imavillan

General it is with much sadness that i post this message to you.

I have not renewed my season ticket this season and i think as the season progresses i will be justified in not doing so.

I have just listened to MON being interviewed ahead of the Valencia friendly and it is clear that everything that is being said in the press is correct.

By this i mean we have to sell before we can buy and that James Milner is on his way to Man City.

Now i have read what has been said about balancing the books and that it is a business and we cannot live beyond our means etc. I agree with this and this is sound business economics....

.....however i feel that we as a football club are not progressing, indeed i think we are moving backwards...

....i feel we have become a feeder club as season on season our best players are moving on......we should be keeping our best players and building the team around them....

i have not renewed my season ticket this year as i do not want to see my team compete to be the best of the rest....i want us to be up there challanging for the honours that are on offer.....

question....how can we do this is year on year we sell our best players??

how can we build upon this? and please do not tell me that our reserves and youth squad have won this and that and we have players emerging....to quote a phrase ''been there done that''

great if they stay with the Villa.....but....

I for one cannot see Aston Villa competing for the Premiership Title for a long long time.

How and when do you and Randy envisage Aston Villa seriously challanging for the title?

Barry last year....Milner this year.....

next year....Allbrighton, Young, Gabby,

As i have said, i have not renewed my season ticket this year...the first time in many and listening to MON i am not filled with optimism for the forthcoming season....in fact i am worried that the chasm is widening...we have been found wanting...

General,

Well said sir.

i too am very proud....my chest is sticking out with the Villa badge shining brightly...

we won....against them thats six on the bounce....i for one will never ever ever moan about the way we beat them lot from over the way....when i pick the paper up tomorrow and look at the results it will not say Lucky Villa 1 unlucky Blues 0....i dont care...it will say 3 points to Villa

the team are pulling out all the stops....i do not know where they get there resolve from....

Sir, in my opinion you are a man of substance....you know what to say and how to say it..

Please make sure you are here for the last game of the season against Blackburn....i will buy you a ticket and you can sit next to me in the upper Trinity...

yours

a very, very happy Villan

All this dont wear colours etc etc is utter bollocks...

this match is in the THE REBPULICA OF ASTONIA.....wear you colours with pride...

Treat it like any other game at VP.....

why should you be intimidated by 2,300 shits fans?

General,

This season i have so far experienced a trip to Wembley for the League Cup final and for the FA Cup semi final....unfortunately both times we have had the bitter taste of defeat.

However all this has done is to strengthen my resolve.....and i want to return there very very quickly and taste the sweet taste of success....

I only hope that this has had the same effect on Randy, MON and everybody else at Aston Villa.....and that we can use this to go from strength to strength.....not that i have given up on the season or finishing 4th yet.

A victory on Wednesday night is vital.....please tell MON and the players to KEEP THE FAITH and go for it....

if anyone is watching them...its like watching paint dry.....and the ref is our ''mate'' tubby......i think i'm going out to mow the lawn.....

hey....its just coming up to 4pm on Sunday....if anyone is at a loose end theres a good comedy about to start on Sky Sports One

General Krulak here:

1. imavillan: It is simply not the right thing for a Director to do...to come on an open web site and talk about our finances, "sell to buy", the summer transfer window, etc. etc.

General,

I appreciate your response and most certainly would not expect you to tell me or for that matter the eyes of the watching media etc etc what we are about to do next season.

I just wanted you to know the feelings of myself and many others. Thank you for your time.

When will you next be paying a visit to The Holte Suite as i would like to buy you a beer sir?

General,

In advance i apologise for the length of the post.

A lot has been said over the last week about the MON speculation rumour etc etc. I for one happen to think that MON has improved the football club in each season he has been here.

Now for me reading all of the press features and interviews the MON meeting with Randy at the end of the season is PIVITOL to the future direction that this football club wish to take.

Do the club become a selling club and in doing so make the competition stronger and ourselves weaker? Or do the club wish to build around our best players and become stronger?

The last two years of the Premiership are starting to see a gradual shift of power from the so called big four and in my opinion the next two years will see even more of a shift. It is my belief that the top four is about to become the top six or even seven. If we are serious about being part of it then we need to build quality on top of quality.

Manchester United and Chelsea are ageing teams with many players coming to the end of there playing days and they will need replacements to maintain there current standings.

Liverpool are a team in decline and if they do not finish fourth, which i question that thats what they have budgeted for, will continue to struggle.

Manchester City will definately join the top elite by the sheer amount of cash they have.

Tottenham are building and Arsenal will be there as well.

As i have said before you do not make the competition stronger and in doing so yourself weaker. I do not want my team and club to become a feeder club for the so called big four.

