diand

The club have played a blinder. Pushing the PR "get behind the boys" shite (which we have been doing all season by the way) has achieved its aim: to effectively silence the fans. What other voice do we have if not to shout our displeasure at matches? Write strongly worded emails to Faulkner? Shout at people in the club shop or on the phone? The only real voice we have is to not turn up or shout very loudly. Not turning up isn't a great option, so voicing our views at matches is the only answer. So, other than two minutes after the final whistle we behaved. McLeish is indicating he is staying. We have to protest as loudly and at every opportunity as we can from now on. The Norwich match needs to be a constant protest against McLeish; every moment. Otherwise, well, we'll all be here again same time next year, but probably won't escape next time because of the greater inadequacy of others.

They must be suicidal over the £20m for Henderson then. You can only hope...

I don't think its a major loss tbh that Downing has gone - and its £20m in the bank to spend (hopefully). I work in Liverpool and most Reds are pretty pissed off they've wasted that amount of money on him. I agree - he's pretty average at best. I know he won our player of the season last season but, let's be honest, that's not much of an accolade. My gran could have been in the running for that if she'd been played given that most performances were gutless - and she's been dead 20 years. He looked good by comparison against some pretty shit performances - bye bye is what I say to him. Let's hope that AM does something in the meantime though cos otherwise last season is going to look good.

No it's not. We're not the boy scouts. so what is it then you smart arse prick It's "Prepared". Your sincerely, Smart Arse Prick esq This has to be the most simple ownage I have ever seen. Close the polls. Pop open the champagne and thank everyone for coming. Post of the Year 2011 has just been won. I don't want to be pedantic too, which means I am about to be. Also apologies for being off-topic here, but it isn't boy scouts, it is just the Scouts (as girls have been members too for quite a long while).

General I am sorry that a few people on this thread are drifting into personal abuse. We are above that. I have read the official statement this evening and am very shocked indeed. However, I still hold on to the belief that the Board know what they are doing, both in terms of football and Villa as a business. With that in mind, I look forward to the Board's strategy coming to fruition over the coming couple of weeks and appreciate the current statement is purely part of a bigger picture.

I just cannot believe they would do this. It is not only bad football sense but bad business sense too. The statement is hard to fathom and I agree with the poster that it is cleverly worded. I still maintain that they will not appoint McLeish and that Moyes is lined up. In denial probably.

Yes, that old statement by Moyes from the end of the season when Houllier was still manager doesn't hold much water. There is no way Moyes would say anything different whilst there was a manager in the position. I'm not saying Moyes wants the job, just that that statement doesn't show anything. Exactly! I live and work in Liverpool and Moyes is a) a man of integrity, and never backwards in coming forwards in expressing an opinion. If he had something to say, he would say it. If he is saying nothing it doesnt necessarily mean he has nothing to say.. if you see what I mean :?

IMO the club need stability initially above anything else, which Moyes would provide. Given his track record at EFC with virtually no resources I believe he could take us to a level beyond what MON was capable of. This would be, in the first instance, domestic silverware and a manager that actually believes in European competitions rather than just the idea of them (see MON again for that).

As I've said before, he said he wasn't interested while Houllier was still in post, which is exactly what you would expect him to say. As far as I'm aware he has made no comment about the Villa vacancy since Houllier left, which is unlike him. Whether this means he is coming to Villa or not is another thing, but his current lack of comment means something other than he is on holiday. If he was definitely out of the running he would have made a statement through EFC for the sake of Everton fans.

Please, can we try and keep it sensible on here 450+ pages. Third volume... and now you ask us to keep it sensible...

Villa_Insider Seriously. Everyone, breathe. As it stands, nothing has changed apart from peripheral events. The core remains the same.

But it would be a step up. IMO Everton area great club. I live in the NW and go to occasional Everton games, although am a Villa ST holder. However, Moyes has proved himself at Everton on a shoestring, and now he could prove himself with a budget. Villa would never be a final destination for Moyes as he clearly sees himself at one of the big clubs, or maybe internationally. BUT, he needs to prove success with money as well as making do. That's why the position would tempt him. AND, as I said in an earlier post, his denials have been weaker and weaker (as acknowledged on the EFC forums) - he was "not interested" when Houllier was still in post cos he has integrity, but now... maybe...

