Daholteend

My 93 (soon to be 94) father now is the proud owner of an Aston Villa Game Kit!! His legs don't look too good but the rest looks great!!

That is awesome General Krulak. Please tell your father from us that if Chris Sutton can score goals for Aston Villa there is no reason why we couldn't expect MON to show your Dad how to do the same on the beaches of San Diego. By the same token you would look pretty cool yourself if you wore the away strip when you go surfing in Hawaii or SoCal

The only one that is different is the two Purple Hearts for being wounded....and that is just because I was dumb enough to not get out of the way of a bullet. Bottom Line: I owe everything to the Marines I served with.

Since it was Veterans Day yesterday in the US, there are many of us older fans who either served or who had fathers/grandfathers who served like mine did in the Two World Wars in the British Navy or the Army and " WE WILL REMEMBER THEM"

They were ALL Aston Villa fans I might add! Furthermore, any man or woman who devotes themselves to the service of their country and sustains injury or worse should be given all the honour and respect that that service deserves.

For my part I don't agree with the poster that tried to differentiate between the values of medals of any nation. In my opinion Service is Service and is to be respected at all times whatever nation one serves. Bullet's do not have any national preference !

Your comment about not getting out of the way of the bullets reminded me of President Reagan's comment to Nancy Reagan when he was recovering from the assasination attempt in the 80's where he said "Nancy, I forgot to Duck!"

His comment like yours while humourous was nevertheless humble.

What are your plan's for Thanksgiving General Krulak?

For our part we will attempt to start the week well fo you by supporting Aston Villa to serve up a plate of Wigan turkey's.

Prepared

.... I am referring to our club motto not the turkeys

Dear General, I would just like to say a personal thanks to Randy, yourself and the Board for laying on the coaches yesterday. I was on coach 4. The day was great (took half a day's holiday (Vacation) from work and all of today to get over it). The atmosphere was brilliant, non-stop singing and I especially liked the "We all came on a Randy Lerner Bus" chant (to the tune of Yellow Submarine). Thanks so much. Hey we lost, but I didn't think we deserved to lose 4-0 - Chelsea were just sore from losing at the weekend and we were on the receiving end of their hurt - let's hope we can beat Everton on Saturday . Thanks so much for the coaches - it was an awesome sight to see so many all along Witton Lane and all the souvenirs and merchandise on sale and the local press getting in on the act selling papers, and the local media covering it - it was a great day out. The feelgood factor remains, despite the loss. This is all down to the New Board and MON. Villa are back. Thanks - Hev x

Hev's post speaks for thousands of us. Thank you .

WE the Villa fans cannot thank The new Board at Aston Villa enough for what they have accomplished in so short a period of time. .

General Krulak, thank you for taking time from your schedule in assisting Randy Lerner and his team.

Thank you for sharing your time discussing aspects of Aston Villa and listening patiently to our observations and answering our numerous questions so promptly.

Thank you also for sharing with us the time that you spent with your famous father.

Hearing from you that General Victor Krulak said "Up the Villa" was priceless.

I read that In World War Two your father was awarded the Navy Cross and Purple Heart and of special note was part of the citation that read

although wounded during the assault, he refused to relinquish his command and with dauntless courage and tenacious devotion to duty, continued to lead his battalion against ... numerically superior ........ forces."

They say that the apple does not fall far from the tree and these qualities that you and your father share are just the kind of qualities that we suspect that Randy Lerner and Martin O'Neill also embody. That being said, can we make clones of you all and teach them how to play football and have them in A Villa shirt say by the year 2025 ?

The new Academy at Bodymoor Heath "will need a few good men"

Thank You General Krulak.

Heheheheheh it took 900 posts to get all that off my chest. I feel much better now

In General Krulak's thread a poster wrote about not believing in this team

My response turned out a lot longer than anticipated and since it wasn't on topic I chose to comment here.

Actually, none of us believes in the team that are playing now, we need many new players to become successful. But I'm sure you all know that better than me.

Actually Rocafella, with all due respect your comments may be your opinions but certainly not mine or many Villa fans.

