Quote from: paul_e on July 28, 2019, 09:45:59 PMQuote from: ChicagoLion on July 28, 2019, 09:12:25 PMI can not separate the Club from the Location.I know that there are lots of supporters that will stop going and that means future generations won’t become Villa fans.It will irreversibly change the Club, I think people should think a bit more deeper about heritage and authenticity and what will be lost.There's a balance, I've taken my kids once (about 18 months ago) and they're not interested in going again partly because they didn't like the ground and didn't enjoy the trip to get home afterwards (to be fair we were in the doug eliis stand and I know the Holte and Trinity are better). If there are options to improve facilities then not doing so because of nostalgia will be a much better way of losing the next generation than some supposed threat that people wouldn't go if we moved (it might be true for a very small number of people but I reckon within a year most of them would be back).I'm not even advocating moving, I just think that the logistics of modernising the ground where it is would leave us groundless for about 2 seasons, and that would do much more harm than moving, especially if we ended up completely rebuilding anyway (which would probably be needed).As i posted yesterday, the size of the plot we own is just too narrow, To keep the ground were it is but remove the constraints you'd need to buy out a massive chunk of Trinity Road, Witton Lane and Nelson Road, you'd then have to buy the gardens on Witton Lane and a big chunk of the park. Even then the Witton Lane side would be very narrow after you'd put the road back in (it's a B road so there's no chance you'd get away with not replacing it) so you'd probably extend a bit to take the near side of Holte Road as well.After all that you could end up with a plot like this:The niggle is that it'd be pushing on 2040 before you'd bought all that land and got all the permission to move roads, handled all the resident complaints, etc. Liverpool are often used as an example but it took them more than 20 years to complete the process and caused a lot of problems - https://www.theguardian.com/football/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2013/may/06/anfield-liverpool-david-connThis is why I'm of the opinion that if we see a realistic need for a 55-60000 stadium then we need to be open to moving a few miles away from where we are.If my kids didn't like Villa park I would sooner get some new kids rather than a new ground.
Quote from: ChicagoLion on July 28, 2019, 09:12:25 PMI can not separate the Club from the Location.I know that there are lots of supporters that will stop going and that means future generations won’t become Villa fans.It will irreversibly change the Club, I think people should think a bit more deeper about heritage and authenticity and what will be lost.There's a balance, I've taken my kids once (about 18 months ago) and they're not interested in going again partly because they didn't like the ground and didn't enjoy the trip to get home afterwards (to be fair we were in the doug eliis stand and I know the Holte and Trinity are better). If there are options to improve facilities then not doing so because of nostalgia will be a much better way of losing the next generation than some supposed threat that people wouldn't go if we moved (it might be true for a very small number of people but I reckon within a year most of them would be back).I'm not even advocating moving, I just think that the logistics of modernising the ground where it is would leave us groundless for about 2 seasons, and that would do much more harm than moving, especially if we ended up completely rebuilding anyway (which would probably be needed).As i posted yesterday, the size of the plot we own is just too narrow, To keep the ground were it is but remove the constraints you'd need to buy out a massive chunk of Trinity Road, Witton Lane and Nelson Road, you'd then have to buy the gardens on Witton Lane and a big chunk of the park. Even then the Witton Lane side would be very narrow after you'd put the road back in (it's a B road so there's no chance you'd get away with not replacing it) so you'd probably extend a bit to take the near side of Holte Road as well.After all that you could end up with a plot like this:The niggle is that it'd be pushing on 2040 before you'd bought all that land and got all the permission to move roads, handled all the resident complaints, etc. Liverpool are often used as an example but it took them more than 20 years to complete the process and caused a lot of problems - https://www.theguardian.com/football/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2013/may/06/anfield-liverpool-david-connThis is why I'm of the opinion that if we see a realistic need for a 55-60000 stadium then we need to be open to moving a few miles away from where we are.
I can not separate the Club from the Location.I know that there are lots of supporters that will stop going and that means future generations won’t become Villa fans.It will irreversibly change the Club, I think people should think a bit more deeper about heritage and authenticity and what will be lost.
It's a stretch to say that the Bartons is "around the ground"!
If we stay in the Prem, I can see us doing what Spurs have done, build the stadium on the (more or less) existing site. Unless the owners want somewhere more comercailly attractive, nearer the city centre.
Alexander Stadium has been suggested.
Are we not getting a bit Wolves with all this. We've had a bit of relative success and a few more fans are showing interest in terms of season tickets and suddenly we need 60,000 super stadiums in the city centre?? If this was them talking we'd all be taking the piss. Once this season's done and we've lost as many as we've won, finished mid table etc I'm sure season ticket levels will be back to where they were and sell outs will be only a handful of games. Talk of 35000 fans spread out in a 60000 seat ground will sound daft. Optimism and excitement is high right now and rightly we should try to capitalise on this but let's not start making us sound silly by talk of building a Spurs replica in the city centre. And to those who are criticising Villa Park and saying they'd like a move...yes she has her issues, concourse sizes etc, but she still has something special which no other ground has. It's Villa Park, it's beautiful, it has class, it's not covered in advertising, it's a football ground not a stadium, it's full of history and thousands of memories, it's perfectly imperfect, and it's in Aston. A bit like the old Trinity, once it's gone it's gone and whatever you replaced it with it just wouldn't be the same.
Quote from: Risso on July 28, 2019, 09:21:55 PMQuote from: ChicagoLion on July 28, 2019, 09:12:25 PMI can not separate the Club from the Location.I know that there are lots of supporters that will stop going and that means future generations won’t become Villa fans.Well, the whole idea is that MORE fans will be able go, so with all due respect, that's rubbish.I think plenty of West Ham fans said they wouldn't go if they left Upton Park. Maybe a few didn't, but they've still massively increased their support.
Quote from: ChicagoLion on July 28, 2019, 09:12:25 PMI can not separate the Club from the Location.I know that there are lots of supporters that will stop going and that means future generations won’t become Villa fans.Well, the whole idea is that MORE fans will be able go, so with all due respect, that's rubbish.
I can not separate the Club from the Location.I know that there are lots of supporters that will stop going and that means future generations won’t become Villa fans.