danceoftheshamen

I did indeed meet Fergie & actually played on the same line up as him a few times. Up in sheffield mainly at Insomniacz where I was a resident in the early days before the promoters had a spat & fell out lol! Fergie actually asked me the name of one of the tunes I had just played as he loved it and wanted to nick it lol! I didn't know him that well but we crossed paths a few times & always exchanged pleasantries etc. Your right though Tony did get him in to Sundissential and his career took off from there pretty much.

Just got back from the game. I thought first half we kept our shape ok but simply did not have a clue how to threaten their goal. They were not really pushing out however so didn't threaten us either...but that was clearly their plan. As for the second half?! I struggle to think of a Villa team who looked so poor in almost everything they did. Poor decision making, poor control, poor passing. poor crossing, poor speed of pass, barely any movement....I could go on. It was frankly amateurish. West Ham had a game plan to keep it tight 1st half then put the subs on second to nick the winner. It was far easier for them than the scoreline suggests I feel especially in defence. I don't actually think we had a shot asisde from the offside goal. I just don't see how we are going to score enough goals to stay up currently. I ended the game actually laughing at our players they were that bad. It's gone beyond annoying now it's becoming a joke.

My first ever venture into Brum was when as a young lad of about 15, me & a guy called Stephan. He actually was the guy who started Tony De Vit off DJ'ing in the 70's when they used to do mobile discos etc. On that very first time we had gone to support Tony playing a gig at a venue called Romeo & Juliets. Stephan used to put in extra sound systems at Tony's request if he needed one. I remember he always used to use Shermann Audio speakers due to their punchy bass! Anyhow I remember they were worried I wouldn't get in due to my age lol! (Somehow I did, I think down to Stephans persuasive abilities more than anything) It was my first ever venture into Brum, although I was DJ'ing from the age of 12 at parties & in my local Youth Club. Very soon I was picked up as a roadie by a local DJ called Mark Hickman who eventually after I had lost contact with him, went on to become quite well known on the Brum Soul scene apparently, although that was a bit before my time in Brum so I am unaware of which venues he played. But by watching & speaking with Tony and getting a few tips I soon learned how to beat mix and would warm up for Mark at his gigs in clubs from around 1979 onwards. I was not allowed to leave the DJ console however due to being underage. I remember playing at such venues as the Stone Manor hotel in Chaddesley Corbett near Kidderminster, which Is where Tony was actually from incidentally (Kidderminster not Chaddesley). Not long after we took some sound equiptment into the Nightingale too. I had no clue it was a gay venue lol! I remember as a 15/16 year old lad on the way in the guys asking stephan "who's the blonde?" (I had blonde hair at the time) and I got a right ribbing as they could see I had no clue as to what they were on about lol! Anyhow we very often went to different venues to support or take in extra sound equiptment for Tony. Birmingham, Bridgnorth, Kidderminster the list went on & on. I got to know his Brother Andy really well too & we became good friends and went clubbing all over in the early to late 80's. Someone mentioned Tony De Vit's track "Burning up" which charted at the time. I was actually in his recording studio in the custard factory with Simon Parkes, Tony & Stephan when he had the demo video arrive from the recording studio. We all watched it together and were wetting ourselves and taking the p*** out of Tony as he pranced about in some ridiculous French onion mans Black & White striped outfit with a black Beret on as I remember lol! I have Dj'd at loads of venues over the years since those days. Crunch, West End Bar, Tin Tins, Steering Wheel, Risa on Broad street and even a Miss Moneypennys tour back in the day. More recently I expanded and ended up playing all over the UK & out in Ibiza until earlier this year when I played at the Our House Rave promoted by Rue Jay (Also a big Villa fan btw) Of course Tony passed away some 20 years ago now but his mark on the Brum & indeed World dance scene remains. I have loads more stories and I remember, as a clubber, venues such as Boogies, Millionaires, Power House, Edwards No.8 & even Zig Zags the old punk/gothic club in Digbeth which is where I first met Twiggy, the well known Birmingham club host who still works the doors today! So I guess in some small way I have witnessed & played a part in the Birmingham club / dance scene.

Hiya Mark, we maybe need to have a chat at some point as I grew up with Tony and still DJ in clubs to this day. I have many stories to tell and am still in contact now with his Brother Andy. Will PM you if you like?

I think there's more to this than meets the eye. Maybe him & Cash really hit it off & connect well for Poland? If so it could well be Cash has put a word in so lets give the guy a chance at least.

