Aston Villa vs. Man City Post-Match Thread

[cheltenhamlion]

Sitting in L7,was sad to see people getting chucked out after 4 mins for ,I believe persistent standing.It seems the stewards have been over zealous with the Brigada lot.Im not a member and sit about 12 rows back,but would love to know the score.

1 member was ejected after just 4 minutes for standing, despite the fact they actually sat down when requested, another 12 people were thrown out during the first half, also for standing. They were all issued with letters informing them they're banned for the next 3 home games.  I don't think this happened anywhere apart from the L7/L9 area of the ground and the fact that there were about a dozen stewards and the same number of police waiting for us on arrival and the letters had been pre-printed suggests this was always going to happen regardless. I think everyone who was ejected also had their details taken under section 50 and were filmed by police.

This just seems crazy and massively over the top to me. Whatever anyone may think of The Brigada lot they have nothing but the full and vocal support of our team at heart. I believe that they've moved this season so that they obstruct fewer fans' view of the pitch, so are clearly making some kind of effort to respond to complaints. The persistent standers at Palace seem to do so with the blessing of their club. Why can't we embrace it in the same way? We all know about the legal stuff yet see it flouted at every ground, every week.

Quite the opposite in terms of where they sit. Their relationship with the club broke down (very likely with fault on both sides) but moving to the front few rows of L7 was daft on their behalf.

[brontebilly]

I didn't see Delph getting close to scoring, I don't think I would have been able to handle that.

I was waiting for the sickener when that shot he had in extra time went just wide of the post. I was right in line with it and thought it was going in - fortunately it slithered wide

Guzan seemed to have a delayed reaction for it, maybe Hutton was blocking his view but there is no way a shot of that pace should be rolling in the corner

[class-of-82]

I for the life of me cannot remember how long it's been that I seen a villa team play with the confidence we had on Sunday.
10/10 remi from me

[Clampy]

Sitting in L7,was sad to see people getting chucked out after 4 mins for ,I believe persistent standing.It seems the stewards have been over zealous with the Brigada lot.Im not a member and sit about 12 rows back,but would love to know the score.

1 member was ejected after just 4 minutes for standing, despite the fact they actually sat down when requested, another 12 people were thrown out during the first half, also for standing. They were all issued with letters informing them they're banned for the next 3 home games.  I don't think this happened anywhere apart from the L7/L9 area of the ground and the fact that there were about a dozen stewards and the same number of police waiting for us on arrival and the letters had been pre-printed suggests this was always going to happen regardless. I think everyone who was ejected also had their details taken under section 50 and were filmed by police.

This just seems crazy and massively over the top to me. Whatever anyone may think of The Brigada lot they have nothing but the full and vocal support of our team at heart. I believe that they've moved this season so that they obstruct fewer fans' view of the pitch, so are clearly making some kind of effort to respond to complaints. The persistent standers at Palace seem to do so with the blessing of their club. Why can't we embrace it in the same way? We all know about the legal stuff yet see it flouted at every ground, every week.

Quite the opposite in terms of where they sit. Their relationship with the club broke down (very likely with fault on both sides) but moving to the front few rows of L7 was daft on their behalf.

Going by the video Legion put up, fair enough if the row in front had been stood up, but they wasn't. Haven't got to much sympathy in all honesty.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Sitting in L7,was sad to see people getting chucked out after 4 mins for ,I believe persistent standing.It seems the stewards have been over zealous with the Brigada lot.Im not a member and sit about 12 rows back,but would love to know the score.

1 member was ejected after just 4 minutes for standing, despite the fact they actually sat down when requested, another 12 people were thrown out during the first half, also for standing. They were all issued with letters informing them they're banned for the next 3 home games.  I don't think this happened anywhere apart from the L7/L9 area of the ground and the fact that there were about a dozen stewards and the same number of police waiting for us on arrival and the letters had been pre-printed suggests this was always going to happen regardless. I think everyone who was ejected also had their details taken under section 50 and were filmed by police.

