wedge

If you've missed the 1897 Group's plans for the Bournemouth game this Sunday (detailed above) then there is still time to join the group to help make Villa Park rock and help get the team over the line by purchasing tickets directly through the club in blocks P9-P11 (our reserved section is in P9) or by relocating your existing season/match ticket to this area of the stadium just for this game.

The more the merrier! 

If you've missed the 1897 Group's plans for the Bournemouth game this Sunday (detailed above in this thread and in the thread in the Bournemouth home match section of VT) then there is still time to join the group to help make Villa Park rock and help get the team over the line by purchasing tickets directly through the club in blocks P9-P11 (our reserved section is in P9) or by relocating your existing season/match ticket to this area of the stadium just for this game.

The more the merrier! 

That is literally only a pen a Media 6 club is getting. Absolute joke.

Really not sure I can bear to watch this, haven't felt this pessimistic about a game since UE took over.

Please don't get me wrong though, even if we lose 7-0, we are still in absolute dreamland compared to where we were when he first arrived and I'm loving it!

1 hour ago, pas5898 said:

The 1982 brigade (as I call them) the front of the upper Holte are terrible for this. We could be winning 3:0 and they are moaning to pass it forward, shoot from 40 yards. 

Do you think any of this so-called 1982 brigade will be up for joining the 1897 Group or will it be too confusing numbers-wise? 

On 11/04/2024 at 09:13, TRO said:

I don't know if we have ever, been like that....are they like that all the time, or just playing Barcelona?

Newcastle fans do seem to be noisy, but they do play with high intensity too.

I think how a team plays, has a lot to do with it......Arsenal fans do see to have found their voice too, and Liverpool have always been high intensity traditionally.

I am not sure props will work....I think it has to be natural....but hey ho, just my opinion.

Fair enough mate, you're entitled to your opinion and I respect it and see where you're coming from!

23 hours ago, sidcow said:

What happened here? I've not heard anything about trouble. 

When leaving the Amsterdam Arena after the game, after an initial very short hold back at the final perimeter fence that let you out into one of the network of pathways surrounding the stadium which you have to navigate under some bridges that leads to the nearest train station with Ajax fans goading Villa fans bravely from the other side of the fences, they then suddenly decided to open the gates before the Ajax fans had cleared or got anywhere close to being cleared and let a large number of us out right into the fray which kind of defeats the object of a hold back  people were tumbling everywhere it was carnage, it was pitch black and with not many wearing colours it was difficult to work out who was who etc but it went right off and that's not an exaggeration, this wasn't one of those fights you see videos of from outsides stadiums where everyone is just dancing around each other!!

I have no doubt a few of the previously very secure and brave Ajax fans who were swearing at and goading the Villa fans got a very swift taste of Brummie karma!!  it didn't appear anyone got badly hurt or anything and there were no arrests from what I could see as no police or security were around. I think a few of the Ajax fans plead their way out of it by reasoning etc. I believe whilst Villa being from a tough and large city like Brum have a tough but fair fanbase particularly the ones that regularly travel away to Europe and we aren't bullies and most don't go looking for trouble but will defend ourselves when attacked or provoked.

Not everything makes it onto social media, and it started that quickly and unexpectedly no one would have really had time to get their phone out and start filming it fortunately. One video did make it onto social media from earlier in the day before the game which apparently according to the comments were some Ajax 'ultras' who were seemingly up for attacking anyone in Villa colours picked on a Dad with his lad and starting attacking them for no reason but again fortunately no lasting damage, I suspect the fact that word had got round that this had happened (there were other reports I've seen on Twitter about Ajax fans dressed in black attacking some Villa fans in an underground car park near to the stadium but when they realised the Villa fans weren't up for a fight they stopped) so there was certainly provocation on numerous counts.

All's well that ends well! 

Final reminder from me - but supporters who already hold a season ticket or a Bournemouth match ticket and who wish to stand/sing/help with flags and banners for the Bournemouth game on Sunday 21st April 3pm KO in a rail seating area (block P9 Upper Doug Ellis) to hopefully have a very positive impact on the VP atmosphere - please email lee.preece@avfc.co.uk BEFORE 5PM TODAY THURSDAY 11TH APRIL preferably from the email account associated with your FAN ID with your name and FAN ID expressing your desire to be relocated as a one off to block P9 to join the 1897 Group for the Bournemouth game.

Hope to see as many VT'ers there as possible, all welcome!

Final reminder from me - but supporters who already hold a season ticket or a Bournemouth match ticket and who wish to stand/sing/help with flags and banners for the Bournemouth game on Sunday 21st April 3pm KO in a rail seating area (block P9 Upper Doug Ellis) to hopefully have a very positive impact on the VP atmosphere - please email lee.preece@avfc.co.uk BEFORE 5PM TODAY THURSDAY 11TH APRIL preferably from the email account associated with your FAN ID with your name and FAN ID expressing your desire to be relocated as a one off to block P9 to join the 1897 Group for the Bournemouth game.