Corrected for you

So are we still saying it's not corrupt ? I will be fascinated to hear the BS reasons that was not a penalty yet Digne's was. Cannot even hide behind the usual "Homer" ref excuse as Utd were away. I await the weekly massive broom being deployed to sweep this one under the carpet. Jokers. Every week there is evidence and yet most folk still seem to be reluctant to believe it's actual corruption you are witnessing rather than the ridiculous "it was a mistake" or whatever nonsense they make up. So this apparently was "ball to hand" even though he was planted on the floor and his arms were clearly spread sideways at shoulder height in an unatural position in an attempt to make himself a bigger obstacle to get the ball past. Yeah OK then! Yet last week Digne jumps and of course has to have his arms similarly high to get leverage and it's deliberate hand ball?! How can folk not see this is clear corruption? Even if the ref made a mistake there is no longer any reason to not get it right with VAR as a back up. Please don't tell me they repeatedly get it wrong by mistake or accident "but only in favour of certain teams". That is nonsense & clearly it is corrupt.

Lets hope you're right Peter.

Hmmmn, who would have ever thought it? Shame we're not a London club and get given a stadium or something....................DOH! So a huge well done to them for destroying every Youth team friendly club as this will mean clubs will now neglect them. Corrupt *****ers

Again I agree with you MIA, Most of last season Gerrard was singing Nakamba's praises and was gutted when he got injured when our results dipped also. His reward? He gets bombed out into the "sell" group! I mean what the heck?! We know he is limited but talk about confusing messages.

Exactly, add to that you are playing a team who have one thing in attack, (a load of tall heads on sticks) so you put in your smallest & least physical defender (Konsa) and leaving out your bigger more physical guys who would most likely have nullified that threat whilst also contributing with goals & assists going forwards and was possibly the stand out defender at the club since his arrival (Chambers & Mings) The baffling insistance on leaving Chambers out, who I think we have all been impressed with, when we are conceding goals for fun is simply bizzarre.

Thanks for this Nick, pretty much clarifies all we need to know. I am just hopefull that all these data analysists we apparantly have working on every detail of player form & performance is also being used on the management teams performance. Look, it is still very early in the season, I get that. But when you view that graph above it is pretty clear why the fanbase is not impressed. He really needs a result against West Ham on Sunday (& tonight at Bolton). Another scary thought is that in like for like games so far this season, if you swap our opening day away game at a newly promoted team from Watford to Bournemouth, we are so far averaging 2 goals worse off from the same games. Keep that up & it's clear relegation form as would make sense when looking at that graph Nick posted, Thus far it has continued the downward curve is I guess what I am saying. It simply has to go on an upward spike very soon else the signs are extremely ominous indeed! 2021 - 22 2022-23 GD swing Watford/B'mouth (a) - 2-3 L 0-2 L (-1) Everton (h) 3-0 W 2-1 W (-2) Palace (a) 0-1 W 3-1 L (-3) West Ham (h) 1-4 L ? Arsenal (a) 3-1 L ? Man City (h) 1-2 L ?

It's like the old days on the Holte end "The Left side"" ""The Right side"

I genuinely am not overly bothered

Just to throw another angle at this. Since Deeney was at Watford there has clearly been an anti-Villa feel about that club & it's players. He no doubt poisoned the minds of several of their players, evidenced by the comments at the start of the summer when a certain former Derby Midfielder was pillioried by his fellow teamates posting messages pleading with him not to join Villa. I seem to remember the "Oh no not Villa don't join them" messages, or something along those lines being posted? Nothing came of that transfer, but the overall feeling was there was a real team dislike of AVFC...no doubt fed by the saddo Deeney etc. I believe they have one or two of our old players there too? May be nothing of course, but the fact that it sounds like we were basically being taken the "P" out of by Sarr & or his camp etc does not surprise me in the slightest. It also does not surprise me if he came over as not really wanting the move. On that basis I would be very dubious to have him here regardless. If Gerrard saw or got wind of this then fair play to him for dropping his interest. The last thing we need is another negative influence in the dressing room or half cocked player who didn't really want the move.

Leicester fans I know despise Rogers. Say he is just way too negative and always makes terrible subs. They often take the lead in games then he messes up by trying to sit on it and making poor changes. How true that is I wouldn't know.

This whole episode is cringeworthy. Only thing I can think of is there was a non-disclosure agreement which got broken from the Watford or players agent end and so we pulled out. Would make sense if you think about the Ings transfer. Would also make sense as to why one of our transfers was all over the media, when normally we run a very tight ship.

I fear for us I really do. We look attrocious whilst Forest, Fulham, Brentford, Leeds, Brighton, Palace & even Southampton, Wolves & co, all teams we would have been aiming to finish above, all look better than us. You just know West Ham will turn the corner at some point even though bottom at present.

