John

Although this has been a sorry season for Jack if we were to sell him for as little as £5m I feel we would be likely to regret it. The vultures will be around us at the end of the season and if players/agents want to do a deal elsewhere then we need to get the right money for them or at the very least get the insurance of a decent sell on clause so we are not taken for mugs. I would hope that Jack can see that he can still progress with us if he is prepared to work at it and that he would want to do his bit to get us back up before he considers other options such as leaving a sinking ship at the first opportunity to do so.

A difficult decision to make given the distance you will have covered to make the game. As has been said below: I hope we will see some major positive developments in terms of how the club is being run and in terms of the current "custodian" by then to save you having to make that choice if the 74th minute protest is extended to that game. I hope you have a great stay in the UK, see us win for a second time and on the bright side should you leave earlier to back any call for fans to leave that might be made later you may be able to catch an earlier train back to London to meet up again with your family. Or you could bring them with you but that might be a little cruel on them given how our season has gone to date..

He will not be going anywhere. Where else can he get anything like the contract he has with us for doing so little so often?

Rock bottom Villa face second placed Spurs on Sunday 13th March @ 16.00. Our visitors are hoping to be crowned champions at the end of this season for the first time since 1961 whilst we are 99.99% certain to be relegated from the top flight for the first time since 1987. We battled them for the fourth place they ended up with 6 years ago ending that season 6 points behind them in sixth place on 64 points which is 48 points more than we have to our name at the moment. We last beat Spurs at home in 2008 and have gathered 39 points less than them to date this season. Although this game is sandwiched between their two Europa Cup ties against Borrusia Dortmund their lofty position in the league and the chance to finish top for the first time in 55 years suggests they will be at least as up for this one as they will be for the other two. Another defeat looks more than likely. Another three or more goals conceded looks equally likely. The first goal will again be crucial and should we be the first to go a goal down we have grown accustomed to dropping our heads and going two behind shortly afterwards. This is a "must win" game for both teams but we do not win many "must win" games do we? I hope to see some fight from Villa at the very least next Sunday before I and I trust a few thousand more of us go out the door on 74 http://outthedooron74.co.uk/.

These three have not done a good enough job to stick around. This decision could save us money if one or more of them are not replaced (although no doubt we will have to pay off their contracts on termination). It makes a change from making the manager take the flak for the "custodian" although that may still come at the end of the season if he himself does not choose to walk. I would hope Remi would be asked who he wants to have help him with player recruitment and the quicker that change happens the better because what is the point of having two people who won't be at the club in the summer looking at players now? If Remi goes then the new boss should be asked who he would want in that post for example someone like Pearson is likely to want to bring in people he worked with on this if they can be prised away from a CL club. It looks to me that the 74th minute protest may well have led to this news coming out of the club so quickly.

It is indeed. Yes I was very near to marking our defenders down another notch but generosity got the better of me. I thought that first goal had shades of the goal at Stoke when Bunn was tangled in the back of the net about it we can add it to the already full bloopers reel for our DVD of this season.

The same might be said about Sunderland but who knows which players Newcastle would be left with after going down? I think they have an easy enough run in to stay up but it would stop them gloating about our demise and make them think twice about bringing that Jasper Carrot banner that Jimzk5 mentions above (by the way don't they know he is a Nose?). To quote one of their ex-bosses "I would really love it" if we beat them to send them down with us in our last home game. .

Norwich and Sunderland for me. But if we must, sending down Newcastle in our last home game would give them another reason to dislike us.