Hope to see as many VT'ers there as possible, all welcome!

22 minutes ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

I’ve said it before but I personally think we don’t get on the backs of the opposition enough. A bit of booing when they have possession, cheer and mock every error or misplaced pass, Cheer every Villa challenge etc.

 

Agreed, hostility isn't a bad thing, this isn't tiddlywinks after all!

1 hour ago, Kingman said:

Singing in the Witton, Thought that carried a banning order!.. 

It's a risk we're willing to take! 

1 hour ago, Lille fan said:

The Stadium is not in Lille but in Villeneuve d'Ascq , it's a 10-15 minutes subway ride away from the city center

People in Lille are generally friendly and welcoming (way more than in Paris or South of France) , but we of course have our dickheads like anybody else. Inside Stadium is safe and good for visitors , stay vigilant for ultras dressed in black nearby the stadium though , a small minority of them like to fight episodically... just something you might want to know

City center is safe , old city center (vieux-lille) even safer . i would recommend sticking to theses parts of the city before and after the game...

I hope for their sake your black-clad ultras don't try to fight Villa supporters, if Ajax away was anything to go by, it won't end well for them...

1 hour ago, TRO said:

Precisely.....I think its linked to how we play.

So do we just accept that as good enough then? I think herein lies the problem...

In my opinion, it's easy to vocally support the team when things are going well on pitch, I'd argue the team need boosting more (I strongly believe the crowd can boost the players) when things aren't.

I'm watching PSG v Barca and the PSG ultras just do not stop from minute one. They conceded and weren't playing well and it was irrelevant, they just carried on, and have no doubt helped drag their team up who have now turned it around and are winning 2-1.

13 minutes ago, icouldtelltheworld said:

 and the club has sanctioned a new supporters group within the stadium.

Can't help but wonder if they're realising they've overplayed their hand slightly with the combination of price increases, TV and LG and want to get disgruntled core supporters back on side

I have to say that at the moment the 1897 Group (which is open to any Villa fan as discussed above in this thread) whom I believe you're referring to when you say 'new supporters group' will only have the opportunity to be together inside the stadium potentially when the away team's support doesn't take up the full allocation, it is not right in my opinion to suggest or push to displace existing supporters who have just as much right to be inside the stadium as anyone else. Although I will add I was pleasantly surprised at how willing to liaise with the group the club were from the off but I don't see any evidence in my opinion to suspect it's related to the issues you've mentioned. 

9 hours ago, Vive_La_Villa said:

I might be bringing my 9 year old to this game so we could potentially both move over. Shes moaned before about there not being enough singing.
 

 Any chance you can maybe DM what’s planned ?  Thanks.

DM'd you mate 

Just an update for those who possess a season ticket and/or individual match ticket for the Bournemouth match on Sunday 21st April 3pm KO and are wanting to help make Villa Park rock:

As I've mentioned earlier in the thread, the 1897 Group are just a banner for like-minded Villa fans regardless of age, gender, ability or disability, nationality, ethnicity, political views, sexual orientation, occupation etc to come together under to help improve the much-maligned (particularly in this thread!) Villa Park atmosphere of late. I'll be honest, I really didn't think it would go anywhere as nothing can be done without the club's permission of course but following a really positive meeting with the club one of our requests - taking advantage of Bournemouth not taking their full ticketing allocation and not having to displace existing ticket holders which isn't right and letting like-minded fans be located together in the same section for a Villa Park match - was granted and initially we have 100 tickets in block P9 of the Doug Ellis upper tier (usually the away section for clubs who take their full allocation) reserved in what is a rail seating/safe standing area. 

The initial take up has been brilliant and initially we thought that just filling out the Google Document with your name and FAN ID would be enough for the club to then re-issue those fans new tickets just for the Bournemouth game, however unfortunately now the club want all fans who want to join the group in block P9 to email the club's supporter liaison officer Lee Preece at lee.preece@avfc.co.uk (preferably from the email account associated with your FAN ID) with your name and FAN ID and an email similar to the following:

"Hi Lee,

I wish to confirm I am a season ticket holder/I have purchased a match ticket (delete where appropriate) and I wish to relocate my ticket to block P9 for the Bournemouth home match to be located with the 1897 Group.

My name is (insert name here)

My FAN ID is (insert FAN ID here)"

You will get an acknowledgement email from Lee in due course with further details and your P9 ticket for the match in due course.

The deadline to submit your relocation email to Lee Preece is Thursday 11th April 5pm

It's vital that as many Villa fans as possible join us for the Bournemouth trial to make it a spectacle and success and get the group recognised, if we were to get past Lille in the UECL QF and draw Fenerbahce in the semi final as Fener fans are currently banned from attending European away matches by UEFA it would represent another great opportunity for the group to pack out the area that would have been occupied by the away support.

For the good of the atmosphere at Villa Park for years to come, please help us if you can!

