The Villa Park Away Fan Experience
Last season football supporters were asked to fill in the Football Supporter Federation’s Away Fans Feedback Survey reporting their experiences on away trips and rating a range of factors across the whole of their matchday experience, both outside and inside the ground. My collecting all the data together the FSF has been able to produce a league table of the best away grounds (see below).
All fans were asked to rate the various factors on the following scale: 5 (Excellent), 4 (Good), 3 (Adequate), 2 (Poor) and 1 (Very Poor). An average has been taken of these responses to arrive at the results below.
The overall survey was completed by over 5000 fans, with 129 fans surveying 19 different fixtures at Villa Park throughout the 2013/14 season. The below results offer up some interesting observations of what away fans experience at Villa Park and how the stadium compares to other ones in England.
While Villa supporters obviously regard Villa Park as one of the finest in the land, away supporters don’t seem to share that view. The comfort and quality of the away end ranks below average for the league, as does the perceived safety and treatment by stewards. In terms of being hosts, our choice of refreshments is rated the worst in the league. What do they serve-up in the away end? Gruel? Considering the corporate hospitality is so good at Villa, it’s an indicator of perhaps where the club’s priorities lie. Certainly if the away end catering is on the same level as the North Stand, it’s just not good enough.
With the FSF sending Aston Villa a copy of the results, it will be interesting to see if any moves are made to improve conditions for the away fans. Obviously, as home fans at Villa Park, we’d want life to be as uncomfortable as possible for the opposition, but I suppose the the old saying of ‘treat others how you want to be treated’ needs to apply. UTV
The FSF Away Fans Feedback Survey 2013/14
Results
Safety and Security
Aston Villa ranked 14th of the 20 Premier League clubs with a score of 3.68.
The average for the Premier League was 3.75.
Time taken to enter the stadium
Aston Villa ranked 10th of the 20 Premier League clubs with a score of 3.79.
The average for the Premier League was 3.72.
Price of refreshments
Aston Villa ranked 14th of the 20 Premier League clubs with a score of 2.60.
The average for the Premier League was 2.65.
Choice of refreshments
Aston Villa ranked 20th of the 20 Premier League clubs with a score of 2.76.
The average for the Premier League was 3.05.
Quality/comfort of the away sector
Aston Villa ranked 14th of the 20 Premier League clubs with a score of 3.31.
The average for the Premier League was 3.37.
Behaviour of stewards/club staff
Aston Villa ranked 12th of the 20 Premier League clubs with a score of 3.40.
The average for the Premier League was 3.51.
Final Table
Visiting supporters were also asked to rate their visit, all things considered, on a scale of 0-10. These results have been averaged to provide the overall league table below.
| Rating | ||
| 1st | Cardiff | 8.05 |
| 2nd | Swansea | 7.4 |
| 3rd | Hull City | 7.34 |
| 4th | Southampton | 7.25 |
| 5th | Arsenal | 7.11 |
| 6th | Fulham | 7.08 |
| 7th | Norwich | 6.89 |
| 8th | Sunderland | 6.87 |
| 9th | West Brom | 6.78 |
| 10th | Newcastle | 6.7 |
| 11th | Tottenham | 6.69 |
| 12th | Man City | 6.67 |
| 13th | Stoke | 6.45 |
| 14th | Man United | 6.41 |
| 15th | Aston Villa | 6.34 |
| 16th | Chelsea | 5.96 |
| 17th | West Ham | 5.89 |
| 18th | Everton | 5.71 |
| 19th | Liverpool | 5.41 |
| 20th | Crystal Palace | 4.79 |
For more info on the Away Fan survey check the FSF site
I apologise Tom I was a bit out of order there.
I didn’t say that villa park was a good place to go as an away fan I’ve spoken to a lot of away supporters on the train home as a season ticket holder and they all say how poorly they get treated by the stewards. I was merely making the point of treat others how you like to be treated as its starting to affect my experience of following the villa away from home.
Tom you are probably one of the Stewards! The stewards are one of the main reasons why I stay away from Villa because I’d end up in a police cell if I had to deal with the jumped up little hitlers! Villa Park is the worst stadium to visit home or away!
Our stewards are the worst in the league. Even to the home fans.
The treat others how you like to be treated is a perfect sum up of my experience at anfield as a villa away fan. Because the villa don’t serve alcohol to away fans once in the ground anfield did exactly the same to us. Despite 12 months earlier where we could get suitably oiled inside the ground.
Not a surprise, the experience for the home supporters is even worse