Villa Park Redevelopment

[LeeB]

They had at least another two sites I think in proposal, one of them where the Echo arena now is before that as well, I think the whole thing has been 20 odd years in total.

Very true, the plan was going to be Kirkby for a long time, just off the M57/East Lancs road. And if you think the area around Goodison is bad, you've obviously never been to Kirkby or Knowsley! Christ. The firm I worked for had clients there, and you absolutely dreaded going out to that neck of the woods. Once client was a newspaper distributor for the Liverpool area, and so carried a large amount of cash. They had at least 3 armed robbery attempts that I knew of, including one where one of the directors was actually shot at in his car.

I have been to those areas when fitting comms at Merseytravel sites, I think the closest thing I've seen elsewhere was in Mad Max. We had a internal memo at the time to be on guard near the remote data sites as two lads had been followed into one and tied up while they stripped it.

[Gareth]

What I think is clear is that Heck and the board owe the fan base an explanation on why the plans were stopped and what plans are in place now….i don’t for a second think they believe they do owe an explanation or will do it. 

If it was explained properly a lot of the gnashing of teeth over the decision might have been avoided.

I’m still convinced the season ticket prices increases are going to be comfortably double figures % increases across the board with more marginalising of senior concessions as they will be the lowest ticket price/matchday spend category

[pauliewalnuts]

I read somewhere that the types that do the corporate thing tend to prefer seats to the side of the pitch rather than behind the goal. This made me wonder whether the club were planning on doing a major rebuild with the Doug Ellis Stand before the North Stand (one that might require moving the road and purchasing of properties behind it). But then Dante's post about companies buying the tickets as a tax write-off rather than individuals makes a lot of sense, and makes me wonder a side-view or a behind-goal view really matter that much if you have the padded seats, five-course meal, free bar and haven't pulled the wedge from your own pockets.

I still don't think we're going to move though. Heck saying the original plan seemed to be "too much, too soon", as well as his assertion from the same interview that he "loves history" is enough to convince me of this.

Are we really trusting anything that comes out of Heck's mouth at this point?

You're possibly right, but if we are going to build.a new stadium then you have to wonder how big it would be. If Heck was thinking we can be more ambitious then why didn't he say so? It's a good look that would appease the fans. Instead, he said it's too much too soon, which has irritated/confused the fan base.

Given that saying "we're cancelling the North Stand because we can go bigger and better" would have been the thing to say new stadium, why did he say "too much, too soon "? It points to either a lack of foresight or a reaction to the LG/TV. It doesn't say new stadium to me.

I think the reason he didn't say any more was because he didn't need to.

If he'd said "we're looking at a new stadium", imagine the sort of distraction and kerfuffle that would have released.

[dave.woodhall]

Liverpool are scrapping new senior concessions from 2025 and what one club does...

[DB]

Liverpool are scrapping new senior concessions from 2025 and what one club does...

Just posted on the FFP thread...Spuds doing same next season and STs going up by 6%.

[Nev]

I never envisaged myself as a Villa Park regular as an old man, not because I wouldn't want to go and ill health aside, I just believe that by the time I reach that age (65+) the cost will be too prohibitive and the place will not be the same (if we're still there).

I've said before, the likes of me and many on here are not welcome. Dedicated and unwavering support is absolutely worthless (until the bad times inevitably come 'round again), it's all about pounds per head.

[Sexual Ealing]

I never envisaged myself as a Villa Park regular as an old man, not because I wouldn't want to go and ill health aside, I just believe that by the time I reach that age (65+) the cost will be too prohibitive and the place will not be the same (if we're still there).

I've said before, the likes of me and many on here are not welcome. Dedicated and unwavering support is absolutely worthless (until the bad times inevitably come 'round again), it's all about pounds per head.

Heck does seem to be something of a fathead.

[Chris Harte]

I read somewhere that the types that do the corporate thing tend to prefer seats to the side of the pitch rather than behind the goal. This made me wonder whether the club were planning on doing a major rebuild with the Doug Ellis Stand before the North Stand (one that might require moving the road and purchasing of properties behind it). But then Dante's post about companies buying the tickets as a tax write-off rather than individuals makes a lot of sense, and makes me wonder a side-view or a behind-goal view really matter that much if you have the padded seats, five-course meal, free bar and haven't pulled the wedge from your own pockets.

I still don't think we're going to move though. Heck saying the original plan seemed to be "too much, too soon", as well as his assertion from the same interview that he "loves history" is enough to convince me of this.

Are we really trusting anything that comes out of Heck's mouth at this point?

You're possibly right, but if we are going to build.a new stadium then you have to wonder how big it would be. If Heck was thinking we can be more ambitious then why didn't he say so? It's a good look that would appease the fans. Instead, he said it's too much too soon, which has irritated/confused the fan base.

