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I have always found HP to be an extremely reliable sauce

Very good.

Will we get to 1,000 pages on this rumour page before a signing is made?

I am going on holiday to Turkey on Sunday for a week so can we please put on hold all transfers into Villa until I return.

I wouldn't want to miss out of the transfer frenzy on this website when it happens.

General Krulak here:

1. I have been interested in the beautiful game since early '70's. My wife was a player...started the California Women's Soccer Association (the largest association in US), both of my sons played the game, and when I was Chairman and CEO of MBNA, Europe Bank Ltd., we had a team that played in the Cheshire League. I followed the game when I was in Chester and went to many of them. The first team I ever really supported was Tranmere Rovers.

So does my grandfather.

I hope that you didn't boo/dislike Villa when we beat Tranmere Rovers in the 1994 Cup Semi-Final. My grandfather still hasn't forgiven the referee for not sending off Mark Bosnich for the penalty, especially as he later saved a couple of their penalties in the penalty shoot out.

General Krulak here:

1. Three Block War, Elements of National Power, Strategic Corporal....you all have too much time on your hands!!

Just waiting for a transfer into the club. :winkold:

Just wait the see this messageboard expload when that happens. Unless it is Titus Bramble then keep your head down General.

As for my question, Sir, do you have any update yet on the issues which were raised at the last Supporters Consultation Group meeting in April?

To be honest, I think Sam will tell them to get lost, even for £8.5m, unless Parker wants to go back to London.

Anway, this is

Breaking news on SSN:-

'West Ham make 8.5million bid for Newcastle captain Scott Parker.'

I know they have alot of money about them etc, but looks like they've received some money for NRC. Alot of money to just go out there and bid with, for a position where there captain has handed in a transfer request.

I think NRC is off, and he'll be out very very soon, is he on his way to Villa?!

Would you go to West Ham? They have bid for a lot of players, and got none so far.

West Ham is a step down from Newcastle. SP may end up at Spurs. A very good player IMHO.

I did not know it was a secret. They didn't ask for it to be kept secret at the Supporters Consultation Meeting.

He told you so now he'll have to kill you...

Hey. I live in Yarmouth mate. Death would be a mercy killing.

The General wasn't at the meeting this time. It with Dan and Lee who told us, just ask Richard who was also there.

General Krulak here:

1. You beat us to the punch on the scarf...it is a beauty!!

My apologies General.

I did not know it was a secret. They didn't ask for it to be kept secret at the Supporters Consultation Meeting.

Any chance of getting one even if I cannot attend the Sheff Utd game Sir? :notworthy:

Or I am now banished to the abyss for revealing your gift to supporters? :angel:

General - Just want to say thank you for inviting me to the Supporters Consultation meetings. They are very interesting and all the issues raised by fans are being noted and dealt with.

It was good to see quite a few more Villa fans (from the terraces rather than websites or supporters clubs) at the meeting on Monday.

The big screen idea at the back of the North Stand is great. My only concern about the proposal to use it after games though is supporters safety as cars will be driving through that area. There were fans watching the screen without looking where they were going.

I am gutted though as I am going to miss out on the 1982 commemorative scarf which is being given out at the Sheff Utd game. It will be the first home game I miss in four years as I am away for that weekend. Any chance of getting a scarf if you cannot attend? I have been a season ticket holder for years now.

Are you employing Doug Ellis as doorman? He was near the reception area on Monday opening the door to fans.

I have to say that the marketing lads are extremely enthusiastic and helpful.

Keep up the good work!

I disagree Jez_Villa but then football is about opinions.

I believe that Sidwell is the lynch pin of their team They certainly did not look as good when he was injured recently. A bit like Everton without Cahill.

I think he is suggesting Joey Barton for that role, looking at the list (albeit not on the realistic team admittedly).

Arsenal want Sidwell back and they are a bigger club than us.

He has done very well this year, playing box to box and scoring goals.

That is one thing we haven't done.

As for setting expectations higher, come on, who will we realistically get?

Aren't Man Utd after Sneijder as well?

I think Woodgate is a Boro fan.

Norwich are desparate for a centre half.

But not the noses.

