LancsVillan

The last few weeks on VT I have found myself trying to work out what we as Villa fans see in ourselves and others. In order to do that I feel the need to look at some of the words and phrases we bandy around on a daily basis. First off was the debate around is Ian Taylor a legend or merely a very lucky fan, who happened to live the dream. Well the definition of 'legend' is to me one who did legendary things. Well I'm sorry IT played for Villa, played very well in a decent side but did not do legendary things and he would not get into a list of Villa greats to whom the status of 'legend' should be applied. Then we have 'Supporter', which is always a touchy subject. As members of this site (except for the few away fans we have) I believe everyone has the right to call themselves a supporter of Aston Villa. Everyone lives different lives and can show their onward commitment in many different ways. The one thing for sure though is that whilst you are on this site the Mods appreciate these differences, even if there are some who believe that being able to attend games gives them some rights over those who do not. Faith is another, moreover with the word blind in front of it. The problem is that people are juxtaposing faith with belief. To me I have a belief that the club are moving in the right direction and that they do have five year plan, not a quick fix. I believe that MO'N is the right man to stabilise the club, I have concerns as to whether he can help us to bridge the gap to CL, but I believe he will try his utmost to follow both the 5 year plan and that challenge. Finally and the reason I looked for some other words we use, I find the phrase 'Top Class' being very much used. To me a 'Top Class' signing is someone who is good enough to ply their trade in the top division, therefore and the very touchy subject on here, both NRC and MH keep with that to me. It seems that some believe 'Top Class' to mean those players who will get in the Champions League sides and those who are further down their own development plans than we are. Yes in England that means the Top 4 AND Spurs, well I'm sorry but if I am honest we are not in the position to be signing those players just yet. It will come of that I am sure. We are in a position I believe to try and sign those players - e.g.Defoe and SWP - around the edges of those teams and even targets of those clubs - Sneijder - but I'll not be too disappointed if we don't get them. Thanks if you've got this far .... I'm off to wonderful wet Devon and Cornwall on Thursday, see you there maybe! Al

It's a very good point if you of the opinion that Parker and Bellamy are better, I for one am not.

Ianrobo1 takes wrong turn on his latest adventure VTers set off for Toronto the hard way

Delaney is progressing well in pre season training Isle of Man Masons wave goodbye to Risso on his way to VT meet in Liverpool ...and Liverpool is waiting OF shows that obesity tax is not something new the perfect dress for a night out is here....... yes it is made of condoms

Partially right then as it is only deals signed after Jan 1, 2008. So Carlsberg can be carried by Liverpool until they sign with someone else. What happens if a deal is merely extended? Also I am pretty sure that the legislation is that the club have to offer to sell kits with no sponsor not that they cannot sell fully sponsored and branded in kids sizes. Hence my opinion as to why kids will want the ones as worn by their team / heroes.

It has been the choice of a few clubs to offer a shirt without sponsors Ian, presonally I think the little uns will want the replica of their heroes regardless of sponsor

hammer63 thanks for signing up and responding in a more mature way than your fellow 'appy 'ammer. 1 - so the impact on the whole squad of keeping a player who doesn't want to be there will be something to ignore. Sorry but as he so obviously wants to move, you will sell him. Just because you could afford to let him rot it doesn't mean you will, especially as regardless of his football knowledge, the biscuit baron is a businessman so he can see why he should sell. 2 - Nigel Medi-ocre! Nice one some VTers have referred to him as that too ;-) To me he is a younger, fitter version of Gav McCann and will perform that role well. 3 - What is wrong with someone thinking like that, surely it shows a self confidence that you want in one so young. 4 - we agree on that one. 5 - The world outside of the Boleyn Ground does seem to think that the Tevez affair is 'cheating' and you will always live with that tag from now on. For me I'm rather glad you stayed up as it sent Sheff U down. EDIT: Thanks to to Cockneylen. A good reply

by and a welcome return for PB West Ham want £12m for Nigel Reo-Coker according to reports. PB thinks that the Hammers should get a grip on reality and reflects on the transfer window generally. Martin O’Neill is back behind his desk this morning at the start of what is likely to be a rather hectic couple of weeks transfer-wise before Villa jet off to Canada and the USA in the middle of next month. Sitting in his In-tray, if reports are to be believed, will be notice that West Ham want no less than the incredible sum of £12m for England U-21 captain Nigel Reo-Coker. Now I make no claims to being a mathematical genius, and of course West Ham are perfectly entitled to ask whatever price they want for a player on their books, but seriously, West Ham are being rather unrealistic in this appraisal of young Nigel. Maybe the stress over their rather uncertain future is making them behave so oddly, who knows? Some things for them to consider: 1) Nigel wants to leave. Everyone knows that he wants to be saved from his “West ham nightmare” as the papers always put it. Buyers know he wants to leave, this depresses his price. 2) On the same day as West Ham are asking £12m for their, as yet, unproven starlet, Barcelona completed the signing of arguably the world’s finest goal scoring machine, the always magnificent Thierry Henry, for £16m. Is it just me that feels that if Henry’s price is a market barometer, then West Ham are asking for probably twice their player’s value? 3) West Ham have already signed a replacement for Reo-Coker in the shape of Parker from Newcastle. Now, presumably they feel that Parker is better than Reo-Coker, which is why they bought him. Parker cost £7m. Anyone see the flaw in the Hammers valuation there? Anyway, if they insist on asking £12m, as is their right, then fair enough, let them. Villa should steer well clear and leave West Ham with their unsettled player, paying his wages week after week, and month after month, and getting nothing in return. I’d wish them well with their hearing over the “Tevez Affair”, but you know, that would be hypocritical of me, as everyone and their dog knows that West Ham should be relegated. They won’t be of course, but they really, really should be. Its hard to find sympathy with a club that cheated their way out of trouble, and this Reo-Coker affair doesn’t endear them to anyone either. I’ve been steering clear of the forums recently. Its transfer window time, so I can imagine what its like though, and some comments from General Krulak confirm that distant impression. The poor man sounded rather rattled by, I’m guessing, all the hyper stressed forum posts that always surround this time of year. General, I know it’s your job to stay in touch with the troops, but I can only advise you really to ignore it. Every transfer window is exactly the same, and 99% of what is written is just people filling time while they’re bored at work. Everyone wants everything now; such is the way of the world. You just carry on with the plan that, to date, the board has executed so brilliantly. Your season ticket sales should tell you that the vast majority of fans are as happy as can be with things at the club at the moment. You’ll learn I guess that this time of year on the forums is rather, erm, excitable. Saying all that, it is mildly surprising that we haven’t made any successful moves to date. That’s “surprising” as opposed to “shocking”, “awful”, “scandalous”, “terrible”, “shameful” or any of the other adjectives which are presumably being banded around with gay abandon. Still, we are, after all, less than one third of the way through the window and I for one remain confident that come September 1st the Villa squad will be strong enough to make the huge forward leap that we are expecting next season. What is the reason for that confidence? It’s simple really. The people running this club today aren’t the clueless muppets that were running the club 12 months ago. Aston Villa in the summer of 2007 is a hyper-professional organisation with people throughout that know exactly what they want to achieve and how they want to achieve it and who have the resources to fulfil their vision. Such people generally make considered decisions; these aren’t the kind of guys to buy Titus Bramble just because he’s available to appease a few fans on a few message boards. To paraphrase the General, us fans can only trust these guys to do the right job, and let’s be honest, everything they have done to date has shown them worthy of that trust. Personally I can’t wait to take up my seat on August 11th; next season is going to be pretty exciting. PB

