NSWE Investment

[Nev]

I've long been obsessed with football grounds, it's an absolute treasure trove of fascinating information with much of their development and character mirroring that of the nation particularly through the vernacular used in the names of grounds, stands and terraces.

I would like the North Stand (exterior wise anyway) to be red brick but something different from the Holte, which in itself is a pastiche of the old Trinity Road Stand (to quote Inglis). Interior wise the only thing I would like, as I have mentioned before, and referenced above, it to see the AV picked out in the seats.

When you get rid of an old stand I think it's important to retain something of the old character to keep those vitally important links with the past. Woolwich Arsenal found that out when they had to belatedly install a clock at one end of Ashburton Grove to differentiate the ends in what is a fairly drab and featureless ground.

[The Edge]

Yeah I agree. Not so fussed over new grounds. Like you say, bowls are a bit meh, but I love seeing the evolution of grounds. Hillsborough as a nipper fascinated me, with that opened ended corner they have next to the Leppings Lane End.

Same here I've always been a football stadium geek. I love quirky stuff like the randomly planted 2 tiered block of seats at the old Stamford Bridge for example or Fenway Park in America. Have you ever seen The Bombaniero? I've probably spelt that wrong but I think it's Boca Juniors stadium. Three huge stands then one side that just rises vertically with balconies due to road restrictions. Utterly bonkers but esthetically fascinating. That's why no matter what they do Villa Park has to remain unique. The idea of yet another bowl leaves me cold. I look forward to seeing the new plans.

[chrisw1]

To be honest I’m slightly disappointed with the 50k target, which I think would take us to 9th biggest in the PL. I guess it’s the hospitality that brings in the big bucks, but when we’re spending all this money it would have made more sense to me to push up to 55k if at all possible.

[ADVILLAFAN]

Mentioned to bloke at work about Villa Park being 125 years old and he was impressed but said "but is it like Trigger's broom?".

 

[cdbearsfan]

If you mirrored the Holte, but with the benefit of having it flush, you'd probably have a 14-15,000 seater. That's an additional 8,000 taking us to 50,000. If you fill the corners you'd have maybe 2,500-3000 each side? Taking us to ~55,000

Yeah maybe that would work. It's a shame we can't seem to do much with the WL Stand.

Part of me still thinks that whatever we propose, the council will block it, and then we have to start debating whether we build a new ground. We will see, I suppose.

[DB]

Maybe with the WL they are seeing how these phases go first. If we keep selling out with +50K and the waiting list is still healthy, they may well doing something...IMO it needs demolition too, such a shit stand for 2022.

[FrankyH]

If you mirrored the Holte, but with the benefit of having it flush, you'd probably have a 14-15,000 seater. That's an additional 8,000 taking us to 50,000. If you fill the corners you'd have maybe 2,500-3000 each side? Taking us to ~55,000

Yeah maybe that would work. It's a shame we can't seem to do much with the WL Stand.

Part of me still thinks that whatever we propose, the council will block it, and then we have to start debating whether we build a new ground. We will see, I suppose.

No proof or evidence to qualify this , but I always thought that Mr Ellis had probably rubbed up people in the council the wrong way and hence the bickering we witnessed back then . Wasn't it someone from the council who penned the phrase "four sheds" ? Probably a bitter bluenose scoring cheap points . Anyway I have filled out the 2 surveys and have requested a replica of the claret & blue fibre glass curved  facia that ran along the Trinity road stand between the upper and lower stands facing the pitch.

[Drummond]

It doesn't look shit from the outside though, which is part of the issue. Correct me of in wrong, but I don't think it was mentioned at all. That suggests to me that it's the next thing to be looked at bit nobody wants to upset the local residents until after the really big job of doing the North.

[chrisw1]

The WL is landlocked though.  Shit as it is (and it’s really shit in the concourse) there’s nothing they can really do to increase capacity.  The North stand is really the only one that isn’t restricted by space, so really it’s our one shot at getting us up to a competitive capacity, hence my comment above re 50k.  I guess they will be able to tweak by filling in corners in the future etc, but that will be limited by the initial design

[dave.woodhall]

If you mirrored the Holte, but with the benefit of having it flush, you'd probably have a 14-15,000 seater. That's an additional 8,000 taking us to 50,000. If you fill the corners you'd have maybe 2,500-3000 each side? Taking us to ~55,000

Yeah maybe that would work. It's a shame we can't seem to do much with the WL Stand.

Part of me still thinks that whatever we propose, the council will block it, and then we have to start debating whether we build a new ground. We will see, I suppose.

No proof or evidence to qualify this , but I always thought that Mr Ellis had probably rubbed up people in the council the wrong way and hence the bickering we witnessed back then . Wasn't it someone from the council who penned the phrase "four sheds" ? Probably a bitter bluenose scoring cheap points . Anyway I have filled out the 2 surveys and have requested a replica of the claret & blue fibre glass curved  facia that ran along the Trinity road stand between the upper and lower stands facing the pitch.

It's a completely different world now. Purslow assured the FCG that the council want to work with us. They see Villa Park as a tourist attraction, particularly if we get the Euros. It's a far cry from when Doug would attempt to dictate to the council and ignore the locals, at a time when nobody wanted a football ground in the vicinity.

[hipkiss92]

If you mirrored the Holte, but with the benefit of having it flush, you'd probably have a 14-15,000 seater. That's an additional 8,000 taking us to 50,000. If you fill the corners you'd have maybe 2,500-3000 each side? Taking us to ~55,000

Yeah maybe that would work. It's a shame we can't seem to do much with the WL Stand.

Part of me still thinks that whatever we propose, the council will block it, and then we have to start debating whether we build a new ground. We will see, I suppose.

I can't believe they will have got this far without having consulted the council

[BC Villain]

Exciting sounding plans.

One thing.  Did I hear right that Purslow indicated Villa Park in its current state wouldn't be used if the UK stages Euro 2028?  I don't agree with that.

Villa Park might not be as modern as other grounds, but it's still far bigger than any other stadium in the Midlands.  Hardly going to pick rickety St Andrews instead are they?

[DB]

Exciting sounding plans.

One thing.  Did I hear right that Purslow indicated Villa Park in its current state wouldn't be used if the UK stages Euro 2028?  I don't agree with that.

Villa Park might not be as modern as other grounds, but it's still far bigger than any other stadium in the Midlands.  Hardly going to pick rickety St Andrews instead are they?

Maybe he was referring to UEFA minimum standards & facilities needed to put on matches and not just based on capacity

[nigel]

Exciting sounding plans.

One thing.  Did I hear right that Purslow indicated Villa Park in its current state wouldn't be used if the UK stages Euro 2028?  I don't agree with that.

Villa Park might not be as modern as other grounds, but it's still far bigger than any other stadium in the Midlands.  Hardly going to pick rickety St Andrews instead are they?

I think he meant they would overlook the West Midlands altogether.

[dave.woodhall]

Exciting sounding plans.

One thing.  Did I hear right that Purslow indicated Villa Park in its current state wouldn't be used if the UK stages Euro 2028?  I don't agree with that.

Villa Park might not be as modern as other grounds, but it's still far bigger than any other stadium in the Midlands.  Hardly going to pick rickety St Andrews instead are they?

There's a load of criteria to qualify as Uefa-
 standard, much of it not related to the ground itself, and we fall short in a few areas. Believe it or not, transport is one of them.