Last night Villa fans in their hundreds decided to get up, stand up on 74 minutes before exiting into the night. Our “custodian” obviously did not do so not least because he had as is usual not bothered to attend the game. No doubt as in the past his decision to stay away was influenced by his lack of interest in the club he once claimed to be the “custodian” of as well as by the likely welcome he would get and has so merited should he have done so. Well done to those who organised, publicised and took part in the 74th minute protest last night. To those who stayed in their seats or who left when the third goal was conceded 14 minutes earlier I would ask that you to think again about joining us on the 74th minute in our next two home games http://outthedooron74.co.uk/ It is astounding that given our recent results we still stand only 8 points from safety. It makes me wonder what might have been had we rolled the dice from the start of the last transfer window with a little more intent and if our team was a little less inclined to accept being relegated without a fight. Sadly with games at Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal as well as at home to Spurs and Chelsea among our remaining 10 games our relegation for the first time since 1987 is all but 99.9% sealed. Even if we somehow won each and every one of the other 5 games we have left that would leave us with just 31 points. That would not be enough. To hit even that target let alone to get another 4 or more additional points which could set a point total that 3 clubs above us might struggle to reach looks well beyond us. Perhaps a 4-point target that would take us to 20 points by the end of the season would be a little more achievable. Our “custodian” and board accepted our fate in January if not before then. They should hang their heads in shame about that. The players seemed to give up any lingering hope they may still have had in our last home game and that continued to be the case with last night’s performance albeit quite an improvement on our last home one. As fans I think we now reluctantly accept our fate but we are far from happy about the custodian, board and players being quite so ready to accept it earlier than most of us had been. Some of us may still cling to the irrational hope of an unlikely miracle that will see us stay up against all of the odds but we all know that we are now holding on to the slippery edge of the abyss by the finger tips of just one hand. Once again we looked likely to concede a goal every time our opponents attacked and any confidence we had evaporated as soon as we went a goal down. Everton were content with an all too comfortable win last night. Fortunately our visitors resisted the temptation to move out of second gear and help themselves to the further goals that had looked there for the taking. At times our midfield looked reasonable; on occasion our attack also caused Everton’s defence a little concern but we find scoring goals as hard as we find conceding them easy. Everton fans deserve credit for applauding our fans singing during the second half when all was already lost and for doing the same to show support as we left the ground on the 74th minute. I have also been reliably informed that Baines and two of his team mates applauded the Holte End at the end of the game. Let us hope that this most played top-flight fixture is only briefly interrupted. My player ratings from a game that finally turned our promised bright future into an embarrassingly bleak one are: Brad Guzan – 4 – Got the nod over Bunn. Brad demonstrated that the susceptibilities that led to his losing his starting place have not gone away. He failed to get an outstretched hand to the cross from Funes Mori that led to their third goal on the hour having made a good save from a Lukaku header moments earlier. He had previously spilled a 33rd minute Mirallas shot but Lescott saved his blushes by clearing Oviedo’s shot off the line. Alan Hutton – 4 – Worked hard and was a willing runner but he was unable to produce an end product. Alan looked a bit like a fish out of water playing in an unfamiliar wing back role. Michah Richards – 5 – Put in a shift but failed to pick up Funes Mori choosing instead to run in front of him to leave him free to head home a 5th minute Mirallas cross. Connected acrobatically with a 26th minute corner but his effort flew a yard wide. Joleon Lescott – 5 – Was in the right place at the right time to clear a 33rd minute close range shot off the line and had an effort in the first minute of first half stoppage time turned wide. Ciaran Clark – 3 – Should have chosen to stay on Lennon but was distracted by Lukaku who was behind him and ended up on neither player when Lennon hit the ball past both Lescott and Guzan from another Mirallas cross for their second on the half hour mark. He also failed to pick up Lukaku who was therefore unmarked when he slotted the ball home when behind him for their third. Aly Cissokho – 6 – MOTM – Did surprisingly well in a wing back role. Aly hit a 32nd minute shot that Robles saved at his near post. He also provided some good crosses such as the one after a good run on the 43rd minute that Gabby was unable to get his head to. He was also again solid at the back. Leandro Bacuna – 3 – For a reason unknown to me Leo seems to be one of the first names on the team sheet. He again did very little to justify his selection last nigh other than when forcing a save from Robles with a 28th minute shot from outside of the box. Ashley Westwood – 4 – Had a decent 24th minute shot from the edge of the box turned around the post by Robles and a 62nd minute shot blocked inside of the box. Idrissa Gana – 5 – The best and hardest working of our midfield yesterday. Jordan Ayew – 5 – A welcome return for Jordan after his three game suspension. Gabriel Agbonlahor – 3 – Got a touch on the ball on 23 minutes that produced a save from Robles but although he did some running when they were in possession particularly early in the game he posed no threat to their defence. Substitutes: Rudy Gestede – Replaced Gabby after 67 minutes and scored our consolation goal 12 minutes later which I have now seen on television. Rudy climbed well in front of Jagielka and hung in the air to get on the end of Veretout’s measured cross which he headed home with some aplomb. Other than this I did not see enough of him to be able to give a rating although his goal was well taken and suggested he might yet do a job next season given the right service. Jordan Veretout – Replaced Westwood on 71 minutes and claimed an assist. I was also not there long enough to be able to decide on a rating for him having gone out the door 3 minutes after he came on. Up the Villa! John Lewis

