A football Supporters Trust’ group aims to maintain relations with their local community – to ensure they will continue to be a big part of the clubs they support.
Formed in July 2001, Aston Villa Supporters’ Trust are an independent supporters’ organisation representing the views of its members, Aston Villa supporters, at club and national levels.
The Birmingham based fan group are associated with the Football Supporters’ Association’. Since their formation, AVST have played a vital role in working closely with their local community, addressing local supporters’ issues, representing fans nationally and persevering the culture and heritage of Premier League side Aston Villa Football Club.
“A Supporters Trust’ is a legally constituted designed to be there for the benefits of the supporters. We (Aston Villa Supporters Trust’) play a responsible part in the life of clubs they support, said Chair and Club Liaison Mo Razzaq.
“We’re committed to strengthening the voices of supporters, the decision-making processes at clubs and strengthening the links between the club and community it serves.
“Now, Supporters Trust’ are democratic, mutual and non-profit organisations. The main thing we want to do is to influence the way the clubs are run. In terms of ownership, we want to have a share in the club and have a representation at the decision-making level.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Aston Villa Supporters’ Trust have been in partnership with Birmingham Central Mosque to operate foodbank collections for NHS Key Workers at University Hospitals, Birmingham. The Supporters’ Trust donated a significant contribution of £1,000 to the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Charity, to help patients at their hospitals in the Birmingham area.
Aston Villa Supporters Trust also contributed to an additional £1,000 to assist and benefit disability teams with training and resources.
On Aston Villa’s season under Unai Emery, Mo Razzaq said: “It’s obviously beyond expectations if you look at where we were at the start of the season, we lose our opening game to Newcastle. People were writing us off.
“We’ve lost some key players within a matter of weeks, Tyrone Mings, Emiliano Buenda and the midfield maestro in Boubacar Kamara. We’ve lost Jacob Ramsay as well.
“Then you look at it, Ollie Watkins, he’s having an unbelievable season. He’s built on from last year, the season before, you know, he’s leading in goals and assists combined.
“If you look through our spine, in goal you’ve got Emmy Martinez, you know undeniably the world number one. The lift that gives players when you’ve got effectively, the best keeper in the world behind you. So that really helps.
“He (Emery) always is very humble, it’s a case of we just get on with it. It is what it is. You deal with the hand that you’ve been dealt with and just focused on the next game based on the resources that you have.”
Following a successful season under the Spaniard, Aston Villa reached the Conference League semi-finals and finished 4th place in the Premier League, qualifying for the Champions League for the first time in 41 years.
After signing a new deal to extend his stay at Villa Park until 2027, the club and recruitment team in behind the scenes are working efficiently to provide the 52-year-old the players and resources he needs in time for the new season, to close the gap on the top 3 Premier League teams and Europe’s elite clubs to compete for the major honours again.
“I think progression (next season), it’s simple as that, said Mo Razzaq.
“As a manager, he wants to win things. We want to be winning some silverware. But going into next season, it’s making progress on our league finish.
“The new format of the Champions League next season will be a big test, depending on whoever we get drawn with. Certainly, whether it’s the likes of Real Madrid, PSG, Bayern Munich.
“It’s an exciting time. So, for me it’s just building on roughly what we’ve done this season and last season.”
To follow the journey of Aston Villa Supporters’ Trust, you can find them on social media down below:
- Facebook: Aston Villa Supporters’ Trust
- Instagram: Aston Villa Supporters’ Trust
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