Villa fan group consultation meetings

Yesterday a meeting was held with Aston Villa's Supporter Liaison Officer and the Head Of Communications. In attendance were representatives of Avillafan.com, AVST, MOMS, Heroes & Villans, AVISC, Vital Villa and the Lions Clubs to discuss creating a Fans' Consultation Group in which the fans' feelings, concerns and questions will be addressed.

Yesterday was an initial meeting to discuss how this would happen and how the structure would be formed. The meeting was productive and all parties agreed that this could be a positive move forward in building better relations between all groups and the club.

This project has been actively pushed and guided by Aston Villa Chairman Steve Hollis as he seeks to repair damage done over recent years and build bridges with the fan base.

Below is a short summary of the aims of this group:

To help build a trusted relationship between the fans and the club. The agenda for these meetings will be created and agreed by all representatives of the group for discussion with the club.

To ensure a structured engagement and dialogue between fans and the club. Each fan rep already engages in dialogue with other fans via social media, fan sites, supporter groups and forums etc. This existing line of communication will help identify what matters could be discussed and raised as agenda points of discussion. This provides a platform for the dissemination of the responses from the club on any given matter.

To be clear, this will be a fan-driven and fan-led process and it will not be controlled by the club itself.

Monthly meetings will be held throughout the season starting with a June/July meeting at BMH in which the manager will be involved. After this initial meeting the proposed plan is to have a formal, agenda-driven meeting in August then an informal meeting in September. The pattern of informal then formal meetings will continue from then on.

Informal Meetings

These will not be agenda driven. This will be an opportunity for fan reps to engage with board members and senior management pre-match.

These meetings will also be an opportunity for the Consultation Group to discuss the approaching formal meeting and prepare/agree possible agenda items to be discussed.

Formal Meetings

These will be agenda driven meetings, with the agenda being set by the fan reps and not the club. At these meetings it was proposed that at least two board members/appropriate senior management personnel will be in attendance.

It is worth noting that this plan is still in the infancy of its development and changes to the structure may be made depending on further discussions between the parties involved.

The next meeting to discuss the structure is set for the 23rd April and further details and information will be available after this.

Did anyone from TBAR get invited to this ?

If not then why not ? It seems only a select few were invited and even though this seems a good gesture by the club I am concerned that certain individuals will use it to boost their own egos.

Sounds a bit daft coming from a club asking stewards to physically assault their own fans and customers

im never a big fan of this type of thing. I just want to see the villa win.

non the less a good move by the club...on very tiny step in the right direction.

At least Hollis is trying to get the fans back on side - we have been alienated for years now with the club happy to accept our hard earned cash then treat us like animals.
In no ther business could they get away with it.
I bought some theatre tickets for me and Mrs Boldfinger we had a great evening, being served by curtious staff and being shown to our seats by well mannered people who treated us civilly ( as if we humans ) it is a totally different world although both are entertainment driven.
They prey on our loyalty and the very least they should do is listen to our opinions.

Stewards have had a change of approach since Fox went. Strange that.

I've always felt these types of things are just token gestures but after recent years I guess any gesture is a good one. No matter how small.

It is a start to try and get the 'customers' back onside, pretty logical approach really but absolutely necessary!

I wonder where previous "arrangements" with certain fan reps stand?

Interesting how some of those invited have not posted details of what happened at the meeting. It just proves that they are in it for themselves when this happens.

Trotters wrote:I wonder where previous "arrangements" with certain fan reps stand?

A thing of the past it seams. Some of those who went took a hard line against the board in the past whilst others have not.

No one from Villa Talk or this forum?

'Long term, our objective is to have a supporter representative on the board of Aston Villa Football Club'.

Who has been feathering his nest for this for years?

Terry Derry wrote:Interesting how some of those invited have not posted details of what happened at the meeting. It just proves that they are in it for themselves when this happens.

Still nothing even in private. Not really great when the whole point is to represent fans!

Most of them are self-representing and always have been. What point is there in that?