Stephen_Evans

1 hour ago, STO said:

The window actually opens on June 14th apparently.  

It’s going to get hot in here without an open window.  

Re the topic at hand, Barkley gets a thumbs up from me.  The more proper footballers we have the better.

Just now, ThunderPower_14 said:

My guess is that it'll just be the seats rearranged to form an Adidas logo, maybe a slight shuffle around.

You can see new stairs leading straight down from the entrances as part of the reconfiguration.

2 hours ago, Jas10 said:

Wonder when the official website gets a revamp… same time as the full crest reveal?

Will they “launch” the new crest at all? It seems they are already using it.

6 minutes ago, Alakagom said:

At least Heck's doubling of the graphics department has been a success, love all our graphics used lately 

My only “complaint” is that using an image of the Trinity Road Stand is hardly putting our best foot forward.  Hideous looking thing.

13 hours ago, Brumstopdogs said:

 

The lighting was better and the merchandise much more niche and interesting, for example the gorgeous framed prints from that era.

My hunch is that any major redevelopment of the North Stand will revert to the Ellis approach from 20 odd years ago.  The idea there was that the roof would come off (not sure how structurally they stop the rest falling down!) and they would build around and behind it.  It avoid total demolition and keeps the existing facilities in play.

In ten years we’ve gone from Ron Vlaar being our best defender to Diego Carlos not being quite at the required level.  That is some progress!

10 minutes ago, CarryOnVilla said:

 

interesting article, i feel like people in here would like to know what the complaints were about the round badge, and who said them? And why don’t we have a choice with this badge?

Heck was definitely right about the lack of choice. We had two choices from the same fundamental idea. even tho it’s not stated out right in the article, it’s clear that he wasn’t happy about the overall branding, or from what I’ve noticed, the lack of it. This image shows that wider branding was at forefront of he’s plan.

 

the double line, the font choices and the colours, other than the lion, everything is claret, blue and white (our kit colours). He’s bringing everything visual in to 1 unifying palette, Villa’s Palette 

like or dislike.. it’s good we are developing a brand identity beyond our badge. 

It’s the sort of article that could, perhaps, maybe, you know, go on our own website so that supporters can understand the thought process.

5 minutes ago, FLVillan said:

Actually in those two terrible seasons, 85-6 and 86-7 we were wearing the hideous henson kit without a badge... Returned to the round badge for the promotion season (87/8) and then finishing second under GT in 1989-90 (and still had the round badge when we finished second in the first premier league season under BFR)... 

Who would have thought this would be positively gorgeous compared to the first Hummel non-Villa kit.

10 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Im sorry but the original lerner one was the absolute worst for me. Hated it with  a passion

Agreed, there is no comparison between the latest badge and the Lerner one, which didn’t work at all.

Close the thread, we lost next season’s title today!

15 hours ago, Jas10 said:

sorry mate, I get it - you want some sort of pattern or detailing on the shirt. Seems to be the trend these days too…

Personally, I prefer clean and classic designs (love vibrant, clean claret myself).

How about these?

And it’s Scuuuuuunthorpe United…Scunthorpe United FC…  

5 hours ago, Zatman said:

I think is a slight chance we could go to pot 3 as some of the teams above us have play offs

You have to laugh that in UEFA-speak Celtic are better than Villa.  They wouldn’t finish half way up our league.

I shall miss the configuration of the North Stand and the “AV”.  The original subbuteo stand!

52 minutes ago, VillaAlex said:

We are capable at the same time probably need to be realistic. Depends on injuries and how well we build the depth in the team.

I read if you reach the final of the Champions League this season you'll have played 17 games. At bare minimum we play 8 and it's going to take its toll.

I'd be ecstatic with top 5 and a good performance in the Champions League and then we build again. 

 

Talking of realism, I can’t help feeling Chelsea are doing this season what we did last season.  A mediocre start, gradual improvement and then a solid late run for Europe.  They may well be the biggest barrier to us retaining top 4 status this time next year.

22 hours ago, sidcow said:

I've made this point before. There doesn't seem to be anyone with oversight of the state of the stadium. No accountability. No one doing walkabout and looking carefully at the place. 

I'd like to know what procedures are in place to look at this stuff. 

A silly example maybe, but there has been a piece of insulation material sticking out above the McGregor’s entrance under the Trinity Road overhang for years.  You can see it clearly through the window.  Man, I could do a job with a clipboard walking round the old place!

You know Unai is trying to work out a way to win it.

2 hours ago, ccfcman said:

Man I wish my Grandad could have seen this. He's only gone a couple years but he converted me with the Coca Cola Cup. If only I'd known what lay ahead for the next two decades. A Corkman who moved to Birmingham for a few years, spoke of Villa Park in the 60s as something approaching t he Maracana.

Will enjoy a trip and tiple in his name at the Bernabau or San Siro

Special Grandads certainly leave an enormous gap after they’ve gone don’t they.  But like you I love to imagine how mine would have enjoyed this season.

A very straightforward question: what possible harm would come of announcing the attendance at each game?  

Wish I could make Emery’s “Up the Villa” shout last night into some sort of text message alert.

6 minutes ago, Villa_Vids said:

IF we finish 4th, it is imperative we improve in all areas to be consistently in the top 4.

Let’s hope so.  If anyone knows how to do this, it’s our man Unai.

23 minutes ago, Jas10 said:

Really hope he scores today… break that record Ollie! You fully deserve it!

The Ollie Watkins thread appearing at the top on match day (pre-match) is not what I needed!

52 minutes ago, The Fun Factory said:

It's a dated concrete carbuncle surrounded by an uneven car park  and offers nowhere near enough capacity or other facilities to justify it's continued existence.

But I am not a member of the 20th Century Society so other opinions are available.

This is all so underwhelming, I can't get excited about refurbishing our current shop and stumps when the original plan about 4 years ago was to flatten the whole thing. We aren't even doing that now. If this was under Doug we would all be screaming about being penny pinching.

To be clear, I will be very happy to see the demise of the North Stand!

22 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

Yep, looking at them now they're a bit more complete I think it's pretty clear they're temporary.

My bad!

Hopefully the refurbished shop will also be temporary ultimately!  Complete eyesore of a building.

The funny thing about the North Stand and its bad press aesthetically is at least it is a clear (albeit dated) architectural style.

In terms of planning consents, it is still possible for Villa to do the Warehouse and Villa Live, as well as the North Stand.  Part of the rationale of the 2023 revisions was to separate the different elements.