blunther

Exactly. Before VAR the refs could and did favour the bigger team. Now, the ref AND VAR can can and do favour the bigger teams. It's just doubled the chance for bullshit.

I feel the same. I'm used to disappointment from decades of being a villa fan, but to go from such dizzying optimism a week ago following the Europe draw, to this, it's absolutely crushing. This season felt like our big chance to make an impression on the league, to go for trophies, and now two of our best players are gone for the season just like that. **** the result, these things happen and we always lose first day of the season, but to lose Mings for what seems to be the whole season. And what sort of player comes back if the injury is as bad as it looks? This morning I'm just looking at articles on the Saudi league and thinking '**** it, just take the **** lot'.

I think we need to ring the changes after that farce, as much as we can anyway. Martinez Cash Carlos Torres Digne Luiz Tielemans Diaby Coutinho Philogene Watkins Squad already feels thin now when you try and make a bunch of changes with the injuries we've got. Any optimism about a successful league campaign alongside a shit at Europe feels long gone.

The season starts here maybe?

That's enough for me for today.

Yep

Well said. Does my head in. The 1992 beginning of history is **** stupid anyway, but epseically so when the leading scorer's goals don't count in May 1992, but magically do from August 1992. WTF.

Be interesting to see where the club pitch this in terms of ticket prices...

We play away on the 24th, home on the 31st, regardless of opposition.

Agreed, would love a big 256 team unseeded, straight draw one-leg mashup. Win 8 games and you win the trophy. Lose one and you're out. Simple.

Giving up at half time, this stream is making me feel sick.

I like the personal touch of 'Dear Supporter'. Cant even run a mail merge.

I think the draw logic is now the same as it's always been in this competition. We can beat any of them. We can have any of these teams whether two legs or one. We have a manager who is built for this. Let's win the word removed.

I talked about booking a room in London when we drew Bradford over two legs, but didn't. Look how that turned out. So I've got flights and hotel booked for this one!

That's my plan too! Guess I better get on it.

Couldn't get on last night due to the volume, and now it's under maintenance. I did actually manage to order something once, a villa hoodie. But had to pick it up from the club shop and never got round to it.

Wouldn;t be surprised if it was more like 5k.

I wonder if it's possible that they know that 50k is basically maxed out and the fan experience of getting in and out will be shit, so they're having one last look around for a site for a new ground before committing to VP.

**** hell, just pick a badge and stick with it, preferably for ever, and stop **** around. We all like the old circle badge. It did the job. Bring it back and never change it again. It's so silly. Or just keep this one now it's here and everyone will get used to it. Whatever, just stop **** about

I mean that's a fair point, it's **** stupid.

I mean if clubs like Man City and Newcastle end up **** off to play in some arsehole league in some arsehole country somewhere, then I'd find that quite funny. Let all the glory hunting lads in other countries go and support their favourite player in the Saudi Super league or whatever, and we'll get on with the proper football.

Surprised at that - went to the train station after the gig and the queue for the platform back towards town/barnt green was as far as the eye can see. Way worse than a matchday, and I'd be surprised if most of the crowd even managed to get on a train ebfore they stopped running. You must have got out quick!

Probably a lot more local foot traffic back in the day, and more people using buses as roads weren't completely congested, as well as local pubs people would head to before/after. Seems demographic changes as well as costs of running a pub have put paid to local pub trade, 20 days a year isn't enough to sustain a boozer when a lot of the locals don't drink.

This is my worry with the increase. The difference getting out between the old days of 35k and 42k is massive. It's like 40k is the threshold at which the transport network just breaks down. 50k+ could be miserable. While a bigger station gives more room to queue, unless we can get extra trains put on it's not going to help much, and I think the train thing is well beyond AVFC or BCC to fix. Personally I think NSWE need to take a leaf from Xia's book and build a massive rollercoaster into town as an alternative public transit option.