Dean Smith - Confirmed

[Ian.]

I think we’ve misinterpreted your very blunt answer though Chicago. Apologies to you as I see what you mean now.

[ChicagoLion]

I think we’ve misinterpreted your very blunt answer though Chicago. Apologies to you as I see what you mean now.

Thanks mate,I was a little surprised by the reactions.
Some people seem to look out for things to take offence, when there is none meant.

[Ian.]

I think we’ve misinterpreted your very blunt answer though Chicago. Apologies to you as I see what you mean now.

Thanks mate,I was a little surprised by the reactions.
Some people seem to look out for things to take offence, when there is none meant.

You’re welcome.

That’s so often the case on a forum. Also with a text messages, messenger and with what’s-ap, it can be very easily misinterpreted.

[SoccerHQ]

So why did Spurs, Arsenal et al spend so much on new stadia?

Spurs went big on getting NFL games due to the success Wembley had hosting them a couple of times a year so that was going to be big cash bonus for them but won't happen until late 2022 now.

[SoccerHQ]

No way would Man. City have got the takeover if they were still at Maine Road. They capitalised well on the Commonwealth games even if it took 4-5 years.

Interesting what we do in the aftermath of hosting it ourselves. Plenty of housing going up now around the site so we'll have a few more thousand people living within 10 minutes walking distance and two minute train ride of VP so potential people to try to attract for corporate and general match day if we really want them.

[brontebilly]

No way would Man. City have got the takeover if they were still at Maine Road. They capitalised well on the Commonwealth games even if it took 4-5 years.

Interesting what we do in the aftermath of hosting it ourselves. Plenty of housing going up now around the site so we'll have a few more thousand people living within 10 minutes walking distance and two minute train ride of VP so potential people to try to attract for corporate and general match day if we really want them.

Didnt the UAE crew get Man City on the cheap too from Shinawatra. ? Always thought Manchester was dog rough but particularly up around Moss side where they are based. An interesting investment.

[SoccerHQ]

No way would Man. City have got the takeover if they were still at Maine Road. They capitalised well on the Commonwealth games even if it took 4-5 years.

Interesting what we do in the aftermath of hosting it ourselves. Plenty of housing going up now around the site so we'll have a few more thousand people living within 10 minutes walking distance and two minute train ride of VP so potential people to try to attract for corporate and general match day if we really want them.

Didnt the UAE crew get Man City on the cheap too from Shinawatra. ? Always thought Manchester was dog rough but particularly up around Moss side where they are based. An interesting investment.

Shinawatra was basically Xia before we got him a decade later. Spent loads at the start under Sven before the money dried up and Thai authorities arrested him.

Dubai lot have put in loads of investment around the stadium with all the training pitches and things that have popped up so no chance they could've happened around Maine Road so again just a good bit of timing for Man. City otherwise they would've remained a Newcastle type club with untapped potential.

[Ad@m]

I think we’ve misinterpreted your very blunt answer though Chicago. Apologies to you as I see what you mean now.

Thanks mate,I was a little surprised by the reactions.
Some people seem to look out for things to take offence, when there is none meant.

I don't think you can blame anyone else for the reaction.

Munich is a pretty sensitive subject, known to have been used in an abusive way in the past.  It's hardly surprising that it got interpreted in different ways when you wrote it as a one-word post with zero context.

[RamboandBruno]

No way would Man. City have got the takeover if they were still at Maine Road. They capitalised well on the Commonwealth games even if it took 4-5 years.

Interesting what we do in the aftermath of hosting it ourselves. Plenty of housing going up now around the site so we'll have a few more thousand people living within 10 minutes walking distance and two minute train ride of VP so potential people to try to attract for corporate and general match day if we really want them.

Didnt the UAE crew get Man City on the cheap too from Shinawatra. ? Always thought Manchester was dog rough but particularly up around Moss side where they are based. An interesting investment.

I managed to get tickets for me and my son in our first year back up when we lost 3-0, October 2019 maybe? Anything pre pandemic seems like another lifetime ago. Anyway I found it an interesting but ultimately soulless experience. The tickets were through my sons football club, so we’re obviously villa, but there was a coach load of kids and dads who were supporters of everyone and anyone, blues, baggies even Man U, for the first time in my football going life I was essentially a tourist.
Part of the day, was the kids got to train up there in one of their many facilities, which were really impressive, I think their separate youth team stadium looked bigger than many league one stadiums! However on the drive in the area around the ‘complex’ still looked really deprived and there was no obvious investment from the club in the surrounding community infrastructure, not that it has to but it reminded me of gentrification that takes place in inner city areas. I come from Hockley originally and it’s a bit like the millions invested in gentrifying the Jewellery Quarter, with no investment a half a mile down the road in the deprived estates.

The part of the stadium we were in was also soulless, lots of tourists like us, but then Man City fans, wandering in late, not singing, hundreds congregating for ages into the 2nd half on the concourse drinking their coffees.

