Adam2003

General, I have a quick complaint re Barry (well, not really him, I understand he and MOn and randy have big decisions to make). But as you know a lot of people are on tenterhooks waiting for news. That being the case, it gets frustrating seeing stories headlined 'Barry Settled' and 'Barry Vow' on the official site. For the record, the first was about Gareth Barrys England form, the second about Barry Bannan in the reserves. I know a website is about maximising webhits, and it's a good tecnique for doing so. But the OFFICIAL site shouldn't, IMO, be maximising them by using headlines which they KNOW will be misinterpreted and get people's hopes up.

Oh, are we? Thanks for letting me know. LTLOAV, he's also said many times in that same interview he thinks he can get CL football here. We'll just have to see what happens. I'm sure MON is doing his best to keep him and that's all there is to it. If he goes, Villa are far bigger than one man.

No they don't HAVE to, General, but I'd be shocked if there was an example of them ever acting without one, especially against a big club like Liverpool. Still, if the club's decision is not to report them then I respect that.

It is up to Villa to report the matter to the FA if we so wish, they don't take action on their own. We should IMO, but that's just my opinion. What is also my opinion is that this has been a fantastic year and another big step in the right direction. Thanks for your efforts, General!

General, just a quick question - why oh why do the club continue to give Bill Howell access? (Actually you'd probably be better off not answering as he'll read this, the parasite, and turn it into a story if you do). But he constantly puts Villa down, and it gets annoying. Here's what he said about Nicky Keye with regards to the Trinity move. She ''seemed as jumpy as a box of frogs. Desperate for the handful of press around the table to report the news positively." Just disrespectful, and that's just a normal example of his sneering. If it was me I wouldn't have him near the club.

Just a little stat, but nice to see we've scored twice as many goals at Villa Park this year.

Odd, I've never heard United sing that for Giggs... Mind I suppose in 16 years they could well have done at some point. Still, it gets my vote. Young sounds much better with it than Giggs. Giggs sounds awful.

This! This this this! I'm starting it against Wigan, you lot better join in. In fact get it going at Everton. its very catchy... very easy to remember... and 100% what he will do to his opponents I think it's fantastic.

This! This this this! I'm starting it against Wigan, you lot better join in. In fact get it going at Everton.

I suggested that on another thread and got laughed at a lot! Burning down the Villa touchline like the back of a hurricane that started turning with Ashley Young... It's the way forwards

Hi General, Two real Villa heroes, winners of the FA Cup in 1957, have passed away in the last couple of weeks. I know Randy and all you guys at the club helped commemmorate Jimmy Dugdale's funeral with flowers and everything, and that was a lovely touch. Just wanted to check if there would be an appropriate commemmoration before the Boro game on Wednesday? Either a minute's silence or a minute's applause. I know many fans would welcome the chance to say goodbye at Villa Park to two Holte Enders in the sky. Thanks very much.

General, Sorry to come back to the games abroad/39th match thing. But you've told us the club has agreed to investigate the idea, look at it etc etc, but no decisions have been made. So why is the league chief executive Richard Scudamore saying things like this (from The Guardian, on the radio and various other news sources): "This is a solidarity move where all 20 clubs want to do it." He was talking there about playing the game abroad, not looking at the possibility of it. If as you've said we haven't agreed to do it necessarily, perhaps it's worth asking him to stop saying things in our name? Thanks again.

Can't ask for more of you than that General. Many thanks, as you can see it's something many feel strongly about. I hope we Villa fans never take for granted that we have this unique link to the boardroom. It means a lot.

General, even playing games abroad is ok by me. But Randy and yourself have shown yourselves to be proud of Villa's traditions. Well, here's a letter William McGregor, a man who gave decades of his life to Aston Villa, wrote 120 years ago: And so the league was founded. That's it. That's all we ask. Change whatever else, but that's how our league works. Two games against each side. No seedings. A level playing field. One hundred and twenty years of tradition, General. One hundred and twenty years. My grandad is 95 and watched Aston Villa in the 1920s. He told me tonight he's done with football now. More than any other club, Aston Villa should be the one to challenge this, to stop it in its tracks. We say 'Proud History', General. Let Aston Villa make us proud again, even if it does cost a few bucks. If this went through 19 clubs to 1, and Villa were that one, I'd be as proud as the day we won the European Cup.

Please note the five word disclaimer at the start of my last post.

BOF unless I'm being daft, you've added the last one up wrong. You say we were 12 points better off after 24 games, we lost against Fulham and lost against Newcastle last year, and now you have us as 11 points better off...surely it's still 12, or was 11 before? Anyway, top work sir.

Sixth. I said 8th at the start and I still would see 8th as massive progress, but I think we'll get 6th behind Liverpool, Everton and the big three.

General, I don't know if you've seen Pat Murphy's article in the local paper about how Randy should speak to the media more. If not, i'll just let you know it's bitter drivel, and please pass on to Randy that I and every Villa fan I know fully respects and admires the fact he's a private man not given to showing off...even if some journalists are complaining that they don't get the interviews they used to. If I were Randy, I'd be barring Murphy from Villa Park for good. I actually don't expect Randy to do that - because I know he's a far better man than me!

General, I think the club should invite Prince William to a game. People have different views on the monarchy, but it would be reported all over the world, and he has publicly confirmed many times he is a Villa fan. Might be very good PR, attract interest in a lot of countries like the States where many people are very fascinated by the British monarchy. He's President of the FA too, so maybe they'd be nice to us with decisions :winkold:

You can't really argue with it, can you? Let's hope we keep it up.

What ho BOF, just a slight query. Ashley Young was awarded the Fulham Zat Knight OG by the disputed goals panel as they reckon it was going in anyway, so he's officially on three for the season. Just for the sake of completeness, thought I'd let you know in case you've missed it.

I don't think it's anything to do with that blandy, I think it's simply that clubs like Bolton play music and clubs like Manchester United don't, and I know which I want Aston Villa to be. Anyway, thanks for saying it's sorted General! It's great that we as fans have this way to be in touch with someone right at the top, I can't tell you how much we appreciate it. I actually just had a question purely out of interest - is there any more news on the rumoured change of Witton station's name to Villa Park station? I think it would look great on a railway timetable/map, as well as making it easier for visitiing supporters etc to know not to get off at Aston. I actually don't know if this was ever even discussed at the club, or what deal with the council would need doing, I just remember there was a lot of talk about it a few months ago.

General, I know MON as a great man-manager will be putting his arm round Carson after last night and telling him he's still a great goalkeeper. But is there any way you can pass on the same message form the fans, and let Scott know we're still all right behind him? We'll certainly do our best by singing his name from the stands. Thanks General.

That's interesting, I thought it looked like a well-worked free-kick. Something I haven't seen very often in my years following Villa! You could well be right though JC, I'll watch it again. Cheers for the report.

"We've got Scott Carson, Bouma and Laursen, Davies and Mellberg, Carew and Moore, with Reo Coker, Barry and Berger, Ashley Young and Agbonlahor..." Just because I don't think Knight will be in the team by the time it catches on...