ramshackler

Broken wrist stop him from saying hello and posing for pictures? Guys a prick

Got zero time for this cretin anymore, been defending him for years, but after training today he ran straight down tunnel ignoring the thousands of young kids who had turned out in the wet weather for an autograph.

obviously 65k isn't enough to mix with ordinary fans

Yeah I went, took my niece and nephew along. Training session was pretty good. Benteke didn't finish a single chance the whole session though lol!

afterwards the whole squad signed every autograph the whole way along the stands. Well all apart from two!

Stephen Ireland ran straight down tunnel and gabby signed 3 or 4 for about ten seconds. Poor bloody show.

Holman, guzan, lowton, albrighton and weimann were great sports

I’ve had a long chat with myself recently. I’ve come to the realisation that, having fallen out of love with football a while ago, I can no longer rightly call myself an Aston Villa fan.

I’ve been holding on to this delusion, justifying to myself the time, money and effort I have invested in being a Villa supporter. The tens of thousands of miles driven, the thousands of pounds and the thousands of hours are not easily written off. The effort I put into starting and running a supporters club in this small corner of the country, again not easy to write off.

However, like a marriage that stays in place for the sake of this kids, my marriage to Villa has remained for the sake of my own sanity. For my own sake, I must now declare this marriage over. I’ve reached the tipping point. I’m out.

I don’t get any joy from being a Villa supporter anymore. In days gone by, win lose or draw, I’d have enjoyed the match. Newcastle and Sunderland would be the first 2 away games I’d look for when the fixtures were released. Last season, I didn’t even check to see when those fixtures were on. This season I haven’t bothered either.

What has caused me to finally decide on this sporting emancipation? You probably won’t like the answer. I could go on for hours and pages and days and paragraphs explaining exactly why, but it boils down to this simple statement.

The people.

Footballers, the people who run the game, and the supporters. Each group has their faults and I am powerless to change them. Yet, I am particularly turned off by the attitude and actions of some of the so-called supporters of Aston Villa. If things don’t go their way, the immediate reaction is to lash out and blame individuals. The sporting element is gone. People are immediately branded as poor human beings. This ire isn’t restricted to the players. Men and women who simply do their best at their daily jobs are subjected to some pretty horrific abuse by the nameless and the mindless. Have a read of some of the posts on this website or listen to the talk in the stands at Villa Park and try to tell me that these distasteful actions and words are those of a minority. Where I once enjoyed the tribal element of supporting this football club, I now find that things have irretrievably too far.

So, I’ve taken the decision to divorce myself from AVFC. In all honesty, it’s an easy decision to make. The plaster doesn’t need ripping off – it’s already limp and falling off anyway. What I’m doing now is simply deciding to embrace what should have been obvious to me for some time.

I’m sure I’ll have a mourning period and, like a lonely divorcee, I’ll be tempted to go back during some particularly dark moments. I’ll wean myself off things like Villa Talk and I’ll probably be seen in the Off-Topic sections for a little bit. This will fade away too I’m sure. And if you're muttering to yourself about this being self-indulgent hogwash, good for you.

I’m pretty strong in my resolve and I’m out.

I made the same decision 2/3 years ago, not for exactly the same reasons, but similar.

ps ...and I only live down the road from the ground.

pps you never fall out of love with the club.... I just got fed up of feeling meloncholy every time i watched them play, you end up moaning and over analyising...it just get tedious and repetitive.

this totally sums me as well. I was a st holder for over a decade. Since I was 15.

I just felt miserable watching the villa. The way the heart was ripped and poached from our side by the top clubs recently left me bitter and angry and without hope.

I only go occasionally now, and that's only because my young nephew wants to go. Sadly even he has been bored the last few times. I can't ever remember leaving villa park bored when I was 8 years old.

Sad times

If Ireland actually had players around him that could do a job, he could probably do one of his own, glimpses can be seen of what he can do which is a great deal more than what can be said about Zoggy - KEA is the start of bolstering the midfield but wingers are a must, and I personally can't see Holman and N'Zogbia being up to the task.

