P.O.B

Sky Sports Interview with Dean

It sounds like he learnt he was being sacked by text:

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"I understand that if you lose five games on the spin, then you're under pressure. Did I expect to lose the job [at Villa]? Probably not at the time, but it happens so when I got the text, I was ready for it"

If getting the train I too would advise getting the train to Aston, Witton is most definitely a quicker journey door-to-door but if you get off at Aston the first thing you'll see of Villa Park is the Holte Pub/ Holte End (magnificent) whereas Witton it would be the North Stand (underwhelming). You will also pass Aston hall this way, although it will be likely shut/dark.

Also, if having a drink or two, getting off at Aston would mean passing by the Aston Tavern en-route to the stadium, arguably the busiest/closest pub to the Holte. 

Otherwise it's a taxi and with that Birmingham is your oyster, I see from previous posts you like the look of the Barton Arms, after that it would be a 20min walk or a taxi as close to the ground as possible (traffic will get heavy close to kick off so don't cut it too fine).

5 minutes ago, birdistheword said:

Posts that Instagram story yet the odds have gone from 8/13 to 11/8 to stay. Someone’s putting money on City…

Odds on him to join City have drifted since yesterday into 4/7. I try not to read into it too much and would like to think their odds are mostly influenced by the masses who are putting their money on Jack leaving. Said masses are influenced by the likes of Talksport who like to drive the narrative that he can only have a successful/fulfilling career at a ESL club.

Note to self: Stop looking at transfer odds

1 hour ago, terrytini said:

The rules of engagement are pretty clear. Goals, Red Cards, Penalties, and Mistaken Identity.

What I meant to say (and the statement seems to confirm) was... I can only see the video replays on the big screens being used if the decision is stonewall e.g. an offside or blatant foul. Would they show a replay for a contentious penalty decision? I doubt it. Viewers at home will get to watch it several times over while fans in attendance will probably be left in the dark.

Maybe the will but the statement suggests that if its not definitive they won't show.

4 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

I'm not sure how I feel about the decision being shown on big screen as. 9/10 the home fans will be calling for the decison for their side. 

Can only see it being used for absolute stonewall decisions e.g. offsides. Can't see it being used for many penalty decisions 

Statement on PL website regarding VAR introduction in 2019-20 campaign https://www.premierleague.com/news/1235515

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Premier League clubs were today provided with an update on plans for the introduction of Video Assistant Referees (VAR) in the competition next season.

This included details on in-stadium communications, in particular when there is a clear delay to a match because of VAR, and when refereeing decisions are over-turned due to the intervention of VAR.

The Premier League has created graphics which will be displayed on giant screens to explain any VAR-related delay to a match, and any overturned decision.

Additionally, if the VAR believes there is a definitive video clip which helps explain an overturned decision, it will be broadcast on giant screens.

Also, the Premier League is investigating the possibility of messages and video clips being viewed on handheld devices via an app.

For clubs who do not have giant screens in their stadium, VAR communications will be made via a combination of PA announcements and messages on scoreboards.

 

Interestingly they are going to display video clips for definitive decisions. Surely these will mainly be used for offsides, can't see it being used for many penalty shouts  

Might have been posted elsewhere but a new statement on PL website about VAR - https://www.premierleague.com/news/1235515

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Premier League clubs were today provided with an update on plans for the introduction of Video Assistant Referees (VAR) in the competition next season.

This included details on in-stadium communications, in particular when there is a clear delay to a match because of VAR, and when refereeing decisions are over-turned due to the intervention of VAR.

The Premier League has created graphics which will be displayed on giant screens to explain any VAR-related delay to a match, and any overturned decision.

Additionally, if the VAR believes there is a definitive video clip which helps explain an overturned decision, it will be broadcast on giant screens.

Also, the Premier League is investigating the possibility of messages and video clips being viewed on handheld devices via an app.

For clubs who do not have giant screens in their stadium, VAR communications will be made via a combination of PA announcements and messages on scoreboards.

 

P.S. we are now shown as a PL club on the website so its now all official 

Would be happy with this as a shrewd bit of business.  A player known to DS and Suso and under their regime he will hopefully shine. Not to mention getting another non-featuring player off our books. I personally think he could be an important squad addition, and could make more appearances and have greater impact than people imagine.

 Get it done Villa 

To the Everton/Barkley Leeds/Bielsa tune..... 

We have a gaffer we call Deanoooo

a brummie who grew up in great barr

He went down Aston to watch his hero's

and travelled away near and far

and although you always knew, we'll sing this song for you

Deano is a Villan through and through!

