LancsVillan

Simply brilliant live supporting Robbie. The punster will agree with me on that too.

tis what proxies are for

My entry on the VT playlist did get listened to then! And of course, the song I put on immediately after is the tune they lifted the sample from. :nod: Me too now.... shall I add something. Will you guess...? AND listen to it to post here

Thanks to Dave Gorman and I'm not sure if I hate it or like it.

Use teh zoom lens I gave you, it has a macro feature not 1:1 but 1:2 I think Oh yes must remember to find a manual :-)

how do you get such close ups... or should that be how do I get them on the D70 ;-P

Err you posted in the thread where updates are going HERE. However, from now on I'll post them in this thread too.

By Gary Baldy "I could have gone to see a film instead. You might have changed your mind and seen your friends. Life could have been very different but then, something changed." This time last month I was adamant that I wouldn’t be renewing my season ticket. I’ve had times before when I wasn’t sure about renewing but this time it was definite. I’ve had the ticket for a fairly long time now – eleven years – which obviously will be wiped out of the sky by the length that some of you reading have had yours – but this was the first time that I had decided enough was enough. The lack of action during January when we were in a position of strength was incredibly frustrating – it seemed to mirror the situation when previous chairman and managers have done exactly the same thing – yet this time we’d convinced ourselves that it wouldn’t happen. Still, it’s happened before and dare I say it – it’ll happen again. The final straw for me was then, after failing to strengthen the squad – O’Neill then threw away the participation in the UEFA Cup because the squad was apparently too small. A nice little meal given towards those who flew out to Moscow may have placated a number of dissenting voices, but of those unhappy that they’d bought tickets way back when the season began for the frigging Intertoto Cup, who had been encouraged to buy the tickets to cheer on the team into the UEFA Cup, and then subsequently gone on the go to the game against the Icelandic team with the un-typeable name and bought the combo-tickets for the group games, along with the ‘special edition’ programmes that we all must rush out and buy – sorry, I got lost in the moment – for those of us that did this – not a word. Well, there were a few words. After the game O’Neill told us that “Circumstances forced me into making my decision, and whilst I am disappointed we were beaten, I will have to see what the rest of the season brings to see if that disappointment is worsened.” Indeed. No mention of that since though. As each week went past and each loss meant another week without three points no longer was it “we can still make fourth” or “fifth is an improvement” in the post-match interviews. Instead, it became “We’re entertaining to watch, Villa fans appreciate that.” Perhaps I’m just on my own. I much preferred viewing the Hull and Newcastle games than for example, the Everton and Middlesbrough games – because we actually won those. It was that attitude that really got to me. If he’d have held his hands up and admitted that yes, he’d got the transfer window wrong – and yes – his decision to throw away the UEFA Cup could have been seen as a bit of a mistake despite any reasoning that might have made sense to do so (of which there obviously is some), then it’d have been easier to swallow. After a long season, I’d become as tired as how the players had apparently become. After spending nearly £50million in the summer – an increase of a couple of points and no position difference – and with the defence looking shakier than when the majority of that money had been spent on it. Yet a week ago, something changed. I wouldn’t say it became the polar opposite, and may be it was just because it was coming close to the end of 11 years worth of something that on the whole was fun. What would I actually do on the weekends anyway? I’d only end up watching it on TV or listening to it. Perhaps I could get the garden looking nice. But I hate gardening and have hayfever – so why do I want to do that. I’m a pretty sad fellow really. Sod it, I’ll renew. So on Saturday, I did exactly that. And it seemed to reignite a bit of excitement. I began looking at the Newsnow feeds a bit more – looking to see who we might be signing without treating it with the usual sarcastic – “Well that