OutByEaster? Posted January 9, 2008 Moderator Share Posted January 9, 2008 General, One smaller note on changing the dates of games, we now have a first team game at Liverpool and a reserve team game at Derby scheduled to take place simultaneously on the 21st January. That makes it difficult to decide on the best way to use fringe players, it means the manager won't be able to see the reserves play and it places a deal of pressure on the clubs infrastructure in preparing two squads for travel at the same time. Is there a likelihood that the reserve game will be moved? OBE It has been moved, now 24 hours later By God the Generals good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
symmouk Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 HI General, What a fantastic image it is to see Tom Hanks wearing a Villa scarf and waving it at the premiere. Whoever sent him that at the club should be knighted! I agree he should be invited to the Reading game, or a future game, the publicity Sly Stallone got going to everton last season was huge, i think Hanks attending a villa game in a scarf would be amazing for the club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totti Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Just to add a little interntional branding to the subject.... whilst just reading the latest threads in Dubai, Forest Gump perks up on the local TV news wearing his scalf...!!! Excellent. This could be a five quid marketing sensation General.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabby15 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Gen, not really a question regarding transfers, but IF Olof Mellberg did sign for Juventus or someone else, could we play them in a pre-season friendly as a way to say bye? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b6bloke Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Just to add a little interntional branding to the subject.... whilst just reading the latest threads in Dubai, Forest Gump perks up on the local TV news wearing his scalf...!!! Excellent. This could be a five quid marketing sensation General.... Nice one General! Nice move by someone at the club. Any idea who it was? Tom Hanks said the club sent it to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortshadyuk Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 I agree totally with BOF, I also have my flights booked for the Blackburn game and dont want to lose them. I have already lost my flights for the game away to Liverpool. Please dont change it General. I always wait for the Sky and Setanta schedules to be revealed before I book my flights, so I dont need this to worry about as well!!!! UlsterVilla its a huge shame but i had that problem as i lived in philly and flew out for games and its infuriating wasting hotel money, travel too both in the uk and to/from the uk but the general also lost money due to changes in dates. General could you perhaps come to an agreement with Sky about not changing a fixture if its only a month away? a months grace might help everyone plan their travel and not lose out on so much cash :-) I blew $2000 on wasted travel and accommodation last year Fantastic PR from Villa Im a huge Fan of Tom Hanks General and im ever so glad Villa took some initiative... Prince William might as well be sent something to show off too that would get even more coverage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maccadooby Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Hi General, Just to get an update on your intention to sample the 'local' traditional english food. I recommended a couple of curry houses in Birmingham before Christmas - have you had a chance to sample a balti or curry yet? If so where did you go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Hello General, let me begin by saying that this is not a moan, as it is the norm throughout the Premiership, well the clubs that offer student prices. As a University student I am the poorest I've ever been and hopefully will ever be! To that end I believe that Student prices should be closer to those offered to children/OAP. My logic is that OAP's have had there whole life to earn a decent crust and had the opportunity to save to that end and plan to be comfortable in retirement, indeed other young adults (who are not in education) have no reason to be hard-up as they can (in theory at least) hold down full time jobs. As a child I had a pot washing job, my money was just that expendable in any way that I wished, in fact I saved and spent a year as a season ticket holder, which was very very nice! Now however any income I get be it student loan/part time job or allowance from my parents seems to be taken away by accommodation and my unfortunate need for food! I have been a few times this season here and there, but times are getting harder as my overdraft runs ever larger! Really pleased to have you on board and look forward to many more successful years with Randy, yourself, Richard et al at the healm. Dale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hev Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Hi General, Happy New Year to you and your family. I don't usually post on this thread but have noticed a thread stating that the Away Fans are to be moved to Doug Ellis Upper Stand next season. Can you clarify this at all as I (and I know of many others) would be most upset to lose our seats to away fans. We are ST holders in DE Upper and have a fantastic view of the pitch and the Holte (We are in Block P3) What concerns me most is (A) why should away fans be given seats with such great views of the game (if true) ( if true, I guess we will have to relocate and may not be able to sit together with our friends who we have made over the years having season ticket seats. This would be most distressing for me and (as I say) no doubt lots of other people who love it in our stand. - Maybe it is just to be the other end of the Stand near where the away fans now are? Also, I know there are some concerns from fans in the Lower Stand at having away fans above them - plus the Away fans would be right by the Holte. I guess we would have to relocate to the Trinity Stand as we like the side on view but surely all the best seats have already gone to ST Holders in that stand? Could you reassure me in any way General . Yours a very sad and worried Hev :cry: PS Thanks for all the great work Randy and you and everyone has done though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauntonvilla Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 General. I think home football shirts/colors should be allowed in executive boxes. I sat in one for the Spurs game (North Stand). And the villa fans around, spend most of their afternoon thinking we were Spurz, gesticulating etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holte_k1 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 If the media centre is being moved though Hev thats going to open up a load of seats right in the middle tier of the Trinity with