Chris Heck - President of Business Operations

[Percy McCarthy]

My mate at work, a STH who goes to all the European aways, didn’t go to the Brentford game. Also, the babby’s football team has called off training on the nights of the CL home games because too many of the team go to the Villa. (Big up the Chelmsley Villa Youth). We trained as normal on Wednesday and only one player was at the Villa.

[Nev]

Midweek games are always a trial, more so from a transportation point of view. It never felt like that when I used to get the buz, but then I was young, idealistic and seemed to have all the time in the world.

[Percy McCarthy]

Midweek games are always a trial, more so from a transportation point of view. It never felt like that when I used to get the buz, but then I was young, idealistic and seemed to have all the time in the world.

I didn’t give a toss what time I got in when I was young, and neither did anyone else. But now I have pressure off wifey that “it’s a school night”.

I suppose when I was a nipper it was half-seven kick-offs, ten minutes for half time, little added time.

If we were losing the song to the ops was “Ten past nine, aggro time, wo-oh, wo-oh”. And there were loads more buses. Quick stroll to Saltley Gate, 55, 14 or 94 home. Now I can only get the 14 at that stop.

Sorry, should be in the (happy) Villa memories section.

[The Edge]

Midweek games are always a trial, more so from a transportation point of view. It never felt like that when I used to get the buz, but then I was young, idealistic and seemed to have all the time in the world.

I didn’t give a toss what time I got in when I was young, and neither did anyone else. But now I have pressure off wifey that “it’s a school night”.

I suppose when I was a nipper it was half-seven kick-offs, ten minutes for half time, little added time.

If we were losing the song to the ops was “Ten past nine, aggro time, wo-oh, wo-oh”. And there were loads more buses. Quick stroll to Saltley Gate, 55, 14 or 94 home. Now I can only get the 14 at that stop.

Sorry, should be in the (happy) Villa memories section.

Quick stroll to Saltley Gate? Jeez you must be a fast walker.

[Nev]

I'd grab some chips from the Witton Chippy, get on one of the dozens of 11's that seemed to be waiting, cuddling the chip bag for warmth. Hop off at the Swan and get the 58 to the People's Republic of Sheldon. Into bed and up and in the van at 6 the next morning on the way to a freezing site in somewhere desperate like Bedworth or Stafford.

Now I drive, get home about 11pm have to get up at 5:30 for work and claim I'm tired for the next fortnight or so....

[amfy]

Getting older is a pain. Even watching from home I was annoyed with the KO time because I usually go to bed at 10pm in the week!

[LeeB]

I used the bus last season for the Fulham game, useless on the way home as the traffic was gridlocked on the Lichfield Rd. I walked on, thinking I'll grab it further along the route but it never game, I ended up near the Fort and got the missus to grab me.

[VILLA MOLE]

Getting older is a pain. Even watching from home I was annoyed with the KO time because I usually go to bed at 10pm in the week!

10.30 for me , but I guess I am just rock and roll 

[Olneythelonely]

I often just walk into town. Although the trains after the match are generally much better, with the new units.

[Nev]

We've given up on that shuckle bus.

It just sits in the same traffic as everyone else for half an hour or more trying to get to the Lichfield Rd, surely they should have priority to encourage use?

Even after that, instead of dropping off at the North Side of Town by the top of Corporation St (where the CG service did) you practically end up in Digbeth before it swings back to Smallbrook Queensway. I've seen many ask to be dropped off but the driver isn't allowed. It's a good idea terribly executed.

[Somniloquism]

We've given up on that shuckle bus.

It just sits in the same traffic as everyone else for half an hour or more trying to get to the Lichfield Rd, surely they should have priority to encourage use?

Even after that, instead of dropping off at the North Side of Town by the top of Corporation St (where the CG service did) you practically end up in Digbeth before it swings back to Smallbrook Queensway. I've seen many ask to be dropped off but the driver isn't allowed. It's a good idea terribly executed.

Not sure how they could prioritise a private hire vehicle?

[Nev]

We've given up on that shuckle bus.

It just sits in the same traffic as everyone else for half an hour or more trying to get to the Lichfield Rd, surely they should have priority to encourage use?

Even after that, instead of dropping off at the North Side of Town by the top of Corporation St (where the CG service did) you practically end up in Digbeth before it swings back to Smallbrook Queensway. I've seen many ask to be dropped off but the driver isn't allowed. It's a good idea terribly executed.

Not sure how they could prioritise a private hire vehicle?

No idea, but they use the Bus Lanes on the LR.

It's probably linked to the general shit show around the ground, where they used to make roads one way for a while to get the traffic away, and diddle with the signals to give priority, it's a free for all now.

[amfy]

The shuttle bus needs to start from Lichfield Road where there's a bus lane. There's absolutely no means of it getting out of Grosvenor Road any time soon.

[London Villan]

It shouldn't be beyond the realms of possibility to get half a dozen buses, from close to Villa Park, onto the Lichfield Road in less than 45 minutes after the game.

[Pat Mustard]

I often just walk into town. Although the trains after the match are generally much better, with the new units.

It would help massively if they actually let people onto the platform at Aston Station after the game.  It absolutely boils my piss when you can see the platform is empty, yet there is a massive scrum at the bottom of the stairs, with staff only letting people up when the train has arrived.  There are trains that can carry over 1500 people leaving the station half empty because some dickhead somewhere has decided it's safer to have people standing in the road and then stampeding to get up the stairs than allow a reasonable amount of people onto the platforms!