musicw8832

General,

Sorry I have been working away. Villa has and always will be our families team but we have decided to buy season tickets at Walsall Football Club from next season. It may not be as glamorous as the Premier League but at least our support will be appreciated there. Like you said yourself it doesn’t matter if we don’t renew because at Aston Villa fans who don’t earn as much as you require don’t matter because somebody will take our seats anyway. It is incredibly insulting to me that you suggest I believe everything I supposedly read in the ‘Mail’ despite the fact I don’t even read the newspaper, I got my information from fellow Villa supporters on sites such as this so maybe if the club itself was a little more clearer with its plans that effect the loyal non-prawn sandwich fans there wouldn’t be quite so much misinformation.

There’s no point private messaging you there’s nothing else to talk to you about Mr Krulak, you slammed the Aston Villa door firmly shut on four season ticket holders the moment you indicted our non-renewal didn’t matter anyway.

General,

It is not that my and family and I do not want to renew our season tickets it is simply that we cannot afford too due to the shocking increases in junior and young adult season ticket prices. The credit crunch has really hurt my family our mortgage and living costs have gone through the roof and I know we're not the only ones. Going to watch the Villa was one of the few getaways from the financial worries my family faces and now even that's going to have to go.

What makes me sick is that all season you've been offering reduced match ticket prices for council workers etc and now you're saying we need to increase ticket prices to compete. That doesn't add up. Furthermore a charity could well be becoming our main sponsor, it's a great gesture but not if it means the club's fans are going to have to fork out more money when you could have potentially got millions from a private company like the other Premier League teams you keep harping on about.

That only conclusion I can come to after taking a step back to look at the overall facts as you put it, along with a thread I've just read about Trinity Road season ticket holders having their seats taken away from them is that the prawn sandwich brigade are about to become much more important to Aston Villa than it's real genuine fans.

I can promise you, someone will buy your seat...they just will.

So that is your attitude to fans who can no longer afford it is it?

Basically I don't matter to Aston Villa anymore because you've outpriced us and can have somebody else in our place anyway.

I've supported this football club for over twenty years and all you can do is slap me and my family in the face when we are already down.

General,

Believe me, the comments made by Musicw8832 do not represent 99.9% of the Villa faithful as you will see in the season ticket renewals. I've had a ticket for the last 15 years and cant wait for the new season - bring it on and thank you and Randy for everything. Compare now to 2 yrs ago and it's frightening how much progress we've made.

Apparently Wigsy does represent 99.9% of the Villa faithful...

However the fact is he doesn't and I won't be the only one not renewing I can assure you.

I'm disgusted General I really am. So disapointed. Look at the table in the post above, it is shameful when the club will be getting a doubly increased £40 million pounds of television money. It is pure greed on behalf of those running the club to raise ticket prices as well.

The club is now getting £40 million pounds from the new television deal and is increasing ticket prices.

Cheers General.

We won't be renewing.

We're back General, and cheers for your blunt honesty when commenting our recent form.

Yes, but he's got to finally deliver in the transfer market this summer.

General,

That's three home performances in a row (with huge attendances) where the team has created nothing and the two goals we have scored have been from a set piece and a penalty. It's just not good enough nor is it acceptable.

After two disapointing transfer windows in which MON has done next to nothing do you now feel it's fair to say, like the majority fans thought, that the chickens have finally come home to roost?

Hi General,

I just have a quick question with regards to opening times. I was down at the front of the que this morning at 7.30 and managed to get my tickets for Derby away but with the ticket office not opening until 9 it meant a morning off work.

On those days such as today when tickets go on sale would it not be possible to open the ticket office at 8 so that people can get their tickets and still make it to work at a reasonable time? It wouldn't have to be every day but may help people easpecially when like today the demand for tickets far out weights supply.

Cheers

TrentVilla

General,

I'd like to share my experience of this morning. There was still a que at 10:50am so opening earlier will make no difference as the ticket office can clearly only process a certain amount of tickets per hour. Most people start work at 9:00am. If we did open at 8:00am the majority of people would still be left waiting in the cue well into 9am. Opening at 8:00 will only benefit those waiting at the front.

As the ticket office has processed around 1,500 tickets in two hours they're not doing a bad job as it stands. Demand is only going to get bigger the more successful we become as a club so those not wanting to wait for tickets would be better served joining the away scheme, I certainly will be next season.

Cheers.

Hi General & thanks for your time. Can you look into the Villa v Middlesborough game on 8th and try and get us news about it asap.

Middlesborough have just drawn in cup and we're concerned the game will be moved. My dad is taking me for my birthday but we've been holding off on getting tickets due to the confusion!

Instead of bothering the General with fixture related questions like these just call the club's Consumer Sales Department on 0800 612 0970. It is one free phone call and they will be able to advise you.

I brought tickets to secure some seats even though they are not sending the tickets out until they know exactly when the match is going to be played, this would allow anybody to get a refund over the telephone should the fixture date change without having to return any tickets back in the post. My dealings with them have always reassured me they are a quite capable department and always willing to help the fan.

How can it be right for a DOMESTIC competition to be played abroad? Until that question can be answered there is nothing for Lerner to even consider unless it is all about the money because rest assured you wouldn't be doing it for the fans.

