Aston Villa Protest Group

[srsmithusa]

12 hours ago, Paul33 said:

I mean that the protest is more about making individuals feel like THEY are doing something positive rather than actually achieving something positive. The protest won't stop us being relegated, it won't buy us new players or change those we have, it won't win us games, Fox and his cronies are going anyway and Lerner wants rid but can't so what exactly is the positive outcome of the positive aim of the protest ?

If you answer "we want everyone to know how pissed off we are" then guess what ..... everyone knows that already. We are bottom of the league, we are about to be relegated, we are the worst team in Premiership history, you don't need to "demonstrate" that you aren't happy.

Although you may not realise it or maybe you don't recognise it, there is a huge effort going on behind the scenes to maximise our chances of an immediate return next season. Do not underestimate what some of the new business guys are up to - they are not figureheads like Fox is, these guys are very much on the case.

They could have thrown money at big name players in January - not that I'm certain they would have come anyway - but it would have been a huge and hugely irresponsible gamble because if we still went down then we'd be in a far weaker position going into next season than where we will be.

I don't have much time for Lerner but I don't blame him for everything, I blame the middle management clowns who are about to be ousted at long last. We have weak players, we have a weak team but we have a very good manager in my opinion and we have some very good business people now involved at the club. We are doing the right things for right now but we won't see evidence of that until next season.

This season is crap and it hurts and it will continue to hurt in the coming weeks but protesting is pointless ..... there's nothing to protest about and no purpose to protest for in my honest opinion.

If I were to look for this in the library is there a strong reason I should look for it in the non-fiction section?

 

[Gary Thomas]

I know getting chants started is notoriously difficult, but think this is catchy and to the point – well I like singing it anyway!

We’re out the door on 74.......we’ve had enough, it’s got to stop, we say no more

Repeat ad infinitum

 

Edited March 4, 2016 by Gary Thomas

[MikeMcKenna]

19 hours ago, Paul33 said:

I mean that the protest is more about making individuals feel like THEY are doing something positive rather than actually achieving something positive. The protest won't stop us being relegated, it won't buy us new players or change those we have, it won't win us games, Fox and his cronies are going anyway and Lerner wants rid but can't so what exactly is the positive outcome of the positive aim of the protest ?

If you answer "we want everyone to know how pissed off we are" then guess what ..... everyone knows that already. We are bottom of the league, we are about to be relegated, we are the worst team in Premiership history, you don't need to "demonstrate" that you aren't happy.

Although you may not realise it or maybe you don't recognise it, there is a huge effort going on behind the scenes to maximise our chances of an immediate return next season. Do not underestimate what some of the new business guys are up to - they are not figureheads like Fox is, these guys are very much on the case.

They could have thrown money at big name players in January - not that I'm certain they would have come anyway - but it would have been a huge and hugely irresponsible gamble because if we still went down then we'd be in a far weaker position going into next season than where we will be.

I don't have much time for Lerner but I don't blame him for everything, I blame the middle management clowns who are about to be ousted at long last. We have weak players, we have a weak team but we have a very good manager in my opinion and we have some very good business people now involved at the club. We are doing the right things for right now but we won't see evidence of that until next season.

This season is crap and it hurts and it will continue to hurt in the coming weeks but protesting is pointless ..... there's nothing to protest about and no purpose to protest for in my honest opinion.

Your vociferous and continued opposition is strange and now amusing given your comment in v Everton pre match thread

"I will be watching on TV but I promise to walk into the kitchen on 74 !"

Thanks for your support assuming you actually made the arduous walk into the Kitchen. 

I will remind myself not to take your future posts seriously. 

[MikeMcKenna]

7 minutes ago, Gary Thomas said:

I know getting chants started is notoriously difficult, but think this is catchy and to the point – well I like singing it anyway!

We’re out the door on 74.......we’ve had enough, it’s got to stop, we say no more

Repeat ad infinitum

 

How about

Out The Door on 74 - We won't take it anymore!

[Gary Thomas]

1 hour ago, MikeMcKenna said:

How about

Out The Door on 74 - We won't take it anymore!

Either could work.  As you'd expect I prefer mine, mainly because I can imagine it being repeated over and over  - a bit like the new Randy Lerner chant.  That said, you kicked us off Mike so 'll happily back anything you suggest - within reason! Any 74 chant that helps unite the fans and gets more people singing/leaving would be great in my book.

Edited March 4, 2016 by Gary Thomas

[markavfc40]

20 hours ago, Paul33 said:

I mean that the protest is more about making individuals feel like THEY are doing something positive rather than actually achieving something positive. The protest won't stop us being relegated, it won't buy us new players or change those we have, it won't win us games, Fox and his cronies are going anyway and Lerner wants rid but can't so what exactly is the positive outcome of the positive aim of the protest ?
 

Your suggestion is to do nothing then? Just do what we have done for the last 6 years of decline and pretty much sit on our hands aside from aiding the owner/board in making another manager a scapegoat.

