Mark Albrighton

A quick search suggests that the players who already are or who will be in their thirties next season are - Elmo 31 (32 in September) Thor 31 (32 in May) Chester 30 (31 in January) Taylor 30 (31 in February) Kodjia 29 (30 in October) Kalinic 29 (30 in April)

Although I prefer Spurs, I was feeling indifferent to this game but coming into this thread has slightly swung it back to Spurs for me (or at the very least, further away from Liverpool).

Really lovely video for the departing players, some good memories there. Great work by the club.

What? “Only” Liverpool are likely to beat Barca at Anfield? The likelihood of Man Utd beating Barca at Anfield isn’t too great? Insightful stuff.

Not forgetting loveable boy next door and former resident of HMP Slade prison, Lennie Godber.

And his son Domhnall of course. Ian Lavender has apparently spent a fair amount of time telling people that the claret & blue scarf he wore on Dad’s Army doesn’t mean he supports West Ham (and presumably neither does Pike). There’s also Pauline McLynn, AKA Mrs Doyle from Father Ted.

Admittedly I’ve not been to Bournemouth, but it can’t be that bad.

I honestly think the new owners sat down with the football league and it was agreed that because the league’s less than comprehensive conducting of the fit and proper test of the previous owner ultimately resulted in the league founders nearly going out of business in less than two years, that a little bit of leeway was granted for the new guys. The club couldn’t go crazy, but they were given a bit more freedom because of the recklessness that had been allowed to happen. I’m sure people will disagree with that, but it would explain it. Other clubs would no doubt be pissed off, but I get the sense that the rules around FFP are in a kind of state of flux. The authorities are trying to get their heads around the issues of it still.

Yep this is a good way of looking at it. Gardner would have either gone back on loan - probably with us paying a percentage of his wages and then left for nothing or stayed here, not been given a squad number and still picked up around £40 grand a week (assuming his wages have gone up with promotion) and then left for nothing. Essentially bringing in a player Dean knows well and can get a tune out of, for someone who has no future here. Decent bit of business.

Yep, didn’t have the start he wanted under us but being sent out on loan when the defence was in the state it was is in was farcical. Tommy has had the right attitude from the start, stepped in a number of times and did a job for us when we were struggling for cover, the time when Terry was out and obviously being recalled this January. A likeable bloke and a model professional. All the best for the future.

Cult hero. Scored one of the most iconic second city derby goals ever. For that alone I’d buy him a pint. All the best for the future Alan.

It did get pretty bad in here. Real sense of deja vu of the first big drop off in form/results under Bruce, at more or less the same point in their Villa careers which at time didn’t make me feel any better. On Monday my fellow Villa mate was taking great joy in reading out some of my more.....reactionary WhatsApp messages during that bad spell. They weren’t really that bad, no “Smith Out” messages, more raising concerns I had. But it was certainly more frustrated in tone than anything I had posted on here during that run. I didn’t want him gone but like a few on here I wanted to see something in the final third of the season to reassure me that he was the right man for the job for the following season. Just FYI in case you were wondering, all things considered, the last third of the season has provided those reassurances I was after

Bows out as a winner at Wembley, wish all our players could end their time at the club in a similar way. Although it wasn’t a personal best season for him, for me his goal away at Wednesday during that winning run was one of the defining moments that made me start to believe this season could be the one we achieve promotion. Thank you and all the best for the future Albert.

Sorry should also add that no I don’t have questions for the meeting that haven’t already been asked by other posters

I think because it’s the same tune is why some may call it a rip off. It’s the original adaptation of a song that I think supporters take pride in. If another club’s supporters started singing a song based on “kumbaya” or “ghost riders in the sky” but with different words, I’m sure there would be a few Villans complaining they nicked it. In this case, Liverpool appear to have nicked off another club so they can’t have any complaints. We’ve certainly been very vocal with our version.

If you think you’ve finally had enough Mike, just tell Jack that it’s been fun but you’ve gotta head home as Mrs M will be wondering where you are. I’m sure he won’t be offended.

Think that must be the most generous usage of a forward slash ever.

Yeah I can imagine that would be pretty irritating. It wasn’t obvious from watching it on telly where I was what was being played, although to be fair my powers of observation weren’t at their sharpest by that point.

While I’m fine with the use of “Don’t look back in anger” after a game, I’m not averse to just letting the crowd do the work. “Hi ho Aston Villa” always does well, so maybe that’s enough.

Yep, said before if this was an option then we should go for it. Happy that the club is against loans, but I’d make an exception in this case. I’d rather see us pay £35m-40m on a Tammy following a good loan spell (say 15 goals or so) than pay £25m and have doubts.

I meant before then to be honest, the start of my football memories more or less coincide with the start of Man Utd’s glory years. I suppose the early years of the premier league would have been much more comparable to the first division in the late 80’s than anything post 2000 (say).

Yep. It of course arrived following our first away win in over a year, played over the tannoy and the Villa supporters joining in. If people don’t like it, fair enough. But the song summed up where we were as a club, people know the words and crucially it happened naturally and spontaneously. The way football throws up these moments every now and then. If anyone wants to suggest a more suitable song that everyone knows the words to and doesn’t have the feel of being chosen by committee, then good luck.

Nah, while I’d happily never play them again, it is enjoyable seeing the new and exciting ways they’ll **** things up.

Probably one for the older supporters on here to confirm, but the past three seasons in this league has given me a sense as to what football was like before the premier league (my memories are practically non existent). More chaotic, bit more of a free for all in terms of who’s going to triumph, much more likely to see an unexpected result....would that be correct?