Villa defender Tyrone Mings named on Euro 2028 board of directors
The 32-year-old Mings is the only player among the three independent non-executive directors helping to organize the tournament.
Mings has played for Villa since 2019 and has made 18 appearances for England, for which he was part of the squad at the 2021 tournament.
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New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Aston Villa charging £77 for a ticket in the Holte End: ‘Madness'
Aston Villa supporters are accustomed to pre-season optimism coursing through the veins. Even if increasing competition and financial obstruction have influenced summer recruitment, making this season's challenges tougher, the confidence in Unai Emery and Villa's football department remains unerring. And the respect appears mutual. Advertisement 'I would like to show how grateful we are to the supporters,' Damian Vidagany, director of football operations, wrote in a letter to fans at the end of last season. 'From everyone at the club, the manager, the players, and the staff — for the European night atmospheres we had at Villa Park. We know how hard it was for many people to get tickets and pay for them.' This Saturday for Villa's Premier League curtain-raiser against Newcastle United, it will cost £77 for an adult ticket in the Holte End. This is not a hospitality or a premium seat, but a standard ticket in Villa's most famous stand. For anyone over 66, the price is £58. In other parts of the stadium, including the Trinity Road Stand and Doug Ellis Upper, the cost can be up to £82. The surrounding areas of Villa Park, in Aston, are among Birmingham's most financially deprived areas, according to a factsheet provided by Birmingham City Council. A 2021-22 census indicated 58.6 per cent of children lived in poverty. 'Simply shocking matchday prices from Aston Villa for their season-opener against Newcastle next month,' posted the Football Supporters' Association (FSA) online. '£77 for a ticket in The Holte End is madness. #StopExploitingLoyalty.' The hashtag '#StopExploitingLoyalty' is a campaign aimed at objecting to rising costs across the Premier League and English Football League. Over the past year, small-scale protests have occasionally taken place outside Villa Park and fans have threatened to hold walkouts during games. None, though, have had a transformative effect on Villa's stance or put sufficient pressure on the club to magnify the issue. Costs for the Newcastle match feel particularly steep, although the £77 charge has increased within the five per cent cap, in line with season ticket prices. For context, Newcastle is now a Category 3 fixture (the most expensive Premier League games) after being in a lower bracket previously, so the climb in price against this opposition is noticeable. A considerable number were, and are, willing to forgo the swell in costs — around 26,000 supporters are still registered on the season-ticket waiting list — but Villa's ticket pricing is a bottleneck issue enveloping certain fans who simply cannot afford it any more. Generally speaking, ticket prices have risen in line with inflation and in tune with Premier League sides across the board, but Villa's situation has grown acute. They came under widespread criticism for their Champions League prices last season, with the cheapest seat costing £70. Villa also refused a request from the club's Fan Advisory Board (FAB) to cap prices. Advertisement Villa felt they could charge as much as £92 per ticket for a Premier League home game against Brighton & Hove Albion and £97 for a non-season-ticket holder ticket for a Champions League fixture because of the attractiveness of Emery's team. If you compare Villa to other teams or, more specifically, those at the top end of the table, the difference with most is striking. The most expensive ticket for an adult anywhere within Anfield is £61, with the costliest in the Kop, Liverpool's equivalent to the Holte End, £45. Moreover, Manchester City's most expensive tickets are between £40-£60. The increases have kept on coming for Villa fans. Season-ticket costs have risen five per cent for the 2024-25 campaign, with Villa's FAB requesting a cap on the increased percentage. Aston Villa Supporters' Trust also asked for the club to freeze prices, in line with some other top-flight clubs, such as Liverpool, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Manchester City, who belatedly announced costs would be staying the same following supporter protests. Villa, however, defended their pricing through a club statement in May: 'Our pricing strategy reflects careful consideration, ensuring we can create as strong a team as possible — one capable of challenging at the top end of the Premier League table and remaining competitive in European football — while continually working within the parameters of both Premier League and UEFA profit and sustainability rules.' It is worth nothing that Villa remain without a training ground sponsor, training kit sponsor and stadium naming