I do like the idea of more pace & actually having a big counter attacking threat (Especially as we nearly always lose the midfield, if there's a battle). Still need to sort this defence out though. We have a misfiring Digne and Konsa is just so poor currently plus whatever the reasons, we are just so porous when trying to play whatever the system is we are trying to play. Massive game now on Sunday against Wet Spam. We really need something from that game but I'm not holding my breath.

Looks like Newcastle & West Ham are/were also after Sarr "according to reports" so not convinced this is close but we'll see.

Thanks PPV, MaVilla already spotted it & i've adjusted it. All the points still hold so far as i'm concerned. 2-0 there was pathetic and we've now seen a repeat at Palace which, although they are a much better team, was still another shocking display and could easily have been 4, 5 or 6. I have watched a few Forest games this season too (as I am surrounded by their fans at work so wanted to be able to comment on the games when we chat on Mondays) & they look far more organised than us currently and have a clear plan. Their players are so well drilled and clearly all know exactly what they are doing & that's with how many new signings?! We are the polar opposite yet have only a couple of new signings! Says all you need to know for me... The coaching is poor!

lol! Thanks MaVilla, It's been such a whirlwind of crapness I even lost track of a score Now adjusted

On the squad. Digne - Has looked poor for me thus far this season. I always thought Targett was "ok" defensively but poor going forward. Digne looks a little less solid defensively but has more ability going forward, although currently he appears to be out of form and his end product / crossing is no better than Targett currently. So for me we have come off worse in that deal as we have gained barely anything going forwards but have lost solidity at the back. Carlos was looking decent - Now he's out for the season of course and we 100% need a replacement. Kamara - Looks good but he is lost in the sea of incompetence & confusion ahead of him...That is more on Gerrard than the players he has at his disposal for me. My questions are: What the heck happened to Nakamba? All last season Gerrard was saying how he loved him & how well he adapted to his system etc... His reward? He gets bombed out! What sort of message does that give out? We always look more solid with Dougie... Where is he? Him as an 8 & Kamara would surely make sense? Sanson - Still not had a real chance in this team. He is clearly a guy who needs a run of games to get up to speed. He has never had that. Traore & Elghazi I understand as they do not fit in with this bizarre, unknown & unfathomable style we are having forced on us (Even though it clearly doesn't & hasn't worked for over half a season now!) Again, that's on the manager! The dropping of Ings just as he had scored and ws looking better against Everton. The captaincy saga It just goes on & on & yet we look worse now than under DS. Shockingly bad in fact. My prediction currently is relegation, we are that poor. Look at Bournemouth yesterday, absolutely hammered by Arsenal on their own patch. We lost to them 2-0!! Just digest that for a moment. Likely the worst team in the division & we lost 2-0 there. That is not a lucky 1-0 win...... 2-0!!! They have lost badly in all their games since. The warning signs are clear & bright. Gerrard is not a coach - He has admitted as much. We are a mess defensively, 6 goals already against 3 of the poorest teams (Maybe Palace aside), We are also barely creating chances and midfield is attrocious. I dread to think what'll happen when we play a stronger team although we won't have to wait long to find out. Beale left and Crighton came in so we are effectively in unkonwn territory with this management team. From my viewpoint it looks a shambles and I simply fail to see another way other than a complete rethink or to get in a World Class experienced coach to sort this mess out.

This is the grey area for me. The better he does, the harder it would be if he "did one" to Plop and the more likely we would face some kind of period of transition. We all know how those go Seriously though it is a big point really. The bigger the success of a manager the harder it appears to be to get over their departure. I'm thinking Fergie at Man U (Still in a descending circle even now) Wenger at Arsenal & you could even factor Bob Paisley at Plop into that. Whenever an iconic manager leaves it is almost impossble to not go on a downward curve because they are so ingrained in the club. In fact it is usually the end of an era of dominance for that club. It may well happen to Man City too when Pep leaves. The only ones who seem to not suffer from it are actually Chelsea and this appears to be due to the very short lifespan of their managers even if they win the Title! Maybe there was method in the madness of Abramovich afterall! Of course we are not talking about Fergie or Wenger levels here so hopefully we will move on a lot smoother if/when he does depart provided we then get a truly top notch manager in.

I'm in the "bit too early for this vote" camp. Had we lost against Everton I would likely have felt differently but I saw enough to give him the benefit of the doubt for now. I really hope it works in one way, in another I can't help but feel if it does work it'll merely be a case of he'll be off to Liverpool sooner rather than later and then we are left high & dry again with yet another new manager situation which could of course at that point destroy everything he had built regardless. If it doesn't work then I guess it gives us the chance to try our luck with a top manager to handle a squad full of Brazillian, French & Argentinian internationals. In some ways you can't help but think we may as well take the plunge right now rather than wait for the inevitable Liverpool situation to rear it's head. I think though there is not much option but to stick with it for now and maybe we'll all be pleasantly surprised!