great views so im sure they'll be offered to season ticket holders first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hev Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 If the media centre is being moved though Hev thats going to open up a load of seats right in the middle tier of the Trinity with great views so im sure they'll be offered to season ticket holders first. General, if it is true, can I pencil in myself and my friends (five/six) in total for first refusal of the seats in the (former) "media area"? :winkold: Still sad if I have to move from my beloved seat in P3 DD though :cry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stato Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 General. I think home football shirts/colors should be allowed in executive boxes. I sat in one for the Spurs game (North Stand). And the villa fans around, spend most of their afternoon thinking we were Spurz, gesticulating etc. On the flipside General, I was in a box for the Utd cup game (already had a ticket, but was invited at the last minute and thought I'd spice up the expected defeat by getting the exec treatment) right behind the Man Utd fans in the lower Witton. I could see young lads in other boxes in both Villa and Man Utd shirts so maybe the rule doesn't apply to kids? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakerbob Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Hi General If the thread is correct about putting away fans and/ or the press into the DE upper which means I would have to move from P6 then I would be very upset and would certainly review getting a season ticket next season after 40 years. The view is good and I have made some good friends around our seats. I am getting on a bit and the expense plus another change would most likely tip the balance to let my season ticket and my sons lapse. Hope this is a false rumour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helen_weetman Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 General, I'm in the same situation as a number of our fans that travel long distances to attend matches, and I too have already booked transport and accomodation for the Blackburn game. I waited until the TV schedule came out, and it would be prety infuriating for the date to be changed at this late stage. I'd just like to say, though, that it's great to be able to engage with a board member on these issues. Thanks for taking the time to do this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c-krulak Posted January 10, 2008 Author Share Posted January 10, 2008 General Krulak here: 1. Yes, I am sure that MBNA was sold to Bank of America...and that includes MBNA, Europe Bank, Ltd. My sense is that MBNA, Europe is holding on to its name for as long as it can because of brand recognition. I would be doing the same thing if I were still the Chariman and CEO of the Bank. Sooner or later, they will be required to change the name. Simply put, there is NO such animal as MBNA, Corp. anymore. It is gone. 2. BOF and others: I completely understand about the movement of games and the frustration that causes. As I have mentioned before, I lost airfare on the Liverpool game. At the same time, a game played during the week vice the weekend can be a hardship on many, many, fans. Youngsters, university students, people who have jobs at night, etc. etc. cannot normally make an evening game during the week...so there are issues on both sides of the coin. I don't know about MON but I am sure the players would rather play in front of a full house on a weekend vice during the week. Again, I certainly recognize both sides of the debate as I have suffered thru losing a ticket by the shift in dates. I would imagine that a great deal of thought goes into such a move. 3. Sully: a) I do not know how much you pay in council tax...but when I lived in UK, I paid a great deal. I am not sure why we offered a certain price to Blackburn other than I am thiniking that the FA has some sort of rule re. what a Club can set as a price to ensure fairness. c) The Election Process in the US this time around is amazing. Yes, I have had many discussions with candidates over the past months...met with Sen. Obama, Clinton, and other Dems a couple of months ago and know and have met with most of the Republicans. This is a wide open election this year...sitting President cannot run and sitting Vice-President will not run. Wide open!! I believe it will come down to McCain and Romney on the Republican side (Huckabee as a dark horse) and Clinton and Obama on the Democratic side. At this point in the process, I believe the Democrats will win the White House...but there is a LOOOONG way to go. 4. I cannot say when the 2008-09 kit will be ready for sale as we still have the sponsorship issue to grapple with. Obviously, we want it sooner than later. 5. I am not sure where Tom Hanks got the scarf...I do know he did not get it from Randy, from me or from e-Bay. I am sure that one of our sharp marketers got it to him. I love it. 6. I know of no plans to move away fans but will check on it. 7. Student ticket prices. My thought is that we are very low right now...and often visit schools and give the tickets away or sell at cut-rate prices. The desire is to 1) help out the students and 2) get them to Villa Park to join us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicw8832 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 The Tom Hanks / scarf publicity opportunity was a no brainer and should have been done years ago. We must make more of the club's celebrity ties, it makes us more appealing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam2003 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 The Tom Hanks / scarf publicity opportunity was a no brainer and should have been done years ago. We must make more of the club's celebrity ties, it makes us more appealing. General, I think the club should invite Prince William to a game. People have different views on the monarchy, but it would be reported all over the world, and he has publicly confirmed many times he is a Villa fan. Might be very good PR, attract interest in a lot of countries like the States where many people are very fascinated by the British monarchy. He's President of the FA too, so maybe they'd be nice to us with decisions :winkold: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-savman Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 General, due to the rescheduling of the Blackburn game, I will lose money on airfare. I cannot believe the club have changed the fixture after allowing me to purchase tickets on the official site. To say I am disappointed is an understatement and incidents like this are enough to put me off making any future travel plans to VP. Absolutely disgusted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocafella Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 BOF : Please chat with savman via PM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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