Villa Park Redevelopment

[Sexual Ealing]

I'm procrastinating. Luckily for the citizens of H&V, that means I'm thinking about things that make no material difference to my life. I know we can't do much with the Witton, but couldn't we add a tier to the North/Trinity/Holte? That wouldn't impact light into houses too much (would it?)

Yours,
Sexual Ealing GCSE

P.s. I can't believe they haven't thought of this! Emailing the club now...

[LeeB]

The 100% perspex tier on the Witton is still yet to be bettered or indeed ruled out, although compromise may be needed around the toilet block.

[The Edge]

I'm procrastinating. Luckily for the citizens of H&V, that means I'm thinking about things that make no material difference to my life. I know we can't do much with the Witton, but couldn't we add a tier to the North/Trinity/Holte? That wouldn't impact light into houses too much (would it?)

Yours,
Sexual Ealing GCSE

P.s. I can't believe they haven't thought of this! Emailing the club now...

What an excellent point. With all the wacky suggestions on H&V (including my own) for expanding the capacity none of us have mentioned this. But you're correct in saying that an extra tier on the Holte, North and Trinity do not impinge on anyone's daylight. Throw in a tunnel under the Trinity and the corners between the Holte/Trinity/North Stand can be filled in. Couldn't help myself sorry 😐
 

[Drummond]

That only works if we can sell an additional 3000 GA+/Premium seats... It's been said several times that take-up in the TV and LG has been poor - so that has probably spooked them.

There's a huge waiting list for proper hospitality in the Trinity, where it's about the best in the Premier League. If the Terrace View is struggling, it's because it's a crappy half-arsed botched effort, in a stand that shouldn't have it. My mate's got a GA+ thing at Arsenal, and it's very good. Nice seats, and a really decent area for before the match and half time etc. You feel like you're getting a lot more than the standard seats. The TV and LG are just short term poor efforts to try to bring a few more quid in. It's symptomatic of the short term thinking thus far from Heck. A new North if done properly would have all of this planned out in advance.

Do you see any positives in Heck at all?

[Toronto Villa]

That only works if we can sell an additional 3000 GA+/Premium seats... It's been said several times that take-up in the TV and LG has been poor - so that has probably spooked them.

There's a huge waiting list for proper hospitality in the Trinity, where it's about the best in the Premier League. If the Terrace View is struggling, it's because it's a crappy half-arsed botched effort, in a stand that shouldn't have it. My mate's got a GA+ thing at Arsenal, and it's very good. Nice seats, and a really decent area for before the match and half time etc. You feel like you're getting a lot more than the standard seats. The TV and LG are just short term poor efforts to try to bring a few more quid in. It's symptomatic of the short term thinking thus far from Heck. A new North if done properly would have all of this planned out in advance.

Do you see any positives in Heck at all?

Looks better with a beard?

[Risso]

That only works if we can sell an additional 3000 GA+/Premium seats... It's been said several times that take-up in the TV and LG has been poor - so that has probably spooked them.

There's a huge waiting list for proper hospitality in the Trinity, where it's about the best in the Premier League. If the Terrace View is struggling, it's because it's a crappy half-arsed botched effort, in a stand that shouldn't have it. My mate's got a GA+ thing at Arsenal, and it's very good. Nice seats, and a really decent area for before the match and half time etc. You feel like you're getting a lot more than the standard seats. The TV and LG are just short term poor efforts to try to bring a few more quid in. It's symptomatic of the short term thinking thus far from Heck. A new North if done properly would have all of this planned out in advance.

Do you see any positives in Heck at all?

Not yet, no. He's like every other marketing director I've ever met, full of shite. And he very obviously doesn't understand the market he's working in, which is a problem. His communication skills are woeful, and the ability to get a message across is about the barest minimum you'd expect from somebody in his position. Tom Fox mark 2.

[AV82EC]

The only positive I can see for Heck is that he could hang a lot of the shit that’s currently going on around Purslows neck. The two GA+ spaces were Purslows idea, the North Stand was driven by Purslow and the whole branding piece was initially led by Purslow.

However that doesn’t excuse his quite frankly piss poor communication and decision making on each of those issues which has just exacerbated the sense of “what the fuck is he doing!”.

I’m less concerned about GA+ and badges/crests but am really disappointed in the North stand stuff and VP redevelopment, he could have bought himself some time for a review but his piss poor comms has meant we’re hanging in limbo for some sense of direction.

C- see me after class.

(It would have been a D but the adidas stuff got him an extra mark.)

[Drummond]

Ah, so he was going to fail from the beginning if every marketing director is full of shite.
I'm not sure why you think he doesn't understand his market, other than following an article from New York Red Bulls fans 10 years ago.
Are his communication skills shite, or is it that he says things you don't want to hear?
He seems to have been clear enough that he's stopped the North. He's redevelop(ed/ing) the badge.

