The Holte Suite

[andyh]

I looks like a refectory at the local technical college.

[astonvilla82]

There's going to be a punch up outside the internal Terrace View entrance this season at some point. It got a bit spicy today when a Holte Ender was booing the scabs going in at half time and the wrist band wanker turned around to cry about it.

I don't think anyone are 'wrist band wankers' for going in. It's their money. The boos should be reserved for those that dreamt it up.

I didn't mind the idea at first (apart from the price). Seeing it in operation just feels wrong.

Booing them seems pointless alright. These things will bring in money for the club, if people are happy spending their own money, let them.

Where that money is being reinvested would be my concern. The facilities for the average fan should be what benefits first from increased revenue. It seems like an easy enough way to appease the situation.

do they boo those that use the corporate boxes etc?, must likely genuine fans that used the terrace view and the Holte suite

[Exeter 77]

It appears that it has had a knock on effect that the old programme kiosk in upper Holte as you go in next to the turnstiles is now a bar. Probably more of a result of Terrace View than the Lower Grounds thing.

[Stu82]

I can’t visualise where the terrace view sits in the Holte.
I am unable to go to matches for health reasons, but would like to understand where they put this divisive section.
Understand the outside bit is at the top of the stairs, but have they taken a chunk of the upper concourse out for it?

 

It's where the old bar used to be where the windows overlooked the pitch. Hope that helps a bit.

Thanks clampy, so separate from outside seating then, strange.

[Ads]

There's going to be a punch up outside the internal Terrace View entrance this season at some point. It got a bit spicy today when a Holte Ender was booing the scabs going in at half time and the wrist band wanker turned around to cry about it.

I don't think anyone are 'wrist band wankers' for going in. It's their money. The boos should be reserved for those that dreamt it up.

I didn't mind the idea at first (apart from the price). Seeing it in operation just feels wrong.

Booing them seems pointless alright. These things will bring in money for the club, if people are happy spending their own money, let them.

Where that money is being reinvested would be my concern. The facilities for the average fan should be what benefits first from increased revenue. It seems like an easy enough way to appease the situation.

do they boo those that use the corporate boxes etc?, must likely genuine fans that used the terrace view and the Holte suite

Genuine scabs.

[pauliewalnuts]

I am massively disappointed they’ve instituted these facilities, but really, using words like “scabs” is the kind of ridiculous histrionics you’d expect from a newly radicalised first year politics student, not someone who is clearly very intelligent and should know better.

[Ads]

They're joining in the bastardisation of the Holte. If no bugger turned up, it would die a death. If you go in the Terrace View you're complicit in this.

[dekko]

I am massively disappointed they’ve instituted these facilities, but really, using words like “scabs” is the kind of ridiculous histrionics you’d expect from a newly radicalised first year politics student, not someone who is clearly very intelligent and should know better.

Its a harsh thing to call someone, granted.  But by using the new facilities, you are supporting and encouraging the club to keep them, and possibly create more in the future to the detriment of everyone else.

Its exactly the same dynamic as breaking a strike, albeit there's a lot less at stake here.

[Clampy]

At the end of the day, they're still Villa supporters and it's their money. What they do with it is up to them. If they want to spend £50-£60 for two free drinks and a programme, then let them.

[pauliewalnuts]

I am massively disappointed they’ve instituted these facilities, but really, using words like “scabs” is the kind of ridiculous histrionics you’d expect from a newly radicalised first year politics student, not someone who is clearly very intelligent and should know better.

Its a harsh thing to call someone, granted.  But by using the new facilities, you are supporting and encouraging the club to keep them, and possibly create more in the future to the detriment of everyone else.

Its exactly the same dynamic as breaking a strike, albeit there's a lot less at stake here.

It's not the same dynamic as breaking a strike at all, as you intimated in the second clause of your last sentence, there's a lot less at stake.

I don't like it, but I am not going to throw around words like "scab", which are laden with historical weight, about people stupid enough to throw 60 quid at the club for the sort of shite they think we're thick enough to consider quality.

I would imagine the vast majority of Villa fans either don't know about it, or if they do, don't give that much of a fuck about it.

[Chris Smith]

I am massively disappointed they’ve instituted these facilities, but really, using words like “scabs” is the kind of ridiculous histrionics you’d expect from a newly radicalised first year politics student, not someone who is clearly very intelligent and should know better.

Its a harsh thing to call someone, granted.  But by using the new facilities, you are supporting and encouraging the club to keep them, and possibly create more in the future to the detriment of everyone else.

Its exactly the same dynamic as breaking a strike, albeit there's a lot less at stake here.

