FFP

[Gareth]

I don't know why we are endlessly debating this because the club has stated categorically that we are not leaving Villa Park.  I for one am very glad of that.

Yes, Heck, the same person who categorically stated they'd confer with the fans over the new crest. That one.

It's not just Heck though. No one involved with Aston Villa has ever stated that we are moving away from B6 unless you include HDE and his plans to build a stadium near the NEC.

The NEC! That's a good idea. Why have we never discussed this?

Asda Minworth would be a better site.

I was thinking knock down One Stop build a ground with a few shop units on the site too :-)

[DB]

We could do a spurs and go to Wembley. Transport infrastructure is fabulous...

HS2 may be built by then...ha. How far is Old Oak Common to Wembley?

[pauliewalnuts]

I don't know why we are endlessly debating this because the club has stated categorically that we are not leaving Villa Park.  I for one am very glad of that.

Yes, Heck, the same person who categorically stated they'd confer with the fans over the new crest. That one.

It's not just Heck though. No one involved with Aston Villa has ever stated that we are moving away from B6 unless you include HDE and his plans to build a stadium near the NEC.

The NEC! That's a good idea. Why have we never discussed this?

Asda Minworth would be a better site.

I was thinking knock down One Stop build a ground with a few shop units on the site too :-)

That could genuinely be a go-er.

A return to Perry Barr.

[Rory]

I don't know why we are endlessly debating this because the club has stated categorically that we are not leaving Villa Park.  I for one am very glad of that.

Yes, Heck, the same person who categorically stated they'd confer with the fans over the new crest. That one.

It's not just Heck though. No one involved with Aston Villa has ever stated that we are moving away from B6 unless you include HDE and his plans to build a stadium near the NEC.

The NEC! That's a good idea. Why have we never discussed this?

Asda Minworth would be a better site.

I was thinking knock down One Stop build a ground with a few shop units on the site too :-)

That could genuinely be a go-er.

A return to Perry Barr.

I think I posited this a while ago, though not in any way claiming originality.

The site is easily big enough, and its only major occupants seem to be Asda and fast food outlets, which presumably would welcome the extra customers.

The existing bus ranks could easily accommodate additional services up and down the A34 to town and Walsall, the A453 to Sutton and the Kingstanding Rd, plus the 11A and 11C.

Still an easy trip by car to the Expressway or to the M6 which links to the M5, M40 and M42 pretty locally.

You'd also have Perry Barr rail station which has recently been upgraded, and the potential for an extension of the Metro line from town. There is tonnes of space on the Northern platform to develop a state of the art station facility for those heading into town.

Then there are a lot of empty flats built for the Commonwealth Games that I imagine investors wouldn't mind cutting their losses on to allow conversion into a hotel or two.

So we'd be boosting our own revenue; retaining the local leisure and retail offer; providing a much-needed hub, improved access and transport provision north of the city; and helping to deliver returns on a currently dead investment.

(Or maybe I'm too deep into Paddy's world of PR bollocks* and everything I say is a nightmare!)

*I also work in PR bollocks

[Chap]

I suspect BCC would not be happy to let their ‘showcase’ empty apartments be overlooking a football stadium. They got rid of the flyover because of the view!!

[Sexual Ealing]

1.40, Rory?! You accuse me of working in PR, at a time I could conceivably be up myself (for clarity, I wasn't up - myself or anyone else)?!! I do not work in PR, I work in marketing and communications, which, as you know, is nothing like PR!

[Rory]

1.40, Rory?! You accuse me of working in PR, at a time I could conceivably be up myself (for clarity, I wasn't up - myself or anyone else)?!! I do not work in PR, I work in marketing and communications, which, as you know, is nothing like PR!

Sorry, sorry.

[Somniloquism]

1.40, Rory?! You accuse me of working in PR, at a time I could conceivably be up myself (for clarity, I wasn't up - myself or anyone else)?!! I do not work in PR, I work in marketing and communications, which, as you know, is nothing like PR!

Did Ealing just PR himself not working in PR?

[Sexual Ealing]

1.40, Rory?! You accuse me of working in PR, at a time I could conceivably be up myself (for clarity, I wasn't up - myself or anyone else)?!! I do not work in PR, I work in marketing and communications, which, as you know, is nothing like PR!

Did Ealing just PR himself not working in PR?

Rates available upon request.

