The club's relationship with the fans

[Villa_Vids]

Just now, Stevo985 said:

Polls have consistently shown that the majority of fans don’t want a new stadium

Yet I am seeing and hearing complaints about VP facilitates. Villa Park is not good enough for them anymore.

[Stevo985]

Just now, Villa_Vids said:

Yet I am seeing and hearing complaints about VP facilitates. Villa Park is not good enough for them anymore.

It’s almost as if there’s a solution to blocked toilets and broken seats that doesn’t involve building an entirely new stadium. 

[sidcow]

23 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

The board‘s job and the relationship with the fans are not the same thing. 
 

We could be doing absolutely terribly on the pitch but still have a good relationship between the board and the fans. And vice versa

 

Just because we’re doing well on the pitch doesn’t automatically mean fans are happy. There’s more to it than that 

This is all of it. Well said. 

[Panto_Villan]

15 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

The board‘s job and the relationship with the fans are not the same thing. 
 

We could be doing absolutely terribly on the pitch but still have a good relationship between the board and the fans. And vice versa

 

Just because we’re doing well on the pitch doesn’t automatically mean fans are happy. There’s more to it than that 

Most of the complaints in here are about the board's job, though - the main issues are that ticket prices are expensive and the facilities are in bad condition, rather than that the board aren't being pleasant and respectful enough to the fans when apologising for them.

And if we're talking about the board doing its job, the football is a major part of that job. They certainly got plenty of criticism when Stevie G was here and we were doing badly, because they'd appointed him.

The board under Xia who nearly led us to bankruptcy were certainly doing a much worse job than the current one, too. Pretty much the number one responsibilty of any board is to ensure the business remains a going concern, and yet people are arguing Heck has done a worse job than that.

[Villa_Vids]

11 minutes ago, Stevo985 said:

It’s almost as if there’s a solution to blocked toilets and broken seats that doesn’t involve building an entirely new stadium. 

It will become something else. Concourse is too narrow, food sucks, view not good enough etc. Us fan have one purpose - providing support and energy to one of our greatest teams. STHs are being selfish and divisive at the moment. They need to show some mettle and loyally get behind the club ffs - Emery/NSWE deserve that much. 

 

[blunther]

4 hours ago, markavfc40 said:

I don't think anybody thinks they speak for everybody, nothing I have seen on here or other platforms has ever suggested that. 

The impression I get is that the majority of those supporters who go regularly, and by regularly I mean season ticket holders/those who attend 10+ games a season, is that those supporters feel they are either being priced out or being taken advantage of or that their loyalty is being disregarded and that their past loyalty doesn't matter. I am very much in that category. Season ticket holder continually since 1988 with my dad, who has since passed, and have had season tickets for my now grown up kids since they were 6 and 10. I spent years purchasing those tickets when after having done so for a lot of games I couldn't have then given them away due to the tripe being served up on the pitch, and the thousands of empty seats there to witness it.

I am fortunate that the prices at the levels they are now I can still afford, although £140 for two tickets for myself and my 18 year old still stings. The affordability for me as an individual isn't the main issue here though. It is that every price rise tips another regular match goer over breaking point and they can't then attend. I see everyday supporters that stuck with us through shit and very, very little shine being pushed over that tipping point. But the price rises are just the easiest target/most visible mass issues. You then throw in the dire state of the toilets for the masses, the fact that even rocking up 40 minutes before the game doesn't get you entry for kick off due to the issues with the digital tickets, that long term season ticket holders have been split up from family/friends, that people are purchasing tickets for seats that don't exist, that the online ticketing system is crap and that communication from the club is diabolical and often shows arrogance. The whole thing reeks of a total disregard for long term match goers.

I got to be honest if I was only attending a handful of games a season, or not attending at all, or if I'd only just become attached to Aston Villa over the last few years I'd be looking at the fans moaning and thinking what is that all about, everything is rosy they should be grateful. But that would be a very superficial view point. Drill down just a little and everything I have written in the paragraph above, and way more that I've missed, and it doesn't take long to see why a lot of regular match goers are rightfully pissed off.

