Villa Park Redevelopment

[chrisw1]

Villa Park is what makes us unique, and is the one ever present as new generations of fans come along and old generations depart to that Holte End in the sky.

I'd rather sit in 2 hours of traffic to walk up Witton Road, smelling burgers and hotdogs with the glorious Holte End in the distance any day, than take a turn off the motorway into some tarmacced plateau servicing a soulless, plastic bowl.

Really starting to take a dislike to this new guy. If being successful means that we have to set light to our history, then I'd rather not thanks.

This for me (plus what Nev and PWS said).

I love our history, absolutely love it.  But it wasn't much consolation when we were getting 25k in the Championship.

I don't want us to move grounds.  But mostly I do want us competing with the elite.  I want to see us make more history.  I can't really remember enjoying our football as much as I do right now and that's because we're competing at the top. 

I'd rather us get on with the north and make our history at VP.  And in due course I think that's what we'll do.  But ultimately if it means competing for titles and the European cup again, then I'll be there wherever we're playing.

[langleylions]

When did we get 25k in the championship ?    Maybe 1 game yeh

[Sexual Ealing]

Ground share with Blues incoming!

:'(

"We want to synthesise the love and pride that all people from Birmingham feel for the two great teams in England's third city, and maximise the synergistic gains achievable from combining two world class operations, whilst maximising shareholder utility and increasing the P/E ratio for our valued capital investment partners, our number one key performance indicator."

We're going to be the winningest!

[pauliewalnuts]

Ground share with Blues incoming!

:'(

"We want to synthesise the love and pride that all people from Birmingham feel for the two great teams in England's third city, and maximise the synergistic gains achievable from combining two world class operations, whilst maximising shareholder utility and increasing the P/E ratio for our valued capital investment partners, our number one key performance indicator."

We're going to be the winningest!

Real exciting times for our storied franchise!

[TonyD]

Plenty of room in Digbeth - by Shelby St

[UK Redsox]

Can't they knock all those empty flats down that were built for the Commonwealth Games?

Alternatively, what is (or what is going to be) on the old National Express site ?

[rob_bridge]

Can't they knock all those empty flats down that were built for the Commonwealth Games?

Alternatively, what is (or what is going to be) on the old National Express site ?

Like LDV site, Perry Barr doesn't solve the transport issues to the extent we would need them too. If we are to do a 55-60k. We could probably do a 30-35k on each site but that sort of is very pointless

[nick harper]

I think other clubs that have moved have carried their fans with them in the sense their stadiums were hemmed in and couldn’t be be developed for logistical reasons. Upton Park 35,000, White Hart Lane 36,000, Goodison 39,000 had all reached the point where a move was needed for the clubs to progress.

That’s not the case with Villa. I think the vast majority of fans would need a lot of convincing to accept the need to move given we do have space. I thought the development was great. It would only have improved Villa Park as one of the great English grounds. I would feel bereft if we ever left.

I wonder if Purslow will be seen as the visionary in 5 years time.

[pauliewalnuts]

Can't they knock all those empty flats down that were built for the Commonwealth Games?

Alternatively, what is (or what is going to be) on the old National Express site ?

The coach depot is still there. They’re demolishing the Irish centre now. It’s going to be some 50 storey expensive flats thing

[Luffbralion]

When I first heard this news I was relieved. My season ticket is on the front row of the North Stand Upper. I've got a great view, really like the fans around me and can obtain extra tickets near me for friends (both members and more casual supporters). I had braced myself for losing all of these benefits for two years at the very time we seem to be on the cusp of something special.

However, the talk of moving to the NEC has me worried. I've been going to VP for over sixty years and I love the Bartons before hand, the walk to the ground, the rituals, the memories. I actually find it easier to get away from VP than from my neighbouring clubs; Forest and Leicester.

A few years ago I went to see Atletico Madrid in the Vicente Calderon stadium. It was a bit like Newcastle as you could walk from the city centre, enjoying bars and restaurants on the way and feel the atmosphere growing as you approached the ground.

Now they've moved to a modern bowl miles from the city centre, near the airport and in a totally nondescript location.  I really don't want to be watching the game in a place like that.

Villa Park till I die.

[rob_bridge]

Can't they knock all those empty flats down that were built for the Commonwealth Games?

Alternatively, what is (or what is going to be) on the old National Express site ?

The coach depot is still there. They’re demolishing the Irish centre now. It’s going to be some 50 storey expensive flats thing

It'd be like West Ham trying to move to Shoreditch. Not gonna happen. Plus too close to the Stench of the Shit Pit in Bordersley

[UK Redsox]

I thought that the coach depot was now on Aston Lane (where the job centre and car parts place was) ?

What's the point in building more flats while those near One Stop are empty (at least I think they're empty based on the site still being fenced off)

[rob_bridge]

Does anybody have any idea if and when we are going to get a follow up communication on this.

I mean genuinely have an idea.

[pauliewalnuts]

I thought that the coach depot was now on Aston Lane (where the job centre and car parts place was) ?

What's the point in building more flats while those near One Stop are empty (at least I think they're empty based on the site still being fenced off)

No idea, it'll be the developers making the decisions in terms of where they get a return. There's no money in renting out flats in Perry Barr, really.

[London Villan]

I thought that the coach depot was now on Aston Lane (where the job centre and car parts place was) ?

What's the point in building more flats while those near One Stop are empty (at least I think they're empty based on the site still being fenced off)

Like a lot of stuff for the Commonwealth Games - it's just not finished. Like the Universtity station and the "Sprint" bus lanes.