Last night Villa fans in their hundreds decided to get up, stand up on 74 minutes before exiting into the night. Our “custodian” obviously did not do so not least because he had as is usual not bothered to attend the game. No doubt as in the past his decision to stay away was influenced by his lack of interest in the club he once claimed to be the “custodian” of as well as by the likely welcome he would get and has so merited should he have done so. Well done to those who organised, publicised and took part in the 74th minute protest last night. To those who stayed in their seats or who left when the third goal was conceded 14 minutes earlier I would ask that you to think again about joining us on the 74th minute in our next two home games http://outthedooron74.co.uk/ It is astounding that given our recent results we still stand only 8 points from safety. It makes me wonder what might have been had we rolled the dice from the start of the last transfer window with a little more intent and if our team was a little less inclined to accept being relegated without a fight. Sadly with games at Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal as well as at home to Spurs and Chelsea among our remaining 10 games our relegation for the first time since 1987 is all but 99.9% sealed. Even if we somehow won each and every one of the other 5 games we have left that would leave us with just 31 points. That would not be enough. To hit even that target let alone to get another 4 or more additional points which could set a point total that 3 clubs above us might struggle to reach looks well beyond us. Perhaps a 4-point target that would take us to 20 points by the end of the season would be a little more achievable. Our “custodian” and board accepted our fate in January if not before then. They should hang their heads in shame about that. The players seemed to give up any lingering hope they may still have had in our last home game and that continued to be the case with last night’s performance albeit quite an improvement on our last home one. As fans I think we now reluctantly accept our fate but we are far from happy about the custodian, board and players being quite so ready to accept it earlier than most of us had been. Some of us may still cling to the irrational hope of an unlikely miracle that will see us stay up against all of the odds but we all know that we are now holding on to the slippery edge of the abyss by the finger tips of just one hand. Once again we looked likely to concede a goal every time our opponents attacked and any confidence we had evaporated as soon as we went a goal down. Everton were content with an all too comfortable win last night. Fortunately our visitors resisted the temptation to move out of second gear and help themselves to the further goals that had looked there for the taking. At times our midfield looked reasonable; on occasion our attack also caused Everton’s defence a little concern but we find scoring goals as hard as we find conceding them easy. Everton fans deserve credit for applauding our fans singing during the second half when all was already lost and for doing the same to show support as we left the ground on the 74th minute. I have also been reliably informed that Baines and two of his team mates applauded the Holte End at the end of the game. Let us hope that this most played top-flight fixture is only briefly interrupted. My player ratings from a game that finally turned our promised bright future into an embarrassingly bleak one are: Brad Guzan – 4 – Got the nod over Bunn. Brad demonstrated that the susceptibilities that led to his losing his starting place have not gone away. He failed to get an outstretched hand to the cross from Funes Mori that led to their third goal on the hour having made a good save from a Lukaku header moments earlier. He had previously spilled a 33rd minute Mirallas shot but Lescott saved his blushes by clearing Oviedo’s shot off the line. Alan Hutton – 4 – Worked hard and was a willing runner but he was unable to produce an end product. Alan looked a bit like a fish out of water playing in an unfamiliar wing back role. Michah Richards – 5 – Put in a shift but failed to pick up Funes Mori choosing instead to run in front of him to leave him free to head home a 5th minute Mirallas cross. Connected acrobatically with a 26th minute corner but his effort flew a yard wide. Joleon Lescott – 5 – Was in the right place at the right time to clear a 33rd minute close range shot off the line and had an effort in the first minute of first half stoppage time turned wide. Ciaran Clark – 3 – Should have chosen to stay on Lennon but was distracted by Lukaku who was behind him and ended up on neither player when Lennon hit the ball past both Lescott and Guzan from another Mirallas cross for their second on the half hour mark. He also failed to pick up Lukaku who was therefore unmarked when he slotted the ball home when behind him for their third. Aly Cissokho – 6 – MOTM – Did surprisingly well in a wing back role. Aly hit a 32nd minute shot that Robles saved at his near post. He also provided some good crosses such as the one after a good run on the 43rd minute that Gabby was unable to get his head to. He was also again solid at the back. Leandro Bacuna – 3 – For a reason unknown to me Leo seems to be one of the first names on the team sheet. He again did very little to justify his selection last nigh other than when forcing a save from Robles with a 28th minute shot from outside of the box. Ashley Westwood – 4 – Had a decent 24th minute shot from the edge of the box turned around the post by Robles and a 62nd minute shot blocked inside of the box. Idrissa Gana – 5 – The best and hardest working of our midfield yesterday. Jordan Ayew – 5 – A welcome return for Jordan after his three game suspension. Gabriel Agbonlahor – 3 – Got a touch on the ball on 23 minutes that produced a save from Robles but although he did some running when they were in possession particularly early in the game he posed no threat to their defence. Substitutes: Rudy Gestede – Replaced Gabby after 67 minutes and scored our consolation goal 12 minutes later which I have now seen on television. Rudy climbed well in front of Jagielka and hung in the air to get on the end of Veretout’s measured cross which he headed home with some aplomb. Other than this I did not see enough of him to be able to give a rating although his goal was well taken and suggested he might yet do a job next season given the right service. Jordan Veretout – Replaced Westwood on 71 minutes and claimed an assist. I was also not there long enough to be able to decide on a rating for him having gone out the door 3 minutes after he came on. Up the Villa! John Lewis

With the theme from Laurel & Hardy playing in the background.

