Villa Park - Aston Villa
Saturday, February 25th 2005
Vs Everton, Premier League, 3pm
By Cole Fraser

1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be)

I was looking forward to going to the ground because this was a game from which we needed the points in grabbing the fourth Champions League spot plus I had heard that Villa Park was a decent ground and often held internationals and FA Cup semi-finals etc.

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking

I travelled to the game by coach and the journey took around 2 hours, we arrived at around 1pm and the their were no problems with the traffic around the ground.

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

Before the game, me and friends, walked around the ground taking in the sights of Villa Park and also took a brief tour of the official megastore, lots of home and away fans were mixing in together outside the ground and the atmosphere seemed cheery. After taking a 15 minute walk up the road to a nearby pub which we heard was serving away fans, we were very disappointed to finally reach the pub and then be told by police that we were to be escorted to the ground an hour before kick-off. I also thought that it was a little extreme to be searched on entering the ground, probably down to the reputation that scousers unfairly have attached to them.

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground.

The ground looks a fantastic sight from outside and is definitely worthy of any praise which it receives, on entering the ground i was a little bemused as to why only one tiny turnstile was being used. The seats were sub-standard and the rows very tight for leg-room but the view of the pitch was great and the ground looked a class-act from my seats.

5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..

The was fantastic, almost definitely our best performance of the season, although I missed part of it visiting the toilets, I left my seat mid-way through half-time and by the time I came back I had missed 2 goals! The atmosphere in the away end was unbelievable, every fan on their feet singing  their hearts out, every time we shut up for a second not a sound was heard from the home fans which was a bit disappointing considering the effort we were putting in.  I don't recall seeing a steward on the day! And after the game they seemed to still be non-existent when we eventually escaped the ground 20 minutes after the final whistle.  Their were not enough toilets to satisfy 4,000 fans and that is probably the worst part of the ground.

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game

Apart from being stuck in the ground for 20 minutes after the game ended, the result you get from having only one small exit, the journey home was a good one, the atmosphere on the coach was great and it was a short journey back to Liverpool.

7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out

Overall it was a great day, despite a couple of minor things, and I will
definitely visit Villa Park again in the coming years.
 

 

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