Kingman Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 A giant banner with the image of Lerner ripping the heart out of the vIlla lion cloaked over the McGregor statue with the old 'Bright Future' scarfs piled at the base of the statue. "RIP" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairy In Boots Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 1 hour ago, dont_do_it_doug. said: It won't be a start. It won't get us anywhere. The ONLY start, middle and end that matters is Lerner. Of course Lerner is the real issue, but why not just start throwing our weight around at the very least its negative headlines for Lerner and it may force some kind of action or even a reduction in the asking price to get rid of a headache. I think to do nothing is far far worse, who cares if it's perfect, we need to draw a line in the sand as a fanbase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonic_bouma Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 It's easy for me to say because I don't go to games anymore living up north and have better things to spend my money on. but seeing a completely empty ground from kick off for the next home game would be great to see. we're down so you completely forget the impact it has on the game and our current predicament. it would get huge publicity and get the ball rolling with how much this club is in turmoil and our distaste with Lerner. Asking a season ticket holder to miss one match isn't a huge deal but asking them to miss lots is and therefore it would never be a regular thing and eventually fall on its arse with Lerner still here. walking around the UAE with villa promotion flyers handing them out to sheiks is probably the best form of action to take at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Woodytom Posted February 16, 2016 Popular Post Share Posted February 16, 2016 Just STOP going. Regardless of whether you hold up a white flag, walk out on 74 minutes or take a piss in the centre circle, by still going, you are basically saying that you still enjoy the product. Yes some people are addicted, or use it as a social event. Are there no other things to do at 3pm with your friends? Just stay in Brum watching the scores. Over a barrel because of the very nature of football: ie the sheer hope that this week night be different. The wild belief that this is OUR club. It isn't. It's randy Lerner's and i've been saying for years that he can do what the hell he likes with it. And guess what? He is. Football has changed. Some fans have realised this and changed with it. Others are still stuck a decade or so ago. Aston Villa - It's a business. A business with arguably the worst product on the planet. Don't go, and break the business. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duck Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 12 hours ago, Woodytom said: Just STOP going. Regardless of whether you hold up a white flag, walk out on 74 minutes or take a piss in the centre circle, by still going, you are basically saying that you still enjoy the product. Yes some people are addicted, or use it as a social event. Are there no other things to do at 3pm with your friends? Just stay in Brum watching the scores. Over a barrel because of the very nature of football: ie the sheer hope that this week night be different. The wild belief that this is OUR club. It isn't. It's randy Lerner's and i've been saying for years that he can do what the hell he likes with it. And guess what? He is. Football has changed. Some fans have realised this and changed with it. Others are still stuck a decade or so ago. Aston Villa - It's a business. A business with arguably the worst product on the planet. Don't go, and break the business. Agreed. If you go to tesco and buy a pack of biscuits and they're awful, you wouldn't buy them again. Eventually if enough people refuse to buy them then the biscuit company will stop selling them and either invest in making a better biscuit or hand control to someone who knows how. If you keep giving them money, they'll be regarded as the best biscuits in the world regardless of how they taste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodytom Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Just now, Duck said: Agreed. If you go to tesco and buy a pack of biscuits and they're awful, you wouldn't buy them again. Eventually if enough people refuse to buy them then the biscuit company will stop selling them and either invest in making a better biscuit or hand control to someone who knows how. If you keep giving them money, they'll be regarded as the best biscuits in the world regardless of how they taste. It really isn't much more complicated than that. Tho you're likely to be ridiculed for your comparison. Because football is like no other business you know........etc When it most definitely is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calcifer Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 If you are not happy with something you stop buying it. If people keep going then you are giving the impression that everything is fine. All this support the team is rubbish! The performance from the players Sunday shows they don't care one bit about us fans. The owner doesn't give a **** the players don't give a **** JUST STOP GOING. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Problem is I'm not buying, I've **** bought it, I'm not asking away from my season ticket yet, I've knocked arsenal away for the last game on the head (more out of the belief that arsenal will make it a category a game and charge us >£70) first time in 6 years I won't have done the last away game weekender Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozvillafan Posted February 16, 2016 VT Supporter Share Posted February 16, 2016 There was a recent issue down here between the FFA (Football Federation Australia) and fans over rules on "appropriate" behaviour. The "hard core" fans had a simple but effective response: They turned up as usual and the entire block walked out right on kickoff, leaving thousands of empty seats behind. It had the required effect, with the FFA opening talks with fan groups. Now it might not make a difference to Randy, but a mass walkout of the Holte leaving empty seats behind is a strong image on TV so at least it gets exposure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted February 16, 2016 Administrator Share Posted February 16, 2016 Is anyone going to put their head above the parapet and volunteer to organise a protest? You know, talk to the media and stuff, be the face? Otherwise, I don't see the point in people talking in circles about non-protests. Things don't happen without leaders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMcKenna Posted February 17, 2016 Author VT Supporter Share Posted February 17, 2016 (edited) 3 hours ago, limpid said: Is