I feel like I am repeating myself here but even if there is only a 1% chance that by participating in these walkouts it will make a positive difference then for me it is worth doing. I posted this the other day but will again. There is a quote that goes:

 “We have more power than will; and it is often by way of excuse to ourselves that we fancy things are impossible.”

My biggest regret after getting involved in these protests is that someone like Mike didn't pop up earlier with this idea as I think we should have made a stand against the owner years ago and just perhaps things could have been different now.

You are right in what you say though that these walkouts won’t stop us getting relegated, won’t change the personnel on the pitch, won’t win us games. Quite frankly though what happens on the pitch now is irrelevant. We are down. We can still influence what happens off it though. We can force a message home that things have to change. You say Lerner wants rid yet we hear he isn't a motivated seller. He therefore needs to become motivated and lower his price. You say Fox is leaving anyway. Guess what we have had CEO’s leave before to be replaced by someone equally as inadequate and lacking in the knowledge and experience required for the role. It matters little who leaves it matters who comes in.

I’d encourage every supporter reading this to get themselves down to Villa Park against Spurs and Chelsea. Forget about what is happening on the pitch, make your voices heard for 74 minutes then get up , walk out and send a big F**K YOU to Randy Lerner and the board and ram home the message that accompanies these walkouts.

I don’t know for certain if they will take any notice. What I do know is that by doing sweet FA there is nothing for them to take notice of.

Edited March 4, 2016 by markavfc40

[AJ]

It would be nice if Randy reads all these posts, or at least has someone read them to him. He has been shacked up in his ivory towers too long, and needs to at the very least empathise with our pain, but he doesn't, and so I fully support OTD74. As Mark reiterates over and over, if you do nothing, then nothing will happen, nothing will change. If you do something, then there is more chance of change happening than if you do nothing. Although I cant make it to the games, I will at least smile when I hear the count down of the last 10 seconds to the 74th minute, feel proud watching the fans stand, be true to their word and walk out, and chuckle when they pan to Tom Fox with a displeased look as if somebody ate all the cucumber out of his sandwiches. I wish everyone involved with OTD74 all the best, and love your work.

We cant score we cant score we cant score - What did we pay our money for? - So we are out the door at 74 - Because we are not going to take it anymore!

I came up with this adaption of Mike's chant after one beer. I just cant remember which beer it was.

[NulliSecundus]

Quote

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". - Albert Einstein

That's why we must keep supporting #outthedooron74

[Chindie]

1 minute ago, NulliSecundus said:

That's why we must keep supporting #outthedooron74

Arguably also a reason not to support it if it doesn't change anything

[MikeMcKenna]

6 hours ago, Gary Thomas said:

Either could work.  As you'd expect I prefer mine, mainly because I can imagine it being repeated over and over  - a bit like the new Randy Lerner chant.  That said, you kicked us off Mike so 'll happily back anything you suggest - within reason! Any 74 chant that helps unite the fans and gets more people singing/leaving would be great in my book.

Gary, Just suggestion mate. Just go with what you think people will chant :-)

[pacbuddies]

Your suggestion is to do nothing then? Just do what we have done for the last 6 years of decline and pretty much sit on our hands aside from aiding the owner/board in making another manager a scapegoat.

I feel like I am repeating myself here but even if there is only a 1% chance that by participating in these walkouts it will make a positive difference then for me it is worth doing. I posted this the other day but will again. There is a quote that goes:

 “We have more power than will; and it is often by way of excuse to ourselves that we fancy things are impossible.”

My biggest regret after getting involved in these protests is that someone like Mike didn't pop up earlier with this idea as I think we should have made a stand against the owner years ago and just perhaps things could have been different now.

You are right in what you say though that these walkouts won’t stop us getting relegated, won’t change the personnel on the pitch, won’t win us games. Quite frankly though what happens on the pitch now is irrelevant. We are down. We can still influence what happens off it though. We can force a message home that things have to change. You say Lerner wants rid yet we hear he isn't a motivated seller. He therefore needs to become motivated and lower his price. You say Fox is leaving anyway. Guess what we have had CEO’s leave before to be replaced by someone equally as inadequate and lacking in the knowledge and experience required for the role. It matters little who leaves it matters who comes in.

I’d encourage every supporter reading this to get themselves down to Villa Park against Spurs and Chelsea. Forget about what is happening on the pitch, make your voices heard for 74 minutes then get up , walk out and send a big F**K YOU to Randy Lerner and the board and ram home the message that accompanies these walkouts.

I don’t know for certain if they will take any notice. What I do know is that by doing sweet FA there is nothing for them to take notice of.

I really hope even the slightest change occurs (e.g. getting rid of Fox, Reilly & Almstedt) just so that those people who constantly criticise any form of protest (especially the well organised 'Out The Door On 74' protest) can shrink back under their rock and continue to do absolutely nothing like they always do.

[DCJonah]

On 03/03/2016 at 14:36, Paul33 said:

I mean that the protest is more about making individuals feel like THEY are doing something positive rather than actually achieving something positive. The protest won't stop us being relegated, it won't buy us new players or change those we have, it won't win us games, Fox and his cronies are going anyway and Lerner wants rid but can't so what exactly is the positive outcome of the positive aim of the protest ?

