What have we learnt from the first preseason game?

[Clampy]

The Austalia tour mainly gives those fans out there a chance to see us when they normally wouldnt be able to which is great. Those in the UK who can afford to go, will. I think the club maybe could have arranged another freindly over here but with the early start, maybe that wasn't feasible.

[paul_e]

Just a few friendlies, I think. As an aside, it's a shame they just have to have us pictured in training gear rather than our famous colours on the website because, yet again, we couldn't be bothered to release the kit on time.

https://optusstadium.com.au/icon

https://optusstadium.com.au/icon/icon-festival-of-events

The photos of the other teams are of last season's kits. There is no reason we couldn't have done the same. It has nothing to do with when the new kit was released.

Well there is, we have a new kit supplier.  If we'd released the kit on time we could have had photos of players in the new kit in our famous colours rather than the shabby looking pics on the website.

I suspect it's the club who have chosen to have those images used, there's a bunch of reasons why that could be the case but I agree the timing of the official reveal of the kit is probably a big part of it. I'm not sure why we couldn't show the kit weeks earlier even if we were never going to get it on sale any earlier than we did.

[Hillbilly]

Thank you for certifying that Hillbilly.
Possibly could be 80-20? Or even worse. This won't be a good look for us as a club.

I know there's lots of jokes around regarding Leeds support but in certain parts of the world they have incredible backing that outnumbers ours even with them being in the Championship for so long .

We need to break into other markets,I understand and our supporter base in England is looking VERY strong.  Maybe we can get some Liverpool / Gerrard fans to wave a claret and blue scarf for us so it don't look so one sided support wise.

We will probably take max 50?from the UK with a majority heading out to Rennes instead. The club should have put a package together for individuals who wanted to go but don't have the confidence in booking a big trip DIY . Think they have missed a trick there. I'm not the only one worried either

Er not agreeing, just saying why there might be more Leeds fans than might be expected. Nowhere near as many as Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea mind.

[Flin5tone]

Thank you for certifying that Hillbilly.
Possibly could be 80-20? Or even worse. This won't be a good look for us as a club.

I know there's lots of jokes around regarding Leeds support but in certain parts of the world they have incredible backing that outnumbers ours even with them being in the Championship for so long .

We need to break into other markets,I understand and our supporter base in England is looking VERY strong.  Maybe we can get some Liverpool / Gerrard fans to wave a claret and blue scarf for us so it don't look so one sided support wise.

We will probably take max 50?from the UK with a majority heading out to Rennes instead. The club should have put a package together for individuals who wanted to go but don't have the confidence in booking a big trip DIY . Think they have missed a trick there. I'm not the only one worried either

Er not agreeing, just saying why there might be more Leeds fans than might be expected. Nowhere near as many as Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea mind.

I know it's not cool and trendy to be seen agreeing with the Flin.

It won't damage your social credit score ,don't worry

[Dogtanian]

Thank you for certifying that Hillbilly.
Possibly could be 80-20? Or even worse. This won't be a good look for us as a club.

I know there's lots of jokes around regarding Leeds support but in certain parts of the world they have incredible backing that outnumbers ours even with them being in the Championship for so long .

We need to break into other markets,I understand and our supporter base in England is looking VERY strong.  Maybe we can get some Liverpool / Gerrard fans to wave a claret and blue scarf for us so it don't look so one sided support wise.

We will probably take max 50?from the UK with a majority heading out to Rennes instead. The club should have put a package together for individuals who wanted to go but don't have the confidence in booking a big trip DIY . Think they have missed a trick there. I'm not the only one worried either

Er not agreeing, just saying why there might be more Leeds fans than might be expected. Nowhere near as many as Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea mind.

I know it's not cool and trendy to be seen agreeing with the Flin.

It won't damage your social credit score ,don't worry

BUURRRRRN THEM!!!! 

[dave.woodhall]

This needed a wider audience so here it is. https://heroesandvillains.info/2022/07/11/what-did-we-learn-from-the-first-pre-season/

[eamonn]

Congrats, Londonvilla! Mr Woodhall rarely if ever promotes H&V topics to the front page.

[dave.woodhall]

Congrats, Londonvilla! Mr Woodhall rarely if ever promotes H&V topics to the front page.

But he's more than happy if anyone wants to write them.

[Flin5tone]

Thank you for certifying that Hillbilly.
Possibly could be 80-20? Or even worse. This won't be a good look for us as a club.

I know there's lots of jokes around regarding Leeds support but in certain parts of the world they have incredible backing that outnumbers ours even with them being in the Championship for so long .