anyone going to put their head above the parapet and volunteer to organise a protest? You know, talk to the media and stuff, be the face? Otherwise, I don't see the point in people talking in circles about non-protests. Things don't happen without leaders. Limpid, Look again at the responses to my OP. With a handful of creditable exceptions, the response was pretty luke warm and often negative. The only consistent response was for a boycott which anyone who has been involved with protests in the past knows will never get off the ground. I find it ironic that some even who admit not going to the games anymore also advocate a 'boycott'. As I pointed out in the OP, a walkout would 'NOT make Lerner sell' but then some posters said in effect 'what's the point, Lerner isn't going to sell'. Lerner isn't going to sell, he doesn't need to. But he doesn't like being in spotlight, doesn't want the directors slagged off or to be personally humiliated, and might be prepared to invest more money or do SOMETHING if the pressure can be increased in some way at VP. We are down now and frankly I am more concerned about what will happen next year. I suspect that there will be a lot more cuts, that they are not going to invest in the summer etc This isn't about getting Lerner out anymore it is about getting them to be positive, invest and turn the tide of despair. Chanting Lerner Out, Lerner is a ******, booing the players, hanging banners, abusing players via Twitter doesn't work. They are all par for the course and nobody takes any notice. Only something that is initially easy to do, unites the fans, generates momentum and makes a major impact from the off with the media has any chance. If 10K+ Villa fans walked out of VP simultaneously during a televised game, it may or may not have an impact but at least we would have tried. The actual objective was to show the club how pissed off the fans are and illustrate that we can protest in a co-ordinated and major way. However I will admit to thinking that had enough Villa fans been prepared to support the walkout, it could have snowballed, gained momentum and developed into to something bigger. I have no clue whether it would have generated a response from the club but next year in the absence of SKY's millions, the gate money will be much more important to the club and if the club is to recover it needs the supporters more than ever. I was prepared to stick my head above the parapet, provide financial support and do whatever I can, but living in Bournemouth, having a limited personal Villa fan network and, no media contacts I am somewhat constrained. Any effort needs to consist of more than a handful of volunteers. To get the message out, there must be a significant number of individuals here and elsewhere who will commit to developing stuff via Social Media, working Facebook, Twitter, other forums, contact supporters group, the trust, writing to the press on and offline and ideally some who have some idea of how the media works and contacts. I have been down this road before and have witnessed how the likes of Jon Fear and others were ridiculed, vilified and even threatened. Unless an idea has major support and backing from many fans across the board, the originator(s) quickly become disallusioned and worn down. Anyone who genuinely wants to give this a go please PM me, but there is no point even starting if only a handful contact me. Edited February 17, 2016 by MikeMcKenna 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvfcRigo82 Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 (edited) WE NEED TO ACT NOW! I would have no qualms about leading any protest against this shit that we know as 'LAVFC', The shit we, as customers.. sorry, "fans" are having to endure on a weekly basis. It has to be stopped - NOW!. Having read these first 4 pages there have been a lot of great suggestions as to how we go about getting our message across. In my total honest opinion - I feel we should do them all! I do like the out the door on '74' idea, however as already mentioned - LAVFC has already got the cash at the till by then and I feel it will have absolutely no impact whatsoever. We need to drive this poison out of the club in EVERY way possible! If we are all very serious about this then WE all need to stand up and be counted. Starting from now and we need to ALL be all in agreement that:- - WE must boycott all home games. No fans show up to buy a damned thing - no tickets sold, no half time food sold etc. - WE must stop buying any merchandise from the club in any way shape or form. - WE must stop using VIP packages, The Holte Hotel, Stadium tours, etc. - WE must cancel any subscriptions we pay to the club that are rolling. - WE must display the banner of RL ripping out the lion's heart from the lion on Villa Badge - This banner flag will be draped right across the Holte End steps outside for one hour before kick off (If possible) for the remainder of every single home game we have left. - WE must get hold of as many "Proud History - Bright Future" scarfs as we can... Rip em in half.. then lay the "Proud history" piece at the bottom of William McGregor statue. Now - To the remaining season ticket holders that do still insist on watching this team on it's life support machine every Saturday! Okay yes, LAVFC already has your money!.. but you could stand the whole game with your back to the pitch wearing all black clothing. What are the stewards going to do all game? keep telling you to sit down? - Tell them to piss off! If everyone joins in on solidarity and unity on this then the stewards are hardly going to evict the little numbers that have turned up are they?.. We win again if they do as it will just become an empty stadium very quickly indeed. Great publicity that will gain the club - CUSTOMERS FORCED TO LEAVE VILLA PARK!! When this is all certain, serious, in place, agreed, what have you, our chosen 'front man' will then tee up the media and let them all know what is happening and when! When they best to be in position to capture it and run with it across the nations news and press and wake the **** world up on this. We have very powerful tools at our disposal here to make this take proper effect. Spread the word and take to youtube, twitter, facebook, pass the word about, we may even have other fans join us on board from other teams! Edit: (Now just sit back for a moment and picture how the above would look if all done officiant and correctly at the same time. Just think how that would look and what message it would send across. - The live televised games would just be salt being poured into what will be by then a very deep and open wound!) Show the world what really is going on at this club because it's high time we - AS FANS WITH THE MOST POWER - do something about this NOW!. Once the money pot soon starts drying up then not only will we have