Given that saying "we're cancelling the North Stand because we can go bigger and better" would have been the thing to say new stadium, why did he say "too much, too soon "? It points to either a lack of foresight or a reaction to the LG/TV. It doesn't say new stadium to me.

I think the reason he didn't say any more was because he didn't need to.

If he'd said "we're looking at a new stadium", imagine the sort of distraction and kerfuffle that would have released.

I think the reaction to his announcement suggests that he did need to say more. Not necessarily something as overt as "new stadium", but if he'd said we're looking bigger/better I think the reaction would have been less negative than it has been.

Let's face it, if anyone here thinks scrapping the North Stand redevelopment is a good idea then they're being rather quiet about it.

[chrisw1]

He can't say "we're looking bigger/better" because we're not.

He can't really say "it's been canned because you ****** won't pay for 'free' hotdogs and chips" either.

All he can really do is give some flannel about the timing, which is exactly what he did.

[Chris Harte]

He can't say "we're looking bigger/better" because we're not.

Yet plenty of people seem to me (unless I've misread it, and that's quite possible) to think we're going to move to a new stadium or completely rebuild Villa Park.

[Villan82]

I read somewhere that the types that do the corporate thing tend to prefer seats to the side of the pitch rather than behind the goal. This made me wonder whether the club were planning on doing a major rebuild with the Doug Ellis Stand before the North Stand (one that might require moving the road and purchasing of properties behind it). But then Dante's post about companies buying the tickets as a tax write-off rather than individuals makes a lot of sense, and makes me wonder a side-view or a behind-goal view really matter that much if you have the padded seats, five-course meal, free bar and haven't pulled the wedge from your own pockets.

I still don't think we're going to move though. Heck saying the original plan seemed to be "too much, too soon", as well as his assertion from the same interview that he "loves history" is enough to convince me of this.

Are we really trusting anything that comes out of Heck's mouth at this point?

You're possibly right, but if we are going to build.a new stadium then you have to wonder how big it would be. If Heck was thinking we can be more ambitious then why didn't he say so? It's a good look that would appease the fans. Instead, he said it's too much too soon, which has irritated/confused the fan base.

Given that saying "we're cancelling the North Stand because we can go bigger and better" would have been the thing to say new stadium, why did he say "too much, too soon "? It points to either a lack of foresight or a reaction to the LG/TV. It doesn't say new stadium to me.

I think the reason he didn't say any more was because he didn't need to.

If he'd said "we're looking at a new stadium", imagine the sort of distraction and kerfuffle that would have released.

I think the reaction to his announcement suggests that he did need to say more. Not necessarily something as overt as "new stadium", but if he'd said we're looking bigger/better I think the reaction would have been less negative than it has been.

Let's face it, if anyone here thinks scrapping the North Stand redevelopment is a good idea then they're being rather quiet about it.

Surveying other bits of the Villa Internet you can see plenty of people have swallowed Heck's B.S and are saying it is the right decision! Some give the impression they'd take an actual bullet for Heck!

I even saw people on twitter saying Uefa probably wouldn't let us play if the North Stand was a construction site which to me is a very mangled interpretation of what heck said while ignoring the fact Liverpool have done precisely that for the past number of years.

[eamonn]

A side-on view is miles better than behind the goals, not even close. Especially for the profile of people who use those corporate seats, who just want it to look exactly like it does when they're watching it on telly.

That's a bit of a stereotype. Every time I've been to a sporting event on corporate I've only ever been there with people who really enjoy the sport. People who aren't into football don't bother giving up their spare time (weekends especially) for a couple of free beers, a plate of sarnies and some boring business chat. Your point about the difference in view from behind or the side is spot on though. I've always had my STs on the half way line for a good reason.

I thought you were a North Stand fella?

[aev]

He can't say "we're looking bigger/better" because we're not.

Yet plenty of people seem to me (unless I've misread it, and that's quite possible) to think we're going to move to a new stadium or completely rebuild Villa Park.

I do.

Otherwise I don't understand the new investment.

[LeeB]

A side-on view is miles better than behind the goals, not even close. Especially for the profile of people who use those corporate seats, who just want it to look exactly like it does when they're watching it on telly.

That's a bit of a stereotype. Every time I've been to a sporting event on corporate I've only ever been there with people who really enjoy the sport. People who aren't into football don't bother giving up their spare time (weekends especially) for a couple of free beers, a plate of sarnies and some boring business chat. Your point about the difference in view from behind or the side is spot on though. I've always had my STs on the half way line for a good reason.

I thought you were a North Stand fella?

That's me.

[Sexual Ealing]

Ooh, the arrogance...