blunther

I'm impatient too and want some signings, but I'm not going to worry unduly if we end up picking off championship players. There are plenty of good players there. We had a few when we were down there that we wouldn't want to lose today. Look, we stayed up by the skin of our teeth. Maybe this is going to take a little longer and we need to establish ourselves as mid table before attracting more exotic talent. We don't need too much to do that. Our squad was new last year and has had a year to settle in and get to know each other and adjust. We should be a better team next year even without a single signing, but we will sign players. We stayed up despite losing our keeper and only striker for six months, as well as McGinn. That's rotten luck for injuries. We will strengthen our squad, have Wes and Heaton back too, and have more options off the bench. Let's just concentrate on improving season by season. Finish this season in 14th or something, become an established Premier League team then next year if we have another £100m to spend we can try and get the one or two £50m glamour signings and push on. Think we need to play the long game.

Well I'll be rooting for our Viking brothers then.

Mings should tell that prick Southgate to **** off.

The one advantage I can think is you can rock up at 2.45 and park by the ground, then be straight out after. For that reason if nothing else I'll probably go if I can, even though it will be crap.

4/1! Longer than Burnley, Palace, Newcastle, Brighton.... edit: if they go into such a compressed season with a small squad and don't start strongly.... that looks good value.

Yup, I think some Leeds fans are underestimating just how hard the Premier League is after 16 years away. I only know one and he's the same.

Ridiculous. How is it our fault these clubs were pissing about in Europe? They've got a squad, they should play the fixture on the scheduled date or forfeit the match.

That's quite funny since I remember Barry Bannan's MySpace (I know) popping up on here when he was still a bairn saying Brum was shit. Good old Birmingham, it grows on you. Like the Villa in a way, not fashionable but those that come and embrace it are embraced back in turn and become one of us.

That's the spirit.

Oh well, perhaps he got bored of city life and wants a nice place closer to BMH to settle down in for the long haul!

It's a different chair but it think it's the same location. The picture he posted has his flat higher than the cube. The only place I can think of nearby would be one of the penthouses in the Orion building. No flat in the mailbox is high enough to have a view of the roof of the Cube. Edit, not a different chair. Just some cushions. I'd never make a detective.

The bookies have Leeds are more likely to finish in the top ten than go down. Have I missed them signing a dozen players? They're certainly tipped more than us. Baggies are 5/4 to finish above us, while they are 2/1 to finish above Leeds! I do think Leeds will stay up but I'm not sure why I think that. Seems I'm not alone though.

We should sign some really expensive 'builders' to erect a few concession stands and maybe play a bit of football on their weekends off.

It's never happen with the champions League as they want to milk the TV money, but Europa League is hardly big TV money as it is. I've long said it should be a straight knockout. Clubs don't take it seriously as it's about a billion extra matches. Make it 256 teams (can include some more clubs then), straight draw with no seeding, one-leg based on luck of the draw, straight knockout. Would mean only playing eight games to win it so clubs might take it seriously, and it'd be a lot more exciting.

Presumably bids have to be inscribed on vellum. The calf is being flayed as we speak.

Not many people talking about keepers. We need a keeper. I know we have dozens but we need a good one. Otherwise we start the season with Nyland and a hope and a prayer that the injury hasn't affected Heaton in any way. and if Heaton struggles on his return, we have Nyland and an unproven Steer to see us through to January when we'll have to panic buy. Striker, Winger, Keeper. Those are absolute musts for me. Anything else is a bonus.

Are you in the Upper? You can barely move in the Lower at half time as the Holte Suite eats up all the space.

I don't know why people are saying they'd be happy with this if we buy two strikers. We won't be buying two, we have Wes coming back and play one up front. I'm expecting one striker coming in. I think those expecting two will be disappointed.

Anyone else remember the good old days when a kit lasted a couple of seasons, and only proper arsehole clubs like Man U changed their kit every year?

It's ridiculous. You can now change half of the outfield. It's like an international friendly. I think the drinks break will stay because imagine how much the TV companies can sell a minute of advertising for midway through a half in a big match. Will be much more than half time ads because it's not enough time for people to leave, so they have a captive audience. And we all know that money rules football these days. Surprised it hasn't happened years ago.

The drinks break will be here to stay, and I would put a lot of money on it being used as an advertisement break midway through each half within a couple of years.

The drinks break will be here to stay, and I would put a lot of money on it being used as an advertisement break midway through each half within a couple of years.

Is it something we can do ourselves? We must have loads of old villa tops between us. I wouldn't mind losing a few to this. A bunch of us chip in for postage and bob's your uncle. I'd be happy to try and organise if no one else fancies it?

They've proper bottled it.

Would also love to chuck a few quid at this! Should someone start a thread? Guessing it might go down better if one of the longer-standing forumites started it rather than a part-timer like me.