I believe in the team that wears claret and blue on the pitch. They may not always perform to the level of our expectations and they may not always even perform to their own expectations of themselves. Nevertheless, good or bad you have to believe in your team. Belief is a powerful motivator and above all requires faith, a dauntless tenacity, a degree of inspiration and devotion trust and confidence in your chosen team.

Whether you be a fan or a player, these are qualities I look for and the qualities that most true and ardent fans have with Aston Villa.

A supporter of any cause has to believe in the cause and be 1000% behind the cause through thick and thin.

What good would it have done Richard the Lionhearts Crusaders if half way to Jerusalem or Acre, one of their number turned to his compatriots and said like you have just done

"I don't believe in this mob ! We need better archers and infantry if we are going to win any battles and I think you are all doomed unless we can go out and buy Saladins hordes "

A great American Football coach, Chuck Knox when under adversity used to always say "You have to play the hand you are dealt " . He never would moan about the things he didn't have. He fixed his priorities on what he had to work with and turned his teams into believers. He took ordinary men and made them into great footballers. Why? Because he believed in himself and he believed in his men and the men in turn believed that they could use their God given talents to play football, win or lose.

Winners don't have defeatist attitudes, they give their all, even when the odds are stacked highly against them.

I believe in Aston Villa. I don't believe that jumping all over any player or team that has an off day is productive. They know how well they have or have not performed and true players like true fans know they can always do better and aspire to peak performances.

More than 6500 Aston Villa fans sang and cheered their way through a disappointing night at the Bridge. However, they never quit ! They didn't stop believing in Aston Villa.

Martin O'Neill has warned us that there will be days like this and we fans especially those of us that have scores of years behind the goals at the Holte End know this.

Manchester United knew it last night. It happens. The Browns fans know it, but it doesn't stop them from believing in the team on the field (pitch)

Bring on Everton! I believe we can beat them. I believe that the players also believe that. We will see better performances......but you have to believe it.

Football teams are always a work in progress, an evolution of changing styles, players, managers and owners. You can only watch the team that is currently on the pitch. Yesterday's team has gone, tomorrows team will arrive in due course but I will always believe in the team in front of me that wears claret and blue.

And may I say that your light touch in coming directly to the fans, with humility and honesty, along with the huge breath of fresh air being blown round Villa Park, leads me to think you, Bob Kain and Mr Lerner may well become the most influential figures for Aston Villa FC since William McGregor, and if you achieve that, then to 42,500 sports fans, you will become truely "great". You will be in fine company if you can sit at thesame table as Mr McGregor when the history of Aston Villa is re written.

.

Cheers General Krulak

While reading Juju's comments and some of the things that you have referred to earlier in the thread it occurred to me that Randy Lerner's City of Cleveland hosts the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" in the USA .

Considering that one of Aston Villa's founders was William McGregor and it was he who was instrumental in the founding of the Football League perhaps there is some virtue in the concept of establishing the "Football Hall of Fame" at Villa Park itself or somewhere close by? It is my understanding that AVFC still has properties nearby that were not sold off by the previous ownership. Could these be used in such a venture ?

Villa Park has long been a famous host of international matches, and semi finals for the F.A. Cup in addition to being the home of England's most important founding team.

What better place for such a venue? We are centrally located in the UK and host the NEC and International transport hubs ? Why Not ?

I realise that there are a number of immediate priorities that require attention but perhaps such an idea may be worthy of consideration.

It would certainly be in keeping with the rich traditions of Aston Villa and the game of football itself. Why not have a museum of such scope where it all began ?

The NFL,the NBA and MLB also have members inducted into their respective Hall's of Fame, Is it possible that such an idea might be conceived in Aston ?

We are in a win win situation with Nugent Jez. If MON wants him and we get him we win. If we don't get him we win anyway because as long as Nugent is at Preston it reduces the chances of t'noses getting back into the Prem on the bounce

If Preston are doing well it will cost big bucks to get Nugent.

They are doing well Jez. Only one point behind Cardiff at the top of the Fizzy Pop

Nugent and Milner both fit the MON profile. Talented young lads who always give 150% and are unselfish team players. Would be great business all around. Even Preston would benefit. They only paid 100,000k for Nugent to Bury in January 2005. Nugent's value has appreciated considerably. Only last January Portsmouth and Everton were looking at him at around the 2M mark and now it is likely up to 5M

I would rather spend £5m on Dave Nugent then £9m on Darrent Bent and I think MO'N might.

