brommy

1 minute ago, TRO said:

I should probably digest that ....and take it in, it really makes sense.

 My problem is, I am a perfectionist, and sometimes it gets in the way of practicality......

I know, you are right in what you are saying.

Thanks.

You're welcome.

I'm still smiling that you've chosen this era at Villa to reinforce you are a perfectionist?! Most of the previous Villa eras must have been torture for you!!! 

31 minutes ago, TRO said:

I honestly can see all that....and I understand, why he does what he does.

I just feel at times, some of the goals we concede are sloppy or passive......I accept a goal against of high calibre skill, because we can't keep every threat out.

I know it seems like nit picking, because if we win, who cares....but i just feel nervy, when we haven't got the ball....and particulalry when the opposition venture in to our box.

We've still got players with some weaknesses and there will be occasions when the tactics don't work. Knowing we're still way off the elite level, I'm guarded against the expectation of winning all the time whilst not conceding some avoidable goals, in the knowledge and enjoyment of definitely heading in the right direction. UTV!

9 minutes ago, TRO said:

I am loving the way we play and I feel we are not there yet, despite massive strides forward.....but really enjoying it, overall.

However, I still get nervy, when we are defending or without the ball.

maybe, I shouldn't be, but I am.

I'm the same but put it more to extreme emotional investment in wanting us to succeed than our tactics or style of play.

2 minutes ago, IrishVilla10 said:

Similar to how we’re seeing cash play more forward Moreno could do the same too, great options to have 

Before Sunday and despite knowing Cash played more advanced earlier in his career, I'd have backed Emery to play Moreno in a more advanced role on the left, with Cash mostly holding back on the right. Now with Konsa apparently more comfortable covering the right back position than Pau covering the left, I'm not so sure.

It's great that Cash and Moreno (more than ably supported by Digne (for now)) give Unai the options to use against varied oppositions.

Just now, DakotaVilla said:

Of course the club should address the facilities but you don’t buy a season ticket to stand on the concourse or to take a piss in the stadium toilets. You buy it to watch the team on the pitch x 19 home league games. And that team is progressing rapidly. 

And yet the club often talks of the whole match day experience and encourages fans to arrive early and enjoy (spend on) the food and drink they are selling. At the moment, I think the financial gain of the TVL will be somewhat decreased by reduced spending by the majority in the smaller concourse areas - certainly until the quicker order facilities of the Lower Holte are introduced and increased toilets to cope with the inevitable two+ pint urinations!

The issue is about detrimental changes at increased costs for a majority in the Upper. In my opinion that shouldn't be ignored or glossed over by trying to compete on the pitch.

8 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Good suggestions but i think if you freeze pricea for upper holte you just know other ST holders sitting in other areas will kick up a stick that thwir prices havent been frozen. 

 

A club statement acknowledging the actual reduction in facilities leading to a temporary price freeze (not reduction) in Upper Holte ticket costs, announced at the same time as inflation only (should be around 5% at the time) and recognising the significantly above inflation increases of the 23/24 season, should hopefully placate. Besides, as I've already been told on VT, what are they going to about it?!

Unlikely, not impossible.

Hopefully Chris Heck taking commercial advantage of our improved team and club standing will more than offset the relatively miniscule cost.

1 minute ago, DakotaVilla said:

Sorry to break it to you but Tickets will be going up again next season by a minimum of 10%. As long as there is such a big waiting list they will continue to go up. 

I also personally don’t buy this facilities argument either. As long as the owners keep ploughing all the money into the team and into supporting Emery then they have the justification to continue putting up ticket prices. 

As I posted, they were my suggestions of much varying likelihood, so whilst another price increase is not inevitable (perhaps less inevitable for the 'wronged' Upper HolteEnders), I accept it is unfortunately likely, so definitely no need for you to apologise.

You 'not buying this facilities argument' and the club possibly not addressing it, doesn't negate the issue or undermine the strength of argument based on the factual reduction of facilities for the vast majority of fans in the Upper Holte.

21 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Yeah thats fair enough if you have had the seat for so long. I get why you would be annoyed to be fair 

Not sure what your options are as i doubt the club will do anything about it unless no one pays money for the service and  they abolish it?

 

My suggestions of much varying likelihood -

Open it to all. See it as a concourse revamp and an increase in standards financed by the significant increase in season ticket and match ticket costs.

Fill it to capacity which should partially reduce the stress on the reduced space, toilets and facilities on the remaining reduced concourse. Perhaps by offering £3 entry 90 to 60 minutes before kickoff and £5 entry for 60 to 0 minutes prior to kick off which could see the 1000 capacity reached and encourage fans to arrive early, increasing drink and food revenue whilst also reducing traffic issues.

Refurbish the reduced concourse area including quicker drink and food ordering (as already seen in the Lower Holte) and increasing the number of toilets available.

