Some Plans
With neither a new owner or manager in place, Aston Villa have announced details of a preseason training camp and friendlies.
First of all, Villa will jet off to Austria between July 9-14, as the players are put through their paces ahead of the 2016/17 Championship campaign.
Amongst fixtures against mostly lower league and non league teams is a trip to France to play FC Nantes. The game will actually take place at Stade Leo Lagrange, Saint Nazaire.
Not Nantes
MOMS has actually been to Saint Nazaire (for a Sonic Youth exhibition & music festival). It’s a dock town famous for a huge cement U-boat base that the Germans built when they occupied France during World War II. It was built to be indestructible and withstood focused bombing by the allies during the war; that’s why the town can’t get rid of it! Now it’s a museum/arts space, although a bit of an eyesore on what used to be a nice coastline. Still, if you’re into your World War II history, it’s worth a visit, if you go to the game.
Be warned though, this is not FC Nantes home ground (which is inland), but an hour’s drive from Nantes to the coast.
Villa Park Fixture
Later on in preseason there’s the indignation of the most high profile friendly being against Middlesborough at Villa Park, who leap-frogged the relegated Villa into the Premier League. At least it will provide a reasonable yardstick going into the new season, which starts the week after the game, of where Villa are at.
Current Aston Villa Preseason Fixture List 2016
GAK Graz (A) – 6.30pm Saturday July 9th
Tickets: 10 Euros more details
AFC Telford (A) – 12pm Saturday July 16
Tickets: £8 adults, £5 kids – Pay on the day
Worcester City (A) (At Walshes Meadow, Stourport) – 3pm Saturday July 16
Tickets: £10 adults, £5 concessions tickets click here & Pay on the day
Bristol Rovers (A) – 7.45pm Wednesday July 20
Tickets: £10 adults, £5 concessions (O65s/U16s) General sale – June 30th 9am
FC Nantes (A) (At Stade Leo Lagrange, Saint Nazaire) – Saturday July 23
Tickets: £9.45/€12 adults and £4.72/€6 U10s (see official site)
Cambridge United (A) – 7.30pm Tuesday July 26 –
Tickets: £15 adults, £10 concessions (O65s/students/young adult 18-21), £5 U18s and free U5s. ticket info click here General sale – June 30th
Middlesbrough (H) – 3pm Saturday July 30
Tickets: £10 adults and £5 concessions in all available areas (£1 concessions in family stand). General sale: June 20th
Current Aston Villa U21 Fixture List
Friendly v Heather St John’s (At Coalville) – 7.30pm Thursday July 21
Friendly v Biggleswade (A) – 2pm Sunday July 24
Friendly v Tamworth (A) – 7.30pm Wednesday July 27
Friendly v Chasetown (A) – 7.30pm Monday August 1
Follow MOMS on Twitter at @oldmansaid
