Express & Star

Villa Park ready for a bumper festive crowd

Villa bosses are considering opening the Trinity Road Upper Stand for the festive visit of Sheffield United.

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More than 31,000 tickets have been sold for the clash with the Blades, prompting club chiefs to declare they are ‘on the verge of making a positive decision on the top tier’.

The match kicks off at 5.30pm on December 23, and is the closest home fixture to Christmas for the Villans. Last year’s closest fixture to Christmas was a sold-out clash with Burton Albion as 41,337 fans packed in to watch Ross McCormack bag a late winner against the Brewers.

Adult prices for the match start from £20, while under-16s can attend for a pound with a full paying adult.

Meanwhile, Villa Ladies are to play in tier two of the restructured Women’s Super League from 2018/19 following a successful application to the FA.

Chief executive Keith Wyness said: “The ladies programme, like a lot of departments within the Football Club, has undergone a lot of change over the last few years, so applying for tier two at this stage was the sensible option.

“That way, we can focus on developing the game at a realistic pace and allows the club to progress in the future due to performances on the pitch.

“Aston Villa is full committed to being an inclusive club and the support for the ladies programme is a vital part of this.”

Blues Ladies have been granted tier one status and applications are now open to clubs outside of the Super League, including Wolves and Albion.