I can't quite get how Zoggy has flopped so badly for us, he always impressed at Wigan in my opinion.

I think Zoggy is a good player, but he is struggling for the same reason as Ireland. At the minute we have so little up front, that he is easy to mark or double up on. He thrives on space to run into and shoot. At the minute he is having to try and do too much and snatching at chances and trying to take on too many.

He is grafting, and if we get some more quality in around him, we will see a better player

i have to say i think Ancelotti would be a massive mistake. The guy has only ever managed top top clubs. He has always been able to attract the worlds best with alot of money to spend.

Villa would be a totally different proposition. He would need to work with less capable players, he would struggle to attract the top calibre and he has never been proven in those circumstances.

For £5 million a year, i think i could prove disastrous

No he hasn't.

Villa would essentially be the same as when he was at Parma.

...or far better than Reggiana!

didnt manage them in Serie A, got promotion from B and left for Parma.

Reggiana may not be a top top club, but they would be expected to be challenging for promotion to serie A.

Dont get me wrong, i think the guy is a good manager. My only concern is whether he will be able to have success at villa that would see £5 million a year as good business?

What?

You said he hasnt managed anything other than top teams. Reggiana, no matter what is said, are not!

I dont really know what you are arguing.

im saying that although reggiana are not a top team, if he has only managed them in Serie B then they would still have been one of top teams in that division fighting for the title.

My whole point is based around has he ever really managed a group of players that was expected to finish 6-10th place in the league? The answer is clearly no.

He has always managed teams who are expected to finish top, therefore he has had the pick of players to choose from.

As said before i think he is a good manager, but for £5 million a year, i think there are better options, and options who have more experience of finding bargain players and turning smaller teams into surprise packages

Oh I see!

Dont agree with you though!

Its a moot point but he would not have had the pick of players as he had a whole division of teams above him taking them away. Thus would be at an even bigger disadvantage than we are.

Maybe you have a point about his lack of experience in finding bargains and dealing with smaller expectations. However nothing says that he would be found wanting here, surely a good coach is a good coach, no matter his demands.

yeah and as i have said, im not sure he wouldnt do well here, but its a risk, a risk that comes with a big financial pay check.

Also if he did do well, he most likely would be poached by a bigger club within 2-3 years, meaning once again we are starting over with no consistency

We are one of the top teams in this league so it would hardly be something new to him. He's shown he can buy in players and rebuild a squad quite well. He has also shown he has a good eye for talent after what he did at Parma. They spent a fair bit yes, but we can spend a fair bit too.. Ancelotti coming here would be a pretty easy job for him. At best he only needs to buy a new goalkeeper and some defenders, at worst some midfielders too.. The rest will be down to his tactics and work ethic.

1. We are not one of the top teams in this league. We are a long way off fourth. and now that liverplop are back on form, 6th is probably the best we hope for.

2. So it would be easy except for the fact that we need to sign a goalkeeper, a few defenders and a few midfielders? Half a team then?!

All time table says we are one of the top teams in English football never mind the Premier League since 92/93 we have been known as the great under achievers, but we do have a pretty full trophy cabinet.

I am well aware of our history my friend. I am also aware that we have not won a trophy for 15 years and the last time we finished in what would now be a CL spot was also 15 years ago.

At the moment we are at best 6th best (not biggest) team in the league.

Another big problem with Ancelotti, if he does do well with us, say he gets us back up to 5th or 6th, does anyone really think he wouldnt be picked up by the big teams again??

Yet another 2 or 3 year cycle. We need to go for a young, lesser known manager, someone who can help to build the club from top to bottom. We need to aim for someone who could possibly still be here is 5/6 years time. Like moyes at everton or Ferguson at united

We are one of the top teams in this league so it would hardly be something new to him. He's shown he can buy in players and rebuild a squad quite well. He has also shown he has a good eye for talent after what he did at Parma. They spent a fair bit yes, but we can spend a fair bit too.. Ancelotti coming here would be a pretty easy job for him. At best he only needs to buy a new goalkeeper and some defenders, at worst some midfielders too.. The rest will be down to his tactics and work ethic.

