Chris Heck - President of Business Operations

[LeeB]

It might take a bit longer getting out of the stadium, I accept that. It's a small price for progress in my view.

[Neil Hawkes]

Why don't we have it all fully enclosed, with seats suspended from the roof?

Small time thinking, we should build the worlds first gyroscopic stadium with people on all sides .

I feel like we're *this* close to a lecture on how telescopic dampers and rigid stays hold the key to our new 'mobile' stadium.

This is what we need: https://www.mattgyver.com/tutorials/2021/3/1/howls-moving-castle-animated

[Hookeysmith]

I see Heck getting a lot of stick, but he's improved the kit deal, he's improved on the front-of-shirt deal and he's applying methods to bring in more matchday revenue.

I didn't like the reversal of the club badge, nor did I like the cancellation (or is it a postponement?) of the North Stand redevelopment, but maybe we should trust him on the deals alone. He said in the interview in December that he "loves history", and he's said there's no prospect of us leaving VP for a long time to come in the recent video.

I suspect there is more news to come. Not sure when the new board members with backgrounds in stadium builds and infrastructure started but I'm assuming their expertise hasn't fully had chance to be exploited yet.

I think we should cut the guy some slack - considering he had probably never heard of us 18 months ago he has done all the above and more.

Rather than speculate we can only measure on what has actually been achieved and so far it  / he has been a resounding success.


* Cannot wait to see the new kit - and all the other merch that will come with it
* Cannot wait to see the new seating
* Cannot wait to see the new store to sell it all in
At some point with all these experts signing up we will have a big reveal for the stadium plans - and i cannot wait!

[VILLA MOLE]

Bloody hell Hookey that is very positive 💪😃

[Hookeysmith]

Bloody hell Hookey that is very positive 💪😃

Well i feel that the guy is light years ahead of Tom Fox, Ellis and Purslow with a huge successful track record so until there is a reason to doubt or criticise i think we should support him.

I really see a bright future

[VillaTim]

Heck is happily treating the loyal fans with contempt .

[Brazilian Villain]

Bloody hell Hookey that is very positive 💪😃

Whether or not it was overly positive, it may have been a little premature.

[Chris Harte]

Heck is happily treating the loyal fans with contempt .

How do we know that? How do you know that those moving won't be able to get similar, equivalent seats?

If anyone if going to be impacted by this it's the casual fan who will have a harder time getting their hands on tickets because there will be less for sale on a game-by-game basis.

[VillaTim]

Heck is happily treating the loyal fans with contempt .

How do we know that? How do you know that those moving won't be able to get similar, equivalent seats?

If anyone if going to be impacted by this it's the casual fan who will have a harder time getting their hands on tickets because there will be less for sale on a game-by-game basis.

Impacted fans are getting first dibs on any seats not renewed other than that (which wont be many) they will shunted into far more inferior seats . Defend that if you want but its not for me .

[CT Villan]

To be fair, given the massive improvements on the pitch I think my granny could have negotiated better sponsorship deals for the club (and she's been dead for 10 years).

I agree that Heck should only be judged on his actual performance and not gossip or conjecture. We will have to wait and see.

[Toronto Villa]

Heck is happily treating the loyal fans with contempt .

Contempt would have been settling on the deals we had in place with Castore and BK8. Contempt would have been saying fuck it we’re moving Villa Park to a soulless site and calling it the Aldi Arena because they gave us a few quid. I get that the badge could and should have been handled better. And I don’t think for a second we have given up as a club on greater remodeling of the ground. It just might not happen now or the same concept as floated last year. I don’t disagree his communication on it could have been tidier. But by some he gets hammered for everything. Which I think is unfair. Because if you’re smashing him then you are criticizing to the same level Wes and Nas. Unless you think he acts in a rogue capacity without the knowledge and agreement of the owners. And if you think that you’re a little naive.

[Chris Harte]

Heck is happily treating the loyal fans with contempt .

How do we know that? How do you know that those moving won't be able to get similar, equivalent seats?

If anyone if going to be impacted by this it's the casual fan who will have a harder time getting their hands on tickets because there will be less for sale on a game-by-game basis.

Impacted fans are getting first dibs on any seats not renewed other than that (which wont be many) they will shunted into far more inferior seats . Defend that if you want but its not for me .

They'll also have the pick of the seven or eight thousand seats that aren't season ticket/away end/hospitality seats. You don't know they'll be inferior at all. Some may.only have to move a few rows.

[Sexual Ealing]

Heck is happily treating the loyal fans with contempt .

Contempt would have been settling on the deals we had in place with Castore and BK8. Contempt would have been saying fuck it we’re moving Villa Park to a soulless site and calling it the Aldi Arena because they gave us a few quid. I get that the badge could and should have been handled better. And I don’t think for a second we have given up as a club on greater remodeling of the ground. It just might not happen now or the same concept as floated last year. I don’t disagree his communication on it could have been tidier. But by some he gets hammered for everything. Which I think is unfair. Because if you’re smashing him then you are criticizing to the same level Wes and Nas. Unless you think he acts in a rogue capacity without the knowledge and agreement of the owners. And if you think that you’re a little naive.

You've said this a couple of times. What's wrong with criticising the owners? They're not infallible.

I'm glad they're here, and that the relationship has been mutually beneficial so far, but if and when they start acting the C-word, they'll rightly get both barrels. Our relationship with them is commercial, transactional - we shouldn't be fooled into feeling gratitude to a couple of billionaires who are in it for their own reasons.

[Nev]

This really isn't anything new, although I'm certainly not defending it, but my mate used to sit front row of the Trinity on the half way line and was moved for corporate many years ago.

It's hard to swallow but loyalty and dedication through thick and thin have been rendered worthless.

[Ads]

Whether they're in it for their own reasons or not- if you enjoyed last season (and you ought to have enjoyed more than any in 40 years) then there's only so many leavers they can pull to try and ensure it's repeated. This is one. That doesn't make it any less difficult for somebody moved from a beloved seat, but here is another consequence of FFP or whatever it calls itself.