in Sheffield?

ok then some from hols Some git's house... Portinatx bay in case anyone is thinking of going Aston's cave picture and one from Scotland in March I know most don't like 'snapshots' but I've not looked at doing much else just yet

Mr Cadbury and Miss Rowntree met on a Double Decker, it was After Eight. She was from Quality Street, he was a Fisherman's Friend. On the way they stopped at a Yorkie Bar, he had a Rum and Butter, she had a Wine Gum. He asked her name, "Polo, I'm the one with the hole" she said."I'm the one with the nuts," he thought! Then he touched her Milky Way. They checked in to a hotel, and went straight to the bedroom. MrCadbury turned out the light for a bit of Black Magic. It wasn't long before he slipped his hand into her Snickers and felt her Cream Egg. He fondled her Flap Jacks then he showed her his Curly Wurly and Tic Tacs. Miss Rowntree wasn't keen to have any Jelly Babies, so she let him take a trip down Bourneville Boulevard via her Party Ring. He was quite pleased as he always fancied a bit of Fudge. It was a magic moment as she let out a scream of Turkish Delight. When he pulled out, his king size Mars Bar felt a bit Crunchie. She wanted more, but he needed a Time Out, however, he noticed her Pink Wafers looked very appetizing. He did a Twirl, had a Picnic in her Sherbet Dip and finished off by giving her a Gob Stopper! Unfortunately, Mr Cadbury then had to go home to his wife, Caramel. Sadly he was soon to discover he had VD. It turned out Miss Rowntree had been with Bertie Basset who apparently had Allsorts!!!

[offtopic] I have to admit to looking at this forum quickly and reading this as Sheff Utd to be chemically castrated[/offtopic]

Much has been said on this and many other Villa based websites about where all of the Villa fans are. Well it seems that they are indeed returning and in some number. In answer to a question raised by 'Trinity-Tom' in The General's Thread The General has replied "Season Ticket sales to date: 15,636 vs. 6673 at same time last year. 2525 are brand new folks who are getting tickets for 1st time." Now for me 1st time will surely include those who have been season ticket holders in previous seasons who let them lapse and never returned. Well it seems that they have seen everything that has happened, is happening and all want to be a part of it. 2500 out of 16000 is a good indication that season ticket sales will be well up on last season and may get to the record levels seen only the year before. The new board has been very open with it's plans and has backed those plans with the new Holte Hotel and Bodymoor Heath. It seems to me that we as fans are paying them back with our own support. Proud History, Bright Future .......

At this very moment Dignity - Deacon Blue

Henry or Camara even ;-)

Can we get it back on topic and post some more ludicrous suggestion and rumours please ;-)

by gmvillan an enjoyable read and I look forward to the extra info gmv. If you could include the lottery numbers so that I can pack in work I'll meet you for some tailgating ;-)

Good point BOF. I'm one of only 4 at the moment as you might have guessed by my opinions

Sorry Pelle but cheating is cheating, for me there are no levels of cheating and a handball in the area for a goal is as bad as a handball/ foul / push in the centre circle that leads to a goal. It is one of those things that happen to all teams in football and it is up to the referee and linesman to spot it.

Agree totally - I have the same feeling about the Maradona one too. It takes a good player to even think that way in the heat of a game. Well, call it whatever you like, but never fair play. Well, it's just not fair play to cheat. I agree but sport in general has loads of instances where someone has done similar, is it only 'cheating' when you don't get caught?

Ellis is taller though....

Agree totally - I have the same feeling about the Maradona one too. It takes a good player to even think that way in the heat of a game.

looking at that list Bolton need a new scrabble set

As you 'work' in Liverpool surely you need one on the boot too

For those who are looking forward to a smoke free atmoshpere, I hope none of you go to pubs as they will soon stink of BO, stale beer and less pleasant side effects of alcohol, belching and flatulence. Some clubs in Scotland have been looking at how to tackle this with fragrances being pumped out of fans.....