Villa Park Redevelopment

[paul_e]

Could the stadium redevelopment have an impact on FFP?

Infrastructure investment doesn't sit within FFP.

Wasn't that the argument Everton had before they had the points deduction?

No, or more accurately not really. The best explanation I can find is here - https://www.blakemorgan.co.uk/sticky-toffees-why-everton-were-docked-10-points/

The infrastructure part is covered specifically by this bit:

£2.2m interest charged by Everton to Everton Stadium Development Ltd (a subsidiary of the club responsible for expenditure on the construction of a new stadium) in relation to an intercompany loan which was designed to “pass on” interest charges payable by the club to the club’s commercial lenders. Everton’s position was that any interest attributable to expenditure on the stadium should be excluded from its calculations and argued that accounting standards meant that the commercial loans would have been repaid or never drawn down had it not been for stadium redevelopment and, as such, could be capitalised as they were directly attributable to a qualifying asset (the new stadium) and therefore excluded from calculations.

but, as the article shows, even if that bit was allowed (and the creative accounting around transfer levies as well) they had still breached the losses, just not as heavily.

[pablo_picasso]

I could stomach a rebuild on the current site as long as that red brick façade is left absolutely fucking pristine and untouched. Actually, build red brick façades round the whole god damn ground.

This.

Architecturally The Holte End is the single most beautiful section of any football ground in the whole world.

Keep that style as a façade all around the stadium...

It's just a relatively new red brick wall, not hard to do at all.

Yeah, I have seen it done in cladding sheets, as opposed to actual proper brick walls.

Its only the effect we are after, so the cladding would do well enough on a modern structure...

Doug, you're back?

Steady... 😂

[Hairbandinho]

More than likely never going to happen ... though I am warming to the idea of two seasons at a 40,000-seater upgraded Alexander Stadium and then back into a new Villa Park on the existing site.

I'm not going to second guess the best option of moving the pitch 100 yards in one direction or 90 degree turns or whatever, but it would be great to see it opened for 2027/28 to mark our 130th anniversary at Villa Park.

I might just check if Alexander Stadium has any major events planned in the next couple of years. 

Alexander Stadium is protected from any issues the council have currently. Villa and the council couldn't even agree having villa women to play there, it's fair to say you can forget using that location in any way at all for football.

[VillaTim]

More than likely never going to happen ... though I am warming to the idea of two seasons at a 40,000-seater upgraded Alexander Stadium and then back into a new Villa Park on the existing site.

I'm not going to second guess the best option of moving the pitch 100 yards in one direction or 90 degree turns or whatever, but it would be great to see it opened for 2027/28 to mark our 130th anniversary at Villa Park.

I might just check if Alexander Stadium has any major events planned in the next couple of years. 

Alexander Stadium is protected from any issues the council have currently. Villa and the council couldn't even agree having villa women to play there, it's fair to say you can forget using that location in any way at all for football.

BCC are desperate for money now though

[PeterWithesShin]

I was thinking earlier about if there was ever a need for us to ground share that even with the North Stand knocked down that a 3 sided Villa Park would be bigger than any other ground in the West and East Midlands. Which on the one hand is very funny, but on the other a sad indictment of just how shit Midlands football has been for decades.

[eamonn]

If / When we move it will be somewhere secluded and pretty cut off from the city centre so the fans are a captive audience and have no choice but to pay his prices if we want a drink.  It's probably giving him sleepless nights that he hikes the prices up at Villa Park and we respond with spending money in the pubs in the City Centre instead.

Drinking in the city centre?! You're either mad or hard.

Yes, but...This city is a woman, bigger than any other.

[pauliewalnuts]

The back of the Holte end looks alright but it’s just some 1990s bricks and a 2000s tile mosaic

It’s hardly a UNESCO site.

[pauliewalnuts]

It's a large, noisy, intimidating ground. And now it has an intimidating team, which will make it more attractive for away fans to visit.

Perhaps there's another thought about the new stand. a redesign with a single massive tier or something. Who knows.

i think that would work better than an upper and a lower

There is absolutely zero chance it would be built as one tier. That would rule out hospitality. Not a chance.

[Villan82]

I still can't believe what a mess yesterday's announcement was. It has deflated me, I was looking forward to following the development and have it symbolise how far we have come since 2018. That announcement yesterday, it should have come with a clear outlined of what the new plan is. I can't get my head around it at all. Really poor

[The Edge]

What about Perry Bar dog track as a site?

Not big enough. Penned in by major roads.

[The Edge]

glad some of the posters here aren't architects

Some? Probably 99.9% on here are laymen just chewing the fat. If you're an architect give us your views on redeveloping the existing site.

[BC Villain]

What about Perry Bar dog track as a site?

Not big enough. Penned in by major roads.

I'm sure that's already earmarked for redevelopment with the dogs and speedway given until 2026?

[Bad English]

The back of the Holte end looks alright but it’s just some 1990s bricks and a 2000s tile mosaic

With an MS Paint badge in the middle.

[The Edge]

Plus, our stadium has very little history left already now. It's 70s - 00s, aside from the location.

It's surprising how many away fans don't realise this.

I was listening to a football podcast recently and they discussed Villa Park, and the one guy said he was going there in a few weeks and he was really excited as it's such a historic ground etc etc, and then specifically said he was looking forward to seeing Archibald Leitch's work.

Good luck with that.

I also think a lot of away fans think the rear of the Holte End is 100 years old and a remnant of a historic part of the ground which has survived the years.

'This ground has had 14 new pitches and 4 new stands in the last 40 years.'  'How the hell is it the same bleeding ground then?'

I've got a picture of it. What more proof do you need?

[TonyD]

If 10,000 seats are too many too quickly,  then that would also rule out a new ground unless it was similar capacity to VP now.