Villa Park Redevelopment

[dave.woodhall]

To my addled mind, the only comparable ground to VP was Highbury. The Arsenal fans seem happy enough with their airport lounge. We're not Arsenal fans though, and I'd fucking hate to have anything similar.

Then again, I don't go very often so I'd defer to those who do.

The difference there is that they moved about 200 yards so you still had the same pre-match rituals and they also discovered forty thousand new fans who had no attachment to Highbury. 

[Risso]

To my addled mind, the only comparable ground to VP was Highbury. The Arsenal fans seem happy enough with their airport lounge. We're not Arsenal fans though, and I'd fucking hate to have anything similar.

Then again, I don't go very often so I'd defer to those who do.

It's nearly 20 years old now, The Emirates, a bit younger than the Trinity and the Holte. I like the setting of Villa Park next to the Hall, but that's about it. It's four stands cobbled together, and the facilities in most of them are dire. I'd take this decision if we were going to move, but I'd say there's no chance of that. If he doesn't want to build 10,000 extra seats, he certainly isn't going to want to build a brand new stadium.

[Sexual Ealing]

To my addled mind, the only comparable ground to VP was Highbury. The Arsenal fans seem happy enough with their airport lounge. We're not Arsenal fans though, and I'd fucking hate to have anything similar.

Then again, I don't go very often so I'd defer to those who do.

The difference there is that they moved about 200 yards so you still had the same pre-match rituals and they also discovered forty thousand new fans who had no attachment to Highbury. 

Surely we'd be the same (and if we did something in Aston Park it'd be less than 200 yards?!)

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I think the idea is to wait until we're shit again before knocking down the North Stand.

You mean we’re stuck with the North Stand forever?!?

Either that or we give Tony Xia a call. The Chinese would have the new stand built in a weekend.

[LeeB]

To my addled mind, the only comparable ground to VP was Highbury. The Arsenal fans seem happy enough with their airport lounge. We're not Arsenal fans though, and I'd fucking hate to have anything similar.

Then again, I don't go very often so I'd defer to those who do.

It's nearly 20 years old now, The Emirates, a bit younger than the Trinity and the Holte. I like the setting of Villa Park next to the Hall, but that's about it. It's four stands cobbled together, and the facilities in most of them are dire. I'd take this decision if we were going to move, but I'd say there's no chance of that. If he doesn't want to build 10,000 extra seats, he certainly isn't going to want to build a brand new stadium.

The new stadiums are not about the extra seats though really, it's all about the hospitality.

[dorsetvillian]

Very odd news and to my mind a little depressing. I just cant see the logic of not wanting to expand. 

[Sexual Ealing]

To my addled mind, the only comparable ground to VP was Highbury. The Arsenal fans seem happy enough with their airport lounge. We're not Arsenal fans though, and I'd fucking hate to have anything similar.

Then again, I don't go very often so I'd defer to those who do.

It's nearly 20 years old now, The Emirates, a bit younger than the Trinity and the Holte. I like the setting of Villa Park next to the Hall, but that's about it. It's four stands cobbled together, and the facilities in most of them are dire. I'd take this decision if we were going to move, but I'd say there's no chance of that. If he doesn't want to build 10,000 extra seats, he certainly isn't going to want to build a brand new stadium.

Our new 'infrastructure partner' makes me think that's exactly what's going to happen.

[Risso]

To my addled mind, the only comparable ground to VP was Highbury. The Arsenal fans seem happy enough with their airport lounge. We're not Arsenal fans though, and I'd fucking hate to have anything similar.

Then again, I don't go very often so I'd defer to those who do.

The difference there is that they moved about 200 yards so you still had the same pre-match rituals and they also discovered forty thousand new fans who had no attachment to Highbury. 

It's easier to have meaningful pre-match rituals when you're situated in London where they are, with the hundreds of pubs and restaurants nearby, not to mention two tube stations. For most Villa fans, it means having a drink nowhere near the ground then struggling to get home afterwards.

[darren woolley]

I can see why he's done this with us hopefully getting Champions League football this season he wants to keep Villa Park the same for the time being.

[Chris Harte]

This is pure speculation on my part, but the club announced new investment last week. Perhaps they've decided on an alternative, more costly, way of doing things, for instance, doing the initial groundwork (services, pipework, etc) first, followed by NS demolition and rebuild that would allow completion/partial-operability in under two years.

I think the hyperbole about us moving is just that.

[Dogtanian]

At the end of the day, the ground and its revenue are going to be essential to us if we want to compete.

You can easily chuck £500m at Villa Park and you'll still be compromising and restricted by the footprint and neighbours and transport.

If £700-800m build you a new one where you can have exactly what you want and will generate you a great deal of extra revenue, you'd have to consider it.

This article in The Athletic states that Spurs gate receipts jumped from £48m to £108m and Arsenals went from £44m to £90m in 2006 when they moved. I know, that's in that London... but that's an attractive justification for a new build.

https://theathletic.com/5094612/2023/11/29/football-stadiums-cost-expensive/

[Risso]

The new stadiums are not about the extra seats though really, it's all about the hospitality.

It's about both.

[ADVILLAFAN]

I think Arsenal's ground is shite, a soulless bowl. Just a bigger version of Reading's ground.

Would rather stick to Villa Park than do that.

If you are planning to build a new stadium, it needs to be unique and not an identikit stadium. Tottenham and proposed Everton stadium for example.

[pauliewalnuts]

It's pretty hard to take him seriously when he talks about improving experiences for 'all fans' when, on here, we're still reading about people encountering broken or overflowing toilets.

[Sexual Ealing]

I think Arsenal's ground is shite, a soulless bowl. Just a bigger version of Reading's ground.

Would rather stick to Villa Park than do that.

If you are planning to build a new stadium, it needs to be unique and not an identikit stadium. Tottenham and proposed Everton stadium for example.

The Emirates and West Ham's ground are the worst places I've watched football, apart from, as you say, Reading. I ended up sharing a cab with some Reading fans when we played them in the last season in the Championship (0-0 Tyrone trod on the fella's face). I was deliberately being very respectful, not wanting to be the 'big club' fan. I can't remember what comment prompted me to do so, but I eventually had to say, "well yeah, but you're fucking Reading and we're Aston Villa!" It quietened down a bit after that, to my embarrassment.