Raver50032

I'll give you 21,000 home support for a mid-November Friday night fixture against Blackburn Rovers. Pissing it down with rain, roadworks on the A-38 and match on Sky Sports 3... Yes, they have a Sky Sports 3.

It works in reverse for me - I have never purchased or drunk Carlsberg, Carling Black Label, Sharp Viewcams, JVC products, Newcastle Brown, AIG bank products, Candy white goods, Etihad plane tickets, Wonga - some of this is because I don't need them, prefer other brands anyway or because they sponsored a team I do not like. Likewise, i have never purchased anything off the back of a company sponsoring a league or cup competition. I occasionally drink Coca Cola - always have and always will. Not because they sponsored a trophy. Likewise, I have purchased Walkers Crisps, but not because they sponsored Leicester for example. I will never ever purchase Darylea - but I have my own reasons for that. Not football related.

I bet 'Arry will be bidding for him to go to QPR. Sell him the 'Laaandan' scene, with all it's razamatazz, post Olympic hangover, posh nosh and bit of 'cheap cant.'

And **** me... doesn't it stink

Hi there DDIG... Sorry about that. I try to use italics as I like the look of it. If it has made it hard for people to read, then I apologise... here is the post without the italics... Cheers for the heads up though... Remember, the post was in response to Dance Of The Shamen, though the question I asked was more generally aimed at the thread readers as a whole. I really do love his avatar!! -- I love your optimism and I love your avatar even more... That said, (and this is a question for the thread, and not aimed at you) since the Premier League was formed, who has ever benefitted from getting relegated from it? Who has ever come back stronger as a result of getting relegated? Oldham? Forest? Bradford? Swindon? Leicester? Derby? Blues? QPR? Ipswich? Southampton (not really)? Norwich (not really)? Portsmouth (no way)? Coventry? Jesus, they don't even own a football stadium any more and face the prospect of travelling to Hinckley United to play their games. Leeds? Nope... Sunderland? Nope... Newcastle? Maybe last year... but nope... Manchester City... top trump hmmm? But look how far they slipped first, and then what happened. They weren't brilliant when they first came back up, and have got where they are now with a bottomless pit of money the likes of which we can only dream of (again). Then there are the Fifa Fair Play rules that are intent on ensuring that a Man City never happens again to keep Europe's elite as far away from everyone else as possible. From what I see, owners of a football club can't really have any realistic intent to actually make money... it's not a means to grow money is it? West Brom - to be fair, they are doing really well. But, I am sure their bubble will burst and will become a yo-yo again. They don't have the money to keep that up and I argue vehemently that they don't have the fanbase to sustain it either. (BTW - their secretary goes to watch Nuneaton Borough when Baggies are not fixture clashing - I have no ITK about Dorrens sadly). West Ham - better this term up to now, but perenniel yo-yos. And so they will continue in the shadow of more promising Cockney Fayre. Relegation will set this club back at least a decade. The likes of Stoke and Swansea have been building for years in the lower leagues - **** me, I have even seen Nuneaton Borough knock both these sides out of the FA Cup before Round 3 within the last 19 years. This is by far the worst season ever to get relegated from the Premier League. If nothing else, to safeguard our reputation of one of the dwindling clubs never to have been relegated from the Premier League since it's inception. Right now, the club is dying on it's arse.

Which sources? Sky sources, or Villa sources? 'Sky sources say...' Always take that with a pinch of salt. Ask Harry Redknapp and Dave Whelan, they will tell you exactly what is going on with our club. Maybe it was 'flying saucers...' and not sources...

If we went down, I would be interested to understand if the tickets would be the same price, cheaper or more expensive... After all, more games to play. And Friday nights too :-(

