markavfc40

A real tragedy. Its easy to scratch your head and think why as from the outside he seemed to have it all - two children, wife, successful career, his health etc and plenty to look forward to. It hard to know what people are thinking though and how peoples minds work. I've known two people who have taken their own lives and on both occasions it turned out there were underlying issues. Really feel for his family and close friends at this time as they will be questioning if they should have saw any signs. A true legend of the game and from all accounts a genuinely nice guy. I hope he has found peace.

Be interesting to see if Mcleish shares the view of Faulkner. I very much doubt it and I very much doubt he will appreciate Faulkner coming out with unrealistic bollocks. Having lost two of our best players in the summer and not replaced them with anything like the same quality it was always going to be tough to finish top 8 never mind top 5/6. A task not helped by yet another poor managerial appointment.

Dunne is, and has been for many years, a quality defender for club sides and Country prone to the odd mistake/bad game. Collins on the other hand it seems is now a poor defender prone to the odd good game. For the most part during his first season with us he did well. Since then apart from the odd very good game - Man City at home last season and Arsenal away spring to mind, he has been poor.

The starting line up made it abundantly clear what he expected last night. Play for a draw at best and then when that quickly went tits up his lack of changes made it abundantly clear that we were playing to keep the score down. That for Aston Villa is simply not good enough. None of us know what he said to the players before they went out but I'm sure the line up told them, like us, that we were running scared before a ball had been kicked. I'm disappointed with McCLeish. He had a few big monkeys on his back when he joined one of which was being known as a manager that played negative football far too concerned with stopping the opposition than with the damage his team can do. I was hopeful that he'd quickly want to blow away that negative tag with us. We are twice the club Sha are and I wanted him to have an arrogant attitude, be positive, let the opposition worry about what we can do and let worrying about what the opposition can do be a secondary thought. A bit of we are Aston Villa, we're here to win and we roll over for no one. Instil some belief in the players. He has done none of the above and seems to have stuck to type. It may have been good enough for a club like Sha but its not good enough here. We have some good players who used in the right way and instilled with the confidence of the manager to go out and play could give most teams a game. He needs to start having a real go a line up with a front 6 that needs to include Bent, Gabby, NZogbia, Bannan and Ireland or Albrighton. You cannot line up with Hutton and Heskey in midfield and have NZogbia, Bannan, Ireland and Delph sitting on the bench. Collins needs **** off, Clark bringing in. He has the players. He just isn't either using them or using them in the right way. We need to see a change in McLeish's approach to games and that will inevitably lead to changes in the line up. I won't be holding my breath.

One of the few positives of McLeish I thought he would at least send us out with some fire in our belly even if ability wise we may at times be found lacking against some teams. That tonight though was tripe. We played for a draw and then when that quickly went out the window we played to keep the score down. Absolute **** disgrace. I don't care who you manage you can't go out with the defeatist attitude we did but its made even worse that it is a proud club like Aston Villa being lowered to such a level. What kind of message does it send to the players to start with 6 recognised defenders and a 34 year old forward at left midfield whose job it seemed was to defend. You may as well forget it before kick off and surprise surprise they did. Sad thing is that we had the players on the bench to have a go. Even worse is that at 2-0 we didn't even try to make changes and get back in the game until after the hour mark and then it was a token gesture and no change in attitude. I don't mind losing as long as you can say we did our best, gave our all and had a go. As long as you do that I 'll take a 4,5, 6 - 0 thrashing. That tonight though was defeatist small time crap. Someone at AVFC needs to pull McLeish aside and tell him any more of that tripe and he can **** off. The only saving grace for me is that's its the first game I haven't been to this season and I am so glad I didn't as watching it on the box was bad enough.

The legendary Glasgow kiss. Having had my nose broken by a head butt when I was 16 I can't say I'm a big fan of them and as the Rev said I'd much rather take a punch in the face than a head butt.

Just watching children in need and it makes you realise just how much public services are under funded. Specialist care for disabled children just isn't there for many. 3.8 million children living in poverty and for every child that the reason is because the mom/dad are just selfish **** there are 3 or 4 times as many where it is down to the parents having passed away, being ill or simply not being able to find work. Whatever way you cut the cake it most definitely isn't the childs fault. Add to the above a lack of things for many children to do in terms of youth clubs etc ( many closing due to lack of funds ) means many children end up heading down the wrong path. People will tonight give millions but its not enough is it. The above has been a disgrace under numerous Governments but it makes it is an absolute disgrace the current Government making cuts to public services and this has a massive impact on the most vulnerable children and adults. If anything more money should be being pump in to them not less alongside targeting it to those most needed. Many of us will give tonight but those of us that can afford to should be giving far more in taxes to ensure that all that can be done is done to ensure that children are not suffering. Almost 4 million children living in poverty in the UK is something every one of us should be ashamed of and the Government need to do far more about it not less.