1. We are not one of the top teams in this league. We are a long way off fourth. and now that liverplop are back on form, 6th is probably the best we hope for.

2. So it would be easy except for the fact that we need to sign a goalkeeper, a few defenders and a few midfielders? Half a team then?!

i have to say i think Ancelotti would be a massive mistake. The guy has only ever managed top top clubs. He has always been able to attract the worlds best with alot of money to spend.

Villa would be a totally different proposition. He would need to work with less capable players, he would struggle to attract the top calibre and he has never been proven in those circumstances.

For £5 million a year, i think i could prove disastrous

No he hasn't.

Villa would essentially be the same as when he was at Parma.

...or far better than Reggiana!

didnt manage them in Serie A, got promotion from B and left for Parma.

Reggiana may not be a top top club, but they would be expected to be challenging for promotion to serie A.

Dont get me wrong, i think the guy is a good manager. My only concern is whether he will be able to have success at villa that would see £5 million a year as good business?

What?

You said he hasnt managed anything other than top teams. Reggiana, no matter what is said, are not!

I dont really know what you are arguing.

im saying that although reggiana are not a top team, if he has only managed them in Serie B then they would still have been one of top teams in that division fighting for the title.

My whole point is based around has he ever really managed a group of players that was expected to finish 6-10th place in the league? The answer is clearly no.

He has always managed teams who are expected to finish top, therefore he has had the pick of players to choose from.

As said before i think he is a good manager, but for £5 million a year, i think there are better options, and options who have more experience of finding bargain players and turning smaller teams into surprise packages

i have to say i think Ancelotti would be a massive mistake. The guy has only ever managed top top clubs. He has always been able to attract the worlds best with alot of money to spend.

Villa would be a totally different proposition. He would need to work with less capable players, he would struggle to attract the top calibre and he has never been proven in those circumstances.

For £5 million a year, i think i could prove disastrous

No he hasn't.

Villa would essentially be the same as when he was at Parma.

...or far better than Reggiana!

didnt manage them in Serie A, got promotion from B and left for Parma.

Reggiana may not be a top top club, but they would be expected to be challenging for promotion to serie A.

Dont get me wrong, i think the guy is a good manager. My only concern is whether he will be able to have success at villa that would see £5 million a year as good business?

i have to say i think Ancelotti would be a massive mistake. The guy has only ever managed top top clubs. He has always been able to attract the worlds best with alot of money to spend.

Villa would be a totally different proposition. He would need to work with less capable players, he would struggle to attract the top calibre and he has never been proven in those circumstances.

For £5 million a year, i think i could prove disastrous

No he hasn't.

Villa would essentially be the same as when he was at Parma.

When he almost immediately signed Crespo, Chiesa Ze maria. and included buffon and Cannavaro!

Parma may not have had the pedigree but they were spending crazy sums and had a top top team. He still only finished 2nd then had a disastrous champs league the next year and only finished 5th...

i have to say i think Ancelotti would be a massive mistake. The guy has only ever managed top top clubs. He has always been able to attract the worlds best with alot of money to spend.

Villa would be a totally different proposition. He would need to work with less capable players, he would struggle to attract the top calibre and he has never been proven in those circumstances.

For £5 million a year, i think i could prove disastrous

General, I implore you to get randy to act before its too late

Makoun has had a great start HOWEVER people on here are too quick to blame the defence and goalkeeper for us conceding.

Look at the midfield, against wigan the tracking back.was poor by all the midfield, this leaves the defence stretched and vulnerable.

Yesterday petrov wasn't great, far from it but he totally stifled his opposite number. Makoun on the other hand played lovely football but didn't track sidwell. Sid must have had 6 shots from edge of area with no one near him, its no wonder one of these led to a goal!!