isn’t true – he’s not English and anything other than average…..” And it took two days for that enthusiasm to leave. Surely that’s got to be some kind of record? Barry’s departure did not come as a shock to me – as I’m sure it didn’t to anyone here. I bought that ticket in full knowledge that with Laursen retiring and Barry leaving we’d be losing our best two players – and those who I have read complaining of the sale and talking about returning their ticket clearly forgot all about last summer. I’m glad Barry has gone. Last summer was not only embarrassing for all parties involved, but an unwanted distraction and one which left a dark cloud over the club throughout the whole of the transfer window. The way he went to the newspapers and said the things that he did showed a complete lack of respect towards the club (which is bigger than any one player, including Barry) and it’s supporters. Amongst the bile that was spat out in the Sunday tabloids was: "My mind's made up, I want to join Liverpool. “There's no going back, it's time for me to move on. I'm desperate to play Champions League football and that's why I have to leave Villa. He didn’t show much respect towards the Villa fans last year in his attempt to get away from Villa Park. He didn’t show much respect those 440 appearances in a Villa shirt when he decided to come out to the newspapers with that garbage – so that’s why I think those who are coming out trying to take the ‘higher morale ground’ stance against other Villa fans who are disappointed with Gareth’s decision to move should possibly be a bit more understanding of others – if Gareth himself didn’t gave up treating the club and it’s fans respect, then it’s hard to reciprocate that respect. Barry’s decision disappointed me. As I said – I wanted him gone. With him in the middle I felt Villa suffered from having two midfielders in the same mould in the center – which was part of our downfall last season. It gives us a chance to reshape if O’Neill decides to buy (though I fear he’ll settle for ‘simple’ Sidwell given how he’s shown how slow he is to react after selling players before). Gareth’s performances on the pitch were also suffering. He had a below average season for his standards last season – whether it was a mental thing, a lack of skill or just a deterioration in relationship with the management – he wasn’t providing enough on the pitch. He managed one goal from open play all year and missed many more opportunities which the old Barry would have scored from. It was just time to say goodbye. To a rival of this club for the top positions – with no Europe whatsoever next year despite being ‘desperate to play Champions League football? That’s low, Gareth – and no amount of silly little letters sent to local newspapers (rather than something a little more fan conscious – such as the official website or fansites such as this one) will work in trying to placate the fans that you’ve left – even the way that the letter was done has made it seem like one propaganda event trying to maintain the ‘clean cut’ image rather than actually meaning a word of what is written. Just with O’Neill, if Gareth had come out and admitted that he’d become stale at Villa, and whilst he wanted Champions League football, the ability to earn £100,000 was just as appealing then maybe there would have been a bit of a better reaction than what he has got so far. Because whatever is written in that letter, I won’t believe a word of it. Speaking of which – why haven’t we heard anything from our manager about this yet? I think O’Neill will be relieved that Barry has gone. Not only because it means the saga is finally over and gives us a chance to reshape the team, but it’s another ‘name’ gone from the team. This isn’t meant to be me trying batter the manager (not just because I hate batter), but he isn’t a manager who likes ‘names’. He’s spent a great deal of money of players who aren’t universally thought of as ‘great’ players (I’m not complaining, I don’t care who is playing as long as we win) and the one ‘household name’ who was probably bigger than himself has now been moved out. Now Aston Villa can truly be known as ‘Martin O’Neill’s Aston Villa’ and not ‘Martin O’Neill’s Aston Villa – doesn’t Gareth Barry play for them?’. And as long as it helps us grow and improve then that’s all that matters, really – and I think it will. It’s all over to O’Neill now to improve the team and squad for next season – and hopefully get better value for money than he managed last year.

