Neutral section at VP?

[Dave]

...so I don't see the need for it.   

You don't think that any of the examples that I gave are possible?

Dave, I think you've put forward a decent case, but I still think the cons outweigh the pros. For one, I think for every potentially convertible school kid who'll make the most of it, you'll get a genuine away fan who just wasn't able to get a ticket in the away-end. It would just lead to many more of the incidents described in this thread, and probably a great deal more disgruntlement of actual Villa fans.

Also, where would we feasibly house this 'neutral'section?

How about four sections of the Witton or the Trinity? And any current season ticket holders are moved to a parallel section (so at most a few dozen seats in one direction or another) with a discount for the first year to compensate for their trouble. And if it doesn't work then after a couple of seasons it's quietly shelved. And they can move back if they really want to.

And how about you add the proviso in that if you're buying tickets in that section you need to be purchasing at least one junior ticket or one OAP ticket. Problem solved.

[tomd2103]

The problem with the "should away fans be in our end" and this thread is that it goes against why I attend Villa Park.

But this wouldn't be "away fans in our end" it would be a small section of seats allocated to families of both clubs who would know that they would be sitting with opposition fans who might cheer when they score but don't mind.
You could still vent and swear to your heart's content wherever you are sat because the only way this little section could possibly annoy you is if you deliberately buy tickets in it.

It's an idea, but the very thought that we're only having this debate because a "Man Yoo" gloryhunting bell end (from our own city as well) has played the victim card when he's clearly been in the wrong does stick in the throat a little. 

[glasses]

...so I don't see the need for it.   

You don't think that any of the examples that I gave are possible?

Dave, I think you've put forward a decent case, but I still think the cons outweigh the pros. For one, I think for every potentially convertible school kid who'll make the most of it, you'll get a genuine away fan who just wasn't able to get a ticket in the away-end. It would just lead to many more of the incidents described in this thread, and probably a great deal more disgruntlement of actual Villa fans.

Also, where would we feasibly house this 'neutral'section?

How about four sections of the Witton or the Trinity? And any current season ticket holders are moved to a parallel section (so at most a few dozen seats in one direction or another) with a discount for the first year to compensate for their trouble. And if it doesn't work then after a couple of seasons it's quietly shelved. And they can move back if they really want to.

And how about you add the proviso in that if you're buying tickets in that section you need to be purchasing at least one junior ticket or one OAP ticket. Problem solved.

I think that's the deal with the family section at the moment.

It seems to me that some of the most vociferous detractors perhaps don't have children, or have never sat in the family section of the ground, and perhaps don't even know where it is

[Can Gana Be Bettered!?!?]

Ha! A neutral section at Villa Park!?!?!?!? Who on earth would think "Hmm...I'm in need of some entertainment, I wonder what I could do...I know I'll go and enjoy a game at football at Villa Park!"

It's a struggle for Villa fans to go down Villa Park, let alone neutrals!

[Dave Cooper please]

As PWS said, when you stand outside selling fanzines for two hours you find yourself amazed at just how many tourists and day-tripper types turn up, and not just for the really big games either.

[Drummond]

As PWS said, when you stand outside selling fanzines for two hours you find yourself amazed at just how many tourists and day-tripper types turn up, and not just for the really big games either.

Ah, the good old days...

This is it. We hardly ever sell out, there were plenty of unsold tickets on Saturday, why not provide an area for families to go?

I'm a Villa fan obviously, but my local ground is Bramall Lane; when my little girl is old enough, I'll take her along and sit somewhere where she can enjoy the game, away from the angry mob mentality that shows itself at most grounds  (that I like to be a part of myself).

[Witton Warrior]

Dave, I think what you're after isn't so much a neutral stand, but more a dedicated, properly organized, not open to abuse, kids and families stand. I'd suggest utilizing some of the wide-open spaces in the UT, but you'd have some natives disgruntled with any disparity in ticket prices (unless you were born there, there's no concession).

My throw-away comment about the UT being that "zone" was only half a joke.
A1 is already used for school-age kids and other groups from what I can see - the clientele of A2 are decent people who only occasionally tut at a yob like me (I would tut at me as well)

[Witton Warrior]

The problem with the "should away fans be in our end" and this thread is that it goes against why I attend Villa Park.

But this wouldn't be "away fans in our end" it would be a small section of seats allocated to families of both clubs who would know that they would be sitting with opposition fans who might cheer when they score but don't mind.
You could still vent and swear to your heart's content wherever you are sat because the only way this little section could possibly annoy you is if you deliberately buy tickets in it.

It was more the "being reasonable with the opposition" feeling - your point is taken about my choice not to go near it though

[KevinGage]

From the top down we already act as the smallest big club in the top flight, so why not.

Opposition fans love coming to Villa Park. Good day out, good chance of picking up three easy points, so it seems only right to let them sit where they want.

Four more years of Lambert will probably ensure that we can make all four stands neutral just to get a semi respectable gate. Perhaps that's the plan.

[London Villan]

There is also a difference between being neutral and hopping up and down when the away team scores as the thick Brummie red did.

[cdbearsfan]

As PWS said, when you stand outside selling fanzines for two hours you find yourself amazed at just how many tourists and day-tripper types turn up, and not just for the really big games either.

Ah, the good old days...

This is it. We hardly ever sell out, there were plenty of unsold tickets on Saturday, why not provide an area for families to go?

I'm a Villa fan obviously, but my local ground is Bramall Lane; when my little girl is old enough, I'll take her along and sit somewhere where she can enjoy the game, away from the angry mob mentality that shows itself at most grounds  (that I like to be a part of myself).

Do Sheffield United have a neutral section?

[Dave Cooper please]

From the top down we already act as the smallest big club in the top flight, so why not.

Opposition fans love coming to Villa Park. Good day out, good chance of picking up three easy points, so it seems only right to let them sit where they want.

Four more years of Lambert will probably ensure that we can make all four stands neutral just to get a semi respectable gate. Perhaps that's the plan.

Well done. Another thread hijacked by someone desperate to have a pop at the club.

[peter w]

As PWS said, when you stand outside selling fanzines for two hours you find yourself amazed at just how many tourists and day-tripper types turn up, and not just for the really big games either.

Ah, the good old days...

This is it. We hardly ever sell out, there were plenty of unsold tickets on Saturday, why not provide an area for families to go?

I'm a Villa fan obviously, but my local ground is Bramall Lane; when my little girl is old enough, I'll take her along and sit somewhere where she can enjoy the game, away from the angry mob mentality that shows itself at most grounds  (that I like to be a part of myself).

Do Sheffield United have a neutral section?

Nah. it's juts mostly empty.

[IAmTheOneIanOlney]

I'm a bit torn on this whole issue. As I said in another thread, I thought the neutral bit at Fulham was "naff" (possibly not the most objective way to describe it), and as I lived in Putney for a few years, I went in there a handful of times. My experience there (once watching Villa and other times as a genuine neutral with mates who wanted to see Everton and Palace) was that you couldn't display colours, stand/sing along when the away fans did and generally got asked to keep quiet. I think others have had different experiences to me, so it was perhaps an ever-evolving thing, but at times, it was more akin to watching tennis. Mind you, Craven Cottage as a whole is quite quiet.

However, that wasn't a problem with the neutral section, but more to do with my viewpoint as a mid-twenties fan out with some mates  - particularly watching Villa, where my approach to the game obviously wasn't tailored to neutrality. If I was to take my two-year-old boy to a game now and wanted a safe, calm introduction to the game for him, then a section free of vitriol and tribalism would certainly appeal.

[JUAN PABLO]

No thanks