It is also worth remembering the club hasn't actually been that successful yet. Since promotion our average league finish is 11th. No trophy in over 28 years. The last couple of years have been great but there is no guarantee that the upward trajectory will continue. The club stepping over some supporters on the way up will do well to remember they'll be clinging to those same supporters on the way down.

This is a sensational post that says everything I want to say far more eloquently than I can 

[Risso]

3 hours ago, Panto_Villan said:

Pretty much the number one responsibilty of any board is to ensure the business remains a going concern, and yet people are arguing Heck has done a worse job than that.

We're always going to be a Going Concern whilst we're owned by billionaire owners, because they've got the money and are prepared to spend it to underwrite losses to keep us afloat. Because of the industry we're in. there are rules regarding PSR over and above accounting rules that affect our ability to compete in that industry but that's very different from being a GC. Absolutely nothing Heck has or hasn't done has a tangible effect on that to be honest.

[YLN]

I don't mean to be hyperbolic, but aston villa ticket prices for champions league matches are far higher than other teams. Sorry for the hyperbole.

This too shall pass. And the club will turn around after rehiring Gerrard, reducing the ticket prices, fixing one of the toilets, and ask the core fanbase to return.

Maybe they'll ask them to come back again. And maybe, just maybe, they'll say maybe

After qualifying for Champions League on the penultimate day of last season and getting the huge cash injection that comes from that, the club, with this found money, have turned to the fans who 5 years ago were going away at Rotherham, and said cough up.

The club just got super **** rich and, during a cost of living crisis, are telling the fans they just need a little more money from them.

Cost of living crisis. Club richer than it's ever been. **** it. Get the fans to pay more. It's terrible and one of the reasons why I'm putting no money into Villa this year. No shirt, no matches, no sky sports, no sexy emery calendar. Nothing. **** them. UTV

Sorry for being so hyperbolic

[Panto_Villan]

38 minutes ago, Risso said:

We're always going to be a Going Concern whilst we're owned by billionaire owners, because they've got the money and are prepared to spend it to underwrite losses to keep us afloat. Because of the industry we're in. there are rules regarding PSR over and above accounting rules that affect our ability to compete in that industry but that's very different from being a GC. Absolutely nothing Heck has or hasn't done has a tangible effect on that to be honest.

You’re complaining about the board. Both the owners are on the board (the chairmen, in fact). You know who’s not on the board? Chris Heck.

So who are you actually criticising here when you talk about the “board”?

Edited Friday at 23:42 by Panto_Villan

[Dillon66]

3 hours ago, Villa_Vids said:

It will become something else. Concourse is too narrow, food sucks, view not good enough etc. Us fan have one purpose - providing support and energy to one of our greatest teams. STHs are being selfish and divisive at the moment. They need to show some mettle and loyally get behind the club ffs - Emery/NSWE deserve that much. 

 

 

I can only assume this is an attempt at irony ? 

[Zhan_Zhuang]

As a Brummie who has lived outside of England since 1994 I haven't managed to go to matches very often. 

However over the last few years I'd started to go to a few matches every season. The one thing I always thought was good was the price, it always seemed a cheap day out and indeed in respect to other PL clubs.

Now the prices have gone up and many are angry. Yet to be fair you have all had it so good for so long.

It's a business this modern football and it's just the way it is. The alternative is League Two. The club are trying to raise funds for the benefit of the playing staff, Emery and the future of the football club. Villa have to compete financially and that means making money out of EVERY revenue stream.

[CVByrne]

Other than the financial decisions the club has made. What real issues are there between club and some of the regular match day going fans?

Decisions around the stadium, the crest and tickets are all financial decisions the club wouldn't be expecting the match day going fans to be big supporters of but the trade offs are some unhappy fans and more income for Emery to have invested in playing squad. 

I think issues with the facilities will be addressed, our owners are not the Glazers they will invest in the infrastructure. 

[DakotaVilla]

The club is definitely looking at improving the Holte End concourses. Sounds like it will be more significant than just a lick of paint. 