I love your optimism and I love your avatar even more... That said, (and this is a question for the thread, and not aimed at you) since the Premier League was formed, who has ever benefitted from getting relegated from it? Who has ever come back stronger as a result of getting relegated? Oldham? Forest? Bradford? Swindon? Leicester? Derby? Blues? QPR? Ipswich? Southampton (not really)? Norwich (not really)? Portsmouth (no way)? Coventry? Jesus, they don't even own a football stadium any more and face the prospect of travelling to Hinckley United to play their games. Leeds? Nope... Sunderland? Nope... Newcastle? Maybe last year... but nope... Manchester City... top trump hmmm? But look how far they slipped first, and then what happened. They weren't brilliant when they first came back up, and have got where they are now with a bottomless pit of money the likes of which we can only dream of (again). Then there are the Fifa Fair Play rules that are intent on ensuring that a Man City never happens again to keep Europe's elite as far away from everyone else as possible. From what I see, owners of a football club can't really have any realistic intent to actually make money... it's not a means to grow money is it? West Brom - to be fair, they are doing really well. But, I am sure their bubble will burst and will become a yo-yo again. They don't have the money to keep that up and I argue vehemently that they don't have the fanbase to sustain it either. (BTW - their secretary goes to watch Nuneaton Borough when Baggies are not fixture clashing - I have no ITK about Dorrens sadly). West Ham - better this term up to now, but perenniel yo-yos. And so they will continue in the shadow of more promising Cockney Fayre. Relegation will set this club back at least a decade. The likes of Stoke and Swansea have been building for years in the lower leagues - **** me, I have even seen Nuneaton Borough knock both these sides out of the FA Cup before Round 3 within the last 19 years. This is by far the worst season ever to get relegated from the Premier League. If nothing else, to safeguard our reputation of one of the dwindling clubs never to have been relegated from the Premier League since it's inception. Right now, the club is dying on it's arse.

Thanks for taking the time to do that Folski... Not looking good is it Randy?

LOL - to be fair, you did have more than 10 minutes... ;-)

Okay, i will buck the trend... "Nobody gets relegated in February." Freefalling Wolves committed suicide last season by sacking McCarthy at the wrong time and bringing in... Terry Connor - a lamb to the slaughter. They never recovered. Since conceding that late goal at Anfield, the club has set out on it's most humiliating run of results in history... game after game has passed with not even 'men against boys.' I've seen the stats in the other threads (and don't forget, we could have been battered by Liverpool and Swansea and Norwich). We ain't good enough for a plethora of reasons. I appreciate that we have to remain positive and all that jazz, but with an admittedly half-empty glass (Villa totally spoiled my Christmas and I am pretty suicidal with how January is panning out), we have ONLY 16 games left - and look who they are against and where we have to play. There are lots of points to play for - but be realistic about where those points are going to be scored. And of course, add in the 'shit refs' syndrome that dogs clubs at the bottom of the league. Halsey - you really should be ashamed, and as for Adkins and Rikki (the new word removed) Lambert claiming it was a penalty all day long for the simple reason that our player had the temerity to move his leg out of the way before committing a foul (how the **** does that make it anywhere near a pen?) - sorry, having 'only just' dipped into the relegation zone (again), we are up against it. Fact. Misery I know... I just can't see where the points are going to come from - particularly if the manager is not robustly backed in this transfer window. I suspect the club will be calling the return of Vlaar from injury as 'almost like a new signing' to appease everyone on here. Maybe too, the fact that Dunne is starting to train again. We are the worst team in this division - for these two stats alone; we have conceded the most goals, and we have scored the least. I would hazard a guess that one of the teams that gets relegated from the division each season has those two combined stats to their 'credit' come season's end. There's a challenge for the stattos amongst you. Seeing our recent performances - I question how far down the leagues the owners are prepared to see us fall. Still, with my half-empty glass - I am not sure how much impact a new signing (dare I even hope for 2, 3 or 4?) will have in the 16 games that remain... We had an opportunity to beat woeful travellers Wigan, but got rolled over ourselves. We had a chance to 'must win' against Southampton and got fingered by a variety of things. And lost. So, where are our next points coming from folks? Be honest... <tin hat on>

Like I have said - if the club really are in such dire straights as you portend, then we really are being trimmed for a lower league... Will it stop at the Championship? I currently argue we would struggle to stay in that league as well right now. Look, I am right behind Paul Lambert as are most on here, even deep down in their souls after Tuesday night's/Wednesday morning's knee-jerk angst fest. However, if the players aren't good enough, which they aren't, surely there is one point of responsibility that Lambert has to take to generate some spunk or fight in the team he puts on the pitch... Here I quote Chelsea away, Tottenham at home and Wigan at home. One of the things I said about McLeish was that I don't really mind losing (the odd game) so long as you feel as though the team are fighting and trying. He set us up so regularly to 'not lose' that it came over as simply not trying (Man U, Liverpool, Swansea etc etc last season). I saw little in those three games over Christmas 2012 to suggest the team have the actual fight in them. Who can instil that passion if not the manager? The fans? Bradford away sounded immense from the fans from the TV coverage btw. Paul has to take some responsibility here. As I said, I am still behind him, but raising my eyebrows at him. But, as for the financial restrictions - maybe we accept here and now then, from what you say, that relegation is inevitable. If not this season, quickly thereafter... Aston Villa - scutters of the Premier League.

