VillaAndLoyal

Loads are staying in Norwich as well mate - I just fancied building a sandcastle. I reckon we'll have about 5,000 in Norfolk over the weekend, double as many that are going to the game.

Christ, some of our fans really do take the word 'miserable' to new levels... Carlos is easily our best defender, despite never having a sustained run in the team in his natural position. Every time he has had any sort of run in the team - he has performed well - only to be dropped again when the fat drunk (Dunne) or the hoofer (Collins) come back into the fold. For some bizarre reason, they've always been guaranteed a starting place no matter how Carlos plays - that is the view of many, many fans. Despite this, King Carlos has never once moaned and has just got on with his job. He has always talked to the fans, publicly supported his teammates even when not in the team, and has acted with complete professionalism at all times. It's a sad day when seemingly so many people on here are oblivious to why the majority love him so much. Terrace legends are usually never the best players - they are the players who connect most with the fans. People say "he doesn't deserve the send off Mellberg got" - why not? Mellberg never exactly set the world alight - in fact, he could be pretty average at times and was prone to mistakes. But that doesn't matter, because he loved the Villa, hated the Blues - and the respect was mirrored between him and the fans. And it's exactly the same with Carlos. I think a few people will be surprised when they see the level of support for CC on Sunday. No doubt it will anger the killjoys on here but, frankly, who cares? The floods and floods of messages on Facebook and Twitter show his true value within the Villa family.

I'll be too 'merry' to pay much attention to the game. And my Carlos Cuellar wig will most likely be blocking any view I have anyway ! However, if McRelegation doesn't start with King Carlos in the team I may well be tempted to run on the pitch and tell him what I think of him.

Wear a Cuellar mask or wear a McLeish mask? Hmmm, not really too hard of a decision. I think people could be surprised by the amount of Spanish flags in the away end on Sunday - I know the Norwich fans certainly will be! I wonder if anyone is dressing up as Bin Laden this year? Quite frankly, I'd rather have him as our manager. And he's dead.

This is absolutely class and so deserved. Hopefully a send off to rival the one Olof got at West Ham. I love King Carlos - favourite player for many a year. He's a class act on and off the pitch and the floods of comments to him on Facebook and Twitter just shows how much he means to us, and us to him. I will be getting my Spanish flag and wig sorted. I really hate fancy dress, but frankly this guy deserves it! If every modern day professional footballer had as much dignity, tact, passion and grace as this man has, the game would be a better place. Gutted he's leaving (the good ones always do, right?) but I wish him well and hope his next set of supporters appreciates him as much as we all do. Carlos Cuellar - Villa's centre-half! NB:- I hope the Mods do the sensible thing and keep this thread in the main forum. It needs as much exposure as possible.

"They're staying down, and going bust, they're staying down, and going bust!"

Where can I get a Spanish flag lads? Sports World maybe?

I really hope they're ready for the Villa invasion. Norfolk Police have warned the bars to be expecting 500 fans on Saturday night... and the rest! It would be easier for me to name who isn't going...

Say what you want about Heskey, these last 3 or 4 games he's been one of, if not our best, player. He fought for the club when we really needed him to - and for that he will always have my respect and best wishes. It's a shame the same can't be said for the rest of our players and/or manager. Nice bloke, and I hope he gets a good move. The abuse he gets from his own fans - and I have previously been guilty of it - is an absolute disgrace, as this pathetic thread demonstrates. Not once has he moaned about it though, so i guess that means he has far more class than many on here.

I picked up my Emile Heskey costume earlier. For some reason it keeps falling off the coat hanger and onto the floor...

We do have some bloody stupid fans don't we. Ireland has only turned up for half a season and even then he's only been 'good' - certainly nothing special. Shay Given, on the other hand, could have kept us in this division with some of the saves he has made. Fans player of the year? We're easily pleased it seems

Interesting. Why ? Why is it irrelevant ? For years a lot of us complained about Ellis and the way he ran the club. We protested and chanted and complained because he was running the club badly, holding the club back, was a main blocker to the club achieving success or because some simply didn't like him. All was fair because we protested against the evil empire. I did too and believed, and still believe , it was the right thing to do. But why is that irrelevant? Why is it irrelevant, for example, to question the fan reaction to the two owners? On the one hand (Ellis) we had an owner who's decisions were holding the club back, and on the other we have an owner who's decisions (Lerner) are not allowing the club to progress, in fact they are now dragging the club backwards spectacularly. So surely it is fair game to look at the fan reaction to both and question the differences ? To askthe question "you criticised Ellis for some of the things Lerner is now doing worse" "He has to wise up on the footballing side of things" is also an interesting obvservation that, although from reading your post you have not made I take it is one you have some sympathy with. You see for someone to actually have to wise up on what is the business that Aston Villa is involved in, I find quite worrying. Even more worrying is that he does not employ the experts to help him with his lack of knowledge and that to me demonstrates a key problem with the man. To compare to our previous owner, and again I think comparisons are actually justified, Ellis didn't need to wise up on the footballing side of things, what he needed to wise up on was the financial side of things. So at least you would expect Lerner to have the advantage over Ellis on that front. Unfortunately he does not so I am struggling, and have been for a while now (almost three years actually) to see what improvemeent Lerner does give us over Ellis (hence the comparison). And so to be consistent as I criticised and wanted the removal of Ellis, so I should apply the same standards to Lerner. It is right to say "we wanted Ellis out because we wanted better, have we actually got that?" to review if you will. And to be honest you mention stuff like scarves and the holte pub but I am a simple man, we are a footballing club and all I really want is success on the pitch, the rest will follow. As I said when Ellis was in charge. I think it is dangerous to say that we should just ignore the Ellis years as they are irrelevant. To me that would smack of wanting to ignore something because to analyse it would be uncomfortable when looking at the reactions then to now. I think we should look at the Ellis years and ask have we actually achieved what we want, that is the relevance. Top post Richard. Spot on.