We need to break into other markets,I understand and our supporter base in England is looking VERY strong.  Maybe we can get some Liverpool / Gerrard fans to wave a claret and blue scarf for us so it don't look so one sided support wise.

We will probably take max 50?from the UK with a majority heading out to Rennes instead. The club should have put a package together for individuals who wanted to go but don't have the confidence in booking a big trip DIY . Think they have missed a trick there. I'm not the only one worried either

Er not agreeing, just saying why there might be more Leeds fans than might be expected. Nowhere near as many as Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea mind.

I know it's not cool and trendy to be seen agreeing with the Flin.

It won't damage your social credit score ,don't worry

BUURRRRRN THEM!!!! 

My Hot Dogs were cooked to perfection on BBQ this evening . Just sat by pond now with ice cold spring water

[pauliewalnuts]

Thank you for certifying that Hillbilly.
Possibly could be 80-20? Or even worse. This won't be a good look for us as a club.

I know there's lots of jokes around regarding Leeds support but in certain parts of the world they have incredible backing that outnumbers ours even with them being in the Championship for so long .

We need to break into other markets,I understand and our supporter base in England is looking VERY strong.  Maybe we can get some Liverpool / Gerrard fans to wave a claret and blue scarf for us so it don't look so one sided support wise.

We will probably take max 50?from the UK with a majority heading out to Rennes instead. The club should have put a package together for individuals who wanted to go but don't have the confidence in booking a big trip DIY . Think they have missed a trick there. I'm not the only one worried either

Honestly, don't you get bored of all this nonsense?

It's not about how many "we'll take", it is clearly about Villa supporters who live over there.

Back in the day on here, there were two clearly defined camps - miserablists (which included me) and happy clappers (people of a more positive disposition), but you seem to have blown that apart and taken things to a new level - at exactly the time where there isn't actually anything miserable to be miserable about.

So, so tedious.

[Hillbilly]

Thank you for certifying that Hillbilly.
Possibly could be 80-20? Or even worse. This won't be a good look for us as a club.

I know there's lots of jokes around regarding Leeds support but in certain parts of the world they have incredible backing that outnumbers ours even with them being in the Championship for so long .

We need to break into other markets,I understand and our supporter base in England is looking VERY strong.  Maybe we can get some Liverpool / Gerrard fans to wave a claret and blue scarf for us so it don't look so one sided support wise.

We will probably take max 50?from the UK with a majority heading out to Rennes instead. The club should have put a package together for individuals who wanted to go but don't have the confidence in booking a big trip DIY . Think they have missed a trick there. I'm not the only one worried either

Er not agreeing, just saying why there might be more Leeds fans than might be expected. Nowhere near as many as Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea mind.

I know it's not cool and trendy to be seen agreeing with the Flin.

It won't damage your social credit score ,don't worry

I have no credit. I just don’t care to be co-opted into whatever psychodrama is going on with you.

[JD]

Thank you for certifying that Hillbilly.
Possibly could be 80-20? Or even worse. This won't be a good look for us as a club.

I know there's lots of jokes around regarding Leeds support but in certain parts of the world they have incredible backing that outnumbers ours even with them being in the Championship for so long .

We need to break into other markets,I understand and our supporter base in England is looking VERY strong.  Maybe we can get some Liverpool / Gerrard fans to wave a claret and blue scarf for us so it don't look so one sided support wise.

We will probably take max 50?from the UK with a majority heading out to Rennes instead. The club should have put a package together for individuals who wanted to go but don't have the confidence in booking a big trip DIY . Think they have missed a trick there. I'm not the only one worried either

Worried?

I'm more concerned that a trip to Australia alienates the common man, let's face it, who can afford to go there at those prices?

Me, at great expense.

[Hillbilly]

It's not cheap even if you live here. The tickets might be reasonable but the cost of flights and accommodation is eyewatering. It would be cheaper to get a hospitality package next time I'm over in Brum.

[JD]

It's not cheap even if you live here. The tickets might be reasonable but the cost of flights and accommodation is eyewatering. It would be cheaper to get a hospitality package next time I'm over in Brum.

You are right Hillbilly it isn't cheap. I had a friend who was going to fly down to Brisbane from Townsville, but his return flights would have been AUD$700 so he isn't coming. He isn't a Villa fan so I don't blame him. 

[ChicagoLion]

Congrats, Londonvilla! Mr Woodhall rarely if ever promotes H&V topics to the front page.

Yes, a well written piece. Well done.