Off topic in response, sorry - but Baggies have something going on at my daughter's school - all the way out here in Rugby. Baggies FFS... And her school is from 5 to 8 range. She does football lessons on a Saturday morning, with her Villa top on... You go girl. I know that Andy Marshall (our forgotten stand-in) has been doing some football coaching for the ladies of Rugby Town though... As for ANY ethnic culture - would be great to see more people of all cultures down Villa Park. If nothing else to hear alternative swear words in different languages... (joking obviously). From our game on Tuesday night, I did notice with an ironic chortle the young asian lady barracking Bannan each time he took a corner on the near side... From something so horrific as that performance and result, that was something that made me smile. And yes, all of them in that picture should be retrospectively banned for standing (lol) ;-)

Briny - yeah, the other threads are really busy!! Quite a horror show stat that one made about the 'cost' of the Bradford team that put us to the sword in that game. Further embarrassment for at least the next 40 years is, they will be playing those goals during every 'David and Goliath' league cup/FA Cup match-up at any sniff of an upset... Just like the old 'Ronny Radford clip' and the 'Sutton United clip' and the 'Wrexham clip' and the 'Wimbledon clip...' Oh well, not the first club to get fingered in a 'cup shock' and we won't be the last... Oh, Swansea already done it lol... Anyway - Relegation. A thread elsewhere had CI saying that Southampton this Saturday is a 'must win' or at least a 'mustn't lose.' I go further and suggest it is definitely a 'must win' game given very recent premier league history for our team. Interested to know if anyone else thinks that a single point would be 'good enough' on Saturday? True, a single point represents a little bit more 'rot stopping' - but a point against fellow strugglers, where we have already lost heavily at home to another fellow struggler lately, may not be enough... Discuss -

In terms of Coutinho being 'interested' in coming here, perhaps he's only got as far as May 1982 in our Club History Encyclopedia. He is destined for far bigger things than wasting his time with us... He'll be first wanting to be out of the door if we get relegated - IMO. I would be amazed if Coutinho signed for us... I'd probably love it, but can't see him coming here. I smell agent games unforch. -- In other news, I fully agree with the sentiments of previous posters about the lack of 'done deals' prior to this Southampton fixture. CI - I don't even think 'mustn't lose' is good enough a description at this time. We've lost to Wigan (in spades) lately, at home... and already lost away to Saints (in spades). We simply HAVE to beat Southampton. If we can't beat them - (and no disrespect to them...) who in this league are we realistically looking to beat at Villa Park between now and May to safeguard our future? Look, I know it takes time to do transfer deals and life is very complicated. Normally I am a reasonable guy and maybe really cranky as a result of the ongoing footballing depression around the club I love. I could go on about hindsight following the period between the Chelsea and Wigan game, but I ain't in the mood for tin hat tit-for-tat. 9 days in, and counting...

Bump (sorry) - but this thread is still relevant and I can't believe nobody has posted in it since 5th January... Maybe it should be made sticky while we are in this current predicament?

lol - something to actually make me smile today. Thanks dude

It's been a spectacularly humiliating month hasn't it... I really want to believe that Paul is the man for us and that this long term transitional period will all come good in the end. With each passing performance lately, I am finding it harder and harder to believe. Worst thing about it - by and large, it's been on TV in front of the world... Live and Exclusive... Optimisim is at a record low for me... instead I am fearful. I feel embarrassed... I feel deflated... depressed even. I have a nagging feeling that Saturday's game with Southampton could be the straw to break the camel's back... I sense things will 'get ugly' should we go a goal behind. Maybe seats will flap?? I bet Millwall are rubbing their hands... -- In 30 yeards time, if I am still alive... when Citeh fans sing - 'where were you when you were shit?' I can honestly say, 'I was right here in it...' Life is a pigsty...