[LeeB]

Always had him down as more HR than PR, explaining to you what a wonderful opportunity you've been given by having your role made redundant.

[Sexual Ealing]

Always had him down as more HR than PR, explaining to you what a wonderful opportunity you've been given by having your role made redundant.

Don't be like that mate. And stop all this nonsense about your dog not liking you. I happen to have a recent photo of you and your best friend on a brisk walk to Asda Minworth and you both look delightful.

[Somniloquism]

I thought you might have raised the worry his 12 yo still hadn't arrived back with the caravan he sent him to get.

[chrisw1]

By the time we get round to doing anything and needing somewhere for a couple of years, The King Power in Leicester will be expanded to 40,000, which will make it the biggest stadium within a reasonable distance.

Yep, Leicester for me. Unless small heath have built their 60k retractable tiers megadome by then.

There's no way id travel to Leicester for home games personally.
I'd settle for the Alex with restriction on numbers.

I still think the Alex will be our long term home if we have to move

I'm not sure what the obsession with the Alex is.

Firstly, it's the largest athletics stadium in the UK.  BCC spent Ł75m on it just before the Commonwealth games and I can't see them or the Government sanctioning selling off a facility like that without retaining a running track and even with retractable stands that makes for a shit stadium.

Secondly, access is pretty shit and so is local parking.  Even with hundreds of coaches shipped in, pretty staggered travel times and only 30k capacity, it was still pretty chaotic getting there for the commonwealth games.  Imagine double the number all arriving at the same time.

In terms of using it as a temp location, how would you facilitate PL games in an 18k capacity for 2 years when we have 30k season ticket holders?  Why would you want to when you can almost certainly do a deal for Coventry?

[algy]

I don't know why we are endlessly debating this because the club has stated categorically that we are not leaving Villa Park.  I for one am very glad of that.

Yes, Heck, the same person who categorically stated they'd confer with the fans over the new crest. That one.

It's not just Heck though. No one involved with Aston Villa has ever stated that we are moving away from B6 unless you include HDE and his plans to build a stadium near the NEC.

They wouldn't announce it right now, though, because, well, what would they have to gain from it? If i were him, I wouldn't either.

There is clearly some reason the very late stage NS plans were ditched at the exact tiume we get aboard a stadium infrastructure specialist.

The minute the digger hits the ground in the North Stand, we are committing to the current location for at least 10-15 years. More, probably.

It would be a massive financial commitment to staying where we are, and I don't think he's prepared to do that.

That's why he is talking of adding 2.5k seats here and there, to tide us over in the meantime.

Tell you what, 5 years from today, come back to this post, ping me, and I'll give you 50 English pounds if we are not at that point known to be either moving or completely rebuilding where we are.

That's how positive I am.

I agree with paulie here.  I half expect something to be announced during the 150th anniversary celebrations - whether that's a heavily remodelled Villa Park, or a move somewhere else.

And honestly, I don't care what NSWE might've said in the past about staying at Villa Park.  The new profit & sustainability rules are a perfect get out clause - we know we said we'd never do X, but that was before New Thing happened.  The reality is that New Thing means that we can't do X and the only possible way forward is Y.

[chrisw1]

I was thinking knock down One Stop build a ground with a few shop units on the site too :-)

That could genuinely be a go-er.

A return to Perry Barr.

I think I posited this a while ago, though not in any way claiming originality.

The site is easily big enough, and its only major occupants seem to be Asda and fast food outlets, which presumably would welcome the extra customers.

The existing bus ranks could easily accommodate additional services up and down the A34 to town and Walsall, the A453 to Sutton and the Kingstanding Rd, plus the 11A and 11C.

Still an easy trip by car to the Expressway or to the M6 which links to the M5, M40 and M42 pretty locally.

You'd also have Perry Barr rail station which has recently been upgraded, and the potential for an extension of the Metro line from town. There is tonnes of space on the Northern platform to develop a state of the art station facility for those heading into town.

Then there are a lot of empty flats built for the Commonwealth Games that I imagine investors wouldn't mind cutting their losses on to allow conversion into a hotel or two.

So we'd be boosting our own revenue; retaining the local leisure and retail offer; providing a much-needed hub, improved access and transport provision north of the city; and helping to deliver returns on a currently dead investment.

I think it is close to fully let with over 60 retailers.

It's a good site, but I'd think the investment value of the shopping centre would be far higher than a brownfield elsewhere.