blandy

No chuffin' idea. As a complete guess 2 or 3 out and a similar number in. Resulting in (obviously) a similarly sized squad, but with better balance, perhaps?

voted 3

These reports are Marvellous.

General, at the risk of labouring the point, I think there's more to be said. I accept that the ticket prices for League games at VP are not as high as some other clubs, and for that I am grateful. However, I do think that CUP games are a different matter. Particularly cup games which are televised on national (rather than satellite) TV. Simply put, whilst you say the game was a category A game, that was a decision made by Villa&/or Man Utd. which in my view was not the right one. It should not have been. I do not really accept that "subsidising" is the right word to use regarding the game. Whatever price was charged, that ticket price, plus TV money (£150,000) is essentially "bonus" income for the club above and beyond league ticket revenue and Premier League TV revenue. To me the equation is simple. 33,000 people at 32 quid a shot = just over 1 million 25% more people (41,000) people at 25% less ticket price (£24) is the same ticket revenue. - That's no subsidy, it's just filling empty seats and continuing the good feeling that fans get from the club, that the team gets from playing in a full stadium and so on. It's not a criticism of Randy, or a request for "subsidy" - it's about both the fans and the club getting the balance right. I cannot know that more tickets would have been sold had the prices been lower, but I sure as heck believe they would have been. It just seems a shame to me, that IF it was Villa who set the pricing, it didn't tally with all the good things that have otherwise been done with and for the fans, to the benefit of both the fans AND the club.

They say God is omni-present. This of course means that he could not play football. Why? Because if he is omni-present, then he is everywhere. And if he is everywhere, then he's offside. Oi, Lino! OFFSIDE! I hope this has added something beneficial to the theological/bonkers cult debate.

General, I too think the prices were too high yesterday, and so didn't go. I have a question regarding TV games and prices For the forthcoming Liverpool game the Club too the 3000 allocation, as it was due to be played on the Saturday. That was absolutely right. Now it has been moved at short notice it is unlikely we will sell all the tickets, as we would have done. Will the club have to pay for the unsold seats, as is normal, or has an arrangement been made due to the TV company moving the game? ANd finally, as we saw last season, when a monday night TV game at Sheffield Utd was priced sensibly (£15 a ticket) we sold out, as did Sheffield Utd. The demand is there for football, but I feel that Clubs need to price games more fluidly according to the TV schedules - All clubs get a huge amount of money from the TV deal I feel that Villa should really consider greater flexibility to help fans attend and support the team. I urge you and the board to consider whether future Televised games could be priced more sympathetically, and to communicate any idea you might have along these lines with other clubs. Thank You .

I don't think it's Newcastle - here's why. They do have a huge fanbase and excellent attendances. That ought to give them an advantage over, for example, West Ham. Additionally they have played in the Champions league as a result of some top 2 finishes a while back. So for that reason, to me, they are not all that deluded. They know they could do well - they have theoretically the possibility to really well. Spurs, too, have more fans than their ground can hold, so again, with the level of support they have they can rightly feel that success ought to be achievable. To me they are a bigger club than Chelsea. Only Arsenal down South is a bigger club with more fans and more success. West Ham on the other hand, don't have the same size support. Until recently they didn't have any money either. They don't have a history of major success in the same way that Spurs do, or the support that Newcastle do. West Ham fans perhaps don't make the same claims for a "right" to success that Newcastle and Spurs do, but for me they are the fans who most over-expect comparitive to what they are really capable of doing. They're all good clubs, all proper Premier League teams, and Spurs and Newcastle are top 8 clubs, IMO, with West Ham a way behind them.

Sorry Ian, and such gorgeous girls too. I'm ashamed.

^^^^ that's absolutely brilliant.