this idiot's attention, but the whole worlds attention with all eyes on Mr Lerner. - The man who likes to avoid publicity! Edited February 17, 2016 by AvfcRigo82 Added comments 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMcKenna Posted February 17, 2016 Author VT Supporter Share Posted February 17, 2016 33 minutes ago, AvfcRigo82 said: WE NEED TO ACT NOW! I would have no qualms about leading any protest against this shit that we know as 'LAVFC', The shit we, as customers.. sorry, "fans" are having to endure on a weekly basis. It has to be stopped - NOW!. Having read these first 4 pages there have been a lot of great suggestions as to how we go about getting our message across. In my total honest opinion - I feel we should do them all! I do like the out the door on '74' idea, however as already mentioned - LAVFC has already got the cash at the till by then and I feel it will have absolutely no impact whatsoever. We need to drive this poison out of the club in EVERY way possible! If we are all very serious about this then WE all need to stand up and be counted. Starting from now and we need to ALL be all in agreement that:- - WE must boycott all home games. No fans show up to buy a damned thing - no tickets sold, no half time food sold etc. - WE must stop buying any merchandise from the club in any way shape or form. - WE must stop using VIP packages, The Holte Hotel, Stadium tours, etc. - WE must cancel any subscriptions we pay to the club that are rolling. - WE must display the banner of RL ripping out the lion's heart from the lion on Villa Badge - This banner flag will be draped right across the Holte End steps outside for one hour before kick off (If possible) for the remainder of every single home game we have left. - WE must get hold of as many "Proud History - Bright Future" scarfs as we can... Rip em in half.. then lay the "Proud history" piece at the bottom of William McGregor statue. Now - To the remaining season ticket holders that do still insist on watching this team on it's life support machine every Saturday! Okay yes, LAVFC already has your money!.. but you could stand the whole game with your back to the pitch wearing all black clothing. What are the stewards going to do all game? keep telling you to sit down? - Tell them to piss off! If everyone joins in on solidarity and unity on this then the stewards are hardly going to evict the little numbers that have turned up are they?.. We win again if they do as it will just become an empty stadium very quickly indeed. Great publicity that will gain the club - CUSTOMERS FORCED TO LEAVE VILLA PARK!! When this is all certain, serious, in place, agreed, what have you, our chosen 'front man' will then tee up the media and let them all know what is happening and when! When they best to be in position to capture it and run with it across the nations news and press and wake the **** world up on this. We have very powerful tools at our disposal here to make this take proper effect. Spread the word and take to youtube, twitter, facebook, pass the word about, we may even have other fans join us on board from other teams! Edit: (Now just sit back for a moment and picture how the above would look if all done officiant and correctly at the same time. Just think how that would look and what message it would send across. - The live televised games would just be salt being poured into what will be by then a very deep and open wound!) Show the world what really is going on at this club because it's high time we - AS FANS WITH THE MOST POWER - do something about this NOW!. Once the money pot soon starts drying up then not only will we have this idiot's attention, but the whole worlds attention with all eyes on Mr Lerner. - The man who likes to avoid publicity! I don't disagree with much that you have said, but none of the things you suggest will happen from the off. We have to be practical and start with something that could kick things off. Then who knows what is possible? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvfcRigo82 Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 What would you propose being our first move Mike? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvfcRigo82 Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 (edited) And while I am here I would also like to suggest to all Holte Enders (those that will fill the seats from here on in) that at the start of every game when that big flag is unleashed along the lower tier, instead of passing it up and along, grab it and fold the ****er up as soon as it is fully unraveled! The club can wave a glorious flag of our badge and trophies that we won years ago all they want, and all for what? So that the masses on TV can see it and assume all is sweet and rosie down at villa park! Well it isn't! It is all irrelevant what we did years ago at this moment in time, and everyone and their brother knows Villa has a big history blah blah blah!. The fact is that WE all need to do something about the disaster of a future that the club faces if we do not act upon it now! Keep the flag pal and get the **** out of our club! Edited February 17, 2016 by AvfcRigo82 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villarocker Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 8 hours ago, Duck said: Agreed. If you go to tesco and buy a pack of biscuits and they're awful, you wouldn't buy them again. Eventually if enough people refuse to buy them then the biscuit company will stop selling them and either invest in making a better biscuit or hand control to someone who knows how. If you keep giving them money, they'll be regarded as the best biscuits in the world regardless of how they taste. I didn't realise Ducks were so fond of biscuits! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duck Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 Not sure how feasible it would be. But if someone were to design a £10/£20 note with lerners face on it, with the words "Take your money and get out" on it or something similar. And these were either printed out by fans or distributed prior to kickoff, and then thrown onto the pitch at a designated time? Everyone would need a couple of notes each, and it would probably be quite costly unless fans printed their own, but could work well alongside the '74 walkout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 Mike - I'm publicly backing you. No need for a PM? We're all in this together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 However, feel free to PM me with what it is you want me to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dont_do_it_doug. Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 I'll reiterate the point that Stan Collymore is a massive asset to any attempted protest. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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