£9m would get us Nugent at 5m and Milner at 4m and IMO would be a good bit of business unless of course MON decides to go for Shaun Maloney after all

I am sitting in San Diego California with my 93 year old father who says to

pass on the following: Up the Villa!!!

Again, my father wishes each of the Villa Fans well...and looks forward to

good reports throughout the season. I told him that the tradition and ethos

of Aston Villa was second to none.

Semper Fidelis, General Krulak

Thank you for your prompt response to our comments and please return our good wishes to your father in San Diego.

It is extremely refreshing to be hearing about the changes in progress at Villa Park and the thousands of Villa fans are 150% behind your new Board of Directors and Martin O'Neill's management team from top to bottom.

This new era at Villa Park is so long overdue. Randy Lerner's leadership has the capacity to not only change things for the better at Aston Villa but beyond that it could be the model of what can be achieved for an entire community.

The famous American Margaret Mead once said "

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

General Krulak, in the past few months we have seen the beginnings of the change for the better at Aston Villa. The morale of the players and fans alike has been boosted to a new level and we fans have regained our enthusiasm.

I strongly believe from what I have seen and heard so far at Villa Park that the new board embodies what Margaret Mead was talking about 70 odd years ago and you obviously have "the right stuff" .

Thank you .

Visualize Gabby, Milner and Nugent

how old is nugent?

He is only 20 years old Dem

Two assists and one goal last night in PNE's 4-1 win over poor Leeds Utd.

Welcome to Villa Talk General Krulak

What a delight that you would take time out from your busy schedule to visit with us and open a channel of communication with us and show that you like ourselves are obviously now a Villa Fan.

As you and Randy Lerner are by now aware, we Villa fans have much in common with the Browns fans in that we are religiously passionate in our support of our respective teams. You must also be aware that a very large majority of Aston Villa's supporters are thrilled that our club is in the hands of Randy Lerner and his board of directors.

So far, the things that you have accomplished in such a short span of time are nothing short of amazing. Partnering with Martin O'Neill and his staff and the terrific results that the team have earned has contributed greatly to restoring our pride and long may this continue.

I read of some of the areas where improvements have begun such as the Training Grounds at Bodymoor Heath and also at Villa Park.

I read your reference to the old Holte Hotel as "the Holte Inn" . Was this accidental or is there a plan to develop/refurbish the old hotel as an Inn ?

Are you able to share with us what the board has in mind for the old building?

You also referred to some of the problems you encountered in trying to get food and beverage service in the Holte End. Is it likely that we might see the kind of service that one gets at some American sports facilities where Bill the Beerman or the hot dog guy/peanut vendor work the aisles during the game and serves you while you are seated. That would seem to solve two problems, reduce congestion in the walkways and perhaps increase sales of food and drink. An added advantage would be that the fans would not have to leave their seats and miss any portion of the game .

Opening Villa Park at half term for the young supporters was brilliant and providing coaches for the trip to watch Aston Villa win at Stamford Bridge are great ideas.

I have not enjoyed being a Villa Fan as much as I have this season since 1982. These are great days. Long may the matchup of Randy and Martin leading Aston Villa back to the top continue. I hope that you enjoy your time with Aston Villa and the successes that all of us will relish together. Thank you

variation of Connells's chant

IZZY IZZY IZZY! I - SAI- AH !

OZZIE OZZIE OZZIE! I-SAI-AH !

According to the OS it's ISAIAH OSBOURNE

and by the way ERDINGTON RULES! Harry Parkes, Gabby and now Isaiah Osbourne! I don't know how they overlooked me when I went for my trials !!!! ROFLMAO !

Shaun Maloney

In addition to Shaun Maloney, does anyone have any news about Scott Brown from Hibs ? Now that Hibs former manager Mowbray is at the Hawthorns, would January be a good time to make a move on the lad they call Broonhaldo ?

Petrov and MON have proven that there are some real gems that might be acquired from north of the border.

Some people would find a reason to moan when submerged in a swimming pool of Playboy bunnies.

