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.

I work in Liverpool and most Reds are pretty pissed off they've wasted that amount of money on him.

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.

the Motto is 'Be Prepared', which is quite IRONIC after these last 12 months.....

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.

Bloody hell we're being taking over by the toffee men. That interview in May, you keep referring too was when GERRARD HOULLIER was still manager!!! Moyes is a man of integrity, not in a million years would he say anything different, would he have really said yes guys i want Gerard to do one so i can have the job with more cash than Everton. What I'm saying is things CHANGE in football, since that statement he may have spoken to Kenwright about funds, who he may have to sell. Look I'm not even saying Moyes will come but what i won't stand is you toffee's who think there is not an iota of a chance that Moyes would want to talk to us when i see that as you being blinded by the toffees in your mouths.

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).

For what it's worth, RE all the "Moyes/EFC havnt made a statement" comments. Moyes is on holiday at the moment IF he was to make a statement it will be when he returns which is the end of this week (if reports are to be believed). Everton and Moyes have both previously stated that he is not interested/ not available. They can't keep coming out and denying it when there has been no real claims to respond to.

If there was actually anything factual to respond to then EFC might but as its all just been internet chatter there is no reason for the club or the manager to say anything they havnt already. Clubs up and down the country will not respond to every new unfounded story. For example there are more spurious rumours of Downing to LFC, do you expect the club to come out and deny it everytime this happens or do you think the initial denial is suffiecient?

As Stu The Villain said, I'm not sure of the fascination with Moyes as I can't see how he alone will take you to the next level.

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.

Just heard a rumour that Moyes will resign at Everton tomorrow, paving the way for Mc Leish to go there and Moyes coming here. Not ITK by any means but praying its true. I still think there's a very big chance Moyes will be our next manager this week whatever happens..

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.

Everton fan in peace here!

Thought i'd just pass on the lowdown with Moyes. Most likely you'll have heard the comments from Phil McNulty about Moyes, these appear to have been given to Phil from our PR pesron.

A few people have said "Why hasnt there been a denial from Moyes?" Well there has. He spoke at the end of last season, and also a few weeks ago that he was not interested in the job, Alan Irivne also came out last week after speaking to Moyes and again confirmed he wasn't interested in the job. I honeslty dont know how many more times he has to distance himself from the position. It seems uninformed press and "ITK's" keep pushing the agenda when nothing is there, it's unfair on both sets of fans and hoepfully should be put to bed now.

No disrespect intended at all but I personally don't see Moyes to Villa being a logical step-up in his career. I've always viewed us and Villa as being in a very similair boat. Both teams with a rich heritage, strong fan bases but both looked down upon by wider media. A move to Villa would be a sideways step as we're both trapped under the glass ceiling of the champions league. A shame really.

Just tought i'd throw in thse few little bits and hopefully clear a couple of things. Hope the job hunt yields something for you and i'll pray alongside you that mcLeish doesn't get the job. i'd hang myself. Brum played the worst football in the PL for the last two years. Dire dire dire dire stuff and you deserve better than that hoof merchant.

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.