Bodymoor Heath - players leaving time

[Somniloquism]

Is that stretch of HS2 still being built?

[PeterWithe]

Is that stretch of HS2 still being built?

Think so, they are still doing works on the a38 north of Lichfield

[FrankyH]

https://www.avfc.co.uk/club/autograph-safety/

Heck probably wants to charge fans for autographs !

[Dogtanian]

Another age-old tradition gone so we can charge people to get close to their heroes!

[Risso]

What a fucking wanker.

[London Villan]

Another link cut with the next generation of fans which the club bangs on about being so important.

[itbrvilla]

https://www.avfc.co.uk/club/autograph-safety/

Heck probably wants to charge fans for autographs !

Interestingly, I did a walk around Polesworth a few weeks ago and stopped at the RSPB place next to BMH on the way back home.  I spotted there appeared to be relatively new looking signs saying not to wait for autographs.

[GarTomas]

https://www.avfc.co.uk/club/autograph-safety/

Heck probably wants to charge fans for autographs !

Interestingly, I did a walk around Polesworth a few weeks ago and stopped at the RSPB place next to BMH on the way back home.  I spotted there appeared to be relatively new looking signs saying not to wait for autographs.

That’s some walk!!

[SoccerHQ]

This is one of the things I hate now about modern Football.

Had some memorable times at Bodymoor when I used to go down to BMH in the School holidays or back from Uni.

In the late 90s I can remember driving in, players were training right by the car park and then the fans were allowed to walk up to where the indoor pitch was and get some autographs from the players as they were coming in which was cool.

This must've been 1999 as walking back alongside the pitch and dear Ugo was having his rehab sessions coming back from the eye injury when Shearer kicked him. He kicked a ball and knocked the mobile clean out of my Mum's hand and sheepishly shouted "Sorry!"

Also a time in the 2000s when a security guard came over and actually asked my Mum if she was Pat Murphy so he clearly wasn't a 5 live listener. Could've said yes and just walked into the Friday press conference.

Haven't been to the training ground since O'Neill era as you could see then the way access was getting limited with the team training in the furthest away pitches and some then exiting from the private road.

Different era but frustrating the lack of access as in that time the majority of players were excellent with their time and likes of Ginola and David James would have no issue getting out of their cars and posing for pictures so at least then they understood their responsibilities.

More chance of getting selfies/autographs waiting by the gates after matches now at VP.

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

Only this week my mate put a load of pictures on his instagram stories of his lad posing for pictures with players, most notably the world’s number one.
They were all still in their cars but nice of them to stop, looks like he got there just before the bell.

[purpletrousers]

https://www.avfc.co.uk/club/autograph-safety/

Heck probably wants to charge fans for autographs !

This is a long long way from me sitting on a very sweaty Peter Withe's knee and pettimg Alan Evans massive St Bernard Hannah

The fan zone for arrival at VP is presumably supposed to be a controlled opportunity but matchdays will just be a bun fight :/

[FrankyH]

It's the bullshit/spin in that statement that pisses me off. " a number of substantial safety concerns related to the process". Are we playing behind closed doors against Everton ?

[j66acd]

It was when we had Schmeichel and Eric Steele as the GK coach, I was standing by the side of the training pitch and they asked me if I wanted to be the ball boy. Loved every second of it.

And back in the 90’s I don’t know how my Dad managed to get me the opportunity but I was able to go on a tour round Bodymoor, had a picture outside with Saunders and Atkinson and sat in BFR room. I’d love to dig those photos out.

[Somniloquism]

They had stopped entrance into BH for ages and the most recent autographs place was on the private road next to it (at least that was where I used to see people gather the few times I cycled up to Middleton Hall the last few years. There is always a chance that some one ran across the road in front of another car or a player wasn't paying attention when pulling away almost causing an incident.

[SaddVillan]

This doesn't relate to player's leaving time, but it does concern BMH.

BBC News - Aston Villa plans for training ground revamp
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd730pyz2qeo