In the post Christmas, pre-New year gap you tend to get games and days like today's. They don't really make the headlines, they don't make great viewing for a TV audience, or even, it has to be said for the sodden fans shivering in the ground. But they are an intrinsic part of football. They matter just as much as balmy, pinging the ball around, fantasy football games played in May and August. They are the sort of games that define the character of a side. Let's be clear about it, it was a truly horrible day - The weather conditions were diabolical. In the old days of course, we used to get soaked standing on open terraces at places like Wigan, or Oldham, or other wet, red-brick towns a lot more often. In a way it was nice to get that reminder of those times long gone, again. On the other hand, now that Football is a HD Event on Sky+ telly, we have become soft, used to multi-million pound fayre at 35 quid a pop in practically centrally heated state of the art stadia with perfect pitches, where rain and weather is something that goes on as a backdrop, rather that as an intrinsic part of the game. Wigan though isn't like that and probably never will be. Thanks to them for the enlightened pricing from 5400 Villans For sure the ground is of the modern age. Named after the company of the millionaire owner, the JJB stadium isn't really in the heart of the community, it's on the edge of a town trying to redefine itself for the 21st century. Plastic seats, happy shiny people, concrete and flags on sticks. But despite all that, in truth Wigan Athletic away in December is one of those occasions where however stylish the sports cars and suits of the players might be, the things that really matter are the eternal values of football in the winter in the UK. "Have you got the heart for it". "Do you fancy it" "Get stuck in lad". The day started off with the rain rattling hard against the windows, awaking the Villa faithful from our post Christmas slumber, eager to get to the pub and meet up after too much time spent slumped in armchairs and couches, staring at the telly. We convened in the centre of Wigan, familiar faces and friends rammed into the comfortable surroundings of a pub too good to mention. A hoard of VT'ers, and other friends and acquaintances too, all supping on the hoppy produce of varied breweries. We all felt, to a man, I think, that we'd get something from the game, but we all also felt that the weather, the wind and rain would not make it an easy game. It would be one where we'd have to really show our mettle, compete with a revitalised Wigan and take our chances. Reluctantly, we eventually left the boozer and yomped into the westerly downpour. 15 minutes of trudging, 5 minutes of pie munching and the game kicked off in front of a packed away end. Truth be told it wasn't a great game, I can't remember much detail of slick moves and silky skills. The things that stay in the mind are the bobbles of mud churning up on the heavy pitch, the headers and tackles, the total commitment of all the players, of both sides. Shirts drenched, shorts coated in mud, studs clagging up with bits of turf. Wigan scored first, a cracking header from a corner, right onto Marcus Bent's bonce (the announcer said it was Bent, though I thought it was Titus Bumble), in front of us. Not brilliantly marked, but superbly taken. Scott in goal without a chance of saving. In that first half, the team were pretty even. I felt Villa were not quite right shape wise. Carew had gone off early, after maybe 10 minutes or so, with an ankle or leg injury after a tackle down the far end. Luke Moore came on in his place. That wasn't the problem. The problem I felt was that we weren't controlling midfield, weren't using the width of Maloney and Ash, and despite the excellent work of Nigel Reo-Coker Wigan were playing the game the way they wanted. At half time I was thinking that the game was eminently winnable for us, but that we needed to just get Gareth Barry a tad deeper in his starting positions, to use the ball out wide, better, and hold solid at the back. That way, we'd maybe give the two forwards a better chance to get hold of the ball - something lacking in the first half. The second half wasn't long started when we got an equaliser, not dissimilar to Wigan's goal. From a corner, GB found Curtis Davies (excellent all round) and Kirkland had as little a chance as Scott Carson did in the first. 1-1. Now we were in business. Gabby was really causing Wigan problems, our defence was holding off the exertions of the Wigan forwards and Barry was really starting to run the midfield and dictate the play. With about 20 minutes left, Ashley Young got right to the goal line, crossed in from the left and Gabby glanced in from about 4 yards out. Beauty. 2-1. In a game of few clear chances it turned out to be the winner. We probably just about deserved it because of our greater quality, equal commitment and because the team had the nouse to hold on to the lead. And then we went back through the rain to the pub to warm up. Some marks and comments Scott Carson - Sound, 7. Olly - another solid performance from a player now comfortable at right back. 7 Freddie - same as Olly - solid 7 Curtis Davies - very good - 7.5 Pacy, strong, looked like a real player. Martin Laursen - 7.5 - just what you want and expect from him. A game made for him, really. Splendid. Wee Shaun - 6 - lively but didn't get as much of the ball as he'd have liked (Craig Gardner 7 - a game also made for Craig, did very well when he came on) Ash - 6. Lovely run and cross for Gab's goal. Always a threat. NRC - 8 - Top stuff today. Really played well. GB - 8 - Tremendous drive, particularly second half. Skipper-tastic perfomance. Big JC - 5 - not on for moe than 10 mins (Luke 6) Gabby -8 - complete handful for Wigan. The marks maybe high, for a game that was scrappy, but sitting down near the front, the commitment and effort was tangible and it was a real hard won victory. Well done to all who turned up, Happy new year. Onwards and upwards.

