On the VillaTalk messageboard users get the chance to ask a member of the Aston Villa Board, General Krulak, questions about the running of the club. One thing that was brought up wa regarding the renaming of the train station next to villa Park.
Trevor Fisher, from Aston villa fanzine Villa Matters has had a long standing interest in this idea. He asks for your opinions....
Aston Villa has to develop to meet new challenges. Amongst the most important of these is to raise its profile so media and public alike have a clear image of Villa as a forward looking and progressive club.
While many possibilities may be costly or controversial, for example renaming Villa Park after a sponsor, which is NOT desirable, one move which could be accomplished relatively cheaply is to rename the local Witton Station as Villa Park Station.
The advantages are clear. No longer would people get off at Aston Station thinking they were near the ground. Witton as the station nearest Villa Park would be seen as the natural arrival point. The name would appear on rail maps all over the country. At New Street Station, thousands of people every day would hear the name broadcast by station announcers. Trevor Fisher, editor of the Villa Fanzine VILLA MATTERS says “The name would appear on rail maps all over the country At New Street Station thousands of people would hear the name broadcast by station announcersâ€. This would help the public locate the club – not many people realise Villa are a Birmingham club.
There is a precedent. Back in the 1930s the great Arsenal manager, Herbert Chapman, secured a name change for the local tube station Gillespie Road. This was renamed Arsenal and appeared on the tube maps. Everyone knew where Highbury stadium was.
The Villa fanzine VILLA MATTERS is sounding out support among fans for a campaign to persuade the Strategic Rail Authority to rename Witton Station as Villa Park Station. Given sufficient support the fanzine will ask the club to make the approach to the authorities, or make the approach themselves.
Fans are asked to respond to the simple question
DO YOU THINK WITTON STATION SHOULD BE RENAMED VILLA PARK STATION YES/NO?
Let us know your views and whether you are prepared to help the campaign
Villa Park Station: A Proposal
in Villa Talk
Posted