Villa Park Redevelopment

[Monty]

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 is why I'd be open to moving, red brick all round, shared lower tier but split upper tiers to maintain 4 distinct stands and then the whole thing put on a bit of a plateau so you can see it for miles around.

Nah, no moving. Rebuild on the site. The field exhales the ghosts of victors past, a piece of the true league title trophy and a fingernail of George Ramsay are buried beneath the centre spot, the grass that grows flowers and releases a pollen that enters unsuspecting nostrils and turns their heads and hearts towards B6, new Lions made biochemically.

but if we rebuild on site how many years do we have to play elsewhere and where would we go? and how much extra land do we need to buy to get the footprint we'd need to go for a 60k beast with all the facilities you'd expect of a modern stadium?

Magic field Paul. Magic. Field.

[Brazilian Villain]

It's a bit like me when somebody puts onions on a sandwich. It's unacceptable and I'm going to make it known.

It's always disappointing when someone you respect goes down in your estimation.

[VILLA MOLE]

It's a bit like me when somebody puts onions on a sandwich. It's unacceptable and I'm going to make it known.

It's always disappointing when someone you respect goes down in your estimation.

Cheese pickle onions surely ?

[paul_e]

I read it thinking tat they want to maximise the revenue of potential CL football next season.  Can't do that with 3/4 (at best) capacity.  I kind of agree with it if it's on that basis.  Would we really want our first modern era CL campaign being played at a building site?. 

But they've said the plan is for European football every season, so we'll have to do the job sometime, and its never going to get any cheaper. So why not now?

because the year after wouldn't be the 150th anniversary and the first year in the champions league? and also delaying for a year (if that's what happens) means we can concentrate on improving the ground as a whole next summer, which would be a big positive.

[PeterWithe]

I cant say I picked up strong vibes that this was a 1 year delay to the construction project.

[Dogtanian]

It does sound like they want to make a big thing about the 150th year, especially the fact that it's before any of the other big teams (sorry Forrest!). If they're planning lots of events and celebrations and things, they may want to make sure the ground is full and the atmosphere top-notch for it.

[Risso]

I cant say I picked up strong vibes that this was a 1 year delay to the construction project.

No, very clearly not.

[paul_e]

I cant say I picked up strong vibes that this was a 1 year delay to the construction project.

No, nor did I, but I was just pointing out why you might want to do that for next season, and I could just about see the sense of it. Any delay beyond that is hard to justify but as I said yesterday maybe they want the time to find ways to only have a partial reduction or a much shorter timescale for it, something like Liverpool did for example.

[Russ aka Big Nose]

Do I want the North Stand replaced sooner rather than later, and the capacity increased? Absolutely yes.

Does it makes sense to spend £100m now and lose the fans/atmosphere for the next two, potentially vital, seasons? Probably not, especially given £100m probably only allows us to catch up on other clubs/stadia.

Maybe the thinking/ambition is to consolidate being competitive, even winning stuff, and then deliver plans that do more than play catch up with the likes of Everton, etc.

I think a lot of people recognise a pause is sensible, though the lack of detail creates uncertainty and all sorts of speculation (moving from B6 etc.).

It is also frustrating that we've had a number of plans and little actually delivered - other than the new academy that has shot up on Witton Road.

Maybe it is the euphoria of current progress on the pitch, but with the new investment and the evident ambition of the owners, I'm minded to believe that the pause is not prompted by timidity, rather it is that we might be playing CL football next season and that means they are considering an even bolder option whilst seeking to ensure a full Villa Park for what would be some of our biggest games in a generation. UTV.

[Ads]

I agree. The construction as it was explained is not going to happen.

[Villan82]

I read it thinking tat they want to maximise the revenue of potential CL football next season.  Can't do that with 3/4 (at best) capacity.  I kind of agree with it if it's on that basis.  Would we really want our first modern era CL campaign being played at a building site?

I'd be totally anti a new location for Villa Park.

The Holte was mid construction when we played Inter Milan in 1994. The lower Witton was being rebuilt when we thumped Man United's kids 3-1.

[pauliewalnuts]

I agree. The construction as it was explained is not going to happen.

Said it earlier, but the Atairos investment going into 'infrastructure' and V-Sports this week, plus this a few days later, it's not a coinicidence.

I reckon new ground entirely (same location).

[Rigadon]

I read it thinking tat they want to maximise the revenue of potential CL football next season.  Can't do that with 3/4 (at best) capacity.  I kind of agree with it if it's on that basis.  Would we really want our first modern era CL campaign being played at a building site?. 

But they've said the plan is for European football every season, so we'll have to do the job sometime, and its never going to get any cheaper. So why not now?

because the year after wouldn't be the 150th anniversary and the first year in the champions league? and also delaying for a year (if that's what happens) means we can concentrate on improving the ground as a whole next summer, which would be a big positive.

Exactly - the first time back in the European Cup for over 4 decades would be a bit special in the same year that the club turns 150.  I wouldn’t want that to happen with the stadium being rebuilt personally.  And for as many of us as possible to actually go and see.  Do it the year after (and please don’t move the bloody stadium). 

[Pat Mustard]

I cant say I picked up strong vibes that this was a 1 year delay to the construction project.

Me neither, and you would think if that was the case someone at the club might have come out and clarified it by now.

Giving him the benefit of some doubt, however, I could see an argument that delaying be a year would help.  With no concerts planned for 2025 work on the new stand could start in early May 2025, rather than early July 2024, and a change in how it's built could feasibly mean part of the stand opening part way through the following season, as we did with the Holte End.  A full lower tier of 8,000 open by the Christmas (again like the Holte was), and we would actually be above the current capacity only 9 or 10 home games into 2025-26.

Alternatively, knock down the whole stand down over the summer and have a temporary stand in place for part of the following season whilst they do all the remedial works - it's what Wrexham are doing currently.

[LeeB]

I read it thinking tat they want to maximise the revenue of potential CL football next season.  Can't do that with 3/4 (at best) capacity.  I kind of agree with it if it's on that basis.  Would we really want our first modern era CL campaign being played at a building site?

I'd be totally anti a new location for Villa Park.

The Holte was mid construction when we played Inter Milan in 1994. The lower Witton was being rebuilt when we thumped Man United's kids 3-1.

And both times after

I agree. The construction as it was explained is not going to happen.

Said it earlier, but the Atairos investment going into 'infrastructure' and V-Sports this week, plus this a few days later, it's not a coinicidence.

I reckon new ground entirely (same location).

I do too, though not necessarily same location, more likely one of the brownfield sites mentioned.