season too - not a lot changes.