partner, which would make a greater difference to the spreadsheets than increased matchday revenue in terms of meeting financial regulations. Internally, there has been some acceptance that Villa's business departments have ridden on Emery's coattails at times. Advertisement The football and business factions have tended to work as separate entities in recent years. This is owing to the autonomy Emery's triangle of power — Emery, sporting director Monchi and Vidagany — has in making sporting decisions, as well as the overall approach of the off-field management, whose key decision-makers have undergone several changes to senior positions. Francesco Calvo succeeded Chris Heck as president of business operations. It has been noted that the Italian executive has a track record for building stronger relationships between the football and business departments and working effectively with fans. He is due to meet with FAB in the next month and plans to build relationships with them. Calvo only started in July, when ticket prices had already long been a concern and significantly hiked under his predecessor. This issue, which pre-dates Calvo, is a matter that crosses club boundaries and can directly impact the football side, given ticket prices are set by the commercial department for supporters to watch the team. It is unlikely, however, that ticket prices come under Calvo, owing to his remit, part of which is to drive matchday revenue. Football, after all, initially became a popular sport as a pastime designed to bring escapism to for working-class people in the Victorian era. Villa were the eminent team of that age, led by William McGregor, who served as the director, president and chairman for more than two decades as well as being the founder of the Football League. A statue of McGregor remains outside Villa Park and the Trinity Road Stand. Supporters, some of whom have paid £82, will walk past it on Saturday. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Leon Bailey's agents expected in Rome tomorrow
Leon Bailey is a real target for Roma. Fabrizio Romano, on his YouTube channel, also confirmed the Giallorossi's interest in the Jamaican winger. The transfer expert added that contacts have taken place between Frederic Massara and the Aston Villa player's agents. However, the 1997-born player is merely an alternative to the moves the Giallorossi's sporting director is pursuing to strengthen the attack. According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Bailey's agents will be in Rome tomorrow to meet with the club. Negotiations are also underway with Aston Villa, who have opened the door to the player's transfer. Meanwhile, the Giallorossi are moving forward with negotiations for Wolverhampton Wanderers' Fabio Silva. However, it seems more difficult to land Manchester United's Jadon Sancho.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
The Athletic Links Leon Bailey to Roma
If six years is a long time in football, it's an eternity in the transfer rumor cycle. In the summer of 2019, Roma found themselves in the market for a pacey, clever winger to fill Stephan El Shaarawy's shoes. With the Pharaoh chasing the bag to the Chinese Super League, Roma searched far and wide to find a suitable wide player to compete with Cengiz Ünder, Justin Kluivert, and Diego Perotti in Eusebio Di Francesco's rotation. While they ultimately stood pat with that trio, one intriguing name appeared on the radar that August: Leon Bailey, who was just a wide-eyed youngster attempting to make a name for himself with Bayer Leverkusen. With only five goals and one assist during the 2018-2019 season, Bailey wasn't exactly the second coming of Cristiano Ronaldo, but he showed enough pace and promise to make one think better days were ahead. Bayer Leverkusen decided to stand pat, keeping Bailey for two more years before selling him to Aston Villa for a cool €32 million in August 2021. Since then, Bailey has had an up-and-down career, punctuated by his 10-goal, nine-assist campaign in 2023-2024, which helped the Villains qualify for the Champions League. While Villa manager Unai Emery remains upbeat about Bailey's place in his squad, according to The Athletic, the 28-year-old Jamaican winger could be one of several players to leave the Premier League club this summer. From The Athletic: The 28-year-old signed a new contract in February 2024, which runs until 2027. He is one of multiple players available to leave the Midlands club, including Alex Moreno and Leander Dendoncker. Clubs in Turkey — including Besiktas — and the Saudi Pro League are also keen on Bailey but Roma are emerging as the strongest suitor, after discussions took place over a Saudi move earlier in the window. While they don't speculate on a price, it's safe to assume that Aston Villa will want every bit of Bailey's €28 million Transfermarkt valuation. That's not an exorbitant sum by today's standards, but with Bailey making his home on the right wing and Roma presumably looking for a left-sided player, this rumor may not pass the sniff test.
