6065_Villa Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Having traveled over from Perth for the final with all the hassle involved (time off work,away from my family, cost of flights and tickets plus beer money and shed loads on souvenirs for my lads), I think I'm done with the Villa now. Sitting on the plain from Dubai for 11 hours to Perth I had plenty of time to reflect on Saturday's disappointment. Obviously it's easy for me to say this as I'm halfway around the world but I think even if I was still in the UK I'd feel the same. Going down the Villa even football in general just isn't the same. If we start with football in general it's been taken away from the working classes. Our F.A are spitting over FIFA and how it's all corrupt, but they are just as bad. Every semi-final now has to be played at Wembley, the two finalists get 25k each in a stadium that holds 90k. Now the big one, "Villa" after 35 years of loyalty I've had enough. I've had good and bad times with the usual scraps along the way. I think the last four years have just ground me down. The football's been rubbish with the odd exception, the chairman's been rubbish and the managers he's appointed have been rubbish. During this four years slowly but surely my mates have dropped off along the way. It's took me 40 hours of traveling and $3,000 to come to the same conclusion "I'm done". The fans deserve more, when I got to the airport my wife and kids were waiting to pick me up. Any good they ask as one, yeah really good until we kicked off. Anyway this is a big season for Villa, I know we always say that. But this is, Randy has to get it right before he slopes back to America with as much money as he can get for us. TS has to get it right because you fear another relegation season will see us down. The biggest thing is they need to do this to keep the fans they still get before any more start to feel like me. I hope they get it right, and in 5/6 months time I'm looking from afar enviously as we beat Man Utd at home. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 I'm sorry you had to experience that dismal final in the flesh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippo Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Agree with all that. But quite simply its Aston Villa - and nothing else compares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillanousOne Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Agree with all that. But quite simply its Aston Villa - and nothing else compares. please post in the Sinead O'Connor thread 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Huge sympathy for the opening post. I "only" spent £240 on two tickets for the final to sit there and watch Arsenal, Villa were not on show. The fans before the match were magnificent, great day, atmosphere superb then the match, the thing we all went for, was totally shocking. It was the culmination of Lerner's time in charge, nearly but miles away. Promise of much, delivery of so very little. You can only string fans along that way for so long 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillanousOne Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 speaking abouts both league and FA Cups I remember when we beat Man Utd and Leeds in the league cup finals, on both occasions we were the underdogs and we still competed and won. Then I went to the Chelsea final - and we lost whilst barely breaking a sweat Then we lost to Man Utd - and there was controversy, but that was as good as our team was ever going to get under Lerner (probably). I went to the Chelsea cup semi-final where we were also utterly spanked Then we lost to Bradford in the semi (as well as other humiliating losses after that in earlier stages) Before the ultimate anti-climax of the Final vs Arsenal, where we played the worst game of football I have ever seen us churn out since the Bradford game. I really did think I could not come back from this, in might be in my blood to support Villa but every bone of logic in my body tells me I should take up golf or yoga instead. I don't see anything changing anytime soon, but i'll remain a Villa fan come season kick off, just my level of commitment and willingness to attend matches gets less and less every season under the current clown show. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippo Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 It was an embarassment - It has to be one of the worse cup final performances by any team. I think a mid table championship side would have given arsenal a tougher game. - which is ominous for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dAVe80 Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 When I started reading the post, I was ready to say something along the lines of, "OK mate, see you late", but further reading, I can understand what you're saying. I've got massive issues with football in general, and have done for a long while. The Premier League and Champions League are all about money, and the cards are so stacked in the favour of the "big" clubs, it's impossible for anyone else to compete without a Chelsea / Man City scenario happening. Even Spurs have no chance of getting a regular Champions League spot (Which in its self is annoying. The fact finishing 4th in your league is now better than winning a Cup!), so the rest of us might as well not even bother. That said, I still love the Villa. I'm an absolute sucker, but I can't let it go. Everything inside me is screaming to let football go, but I just can't do it. Aston Villa Football Club are too much a part of me. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewie Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 I was thinking about flying back from the Philippines to watch the Final, could have had hospitality due to one of the clients we work with etc but decided against it. I can see where people are coming from when they say they have had enough of Villa, but i think you just need to manage expectations. I know it's east to get excited, especially how we played against Liverpool, but there was a decent chance that the final was going to go the way it did and obviously the risk vs the reward didn't work out for you this time, but should have been expected in my opinion. Whilst it's frustrating to watch us play like a bunch of school children at times, we do enjoy the occasional victory and it's really just part and parcel of being a fan of a lower premier league team. Hopefully next season will be a little better, and for me the Saturday nights of watching the prem league with Villa sandwiched somewhere in there are still something i look forward to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanO Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 I get you mate, I'm also in Perth and if I wasn't flying back soon might have gone myself. Football isn't the sport I fell in love with and to be honest I hardly watch anything other than Villa which I find myself getting angry and frustrated rather than enjoying the experience. I envy you as much as I'm fed up I'm unable to give it up and find something else, that said Go the Dockers and Eagles!