General, why can't we be the club that just comes out and says a big loud clear 'NO' to this? We'd be the first and win the respect of ALL real football fans which would mean a hell of a lot more than a sack load of filthy Scudamore-drenched money. Furthermore I'm furious with the articles on the OS of the club talking the prospect up. I'm sickened, absolutely sickened by it. I thought Ellis was something but if this goes though we'll all know Lerner brought this club for one reason and one reason only and you came in to soften the fans up to help him do it.

NO NO NO. This must not happen!! Enough of the pandering and the carefully chosen words you've used whilst answering so far (I've been a public relations officer for years I know how it works.) YES or NO: do you or do you not agree that ANY DOMESTIC game played abroad is entirely unnacceptable when your true fanbase of over 100 years is in Birmingham, England. Yes or no General?

(Any answer other than 'yes' or if he refuses to answer and talks about waiting to here more information means the decision has either been made or is being seriously considered (ask yourself why otherwise the club would talk it up as 'exciting' on the OS?)

If this goes down the owners will be traitors to our club and all that it once stood for. William McGregor is already rolling in his grave.

General Krulak here:

1. Let me clarify something about the League proposal. The proposal was simply to have a "look-see" an perhaps extending the season and playing overseas. To "explore" the concept. Obviously, the key is that such an effort not damage the integrity of the Premiership nor hurt the fans. There are those who think that Randy or the Club should have stood up and immediately said "NO"...that makes no sense to me. Say NO to what? To exploring a possibility? My sense is that there can be very little progress without exploration. Let's not make this another "big deal". Although I was not at the meeting, I am sure that the media have it right...all that was agreed upon was to "explore" the concept. If this can be done w/o damaging the league...without hurting the fans...it may be worth "exploring"...which is ALL that was agreed upon. My own personal view is clear...if it hurts the fans, I am against it. BUT, I won't know unless someone "explores" it.

You will have to excuse our cynicism but every money-making concept the Premier League proposes comes to fruition. We do not need to explore this possibility, there should be absolutely no possibility of Aston Villa Football Club doing this so what exactly is there to explore?

If we did do this rest assured we will all know why - money and greed, everything the Premier League represents to most fans. I do not want Aston Villa Football Club to represent that anymore than it already does (as does most clubs).

If we have even agreed to look into this proposal it is a direct betrayal to Aston Villa Footbal Club supporters.

I would oppose this in the strongest terms.

One of the very best articles I have ever read on VillaTalk.

My sentiments exactly! You are the voice of reason Sir.

Number 2 here.

The Tom Hanks / scarf publicity opportunity was a no brainer and should have been done years ago.

We must make more of the club's celebrity ties, it makes us more appealing.

General, we must have zero tolerance for both away fans in home areas and the so called Villa fans who buy them the tickets in the first place. The sooner we weed them out the better, these fans are detremental to the club not to mention the matchday experience you've spoken about in previous posts. There is nothing worse than having away fans sat near you especially as the safety of home fans (including children) is put at risk.

Wolves fans definately.

RIP to John Cullen. 24 years old villa fan who drowned in Thailand recently in a flash flood while cave exploring. His girlfriend was the only survivor of 12 people who went in. John died as he left his girlfriend on a ledge while he tried to go and get help.

Was mates with him at School and he will be sorely missed by many. A funny and genuine bloke and a Villa fan through and through...

RIP

That would be unfair on the other Villa fans who have died in Iraq or other heroic acts.

I agree with that. Perhaps an article in the match programme would be better serving for events such as these.

This has never been about an individual with me...this has always been about fair treatment of fans, Villa or BCFC.

We all know this General. You have our full support.

General,

A really terrible night, I and the 25,000 there paid our hard-earned wages and froze our balls off for nothing in return. MON should be disgusted with himself and the team. This was an important competition for us and we've blew it. I'm furious with tonight's performance.

If I were to show up to work and perform like that I'd expect to be sacked. MON and some of the players need to take a good hard look in the mirror in the morning after their night's work. I feel thoroughly short-changed and let down. Even for £20 General that was not good enough nor was it acceptable.

I didn't say that. No point turfing MON out right now even for Mourinho.

I'd have Mourinho over MON given the choice.

2 I hope to make the Browns vs. Pittsburgh game...it will be a tough one. In many ways, it will be the equivalent of the Villa-Chelsea game and I just hope we have the same kind of result. We have brought Richard, Nicky Keye. Alison Plant, Phil Mepham and a couple others over to the US to see the game and see how Cleveland Stadium operates...tickets, food, drink, media, etc. etc. The idea is to see if there are "best practices" that can be shared between Villa and Browns.

5. musicw8832. I would love to meet your sister, Lucy. I will need the seat number and location.

General, great idea bringing Villa staff over to the US to see how things work over there, in my own career I have found this to be very beneficial.

Lucy is in Lower Holte End, Section L6, Row J, Seat 176. Cheers General, and we hope to see you soon!

Hello General,

I think the work the club has been doing with our supporters such as the meetup groups is to be commended and would be envied by many a fan at other football clubs. That word 'club' I feel has become very relevant and meaningful again, I believe the steps taken to rebuild that have been nothing short of first class.

I would back action to remove people from the ground if caught smoking within the confines of VP. I have nothing against smokers but the rest of us fans need to take an active role in helping the club solve this issue and I for one would have no problem bringing it up with others supporters should I be in the toilet and people are lighting up.

My 10 year old sister Lucy has been having a great time at VP with her first season ticket. You must come and say 'Hi'. We're in the Lower Holte End, section L6.