Holte End to be renamed?

[Ron Manager]

How many under 30 still call it the Witton Lane Stand? How many still call it the Witton End instead of North Stand? I always say North Stand as that's what it has been called all my Villa time as an example.

Thats right. Depends on your age and  you grew up knowing what each stand at Villa Park was called. They can call it what they like. It will still be The Holte End when I depart this world. But from the date they had to put seats in it it ceased to be the Holte End I knew. The magic has gone I'm afraid.

[Pete3206]

Personally, not really bothered.

Any potential sponsor however, might be concerned at the lack of bodies occupying the seats.

[citizenDJ]

I don't accept that every club does it as an argument either. They don't. Do as you wish with the others but leave the Hole alone.

I doubt that there are many suitors to name St Andrew's, anyway.

[bertlambshank]

Do you really think they would go through the hassle for as little as that per year?

Yes the Ricoh Arena is 7 Million over 10 years.Right next to the M6.
How much do you think anybody is going to pay to name a stand,that you might be able to see from the A38?
Say the club get the Witton renamed The Farmfoods Stand can you see the council being on with having that illuminated for all to see.The club had enough trouble getting the name of the club up in lights a few years back.
Somebody needs to tell Mr Fox this isn't London,we are not under any flight path like Fulham and we are just about too far away from the motorway to make make enough money.
Another ill thought idea from the club,and it doesn't surprise me in the slightest they have to make up the revenue of 10,000 fans somewhere,I just don't think they will make as much has they think.

[Billy Walker]

The North Stand - after redevelopment - is the natural place to kick-start the sponsorship of Villa Park's stands.  You don't start with the most prized stand, surely?

[go on the dog]

Ive no problem with it, I just hope they move on to the Doug Ellis stand next,

[mrastonvilla]

The Holte Chocolate stand, sponsored by Cadbury

[Chris Smith]

In an ideal world we would not do this but then again in an ideal world Brian Little and John Gidman would be forever young and I would have been to see The Clash at Barbarellas last night.

If it puts money into the coffer (and I am sure they wouldn't go to all the hassle of changing signage, literature, software etc if it isn't a significant amount) then I can live with it while having a few tuts and grumbles to myself about the times we live in.

[Ron Manager]

The real damage to the history of the club was the wanton vandalism of the old Trinity. The Holte End is just words. Ellis was the one who sold our birthright for a mess of pottage.

and Fred Rinder who was the driving force in developing the stand, and very much hands on in maintaining it in all respects, would no doubt have knocked it down as well. Fred and Doug were the most progressive Chairmen we have ever had and upset a lot of people a lot of the time. Fred wanted a stadium that could hold 120,000. It may not have happened but Fred wanted the absolute best for Aston Villa.

Fred seems have been forgotten by the club and for a man tinged with Villa greatness that is very wrong!

[Ads]

It's not about how you can see it from the A38, but about how it's mentioned on MotD, Sky and foreign channels every week.

[bertlambshank]

It's not about how you can see it from the A38, but about how it's mentioned on MotD, Sky and foreign channels every week.

No it isn't,that's the stadium naming.
Can you name me one stand anywhere that is sponsored that you hear regularly by commentators?

[Ads]

Count how many times the Holte End is mentioned when we play today.

[Lastfootstamper]

Count how many times the Holte End is mentioned when we play today.

But surely that's because it IS the Holte End, a famous part of the ground.

[bertlambshank]

Count how many times the Holte End is mentioned when we play today.

I didn't ask that.

[DB]

This is similar to the Greater Brum & Black Country discussion for the wider new West Midlands combined authority.

Do you want to stick to your roots and identity or for increased investment, change your name?