Edited Saturday at 06:33 by DakotaVilla

[QldVilla]

Fans will always find something to complain about its human nature.

It wouldn’t matter what positives Heck did for the club fans would focus on the next perceived negative thing.

The previous CEO went about not wanting to upset anyone, he couldn’t improve the clubs revenue, hired one of the worse managers the club has ever seen and gave high wages to some players who haven’t performed for the club.

Heck is carrying out the boards direction, he’s not making it up as he goes along. I’d rather have someone who can make the hard decisions rather than the one who wants to please everyone and deliver very little.

[CVByrne]

10 minutes ago, QldVilla said:

Fans will always find something to complain about its human nature.

It wouldn’t matter what positives Heck did for the club fans would focus on the next perceived negative thing.

The previous CEO went about not wanting to upset anyone, he couldn’t improve the clubs revenue, hired one of the worse managers the club has ever seen and gave high wages to some players who haven’t performed for the club.

Heck is carrying out the boards direction, he’s not making it up as he goes along. I’d rather have someone who can make the hard decisions rather than the one who wants to please everyone and deliver very little.

Heck is not CEO. The difference between Purslow and Nassef in the role is what we are seeing. Nassef has taken on role of CEO and Chairman (he's Executive Chairman). He went out personally to Hire Emery, he then appointed Heck is head of Business Operations. 

Since Nassef did this we have seen a steep improvement in the club and us as fans have been beyond delighted he has done this. Decisive. He has one side of the operation where Heck has to get the revenue growing and then he can use that on the football side for Emery. 

I think a clubs relationship with it's fans almost entirely hinges on the club's performances on the pitch. Having cheaper tickets doesn't matter for much if you're watching a team coached by Steven Gerrard. It's about trade offs. 

[QldVilla]

2 minutes ago, CVByrne said:

Heck is not CEO. The difference between Purslow and Nassef in the role is what we are seeing. Nassef has taken on role of CEO and Chairman (he's Executive Chairman). He went out personally to Hire Emery, he then appointed Heck is head of Business Operations. 

Since Nassef did this we have seen a steep improvement in the club and us as fans have been beyond delighted he has done this. Decisive. He has one side of the operation where Heck has to get the revenue growing and then he can use that on the football side for Emery. 

I think a clubs relationship with it's fans almost entirely hinges on the club's performances on the pitch. Having cheaper tickets doesn't matter for much if you're watching a team coached by Steven Gerrard. It's about trade offs. 

I understand he isn't CEO, however what he is currently doing was under Purslow's purview.

The direction is coming from Nassef and rightly so, but I find it funny that fans target Heck, he is just taking direction.

[Stevo985]

11 hours ago, Panto_Villan said:

Most of the complaints in here are about the board's job, though - the main issues are that ticket prices are expensive and the facilities are in bad condition, rather than that the board aren't being pleasant and respectful enough to the fans when apologising for them.

And if we're talking about the board doing its job, the football is a major part of that job. They certainly got plenty of criticism when Stevie G was here and we were doing badly, because they'd appointed him.

The board under Xia who nearly led us to bankruptcy were certainly doing a much worse job than the current one, too. Pretty much the number one responsibilty of any board is to ensure the business remains a going concern, and yet people are arguing Heck has done a worse job than that.

It’s like you didn’t even read my post

[sidcow]

1 hour ago, CVByrne said:

 I think a clubs relationship with it's fans almost entirely hinges on the club's performances on the pitch. 

I think the very existence of this thread plus pretty much every comment I hear from Villa fans outside of about 5 people on here proves this is not in fact the case. 

[Stevo985]

16 minutes ago, sidcow said:

I think the very existence of this thread plus pretty much every comment I hear from Villa fans outside of about 5 people on here proves this is not in fact the case. 

And funnily enough those 5 people hardly ever go to games so actually have no idea about how most fans feel. 
 

(But tell the fans that do that they’re living in a bubble)

[nick76]

23 minutes ago, sidcow said:

I think the very existence of this thread plus pretty much every comment I hear from Villa fans outside of about 5 people on here proves this is not in fact the case. 

Exactly!