Hi General,
As a 40 year old Villa fan (went to first game in 1976) I have got to say that some fans posting in this thread need to take a reality pill. I am not a season ticket holder but on average go to 8-10 home games and 3-5 aways per season with my two children (5 and 6). I live in the South East of England but was born and brought up in Sutton Coldfield.
As a club The Villa have a great history and tradition stretching back to Victorian times!....our recent successes (in colour TV) 81/82 and 94/96 can only be described as 'patchy'! But this does not matter as Villa fans we are born that way and win/lose/draw we will always be fans.
I think the brunt of some the fans discruntlement is that when Randy took over in 06 they all bought in to the 'dream' hook line and sinker of a billionaire owner coming in and transforming our club from a 'bridesmaid' to a 'bride'....your stated aim was CL football in 5 years. This now seems a bit if a stretch too far and maybe that aim although honourable will always be used as a stick to beat you/Randy with! They also seem to think that running a multi milion pound business is 'childs play' and expect you to divulge business plans/budgets/meeting minutes/PAYE forms/recruitment policy/cost of coffee at the vending machine.....well surprise surprise a business is just that and to constantly question when it is obvious to most people that this ship is being run pretty well judging by past performace and current practice is just ludicrous
Randy is a great custodian for our club at the present and he has invested massively in both players/wages /infastructure....clear for all to see. Villa park looks amazing....all new signage(that matches!) Bodymoor Heath/fantastic youth set up/total transformation from the HDE administration...I could go on and on.
But this it seems is not good enough for some fans because you 'promised' CL football in 5 years!...(well look what happened to Leeds they played CL football)...get real Villa fans we may have the 'History' but we do not have the resource or fanbase to consistently eat at the top table...never have never will (unless Randy sells to the Chinese)...I would love to see Villa play in the CL but not to the detriment of everything else and to be honest although I have a certain 'envy' of what is happening at Man C what they are doing is plain crass and very 'false'.We all complain about 'Glory Hunters'...well it seems to me that some fans in this thread are just that!
Anyway my question....Is the club looking at the potential of bringing back a safe standing area in the Holte End....as my kids are growing I would love to be able to once again stand with them on the Holte (L Block!)...I know this is not a decsion for Villa to make unilaterally but looking at what is happening in Germany (Hamburg and Dussedorf) both increasing capacites of standing areas. (why do the germans always seem to do things right?) Can the club organise a lobby to get this at least serously on the political agenda.
Keep up the great work everyone at Aston Villa FC....our club is in great hands and I know that the majority of Villa fans can see that what has been achevied in the past four years is more than has been done in the previous 25.... and last season was amazing... highs and lows.
UP THE VILLA