TheStagMan

Wow! We are comparing Churchill to Chairman Mao...... only on VT!!!!!

We can. We can restrict him from training with the first team or the reserve team, we can put him on gardening leave, we can make him train alone or put him on special training measures. Admittedly yes, we cannot call him at 2am and tell him to drive to Telford (well, we can, but not as representatives of the club) We also cannot lock him in the "Reo-Coker Suite" either (sadly)

I think it is pretty clear that both Xia and RDM have a plan and are fully aware of what they want. I suspect that @useless is correct in that it is a cheap way of making the fans feel involved. The two of them will know who they want and will go after them - some of them will not go through, either because the player asks too much, or doesn't want to come or because after meeting them our management decide that they will not fit with the ethos or team. Suffice to say that I am confident that AVFC have a plan, and have a list of 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice players that they want. So far, our dealings have been excellent. We are building a team of proven players at this level with good attitudes who will fight for the club. These players will be promoted, and we will then be in a position to augment for premier league survival/progress. Far far better than last season when we just seemed to purchase a collection of hopeful speculative purchases who had never played at that level.

@Dr_TonyXia is ITK - the only one we need. (Oh and Deisler123 of course)

or on the pitch

^^^ What he said!

Tyrannical Tony ???

Christ he looks like Alan Harper!

Why is he only going to be able to face their twitter account?

Cant we just play Amavi as a LW?

I don't want him tweeting pictures of his lower intestines thank you very much.

More than they deserve to be doing.

WTF are they doing there in any case?

So Valencia or Rhodes...... happy with either. Easyjet are doing great deals on the flights, so a quick getaway for the weekend would be lovely. Relaxing in the sun for a couple of days and then coming back to find our who this mystery striker we are going to sign is.

Yep, I will be there!

Very happy with this (and all the other) signings. All have proven experience at this level, all see Villa as a big club and want to be here - all of them will fight for the cause and give 100%. Something we have been missing for a long time. Welcome Ritchie

Didier Agathe?

I have decided that Xia annoys me. Only because whenever I see RDM on the touchline now, I think to myself "Buddah Handsome, looking good". Thanks Tony :-P

No, but certainly a replacement for Gabby. What is your kebab intake like?

Apparently we are "Bracing ourselves" for a move from Hull :-) as they are planning to swoop and activate his £5m release clause!!!! Oh NO!!!!!!!! The only thing I think we would be bracing for would be the massive party at Villa Park if he were to leave and we were to get £5m for him! http://www.footballinsider247.com/new-aston-villa-bid-for-defender-with-5m-release-clause-report/ Sadly if you read the article, it is not anything like as dramatic or concrete as their clickbait headline would suggest, apparently Hull have "enquired"

8.4ft???

Errrr, not even Coventry deserve that

I agree he is not one of the worst players ever to grace the shirt, but I wish people would stop banging on about his goals tally as if it is something wondrous. It is 70 goals over what, roughly 10 years. Lets be generous and say 10 goals per season on average....... from one of your main strikers, club captain, Villa fan - thats a pretty poor return. Wonder how many McCormack would score over the same period, what about Carew, even the idiot Baros? I would wager that all of them would score more. And there were only 2 (maybe 3) seasons were his tallies were good, and he looked decent. Decent, no more than that. Over the last 5 years he has just taken the piss. For that he needs to go. He deserted us in our hour of need. Unforgivable. He is not a good enough player now (and wasn't at his peak) to be forgiven for the things he has done. In addition, letting him back into the fold would send completely the wrong message to the rest of he squad about attitude and commitment. We are trying to shake off the malaise of the past -- Gabby is the very epitome of everything that was wrong.

I didn't, but I was referring more to the terms than the signing itself - paying him so much that even with a relegation clause no other club would want him

Yes, they had to buy a calendar