not gonna happen, skia. Joey went to the Barcodes

I clicked "Band". Thing is, see, bands tour once in a while, play maybe 1 or 2 gigs a year where you can get to see them. If it was a favourite band, particularly one I hadn't seen before, I'd go see the band, definitely. Villa - with a season ticket, and going to most of the away games, too, there's always next week, or the one after.....

People are welcome to post on this site on any/all subjects as long as they stick to the site guidelines and stay within the law. Thank you. Blandy

nothing happens

Bluntly, yes. I don't think so. I think actually that the opposite is true. People don't want the world to end. They kind of think " that would be bad". Bad for them, bad for their loved ones, just all round really not at all good. It's not hard to accept, even if it is hard ( if not impossible) to understand why or how people fall for it. Still, it's a free World. If you want to believe that a bloke called Michael gets talked to by God, and you want to follow his instructions, go ahead. At some point, you're going to feel rather disappointed, and let down I fear.

There's something poetic, yet tragic, about the possibilities

I think we did on Saturday. Jennings Cumberland Ale, some Castle Rock Hemlock Ale and one other, the name of which I've forgotten.

Thank you Stuart Hall

Yes, what NV said. Thanks and good luck.

Just what you need on a cold, cold winter's day - a proper game of English football, in a proper stadium, with proper fans, committed and skillful players with plenty of heart. Rip roaring stuff. We'd set off for the stadium of light on a cold bright and beautiful morning, looking forward, as ever, not just to the match but also to the journey across the Pennines from our NorthWestern outposts, Bicks and myself. As it happened neither let us down. The scenery was staggeringly beautiful in the morning's sunlight and still, sharp, air. Thick frost coating the hills, clamping itself around the exposed skeletons of trees and tightly cracking the water in a solid, immobile grip. Sheep wearing thick, shaggy woollen coats munched on crispy grass, crows circled looking for easy pickings from anything that might have succumbed to the bitter night. In the car, the chat was about what to expect from the game. Thoughts about needing to win to maintain the challenge, a point not being a bad result, but a defeat would be a real downer. Fishing out the "Football Real Ale Guide" we decided on the King's Arms, 15 minutes walk from the ground. Good choice, good guide. It was, it turned out, North East Pub of the Year last year. Lovely beer, good service, and packed with people and bonhomie. A part of the life of England that is just right. A walk to the ground, picking up some warming scoff on the way, we headed to where the Paul McGrath song was coming from and settled into position. The teams - well ours was unchanged, and for them Yorkie was in midfield. The fans - probably about 4000 or so short of full up, the ground held plenty of expectant Villans and Mackems, and the ref, Mr Steve Bennett. Both teams started with intent in a fairly frantic first 10 minutes, the culmination of which was Sunderland scoring from a corner. The marking, such as it was, was appalling. Is it this zonal thing, or is the marking just "off". Either way Higginbottom, (the announcer said) headed in from 6 yards. Rather than give Sunderland a big impetus, Villa it was who upped their game. We got well on top, without creating serious clear chances. As the game moved towards half time, the pressure seemed to paying off, as a number of half chances came Villa's way. Carew coming closest to scoring with a flick which the keeper, down the far end, seemed to finger tip onto the post, and back out into play. Sunderland broke back, but like most of their attacks in normal play, their move broke down. From set pieces they were more of a threat, though not massively so. Maybe it was just be being worried about some of our defending, but with both sides having plenty of big lads to pile in to the boxes, there was always a threat when either side had a corner or free kick. The second half started as the first had ended, with Villa again having the lions share of the play, but Sunderland dealing with it, mostly, and being a threat, to an extent, on the break, though I didn't feel they had the quality to really punish us. Kenwyn Jones was not as good, fortunately, as he's sometimes seemed on the telly, but he did give Zat and Martin Laursen some competition. Our