OutByEaster?

Genetically we're all predisposed to some extent, but I'm very much of the nurture rather than nature school. I'm also a former Catholic, what a load of nonsense.

Point taken PP, but I don't think that who or what we are is set in stone. Our personalities in my opinion are created by ourselves. At points in our lives we decide that we will react to certain situations in certain ways, and in doing so we create our "selves." I believe that you are who you decided to be, I also believe that because that's true, you could change it if you had the right impetus. I don't know if you've ever read "The Diceman" by Luke Reinhart, but he puts it a lot better than I. If you are something, it's because you have decided it.

is blonde hair a condition too? what about blue eyes? What about contact lenses and hair dyes ? I just think it opens the door for a lot of people who think "no choice" or "born with it" means that they think there's something they can "cure." I have a friend who came out not long ago and had been married previously, I don't neccessarily think that she made a choice to be gay or not, nor do I think that she was born one way or the other. I just think she met someone that made her happy. Don't underestimate that.

I'm with choice. To say you haven't got a choice suggests that homosexuality is a condition rather than a lifestyle.

Thanks NV. I didn't realise that buying direct or through another retailer made such a huge difference (although I guess it should be fairly obvious.) S'interesting stuff !

I hadn't considered the idea that Nike would make more money on a shirt sold in a Nike shop and Villa would make more money on a shirt sold in the Villa Park shop. Whichever way you look at it, it would appear that Nike can afford to be more generous than Hummel, as it seems safe to assume judging by the reaction on the board that they can have a great deal of confidence in selling an awful lot more "product" than their competitors.

NV, how do deals like this work ? I presume there's a payment up front or an annual payment, and then payments based on performance ? TV appearances ? How do shirt/leisure sales figures affect the clubs deal ? Does the club get a percentage on each shirt sold, or are there bonus's for target levels ? Is the industry standard deal based on payments or sales results ? In the simplest terms, I'm wondering if I spend £50 on a shirt, how much of it can I expect to go into the club ?

A really good article, there's certainly a lot to think about. Has there been any statement from Nike about the arrangement yet ? As ever though, the best comment comes from you know who :

Thank you very much fella's. Very kind. :oops:

General, Great work with the Nike announcement. Credit to Richard FitzGerald and his team. The local media and to a lesser extent the fans are looking for somebody to be the public face of Randy's Villa. Will Richard be becoming more visible in the coming months ?

Nice article Richard. My Ernie is a man called Tommy Powell. Tommy was a friend of the family and when my parents split, he made sure I was going to get a proper football education. My dad was a Wolves fan, but Tommy made sure I stayed on the straight and narrow. Tales of Villa Park were music to a young boys ears, and this coupled with the packets of toffoes that came with them meant I would be transfixed whenever he visited. Tommy loved his football and ran a team in Aston for a while that I think were called the Aston Celtics (or similar.) Sadly Tommy passed away last year, but I still take the scarf he gave me 30 years ago to every game,and I know he'd have loved the way the clubs headed. Let's hope that one day Richard, there will be Villa fans out there that remember us as fondly as we remember the men that helped us with our first footballing steps. I can think of no better legacy.

Great read John. I bet you can't wait for the 31st August !

It's good to see the Lion looking so healthy, he's had someone standing on his tail for the last 30 odd years.

Slightly off topic I know, but with Terry injured I think Vidic is the best centre half in the Premiership. Weren't we linked with him at one point ?

I'm in favour of Cahill and Mellberg. I'd stick with Cahill for now; a number of the posters in this thread have suggested he just needs more experience of the Premiership, well, now's the time to get it. I think we're far enough away from the interesting ends of the table to let him make his mistakes and be better prepared for the important challenges to come. I'm concerned about Mellbergs form, but confident in his ability.

I look forward to seeing you with it held above your head.

Maybe this should be re-titled "Villa unlucky to lose yet again" ?

I like him as a player anyway. He's a different style of full back to Bouma, and I think that helps. I'd keep both until a genuine super full-back emerges.

Nor me and I rate his far higher than £500k too. I cannot think of anyone who is readily available AND better that we could go for, especially in a day! Doesn't Jlloyds contract run out at the end of the season ? That would make valuing him very difficult.

Nice preview CV. I'll confess to a slight fear of Obafemi Maritns, I think he'll get theirs in our two-one win.

Sorry, I had it on an opening line which I'd missed off when I copied it in. I'll do better next time TRL !

They got a sort of social momentum going in the late eighties, and now it's no more acceptable for a Newcastle fan to miss a home game than it is for them to wear a coat. It's strange, but I think there's a point somewhere in attendance where some sort of breakthrough is made, and once you get there the tickets start to sell themselves. Malc, are there any obvious breaks in the figures ? Do they fit into bands ?

Ony wotsit Gooch fella has gone to Newcastle on loan. (Sorry if it's already been mentioned.)

General, You seem to be having a positive effect. I think Mr FitzGerald would be very pleased to read this; Click here : Fans returning Lets hope that this is happening in larger numbers across the whole fanbase. OBE

Reading through those 6 points really does hammer home how much things have changed. Good things are happening so fast that it becomes easy to take them for granted, thanks for the reminder. Oh, and I have the feeling that those £60 shirts are ones that have actually been worn by players in training or games. Hence the extra value. On the subject of height, is it true that your dad got a friend to hit him over the head with a piece of wood so that the bump on his head would give him the height he needed to join the marines ? (My apologies if this crazy story isn't true, I read it somewhere.)