Next Season: Anyone positive

[aj2k77]

Why do we believe we will be able to sign better players than these as a Championship club if we (apparently) cant sign any better this January as a Premier League club?

I think it's more than the better Championship players, who may be fighting for promotion now are more likely to stick where they are with the hope of making promotion then join us with almost certain relegation. Summer we will be on an even footing with them and can offer more wages and a more attractive proposition, you'd hope.

[Louzie0]

I know, aj2k77, I'm hanging on for something this week.

[ciggiesnbeer]

I hope so as well.

My hope is that we do indeed spend big this window and Garde gets something to work with. My fear is obviously that Garde is not backed and will walk before season end.

We have a week to find out I guess.

[Louzie0]

Well, this is the positive thread, Ciggies!
Everything crossed.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Alright let me get my positives on We are gonna make a signing or two and they will be the missing pieces Garde needs to keep us up or lay the foundations for a team that can come right back up

[Dante Lavelli]

Why do we believe we will be able to sign better players than these as a Championship club if we (apparently) cant sign any better this January as a Premier League club?

I'm hoping that the sort of players we need are in demand at their clubs so are not available in a january window, whereas in the summer clubs are more accepting of the changes - Players on the up in other words.  The alternative are established players at big clubs and they probably don't want to leave or will only leave at the end of the window when they know there are no better offers.

[Louzie0]

Alright let me get my positives on We are gonna make a signing or two and they will be the missing pieces Garde needs to keep us up or lay the foundations for a team that can come right back up

God I hope you're right!

[PeterWithesShin]

Just had a thought. In the cup games where we don't expect much of a crowd they don't open the Upper Trinity...presuming the same applies in the Championship?

It's the most expensive seats, they'll open it. It's not like we'll be getting 20k every week, our average will be around 30K. And a fair bit higher if we're flying at/near the top.

[Toronto Villa]

If everything goes as hoped Villa Park will see good crowds and the odd sell out. When you consider how starved of success we have been overall of late and especially at home, I think once we get going fans will be happy to see a successful Villa team. Agree with PWS that we will average in the 30k range, around 32k my guess.

[cdbearsfan]

It'd be pretty embarrassing if they don't have the whole ground open. I've always thought we have a pretty loyal support and wouldn't desert in droves if we went down. Would be disappointing if the club assumed we were going to be unable to get close to filling the ground on a regular basis.

If they really do think we'll struggle to sell out then it might be a good time to increase number of tickets given over to local schools and plan for the future.

[passport1]

Not worried about loosing players if relegated as most of our squad is Championship standard. Most of the pros who comment on us say they are not good enough.

[Phil from the upper holte]

Don't want to state the obvious but we're either going to smash it or struggle. We're not very physical and that league is. It depends who stays and who comes in

[oswald funkletrumpet]

Don't want to state the obvious but we're either going to smash it or struggle. We're not very physical and that league is. It depends who stays and who comes in

agree with that

[Ger Regan]

It'd be pretty embarrassing if they don't have the whole ground open. I've always thought we have a pretty loyal support and wouldn't desert in droves if we went down. Would be disappointing if the club assumed we were going to be unable to get close to filling the ground on a regular basis.

If they really do think we'll struggle to sell out then it might be a good time to increase number of tickets given over to local schools and plan for the future.

To be fair, we're not even close to regularly filling the ground as it is, and we haven't for a good number of years, so I'm not sure it'd be that wild an assumption for the club to make.

[AVH87]

I think in the interests of atmosphere and having the other stands more packed out, they should close the Upper Trinity next season (if we don't pull off the miracle). That will reduce the capacity to around 37k I believe, and I'd be amazed if we got close to that for any games (with the possible exception of Small Heath). The Upper Trinity is hardly visible on TV anyway, so it will look better having the Trinity Middle etc more full, and is pointless having stewards/catering staff up there for the sake of a few hundred fans which it would be for some games.