TheStagMan

Two different letters

I will agree that from the Instagram pics that he has posted, he does seem to be back in shape. However that does not undo all the damage he did over the last few seasons. As I have said elsewhere in this thread, he is not a good enough player to be forgiven, and it sounds like Xia and co have made that clear to him, yet he is still here. Of course my personal feelings are coming into this - he is and has been taking the piss out of my club, the one I have supported since I was old enough to walk. I would not care if he played for FREE this season. He has done the damage, his behaviour as club captain and "villa boy through and through" last season and before is unforgivable. There I said it! I do not want him at the club, apart from being a rocket polisher he is NOT GOOD ENOUGH and apart from a couple of seasons nearly 10 years ago has contributed very little to the Villa. There has always been a debate about his abilities, like no other player I have seen at the Villa (possibly excluding Westwood), even during his "on fire" years. I don't understand why there is still this support for him? Richards and Lescott have been (rightly) strung up after one season. Gabby has produced several seasons of shit and still this debate goes on.

No, it was't his fault that someone at the club offered him a new contract (they need a good kicking for doing so), but it has been absolutely his fault for not living up to it and giving 100% (i.e. fulfilling his part of the contract he has been given). Reading does not necessitate moving the family (by all accounts, our other "captain" lived in Manchester with his family). I know people who commute that sort of distance/time for far far far less money. Villa wont play him again. Xia and RDM have made that clear, and public. There is no way I would drop Ayew for Gabby - Ayew is 10X the player.

No idea about offers last year, I was referring to his general demeanor and lack of effort on the pitch, having to be sent to fat camp - twice, going off to Dubai to party after terrible performances for both him and the rest of the team, lack of goal, lack of assists - all whilst being the club captain and being the one in a position of responsibility to motivate the rest of the team.

Heresay, maybe - but Matt Kendrick reported on it. I didn't bring up the £5m offer - that was someone else We don't know the truth, but there is no visible evidence of him giving a shit. As for the last paragraph - I respectfully disagree, because that is exactly what he did for most of last season.

Come on..... Reading is not *that* bad

*crunch* errrrrrrrr boss, did you hand over the cheque yet?

But he hasn't turned down £3m, that was just a suggestion on a forum - he has turned down an opportunity to get game time, get match fit, prove himself and rebuild his career, versus sitting on his arse being (almost) universally hated by the fans of the club that he purports to love, a club that as it stands he will never play for again for the same money either way. Now we dont have the full story and we dont know why he turned it down, but if it was me in Gabby's position, I would be doing everything to prove people wrong. I really dislike the guy, but if he was to take a loan deal, work hard, show some quality out on loan, make his presence felt on the pitch and try to earn his place back here then I would have respect for him. As it stands at the moment, he hasn't and I dont, in fact all he has done is reinforce my views on him.

Soooo, he is still here then???

Hey, credit where credit is due, I don't agree with you (you may have noticed) BUT I do admire your unswerving dedication to the cause on this one. :-)

Depends, If I was a professional sportsman whose career was in the toilet being offered an opportunity to rebuild it and not be remembered by the entire footballing world as a total prick, to maintain some semblance of dignity and not end my career 5 years early, and still being paid £5m just to take the opportunity, then probably, yes. Especially if it meant that I could possibly earn more than that £3m over the remaining years of my career. Of course, there are a couple of words there that don't fit in a sentence about Gabby - Professional, Sportsman and Dignity. There is one that definitely does fit...

September 2018 his contract expires, so two years left

But Reading is easily commutable from Birmingham. Especially with the money he has, he could even afford a driver to bring him back and forth.

But that makes no sense. Xia has said that he and RDM told him to go out on loan to try and prove himself.

Congratulations sir, you somehow managed to defend him. Well done.

To be honest I would have been happy with just gabby and Richards out.

What a ******* idiot. Shows his commitment to his football career. Is he really so stupid he thinks he will get another chance? or is he just after a pay-off. At this late stage in the transfer window, he gets an opportunity to play football, presumably at the same wage as he is on now (us subsidising) and get himself match sharp and potentially back in either Xia/RDMs plans (unlikely) or in the shop window for when we kick him out. Talk about throwing someone a lifeline and them just chucking it back in your face. Gabby demonstrates yet again what a fraud he is.

Soooooo..... is this true? His head looks a bit, photoshoppy

Bah! taking this to the Gabby thread......

Seriously? FFS!

If we end up playing them next season then can I suggest we play Hutton, and have him break Traore in half during the game (looking in his direction should do it). We should keep Hutton on the books, just for this one game in the future.

That would be AWESOME but I suspect is a wind up!

This is just a guess...... but probably not thrilled by it :-)

Yes, we are short of letters for the shirts in the club shop