Maradonna for me too, brought football to a new level and single HANDEDly won the Argies the Cup.

Hmm God is the obvious choice but as it is WC games I'll go with Baresi.

Can anyone work out what happens in the Tennis one :? ? Don't see what happened in that one. The cream egg one has got to be fake, and the bank robbery is pure genius lol The bank robbery is a fake too, if you look at one of the cop cars is is sitting stationary on the other side of the road before pulling across. Still no idea what happened in the tennis one though.

I don't think that's the first time you've posted that untruth. Both Little and Gregory managed it in the 90s, as well as doing better in the cups. And having to work with Ellis. In fact we were only outside the Top 6 once for fives seasons from 96-00 and that year was 7th!

by iancharlie At the end of 1991/92 Manchester United and Aston Villa had both won 7 league titles; we were both one league title short of Sunderland and two short of Everton. Whizz forward to May 2009, the end of the 2008/09 season and Manchester United have won 18 league titles. Villa, Sunderland and Everton all have no more to their name. How did United do this? Well, Alex Ferguson has done it. One man, one mind. O'Neill is building Villa on familiar turf to how fergie did at United. We must not lose patience. We must continue to believe in O'Neill's vision. At the end of 1991/92 Manchester United and Aston Villa had both won 7 league titles; we were both one league title short of Sunderland and two short of Everton. Whizz forward to May 2009, the end of the 2008/09 season and Manchester United have won 18 league titles. Villa, Sunderland and Everton all have no more to their name. How did United do this? Well, Alex Ferguson has done it. One man, one mind. Supported by the boardroom and his backroom staff, having a raft of bright young things coming through the ranks (Giggs, Beckham, the Nevilles, Scholes, O’Shea, Fletcher etc…) and making both shrewd (Schmeichael, Irwin, Keane, Kanchelskis, Solksjear, Ronny Johnsen, Cantona, Vidic, Van der Sar Tevez, ) and high profile (Yorke, Cole, Stam, Ferdinand, Berbatov, Ronaldo, Rooney, Carrick) signings, he has made them succeed. He has shown that a disciplined single vision can win through. O’Neill and Lerner also realise this and O’Neill has that vision. Ferguson has made United the best team in England, in Europe and in the World following a long period of limited success (obviously BFR two FA Cups should be complimented) and living in the shadows of teams like Liverpool, Everton, Arsenal, Tottenham and even for a while Villa and Ipswich. Now, there was a time when Fergie was close to being shown the door, when it looked liked United would never win the league, when Villa were so close to stopping them (that still gripes with me – we were the most entertaining, exciting and enthralling team that year) but since 92./93 Fergie has never looked back. He has rebuilt, rebuilt and rebuilt. sometimes he has made mistakes and has remedied these quietly and effectively (Veron, Barthez, Taibi spring to mind) and he has shown great faith in those young players coming through the ranks by showing them that they are good enough as no one is safe from Fergie’s criticism like they may have been under other managers (who would have got rid of beckham, Van Nistelrooy and Stam who would have stuck by Cantona, Keane when they were at their lowest ebb?) Now why am I writing so gloriously about Manchester United? What does their success and their manager have in common with Aston Villa. Well, I think quite a lot. There are many similarities emerging. When Fergie began building United he had periods of struggle and periods of brilliance and periods where they looked like they were going to emerge and just fizzled out. Now Villa’s last two seasons have shown promise; we are disappointed this year because it could have been so much better but we are still 6th and have improved in many areas. Villa are building like United did. Young and Milner and Carew. They are our Hughes, Kanchelskis and Giggs. We have young players coming through the ranks who are succeeding much more than previous youngsters (e.g. The Moores, Cooke, Byfield, Carrruthers). We have Agbonlahor, an England international who scares teams, we have Delfounseo, Bannan, Clark, The Gardners, all there or thereabouts. Most importantly though we have a manager, who like Ferguson is stubborn, bloody minded and wants success. We must trust in him, even now, when we are criticising – we are light years ahead of where we were when D’OL and Taylor and even Gregory were here. We know we can compete, our players are trying to believe it and so are we. Like Fergie, O’Neill has signed well and made some mistakes ut we are getting there. There have been many false dawns, many broken promises but O’Neill has got what it takes to launch us and put us amongst the Uniteds, Liverpools and Arsenals. Losing Laursen is not easy to take. He was our Vidic. However, Cuellar is bedding in. The defence needs strengthening but is getting better. The attack is exciting; the midfield is slightly under strength to properly challenge but some jiggery-pokery this summer should help (whether Barry stays or goes should not be the key – the emergence of Milner as a central midfielder will be more important) I believe we can build on tis and I still believe the season has been a massive improvement as we have gone further in the FA Cup and also had a half hearted go in Europe and got some distance. Rome was not built in a day; United’s success wasn’t either and is constantly being maintained. O’Neill and Villa are still lurking in the birth canal waiting to be fully formed, but like United waited, it will be worth it. A better analogy of Villa and their re-formation is probably by the constant development of Petrov. He came from Celtic, gave us debut excitement, drifted, disappointed, enraged and then reformed, rebuilt, found a better role and is now our player of the year – the midfield is different without him but he is still not there yet and as the midfield improves he will improve to – he can be our secret driving force. Under a different manager he may have been sold or just fallen into ruin. So, lets thank the players for this season, and look to the future, a future bright with anticipation, hope and excitement. Up the Villa Also thank you General for continuing to answer everyone’s queries and deal with issues whether they be big or small!

I was a defender ;-)

Found this today whilst sorting out my home office, the wonders of a mobile with a camera saved me borrowing a scanner too. Aged 16 at Batchley Social Club, Redditch. They could have told me it was going to be such a one-off I might have smiled!

pretty conclusive voting.

Eminem - We Made You (from Johnathan Ross last night)

HMHB - Dickie Davies Eyes

OBE hopes he won't get a ticket

ooh is this the Gingerlad thread....

No, indeed I would not go and watch a Villa team with him in it. My dislike of him is that strong.

I know it's bad news but can we refrain from cluttering up the General's thread with our wishes to Martin and use this thread instead The General will see that one too I'm sure. Cheers

channelbee's view

Look. We are trying to have a serious conversation about how many bears it would take to kill a T Rex here. we don't need to hear this crazy talk about the bears running off scared or rhinos being more suited for a fight to the death against dinosaurs thank you very much. I went for 7 too, so long as they worked together though. That said Pompey has a point I reckon Tigers would kick a T-rex's ass as they DO work together, but it would take about a dozen of them.

It's not even that aspect that I'm on about. He's no longer on the edge of the box ready for a stray ball or a broken up play ready to smack it back down the keeper's throat. He's not even pushing forward without the ball anymore. Which really affects our goal threat. That's where the confusion lies in his role too. Agreed and I do think our 'style' of counter attacking has taken it's toll on both GB and Stan as both can no longer last 90mins chasing the ball from end to end... Saturday both of them seemed knackered at 60mins and the week before it was the same.