chips'ngravy

General, Obviously you can't comment on specific names who we may or may not be after but I was wondering whether there was anyone we were after that in your opinion would surprise the fans, i.e. we haven't already speculated the transfer to death. Do you have any holiday plans for the summer or has that been hindered by Mrs K having to report in for pre-season training? By the way, thank you for your response to my last question.

Hello General, I noticed on the official site that the people who are involved with putting the match programme together are working hard on the coming season's format. I usually get a programme when I go to the game (although that's only a few times a season as I live abroad)and I have no complaints about the content which is pretty decent, but I was disappointed by the cover last season. I understand the club went for a traditional look, but that kind of renders the process of collecting them a bit futile. The thing about keeping old programmes is that when you go to have a look at them in a few years time the fact that they look dated adds to the nostalgia. Although artistically there is nothing innovative about having shots of players on the cover it does add to the memories of the period it was taken in when you pick up the programme at a later date. Having the same cover for every match is...well....a bit dull. So my question is this, what are the plans for this season? Will the front cover be along the same lines as last year, repeating the design for all home matches, or will it change every game? I know it's not the most important thing on the agenda, just a personal point of interest. Thank you for your time, as ever. Keep up the good work you and everyone else is doing at Villa Park. I'm really looking forward to next season.

I agree and hope the club do act accordingly. Liverpool FC are a disgrace.

What also pisses me off about these kind of rumours involving Villa players to bigger clubs is the pathetic price tag. 12m for our captain and currrent England international! It's like....well, he only plays for Villa so he couldn't possibly be worth as much as a Spurs player.

Hi General, Given the past record of trouble between Villa and Blues both inside and outside the stadium in recent meetings I was wondering what the security arrangements will be for the upcoming match at Villa Park. Will the Blues fans be kept in after the game as the Villa fans were at St. Andrews in November? Or will they be let straight out onto Witton Lane to potentially cause trouble? I ask this so as to be aware of the situation as I am sitting in the Witton Lane Stand for the match and am not one to leave before the final whistle. I have memories as a 14 year old sitting there with my Dad as loads of Leeds fans started piling over the fence and running towards us unhindered by stewards. Thanks and keep up the good work.

I thought it was rather good. Not being what you were expecting doesn't make it bad. And maybe you missed the heads-up in the first sentence. There's any number of tedious blow-by-blow factual accounts on the web, but you won't find too many thoughtful pieces like this. I agree. The last thing I'm interested in reading after such a game is a blow by blow account of how they thrashed us.

I have no sympathies for the scousers. They were so desperate for a cash influx that they didn't seem to care about the credentials of the people they sought to court. They would have had Siniwatra had he managed to sort out his bid in time. Now they are desperate for the Arab consortium to come and buy the club off the Americans. Anybody know anything about their intentions? They got what they desreved, and will continue to do so.

I think splitting up the away fans would be a bit petty. If we can't make more noise than them when we outnumber them to the tune of 12 to 1, that's our problem. The board has been anything but small-minded thus far, it would be a shame to ruin this.

Great stuff. I always look forward to your matchday experience reports. Often it's the whole build up to a match that is better than the game itself, particulalry if you get a perfect winter's day like you so brilliantly described. I look forward to your next submission.

Hi General, How many full season tickets did the club sell for this season in the end? And what is the number of season tickets the club are prepared to sell before they create a waiting list?

Not sure myself - very negative tactics. It has to be Mourinho for me - someone who actually knows the English game and has suceeded in our league.

General, I was back in Birmingham last weekend for the Derby match. The day before I took the opportunity to visit the Holte Pub with my Dad, who's followed the Villa all his life. I'd like to congratulate everyone involved with it's restoration, which is fantastic inside and out. We had our lunch there as well which was excellent and extremely good value. We both thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Thanks again for restoring some pride to our club. my Dad particularly liked all the old photos around the bar. Keep up the good work!

Didn't he play in midfield (very poorly) for England in the last game at Wembley when England lost to Germany? He did, you're right.

Pretty much agee with what's been said already. Strange game - don't think we've ever played so badly and been 3 goals up. Given that we were we should have been able to hold on and Jol would now be redundant. Can't believe that in a game where we scored 4 goals we failed to have a period of dominance.

Very optimistic for me. Can't see us getting anything from this one. So Berger's injured again! I didn't realise. He's worse than bloody Laursen.

I agree with your sentiments JC. I can't help casting an envious eye over at Man City (something I never thought I'd be saying). Don't get me wrong, I don't want a crooked former Thai PM running the club on embezzled money, but the speed with which Sven is trying to recruit quality signings is more impressive than the way we are sluggishly moving around the transfer market. Even Fulham, albeit with a different budget to ourselves, have made some very positive moves in the transfer window which I'm sure has created a fair degree of optimism amongst their fans for the forthcoming season. As in any walk of life, it's important to give the right impression in whatever you're doing. The way Villa have gone about their task this summer is endangering the confidence levels the same board has been responsible for building in it's short reign.

How about making the Holte Hotel into a micro-brewery? I hear they are dead popular in the states. Mine's a pint of Freddie Boumer, please luv. :winkold:

There is one word in your article JC that we have been unable to exponge from the previous regime, and that's saga. Transfers dragged along at a snail's pace under Ellis, and don't seem to be going any faster under new ownership. But as some one has already pointed out, I think this is more due to MON's cautious personality than anything else. The Petrov and Young transfers were both fairly protracted so we can expect any big name signing to be likewise with MON at the helm. I understand that the club will not talk about prospective transfers until they are either done or dead, but it would be interesting to know once a signing has been made how long it officially took from first contact and what the negotiation process was.

there´ll be a few on there way this summer from Barça. Gudjohnsen, Giuly, Edmilson, Belletti, Van Bronchorst, Ezquerro are all expected to leave and that's not to mention Eto'o and Ronaldinho, although their relevance to us is zero.

According to the Guardian it sounds like it's almost a done deal. Our transfer policy is very encouraging - going down the same avenue as Tottenham in trying to sign the best of British young talent.

I thought it was just so we could have a poll on Poll. More than reason enough in my book.

12m is taking the piss considering they only paid 6.75m last year and he has hardly set the world alight. 4m is unrealistic as well. 7m-8m is what he should go for.

Taylor would be a great addition, but i must say that i'm surprised considering we have other positions to fill that would appear to be more of a priority. What will become of Bouma? One of the bright spots of the season. It can only mean that we really are in for a summer of big activity in the transfer market.

I mentioned Maldini in this thread (interestingly titled Rumours, Speculation & Suggestions, you may or may not have had the attention span to notice). Perhaps you would like to point out why it would be so unrealistic for a player who had an apparent desire to play in England, coming to the end of his career, who has won everything there is to win with Milan on multiple occasions, to come and have year in the Premiership to sign off a fantastic career? Or would you just prefer to throw about lazy insults?

May I refer you to the title of the thread. My thoughts exactly Pelle. There have been plenty of examples of big name players coming to the end of their careers and having a go in the Premiership (most of them at Bolton). I don't see him as being out of reach - it could be just the kind of challenge he might be looking for to finish his career. Scratching an itch you might say. I wouldn't question his ability even at 38. And the effect of having a genuine winner in the side would be fantastic.