This just seems crazy and massively over the top to me. Whatever anyone may think of The Brigada lot they have nothing but the full and vocal support of our team at heart. I believe that they've moved this season so that they obstruct fewer fans' view of the pitch, so are clearly making some kind of effort to respond to complaints. The persistent standers at Palace seem to do so with the blessing of their club. Why can't we embrace it in the same way? We all know about the legal stuff yet see it flouted at every ground, every week.

Quite the opposite in terms of where they sit. Their relationship with the club broke down (very likely with fault on both sides) but moving to the front few rows of L7 was daft on their behalf.

Genuinely no idea of how it affects those around them chelts...can't tell from where I sit/stand. I naively accept that they are doing their best to support the team...at what cost to others around them I honestly have no idea.

[cheltenhamlion]

Look, the impression I get is there is wrong on both sides. They are now both so entrenched they need an impartial referee.  The Trust have offered to play the bald Italian fella!

Let us hope we can get everyone round a table imminently and sort it out. We can't condone persistent standing or crapping on ground regulations. Nor can we back the club trying their best to screw Brigada as they are pissed off with them.

As always, the tightrope we walk on brokering deals with the club.

[MonsXI]

This is the block the club set aside last season as the singing section.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

It would be good to see it resolved amicably...and good luck to all involved if it gets to some kind of discussion/meeting.

[Skerra]

Just my humble opinion but, the same as I have to put up with the no smoking policy so, should the people that stand up. Let me give you one example. I paid something like £120 for my FA Cup Final ticket only for the whole section in front of me deciding they would stand up through out the whole match. I was really pissed off as my view was restricted for the whole of the match. Stewards did diddly squat about it and, the few that did ask for the people that were standing in front of them to sit down were met with vitriol and abuse. This is sadly what happens when you let a group of people take the law into their own hands. Bet if I'd have lit up a fag, I would have been kicked out of there within 5 seconds.

Until the law is changed and allows standing in certain areas people should just go along with it

[paul_e]

Just my humble opinion but, the same as I have to put up with the no smoking policy so, should the people that stand up. Let me give you one example. I paid something like £120 for my FA Cup Final ticket only for the whole section in front of me deciding they would stand up through out the whole match. I was really pissed off as my view was restricted for the whole of the match. Stewards did diddly squat about it and, the few that did ask for the people that were standing in front of them to sit down were met with vitriol and abuse. This is sadly what happens when you let a group of people take the law into their own hands. Bet if I'd have lit up a fag, I would have been kicked out of there within 5 seconds.

Until the law is changed and allows standing in certain areas people should just go along with it

So what you're saying is people standing up blocked you from seeing the cup final?  Does that mean you're in favour of it? (winky thingy)


More seriously I agree with the sentiment, Brigada can't win in this by refusing to sit and pissing the club off, they need to work with them a lot more by pushing the safe standing thing, there's absolutely no good reason not to bring safe standing areas in (in my opinion anyone who thinks there is hasn't done any research into it and is talking about old style terraces) but if clubs are having trouble making their fans follow the rules as they are now it weakens the position in trying to get this off the ground.  Has anyone discussed this with the club since Faulkner left, has anything moved forward and are Brigada putting in any effort to support it?  Lots of questions I know but they're things that they really need to answer and then they need to get in touch with people like Amfy and try to build some bridges.

[in exile]

I noticed that our local neighbourhood Brigada were busy steward bating and being ejected during the early stages of the first half

[amfy]

The club can't implement a safe standing section without a national policy change. The Hilsborough case being heard has led to a respectful step back. Once that is finished, I think we can expect some national momentum to pick up again.

With regard to Brigada - I have said before that they need to 'give' a little and sit when asked, but I have noticed in the last few games that they have been doing this but it is not helping. They are clearly being targeted and stewards moving in on them within second of them standing up, and actively working on keeping them seated throughout, which is actually way beyond what is legally required.

The argument from the club everywhere Brigada have tried to set up has been around them pissing off 'existing season ticket holders' who want to sit. From where I am about 15 rows behind Brigada's current position, I can see that this is a genuine issue. However, when the club wanted to extend the corporate area in the centre of The Trinity Road Stand, they seemed to have far less regard for existing season ticket holders, and got them all to shift.