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a m ole Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Modern football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick76 Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 I'm in the same boat in terms of travelling having flew over from Sydney and paid OTT for tickets as I didnt have enough attendances to get a regular ticket thus had to go through the corrupt system of buying from Club Wembley member who has made a fortune from me for tickets worth a fraction of the value. I'm in London at the moment for a few days of work before flying back to Sydney tomorrow, and have been enduring some stick Saturday was a huge day, I was so hoping for not the pain I suffered in the 2000 final and again I suffered the same. I get up at stupid hours to watch Villa every week live as we are fortunate/unfortunate to get almost all the Villa league games through Foxtel (OZ equivalent to Sky), and must admit I have been so disillusioned this season that I have missed one or two games for various reasons. I have wanted to give up the Villa but they are part of who I am and I think even if it gets worse I will still never be done with Villa, I just don't think I have that ability. Growing up in Erdington with a season ticket and going to all the away games season after season and then moving to Sydney for work 11 years ago at the age of 27, the feeling hasnt changed no matter what has happened in the corrupt larger game. Those 90 minutes every week, I still hope, I still bite my nails, I shout and scream, mostly in pain rather than joy and I stand and argue the merits of my team to any expat that wishes to argue. Saturday was a very low point, the last four seasons have been awful, the corrupt governing bodies are destroying the game and FFP is a disgrace and totally unfair but those 90 minutes every week I still believe, I still hope and that's why I can't give up the Villa................ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villarocker Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 (edited) My brother and I managed to scrape tickets with a week to spare. Did we deserve them? probably not to be fair. neither of us went to a game last season, purely because we've had enough of the owner and couldn't forgive him for giving us McLeish. But, before we engage in the "who is the better fan" debate, let's get to my Wembley story. My brother is 12 years older than me and quite simply my hero. He was a soldier, travelling the world, from when I was 6 years of age. He now lives in Coventry and we do not see as much of each other as we would both like - work, life etc getting in the way. But, for a Villa cup final, wild horses couldn't hold us back! We travelled down to Wembley on the train and, as is now customary, we drank a 2 litre bottle of vodka and coke between us on the way - divided in our opinions of who will win. Arsenal for me (the realist), Villa for my brother (the dreamer). We went to the Green Man and had a good laugh and a chat with anyone who didn't mind getting bored by two drunks. We then went to the stadium. Straight after entering the stadium, I went to get a round in. I discovered I had lost my wallet which contained my bank card and £50 in cash. I tried to find it but it was never going to be found, was it? We had a drink anyway and then went to our seats. Now, I am not sure if this happened before kick-off or shortly into the game but, I fell. I lost my balance (probably due to the amount of drink consumed so not looking for sympathy) and fell forwards. I landed two rows in front. Thankfully, I didn't hurt anyone else but myself. I was lucky in the fact that I didn't seriously hurt myself. I was helped up and back to my seat and watched the worst Villa performance in living memory. Which, even though I was drunk, came as a shock to me. I was there in 2000 and thought that this time could be nowhere as bad as that day in terms of team performance - but it was! I had some bets on the game on the way down and one of them included a £1 scorecast at 65-1 on Walcott scoring first with a 3-0 Arsenal win, which I narrowly missed out on thanks to our hopeless players failing to keep out Giroud's injury time 4th. Obviously, not my lucky day! We returned home and I moaned all the way saying I would never go to watch Villa at Wembley again. Obviously, that was the drink talking! A few days later and I am battered and bruised all over. Nothing broken though so very lucky in that respect. The bruising will go in a few more days and, the money, well, I hope whoever found it (I lost it in the entrance to block 532) pissed it up the wall in order to drown their sorrows after watching such a miserable performance! Will we do it again? You're damn right we will! Just as long as we can get tickets for me and my brother then we'll follow the same path to Wembley in the hope of not returning home that night because we will be out on the streets of London town celebrating the Villa's cup win! Just someone please get the importance of such occasions through to our players and give them the same spirit! PS: If you encountered us along the way and my behaviour pissed you off in any way - I sincerely apologise! Edited June 3, 2015 by villarocker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 No idea what this thread is about but it can only end in tears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maqroll Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Briny, never change your avatar, it always makes me laugh, perfect photo of Lerner 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinker Posted June 3, 2015 VT Supporter Share Posted June 3, 2015 We came second out of 730 teams that entered the fa cup. Point is that very few teams actually taste any real success when measured against the top 4. Long term it may damage the game as new customers will seek winners and a league with 4 competing teams isn't going to satisfy anyone, especially sky. The last few seasons have been poor but for all defeats we have suffered the wins, when they come, seem a little bit more special. The win against the baggies, Liverpool the Sunderland victory. You can only jump so high and cheer so loud, and I got to my highest levels in those games, despite there being no cup presented at the end of the game. UTV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nostarapter Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Ok I get all of this but......! We support Villa we have had great times we have had bad and this is the but bit.... For better or worse! Leeds fans Man City fans Forest fans and many more can have the same conversation, we could be Preston fans or Luton it's all the same! We support we spend hard owned cash to do so and yes modern day football is a closed shop it would seem in regards to the elite club of super powers. And here's a nother but,we can still enjoy the ups and downs and we can still be proud of are selves because we support no matter what,take the hits take the "you support Villa..... Rearly??"(I live down south all the elite down here) we take it all,and when we get back to the top the sweet feeling we will have will be more pure than any elite fan will ever experience! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 I done 1800 and will do it again when we'r back in 15 yrs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dn1982 Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Every body is down after that game but can anybody who attended the 1/4 or semi final say that those feelings weren't the best ever? Would you have still wrote the same post if we'd won? Or is it the fact you feel like crap after the defeat? I never answered my phone for 3 days after and I still feel gutted but today I renewed my ST. I will,probably still feeling like crap and be gutted until the fixtures come out in 2 weeks then I'll slowly refocus on the new season. After a defeat like Saturday most would feel they've had enough but I guarantee if we was to get there again next season you'd be in the plane again in the hope that we can finally get that win. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Folski Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 I felt exactly the same coming out of that stadium, £330 for a ticket, and I was praying to god it would work going through the turnstile. €150 for flights, £220 for 2 nights hotel, god only knows what was spent on drink. I'd have paid 10 times that to see us win, even if it was on pens and we were atrocious over 120mins. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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