Freeze Holte End Upper season ticket and match day prices for a couple of seasons to reflect the imposed reduced facilities.

5 minutes ago, mikeyp102 said:

Has it? I thought it was all upper, arent the lost seats in lower due to more disabled seats?

See my post further up this page.

51 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Fair enough.

I havent used the service yet brommy so i cant comment on how good or bad it is. Ill probably try it once just to experience it but it has little impact on what ill do when visiting villa park. I wont hate on those who want to do it or the club for trying to generate more income.

With regards to the space issue you wont have to worry about that soon with the expansion of the stadium. Maybe a change of seat perhaps if its causing you a lot of distress?

We as fans want to be competing with the top clubs unfortunately that comes at a cost. The club is trying to make money. Investing the expansion of the stadium, investing in excellent quality players like diaby we have to expect the clubs arr goinv to be looking at ways of generating more revenue and this is one of them. 

 

Definitely no hate from me as that's not the type of person I am, well maybe at a nonphysical level towards Trump and Rees-Mogg. Despite a couple of media mentions, I did not witness any animosity towards VTL fans during the Everton game, although in fairness, I sit in row 12, fairly central and surrounded by, mostly very long term, season ticket holders (as discussed - the vast majority of which did not take the VTL expense on), so I was distant from the seating areas where most of the 'new' VTL fans were likely situated.

I did take a 5 second peak through a door briefly held open by security staff upon my exiting of the Everton game. The lounge looked decent and much cleaner than the reduced concourse area was. Hopefully that will be rectified before the Hibs game.

After sitting in the exact same seats with my family and friends group since the Upper Holte opened in December 1994, I can confirm I won't be taking your suggestion of a change of seat.

The term 'distress' you used is far too strong a word. 'Annoyed' at paying more money for the loss of space, toilet, drink and food facilities to create what many fans see as an overpriced, undersubscribed and thus oversized lounge, might be a better description and understandable to most.

Football finances show that whilst not insignificant, income generated from ticket sales and hospitality is dwarfed by other income streams, primarily television rights. In my opinion, any increase in revenue from the Holte Upper should have been created from the lounge (leading to an inevitable loss of space and facilities for the majority) OR an increase in season ticket and match ticket prices. Instead we've been hit with both significant price increases AND a significant decrease in space and facilities. I suppose a smaller lounge (half the size and half the loss in space/facilities) and smaller rise (say 5% instead of 16% for STs and even higher for match day tickets) would have been more palatable.

7 minutes ago, blandy said:

It’s also reduced the number of seats in the lower Holte, meaning harder to get tickets for games. It was a really dumb idea and should never have been given the go ahead.

In fairness, isn't this down to creating an increase of match viewing for disabled fans, that I think was required to meet legislation?

2 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

My thoughts shared on the question 

My 2nd part of the post was my opinion.  I do hope that clears that up for you

'My thoughts exactly' implied an agreement to a statement, not - here are my thoughts on the question, but that's not important so I'll happily move on.

Regarding your opinion - 'You don't have to use it if you don't want to', is an obvious truth, I hope my subsequent posts detailing the loss of space and facilities for a significant increase in cost, will help your consideration of how the Terrace View Lounge had affected the vast majority of Upper Holte fans.

9 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

I guess from the things that have been reported and gathered in the fans group, there are three main ones, two permanent and one (hopefully) temporary.

1. The effect on Holte End ticketing - I'm convinced Purslow thought existing Holte End season ticket holders would fall over themselves trying to get in here and that they'd take seven or eight hundred of the tickets, leaving the rest for single day people - I'd heard that at the point the sales window should have shut, they'd taken 67. That means they've had to find space in an already pretty crowded Upper Holte End for 900 new people - as a result, it's become very, very difficult for members to buy tickets in the Upper Holte - it's pretty much out of bounds. A lot of those members spent a lot of games up there last season with friends - now they can't - because of the Terrace View.

2. The effect on the remainder of the Upper Holte - the club surveyed about 5,000 people up there, promised to make the facilities better, and then they did - for maybe 100 of those people. For the rest, the facilities are worse. There was an expectation that the remaining facilities would be upgraded to the same level as the Lower Holte, so that even though there's less space now, the service would be quicker and the impact would be reduced - that hasn't happened - in fact, nothing has - for 85% of Upper Holte Enders, the promise to improve facilities was a lie.

3.The club have been desperately trying to get this facility finished in time for the opening day - all summer it has been the absolute focus. They did that, just, but as a result loads of other areas have suffered - fix the toilets? No, get TV finished. Improve the kiosks? No, get TV finished. Clean seats, sweep out concourses?...well you get the picture. The damage that the construction did that caused the closure of the Holte Suite was probably the biggest example - although the club are now (apparently) taking the opportunity to put a bit of a revamp in there. Everything this summer at Villa Park took second place to the Terrace View and we're left with a lovely area in the middle of a real mess - 85% of Upper Holte Enders will only experience the real mess.

