Chris Heck - President of Business Operations

[Beard82]

Is this part of a plan - so we can get a new CBO to cancel the North Stand Development?

Not sure - seems likely they will get someone even more commerical minded?

[PeterWithe]

Tifo’s at VP we’re great I thought

Same.  I'm all for a bit of bah humbug and would start swinging if a drum was brought into the Holte, but this anti-tifo stuff seems a bit odd to me.  As much as I like to take the piss out of black clad, bouncy drum & megaphone led 'ultras,' the truth is their fans embarrassed us at Wembley.

Bollocks. They just killed the atmosphere and ruined it with their fucking drum. They broke the law with the pyrotechnic flare shite at the beginning and the bin bag flags they had were shit too.

It was like watching a bunch of kids doing a paramilitary parade to the benefit of nobody but themselves, the wankers. They made it about themselves.

I hate the drums but I thought last Saturday that the CP dominated the atmosphere; regardless of drums or paramilitary appearance. Villa fans struggled to assert themselves all match and it was pretty annoying that we couldn't.

The team were dire first half and the initial atmosphere disappeared, came back early second, was great after the penalty miss, then dead for good after the second. But from the side, I dont think the Palace fans were anything special until after they'd scored the first, then on the second, they realised the game was won and we wern't coming back. But I do declare a bias as I've never liked Palace and cant abide this attention seeking 'ultra' shite.

[Hookeysmith]

I cannot believe some of the vitriol aimed his way from day one. He may not be a charmer but the work conducted in modernisation of our marketing, social media and corporate offerings taking our revenue from ridiculously small for a club of our size to inexcess of £350m in 2 and a bit years has been incredible.

He was quoted that moving VP would not happen during his (assumed professional) lifetime. Well that pledge is soon to be over?

Agree with other comments  that if we are thinking it will be a fluffy Man / Woman of the people then we will be very disappointed. This is an upwardly mobile huge potential laden money making business. I would imagine the next person will be even more aggressively driven to achieve NSWE's targets.

[VillaTim]

His job was made easy by the incredible work of UE , a graduate could have possibly achieved the same or more, any qualified person would have done as much .

[dave.woodhall]

He was here to make money, not friends. Job done.

[Chris Harte]

His job was made easy by the incredible work of UE , a graduate could have possibly achieved the same or more, any qualified person would have done as much .

Yep, this.

I won't subscribe to the belief that everything he's done has been negative, although the price rises and taking existing facilities of fans and charging a premium for them has irked many people. Unfortunately PSR has made the monetisation of all facilities essential for us to compete. Heck's estimate that the club will hit £360M in revenue for this season would not have happened without Unai and his support staff. And if we were to regress I suspect that many of the corporate/GA+ facilities would be more empty than full at current prices.

And speaking of prices, there's no way season ticket prices and matchday tickets are suddenly going to become cheaper now Heck has gone. I just wonder what beast will take the role next.

[VillaTim]

Whoever comes in next has a much tougher gig.
The ginger Heckster had a low base to start from .

[Chris Harte]

I've said it before - Villa Hotel - Mop up all the tourists in the GA+/Corporate seats. Extended stay in Brum, new club shop and beer hall next door.

[Ducksworthy]

I've said it before - Villa Hotel - Mop up all the tourists in the GA+/Corporate seats. Extended stay in Brum, new club shop and beer hall next door.

Yes, who hasn’t dreamed of a lovely long weekend in Aston..

[VillaTim]

Hotel was HDE vision 30 years ago .

[pauliewalnuts]

I've said it before - Villa Hotel - Mop up all the tourists in the GA+/Corporate seats. Extended stay in Brum, new club shop and beer hall next door.

Why are they going to want to stay in a hotel in Aston? Rather than in the vibrant city centre down the road, with anll the hotels, bars and top quality restaurants?

And how many GA+ customers want to do a stopover anywhere?

[dave.woodhall]

I've said it before - Villa Hotel - Mop up all the tourists in the GA+/Corporate seats. Extended stay in Brum, new club shop and beer hall next door.

Why are they going to want to stay in a hotel in Aston? Rather than in the vibrant city centre down the road, with anll the hotels, bars and top quality restaurants?

And how many GA+ customers want to do a stopover anywhere?

There's plenty of scope for the sort of hotel you get in Oldbury, Castle Bromwich, Great Barr, Walsall... And never underestimate the attraction of spending even more time and money at a Premier League ground for Scandinavian/Irish/Far Eastern twoday-trippers.

[Drummond]

Who wouldn't want to stay in a Jacobean mansion?

[VillaTim]

That building on the hill to the left might make a good hotel .

[Percy McCarthy]

I've said it before - Villa Hotel - Mop up all the tourists in the GA+/Corporate seats. Extended stay in Brum, new club shop and beer hall next door.

Why are they going to want to stay in a hotel in Aston? Rather than in the vibrant city centre down the road, with anll the hotels, bars and top quality restaurants?

And how many GA+ customers want to do a stopover anywhere?

There's plenty of scope for the sort of hotel you get in Oldbury, Castle Bromwich, Great Barr, Walsall... And never underestimate the attraction of spending even more time and money at a Premier League ground for Scandinavian/Irish/Far Eastern twoday-trippers.

Exactly. Business travellers in the week who want little more than a clean, comfortable space not far from Spaghetti Junction to get their head down. Football travellers at the weekend - check in on Friday, mill around the ground and go to the match on Saturday, stadium tour on Sunday. And there’s already a couple of beautiful buildings that used to be hotels at either end of the ground with ample, secure parking on non-match days.

Remember the thinking behind the Bull Ring shop - it’s not about profit, it’s about revenue.