Villa Park Redevelopment

[eamonn]

I think it was the interest on the debt of the new stadium which instead of deducting as an expense they contra'd it as an "add-back" that made them fall foul.

[eamonn]

Our old friend, Keith Wyness weighs-in on Everton's plight and the different types of football owners...

Former Everton chief executive officer Keith Wyness spoke with BBC Radio Merseyside's Giulia Bould to discuss the club's point deduction situation.

He said: "I was very surprised at the severity of the whole 10 points situation. I thought the Premier League could’ve found a way through this dispute without having to come down so hard and to open such a big can of worms.

"I think it's unfair, there was enough in there for the Premier League to have found a way through this mess and to have come to a negotiated settlement that could’ve preserved some order in terms of the financial breaches.

"Everton did admit, and I agree, that there were big issues there on Everton’s side. But nevertheless they’ve come up with a penalty like this and it does not make sense.

"Football have to find a way through this and find a sanction that is fair. Everton have pleaded guilty to the breach but I believe with it being a financial breach it should be a financial sanction."

On whether Financial Fair Play Regulations are fit for purpose, Wyness added: "I don’t think FFP has been fit for purpose right from the start.

"Different clubs have been at different times in their own development, they’ve had different owners with different financial resources and each one of those situations have found different loopholes and different ways through things.

"So, to try and put the blanket across it now is very unfair to single out Everton."

[Dave P]

From Birmingham Live

Villa plans to demolish the North Stand following a Foo Fighters concert at Villa Park on Thursday, June 27, 2024. However, it is anticipated that the new North Stand will be ready by the end of May 2026 - to comply with UEFA regulations ahead of EURO 2028 - meaning that during the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons no fans will be housed behind the goal opposite the Holte End.

It’s a crying shame that fewer fans will be able to watch home games given how well Emery's team is playing and the success which might come to the club in the coming years, whether that’s a cup run, Champions League football or European football in any form. The North Stand currently only holds 6,537 fans and will be improved to a total of 13,074. For context, the Doug Ellis Stand currently holds 9,450 while it’s 13,561 in the Holte End and 13,109 in the Trinity Road Stand.

Knocking the stand down entirely is viewed as the most efficient way to deliver greater capacity at the stadium, instead of building behind the current structure, like other clubs have done in recent years. Building a new stand behind the current North Stand would prevent construction workers from accessing key areas of the build.

The end bay of the Trinity Road Stand, which is closest to the North Stand, will also be demolished for structural reasons. Villa are planning to merge the new North Stand with the Trinity Road Stand and the Doug Ellis Stand.

Prior to the stand being demolished, up to seven months of preparation is needed to divert drains, high voltage electrics and matchday safety systems, while hundreds of cables will also need to be replaced for broadcasting. It’s a huge undertaking before Villa can even begin building a completely new stand.

It’s crucial that Villa Park redevelops so more fans can watch their team live and the club can access better revenue streams. Emery is also looking forward to welcoming more Villa supporters inside the fortress he has built.

"We are being consistent at home with our supporters because they are coming to be with us and the stadium is full in every game we play,” he said before the win over Arsenal. "The atmosphere is positive even when we were losing against Leicester and Arsenal, even in that moment they were helping us and trying to create a strong atmosphere behind us.

"Of course, 42,000 people are supporting us in Villa Park and hopefully we can extend because there are more supporters waiting to be in the stadium. We are in this process. It is one of the best stadiums and the supporters too, like I have never had before. I want more!"

Awaiting news where us North Standers will be housed for two seasons.

[Gareth]

Can see some interesting conversations as surely the season tickets holders will be relocated but how will they price it as guess there aren’t enough non season ticket seats in rest of ground at same price point as those in the North currently to house everyone?

[Ads]

We're going to have ~3000 match tickets available per game for 2 years. Its going to drive demand right up.

[PeterWithe]

Can see some interesting conversations as surely the season tickets holders will be relocated but how will they price it as guess there aren’t enough non season ticket seats in rest of ground at same price point as those in the North currently to house everyone?

I very much doubt the club will care if North Standers are forced to buy tix 20/30% more expensive than what they are currently.

[VILLA MOLE]

I take it away fans will lose a section also ?

[pauliewalnuts]

I take it away fans will lose a section also ?

I reckon they will, am pretty sure the PL are open to discussion and practical when clubs do this sort of thing.

[artvandelay]

Considering the club make more money off match tickets than Season Tickets, I'd be shocked if they didn't offer current North Stand STHs some kind of holiday, allowing them to keep hold of the right to first dibs at the new stand without relocating. Alternatively they'll just whack up the price of Season Tickets to compensate for the loss of income. Either way, I've no doubt we'll all be paying more next year than we were this year.

[dave.woodhall]

"We're giving you first refusal in the new stand so pay up now or there's thirty thousand that will."

There's the conversation.

[TonyD]

Shouldn’t take 2 years to build a stand. 
Get new builders in. 

[Dave P]

I expect that I’ll get first refusal in the new stand when it is built. I would also want to pay north stand (tier 4) prices wherever I’m relocated for 2 years, but I doubt that will happen.

[London Villan]

Look at Fulham and Liverpool - easily a two-year build - especially with 7 months of utility diversions and full demolition of the existing stand - then hosting matches in the middle of a building site.

[Stinkin_Thinkin]

I'd just ban away supporters from the stadium and relocate our friends in the north to that block. Then  scatter the rest around the stadium leaving a couple of 1000's for the walk up fans. The issue is the cost if the north enders are zone 4 and then if club say's we've only got zone 1 seats for you.

[Ads]

You're only allowed to have an away end smaller than 3,000 if your capacity is less than 30,000, wherein thr away tickets equate to 10% of capacity.

There's no set percentage for match day tickets.