At the forthcoming AGM on the 19th February, members will be voting on electing the new AVST Executive Board. In a series of posts over the next few days, we will publish the biogs of new and existing directors standing for election. The first in the series is Howard Hodgson who will be responsible for Marketing/PR (including our Patron network). Below is Howard’s biog:
I am standing for election as a Director of AVST as I am keen to try and help implement the change needed to get this famous football club back competing again. I’ve been an Aston Villa season ticket holder since 1977 and I am from a family who have 5 generations of Villa supporters running down the family tree. I am well known to the previous Villa owner and board, as well as the current board, and have had good communication with the recently appointed CEO Tom Fox. I watch most Villa games these days from The Directors Box/Suite with the main reason to maintain a relationship with the people running the club and try and advise/influence where possible.
I own and run 4 companies so my time is limited as I also have to travel a lot but anyone who follows my twitter account or has read my blogs will know how passionate I am about our beloved Aston Villa. When you love something as much as I love Villa, a huge dedication of time and energy is afforded to developing a knowledge and passion that isn’t easily challenged!
It’s my belief that the manager, players and board are not doing anywhere near enough to justify their current, privileged positions of representing Aston Villa and that there is no where near enough accountability for ongoing poor football and results. This has to change. If it doesn’t, we are heading along the same path as Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday, Forest, Derby, Middlesboro, Blackburn, Coventry etc.
We may not have the ultimate power to stop this from happening, as fans from those clubs weren’t able to, but we can do our utmost to try and stop it from happening by standing together and telling the powers at the club in no uncertain terms that this is unacceptable and completely avoidable with some positive, proactive management that needs to happen now.
Howard can be followed on Twitter: @HodgsonHoward