Villa Park Redevelopment

[ChicagoLion]

I know we've done this to death but it still makes absolutely no sense to me that we've made these additions to the board and shareholding if the med-long term plan is 'mend and make do' at VP. There is something coming, we just don't know what it is yet.

Ground share with SHA?

[PeterWithe]

I know we've done this to death but it still makes absolutely no sense to me that we've made these additions to the board and shareholding if the med-long term plan is 'mend and make do' at VP. There is something coming, we just don't know what it is yet.

Ground share with SHA?

I'd be surprised if it hadn't been at least considered.

[Risso]

I would. Surely even Chris Heck wouldn't be that stupid.

[PeterWithe]

As it happens I was having this conversation with a mate at the weekend, if you were Heck, who hasn't really proved himself adept at gauging the mood of the fans, he's going to at least look at it, its what he's used to. And, as pricing as proved, they don't want us any more, they want the 'new fan' to whom sharing wouldn't be the cataclysmic shitstorm it is for us.

I'm not saying the consideration would go far, and I'm certainly not saying I agree with it, in fact it would be the end, but as I say, I'd be surprised if it hasn't been considered.

[cdbearsfan]

Even in leagues (eg Italy) where it has been common practice, teams are moving away from ground-sharing. Because it's shit.

[chrisw1]

There's no prospect we're moving, let alone sharing. 

It will be a new North when, and only when, Heck is convinced the GA+ and hospitality demand is there.  He doesn't care about another 10k standard-priced seats, particularly if they reduce his GA+ demand, which at the moment they clearly would.  Nobody is paying for The Cells if they can get a ST in the Holte or elsewhere in the North.  I'd be surprised if there's one person who bought that seat because they liked the idea of the smarter bar facility and a seat next to the away fans.

[Drummond]

I would. Surely even Chris Heck wouldn't be that stupid.

Hmmm, now here's the thing.

He might be stupid to proceed with it, but he'd have to consider it, in order to dismiss it. 

[Ads]

I would. Surely even Chris Heck wouldn't be that stupid.

So would I. You also have the issue that the only way it gets built is if NWSE(C) build it, in which case I wouldn't share the steam off my piss with those rats.

[Gareth]

These price rises will show a much increased revenue this year. When they knock the North down, they will be able to claim a much bigger loss to offset PSR.

All these claims of short-sightedness are the ones who aren't seeing the bigger picture.

Emery wanted 4 stands to play Champions League football in front of. Imagine the dismay and undoubtedly the complaints if we had thousands more unavailable seats this season. We have Bayern Munich, Juve and Celtic at Villa Park. And they will sell out.

We might move ground. Or just redevelop. Either way, our new shareholders and directors will not be happy leaving as is.

I agree with most of that which comes back to my argument all along since the North project was postponed / cancelled….i had no problem with stopping that development but the idiotic offhand way that prat announced it when all it would have took was ‘we are putting a hold on the North Stand development whilst we work with our new management team to look at all alternatives and will communicate plans when they are formalised’

The lack of any truthful or professionally delivered communication from that man is 100% my biggest concern around our football club….ive spent nearly 50 years worrying about midfielders / strikers / managers but he feels like he could be the one who ruins so many people’s love for the club.

Would love to see a statement that he has gone but you just know there would be another tw@ with the same brief to follow him.

[chrisw1]

These price rises will show a much increased revenue this year. When they knock the North down, they will be able to claim a much bigger loss to offset PSR.

All these claims of short-sightedness are the ones who aren't seeing the bigger picture.

Emery wanted 4 stands to play Champions League football in front of. Imagine the dismay and undoubtedly the complaints if we had thousands more unavailable seats this season. We have Bayern Munich, Juve and Celtic at Villa Park. And they will sell out.

We might move ground. Or just redevelop. Either way, our new shareholders and directors will not be happy leaving as is.