I cant breath there's too many tits around

Are you in the swimming pool or on VT?

I can see the comment right now "There's too many tits and some of them aren't big enough" and it won't be Rantin Rob's comment

Sometimes I shake my head at how fans can be so pessimistic and cloak it as realism.

We are only 7 games into a season and the honeymoon period is still to be enjoyed.

All I know is that I look forward to each game with excitement and enthusiasm. Each game should be taken one at a time and enjoyed that way.

Thus far, we have not lost one game. MON tells us that that will happen soon enough. That is realism. IMO it is way too early to be pre judging what kind of manager or what kind of success this Villa team will have. I am happy to be in the present moment enjoying the prospect of a great game of football against Spurrrrrrrrrz.

What happens in January or thereafter is three months away and I am not going to be concerned about that until it arrives. I haven't even started shopping for Christmas yet so why should I be concerned about the January sales.

Meanwhile back to the Playboy Bunnies. At my age (not far off AVFC's) I won't be in a hurry to get out of that swimming pool especially if Paris Hilton and Shanna Moakler are both in the pool at the same time

McCann is playing great football so far this season. I wouldn't be replacing him in the middle and I bet MO'N isn't thinking of doing it either.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Now, how about adding another Petrov to our team. Martin Petrov at Atletico Madrid might be a good shout.

Clearly not saying we should or would get him.. but Peter Crouch looked great today against Galatasaray... and that scissor kick goal :shock:

Now I know that's a touchy subject here.. ("I never rated him" "he's in the past" "he's terrible and still is") but I wish when we had him.. we would've played more to his strengths. JPA is clearly showing this year.. that when you do.. a player can shine in a particular system. Either way.. I'm happy for the bean pole seemed like a great guy who never bitched. I for one never got on him really bad.. but I'm glad he's silencing one or two people.. who would NEVER admit it.

I liked Crouchie and tbh I never understood why DOLdemort sold him for 2M.

With what he has achieved with liverplop and for England I wonder what his market value is now ?

Luckily, MON has been able to revitalise JPA and give Luke and Gabby masterclasses in CF play. But what about the future? I doubt that Crouch would want to come back and whether MON would be interested in him may be a moot point.

Here is where I make my perennial plug for David Nugent

MikeMcKenna wrote:

17 - 0 to the Villa!

COME ON YOU LIONS!

Yeah Baby!!!! hahahahahahaha Have we been celebrating the Lerner takeforever finally ending with the right result or what ?

While 17-0 would be brilliant I think I will go for a 2-1 Villa win with a side bet on a 1-1 draw

It could be a sell out and "filled to the rafters" as Neville said in his withdrawal statement. It's going to be a celebration of the beginning of the New Era as you put it Mike; A win will do nicely

Christmas might come early for us Villa fans but not in a good way if Randy isn't successful.

It will mean No "L" immediately

I don't like your post. Mainly because it talks sense and I don't like what it's saying I want it NOW NOW NOW.

Whaaaaaaa meeee ? talk sense? must be the first time this year LOL

I want it now too BOF, but then I keep remembering who is the king of all ditherers and where they may be involved at the centre of all this. In the end I can't avoid the obvious conclusion. AGGGGHHHHHHHH !

As for Doug, this supreme melodrama right at the end of his lack lustre career must be like having Christmas 365 days of a year.

Oh well, on the bright side, we have MON, every day is a MON-day and there might not be a better man for this particular situation.

So in effect we have several games to follow this season. The one on the Park and the other in and around the board room. I bet Marion Stringer and Steve Stride are starting to wish they had retired already

The really bad news ? All this extra curricular stuff will only encourage Doug to write yet another bloody memoir. I can see the title

"Doug Ellis : The mastermind behind Rothschilds Villa FC or How to make money without really trying "

Quite strong rumours on the mailing list, unsubstantiated at this time, that lerner is borrowing the money to fund this, rather than use his own money

Is this such a shock?

Surely it is fairly normal practice for a businessman to borrow to expand his portfolio?

The crucial points are that no one borrows money if they do not believe that they can make a success of their investment, and it does help if you have the necessary credit line in the first place.

