Would you swap places with West Ham?

[castlefields_villan]

It's a complete no brainer whatever our current circumstances.

There's not a ground in the world anything like Villa Park and never has been.  Yes, the North Stand end could do with a bit of modernising (a wrap around to join the Trinity Road and Doug Ellis to increase capacity maybe ?), but it's still a million times better than most grounds.

NEVER, NEVER, EVER in a billion years.

[peter w]

Well in a billion years or so the sun will have probably gone into supernova so I think it would be unwise not to consider a move away by then.

[castlefields_villan]

Well in a billion years or so the sun will have probably gone into supernova so I think it would be unwise not to consider a move away by then.

 

[The Edge]

I wouldn't swap our history. If we had a new stadium (without a running track) with a 60,000 capacity which we actually looked likely to fill, we would get over Villa Park, just like Arsenal got over Highbury.

It would need to be somewhere sensible, preferably in Aston, not some out of town bowl like a bigger version of Stoke or Bolton.

I would hate to leave Villa Park. Even though it's not great anymore (Holte End an Trinity excepted). It's just the perfect setting for an iconic English stadium with masses of history and memories. If a new stadium was ever to be built we had the perfect spot. The  Serpentine, what a name for a stadium that would have made! Too late now
 As for Villa Park, when we finally do make the necessary improvements it has got to be a Holte Replica and a Trinity replica to to replace the North and Doug Ellis stands respectively.  What an awesome stadium that would be. And a chance to undo the ruined sightlines that Doug Ellis so wantonly landed us with. The Holte/Ellis corner which is an abomination of architectural vandalism is a monument to Deadly Dougs penny pinching mentality.

[Nelly]

Without meaning to go off on a tangent, I wouldn't be too keen on mirroring The Holte End with The North. Yes it needs updating but I like that The Holte stands alone, to mirror it's style might cheapen it? If The North Stand were to be updated, I would hope it would just be built into a grand stand in it's own right, something that fits Villa Park's legacy but not The Holte End 2.

[AVH87]

Because we dont have a very heavily subsidised new stadium and millions of pounds of TV money

However 40k at 300 pounds is 12 Million whilst 20k at 500 is 10 Million and 40k will generate more income in related sales.

40k season ticket holders is a pipedream, even if the whole ground was £300 we'd have under 30k ST holders. There are STs on sale now in the North Stand Upper for £325, I bet they don't all sell before the start of the season.

[AV82EC]

I've never liked the Holte as a double deck stand, the outside is magnificent but as ever with Ellis it was an opportunity missed to create a single tier piece of loveliness inside. The acoustics would be so much better as a single tier.

[Gary Penrice]

Without meaning to go off on a tangent, I wouldn't be too keen on mirroring The Holte End with The North. Yes it needs updating but I like that The Holte stands alone, to mirror it's style might cheapen it? If The North Stand were to be updated, I would hope it would just be built into a grand stand in it's own right, something that fits Villa Park's legacy but not The Holte End 2.

I totally agree! I probably didn't word it the best. I meant to try & replicate the seating but yes,definitely give it it's own unique exterior!

[martin o`who??]

No, Nein, Nyet - we can get our Premier place back in one season - giving away a hundred years-plus of Architectural history is another matter entirely, West Ham can keep their "Olympic Stadium" for all i care.

[Ads]

Well in a billion years or so the sun will have probably gone into supernova so I think it would be unwise not to consider a move away by then.

In a billion years, we'd still have another 4 billion of juice left in it.

[peter w]

I wouldn't risk it.

[rougegorge]

I love VP, although it's had precious little done on it in recent times. The North Stand has become a bit tatty and the Doug Ellis Stand isn't great, especially the way it was constructed.

Like others I would say never leave, but if we were to be in the Premiership, get a purpose built stadium nearby with all mod cons plus access, all at a daylight robbery price that enabled us to splash the cash, I suspect then some might be swayed.

[David_Nab]

City got a pretty decent deal with the city of manchester stadium , funded by lottery and Manchester City Council which made them more desirable and were purchased by the Abu Dhabi guys ..Not a doubt in my mind that Gold etc are going to try and do the same

[Pat McMahon]

If you are missing it I am too. I am completely bemused as to how they got away with it.

Yes, it's a complete mystery how West Ham (CEO Tory peer Baroness Brady) got such a deal for the Olympic Stadium from the London Legacy Development Corporation (then-chair Tory MP Boris Johnson) after it had been under the auspices of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (chair Tory peer Lord Coe.)

And the current Tory Prime Minister's favourite team, to boot.

[Steve R]

If you are missing it I am too. I am completely bemused as to how they got away with it.

Yes, it's a complete mystery how West Ham (CEO Tory peer Baroness Brady) got such a deal for the Olympic Stadium from the London Legacy Development Corporation (then-chair Tory MP Boris Johnson) after it had been under the auspices of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (chair Tory peer Lord Coe.)

I can understand how it happened, what surprises me (maybe it shouldn't) is how they are getting away with it. I still can't comprehend the Tevez-Mascherano clemency not provoking absolute absolute uproar either.