'It's nothing but opportunistic greed from the football club'

"Disappointed" and "livid" were two of the words used by Aston Villa supporters on BBC Radio WM's Football Phone-In on Wednesday to describe their feelings about ticket prices to watch the club's home games in the Champions League this season.

The conversation continued on Thursday's Breakfast programme, with Simon O'Regan of the Holtecast podcast telling presenter Sarah Julian that the prices had left him "really shocked and annoyed" and he described it as "nothing but opportunistic greed from the football club".

He said: "My ticket will cost me £79 as a season ticket holder, and if I didn't have a season ticket and wanted to sit where I currently sit, I'd be looking at £97 or £94 I think it is, which is just disgraceful."

Asked if he would pay that price, he added: "This is the thing - people like me will.

"Where my anger comes from is - I know I'm in a fortunate position that I have a job that allows me the disposable income to spend the money on these tickets.

"But the problem is that there will be loyal supporters - it's not that long ago we were in the Championship losing at home on a Tuesday night to Barnsley - and those fans who were there then, there will be a number of them who, now we're good, are being priced out of the game. They're the people I feel sorry for."