NSWE Investment

[Tayls_7]

I'm surprised so many of you dislike our ground. I must be overly sentimental.

You're not.

[jon collett]

I'm surprised so many of you dislike our ground. I must be overly sentimental.

Me too but I highly doubt it’s representative.

Villa Park is unique and on a magnificent setting with the Hall and the Church.

We’ve never been an inner city Club and I very much doubt the majority of supporters would want to be.

[Dante Lavelli]

Currently the only stand that has any architectural merit is the holte end, and that was built when i was about 18.  We’ve already bulldozed the bits that were genuinely worth saving. 

[PeterWithesShin]

There's far far more to VP than the stands, but that's probably only for those of us with Peter Morris style romance.

[aj2k77]

When the original Holte was demolished my Dad would take me up during the summer because for a time you could see on to the pitch and the rest of the ground through the demolition.  I know the ground has changed but the walk still feels the same to me. Some days we would sit on the hill of Aston Park and look across at the ground. Sitting on the hill looking across, the ground has changed but the view still feels the same to me.

 If we were to move, as Ads said, there would be new traditions, new views and routines and it would be progression. None of it would carry the same weight in the heart for me. I hope we find a way of continuing to play at Villa Park whilst being able to compete. The ground and surrounding area is very special and a sport that already at times feels different would lose another string that attaches me to it.

[Percy McCarthy]

It's when you honestly answer the question Dave W posed a few weeks ago about what would Frederick Rinder have thought that you realise that to signiificantly move the club forward it probably is time to move on from Villa Park in the near(ish) future.

I don't believe anyone here ever met Rinder, let alone knows would what he would think in 2024.

We can know him by his words. Something like:

“This is not a mere business. This is* Aston Villa Football Club, and it* deserves nothing but the best”.

*You can change it to ‘these are’ and ‘they’ if that floats your boat.

[Richard E]

I’m all in favour of moving. As historic as Villa Park is, it’s too small, it’s in a shit area, it’s crap to get away from, and most of the stands and facilities are well out of date.

I must admit I’m coming more and more round to this view as well.

[kippaxvilla2]

So are we moving or not? 

[tony scott]

A ground I first went in 1959, this has changed over the years, but lately is unsurisingly begining to look out of date.  I haven’t been there for 3 years, due to my current location. I think we may have to consider a ground share
for two seasons demolish and rebuild the stadium. I don’t think there are many viable decent locations

[tomd2103]

I'm surprised so many of you dislike our ground. I must be overly sentimental.

I love it, even though it's never been the same since the Holte became an all-seater.  It's notable on the walk to the ground on matchdays how many away fans you overhear saying things like "I like coming here, it's a proper football ground".   

I've been going to Villa Park for nearly 40 years now  and during that time, the big question has always been "how floes the club move to that next level?".  From all the figures about revenues etc. flying around, the answer is pretty clear. 

It woukd be a huge wrench to leave Villa Park, but I've always thought that the only way I'd entertain the idea was if it was a spectacular stadium in the city centre.  When you look at the ground in Lille we'll be playing in on Thursday night (with retractable roof) then something like that in the city centre would be worth consideration.

[Ads]

I dont dislike it, but the game has moved on in ways that were not imagined when the Holte was built, never mind in 1897. I don't want us to be left behind and I quite like the idea personally of a grand statement piece right in the heart of the city we've dominated since day dot.

[Villan82]

The game has moved on but what we have and where we have it is definitely something special. Whatever redevelopment has happened it has always retained an aura of something special. It's the one ground that has been tastefully modernised. People say 'oh the new holte is only 30 years old' but look at it! It's a beaut! The old Trinity was a true icon and stood for  75 years. To me the new Holte is iconic even if it is just a nod to the old Trinity.  There is an aura at Villa Park and that's why the redevelopment option is attractive to me.

If we leave there for good, they had better have something very special lined up to replace it and not some stadium indistinguishable  from all the other boring modern stadiums

[luke95]

The only way I can see a new super stadium in the city centre is by ground sharing with that lot .

Who knows Heck may of even been intouch regards the wheels site.

[Villan82]

The only way I can see a new super stadium in the city centre is by ground sharing with that lot .

Who knows Heck may of even been intouch regards the wheels site.

He wouldn't dare, would he? Giving up Villa Park would be bad enough without something like that. Surely that would be like Rule No. 1 on a  list of things Not To Do in the club CEO handbook?

[PeterWithe]

I’d be surprised if that thought hadn’t occurred to him.