59 minutes ago, Rugeley Villa said:

Yeah we don’t want any drums. Just flags, banners even balloons which I used to love seeing in the 90s. Hopefully it takes off. I think fan groups really need to push for crazy train to be stopped. Hi Ho Aston Villa is great , but leave it at that . Got no objection with the fireworks either . I was sat in K4 third row from the front yesterday and it was pretty good in terms of atmosphere . The Small Heath get battered chant seems to get most of the ground going I noticed yesterday. 

I don't think you'll be disappointed in that case then Sir!

1 hour ago, imavillan said:

all for getting the atmosphere going as when VP rocks it rocks and this seems to be a good initiative.

but VP1897 group please, please, please tell me you're not going to be investing in and bringing a drum to the ground.

the games i watch on tv are so annoying when there's a drummer.......i can only imagine it's even worse at the stadium 

also, can anyone shed any light on how it went at yesterdays game. Cheers.

The group's debut will be at the Bournemouth game mate.

Fear not, no drums.

Just flags, banners, and noise!

1 hour ago, Rugeley Villa said:

A few seats available in the upper Doug Ellis where away fans normally go. Might go and sit there with my son see what it’s all about 

More than welcome to both join us for Bournemouth mate, going to try and make a spectacle, can relocate your seats here just for the Bournemouth game: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScRezbRGzSyVPC9-1KtaXC28kIJWYcX73WMLFqmZ_Jk9vVmtA/viewform__;!!HOAx1U0!5YOnPsHgox6XJAtejQjCZOYtREWbWsBrGceOTG_0GcQhRq4lrp1PdOKyqqCSpz6RmK6VDFo4SgCLw4dFL_HPkexkXdWRAag1DQE%24

Think we need to submit the names and FAN ID's to the club tomorrow so that one-off tickets can be allocated to those that are relocating so the sooner the better if you're both up for it, the more the merrier and it will hopefully gather more support and show the club we want organic fan-led elements to improve the atmosphere and not blaring music and fireboxes etc. 

12 hours ago, spiezels said:

Fair play by the club this.

Needs to be announced properly

John Townley from the B'ham Mail has written two articles about the group, the second of which promotes the Bournemouth game plans, a fellow VT'er has kindly posted it in this thread.

As per @alreadyexists's thread in the Bournemouth (h) match section. The 1897 Group (and any other like-minded Villa fans that want to be a part of doing something about the recent below-par VP atmosphere too!) following a positive meeting with the club have been given a fantastic opportunity for the Bournemouth (h) game. As Bournemouth haven't taken their full allocation, the club have offered block P9 in the Upper Doug Ellis  to supporters who wish to be vocal and create an atmosphere in addition to banners/flags in this area.

To clarify, there will be no extra charge or anything for those fans wishing to join The 1897 Group in block P9 for Bournemouth.

Many VT'ers and supporters from the wider AVFC community have been critical of the atmosphere of late in this thread and this is a real opportunity for us to do something about it. As Bournemouth haven't taken the upper tier of what is usually the away end, this opens a section for like-minded Villa fans to get together in one section of Villa Park without displacing other supporters from their seats.

To relocate for Bournemouth at home, enter your name and FAN ID on this Google doc: Aston Villa vs Bournemouth - 1897 Group opportunity

Many of us have been critical of the VP atmosphere in this very thread and it's high time to do something about it. This is a great foot in the door opportunity for those of us who want to vocally support the team for 90 minutes in our wonderful stadium, particularly for a game against an opponent on a Sunday afternoon where it would typically be a bit flat.

3 hours ago, alreadyexists said:

Saw this on twitter, I’m not involved or anything, but thought I’d share:

 

 

Got there just before me. Just to clarify, there will be no extra charge or anything for those fans wishing to join The 1897 Group in block P9 for Bournemouth.

Many VT'ers and supporters from the wider AVFC community have been critical of the atmosphere of late and this is a real opportunity for us to do something about it. As Bournemouth haven't taken the upper tier of what is usually the away end, this opens a section for like-minded Villa fans to get together in one section of Villa Park without displacing other supporters from their seats.

To relocate for Bournemouth at home, enter your name and FAN ID on this Google doc: Aston Villa vs Bournemouth - 1897 Group opportunity

38 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

To be honest, on this one I have no idea - it was a meeting for the club with a specific group and the FAB weren't involved. The meeting that the FAB had scheduled with the club on 27th has been postponed and I'm not sure if this one went ahead either.

I'm very confident that the 1897 Group meeting took place mate, and I'm also aware that the latest FAB meeting was postponed. I was just pointing out that as you are a regular attendee at club meeting that you're fully aware that the details/minutes etc of any meeting between fan groups and the club can't be shared publicly until the club give the green light basically.

3 minutes ago, omariqy said:

Looks like Dawson and Hwang are both out. Dawson in particular is a big blow for them

In addition to Neto being out.

They also don't seem convinced that Cunha has got 90 minutes in him.