Couldn't help looking at the wykipedia link. Noses won the Atari 6 a side cup apparently in the 80's. What the f**k is that?

Either that, or 17 year old Villa fan Shaun Walsh is having a bit of a laugh on Wikipedia.

TBH I think someone's having a laugh putting Darius Vassell as a 'notable player' in the 2000's for Villa too, but there you go.

Although considering in that time period he became Villa's highest England goalscorer since David Platt, he's probably worth a mention. And if the likes of Schmeichel and Solano are worthy of inclusion, Vassell certainly is :winkold:

Schmeichel and Solano are in there for what they've done elsewhere - and are as such notable players. Vassell has done nothing anywhere Anyhoodlydoodle.

And Baros was included why?

Money talks and West Ham will not go down IMO.

Yes, if the cost to Villa isn't too high.

1. Cheaper travel to VP from London, etc. There is some "looking" at the possiblity of combining tickets with travel and seeing if we can come up with a "package"...this, obviously, requires us to work with trains, etc. This is in the "infant" stage of investigation.

this sounds a great (and covienent) idea for me. hopr you pull it off general

Same here - please look into travel for us in East Anglia.

It would be very much appreciated.

Quite right.

The General is not going to answer them. Why should we announce our targets - so some of you can say we did not get them. How stupid!

I can understand the scepticism - after years of lies from Dolally. But this is a new era.

Have faith in MON and Randy. They have done nothing to say they won't take the club forward.

MON is one of the best managers around. Certainly too good for a club like ours who have under-achieved for years. Would some of you prefer DOL back?

We do not have the team or depth to finish above tenth at the moment. The club has been run into the ground by Dolally. It will not change overnight. Spurs and other clubs change their fortunes by years of investment. Yet we are supposed to do it almost overnight. Some of you need to get real.

The General is kind enough to come on this, and other, site(s) to answer questions. No other clubs do that. Don't abuse it and ask stupid questions and then whinge when he chooses, quite rightly IMO, not to answer them or cannot answer them.

Afterall, how many other clubs announce their targets on the web? None, until they have signed.

Sorry - bored in the middle of no-where.

Going to bed soon as up early tomorrow. Taking Hazel to watch her beloved Grimsby play Rochdale.

I blame the FA for not working on Bank Holidays.

Fancy making the first day of the transfer window a Bank Holiday.

I blame Dolally.

Players - I want new players. Now

Have we bought anyone yet?

No. Why not?

I don't think we have a chance with Lucas Neill (Liverpool bound) or Bale to be honest.

Boa Morte is an interesting suggestion. He has always caused us problems with his pace. But he plays left wing mainly so that would mean putting Barry to left back where he says he doesn't want to play.

A possible idea for you..........

Whilst at Charlton yesterday, I noticed that there were a lot of special coaches from all over the the south east of England bringing Charlton fans in from distant towns. Obvously like these Londoners many Brummies have moved away from their home city over the years. I for example now live in Bournemouth approx 160 miles away and travel up to all the home games with my daughter and often a couple of friends - fortunately I can afford the expense but many cannot.

During debates on why some people cannot attend games, it is pointed out that the cost of petrol or public transport can often exceed the price of the ticket making it cost prohibitive for many fans to go to Villa Park as often as they would like.

I know some of the regional supporter clubs run transport packages, particularly from towns within a 50 mile radius of Birmingham, but would guess it becomes difficult for fans to get together in significant numbers the further they live away.

If the club could develop a scheme whereby there offer a match ticket plus coach transport picking up fans from convenient centralised points in more distant regions of England where there are concentrations of Villa fans I believe it may encourage more fans to travel to home games as it would reduce te cost of transport.

Maybe a survey could be sent out to fans who live in different regions asking them what they think of the idea? Maybe the idea could be promoted via the match programmes, ticket office etc etc?

Happy New Year again!

And as Virgil said:

Forsan miseros meliora sequentur

Translation: For those in misery perhaps better things will follow?

Excellent suggestion. A coach down the A14 from Ipswich through Bury St Edmunds, Cambridge, Huntingdon, Kettering, etc would be great. Even better if it started at Norwich before Ipswich.

I would organise it if there are the fans to use it.