I agree with most of that which comes back to my argument all along since the North project was postponed / cancelled….i had no problem with stopping that development but the idiotic offhand way that prat announced it when all it would have took was ‘we are putting a hold on the North Stand development whilst we work with our new management team to look at all alternatives and will communicate plans when they are formalised’

The lack of any truthful or professionally delivered communication from that man is 100% my biggest concern around our football club….ive spent nearly 50 years worrying about midfielders / strikers / managers but he feels like he could be the one who ruins so many people’s love for the club.

Would love to see a statement that he has gone but you just know there would be another tw@ with the same brief to follow him.

They announced it was cancelled because it was.  Entirely.  If he had used your suggestion then speculation would have been fever pitch about moving grounds or bigger developments.  They didn't need to wait to communicate plans when they were formalised because they have been.

People still think we're about to move when we've just spent millions on refurbing the stadium.  It's madness.

[Ads]

We've spent millions refurbishing the stadium? Even if we have spent millions, it wouldn't impact a move. Why delay increasing revenue short term while your longer term project takes fruition, especially when infrastructure costs aren't a particularly concern.

[chrisw1]

We've spent millions refurbishing the stadium? Even if we have spent millions, it wouldn't impact a move. Why delay increasing revenue short term while your longer term project takes fruition, especially when infrastructure costs aren't a particularly concern.

I've no idea what all the new seats, relocated stairwells, rail seating, GA+ refurbs and new areas, new and refurbed hospitality lounges, reconfiguring the DE & North boxes, LEDS, player tunnel to make other clubs sit up and take note, new shop, fan park, project costs on 'The Warehouse' etc would have cost - but I'd be gobsmacked if it wasn't 'millions'

[Gareth]

These price rises will show a much increased revenue this year. When they knock the North down, they will be able to claim a much bigger loss to offset PSR.

All these claims of short-sightedness are the ones who aren't seeing the bigger picture.

Emery wanted 4 stands to play Champions League football in front of. Imagine the dismay and undoubtedly the complaints if we had thousands more unavailable seats this season. We have Bayern Munich, Juve and Celtic at Villa Park. And they will sell out.

We might move ground. Or just redevelop. Either way, our new shareholders and directors will not be happy leaving as is.

I agree with most of that which comes back to my argument all along since the North project was postponed / cancelled….i had no problem with stopping that development but the idiotic offhand way that prat announced it when all it would have took was ‘we are putting a hold on the North Stand development whilst we work with our new management team to look at all alternatives and will communicate plans when they are formalised’

The lack of any truthful or professionally delivered communication from that man is 100% my biggest concern around our football club….ive spent nearly 50 years worrying about midfielders / strikers / managers but he feels like he could be the one who ruins so many people’s love for the club.

Would love to see a statement that he has gone but you just know there would be another tw@ with the same brief to follow him.

They announced it was cancelled because it was.  Entirely.  If he had used your suggestion then speculation would have been fever pitch about moving grounds or bigger developments.  They didn't need to wait to communicate plans when they were formalised because they have been.

People still think we're about to move when we've just spent millions on refurbing the stadium.  It's madness.

What they have spent wouldn’t stop a move at all…it’s all short term income generators they’ve done in last 18 months at very little cost

[chrisw1]

We're not moving mate.  Heck has confirmed it as bluntly as he can.  I'm not sure what more people need to hear?

You're asking him to give vague statements and encourage speculation when generally fans want facts.

I do reckon the new North will come back on stream at some point, but by then we'll have been left well behind stadium-wise.

[LeeB]

The thing that doesn't sit right with me is that it was canned because Emery doesn't want us playing with only 3 sides of the stadium up.

I'm not disputing that Unai would prefer not to have to deal with that, but I find it hard to believe that this single issue would be enough to bring about the cancellation of a major infrastructure project.

Also, despite the fact we're obviously and rightly giving the keys to the place to the manager, I'm a bit incredulous that we'd effectively allow the football manager the final say on this sort of thing.

But last of all, I'm actually surprised to the point of not really believing that in would bother Emery that much that he'd kybosh the buliding of a new stand because of. This is a man who has breathed new life into the concept of mend-and-make-do, getting on with stuff and not making a fuss, it just doesn't fit for me.