The gap is what's next about the stadium, that's it as far as I can see, the rest is clear. I know you/we/the fanbase want to know everything that's going on, but as with your company, you'd not tell everyone all the details. I get that it's different with football, but the main thing is that we're going well on the pitch.

[Drummond]

The only positive I can see for Heck is that he could hang a lot of the shit that’s currently going on around Purslows neck.

I’m less concerned about GA+ and badges/crests but am really disappointed in the North stand stuff and VP redevelopment, he could have bought himself some time for a review but his piss poor comms has meant we’re hanging in limbo for some sense of direction.

C- see me after class.

(It would have been a D but the adidas stuff got him an extra mark.)

Why are we 'in limbo'? I get that you want to know more, and that he could have just said he was putting it on hold subject to review or something equally as nondescript, and those few words could have made a difference, but the reality is that the words don't matter, what happens next matters far more. I just don't see the point in getting too upset at this stage.

The adidas thing is pretty bloody huge in terms of a way forward though.

[Risso]

Ah, so he was going to fail from the beginning if every marketing director is full of shite.
I'm not sure why you think he doesn't understand his market, other than following an article from New York Red Bulls fans 10 years ago.
Are his communication skills shite, or is it that he says things you don't want to hear?
He seems to have been clear enough that he's stopped the North. He's redevelop(ed/ing) the badge.

The gap is what's next about the stadium, that's it as far as I can see, the rest is clear. I know you/we/the fanbase want to know everything that's going on, but as with your company, you'd not tell everyone all the details. I get that it's different with football, but the main thing is that we're going well on the pitch.

So you think the way he's communicated his ideas is good then? A crap tweet from his personal account for the 150 year branding, and a terrible video where he bins off the North Stand. Having two crests quite often displayed in the same room. Telling people that 10,000 new seats is "too much"? Not communicating the new badge and letting it slip out via the trademark website? Whether I want to hear stuff is neither here nor there, but the way he presents things is hugely amateurish.

[VillaTim]

Strong hints in Athletic the North Stand is staying due to cost cutting and definitely no bigger plan. Booo

all due respect WTF do they know

[olaftab]

Strong hints in Athletic the North Stand is staying due to cost cutting and definitely no bigger plan. Booo

That's the most laziest thing any media outlet can put out. However I think it's true.

[Dogtanian]

Strong hints in Athletic the North Stand is staying due to cost cutting and definitely no bigger plan. Booo

That's the most laziest thing any media outlet can put out. However I think it's true.

Aside from the fact they said no such thing.

"It has meant that staying out of FFP trouble while providing for Emery has been a complex balancing act, exacerbated by the proposals to redevelop and expand Villa Park. While this would provide critical extra revenue in the long term, purse strings would have to be tightened in the immediacy."

"All of which proved excessive in both cost and in a competitive sense, playing in a temporary three-stand ground threatened to diminish the dominance Emery’s side have established at home. Optically, it would also appear jarring if Villa were missing a stand but playing in the Champions League — Europe’s premium club competition."

In other words, if we are playing in the CL next season and we want to strengthen our squad, we want that extra revenue and to have a full ground with a great atmosphere for matches. Exactly what everyone has been saying.

The article does mention rising costs of the expansion, but as others have said on here, that simply means the cost of the plan now outweighs the benefits and explains why Heck has said they're now reassessing what we do.

[chrisw1]

It's not about revenue during the works, as Risso said there's an allowance for stand rebuilds.  So that excuse at least doesn't wash.

[brontebilly]

Strong hints in Athletic the North Stand is staying due to cost cutting and definitely no bigger plan. Booo

It doesn't say that at all. It says what has already been put on here several times, that losing the revenue of the stand for two seasons right now when we need every penny to hit FFP targets would limit our ability to improve the squad for next season.

As for a forward plan, it talks about feasibility studies taking place for a better solution. That's exactly what people on here have been saying too.

The costs going up have also been discussed and the idea that it's an expensive investment to make when it still leaves you with problems in the rest of the ground, which is why they will be looking at alternatives.

https://theathletic.com/4815655/2024/01/12/aston-villa-financial-fair-play/

There's never going to be a right time to improve the North Stand.

Other worrying note in that article is the likelihood a Luiz or Kamara might have to be sold to balance the books. I'm not sure how we improve by doing that.

Well, say if we got £50m for Kamara, that would be on the accounts this year. If we then bought two £50m players on 5 year contracts, that would be amortised at £20m a year over the length of their contracts. If they were two signings that turned out to be successful, that should improve us.

If past experience is any kind of guide to future prospects, we won't get any better by selling key players like Kamara or Luiz. We were drifting aimlessly from the sale of Grealish really until Emery came in.

The rules and logic around FFP are fundamentally flawed. Selling homegrown players and buying out of contract players is incentivised. That's not in the interest of player or club development.