Quite possibly the most humiliating month to have been a Villa supporter. I just can't believe how miserable it is starting to make me feel. If you can't feel a little confident going into a 2-leg tie against a team 3 divisions below you, then you have no business being in that tournament. And no business being in the Premier League. We are being trimmed for the Championship - and maybe lower. Right now, I feel pretty suicidal to be fair. Imagine that - something I love, making me feel like that. Embarrassed, angry, violent and suicidal. An imitation of dignity... From despair, to where?

Controversially, if we are still hard up, and so in debt following the cuts we have seen over the last couple of seasons, then I would argue mildly that we are being trimmed for relegation and sit in a hidden 5th category of teams needing to cut their losses, willing to drop down a level (or 2?) and build again. A lot of me clings to the fact that with the bigger TV money in the Premier League next season, Lerner would not be daft enough to risk missing that gravy boat. With that in mind, I believe we are currently 4 (desperately 4) and maybe longer term looking for 2. As an aside, I'm sorry, I do not want to sit and watch Villa get stuffed week after week on the box... Give us the money, but leave us off the tele please. If we are 3... and that's all we aspire to be, we might as well pack up now and just watch our historical greatness on Youtube. What is the point of just making up the numbers given the prices we pay? All you are doing then is simply going to the games as a habit... going through the motions and actually just watching the opposion. 'Come to see United... etc.' You might cheer for Villa (as I always will), but who are you actually watching? As I see more and more, there is more to life than just making up the numbers. Football has to compete with so many other things these days... The days of football being everything you had to look forward to on a Saturday (Sunday... Monday... Tuesday... Wednesday... Thursday even... and please God... not Friday) are long gone - for me anyway. I for one, do not love football that much anymore just to settle for making up the numbers. Polluted by consumerism I may now be... Guilty as charged. That is my right. Matchdays are an ordeal - not just because of results... but all the other hassles... Simply, as has been intimated in other threads, if we are stuck with 3, roll over Lerner and let somebody else have a go. Rinse and repeat. Whatever anyone says, this IS a competitive football club. It has to be. It has a proud history, and should have a bright future... 3 and 4, are not part of that plan. Never should be for this lovely club, with gorgeous colours... If you are in the blind loyalty camp and will continue to pump in your money for a season ticket year after year even though we know we can't compete - then fair play, I respect you.

Hi there Ponky... I really am hoping you are jesting with the Joey Barton thing... I have to say that if Joey Barton ever set foot in this football club as a player, coach or cling-on, then I would return my season ticket. No place in football for him. He's had more chances than a game of Monopoly ™ and I give people more than their fair share of 'benefit of the doubt.' He's a Mark 1 Shit Bag. Ain't no way he should ever be allowed anywhere near this football club. :-) -- Edit - yes, I fell head first into that one... But my remarks still stand - he's a bastard that one.

I kind of agree to a point, but aiming for 'mid-table' as the end game season upon season is a tricky proposition in itself... I mean, sooner or later the club will slide towards the trap door... I think back to clubs like Coventry, Charlton, West Ham, Luton (remember them?), QPR even... I know, some of those clubs do not have the history or calibre of AVFC, but I think the premise is there. On balance, shooting for the moon can cost you dear e.g. Leeds... Nobody wants that here... If there was a time for a press release or Club statement about the long term aspirations for our club, this might be a good an opportunity as any. Not some cheesy 'McLeishagram' - more of an honest account of which way the club is looking to go. At least as supporters and paying customers in this material world, we can be more informed about our great club. Things are rough at the minute - where do the big bosses see us heading? Are we really in the shit or not? Etc.

And humiliatingly shit on TV too...

Yeah - this 'it should have been all over after 20 minutes' is starting to sound a bit familiar. Our win at Anfield started like that... and we shot ourselves in the foot at the Bridge after Chelsea had the pepper-pot out straight away. Maybe it's just luck? Certainly can't rely of other teams faltering early doors - we need to be shutting them out and frustrating them better. On the face of it, a good point yesterday - but oh so 'teasing' to lose that goal in injury time. At least the rot got stopped. Up the Villa.

Money Grabbing, gold digging bint... Who does she think she is? Heather Mills? Can't she see the damage she is doing? FFS. How can she live with herself with all us Villa Fans being made miserable because of HER individual, selfish GREED? Grrrrrrrrr...