gaffmaster

I CAN'T BELIEVE WE'VE BEEN SOLD! Sorry... it's only just sinking in.

All these great mock ups are going to leave us disappointed when the new strip is unveiled! Great work everyone. Just a side note.. I reckon the shade of claret for the new shirt will be darker than what macron had (thankfully). Like the background of the shots of the new badge:

If I was buying a football club, and it's been a while since I did, I'd definitely wait until said club are relegated, the season is over and all the nasty cost-saving firings have already happened. Why come in and be public enemy number one? I don't expect to hear anything for another couple of weeks.

This. By now, Randy has completely stopped investing in the club and it looks like he won't invest further. So an owner with a similar zero investment policy but a bucket of enthusiasm would be miles better.

King and Bernstein were employed to create a new directorial/management structure at the club. I can't imagine anyone with their experience would accept that role without good knowledge of the budgets available for same. When I first heard of their resignation, my gut reaction was - New owners are coming. Then I thought about it... why would you willingly leave a post you're likely to get paid to leave in a matter of weeks. So what could it be? Like it has been mooted here, the only reason for their jobs becoming "untenable" that I can see, is the lack of power to implement their plans. What could that mean, potentially? 1. Randy lied about budgets available to them for the restructuring of the club (there's no logical reason why he would do this) 2. Randy won't let them sack Riley and implement their own scouting staff (possibly) 3. Randy won't let them sack Krulak (very possibly; they're bessie m8s 4lyf) 4. Randy won't let them sack Gabby (the timing of the Gabby story breaking suggests there could be something in this) 5. A new manager has been chosen who wants total control over an element of running the club (e.g. transfers), King and Bernie won't play ball. 6. New Owners are coming and will employ their own Board (very unlikely... unless they've offered to re-employ King and Bernie under better contracts, and are using their resignation to put pressure on Lerner to sell). And that's my £0.02

It is strange that Riley stays on, when Almstadt and Fox are out the door. Especially when the main problems this season stem from last summer's recruitment process. So there might be something in this Riley theory.

I'm not expecting many incoming signings until well into the transfer window. A lot of championship quality players will be waiting to see if they can get a big money move to a cash rich bench in the premiere league. There will probably be be an even bigger influx of players from abroad than normal too. I'm also not too worried about the gulf between the two leagues. And I believe whoever goes down NEXT season, will be worse hit. Lots of players on big contracts, or want aways. I just hope we recruit clever this summer. Personalities are needed utmost.

East London Ham stopped selling their best players a couple of years ago. A simple solution that could have kept us where they are.

New textured lion is an improvement alright. I've no problem with "AVFC" as the text. Usually when you see the crest on TV or wherever it's accompanied by the title "Aston Villa". AVFC reads better within the shield and from distance too. Those pictures are most likely showing the crest on the new shirt... which is a nice shade of claret and doesn't seem to have any patterning in the fabric. Both positives in my opinion Now I just wish they'd gotten rid of that bloody star.

The thing I don't like about the current badge is the star. I know we won the European Cup in '82, but by putting the star inside our crest, it feels to me like an admission that we'll never see it proudly sailing above.

Stop selling our best players and not replacing them every summer.

Well done to those who organised this and the ones who left on '74. I understand how some fans might not want to leave the ground, and how this can create tension in the crowd. But I think it's good to start a dialogue between fans. Now that #outthedooron74 has a profile, perhaps after this phase of protests, the next one could involve a protest method that does not involve leaving the ground. This would be more inclusive and get bigger numbers on board. Ideas such as the following might work: - A minutes silence on '74 - White flags on '74 - Sit ins - A candle lit vigil outside the ground before/after the game. On my second ever visit to Villa Park in 2005 (I'm a fan from Ireland), I was handed a "red card" by Villa Fans Combined on the way into the Holte End. The red card was to be shown to Doug Ellis before kick off. We went on to beat Middlesbrough 2-0 that day. Amazing to think how bad things seemed back then, and compare it to the misery today. I believe that protest sent a message to Ellis, and while it was just a drop in the ocean of circumstances, I believe it helped him out the door. While this protest wont change the world over night, it will have a slight impact on the owner. Onwards and Upwards. UTV.

A candle lit vigil might be a very effective protest. Night game. Thousands of fans. Spend the whole game outside the ground. Candles in hand. Mourning the slow slow death of our club. Could have wreaths with the crest in it etc. Comfort each other. Sing mournful songs. It would get plenty of press. And it's totally peaceful. Imagine the eerie impact it would make, if those fans outside the ground made more noise than those inside the ground throughout the game.

He's Captain material.

It finally happened!

I think I'm totally disenfanchised with the modern game. It's kind of rotten to the core. Business has killed sport. FFP and the Champions League can FF-Off. I haven't watched a single full game that wasn't Villa all season. I just don't care enough. The system that has been designed so that the neutral gets to watch the best players in the best competitions is killing it for real fans of real clubs. Yes, we have been run down the toilet, but the system itself is toxic.

The only thing I don't like about the current badge is the star. When we put that star in our crest it felt like the club admitting that we'd never be champions of europe again. "Look what we did once". At the time we were knocking on the door of the champions league, and I'd hoped we would have one proudly floating above the crest when we played in that competition. I like "AVFC", it looks clean to me. I understand the concerns of having a yellow lion on a blue background.

I'm really disappointed. As an Irish Villain it's bad news for both of the teams I support. I can't see him getting into that England team until he's at a "bigger" club. I wish I didn't care about football.

I don't care who makes the shirt. I like it to have a nice material, fit well, and not be over designed. So far macron haven't made a kit I can buy.

Did Sherwood hint at playing a back five this season? Current (pie in the sky) possible back 5: Amavi Hutton Crespo - Clark - Richards Do Crespo and Richards seem like hybrid FB-CB players to anyone else? This could work or fail spectacularly. A more defensive speculative back five: Amavi/Crespo Hutton Okore - Clark - Lescott

That's cool. Proves how awful our current sponsor looks.

I just hope I don't find myself continuously shouting "AAAAYEW EFFING IDIOT!!!"

I reckon Sinclair could establish himself as our best player in the coming season. If he's on penalties, even moreso. I think we'll win more penalties next season too - Grealish knows how to fall.

Villa doesn't seem like a club for twits. Adebeyor is a twit in my opinion. I don't like supporting twits.

Very hilarious. Liverpool isn't a very good move for him, really. Wouldn't begrudge him a move to Man Utd or a club in the Champions League. Liverpool don't have a lot going on right now. Unsteady ship that has as much chance of getting Champions League football next season as we do Europa League.