I'm not ITK, just an opinion. Someone said the journos have been the best bet for info - no they haven't. Moyes (in the recent weeks) has not said he would not come to Villa. He said that he wouldn't be interested in the Villa post while Houllier was in charge. That quote about not being interested followed him saying "They have a perfectly good manager". Moyes is not normally backwards in coming forwards in denying links - his silence is interesting. Lerner is a good businessman and would know that appointing McLeish wouldn't make good business sense, e.g. loss of ST sales Kenwright would obviously say Moyes is going nowhere cos if the ITKs are right, the deal is keep schtum or the deal is off. He needs the money more than he needs Moyes. In my view Moyes is coming to Villa and McLeish is involved in a Everton/Bolton merry-go-round.

General There is very little integrity in football these days and, sometimes, I wonder why I continue to bother with it at all. However, reading some of the tripe in the daily papers and watching the nonsense being spewed out on TV I wanted to write to congratulate the Villa Board for, at last, bringing integrity back into the game. Whether or not I agree or disagree with the appointment when it is made is irrelevant. I support this club unconditionally. What is beyond doubt though is that the Villa Board have conducted themselves throughout this process with honesty, integrity and professionalism. No backhanded 'dripping' of information to the media and no prima donna outbursts either. While this has clearly irritated the media and thus the current backlash, when the dust settles I think all Villa fans will rightly be proud that our club have gone about their business in the right way. So many thanks from me - affirms all the money and time I invest into supporting this great and proud club.

General As a parent governor I have just sat on an interview panel at my local large comprehensive school to appoint a new Deputy Head. As part of the selection process students at the school met with and fedback to the interview panel to help inform their decision. Likewise, at the university in which I work students are often involved in the recruitment of key staff. Two questions therefore. First, more generally, how much, if at all, does the Board take into account fan opinion about a new manager expressed via fan forums, media outlets and supporters' groups? Second, and this is a suggestion as well, has the Board ever considered selecting a small group of fan representatives (4-5 people from official fan supporters' groups) to play some (albeit minor) part in the selection of a new manager? Often such people are very successful in their own field and would have lots of skills to contribute, but might also help get the fans on Board (well, some of them anyway) and support the new manager in his post? As key 'stakeholders' in the Club, some input by a group of fans into the selection process might be advantageous all round. I appreciate this is a busy time for you and the Board, but your thoughts on this suggestion would be welcome. Good luck in the recruitment process. Best wishes Andrew

General Would you agree with me that it's not just the losing that hurts, but the manner of the losing? In the worst case scenario and we do go down, I would like to think that in our final days in the Premiership we put up a fight and went "kicking and screaming" (so to speak), rather than the shambolic, inept, lacklustre and passionless display against Wolves yesterday. I personally don't think Mr Houllier has the passion or desire for the fight, or for the Club particularly. While it would be risky to sack him now, I think the Club should do just that. Put in a caretaker for the final few games and appoint over the early summer. I genuinely believe the positive boost the team would get from Mr Houllier's departure would probably be sufficient to fire us up and keep us up. Thanks for reading General

General Sorry, I'm not impressed with the manager's statement just posted on the official site. No apology, patronising platitudes and not even a slightest sense of backtracking. Nothing has changed as far as I am concerned.

General Would you agree with me that the Board made a mistake in appointing Mr Houllier, and will make a bigger, catastrophic one if they continue with his tenure. While Mr Houllier clearly has a decent track record in football, it was apparent from the first day of his appointment that his passion was with Liverpool FC, and that the manager position at Villa was simply a means by which he could a) get back into the Premier League, and extricate himself from the debacle that is French national football. He is, in my view, guilty of misconduct after his actions/behaviour last night, and if I were to behave in the same way to my employers I would expect disciplinary action with the possibility of my contract being terminated. Of course, I have long realised that the rules that apply to everyone else in the real world tend not to in the narcissistic-driven world of football. Please take steps to save our club. Poor performances are one thing, but bringing the name of the club into disrepute is another. UPDATE: Just speaking with a friend of mine who is a Liverpool fan (yes, I don't know how that happened either). But, all the Lpool fans he was talking to thought that Mr Houllier's treatment of the Villa fans was very poor and did nothing to add to the dignity of his position.