Bournemouth v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[Somniloquism]

On the other hand, it isn't right that they have been able to get away with spending hundreds of millions on players without doing anything about the non-league standard shit tip they play at.  They have the smallest ground in the top two divisions, and even their only competitor for that title in Luton have pretty much used the money they got from their one year in the PL to get spades in the ground on a new stadium.  Bournemouth have had 10 years now on and off to get it sorted, it's not fair to other clubs who have spent 10's if not 100's of millions getting their grounds up to scratch.

Luton had to do it as rules had changed for promoted teams stadiums, and that was mostly for the press needs rather then the fans.

As for Bournemouth, ownership of the ground was a big issue in delaying the work. And when they started planning an initial new stadium they got relegated.

[OCD]

I'm conflicted on Bournemouth, because on the one hand it's great that they have been able to come from where they were to be realistic challengers for European football - without the ability of clubs to do that English football would be severely diminished.  Unfortunately no-one can do that withoutthe largesse of some billionaire nowadays, but that's not exclusive to Bournemouth or their fault.

On the other hand, it isn't right that they have been able to get away with spending hundreds of millions on players without doing anything about the non-league standard shit tip they play at.  They have the smallest ground in the top two divisions, and even their only competitor for that title in Luton have pretty much used the money they got from their one year in the PL to get spades in the ground on a new stadium.  Bournemouth have had 10 years now on and off to get it sorted, it's not fair to other clubs who have spent 10's if not 100's of millions getting their grounds up to scratch.

You see what's happened to Luton though and compare it to where Bournemouth are and it makes you think they were probably right.

[Clampy]

This is the weirdest whinge I've seen since you were getting all annoyed about WFH.

He comes out with it every season when we play them away. It's pretty sad really.

[Monty]

This is the weirdest whinge I've seen since you were getting all annoyed about WFH.

He comes out with it every season when we play them away. It's pretty sad really.

Don't get it. My local team is a Serie B/A yoyo club with a very small but picturesque ground and absolutely nobody has a problem with it, it's just considered part of the experience. Sure there are mootings re moving to a bigger ground, like for a lot of clubs, but not from away fans! It's odd.

[PeterWithesShin]

If Bournemouth don't spend millions on their squad they wouldn't be a PL side for long. If they aren't a PL side they don't need a bigger ground. It's very ManU plastic to look down on a club because they have a small ground. It's great that clubs Bournemouth/Luton get into the PL imo, it gives every club in the pyramid hope that one day it could be them. There's way more to football than the 20 clubs with bigger grounds.

[cdbearsfan]

Have always quite fancied going to a game by boat. If our owners really cared about Villa, they'd build us a decent river, or at least introduce vaporetti on the cut.

[Monty]

Have always quite fancied going to a game by boat. If our owners really cared about Villa, they'd build us a decent river.

Birmingham, famously, even has more canal mileage.

[cdbearsfan]

Why must you quote me before I've finished editing? Admittedly, I'm at least partly to blame for pressing send before I'd finished...

[Monty]

The perils of micropublishing.

[rougegorge]

Bournemouth's ground is small but it's in a decent area and modernised. It's obviously hard to get a ticket, but on the advice of someone else on here, I did hospitality there last season and the hosts and the fans were great and Gary Shaw came over for a chat with all the Villa fans that were there there; so it was a good mixed fan experience. I couldn't justify the cost of doing it regularly, but I could recommend it for future reference.

My vote for the worst ground and experience in the Premier League is Selhurst Park. The away section is awful and seems more like a prison and the whole ground looks stuck in the 70s.

[Monty]

My vote for the worst ground and experience in the Premier League is Selhurst Park. The away section is awful and seems more like a prison and the whole ground looks stuck in the 70s.

And we always get walloped.

[Sexual Ealing]

I like Selhurst, inevitable results notwithstanding.

[Ads]

Selhurst is fucking abysmal.

[Nev]

I love old grounds, despite their limitations they retain a historic charm, echoes of the past abound, odd shaped stands, hemmed in locations, splendid frontages and architectural wonders.

Not Selhurst though, it's an absolute fucking hole.

[VillaTim]

Bournemouth's ground is small but it's in a decent area and modernised. It's obviously hard to get a ticket, but on the advice of someone else on here, I did hospitality there last season and the hosts and the fans were great and Gary Shaw came over for a chat with all the Villa fans that were there there; so it was a good mixed fan experience. I couldn't justify the cost of doing it regularly, but I could recommend it for future reference.

My vote for the worst ground and experience in the Premier League is Selhurst Park. The away section is awful and seems more like a prison and the whole ground looks stuck in the 70s.

West Ham is awful too. For differing resasons