Why NSWE have cost Aston Villa dearly after Unai Emery’s latest Villa Park theory
Unai Emery was delighted with the atmosphere at Villa Park for a change in Aston Villa’s 3-1 defeat to Newcastle in the FA Cup on Saturday.
The Villans missed out on advancing to the fifth round of the FA Cup, as Eddie Howe got the better of Emery this time.
But the Aston Villa boss heaped praise on the noise around Villa Park, hinting that it’s been below the usual standard at times this season.
Emery said after the game: “The supporters gave a very great atmosphere, helping us today. I felt something which maybe, in the last matches, I missed.”
The only people to blame for the inconsistency of the atmosphere in B6 this season are NSWE.
NSWE are letting Aston Villa fans down with pricing
Villa have been in contention for the Premier League title at times this season, and even though Emery has worked his magic at Villa Park in recent months, the Spaniard’s team have still needed an extra push from the fans.
But the problem that many have suggested is that true fans are now being priced out of attending home games, which could be a result of the lack of noise that Emery has alluded to.
As highlighted by Football Ground Guide in January, Villa applied another five per cent increase on already high season ticket prices for this campaign.
- Adult season tickets have been listed as high as £992
- Zone 4 of Villa Park offers a lower, but still extortionate season ticket price of around £670
Some Europa League matches have been priced from £55 to £67, whereas typical Premier League matchday tickets can be as expensive as £96 for adults.
Compare this to Villa’s 2019-20 season, when Villa Park was bouncing with passion and pride, with adult season tickets as low as £370, and the most expensive tickets coming in at under £700.
Many supporters have been frustrated at being unable to watch their beloved side due to unjustifiably high prices.
What NSWE seem to lack at Aston Villa
Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris aren’t the only ones to blame, as everyone who comes to a collective agreement for these ticket prices is failing to understand that Birmingham is a lower-income area than the likes of London.
But NSWE seem to lack a natural care for the supporters that helped this club get back to the Premier League.
The long-term aims of the club are to challenge for silverware on a consistent basis, and though PSR issues are prevalent, Villa Park needs to be noisy for glory to come to B6.
Villa’s hierarchy needs to take a look at themselves, because ultimately, making fans pay more to watch their own side isn’t the only solution to ease financial worries.
Running the club smarter would be a good start for them, as pricing true fans out of Villa Park is the exact opposite of what needs to be done. Change is needed, though it may not be seen for a while longer yet.
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