Does anyone know if the recent play off semi at home qualifies as a league home game in the sales criteria?

I have five home games on my record this season, one being the play off semi which technically speaking isn't a league game?

Last year they clarified it with the play off game counting (see link) but no clarification this year and can't spot anything on the FAQ's page either.

https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2018/05/15/play-off-final-ticket-news

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Aston Villa are off to Wembley! 

Following our Sky Bet Championship Play-Off semi-final triumph over Middlesbrough, we can now reveal ticketing information for the final at Wembley Stadium. 

The match takes place on Saturday 26th May 2018 and will kick-off at 5pm. 

We'll face Fulham for the right to be in the Premier League next season. 

We have an allocation of 38,144 in the West End of the stadium, where pricing categories are split into five sections  

There is a concession rate for 17 to 21-year-olds, O65s and U16s. 

 ^{Coming on here it looks like I'm not alone in thinking this is a typical Mourinho ploy, to take the limelight off his players after an underwhelming performance, it wouldn’t be the first time, and look how many articles it has generated across the media. I have no doubt the anger he showed at the time of the incident was genuine, but he seems intelligent enough to realise retrospectively that the doctors were not in wrong. The doctors are probably in on this sideshow now.}

^{If this is not the case, he is indeed losing his marbles}

It's Magic.. You Know... Tim Sherwood's Winning Ratio....

Have people recieved their tickets for this yet? Still waiting on mine

Does anyone know whats sets apart Gold and Silver? Possibly that the Silver are the restriced view seats?

I got my tickets late for this aswell, rang up on saturday on the off chance and got 5. They are rows P & O though, so not expecting a cracking view.

Are people heading to The Arkles Pub for a drink before? This was the pub i went to last time I visited goodison, been a few years though.

I've backed the 7/1 as well, seems overpriced, I recall we were similar odds when we beat arsenal away first game of the season... for me this seems like a lesser task, we are playing them at the right time in my opinion.

I'm off to this and quietly confident of a result of some sort, going for 2-2.

Has anyone ever been to a Rome Derby?

Going to rome next weekend, and planning to go to the game, looking forward to the exeperience, been to a Palermo game when i went to Sicily last year, but I expect this to be a different kettle of fish. I'm slightly nervous, given the reported fan violence surrounding the game, not to mention the hatred Italian football fans have for the English, me and my mates will undoubtedly stick out like sore thumbs.

Anyone got any advice?

In terms of the footballing world, Robbie Savage takes some beating, I also have a loathing for Seb Larsson.

Outside of football its a hard decision, kid in a sweet shop comes to mind...

Suprised to read that Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink won nothing worth noting whilst in England, but has got a Copa del Rey and portuguese cup to his name.

Haha woops, 1GB*, I'm sure you got what I meant.

Yeah, I agree, no such thing as a free lunch and all that. But If i assume the handset costs £450, it works out at £8.25/month for those mins/texts and data, not sure if that is good value when compared to SIM only, but a price I am willing to pay to avoid the lump sum costs of the handset in one month.

When I lose/break it at the gig I'm going to tonight my opinion might change somewhat.... anyone reccomend an insurance firm when it comes to phone cover?

I have just upgraded, I wanted a Samsung Galaxay S4 or a HTC one. I phoned up O2, asking what they could offer me. They said £37/ month for a free handset, 600mins, unlimited texts and 750GB of data... I wasnt overly impressed by the deal so I told them I wanted to shop around.

I saw a deal on the Phones 4U website for an upgrade to a HTC one on O2, i thought it was too good to be true so i rang up and asked.

£27/month, for unlimited mins, unlimited texts and 1MB of data - free handset. They offered me it, and I bit their arm off.

Hope there are a few left come Monday,had a great day down there when gabby scored a last minute winner a few years back

One of my favourite away day moments, euphoric feeling. Once I has caught my breath back from celebrating I remember thinking to myself 'this is why I follow football'. Gabby to the rescue once again.

Does anyone know how these are selling?

 

So next we need to decide what fights to start. We do this by 3 steps. Fisrt we look at the races available on a first pass, most races are not betting races so we can easily reduce a days racing to 3 or 4 potential betting races.

 

Interesting post CVByrne. So how do you determine the above? I.e. what is a 'betting race'? I'm guesing it's a combination of many things. Over the last few years i have become more and more fascinated by jump racing, to the point where I am going to attempt following the whole season and attempt studying form etc. However its always hard to know where to start with the number of races to choose from.