What? Where have I said that? I certainly don't believe that all rich people have an I don't care/I'm all right Jack attitude. You will get people rich/poor and somewhere in between that couldn't give a **** about anyone else but themselves. I do believe however that there are a fair proportion of people in this country whom the economic downturn/cuts in public services has had relatively little impact on and I'd arguably include myself in that. In fact I'd go as far to say with interest rates so low there are many people who have been better off over the last few years. There will then be those in the above mentioned who will have the attitude well I'm doing OK **** those that are really struggling, losing their jobs, and the effects of the cuts in public services. What we have now is a situation where middle income earners and the rich should in my opinion give more to help those more needy and to protect/enhance public services.

i'm sure you can donate all your salary to worthy causes instead whilst you wait for them to implement it ? Have Pensioners suddenly had to make this "choice" you speak of since 2010 ..No .. I posted it in a thread years ago about how disgusting it was having to see OAP's buying nothing but cans of Tesco Value Baked Beans for their weekly shop ... you keep using this "morals" phrase like some form of disguised insult but you'll probably find there is very little between you and 99.9% of the other people in the world irrespective of where they put their "X" in an election .. I do actually donate a fair bit to charity. What is needed though is the Government to raise taxes for those that can afford it and thus ensure that the I'm alright Jacks and **** everyone else who won't be willing to give are forced to contribute more to those more needy and to ensure we maintain/improve public services. As for pensioners having to suddenly make the choices I speak of, no its certainly not the case that this choice has suddenly come about. I would say it is now a choice for many more pensioners though and its not helped by the Governments policies. At a time when fuel bills are rising rapidly many pensioners need a lot more help not less. As for the morals issue it is not a disguised insult. I think this country has far too many I'm all right Jacks in it and **** the more vulnerable/less well off/more needy/those that rely on public services far more. It is also not something I would label any particular political party with either as you will obviously get those that lean to the right or left who couldn't give a **** about anyone but themselves.

So would you say its fairer to hit the middle income earners to help the poor become less poor and the rich get richer? surely your just creating a bigger divide in society than there is already as you are pushing the richest even further up, middle income earners down and bringing the poor up a little. What your eventually left with is a society where most people are somewhere in between what would now be considered poor and middle income earners and the very rich. I'd suggest what needs to happen is that the living standards of the poor needs to be improved and that we all help improve that by paying more and the richest paying proportionally more. That should help rebalance society and it most certainly needs rebalancing. I guess I would be considered a middle income earner and I'm more than happy to pay more. I'm not so sure the rich are though.

your reasoned tax argument wont work here ...I think the socialist view is that they they don't mind the poor being poorer, provided that the rich are less rich Really. I'd say that what most fair minded people want is for the poor to be less poor and if that ultimately means that the rich are less rich so be it. I'd class myslef as somewhere in the middle but I'd happlily pay a little more if it helped those most in need and helped at least maintain, but preferably improve, public services.

This is the major problem in all this isn’t it. The current people running the country failing to take responsibility for what is happening – lack of growth, rising unemployment, is either down to the previous Government and now down to the problems in the euro zone. Did the previous Government make mistakes? Damn right they did but they certainly are not solely responsible for where we and the rest of the world found ourselves when this mob took charge in 2010. They have now been in power for 18 months. They hid behind reducing the deficit to bring in what were/are clearly ideologically led policies in terms of the reckless cuts to public services. The promise was that the hundreds of thousands of job losses in the public sector would be offset by the jobs created in the private sector. Well what have we now found 18 months down the line? Unemployment rising at an alarming rate, now at levels not seen since the early 90’s and certain to get worse, youth unemployment at its highest since records began and growth at 0.5% and mid term predictions revised down. The general consensus is now that the deficit will not now be wiped out by 2014/15, which was given as the carrot for the austerity measures/cuts, but that the deficit may well be as high as 100 billion come the end of this parliament. We can argue the toss for ever and a day as to the reasons for where we found ourselves in 2010 and it won’t make a blind bit of difference. What matters is the here and now and it is clear for all to see that the measures the Government has taken since coming in to power, and continue to make, have not and will continue not to work. On a very human level what I find most concerning is that once again it is the poorest and most vulnerable that are suffering under the Tories and that is simply not a price worth paying. I’ll be honest I’m pretty comfortably off and would welcome tax rises for those that can afford it if that ensures that public services are kept to or helped to reach a high standard, pensioners don’t have to choose between keeping warm or going hungry, a disabled person doesn’t have their benefits cut and someone else can keep their job. It is sickening to see the effects the Governments policies are having now and no one with any morals should be happy with what is happening. Being led by a Government sticking their heads in the sand, continuing forward with policies that clearly aren’t working and blaming everyone else is not the way forward for this country. They need to accept that they have gone about things in the wrong way and come up with a plan B ASAP.

Unemployment continuing to rise at an alarming rate at now at its highest level since 1994. Youth unemployment at its highest level since records began. Growth forecasts revised down. Another day that shows what most already know - that what the Government is doing simply isn't working. I genuinely fear for where this country is heading. We are on the verge of having a lost generation and it all has the distinct smell of the eighties under Thatcher.