Beyond that there are the concerns about gentrification, away tickets, the deal that's been sold to TV members and how that affects them and the unpleasant atmosphere that's created when fans who can't get a drink bump against those who can - but I think those are the there main complaints I've seen.

I'd like this post to be put forward at the next fans advisory board meeting and ask 'how does the club plan to rectify these issues created by the Terrace View Lounge and how will it compensate the vast majority of Upper Holte fans for their loss of space and facilities, despite paying significantly more money?'.

10 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Exactly my thoughts. Alot of moaning about it. You dont have to use ut if you dont want to.

@NurembergVillanpost definitely reads as genuine question asking about the actual impact of the lounge. It wasn't a statement that nothing or very little has changed for Upper HolteEnders who don't want to pay for or can't afford the lounge expense.

When you write 'exactly my thoughts', are you agreeing with @NurembergVillanquestion?

2 minutes ago, Villarocker said:

First half, Konsa burst forward into midfield, in their half, and made a tackle. The ball broke free and they broke forwards down our left. Kamara dropped into Konsa's position and Konsa chased back through the centre. When the ball got cleared forward, Konsa just naturally fell back into position as Kamara trotted forwards back into centre midfield. It was pure fluidity and beautiful to watch. 

Watched the game with my son. I said to him Konsa's needs to get back quick. My son said Kamara's already back covering. A few seconds later Burnley were passing backwards so Kamara and Konsa switched back. It's strange how something so apparently simple and obvious seemed so alien to us pre Emery.

2 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Who? He has already won 4 more games than the previous fraud 

Perhaps he meant Er!c Bl@ck?

20 minutes ago, kidlewis said:

Yeah, it’s pissed me off he smashed the championship and we could have sold him for a song without giving him a decent run. 
 

his numbers were as good as anyone in the championship. I think only two strikers had a better G/A per minute than him in the last few years and one was Mitrovic when we went mental that one season. 
 

he’s worth more than £18m. That’s nothing really in 2023. 

He apparently attracted a few clubs attention and was sold to the highest bidder. That probably demonstrates a process of finding his true worth, especially given the buy back clause used.

Available on a match by match basis and ideally pre-bookable on a simple app (wouldn't want to arrive an hour early only to find it full), £15 to include one drink voucher or £20 to include two drinks is the absolute maximum value point for me to consider attending up to half a dozen times per season as a treat. Although, I do appreciate that others will have different price points.

4 minutes ago, sidcow said:

I expected him to go absolutely nuts after scoring. What was he staring at in the stands? Didn't look like the look you'd give to family. 

He was just playing it cool.

14 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

Open it from 11:00 for a 15:00 kick off - first come first served - £6.00 in, no free programme and no free drinks and you'll end up with the biggest drinkers in the Upper Holte - it'll become a badge of honour - I was in the TV, I started drinking with the boys early - the place for the most loyal - and you know what? I don't think that would make much less money than the current set up.

 

When I completed the survey, the above is roughly what I thought would be offered and I tailored my answers (mostly favourable) accordingly. I hoped for £5 entrance fee, perhaps 50p extra per pint or £10 entry to include one drink. I certainly didn't envisage a £480 charge to include 38 drinks, 19 lanyards and programmes. 

7 hours ago, Demitri_C said:

Im just happy hw got a great reception yesterday.  He really deserves it.

It was a textbook ex-player return for us.

1. Early goal(s) lead against an away team that everyone could sense offered very little threat of coming back in to the game.

2. Ex-player doesn't play well and doesn't 'bad tackle' anyone.

3. Ex-player takes corners enabling Villa fans to directly applaud (kudos to Young for professionally not acknowledging this during the game).

4. Ex-player acknowledges applause after heavy defeat is complete.

5. Ex-player clearly infuriates the couple of dozen away fans, who remain at full time, for completing tasks 2 and 4.

35 minutes ago, lainux said:

We're some original upper holte season ticket holders reallocated so that their seat can sold at a higher price?

No.

2 minutes ago, nick76 said:

I don’t why they bother with the gift boxes, rather my season ticket be £5 less.  My young nephew won’t know what a pen and notepad is for he’s with the modern age and uses technology devices to note things.

I'm guessing, even bulk buying 30,000 of them would cost at least a tenner each, especially when including the postage. Not wishing to sound ungrateful but I'd probably prefer £10 off the ST cost, but I suppose fans would then say 'the club doesn't care about our loyalty - they didn't even send out a welcome pack!'

1 minute ago, nick76 said:

Is the notepad cover claret? Looks almost a dark pink or is it the hoot although the pen looks ok?

Just the lighting making it look lighter. Looking at my photo, the notepad is actually about the same colour as the pen appears and the pen is very slightly darker. Definitely both what I'd associate as claret although that's subjective anyway.