Jon

you know this for sure? maybe they should be ......

bitter? 8)

I shocked that i've not yet met "villain" (not sure what you rname is either?) even though she works about 50 yards from where i do. :shock: in fact, i may have done but i don't know what she looks like, so i would be none the wiser. hopefully meet up at a NW game soon!

I think you should card yourself Bri for such a poor showing

were you sleeping in a coffin? :winkold:

are you trying to show off?

you've been absent for a bit, Wendy (is it Wendy or am i totally confused?). where have you been hiding?

i'm still some way down on this, sadly of the "regulars", i think it's 6. Risso, Bicks, Al, Pete Bland and Ian(drat) and Ian Robbo. som mostly the north west "massive"

pity it didn't incapacitate Mclaren. He could've done us all a favour .....

whilst i appreciate the point, i think you need to try telling that to Darren Bent, as he doesn't seem to understand this .....

On the flip side of this "JPA needs to play with superb & in form players at their peak to bring the best out of him" argument, cannot one also venture the argument that surely a player of his talents should be expected to shine head and shoulders above his team mates if those team mates are, for want of a better word, rubbish? Because he doesn't, and rarely has. Even when we've had bad seasons, the players I can think that were standing out were Ollie and Barry. The argument that player X can/will only come good when played in a team full of superstars seems a rather weak one IMO.

maybe not Bri. Not sure Delaney can either then TBH. Played for England more times than Barry though :wink:

well yes, then the Stan reference is somewhat baffling, i'll agree. One coule also argue though that Dazz Vass was at his peak whilst he was with us & playing with JPA. He's certainly not attained the same level of performance since. TBH that was when both they and us were doing well, when JPA & Dazz we're firing well together up front.

Im not gonna go into a debate regarding the accuracy of this statement, even though its flawed. But the part in bold is brilliant His last years at Villa, which you are refering to, was **** disgraceful IMO. Jesus christ ive never seen a worse left back at Villa ever. Samuel looks world class compared. why must the poster be referring to his 2nd spell at Villa, Tarj? Maybe he was referring to his 1st spell, when he was indeed excellent for us and was in his prime. Great player in his prime, Stan Staunton.

well that's what i would've voted for too. except for some reason it wasn't an option. :? apparently we have to either treat him as some sort of god or think he's the devil incarnate. a halfway house would be nice ......

Maybe they understand it was more than one good season! yes, it was 2 out of nearly 6 i think, Al? The season during which JG left and GT took over - good season. DOL's 1st season - good season. The rest have been distinctly average - to the point where in those other seasons he hasn't always been seen as a regular starter in the 1st 11. a combination of injuries/poor form/managerial changes/different tactics/lack of pace have all done for him, IMO.

Thats ofc ignoring his injuries, tactics and his good seasons. Then yes, he would have been a flop how does "footballing contribution" ignore his good seasons? :? IMO, weighing the "good seasons" with the bad ones (due to injury, poor form or not being selected) then i don't think he's been particularly good Value for money. Better Tarj?

Berger?

roughly my POV too Richard .....

based purely on footballing contribution for the £9.5m invested, i had to say flop. he has not justified that price tag, even though i think he has a good degree of talent As a person, a great guy, and he's gone through a lot for the villa cause. Contribution on the pitch has not, overall IMO, been significant enough to label him a hero though.

If he'd not been out injured for most of the campaign, he may have been an option. But he was, so i can't think of a valid reason for anyone to vote moore over gabby or Gazza :?

Captain Marvel for me.

er No Cahill has played almost as much as Gabby - 21 apps he's also played more consistantly imo yes - a toss up between these 2 IMO. I voted for gazza though. For me, Gabby had a decent start to the season, and has shown signs of form the last 3 games or so. In the middle he was very average. Gazza for me has been consistently good, with the odd mishap and the odd superb game thrown in. So he'd take it for me.

Boomer by a country mile. offered very little last season due to injuries and settling in. Started very tentatively this season but is now looking a very decent left back. Ridger has not played enough for me to win this - he's only played a handful of games

I think the point that the initial poster is trying to make is that whilst you don't have to support the club closest to where you grew up as the crow flies, to support a club (in this case Man U) simply because they are a) famous with lots of media attention and pretty darn good and win trophies is maybe a little "fickle" for want of another word. My mate is a Liverpool fan (although almost never goes to the games). Currently lives in Macclesfield. Born & brought up in Wolverhampton. Aged 34. Liverpool were the best team in the 70s & 80s. I see a connection. it's why we as outsiders see many Man U fans as Gloryhunters from London. People support them becuase they're successfull. I don't rate these sorts of fans as highly as someone who follows stockport county for example.