ArmitageBlue

Mancunian Way closed until 3.30pm today for those Villa fans travelling to Manchester today. Best route probably M60 get off at Ashton under Lyme. Leave at least 30 mins earlier than usual though.

Yes this is now very boring. The most predictable transfer of the summer window. The fact that it has been announced that JM is going to Portugal is purely a tactic to force City into completing the deal. Zzzzz

The fact that Milner hasn't said anything yet speaks volumes. It's getting a bit boring now for us all. Personally if Villa want one or more of our players then I think they should push for players plus cash. Other clubs will inflate their prices for players as they know you will have loads of our petro-dollars and City are known to under sell (SWP to Chelsea aside).

Thanks for the welcome. Damocles is a very respected poster on Bluemoon and seems like a really good guy with balanced opinions. I lurk more than I post on Bluemoon. I really don't think city fans are all comfortable in their new rich skins at the moment and it will take time to become more so. I am 40 so have seen a right load of ***t!lol. We have as a group that gallows humour and suddenly to have all this cash is a little un-nerving. To think a couple of years ago I was excited then deflated when Mido was going to then didn't sign on a loan deal! Now we are signing Tevez and David Silva! Just think for a minute how you would feel react if it was happening to the Villa? I am a romantic and long for the days when you could build a team without spending millions and any team from say 10 could win our top league. Unfortunately the reality now is a million miles from that. Money is the driver and has been ever since the mega tv deals from Sky started. The Sky 4 have dominated too long, time for one or two to moveover! Hopefully it will be the scum who slide - it won't be this season but the one after maybe. Villa is my Derby game btw because of family and where I live! United is just a big game to me.

Anyone that listens to Talkshite radio will know that when they have run out of topical footballling issues to make people phone in and make money on they always bring up the what makes a big club debate. It's a combination of all those factors you guys have already discussed and yes I agree history is a big factor and yes Villa possibly have the edge over City in this factor. City are just aiming to make some history and then maybe some way down the line our status in the history stakes will have gone up a notch, fingers crossed. Anyway back to the thread - James Milner. Being a City fan is like being at a fantasy league auction with an unlimited budget ( not that I agree with it but hey that's the very lucky position we are in) so would J M be one of my purchases probably not , he doesn't really excite me. However what he is a very good pro with the right attitude who won't let you down. He could be the glue that sticks a team together and that commodity is priceless. I am not ITK and have no idea if he will sign or not. Villa should just play hard ball and get as much as possible out of us just like Moyes did with Lescott. Good luck on that one. If you get £15-20m and Ireland surely that would be a cracking piece of business? I posted on the Welcome Forum if you wondering who the hell I am. I wish Villa well for the season ahead with or without Milner, cheers.