Thankfully mate now that incompetent, disrespectful pratt is far away from our great club and never coming back we can all read things like that a little easier knowing he now has **** all to do with us. FWIW Houllier and blaming others for failures that took place under his watch is nothing new is it. That's all I have to say on the matter though so there will be no all out war on my part. Having read the Noahs Ark thread in off topic though what steaknchips chooses to do is anyone's guess

You've cracked it already mate. I smoked from when I was 15 till I was 36. Had a few spells where I quit simply because I thought it was getting too expensive etc and after a few weeks at the most found myself back on them. Then on January 4th 2010 pretty much out of the blue I just decided I've had enough of this I don't want to smoke any more and that was that. An anywhere between 10 and 20 odd a day 21 year habit was no more. I found it easy as I was quitting for no other reason than I wanted to. I'd simply had enough. Its all in the mind and if you've simply come to the conclusion that's it you'll piss it.

I think you are going to burn DDID. The only way I can see steaknchips giving you a pass is if it turns out the guy you were sucking off was Gerard Houllier :shock:

The sad thing is he is not alone in having those kinds of thoughts. Another reason why the world is **** with people around who think like this pratt.

At least for his sake if he does go to prison he'll be safe from the bum boys. I can't see anyone, no matter how desperate, wanting to shag that ugly bastard.

Your going back pre World War 2 at least. In the last 60 years ( since 1951 ) we have averaged over 40k once - in 2007/08. Our next highest of the last 60 years was the following season - 08/09. As I said in my previous post I believe with Man City like investment we would sell out week in week out and be looking at expanding the ground to 50k+. People see the O'Neill era as a time of major investment but really in comparative terms to the money Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd invest over a sustained period it was chicken feed. Our big money signings were Milner and Downing at 10 -12 mill a pop. Not even in the same ball park as signing the likes of Tevez, Robinho, Adebeyor, Dzeko, De Jong, Aguero, Ballotelli etc. To get anything like success the way football is now you need a mega rich owner and silly/astronomical amounts to spend on players. Its no secret how Man City have come from being a mid table Prem team at best to now being serious contenders for the Prem title and Champs League. They have simply out spent every body else.

Its certainly achievable in my opinion. As you say we only did relatively well under O'Neill but bottom line was we flirted with 4th a couple of seasons and finished 6th 3 times on the spin. Decent but hardly spectacular and not enough to put say 10k on to an average gate. As it was attendances were pretty decent though - 07/08 over 40k average, 08/09 just under 40k and 09/10 just under 39k and this was with the expense of a load of cup games given our runs in the League Cup and FA Cup. It should also be remembered that during that period under O'Neill we were not spending anything like the money that Man City have on individual players. The 10 -12 mill on Downing and Milner were our big signings. Compare that to the massive money spent on big names by city on the likes of Robinho, Tevez, De Jong, Adebayor, Ballotelli, Silva, Aguero, Dzeko. The list is endless. A few big names alone will put a few thousand on to attendances but we have never been financially in the game to sign them. With Man City level spending and the attraction of big names we've easily got the dormant fan base that will start coming and could sell out every game and likely justify an extension to the ground taking it up to 50k plus. Its a pipe dream though really and I don't expect to see it in my lifetime and I'm 37! Having said that I'm sure Man City never dreamed 5 years ago they would be where they are now or Chelsea 15 years ago. Money talks now its as simple as that. Liverpool are a huge club second only to Man Utd in terms of world wide fan base ( English Clubs ) but due to not having the financial muscle over the last 2-3 years they fell behind the likes of Man City, Chelsea and Utd. Whether people like it or not the way things stand with in the game then the only way we are going to achieve real success (trophies/Champions League football) is to be taken over by someone mega rich willing to invest silly money on players.

Ramos bang out of order. Had it not been a friendly he would of been sent off.

Going well for the Irish. Get another couple of goals and they can put this to bed tonight.

1 up already. I hope they qualify. Had a soft spot for the Irish since the days of McGrath, Staunton and Houghton and now we have the Dunne and Given link.

Absolutely. the ingratitude of someone who was supported by the club for over a year to recover from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, only started playing again in January this year, and now apparently is off because he hasn't been parachuted straight into the premier league squad, would be breathtaking. I would be outraged. I'm sure the club kept him on purely through thir compassion and understanding, I'm sure at no stage were they protecting an investment and a product. He isn't a kid anymore, worse players than him (from what I've seen) have broken into teams at villa and beyond before he has, if he doesnt get a look in this season and doesn't start next season in the team who could blame the lad for considering leaving? A career in football can last for very little time with bad luck (which considering his recent injury may, or may not be something he'll be plagued with) so why waste years of it sat on the bench at a middle of the road prem club, we're hardly **** man utd, no-one wants to sit on our bench. I think you need to get a little perspective. The lad is 19 and will be just 20 at the start of next season. He'd hardly be wasting his career if he found himself on the bench of one of currently the top 10 clubs in English football and historically and potentially comfortably one of the top half dozen clubs. No we aren't Man Utd. Not many clubs are in their league in terms of status. It is still an honour to be at a great club like Aston Villa especially at 19 years of age and be in the first team squad.

No surprise that he came back in to the fold after being frozen out last season. Kev Mac can't speak highly enough of the lad and his exemplary attitude after being banished to train with the kids and play in the reserves last season. Fair play to him. He has done well for the most part this season and may well be on outside bet for a place in the England squad again.