Everyone can see that Aston Villa Football Club are almost there. We have yet another chance to make progress and build even further. This is something that Aston Villa Football Club have continually failed to do so in our ''proud history'' whenever we have previously been in this position.

I feel it is imperitive that MON stays and that we keep our best players, or all of the good hard work that has been acheived over the last four years will be undone. Stability breeds success.

I do not expect an answer from this post i just want you to know how i and many other fans i have spoken to feel about it.

I request that in your position and with your relationship with Randy that he is made aware of the fans feelings.

Our ''bright future'' is in touching distance. Please go out and grab it with both hands.

Sir, i thank you for your time in reading this post.

According to the BBC News this morning, there is a proposed rail strike starting 6 April until 9 April. If the recent BA dispute is anything to go by then the rail service will probably not be back to normal for 1-2 days after the strike action. Obviously this may impact those travelling to the FA Cup semi -final by train on 10 April.

I am personally not going to take the risk and decided to travel by coach. The best deal I have found is £21 for a day return with Buccaneer Travel with pick ups from Aston and Tamworth. Contact Karl or Andy on 01827 503410 for details.

have you got any more details on this?

what time it leaves Tammy and is it going straight to Wembley? Pub stop or what?

The thread was bad enough. Then I saw the poll options :lmao:

They're either terrible, inexperienced or no better then MON.

hear hear...this thread is utter bollocks....in fact its so much bollocks its double bollocks...

.....he will walk away....then after two months all the moaners will be saying ''what a top manager Martin was''

....love him or lose him.......

for ever optomistic.....you never know your luck in a windy city.....

Chelski might think the game is already won and be a bit too cocky....yoe never know

keep the faith......

V F E

Hi General hope you are well and that you can make it over to VP or Wembley.

I heard on the radio the other day that there is a rumour doing the rounds that MON and Randys relationship is thawing due to the lack of funds being made available for new players.....

now this is not a question about transfers as i know this is out of bounds, however my questions are sir,

1. is the relationship between MON and Randy as strong as it has ever been or is it showing signs of strain??

2. have they fallen out with one another or are they still ''the best of friends'' ?

3. for Aston Villa Football Club do they still have the same agenda?

4. are they both in agreement and committed as to how to move Aston Villa Football Club forward to the next level?

as ever, i trust and await an honest answer to each question.

Hello General

Being mindful of what is within Aston Villa's control and what is not, who would be the best person to write to at Wembley to explain that, with regard to the categorisation of seats, sitting in the front row of the top tier (say, near the halfway line) is emphatically NOT the same as sitting in the front row of the lower tier (say, behind the goal net)? One gives you a fantastic perspective on the pattern of the game, the other leaves you grateful for the big screen! I do wonder if these people have ever watched a game of football.

Anyway, 10/11 prices look good to me and the distribution of the semi-final tickets has obviously been extremely well designed.

General,

In support of the post from Stephen_Evans

I know that this is not in AVFC's control but i too would also like to complain / voice my opinion ref the catorgarisation of the seats at Wembley.

I paid for 2 top price seats (£86 each) expecting a top view and ended up behind the corner flag 20 rows from the front. As a result ended up standing up all game where as friends who paid for the lowest cat seats(£38) had ''a great view'' The equivilant seats at VP would be Lower Doug right next to the Holte or Lower Holte in the corner!!......most definately not the top seats and not a top view.

I have learnt my lesson the hard way, as for the semi i will be buying cat 4 seats and take my chance.....the view could not be much worse and i'd save cash.

Wembley, The FA, The Football League or whoever need to review this as in reality it is just ripping off the fans. Is there any help that Aston Villa Football Club can do to help avoiding this in the future?

Perhaps a formal letter indicating a certain level of discontent from its supporters?

If through your connections you could find out who i should write to it would be much appreciated.

My advice to fellow Villans for the semi is dont bother paying top price as you will be in the bottom tier and with the view as it is, its not worth the extra.

PS, before anyone comes on telling me i'm moaning and i should be grateful to sit anywhere in the final....dont bother.....Yes i was happy and grateful to be at the final and would of sat anywhere......

All the best General and i hope you can make it over for the semi.......we need you!!!

Now its been annouced its on Sat i've checked train tickets with Virgin New Street to Euston.

The prices have been hiked up now they know we are playing on the Saturday.

Ive checked for 2 return tickets for the Saturday.

The cheapest i can find is

out at 09.10 arrive 10.34 £36

return 21.43 arrive 23.25 £41.90

Total £77.90

When i checked yesterday is was £48 return.

When i booked this for the Final it cost us £54 return.

Rip of Britain strikes again.....