I doubt it very much too as Wigan are on form and play Blackburn and Wolves in the last two games - they do look as good as safe. Us, on the other hand, don't look like we could buy a win at the moment. Granted we might not even need another win to stay up and this weekends results have gone our way, but I'm still astonished at some of our fans' attitudes towards our predicament. Anyone would think we've pulled clear into mid-table at the last minute like last season. The simple fact is we are still in the thick of it and as we all should know, football is a funny old game, anything can happen. We could easily still go down. It's not beyond the realms of possibility that we lose our next two - QPR beat Stoke and then will all of you be so confident if they trail City 1-0 with 10 minutes to go? I think not. An equaliser, and we'd be toast. You know Bolton and Wigan are between us and QPR as well, and with worse GD? I am fully aware of that thanks. What's your point?

Here here. This is one of my ultimate pet hates. So many people bandy it around nowadays without actually knowing what it means.

So because I've stated a fact, that we could easily still go down, that makes myself and others a "mug"? Christ, grow up will you. If you're "so confident" I would suggest you've been watching a different team to me this season...

I doubt it very much too as Wigan are on form and play Blackburn and Wolves in the last two games - they do look as good as safe. Us, on the other hand, don't look like we could buy a win at the moment. Granted we might not even need another win to stay up and this weekends results have gone our way, but I'm still astonished at some of our fans' attitudes towards our predicament. Anyone would think we've pulled clear into mid-table at the last minute like last season. The simple fact is we are still in the thick of it and as we all should know, football is a funny old game, anything can happen. We could easily still go down. It's not beyond the realms of possibility that we lose our next two - QPR beat Stoke and then will all of you be so confident if they trail City 1-0 with 10 minutes to go? I think not. An equaliser, and we'd be toast.

Based on the fact that it proved nigh on impossible to shift Doug Ellis, and he was only a major shareholder, it will be virtually impossible to force out Lerner as he owns the lot. So, given this fact, it is prudent to sit back, take stock and assess the situation. In my assessment, and I may be wrong, it is possible that Lerner has been poorly advised and supported by people that he thought knew what they were doing. Therefore, as long as he realises the error of his ways and corrects the situation, I think he should be given one more chance. And this is exactly one of the major problems. He, Lerner, thought it would be a great idea to employ a former credit card manager working in America to be our CEO. This, among many others things, shows that Lerner hasn't the faintest clue about how to run a football club.

whos a tool ? CI for thinking Citeh will switch off against QPR in the last game if Manure win tomorrow on that basis Norwich have already switched off and we'll be ok !! What on earth are you talking about? Nobody has said it will suddenly turn Man City into a shit team, or even make QPR's visit 'that' much easier. But no-one of logical mind can deny that, should the title race come down to the last day, QPR's task will be far harder than if the title has already been won by United. Like has already been said, to say otherwise is downright bizarre. And personal insults do your cause no good whatsoever.

This post, like many on the topic of Lerner, makes no sense whatsoever. You moan about all the people who need firing, as they have "destroyed" this once great club, while completely neglecting to mention who hired them all in the first place?!?! Mr Randolph Lerner is culpable above all, and don't you forget it, for those of you who foolishly wish to give him "a second chance" when he's lost about seven lives already.

Yeah fair enough, I've just looked and they are. But my point still stands, QPR have a great chance of getting something tomorrow.

So are QPR. They've won 3 out of the last 5, have strikers who can score, and have shown they can beat the big teams. Plus it's a derby, anything can happen. Chelsea 14 points from the last 6 game at home QPR 1 point from the last 6 games away from home We are in better form that Norwich at the moment and our home form is better than Spurs Away form We are second from bottom in the form table, Wolves are bottom. So I'd love to know how our form is better than Norwich? As you've just said, Chelsea have dropped 4 points at home in the last 6 games - if they drop another one tomorrow it could be the difference.

Yes, you're right, he probably will but that's all the more reason why we need to give them a lift. Not start hearing the negative mutterings as soon as the team sheet is released. I'm one of the most negative and pessimistic posters on here, quite possibly, but it's back to the wall time now and we HAVE to rally together. The players were visibly boosted by the support today and, whilst they were still god awful, and a shadow of the team from a couple of seasons ago, they all dug in and gave 100 per cent. If the atmosphere at Villa Park is as usual on Sunday it could get messy. Spurs are a cracking side, off form or not, and we need to actually take note of that banner on the front of the Holte End and BE the 12th man, instead of moaning about the manager. The Club is far more important than the cretins currently trying to destroy it (McLeish and Lerner).

So are QPR. They've won 3 out of the last 5, have strikers who can score, and have shown they can beat the big teams. Plus it's a derby, anything can happen.

Forget him. Forget about McLeish for these next two games, just like we did today. Lerner is fully aware how much we hate him, so much so that AMC couldn't even bare to be on the touchline today. But we can't do any more, if Lerner sacks him, he sacks him. We don't have the final say, ultimately. Our energy should be going into urging people to make Villa Park an intimidating and supportive atmosphere on Sunday, nothing else. That's the only thing that will keep us in this league, the fans, and a bit of luck.

It's tomorrow I'm worried about. I can really see QPR getting at least a point. They've already beaten Chelsea once this season and it has been rumoured that CFC might rotate a few players after their Barcelona triumph. Think people are getting a bit confident, I think we're still in massive trouble.