It's not the same dynamic as breaking a strike at all, as you intimated in the second clause of your last sentence, there's a lot less at stake.

I don't like it, but I am not going to throw around words like "scab", which are laden with historical weight, about people stupid enough to throw 60 quid at the club for the sort of shite they think we're thick enough to consider quality.

I would imagine the vast majority of Villa fans either don't know about it, or if they do, don't give that much of a fuck about it.

Why would you assume your last point, Paulie? The club have aggressively marketed it to everyone on their database and it’s come up in conversation with most Villa fans I have spoken to and they invariably think it’s crap. The Holte Suite was always packed on match day and I think it particularly suited older fans who could get a seat and some hot food before the game who are unlikely to be those who go in there now.

[Chris Harte]

I would imagine the vast majority of Villa fans either don't know about it, or if they do, don't give that much of a fuck about it.

More likely the latter. They've promoted this so much it's likely you'd have to be a fan on top of Mt Everest without an internet signal for the last fortnight to not know about this.

BTW, benches? I was expecting it to be a leather armchair each. Not benches.

[pauliewalnuts]

Why would you assume your last point, Paulie? The club have aggressively marketed it to everyone on their database and it’s come up in conversation with most Villa fans I have spoken to and they invariably think it’s crap. The Holte Suite was always packed on match day and I think it particularly suited older fans who could get a seat and some hot food before the game who are unlikely to be those who go in there now.

I don't know, I'll admit, the last time I was on the Holte, it was the old standing stand, so I've never used the Holte Suite, so am prepared to admit I might be misjudging this, but I suspect those who feel particularly strongly about it are going to be outnumbered by those who do not.

However, I wouldn't want that part of my post to get away from my main point, which was that using words like "scab" seems hugely inappropriate when we're just talking about people daft enough not to work out that 60 quid is a rip off, rather than, say, people facing the immense moral confusion of crossing picket lines where people are fighting for their livelihoods.

It's a facility at a football ground, not the miner's strike, and I suspect the original poster wouldn't be so quick to use it were we talking about an actual strike.

[pauliewalnuts]

I would imagine the vast majority of Villa fans either don't know about it, or if they do, don't give that much of a fuck about it.

More likely the latter. They've promoted this so much it's likely you'd have to be a fan on top of Mt Everest without an internet signal for the last fortnight to not know about this.

BTW, benches? I was expecting it to be a leather armchair each. Not benches.

It looks like the Mandela Bar at Newcastle Polytechnic 1987, except with some big screens added.

The screens thing is weird, it's like they thought, "shit, what do we put here? what do fans really like? I know, they like sport, let's get a job lot down Curry's, that'll do it".

[RamboandBruno]

Why would you assume your last point, Paulie? The club have aggressively marketed it to everyone on their database and it’s come up in conversation with most Villa fans I have spoken to and they invariably think it’s crap. The Holte Suite was always packed on match day and I think it particularly suited older fans who could get a seat and some hot food before the game who are unlikely to be those who go in there now.

I don't know, I'll admit, the last time I was on the Holte, it was the old standing stand, so I've never used the Holte Suite, so am prepared to admit I might be misjudging this, but I suspect those who feel particularly strongly about it are going to be outnumbered by those who do not.

However, I wouldn't want that part of my post to get away from my main point, which was that using words like "scab" seems hugely inappropriate when we're just talking about people daft enough not to work out that 60 quid is a rip off, rather than, say, people facing the immense moral confusion of crossing picket lines where people are fighting for their livelihoods.

It's a facility at a football ground, not the miner's strike, and I suspect the original poster wouldn't be so quick to use it were we talking about an actual strike.

Completely agree with you on this. Ive been on strike and stood on picket lines and seen some colleagues and friends cross the same picket lines, its a hugely uncomfortable, divisive and to degree upsetting experience. I didnt and wouldnt shout down those people as scabs although i might think it, but try and have conversations about the implications of their actions.

Im angry at the direction of travel with the corporatisation of the holte and the disregard for the loyalty of the season ticket holding supporters in particular. My feelings seem to be shared given the booing and conversations Ive had. However, I’d hazard a guess that many of the people using the Terrace View havent thought about or dont understand the implications of whats happening in the holte. I know someone with his own building contractors who has bought himself and his villa supporting son, terrace view season tickets on the company account, he wouldnt have a clue about the politics of it all.
Its right if the demand isnt there it will die a death, but then another equally shit idea will spring up. So im still not sure shouting the people who use it down is the answer. The people generating and implementing the ideas need to be tackled with strength of feeling from holte end regulars the key.