forwards also struggled to get free in the danger areas. Gabby's touch was just not quite right today, and he was not the danger he has been, but he worked well. Big John was better, but we tended, I felt, to play too much through him, rather than make chances for him to get on the end of. In one early spell Gardener, who had been booked in the first half, was inches from heading in at the far post, in front of us, but just couldn't quite reach the ball with his dive. It was Craig who came off, to be replaced by wee Shaun. The funky Cold Maloney gave us what we needed, more movement and attacking threat. SUnderland now had two tricky wide men to deal with. With maybe 20 minutes left, only 5 or so after he's come on, Shaun made a run across field, was bundled into and over by a Sunderland defender, 20 yards from goal, fairly central. A really good scoring chance. He took the free kick himself and Ward in the Sunderland goal didn't stand an earthly. Right into the top corner. Sweet. One plum from amongst the Villa fans ran onto the pitch, harmlessly, but the eejit was rightly carted off by the stewards. No need. It doesn't take many idiots to spoil our reputation, make life harder for fans traveling to games. The game continued in its' end to end fashion, now with Sunderland coming more into it again. Some last ditch tackling and blocking was effective for Villa, but it wasn't particularly well organised defending at times. On occasions we let men get free in the box. Right on the death, Sunderland had the ball in the net, but the ref was giving a free kick for a foul as the ball was nodded in. No goal. It would have been extremely harsh had we lost. On the other hand, though we had a lot of the play, we didn't make so many chances to deserve the win, really. What to make of it all, then? Well, as an alternative to trudging round the shops as a prelude to the ever increasingly commercialised "Christmas Experience" it won hands down. It was a decent game, like I said at the start in a proper footballing place. The countryside, the pubs and the beer, the football, players and fans alike, are all part of this nation's saving grace. The ref was alright, better than Riley, anyway. Some marks Scott Carson - Sound. 6 Olly - decent game again. 7 Zat - 5. He doesn't always get it right, sometimes getting caught out of position, but today he recovered every time. Martin Laursen - 6. He's not playing quite as well as he was early on in the season, but he was fine. Freddie Bouma. Very good again from our left back. Had some shots, too, passed the ball better. 7.5 Craig Gardener. 5 - Committed and hard working. (Wee Shaun -7.5. Excellent appearance from Shaun, and a lovely goal) NRC - 6 - some good break up work, helping out where and when needed, a decent game from Nigel, but still the pasing needs to improve. GB - 6.5. Spent a lot of time further forward, when we were on top. By his high standards he is capable of more, perhaps. Ashley Young - 7.5 - Again a good game from Ash. Frequently fouled, he just gets up and gets on with it. Lively and a threat. Gabby - 6 - worked hard, ran hard, but not that much of a threat today. Big John - 7. He's a big old unit. His hold up play was good, he made the defenders work hard and battle, and almost scored. Lowest temperature on the way back - (minus) 5. Brrrr. A final thought on the team - I think, despite our solidity away from home, we need at some point to make the transition to be more of a threat, creatively. GB and Ashley are more effective with either or both of Stan Petrov and Shaun Maloney also on the pitch. It gives the opposition more to struggle with, they get pulled around and out of position more. Add in Gabby's pace and JC's presence and the mix is right, but often we're a bit too one dimensional and predictable, still.

General, I had an e mail off the club today, linking to a supporter survey. Usually the questions are fairly, er, basic in general on web surveys, but this last one seemed to me to ask some genuinley interesting/relevant questions - which to me shows that either you've got someone decent to do the survey, or that whoever devised the questions is actually onto things which matter. Whichever, it's a good sign. There's always other stuff that windy people like myself would like to say, but it was good to fill in a form that I felt was asking mostly pertinent questions, or ones where I could at leasst see where the question was aimed.

TA Baz. I could have been watching SSN I guess, but don't have it.....