I know it might seem the natural course for villa to follow, if we want to be successful, especially with the plans these owners might have, but I would hate us to move from VP, or match day, to be to total corporate experience Man City has become.

My proudest moment of the day, in the training facilities before the game, there was an opportunity for kids to get their photo with the trophies Man City had won the year before, think it was league, FA cup and league cup. There was an employee of the club beckoning my then 9 year old over to get a photo with some of his teammates. I was even encouraging him. He turns around and says the lad, ‘naw it’s ok, I’m Villa’.   So proud!! 😂

[CT]

No way would Man. City have got the takeover if they were still at Maine Road. They capitalised well on the Commonwealth games even if it took 4-5 years.

Interesting what we do in the aftermath of hosting it ourselves. Plenty of housing going up now around the site so we'll have a few more thousand people living within 10 minutes walking distance and two minute train ride of VP so potential people to try to attract for corporate and general match day if we really want them.

Didnt the UAE crew get Man City on the cheap too from Shinawatra. ? Always thought Manchester was dog rough but particularly up around Moss side where they are based. An interesting investment.

I managed to get tickets for me and my son in our first year back up when we lost 3-0, October 2019 maybe? Anything pre pandemic seems like another lifetime ago. Anyway I found it an interesting but ultimately soulless experience. The tickets were through my sons football club, so we’re obviously villa, but there was a coach load of kids and dads who were supporters of everyone and anyone, blues, baggies even Man U, for the first time in my football going life I was essentially a tourist.
Part of the day, was the kids got to train up there in one of their many facilities, which were really impressive, I think their separate youth team stadium looked bigger than many league one stadiums! However on the drive in the area around the ‘complex’ still looked really deprived and there was no obvious investment from the club in the surrounding community infrastructure, not that it has to but it reminded me of gentrification that takes place in inner city areas. I come from Hockley originally and it’s a bit like the millions invested in gentrifying the Jewellery Quarter, with no investment a half a mile down the road in the deprived estates.

The part of the stadium we were in was also soulless, lots of tourists like us, but then Man City fans, wandering in late, not singing, hundreds congregating for ages into the 2nd half on the concourse drinking their coffees.

I know it might seem the natural course for villa to follow, if we want to be successful, especially with the plans these owners might have, but I would hate us to move from VP, or match day, to be to total corporate experience Man City has become.

My proudest moment of the day, in the training facilities before the game, there was an opportunity for kids to get their photo with the trophies Man City had won the year before, think it was league, FA cup and league cup. There was an employee of the club beckoning my then 9 year old over to get a photo with some of his teammates. I was even encouraging him. He turns around and says the lad, ‘naw it’s ok, I’m Villa’.   So proud!! 😂

It’s hard to believe how sanitised that place has become, I was at that game too.

The most embarrassing part was on 80 minutes where thousands got up en mass and just walked out! Hardly any singing to speak of, just a quiet day out sat at the football.

A City lad I know from the Maine Road days says he goes once a year now because he hates it so much. Still loves the club but can’t get used to the brand it is now.

[Risso]

It's similar to when Arsenal spanked us at Wembley. We left pretty much straight after the final whistle, to find the queue for the tube station was already thousands deep of Arsenal fans who'd clearly left before the final whistle, and hadn't stuck around for the end of the game or to see them lift the cup.

[dave.woodhall]

What did I say? To get to where you want you have to become what you despise.

[ChicagoLion]

I think we’ve misinterpreted your very blunt answer though Chicago. Apologies to you as I see what you mean now.

Thanks mate,I was a little surprised by the reactions.
Some people seem to look out for things to take offence, when there is none meant.

I don't think you can blame anyone else for the reaction.

Munich is a pretty sensitive subject, known to have been used in an abusive way in the past.  It's hardly surprising that it got interpreted in different ways when you wrote it as a one-word post with zero context.

As you say 1 word no context.
Not blaming any one, people choose to be offended.

[Rioch is King]

What did I say? To get to where you want you have to become what you despise.

This is so right - even if it is difficult to get your head around. Villa Park is still Villa park - it’s in Aston, by the park and just down from Aston hall. We play in claret and blue and have a lion on the badge - it’s the minimum requirement for me.

But the greatest thing at the moment is our manager in a local man from a Villa family, and so is our captain - who also happens to be genuinely brilliant.  There are young guys from the youth setup coming through and it seems most of our players are really decent lads. We even have a handsome and intelligent vice captain who absolutely gets the club and is a fine defender. It would be fantastic to do as well as Leicester without becoming what we despise - surely we should give them every chance to achieve that before getting too impatient.

[Ad@m]

It's similar to when Arsenal spanked us at Wembley. We left pretty much straight after the final whistle, to find the queue for the tube station was already thousands deep of Arsenal fans who'd clearly left before the final whistle, and hadn't stuck around for the end of the game or to see them lift the cup.

I had the same experience and got fairly unreasonably annoyed at the pathetic plastic Arsenal fans who couldn't even be arsed to stick around to see their team win the FA Cup.

I'm yet to meet an Arsenal fan that isn't a twat.