If you answer "we want everyone to know how pissed off we are" then guess what ..... everyone knows that already. We are bottom of the league, we are about to be relegated, we are the worst team in Premiership history, you don't need to "demonstrate" that you aren't happy.

Although you may not realise it or maybe you don't recognise it, there is a huge effort going on behind the scenes to maximise our chances of an immediate return next season. Do not underestimate what some of the new business guys are up to - they are not figureheads like Fox is, these guys are very much on the case.

They could have thrown money at big name players in January - not that I'm certain they would have come anyway - but it would have been a huge and hugely irresponsible gamble because if we still went down then we'd be in a far weaker position going into next season than where we will be.

I don't have much time for Lerner but I don't blame him for everything, I blame the middle management clowns who are about to be ousted at long last. We have weak players, we have a weak team but we have a very good manager in my opinion and we have some very good business people now involved at the club. We are doing the right things for right now but we won't see evidence of that until next season.

This season is crap and it hurts and it will continue to hurt in the coming weeks but protesting is pointless ..... there's nothing to protest about and no purpose to protest for in my honest opinion.

Can I ask how you know what's going on behind the scenes?

[dounavilla]

Use your imagination.

[sexbelowsound]

Hi guys and girls, I have a request on behalf of the OTDO team.

We've been putting out articles just celebrating and reliving memories and past glories on the site. Currently we have two themes running, first games and Holte heroes.

We would love some more posts from You guys so we can continue to build a bank of these articles in the hope that it will bring a little bit of pride back and generally just celebrate our proud history. 

So far we've had Ian Taylor, Brian Little, Gordon Cowans and Olof Mellberg. 

We would love some players post Olof If possible but are more than happy with players from any generation.

If you would like to get involved just drop me a pm and I'll reserve you chosen player. 

Cheers guys.

[briny_ear]

The trouble with self-appointed ITKs is that they sprinkle a little stardust to convince the masses they know what's going on inside the club but are really representing a partial view from within the club.

So OTDO74 should be dropped 'cos Steve and Mervyn are sorting it all out and we will get back quickly to the premier league?

I say bollocks to that.

[Fairy In Boots]

can we also call for Tommy Jordan to go, embarrassing really it's like we're in North Korea. I'd also heard somebody while talking about the Villa on talksport a few weeks back saying the communication from the club was awful, no callbacks etc surely as head of communication that's him? Anyway the press conference stunt shows he doesn't get it and should be gone

[rubberman]

He's got Jordan in his name though, so must be on the good side. 

[MikeMcKenna]

39 minutes ago, Fairy In Boots said:

can we also call for Tommy Jordan to go, embarrassing really it's like we're in North Korea. I'd also heard somebody while talking about the Villa on talksport a few weeks back saying the communication from the club was awful, no callbacks etc surely as head of communication that's him? Anyway the press conference stunt shows he doesn't get it and should be gone

I have obviously spoken to a lot of the media over the last two weeks and generally the consensus amongst them is that the Villa Press Office is appalling. The incident with Garde at the Press conference reflects the fact that the media really don't like the Villa PR guys and the publicity OTDO74 has had is another illustration. I met a guy from one of the main TV channels and asked him if he had asked the Press Office for a club comment after the protest. He laughed and said "Are you joking? They NEVER talk to us." A newspaper guy basically said ' the press loved reporting the protests given their relations with AVFC"

[Fairy In Boots]

13 minutes ago, MikeMcKenna said:

I have obviously spoken to a lot of the media over the last two weeks and generally the consensus amongst them is that the Villa Press Office is appalling. The incident with Garde at the Press conference reflects the fact that the media really don't like the Villa PR guys and the publicity OTDO74 has had is another illustration. I met a guy from one of the main TV channels and asked him if he had asked the Press Office for a club comment after the protest. He laughed and said "Are you joking? They NEVER talk to us." A newspaper guy basically said ' the press loved reporting the protests given their relations with AVFC"

Cheers for the reply and it backs up what I'd heard. He reminded me of the Caledonian mafia in the thick of it, it's not how a football club runs, also he actually says to Peter colley "it's because you're a fan you ask this stuff" that to me smacks of contempt for us right from the top. 

Well done anyway Mike great effort I'll be attending Chelsea hopefully and I'll be walking out on 74 and liking tweeting and sharing everything you do utv.

[dudevillaisnice]

9 hours ago, Fairy In Boots said:

can we also call for Tommy Jordan to go, embarrassing really it's like we're in North Korea. I'd also heard somebody while talking about the Villa on talksport a few weeks back saying the communication from the club was awful, no callbacks etc surely as head of communication that's him? Anyway the press conference stunt shows he doesn't get it and should be gone

Isn't the first time he has tried to take the limelight either. Journalists (Colley mainly) are at the conference to interview the manager, they are a link for the fans and the manager nobody should get hassled and threatened by the media officer for doing their job. He reminds me of the referee that wants to take centre stage of a big game. No need.