An alternative view on the so-called rigged FA Cup draw. I read JC's article with interest. I've seen the pictures on the internet of the draw and the 24/25 balls. All I can say is that in my view a tabloid paper has done well for itself in generating a story out of nothing. But of course, as with any conspiracy theory tales, it seemed to generate a life of it's own. It was picked up by the local Birmingham paper and fans gave their views. It might be hypocritical for a website contributor to bemoan the tendency for the media to want to fill their pages and airwaves with the views of fans, but it's getting daft. We're in the situation where a non-story has led to pages getting filled with quotes from fans about how terrible it all is. Sorry, but that's just not "news". It's filler replacing journalism. Where's the investigative spirit gone? No need we just read the internet these days, cut and paste, article written. Now off to the pub. JC put his view well, but I think it's misplaced. a rather huge, elephant sized mistake has been made by the Football Association – and it is up to us, as Villa fans, to make sure that it is rectified. Give over, John. "elephant sized mistake" - really? Ant sized non-story I'd call it. it is now very clear that an error has been made in the draw, and it is no longer valid. Manchester United were given the ball number 24 to represent them. Yet the ball number 25 is drawn out against Villa. No. To my eyes, and many many others, just not so. You get some reflections from studio lights, but the ball drawn is 24. A grainy you-tube video doesn't make it not so, as a fact. That's not a mistake, it's a quirk of the light. I'm all for fans campaigning against issues that they feel are wrong in the game, whether that be corruption, ticket prices, over-zealous stadium licensing jobsworths, kick off times, greedy chairmen, agents...the list is endless, but tabloid "filler stories" with no foundation other than some reflections from a studio light? Sure it's a long shot that we keep being drawn against Manchester Utd. But that's the story, not "cover ups" and shennigans". Was it Sammy Nelson who drew the ball out and is said to have then covered it up? this the player who bared his, er, cheeks, to the Arsenal crowd long ago, when playing for them. If he can't keep his posterior covered up, could he really cover up a dodgy draw on live TV, for posterity?.... John's on much better ground when he says I’m not worried about playing Manchester United. Aston Villa can beat anybody at anywhere But then asks for the impossible The F.A need to either show proof that it wasn’t a mistake and simply ‘covered up’ by an old timer who was embarrassed and not being able to recognize a number correctly, or set the fixtures to be the correct one. How could they "prove" anything. All they can do is look at the high def TV pictures, check it out and find that....it was actually all OK and above board. Which is what they've done. Finally, John says One thing is certain. If a satisfactory explanation and result is not given, I will be regarding this tournament as void and will not be going to the game – and I suggest that you save your money from the F.A’s pockets, and do the same thing. Fair enough, each to their own and all that, but it's the clubs who get the vast majority of the gate money, not the FA, and what the FA do get again much of that 10% goes back to the FA Cup pool. So, very misdirected, I feel. Having said all that, I hope the next draw is improved so that people can see better. We used to jokingly think old Bert Millipede had it in for us Villans when we got a lot of away draws over a decade or so - the days of the velvet bag, and alleged "hot balls" and Bryon Butler on a monday lunchtime from Lancaster Gate on radio 2. It's clearer now. It's on the telly. The FA can balls things up in so many ways, they're experts, but they don't need a conspiracy to do it, they have a gift for it. Still, I confessed to hypocrisy at the top, and I've proved it by filling an artile with more guff on a non-story. Can I get an NUJ card now please, like proper journos have? Next week's conspiracy theory:- Steve McLaren is alleged to have been "any good" and thousands will immediately prove he wasn't....Oh, actually....

choon!

I cannot agree with that. I would not discourage anyone from going to the match and supporting the team. .... It is very easy to jump in and say dont go to the match, but I think that really misses the target. I agree. For a start, it's not the FA that get the money, it's the two clubs that get the majority of it - about 40% each, then some goes towards costs and a small part to the FA which is then put into a central pot. Additionally, it is likely that by drawing ManU rather than Boro the gate will be higher and therefore the club will get more money from the game. Haven't seen the clips because youtube is blocked, but unless it's crystal clear it was definitely an error/deliberate mistake, just get on with it, go down the match, support the team and hope we win.