The will needs to be there. I would say that the club should find an area (possibly the back of L8 where Brigada were before, or the little triangle between the Holte & Trinity where the safe standing trial was proposed), get some good legal advice on how to compose a letter suggesting to existing season ticket holders that if they don't want to stand, they can be incentivised to move. Then get on with it. The club really doesn't need to be draining the last bit of life from Villa Park right now.

[bruisedshins]

Just to clear a couple of things up. Brigada have been in discussions with the club and have been told that they can only stand when they see others standing in the Holte End, so the group are supposed to wait for others to stand before doing so. On Sunday for the start of the game at least the whole Holte looked like it was standing. The group stood up and got behind the team. The stewards then informed the group to sit, which they did for around 30 seconds, then Villa attacked so they stood again. This is when the stewards started kicking people out on threat of arrest.

The reason we left L8 is because the area was too small for others to join us, this was compounded by the club blocking 20-30 seats from sale every game, meaning that others could not buy season tickets in the area. We moved to L7 because there was a group of around 50 seats which meant others from North stand and upper holte could join us. We could've moved to other areas of the lower holte but wanted to remain part of the "singin section" that was established last Spring. It was agreed with the club that there would be a more laid back approach from stewards in this area to help create an atmosphere, that's why we were under the impression that standing would be tolerated as is the case in L8, K4 and R1. We let the club know of our desire to move to L7. However the "singing section" wasn't publicised as well as it could of been and I think this could've really helped because people would know what to expect.

The only option the club have given us is to relocate to the back of the upper Holte end and cough up £40 each for the privelege. Obviously this isn't conducive to putting on the kind of displays we've been doing over the last 4 years so we've rejected it. We're open to suggestions on how to resolve this but we're not about to drop the last 4 years of effort to be shunted to somewhere we can't do what we were formed to do.

The standing issue is a tricky one for the club, they can't be seen to condone it, however other clubs like Palace, Man City, Watford, Middlesborough and Cardiff have all managed to come to arrangements with their fans who want to stand and I think this is something Villa could do if the will was there.

[Dave]

Just to clear a couple of things up. Brigada have been in discussions with the club and have been told that they can only stand when they see others standing in the Holte End, so the group are supposed to wait for others to stand before doing so.

I don't particularly have any dog in this fight, but that sounds like a pretty half-arsed solution for them to have come up with.

[Clampy]

Just to clear a couple of things up. Brigada have been in discussions with the club and have been told that they can only stand when they see others standing in the Holte End, so the group are supposed to wait for others to stand before doing so. On Sunday for the start of the game at least the whole Holte looked like it was standing. The group stood up and got behind the team. The stewards then informed the group to sit, which they did for around 30 seconds, then Villa attacked so they stood again. This is when the stewards started kicking people out on threat of arrest.

The reason we left L8 is because the area was too small for others to join us, this was compounded by the club blocking 20-30 seats from sale every game, meaning that others could not buy season tickets in the area. We moved to L7 because there was a group of around 50 seats which meant others from North stand and upper holte could join us. We could've moved to other areas of the lower holte but wanted to remain part of the "singin section" that was established last Spring. It was agreed with the club that there would be a more laid back approach from stewards in this area to help create an atmosphere, that's why we were under the impression that standing would be tolerated as is the case in L8, K4 and R1. We let the club know of our desire to move to L7. However the "singing section" wasn't publicised as well as it could of been and I think this could've really helped because people would know what to expect.

The only option the club have given us is to relocate to the back of the upper Holte end and cough up £40 each for the privelege. Obviously this isn't conducive to putting on the kind of displays we've been doing over the last 4 years so we've rejected it. We're open to suggestions on how to resolve this but we're not about to drop the last 4 years of effort to be shunted to somewhere we can't do what we were formed to do.

The standing issue is a tricky one for the club, they can't be seen to condone it, however other clubs like Palace, Man City, Watford, Middlesborough and Cardiff have all managed to come to arrangements with their fans who want to stand and I think this is something Villa could do if the will was there.

Out of interest, what row were you on and were you the chap who rang up Paul Franks about it earlier?