Club stuff

[Exiledvillan]

We don’t seem to have a Club page so…

A long-standing gear-grinder with me, Winnie will remember.

The Club charges me International postage (Ireland) on merch etc.

Then with AVTV, they do not include Ireland as overseas/International enough, regarding live coverage, for overseas customers.

Then to cap it all, when we renewed our Memberships (occasional ticket necessity), both to be delivered to the same address, both on the same transaction, they pump me for 2 separate International delivery charges, 19:90 sterling/24 euro in total. To put that into perspective for you folk, over here that’s just under 4 Pints of Stella in a pub, or 12 cans from the offy.

Now it has been this way for many a year, so I can’t blame Boris, or Brexit, or Mings, or even Leon Bailey’s aversion to tracking back and tackling.

It’s a rip-off, pure and simple. Ex-Pats and Overseas die-hards are being ridden rotten. They are expected to smile politely throughout, having their loyalty tested. It’s akin to mental torture/abuse, for those with a long-standing love of all things AVFC. How do I justify it? Ah but a real fan would, etc, etc.

I would imagine it’ll be like loving the wife but hating her cooking. Sooner or later a row will escalate out of hand, and fill a divorce lawyer's pockets with gold. And you’re left with worse cooking than before and the love of your life is gone. So you put up with the cooking like I’ll put up with the Villa pick-pockets, until? Fk knows.

UTFV

[bongosdad]

So can i watch villa for free when im abroad?

[Exiledvillan]

You still have to subscribe to AVTV, but you get the games. Not in the UK, or overseas countries like Ireland.

Streaming Villa from abroad is a lot simpler. So many free-to-air channels show the Prem, 3 pm kick-offs, the lot. You should have no problems in Spain, they'd be throwing live games at ya

[MissWinnie]

Yes, I do remember, Exiled.

That's a really eloquent description of what it feels like to be a loyal Villa fan in Ireland. However much we love someone or something, to keep what feels like deliberately testing our love like that, shows absolutely no appreciation of, and takes for granted, that genuine love. It feels wrong.

It's like fans in Ireland have the worst of both worlds - not considered overseas enough for free viewings but tapped a fortune for international delivery. You would have thought that (especially) after Brexit, with the UK no longer being part of the EU, then that should surely warrant you meriting free viewing as overseas fans?!!

[westcountryvillain]

That's a rough deal right enough Exiled, have you written to the club at any point in the past to raise it?

[Exiledvillan]

Yeah mate, but not since before lockdown.

I think that they see Ireland as a cash cow. There are 1000s of Villa fans over here. Expats like myself, and die-hard Irish fans (who put us to shame with the level of their fanaticism). Leinster Lions has the largest Offical Lions Club membership in the Whole WIIIDDDEEE WOORRRRLLDDD (well over 1000). The other 3 Provinces have respectable membership numbers too. Then there are shed loads who participate privately.

Can you imagine the income from that lot alone? No, they won’t relinquish the profits gained by ripping off overseas, but not quite, International fans.

Any other Club stuff? Good, bad, or indifferent?

Won’t be long now for the New North Stand and fresh Club badge.

I see in a Poll, that Villa fans are happiest with their owners than any other Club, with 98% approval. No, I’m not one of the 2%.

[Exiledvillan]

Make of it all, as you will. I quite like it.

Lower tiers joined only at the hip, restoring the authentic 4 stand look.

3 words for the powers that be.

Transport and Parking.

https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2022/aug...redevelopment/

[westcountryvillain]

I love our ground and the plans look great, retaining the character of the place - loads of away fans compliment it as a good away-day.

Parking and getting away afterwards is another story though, it's atrocious so with an increased capacity a lot has to be done to address the existing issues and the additional traffic.