Xela

Don't get me wrong, I really like Andi. But "£30+ million"?

I was thinking that too. He's stood out for half a season in a piss poor team. He may well turn out to be one of the best strikers in Europe.. he could also turn out to be another Luke Moore.

We do need Vlaar back as our defence is shit but I do agree with others on here that he seems to have been built up to be better than he is.

I wouldn't even have him in my top 10 of Villa centre backs in the time I have been watching them (just over 20 years).

Been to Prague, Krakow, Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn.

Really liked Tallinn... didn't see any stags but was only there on a Monday and Tuesday night.. still had a cracking time though! People really friendly.

Thought Riga was awful.

In the Baltics my order is Tallinn, Vilnius and Riga. A mate of mine who has also been to all three (not with me) rated them the same... we both said Tallinn was the only one we would go back to.

Another vote for Boulton

Seemingly anyone can say someone touched them up 20-40 years ago and with no evidence, that person is arrested. Doesn't sound right to me?

Maradona for me... although that may just be because he was the first superstar footballer I remember. Also I was called Mini Maradona when I used to play football at junior school... not because of my magnificent ball control but because I was fat and had curly hair.

Another 'like' for the Robin Friday book. Read it a few years back. Anyone who soils Lawro's kit back with a freshly laid 'Richard the Third' deserves all the kudos available.

Watched Moon (brilliant) and Predators (shit) over the last couple of days.

Jammy Barsteward!! What's the plan of action when you get to Thailand? I'm hoping to go back in April.

Not entirely sure, its been driven by my mate. He was made redundant (he was happy with that!) and got a decent payout. His plan is to duck out of the rat race for 3-6 months and spent at least half the time in SE Asia. Myself, being in work, can only really take 7-10 days off in January (need to save my days for other holidays planned later in the year). So, once he decides what he is doing then I will join up with him for a part of his break. It will start in Bangkok, as it always does, then down to the Islands (Samui, Phagnan and Tao, possibly) but my mate has provisional plans for Laos and the Philippines as well. I think the lure of Angles City is too strong for him to ignore! I will more than likely head out with him to Bangers for a few days then down to Samui and see how we get on.

I think its so they can impress people on facebook and give their 'fb friends' the illusion that they are interesting people, leading an exciting life by going to these events etc.

Of course, I meant longest serving PM appointed under the reign of Elizabeth II ;-)

I watched the London countdown and fireworks on TV... and yes, impressive stuff. However, the people who had waited hours there were more interested in recording the fireworks on their phones (and no doubt uploading it to facebook later) rather than actually enjoying the spectacle!

She was a little before my time but my question has always been... if she was so hated, how come she won 3 elections and is the longest serving PM we ever had?

Just had a curry (a Waitrose microwave one but still very good)... working my way through a bottle of wine... will watch Predators at 9pm on Film 4 and then flick the channels until midnight, Then bed. Anti-social? Maybe... but in a few weeks I will off to Thailand with a mate, so not really bothered about going out tonight. I'd only end up spending a ton on a shit night anyway!

I love you leemond2008. Come and give me a hug.

Moet is hardly extravagant though is it? Its towards the bottom of the Champagne list.

Should he have ordered Lambrini or Blue Nun?

Work done - time to crack open a bottle of wine and relax.

7" tablet or 10" tablet?

Will be used solely for internet browsing and watching tv shows/movies on long haul flights or when having some down time in a hotel somewhere.

I like the price point and easier portability of the smaller tablets but can't help thinking I would appreciate the greater size of the screen of the bigger ones more...

Hitler or Sting. Can't separate them.

I do like Stephen Fry (in a non homosexual way). Extremely clever, witty and would be a great person to have a pint with.

Waiting for Tony's comments!

From a historical point of view then its got to be luminaries like Darwin, Brunel, Newton, etc. If I had to pick one.. Brunel.

Sorry but I don't understand that statement. They're in a job of importance where the country NEEDS them, they knew this when they took on the job!!!

The whole suggestion that Police work with some kind of skeleton staff over Xmas is incorrect. They work normal shifts with same size teams as they do every day of the year (Unless things have changed in the last few years?) Its pretty obvious that it is one of the busiest times of the year with domestics probably reaching a peak during this period.

I barely saw my father at Christmas when I was little as he was in the force and always had to work over this period

I was just thinking slightly outside the box.

He's Villa related. So I should get bonus points for making it relevant to VT.

He's French. So I should get bonus points.

He's not on his death-bed (yes I'm looking at you Xela). So I should get bonus points.

Hey, I always back the favourite! Safe option but always stood me in good stead

For me, its not about the quantity of places, its the quality of time spent in each. Would be interested, for example, in how long @tonyh29 spends on average in each country. 86 in ten years is a lot of travelling, (im very jealous!), but id imagine a decent percentage is short stays in each. Personally, i'd rather immerse myself as fully as possible in one country for a month, than visit multiple places but not really learn anything. Horses for courses of course, everyone is different.

(Ive visited 29, but that includes my post-College gap year. Next up, hopefully, Mother Russia...)

Certainly from my perspective, I'm not as hardcore as Tony is, but I agree with his sentiments in that some places only need a couple of days. What is the point of going to Finland or Latvia for a month? The highlights as it was can be done in a few days.Sure, I'm probably missing something but nothing that is going to cause me regret. The places I have really enjoyed, like Thailand for example, I have spent longer there (about a month in total).

Impressive list

Cheers... then Tony posted his list and it shit on mine

Aiming to hit 50 countries by end of 2014... gives me 24 months to do 18 countries.

**** hell I am bored shitless

I'm trying to stay off the drink for the weekend but **** hell when you are this bored its tough

one of me mates have already got in touch to see if I fancy a few beers and I declined but now I am starting to think I made the wrong decision

nothing to do at the moment to try and escape this boredom except sleep

I cant play FM13 anymore I have been on it all day and I am sick of Jeff Stellings voice and the villa score doesn't really encourage me to keep watching sky sports any way so sleep is my only option I recon

How you can be bored with the internet at your fingertips?! Think back to when we were nippers Leemond... we never had the options that we do now as adults. Listen to your ipod/mp3 player, read, learn stuff on the net (I can spent ages just drifting through wikipedia!) and try to avoid looking at the Villa score!

I spent 3 nights in Jakarta... not the most scenic in the world (its a constant traffic jam!) but could offer you some advice on the best bars and clubs to go to there! Had some cracking nights out there.

From there you could fly to Yogakarta and then get a taxi to see Borobudur, which I imagine would be amazing.

Then fly onto Bali or Lombok to chill out.. or to Indonesian Borneo or Sumatra to see the Orang Utans (not sure where exactly they are located)