Anyone found any cheaper???

You couldn't really make them look worse ...

They're creepy and they're kooky,

Mysterious and spooky,

They're all together no kay,

The Addams Family.

Their ground is a museum.

When people come to see 'em

They really are a screa-um.

The Addams Family.

Neat

Sweet

Petite

So get a witch's shawl on.

A broomstick you can crawl on.

We're gonna pay a call on

The Addams Family.

Na na na nah (snap fingers twice)

Na na na nah (snap fingers twice)

Na na na nah (sing three times then snap fingers twice)

We thank you God for giving

The food we need for living

For food and fun and friendship

We thank you God

Amen

You couldn't really make them look worse ...

Chavtastic.......

you have to admit it......they really are funny......

just had a text of my mate that read

Portsmouth have just annouced they are having new shirt sponsers.....Cillet Bang......its good at getting scum out of the cup.....SOTC

General,

this has been posted in the main thread and on various other sites, so i take no credit for it but i feel it may be of interest to you.

if you havnt already seen it, its well worth watching.

Please take a look and tell us what you think.

Maybe we could get it played at VP before a game or at half time.

Other than the Silverspoons pub, does anyone know what other pubs around Wembley are been allocated to the Villa fans??

Around baker street... The globe and wspoons over the road mate.. plenty going on round that way.

to confirm dudley_villas post about Baker Street and the area.

lots here.......

.........and Wetherspoons

Its then easy to get to Wembley from Baker Street tube station on either the Jubilee line or the Metropolitan line.

See you all there for a pint or two nice and early on the Sunday.........

Other than the Silverspoons pub, does anyone know what other pubs around Wembley are been allocated to the Villa fans??

We are going to the Green Man which has been allocated to Villa fans.

http://www.thegreenmanhotelatwembley.co.uk/

how do you know its been allocated to the Villa?

I've used this pub in past finals and its been shared

boring boring VILLA.....boring boring VILLA

Spurs fans, what a bunch of sausage jockeys...

All this talk of ticket prices is becoming a little tedious.....

Since Randy has taken the helm at the club ticket prices have imho been very reasonable....£20 for Blackburn, £15 for Brighton....bring a friend schemes, kids for a fiver, a family for £40, season tickets for the lower North Stand etc etc.....for this and everything else Randy and the club have to be applauded....none of this would have happened under the old regime....and.....we should never ever ever compare ourselves with Wigan and Blackburn...if thats what we are striving for then heaven help us....

General, keep up the good work.....but.....please tell us when you are planning your next visit to VP so i can keep an eye out for you in the Holte suite so i can shake your hand...

its been too long now....we all want to know...

you cant all keep blaming the ref......he didnt miss the penalty and he does not (a bit like some of our players) have shots at goal, or give the ball away cheaply to the opposition.....to blame the ref is a lame excuse........as has been said before we have dropped points against poor opposition, Wigan, Wolves, a depleted Everton, Blackburn and now a team who were second to bottom of the league in West Ham....and to say give the lads a break because 4 away games in 12 days is hard....dont make me laugh....is'nt that why we are supposed to have a squad?

face up to it and stop burying your heads in the sand.....they are simply not good enough for the top four.....the table does not lie.....

this is not good enough against a poor West Ham team....the midfield is not functioning and Heskey contributes jack

very dissapointing.....yet more dropped points.....

we have under performed against every team below us this season....even against Pompey and Fulham who we both beat we were crap :-(

General Krulak here:

1. I checked into the Tea/Coffee issue and the answer was pretty much as you might have expected. Statistics indicate that most people take the cream, etc. In order to avoid the time delay in providing all black and then having the condiments on the side, we go with the majority. Alison Plant has indicated that, if asked, most kiosks can provide the straight black...but need to be asked. The coffee will come from a pot that only holds black...and may not last the entire game.

General,

Thank you for the response and thank Alison Plant for me.

I will be asking for black coffee in the Trinity Upper at the Bolton game this week.

Onto something else that bothers me.....

The club has changed ''offiical bettting partners'' from Ladbrokes to 188Bet.

The problem i have with this is that if i place a cash bet with 188Bet and manage to get a winner , then the only way i can collect my winnings is to open an online account with them. Then they will pay my winnings into my account.

I used to have a bet at every game with Ladbrokes. If i had a winning bet with them i could collect real cash at any of there high street shops.

You see i bet with real cash and like to be paid with real cash.

I no longer have a bet at the games as i do not want to open an account with 188Bet. I wonder how many other people have been put off from having a wager by this system.

Next season, can we go back to using any of the leading high street bookmakers who can offer being paid out from any of there high street shops?