Chris Heck Q&A: Every word Aston Villa chief said about Villa Park, crest, kit and 150th anniversary

Aston Villa news from BirminghamLive as Chris Heck gives first interview after joining the club six months ago.

He revealed why he has shelved plans to redevelop the North Stand and also gave an update on the club’s new crest. Here’s every word Heck said…

How have your first six months been here?

“Six months have been great. It has been an education, it has been a journey of ups and downs, but mostly ups because our team on the pitch are playing so extremely well. It’s an absolute honour to be working with Aston Villa.”

Is there a reason you waited six months before talking to the fans?

“I wanted to give it six months [before speaking], as I thought it was a good amount of time to learn about how things work at Aston Villa and understand what is important to the supporters, listen to them and ask questions. I am a very curious person and I did not want to assume I knew the answers without spending a good amount of time here every day and every night living and breathing Aston Villa.”

Can you reassure fans who have been through and thick and thin that they won’t be forgotten?

“On the business side we have three priorities that everyone lives throughout the day and the week and the season. It is very important to us.

“Local is number one, global is number two and then culture is three. Talking about our fans in local, that is the heart of this club and what we are going to do going forward, all the changes in Villa Park, the construction, it is not going to be for one group of fans, it is going to be for all of our fans.

“I think when we have the focus of that fans first mentality, we can achieve our goals. Regarding the globalisation of the club, a lot of the hard work is done for us, with what Unai and Monchi has built on the pitch.

“The attention we are getting is unparalleled. It only works if we build up our content and we have something for our fans not only locally but globally. That of course turns into sponsorship.”

What’s the latest on the North Stand redevelopment

“The North Stand [rebuild] is a massive project. When I came in it was right in front of me. There were extremely ambitious ideas and a lot of it was thoughtful.

“What I will say is this. Over the summer months I became more concerned we were adding too many seats too fast. It was important that we took a step back and re-evaluate what is best for our fans.

“I mention this with the transportation, I mention this with the parking situation. What I would also mention is that we have 42,000 plus seats. It is a substantial amount. To add on 10,000 right now doesn’t seem practical to me and I will tell you why.

“Number one, we talk about Villa Park being a fortress. It is true. There is no better home advantage than at Villa Park and I think it would be a bad idea to tear down one of the stands for a two year period while we are playing like we are. I think that going forward, everything should be about all fans and not just one particular stand.”

What plans will go ahead this summer?

“We are going to start renovating the Warehouse area. That is a massive space that we think can be a hospitality zone and an entertainment zone for 3,000 fans. Not only pre-game and post-game, but also for concerts and other shows that we have at Villa Park.

“We are going to do a lot of renovation at Bodymoor Heath to continue building our academy, our women’s programme, to build more for our first-team and be more attractive to bring in talent around the world.

“Those components are really important. There is another one. We will enhance out technology and some of the practical facilities at Villa Park in all four stands. Don’t be surprised if you see our superstore double in size this summer as we are going to be very, very active with merchandising.”

Is there an update on the new crest?

“We are working very closely with supporter groups and individuals that are fans. The crest is for the fan. It is worn by the players and it is for the fan.

“We are passing it over to them to decide what is best. It is going to be great for the club and for the next 150 years.

“The hope is that the crest will be shown to all fans when it will be complete this winter. I expect that to be in a few weeks. I am very excited to see how that goes.

“I will say that the crest will be on the kit come summertime. I think you will find a lot of interesting new aspects to the kit come summer, including maybe the 150th marque.”

What plans are in place to celebrate the club’s 150th anniversary?

“There is nothing better than history. With a club like Aston Villa, being the first big club to hit that 150th mark, that gives us a format and a plan to put in place something which has never been seen before in English football.

“We will launch our 150th anniversary marque in logo and you’ll start to see a countdown clock in days from the end of the season which we will officially start the celebration.

“This 150th year celebration will be about the fans, the heritage, the former players and coaches. All of this success which the club has had. We want everybody’s input to be a part of this.

“I think that this is something which will set us apart from every club in the world.”

Can you explain the recent deal struck with Atairos?

It’s another sample of this club becoming an absolute big club in the world. We will have this infusion of support for V Sports and it is going to be great for Villa as we continue to grow.

What is your message to the Villa fans?

“I sincerely appreciate you letting me accompany you on this adventure and for letting me act in Aston Villa’s best interests. To try and contribute to this amazing club, this historic club, and be a part of something truly exceptional is the aim here. Wes Edens, Nassef Sawiris, Unai, and Monchi are amazing owners, and I adore working with them. Being a Villan at this time is unique, and I am incredibly appreciative.”

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