Aston Villa vs Parma Pre-Season Friendly

[pauliewalnuts]

My favourite moment of these "vaguely attractive" (mind you, Parma? Not so sure about that) home friendlies was prior to the Inter game a few years ago.

We were walking across the North Stand car park prior to the match, and their coach was easing its way through the crowds (not crowds trying to get a glimpse of the stars, btw, but crowds trying to get to the appropriate entrance to the game), we saw Luis Figo looking cool and acknowledging fans.

That wasn't the cool bit, though, the cool bit was when the coach driver drove straight into a wall.

[Dave]

That was a smashing day out. Laursen winding up Ibrahimovic all game and Ibra not getting a single decision in his favour.

It's a game that was so long ago that a) it was the first time we saw Nigel Reo-Coker play for us and b) we were pulling in over 36,000 people for a summer friendly.

I'm going to guess that Saturday's game won't be quite so well attended.

[silhillvilla]

0-0

[Gregorys Boy]

Will go for a 1-2 reverse with Vlaar getting ours of course.

[eamonn]

That was a smashing day out. Laursen winding up Ibrahimovic all game and Ibra not getting a single decision in his favour.

It's a game that was so long ago that a) it was the first time we saw Nigel Reo-Coker play for us and b) we were pulling in over 36,000 people for a summer friendly.

I'm going to guess that Saturday's game won't be quite so well attended.

You were painting such a rosy picture of the recent past until that bit about ReoChoker

[Damo70]

My favourite moment of these "vaguely attractive" (mind you, Parma? Not so sure about that) home friendlies was prior to the Inter game a few years ago.

We were walking across the North Stand car park prior to the match, and their coach was easing its way through the crowds (not crowds trying to get a glimpse of the stars, btw, but crowds trying to get to the appropriate entrance to the game), we saw Luis Figo looking cool and acknowledging fans.

That wasn't the cool bit, though, the cool bit was when the coach driver drove straight into a wall.

My main memory of the Inter game is a load of us regulars from the local pub met up there quite early in the morning and then got a couple of taxis to carry on drinking near the ground. One of the lads thought it would be funny to make a prank phone call to the landlady of our local who wasn't known for her sense of humour. I can't remember the details of the call but she fell for it hook, line and sinker and he pushed it right to the limit. When we got back to the local after the game the atmosphere between the two of them was a tad frosty.

[silhillvilla]

Another season ticket holder not attending. Fear the season will be long enough as it is.

X 2

[Charlie8182]

Had a call from the ticket office last night thanking me for renewing my ST again and trying very hard to sell me tickets for this game. Methinks the latter was more important than the former. Wonder if they're struggling to sell? btw - lower tiers only open

Yep. I also had the call, trying to sell me tickets and was quizzed about why I wasn't going.

I mentioned that to Sheila, I've renewed my season ticket, and have already booked Stoke and Liverpool away.

She was quite apologetic after that.

I'm not sure i like the idea of receiving a phone call trying to flog me tickets for a friendly and especially if they ask you why you're not going. I'm happy with them asking you when you've rang up and brought tickets for something else but it just seems wrong otherwise.

I've just had a missed call from the Villa - presumably about going to this game but being at work I wasn't in a position to take the call.  They can bugger off, I'm not going and that's that.

[ADVILLAFAN]

Had a call from the ticket office last night thanking me for renewing my ST again and trying very hard to sell me tickets for this game. Methinks the latter was more important than the former. Wonder if they're struggling to sell? btw - lower tiers only open

Yep. I also had the call, trying to sell me tickets and was quizzed about why I wasn't going.

I mentioned that to Sheila, I've renewed my season ticket, and have already booked Stoke and Liverpool away.

She was quite apologetic after that.

I'm not sure i like the idea of receiving a phone call trying to flog me tickets for a friendly and especially if they ask you why you're not going. I'm happy with them asking you when you've rang up and brought tickets for something else but it just seems wrong otherwise.

I've just had a missed call from the Villa - presumably about going to this game but being at work I wasn't in a position to take the call.  They can bugger off, I'm not going and that's that.

It's no use hiding, they know where you live....

[PeterWithesShin]

I can see both points. On the one hand it would be annoying getting chased up over going to a friendly, on the other, if sales are way down I applaud them for trying to find out why. Even if it does seem obvious to us.
I remember when ST sales and attendances really dropped under Ellis, a regular moan in the fanzine, and amongst mates. was that 1000s of people were stopping going to VP and the club wasn't doing anything to find out why. I went from ST and European travel member to not renewing both, I never had a peep from the club as an example trying to find out why or tempt me back.

Of course, if they are trying aggressive selling of tickets then that is a different matter.

[somec]

I got a call as well which surprised me as I haven't had a season ticket for about 15 years and in recent years have only been to around 5 games a season.

Are they actually calling anyone who booked a ticket at some point last season?

I won't be going, as I explained to them, because as I am picking and choosing the games I go to I would rather go to a competitive match.

[silhillvilla]

My home phone has rung twice this afternoon. I've ignored it as it's probably them.

[London Villan]

The club were hoping for around 20-25k they will be lucky to get 10k. Only the lower teirs open,

[berneboy]

The club were hoping for around 20-25k they will be lucky to get 10k. Only the lower teirs open,

Buying online allows buying in the Witton and Holte upper - Trinity appears closed.

[silhillvilla]

The club were hoping for around 20-25k they will be lucky to get 10k. Only the lower teirs open,

Wtf do they expect after zero investment all summer . The club have this coming !