It is perfectly legal to borrow money to assist in the acquisition of a corporation and pledging your own assets as security. You cannot however as far as I am aware pledge the assets of the corporation that you intend to acquire as security for any loans.

However you look at it, Mr Lerner would still be using his own money or at least his own corporation's money. He has to offer an acceptable security for the loans. At some stage those loans have to be paid off or refinanced.

Let's not forget that Mr Lerner's family founded the MBNA credit card chain. I think he may have just a little experience in how this works

Let's hope that Rothschilds can hasten the conclusion of the "takeforever" .

I have a nagging feeling that this process could be dragged out for longer than we long suffering fickle 'uns deserve. With the rumoured presence of stalking-horses and phantom bidders this could take a while especially if Doug decides to dither at all.

buying a company is not as simple as buying a pack of polos from a corner shop.

Corner Shop ? While Ellis is around we are the Corner Shop and even buying a pack of polos can be frustrating

first the bid must be formally made, then finances must be checked and its then up to the current shareholders to sell. anyone who thinks a sale will happen this tuesday is out of there mind.

Yes Jim, well not out of their mind but perhaps supremely optimistic, but then there are only three types of Villa Fans : the optimists, the pessimists and then the "fickle 'uns"

Let's just hope that Mr. Lerner's bid is so strong that the board will not have to waste time messing around arguing the merits of each dot and twiddle of the other bids. If that were to happen we could still be waiting for a new owner by the end of the season AGGGGGGGGGGHHH! Perish the thought from your minds!

I won't have access to the net for the rest of the day so I just pray that by the time I come back on here, MON will be installed and Lerner will have made a bid and that auld word removed will have accepted it.

do we believe in miracles ???????????? irish1, if your prayers are answered will you go out and buy me lottery tickets please

I agree with some of your sentiments stevenjos. In blue you will find a few responses.

Errrrrrm no. The sale of that land is to cover poor management of money. We are now in the same situation as a year ago but without that bit of land. so how are we worth more?

On the books that piece of land valued on the books at 100k, when sold may realise a cash value of 7M +. The sale converts the real estate to a cash asset which until it is disposed of increases the net worth of the business.

DH ... Doug is able to read and interpret the profit and loss statements and understands his balance sheet.

i disagree. If he understood the balance sheets he woudl of saw that he has lost tens of millions of the past 4 or 5 years and realised what a bad job hes doing

I am sure he saw both but in his own redoubtable style attributed the poor job to other factors than himself. The usual strategy was to sack the manager :roll:

Where I said that he can read his balance sheets and Profit and Loss statements I perhaps should have added that the ability to read them does not mean that one has enough business acumen to implement strategies that CEO's of large corporations utilise on a daily basis to remain competitive in their fields and yet still return a handsome dividend to the shareholders and maintain the share price at the same time.

DH If anyone is aware of any significant short term or long term debts owned by the club I would be interested to hear them.

We've got no long term debts. true. But imagine if we took on a long term loan and had invested and backed managers at the right points in the past ten years (2nd in league, cup finals, John Gregory at top of leage). I think we'd be a tiny bit more successful personally.

Agreed, but I hate to think of where we could actually be by now because that generally leaves me more frustrated and disappointed at where Villa are than I already am :cry:

DH Another way is to cut overheads by trimming unneccesary staff, or cutting hours or reducing expenditures etc. An improved position in the Prem will bring in more crowds and a better share of the Prem Broadcasting revenues.

FIngers crossed huh?

hehehehe yes, and toes

DH There are a host of positive uses that can be made of the money. My simple question was for those who are making allegations of "near bankrupt" to support their claims with facts. I would be surprised to hear that such claims were true.

We ARE haemorranging money every season and have no real liquid funds available. our value is in the ground and the land

There is also a value in the company's goodwill and the fact that the club is still competing (barely) in the Premiership and a variable value in it's squad of talented (or not) players.

An ambitious owner who can think outside of the box should be able to take Aston Villa's current situation and raise funds using the real estate as security and invest in the future.

However as we know we have an aging man with a dicky heart who seems at his stage in life unwilling or unable or both to risk his share value in AVFC in an effort to create a successful future.

Funds to invest in Aston Villa would be available to a creative board if they sought them and showed their capacity to provide a realistic business plan.