Fair enough but that should not be too costly I would guess (other than for us?). As I said a move to us would be a step up and it would give him an opportunity to develop by playing first team games but I suspect he may well get a PL club come in for him that offers him more money to be their number two keeper. The ball would then be in his court should we want to spend money on bringing in a keeper rather than making do with what we already have which is most likely the way we will choose to go.

I would prefer a new keeper myself such as Bentley from Southend who would see a move to us as a step up but that would cost around £2m so you may well be right.

It is now reported by Jonathan Northcroft in "The Sunday Times" today that Farhad Moshiri has paid £200m for 49.9% of Everton! That would suggest they were valued at around £250m more than we were when the deal was negotiated if our "custodian" has actually priced us at £150m. For me that sort of huge gap in the value of the two clubs does not add up unless the deal was agreed very recently which would be unlikely I would suspect given the sort of checks that would be needed to be done before it went through.

We face Everton at Villa Park on Tuesday @ 19.45. This is currently the most played fixture in the top flight but it seems the total of games between the two clubs will not be added to next year at the very least. We gave one of our most dismal performances of this dire season when losing 4-0 at Everton in November but got one of our rare home wins when they visited us last May and left pointless after their 3-2 defeat. That had been our first win against them since 2010. Everything would appear to point to another defeat. I would really love it if we somehow ended this game on 19 points or even on 17 because at the moment it is difficult to see where our next point is going to come from. Let us hope for the best but if it is anything like our last home game against a football club from the same city (whose name escapes me) please wait until the 74th minute before making your way out of the ground and by doing so leave as part of the http://outthedooron74.co.uk/ protest as the more of us that do so on the 74th minute the bigger the impact it will have.

I do not know when the sale process began but if it has been going on for several months (before we were in such a mess as we now are) you have to wonder what made them a £50m better prospect than we were. Was it the lure of owning a club in Liverpool rather than in Birmingham? The respective strengths of each squad? Or possibly did we want more than £150m? I guess we will never know....

If the loss is significantly higher than it was last year then I would expect the reasons for this to be made clear.Of course they will not be....

A hefty £24m loss....

Given he also chose them rather than us it seems we either offered him the same or less or the pull of London and the opportunity to play for them rather than us led to him choosing to move there despite a lower salary offer from Spurs.

I would have not mentioned Deadly had he not chosen to enter the debate himself. Our present "custodian" does now seem determined to prove himself to be the worst one we have ever had. How, when and the circumstances in which he goes may earn him that title.

A hefty wage for very little progress and a big profit on the sale of his shares. I have no problem with taking a decent wage for a decent performance but I think what Deadly took in wages and share profit was something way above that. But you have your opinion and I have my own. I played my small part in the protests against Deadly and the way he chose to run our club and I will not be changing my opinion on this. I anticipate the same is the case with your opinions on the matter.Shall we just agree that the present "custodian" is to blame for our current troubles although it seems Deadly would rather spread the blame a little more widely?

No the blame rests fair and square with our current "custodian". He was the first to take such a significant wage for acting as chairman and took a lot more than he paid for his shares when selling to our present "custodian". For me he did not do enough to merit the sums of money he collected from our football club. But that is history now and others have opinions that are different from me on this. I just think that his contribution to the blame game would have been best left unsaid and has not been overly helpful.

I think Deadly has blamed everyone he could think of from manager to board to coaches and players. I agree that the "custodian" that he appointed is to blame for the mess that we now find ourselves in but given HDE's history I have some difficulty in accepting that he a fitting person to be the one portioning the blame.

Clough would be the sort of player we should be looking at but he was most likely there because he had heard they were doing a free pint and pie deal!

So Deadly who described us as "mere men of the terraces", took millions out of the club, appointed a manager from Shrewsbury to replace a manager who had won the European Cup to break-up our cup-winning team, had us relegated 5 seasons later and actually chose to sell the club to our current "custodian" now says we are certain to be relegated and blames everyone at the club for this. People in glass houses should at 92 have learned not to throw stones...