The Fun Factory

Look GazBaz did very well for us, he left under a bit of a cloud, but that was a different era. There is no way we could afford his wages, and Lambert has not once bought a player over 30 since he has been at Villa. Not going to happen. He if he did leave Citeh Spurs or Liverplop would be far more likely for him.

Okore. As our defence was cack last year and given his 7 caps already for Denmark (and the Danes are usually pretty solid) and is only 20, makes me hope Lambert has got a blinder here. All the other signings make sense as well, a replacement for Bennett, extra width and a back up striker as we all know Bent is off. Just need a couple of keepers and maybe another midfielder and job done.

No way we will be getting this guy. I mean I have heard of him unlike the 5 Lambert have brought in. I reckon this could be the end of our signings already.

Another signing from someone I havent really heard about. Either Lambert is a scouting genius or next season could be a tricky one!

He came. He ran around a bit. He leaves. See also Sidwell, Steve. Bye Brett, and best wishes.

 

I wonder sometimes if fans and players forget just how bad the economic situation is out there.

 

The US and UK are screwed. The UK can only cut it's deficit slightly which is adding each year to colossal debt. The US trade deficit actually grew the first quarter of this year!

 

There's an enormous banking crisis looming again (it was never actually fixed) in the UK which will probably be triggered by a house price collapse (once HTB fails and the london bubble bursts), Euro collapse or interest rates are forced up.

 

The point is Lerner won't/can't pay anything over what the club can sustain. I reckon 50k is the limit for the top players now and i am glad of that. If you can't live like a king on that then you don't deserve anything.

 

You sir are correct, 100% spot on.

 

True to a certain extent, but all Premier League clubs are going into the new tv deal this season and will be flushed with cash. Owners like lerner are hoping to freeze the wages and for once to have their clubs make a profit. Agents and players will want 200k a week deals. Fans would like tickets at sensible prices. I wonder who will win?

I increasingly dont care about this but I am pretty sure nothing will be sorted until the 31st of August- either he goes, or we will hang on to him for another year.

Like the interview with him. Seems hungry, wants to learn, wants more responsibility in the future. At 20 with 7 Danish caps looks promising. Wish him well!

Just watched the avtv bit on him. Looking forward to him in action, will be another option for next season.  I think it will help having Petrov around to settle in. It great to see stan looking better by the day!

They are ok- they are growing on me esp the away one. I might get that one in april when it is a tenner, like it is always is. Why pay 45 quid for em?!

Villa at  the moment remind me of those aldi adverts- (english) product you have heard off, compared to far cheaper foreign one. Just hope they are just as good and not leave a nasty taste.

On my hols, and find out we have signed 2 players in one day- and nowhere near August! Whats going on! Is this chap any good?  Going with the young and promising players again, in Lambert we trust (I hope!) Seem to be going quietly in our business getting the players in. I guess a few big earners will be off to balance the books. The feel good is carrying on from the last few months of last season.

 

wow 25 pages on this guy and not even a bid in yet!

 

I think our bid was accepted a while back?

 

The club haven't said anything yet.  Call me old fashioned, but I am a on the shirt, on the pitch kind of guy regarding player signings.

wow 25 pages on this guy and not even a bid in yet!

Although I cant get really exicted over england anymore, I think some of the coverage Woy's team gets is a little harsh. They are okay, like about 80% of all england teams I have watched in my time.  Probably a top 25 team, last 16 World Cup sort of side. The ox did a good job and the sooner wiltshire becomes the central player for england, the better. Never been a fan of Johnson, the boy can't defend. Must be taking lessons from lambert, lol. Brazil look average, nowhere near Spain. I think they will just implode next year under the pressure. I mean the 1950 failure is still talked about in Brazil like its a national disaster!

i could understand not filling in the corner of witton and holte, for the vehicle entrance and control rooms above

 

however, either side of the north needs filling in, so its the holte that stands alone

 

although why did they build witton knowing it would block some seating in the holte? and whats with the roof on the holte?

Older members on VT may have to help me here but the first plans post Taylor report was to redo the witton lane/doug ellis and just put seats on the holte terrace, like at the kops at the sheffield clubs. They then changed their minds to rebuild the Holte altogether. They added a new roof on the old terraced Holte about 4 years before they knocked it down as I mentioned the first plan was to convert it to seats. But then the roof and terrace all got demolished together!

I also think they had to redo the seats in the doug ellis a couple of years after it was built, as the original seats were too narrow. I think they then angled the last few rows covering over some of the new Holte. I hope I haven't confused you!

I will be surprised if either team goes further than the last 16 of the world cup next year based on that peformance.

Great- have 3 months of this shit. Villa have to play hard ball on this given our recent history with star players.

I have cancelled my ESPN subscription as they will  not have any Premier League next year and I cant be bothered to get a new one with BT. They will only be around for 3 years and fail like all the other sports channels when they take on Sky.

 

Thing is I dont think the club could charge top 'dollar' for seats even in a plush new north stand as it will still be behind a goal or corner view from the seats. Same goes for corporate seating- I am sure people would be interested, but the better views would be in the trinity or doug ellis areas.

We're already charging "top dollar". That's the premier league for you. I think people will be more inclined to pay that if they're getting a better service, or a better view.

 

Well yes- that means if the stand is ever to be  built, it would have to offer better service, as the view will not be better than the trinity or doug ellis.

Thing is I dont think the club could charge top 'dollar' for seats even in  a plush new north stand as it will still be behind a goal or corner view from the seats. Same goes for corporate seating- I am sure people would be interested, but the better views would be in the trinity or doug ellis areas.

Probably a daft question- has the North Stand roof ever been replaced? If not, how long do they supposed to last for?! 40-50 yrs?

A refurbishment that was the same -or more- than the initial outlay for the entire stand just six years previously? 

 

I think you may have your numbers mixed up.  The new restaurant and moving season ticket holders from the best seats in the house didn't cost that much.

Ok- the figure I have found is 17mil. Plus the new signage and restaurant etc I guess it could be around the 20 mil mark. Villa spent 2 and a half mil on the old Trinity in the early 90s before knocking it down.  NTL- what were they thinking?!

I think we got about 36,000 v Inter Milan, 22,000 v Fiorentina, and about 18,000 v Valencia and the club gave up on home friendlies after that. I guess they are hoping for about 25,000 for Malaga. If its nice weather and the tickets are a tenner they may get around that number I guess.

The Trinity cost £10-12 million, depending on various reports mentioned at the time.

 

It was funded by a £15 million investment from NTL.

Yes but that doesnt count the cost Lener did when he refurbed it when he took over.