markavfc40

No shame in losing to Ward. The lad is something special and in years to come I think history will show that he was very special. Over 12 rounds it was close to a masterclass. The best I've seen in this division in a championship fight since Calzaghe destroyed Lacy. 118-110 looked about right. Not sure how it was scored 115-113 by two of the judges.

He'd probably get a bit more breathing space if we lost both the Liverpool and Arsenal games but had a go than if we draw both 0-0 in the typical dour McLeish fashion. Fact is though, if we play positively in the next two games then we've got more chance of picking up points than if we play negatively. We don't agree too often mate but your bang on the money this time.

It will start about 2.30am. To win Froch will need to take him out. If it goes the distance and its anything like close Ward will get the decision. Froch is no fool though and will know he needs to win inside the distance.

Its a big 4 days for McLeish. If he has a go in the next two games and comes out with at least one positive result then the tide might slightly turn in his favour. If we serve up the same negative crap we did against Spurs and Man Utd then he will have 99% of the fans on his back. I really hope for all our sakes he at least sends the lads out with a positive attitude to have a go. I can take losing but what I can't take is accepting defeat before a ball has even been kicked. Aston Villa are far bigger than that.

67000 jobs were lost in the public sector over the last 3 months. 5000 were created in the private sector. So much for Osbournes assertion that the private sector would pick up the slack. Another huge fail.

Listening to 5 Live this morning and they have done an investigation that has found that there has been a significant increase in students working in the sex trade anything from prostitution to sex chat lines. The result of the cuts in financial support and lack of part time work. Youth unemployment was up again today as were unemployment figures over all. Regardless of which party you support its surely time to accept that the way this coalition is going about things is totally wrong. The justification for all their actions has been they are going to wipe out the deficit by 2015 but look at what that is costing. It is also clear that the deficit has been used to justify what are ideological cuts. At what stage do you say that making cuts in public funding which obviously directly impacts on the service users who are often the most vulnerable in society has gone too far. The biggest travesty in all this is of course that the justification for these reckless cuts - wiping out the deficit by 2015 won't happen. Far from it has it is predicted to be 100 billion at that time. This coalition are failing on so many levels its frightening.

Not a winner but Zat Knights equaliser in injury time on boxing day 2008 against Arsenal at a packed VP was pretty special and capped a great comeback as we were 2 down with 25 mins to go. Four days later we beat Hull 1-0 after scoring with a couple of mins to go.

And that would get him where? The ballot box and electoral oblivion for his party. Thats nailed on anyway. Waiting till 2015 is just delaying the inevitable. They could perhaps walk away with a little pride by walking away now and not bending over and taking any more shaftings from the tories. What is now blatantly clear is that the reasons they gave for selling out - coming together with the tories for the good of the country and to tackle the deficit - are failing. They now find that having gone back on numerous promises and against their principles it has been a waste of time as the deficit is not being tackled and will likely be 100billion come 2015. In fact that perhaps looks optimistic. Being in a coalition with the tories has been a disaster for the Lib Dems and one that will take years for them to recover from.

Fair play to Stoke. They deserved it for the effort they put in alone.

2-0. Etherington again.

Stoke thoroughly deserve the lead. They have really put Spurs on the back foot.

Around 4-4.30am.

Is it right that they were talking about him on Soccer Saturday and all the so called expert pundits thought he may go in January but thought he was worth no more than 10 mill? I really can't see him going in January as I can't see who'd come in for him. One things for sure if Liverpool or Arsenal come in for him he'll want out quicker than Stewart Downing.

He has missed 4 or 5 excellent chances this season. I'm still confident he can chip in with 15+ goals but the problem with Bent was always going to be that if he isn't scoring he will be contributing pretty much **** all.

Impressed again today and overall is having a very good season. He is back in form and its great to see after last season.

Just back from the Reebok. Petrov was excellent again today and once again led by example. Him and Herd both put in a great shift in the middle. Another goal and should have had an assist to his name after beating the offside trap and showing a cracking bit of skill to beat his man and laying it on a plate for Bent.

His level of spending was only allowed because the owner sanctioned it. Unless O'Neill was forging Randy's signature which as far as I'm aware he hasn't been accused of. If the level of spending ever gets to a stage where it puts the club in financial difficulty then that is the owners fault as he is the one who knows what the club, and/or he, can and cannot afford.

Lerner took us over after we'd just finished 16th. The way things are heading if we are lucky he will leave us having just finished in the same position. Oh and with a completed training ground, a renovated pub, some stained glass windows and on a personal level I have a free scarf and flag.

Did he actually say that? :? Yes. He said he saw us finishing between 4th and 8th and then revised that to between 5th and 8th as he claimed his finger had slipped. This was after McLeish had been hired and Young and Downing had left.

The man that used to spout that kind of crap is now mute isn't he? You might remember him he came out with such classics as saying that Houllier was doing a remarkable job. That we should imagine what McLeish could do if backed. That they had no idea why Mon resigned and then subsequently paid him over a million pound in compensation. Oh and my personal favourite that he thinks we can finish 4th, sorry 5th ( my hand slipped ) this season.

That's the times we live in though. Some people are sad enough to sadly believe any old hearsay/rumour/crap spouted on a message board. All this despite the fact the lad had been a pro for over a decade, working under numerous respected managers for both club and country, and never been any trouble.

Just because our current manager is absolutely diabolical doesn't mean MON was great. Name me another manager that has brought us 3 consecutive 6th place finishes in the last 10-15 years...or even further.... It last happened between 1930 and 1933 I am not sure who the manager was.

Yes that was a great tackle. He is now back to the form he showed at Blackburn and in his first 7 months with us and that got him in to the England squad. Sadly the positives of Warnock, Gabby and Dunne being back on form are out weighed by the over all crap currently being served up.

Decent result for Wolves today. They are now just 2 points behind us in 15th.

Pretty much this. What he does with Sunderland is neither here nor there apart from when they play us. I do have a feeling that they will push us a further place down the league though as I can see us finishing below them.