Christian Purslow - Resigned

[Drummond]

I think done ok is about right. He's not been as bad as some are making out.

I guess it all depends on what you think success looks like.

For some it's cheap tickets, cheap beer and pies, with somewhere to catch up with your mates. For others it's about the team and success on the pitch. For most it's a blend.

He's done fine, we're better off in every aspect than we were, though the fans are the ones paying the bill. Times are changing, we're on the up, the club is improved in virtually every metric going, except prices and service on matchday (which is a huge part of the fan experience).

[Sexual Ealing]

He'll probably be running for the Tories in one of the upcoming by-elections. He strikes me as a Rishi-loyalist.

[Dogtanian]

They do really need to sort out the catering though. It's always been bad, but surely it's low hanging fruit as far as increasing revenue is concerned.

Not satisfied with pricing out the common man, we're also now determined to starve any that have the temerity to still attend!

I've no doubt if Emery was put in charge of pies, it'd be absolutely world-class within a season, but I can't see him doing a tactical analysis of serving methods and queueing routes.

I've only been to one baseball game in the US, but the service there put Villa Park to shame. So I imagine Chris Heck would be whatever the American equivalent of flabbergasted is were he to spend a game trying to get his mitts on one of the fourteen balti pies they seem to have decided to prepare (and dry out) per stand. But again, I can't see this being high on his bonus list.

So who now is actually going to feed us? Questions need to be asked!

[VILLA MOLE]

If the next CEO can provide a decent catering service he can have a statue next to the new north stand

[Risso]

They do really need to sort out the catering though. It's always been bad, but surely it's low hanging fruit as far as increasing revenue is concerned.

Not satisfied with pricing out the common man, we're also now determined to starve any that have the temerity to still attend!

I've no doubt if Emery was put in charge of pies, it'd be absolutely world-class within a season, but I can't see him doing a tactical analysis of serving methods and queueing routes.

I've only been to one baseball game in the US, but the service there put Villa Park to shame. So I imagine Chris Heck would be whatever the American equivalent of flabbergasted is were he to spend a game trying to get his mitts on one of the fourteen balti pies they seem to have decided to prepare (and dry out) per stand. But again, I can't see this being high on his bonus list.

So who now is actually going to feed us? Questions need to be asked!

A lot of it comes down to space. We've got old, mostly badly designed, cramped concourses so trying to serve thousands of people at one time is always going to be a bit of an issue. Clubs where you can move people outside at half time in new pupose built facilities will always do better. That said, there's no excuse for how poor the actual service is.

[dave.woodhall]

He's done okay. Some things are better, some haven't improved and some are nothing more than you'd expect. Again, like Ellis. 

[London Villan]

He's been competent, which is more than some of the chancers we've had in charge.

[paul_e]

They do really need to sort out the catering though. It's always been bad, but surely it's low hanging fruit as far as increasing revenue is concerned.

Not satisfied with pricing out the common man, we're also now determined to starve any that have the temerity to still attend!

I've no doubt if Emery was put in charge of pies, it'd be absolutely world-class within a season, but I can't see him doing a tactical analysis of serving methods and queueing routes.

I've only been to one baseball game in the US, but the service there put Villa Park to shame. So I imagine Chris Heck would be whatever the American equivalent of flabbergasted is were he to spend a game trying to get his mitts on one of the fourteen balti pies they seem to have decided to prepare (and dry out) per stand. But again, I can't see this being high on his bonus list.

So who now is actually going to feed us? Questions need to be asked!

A lot of it comes down to space. We've got old, mostly badly designed, cramped concourses so trying to serve thousands of people at one time is always going to be a bit of an issue. Clubs where you can move people outside at half time in new pupose built facilities will always do better. That said, there's no excuse for how poor the actual service is.

I was just typing a post that's basically this. It'll be interesting to see how things change in the new north stand as that will give us the chance to add proper modern facilities. I guess, as much as it pisses people off, the new terrace view thing in the Holte will serve as a bit of a trial of how things can be improved, frustrating that fans are having to pay for the club to do that though.

[Pat Mustard]

Wonder if they will be looking to appoint someone just to be in charge of the stadium overhaul?  Obviously there is the new stand and Trinity renovation, but surely they will be looking to renovate the rest of the ground at some point and that will need a stadium design/management specialist.

I think with the way the club is being run that Purslow's role was just getting narrower and narrower.  Football decisions are overseen by Emery (and soon to be Monchi), Heck seems to be in overall commercial charge, and presumably the stadium redevelopment will be overseen by a new person.  We need to replace Purslow's expertise on the PL regulations and governance side of things, but presumably that is too narrow a role to justify what we would be paying him as CEO.  Given that he may well have decided he wanted out anyway, as it seems like most of the interesting jobs have been taken away from him.

[Brend'Watkins]

He'll probably be running for the Tories in one of the upcoming by-elections. He strikes me as a Rishi-loyalist.

That's exactly who he reminds me of. Says all the right things but acts differently. He did some good stuff although not enough of it.

[ChicagoLion]

Don't know why people think that FFP involves some sort of incredible insight and intelligence, its an accounting process, not rocket science.

[olaftab]

He'll probably be running for the Tories in one of the upcoming by-elections. He strikes me as a Rishi-loyalist.

Hahaha...more or less what I thought when I met him in a meeting organised by Supporters Trust. Good job there were still some covid protocols in place so I didn't have to shake his slime covered hand

[Billy Walker]

He'll probably be running for the Tories in one of the upcoming by-elections. He strikes me as a Rishi-loyalist.

Is all this Tory-stuff simply Red Scouse, chip-on-the-shoulder nonsense? I recently read Purslow's father's obituary and it seems Mr Purslow Sr was a devout Catholic and paid up member of the Labour Party.  Now, that doesn't necessarily mean CP was the same, but still...

[paul_e]

Don't know why people think that FFP involves some sort of incredible insight and intelligence, its an accounting process, not rocket science.

I don't know why people think football involves any great commitment or skill, it's just kicking a ball, not rocket science.

Or to put it in a less piss-taking way, if you have to follow any sort of regulation then having someone who was involved in writing it working for you will always be beneficial, even if it's a reasonably simple accounting process.

[SaddVillan]

Batted for us above our average at the EPL.

Negotiated the FFP rules and progressed the club from mid table Div 2 to European football next season.

Several missteps along the way, but imo he's been a big positive for us.

Fans are always going to moan.

He can't on his own improve transport to VP - that's down to Network Rail, Andy Street and West Midlands Travel.


We sell less than 750k shirts so are going to be at the back of the queue at the manufaacturers (who have a finite capacity) when it comes to ordering - 3m Real/ManU shirts  for Nike/Adidas is much more attractive the in terms of setting up production lines and profitability.

And don't compare facilities at Villa Park with Arse/Spuds and their Legobowls. Granted improvements could/should be made, but we've got  a unique ground standing on a Victorian footprint with space limitations which is yhe major problem.

Income comes from 4 sources - sponsorship/commercial, TV/EPL, UEFA income and ticket sales. NSWE have put millions into the club and as we move up, then the other revenue sources should increase and that is why Heck has come in. Despite price increases our tickers are still reasonably priced compared to the competition. It seems to me that some of us expect to pay pop bottle prices for champagne football.

Gerrard will always be held against him, but what doesn't kill  you makes you stronger and the subsequent and ingoing  transformation will I am sure see the Gerrard era and how it resulted in change as a  positive pivotal moment.

Purslow wasn't here to be liked, he did  what he was brought in to do.

Let's thank him for what he did, recognise that there's more to be done and move forward.