The midfield need to start pulling their weight and helping out the defence!!

to be honest im a big fan of jimmy, but lets be realistic, he isnt a £30 million player!

If we can get £10 million plus ireland and richards/SWP i think we will improve our team and leave us with spending money to go and get a robbie keane or yossi benayoun.

this is a real opportunity to get a top player picked up by the big boys but take a big stride forwards rather than 2 steps back!

I'm sorry to keep on about this, but ive read the above about interpretation of 'moving directly towards goal' and also graham poll on radio this morning stating he probably didnt send him off as he was moving away from goal...

ERM NO! vidic did get back goal side, but no matter what angle you look at it from, gabby pushed the ball past him in the exact direction of the goal and his next act was an unimpeded shot at goal if he wasnt pulled down.

Blatantly heading towards goal and blatant red card. he does need to be questioned about this and suspended

very proud, but obviously disappointed. at the end of the day i thought the players worked their socks off adn were beaten by a side that is the best in england and possibly europe. Man united turned on the style and played very well. We matched them for large periods and just lacked that cutting edge. But hell we are heading in the right direction, one more player, a clever attacking 'link man' and i can see us consistently challenging these teams regularly.

Thanks to yourself and Randy, the club is in great condition, and i was so proud of the villa fans yesterday, didnt see one jot of trouble, great banter before and after the match, and myself and a group of over a hundred villa fans were singing all the way back to the tube. defeat didnt dampen our optimism for the future, its a disappointment, but we will be back soon, HOPEFULLY IN MAY!!! UP THE VILLA!

Does anyone have any info on cheap hotels close to Wembley?

I've looked up Formule 1, which I've used in Paris, but their two in London are miles away.

we managed to get a premier inn for £39 per room, booked 4 rooms for the crowd of us that will be goin!!

i always drive down to watford and catch the tube in 15 minute ride. staying at watford travelodge for £25

General Krulak here:

1. ramshackler: Nicky Keye (Hd of our Ticketing Operations plus a "wonder-woman") has said she likes your idea and will see if she can make it happen.

thanks general. still find it unbelievable how easy it is to pass on ideas to the people in power at the club!

you are a gent sir!

Hi general, just wondering if i could bring your attention to something quite small, but also quite easy to fix!

I am a member of the away scheme and as a result there are some games that i am sent tickets for that i cannot always attend. Most of the time it is easy enough to bring the unwanted tickets to the prior home games and return them, but this isnt always possible.

I popped to VP on sunday (the only day i had off work last week) but got there just to late at 210pm and there was no-one around to take my ticket.

Any chance of a small letterbox fed into a security box inside the ticket office for these circumstances, as i noticed there was nothing of the sort on the ticket office, villa village, villa reception or even catering!?

Thanks

General sadly i have to make a complaint about the recent uefa home time versus litex.

there was a offer on tickets in the lower north stand where you could buy 4 for £20 (outstanding value and thanks to the club for that)

however thousands took up the offer and the lower north was sold out for the game. so it was to my dismay that the powers that be decided that only one half of the stand would be open for refreshments. there was only one stall instead of the usual two (one at either side) that was open and catering for well over 2000 people! this resulted in a rather large crush in the narrow gangway at the top of the lower north, and an almost standstill queue for practically the entire half time break!

whilst i understand for lesser matches with lower attendances it makes sense to not open all the catering posts, i have to say if a particular stand is sold out it is daft and somewhat dangerous to have it operating at half capacity

yeah me and my mate booked our ST seats 2 for 20 then were told it was actually 4 for £20 so got two extra free!

if you have any doubts or deflated feelings general, just check out the "do we need a new owner" thread.

we all love you and randy, and would be gutted if you were bought out by some crazy rich middle eastern consortium.

The last two years have been so much fun, and we havent won anything but it has still been so brilliant and has made me so proud to be a villain!

keep your head high, villa cannot fail to be a great club under your leadership

Do not call other posters liars. Keep this thread for Q&A for Gen. Krulak. Blandy