It is not just the Aston Villa playing squad that is undergoing changes ahead of the new season but the stadium too.
Aston Villa enjoyed a remarkable campaign last season as they secured a top four Premier League finish alongside a run to the Europa Conference League semi-final.
In doing so they have jumped to the top tier of European football, with qualification for the Champions League.
That has seen Unai Emery able to target a higher calibre of player this summer, with the arrivals of Ian Maatsen and Samuel Iling-Junior evidence of that.
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However, despite being one of the most famous stadiums in the UK, Villa Park has been undergoing an upgrade this summer and club president Chris Heck has now provided an update.
Chris Heck shares Villa Park upgrade update
Villa Park has been the proud home of the Villans since 1897 and is one of the most instantly recognisable stadiums in England.
However, with improvements on the pitch comes the need for improvements off it and that is exactly what Villa have looked to do with their latest plans.
The club obtained planning permission in 2022 to renovate and expand the stadium and surrounding area, but those plans have been put on hold due to the need to initially reduce capacity to do the works.
The club did not want to do this with Champions League football coming to the ground next season, despite the face the first phase of these plans were meant to include, as set out on Villa’s club website, ‘a brand-new North Stand wrapping into Trinity Stand’ and ‘enhancements to the existing Trinity Stand’.
Instead, more premium seating is being offered in the North Stand, but this has been divisive as it has seen 900 season ticket holders lose their seats.
Now, Heck has posted an update of how the renovations to the North Stand are progressing on ‘X’, with the caption: ‘Progress. Up The Villa!’.
Villa Park ready for Champions League nights
As part of the proposed improvement works, the capacity of Villa Park is set to increase from 42,640 to over 50,000, before eventually becoming a 60,000 plus seater stadium.
Given Villa’s recent success this is needed, but this is also part of a plan to ensure the stadium is one of those used as the UK and Ireland host the European Championships in the summer of 2028.
Luxury has been prioritised over capacity in the immediate future, but the capacity improvements should still take place.
European nights were special at Villa Park last season and that was just in Europe’s third rate competition.
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Next season, Villa will welcome Europe’s elite clubs for the first time since 1983 and the stadium looks set to be more than ready following 41 years away.
