Villa Park Redevelopment

[Somniloquism]

Great news. Though I wish they'd show us what the stand will look like inside the ground.

There are several renderings in the video.

I think it's also strange that they haven't said what the new capacity will be, except "over 50k".  It might be that the exact details inside the ground aren't confirmed yet?

They don't want to give people clues for GTC 2027/28.

[DB]

Excellent. Much better than closing the North. Imagine having had a 3 sided ground for the Champions League etc this season.

Now we continue, expand and I'll even move a couple of places closer to the front of the season ticket queue!

Me too, hopefully they won’t do a Liverpoool and use the bigger stand for GA+

[Drummond]

Great news. Though I wish they'd show us what the stand will look like inside the ground.

I think it's also strange that they haven't said what the new capacity will be, except "over 50k".  It might be that the exact details inside the ground aren't confirmed yet?

I think 50k is the key number. There may be the odd seat that needs moving etc so precise numbers may prove tricky.

[Sexual Ealing]

Obviously I know the answer to this, but for the benefit of Frotting Hounslow and Saucy Hammersmith & Fulham, how the hell will they do this while keeping the current stand open?

Well as you know, they can build up the sides and other things without affecting anything but the side boxes / TV during the seasons. Then they will do any work with removing the "goal posts" and the redoing the roof / joining the together in the close seasons.

A collection of hot air balloons with fans will be tethered allowing a full 360 view of the pitch while building work is in process.

Thank you for these sensible answers, which I knew - algy, hang your head in shame.

[darren woolley]

This is brilliant news so glad they are not closing the North stand while they do the new stand.

[Smithy]

It's interesting that we're currently the 8th biggest stadium in the Premier League, and after this expansion we'll be the... 9th biggest stadium in the Premier League.

Such was the gap in capacity between the biggest 7 stadiums and the rest (Newcastle are 7th with 52k), that even us adding an additional 7-10k new seats only gets us to the bottom of that group, with Everton also joining the group on 53k with their new stadium. 

But importantly, I think, we're now IN that group.

I'm guessing that it's probably going to be worth another £10m a year in match-day related revenue, which to put into context, gives us another £150-200k a week in the wage budget.

[London Villan]

There might be a couple of months of getting wet when they remove the roof...

It's a pragmatic way of increasing capacity - shame it won't wrap into the Trinity as per the original plans. It also looks like the new changing rooms have been binned off too.

But it avoids massive disruption.

[Des Little]

Excellent. Much better than closing the North. Imagine having had a 3 sided ground for the Champions League etc this season.

Now we continue, expand and I'll even move a couple of places closer to the front of the season ticket queue!

Me too, hopefully they won’t do a Liverpoool and use the bigger stand for GA+

Brace yourself for bad news

[Smithy]

Great news. Though I wish they'd show us what the stand will look like inside the ground.

I think it's also strange that they haven't said what the new capacity will be, except "over 50k".  It might be that the exact details inside the ground aren't confirmed yet?

I think 50k is the key number. There may be the odd seat that needs moving etc so precise numbers may prove tricky.

Yep, I agree. I also think it might be that other changes might be happening elsewhere in the ground, so they won't announce an exact number that might never actually be reached.

Like you said, 50k+ is the important bit, even if we only clear it by a handful, it's a significant milestone, and an important one for a team that wants to fight at the top long-term.

[Duncan Shaw]

Great news. Though I wish they'd show us what the stand will look like inside the ground.

I think it's also strange that they haven't said what the new capacity will be, except "over 50k".  It might be that the exact details inside the ground aren't confirmed yet?

There's some pic on the OS from looking at it from the pitch

[HK Villan]

In addition to adding width, it looks like they plan to bring the front of the Upper North down, eliminating at least one row of boxes or both.  This makes me wonder why not bring it all the way down to have a single 'wall'?  It could be something to do with the angle of the existing upper section.

Either way, it looks good and is much needed. I remember when it was built, a glowing reporter on TV claimed it made Villa Park "the Cathedral of Midlands football." I mean, it was always thus, but I never liked the look of it — I always thought it was too narrow, and the double row of boxes looked awful so close to the action.

[SaddVillan]

Let the naysaying commence.

[DB]

Also means that awful 1990s cheap semi-detahced house that is the Corner flag will be no more.

[DB]

Also means that awful 1990s cheap semi-detached house that is the Corner flag will be no more.

[London Villan]

In addition to adding width, it looks like they plan to bring the front of the Upper North down, eliminating at least one row of boxes or both.  This makes me wonder why not bring it all the way down to have a single 'wall'?  It could be something to do with the angle of the existing upper section.

Either way, it looks good and is much needed. I remember when it was built, a glowing reporter on TV claimed it made Villa Park "the Cathedral of Midlands football." I mean, it was always thus, but I never liked the look of it — I always thought it was too narrow, and the double row of boxes looked awful so close to the action.

It means they can keep the lower tier open while they are building - another compromise to keep as many fans in the ground as possible.