The VillaTalk Protest Thread

[MikeMcKenna]

6 hours ago, villarocker said:

I don't know what will or won't work. But, I feel that maybe the best way is to somehow tarnish his family name so much that it makes the rest of his family pressure him into a cheaper sale purely to protect the family name/image. 

Billionaires can turn very nasty if anyone messes with their family. People should be very careful. 

[VillaChris]

Any protest should be non-violent.

You'd think people wouldn't even suggest stuff like that.

[MikeMcKenna]

Lot of individuals on various Villa FB pages proposing match boycott. However when questioned, they almost invariably are already boycotting. So they don't have to actually put much effort into the protest they advocate - do they? What They actually mean is that they think everybody else should join them.

 Be interested to know if those who have suggested Boycott on this thread go to matches? 

[VillaChris]

Too many people want to go to the game, a total boycott is out of the question, for any club.

But if the 0TD74 builds and builds and more people participate then Villa Park will be looking very empty indeed for the final 15 minutes of games so that's as good as you'll get.

[dont_do_it_doug.]

Suggesting a mass boycott is horse shit. It will simply never work. Those that want to boycott are already doing so.

No matter how big the impact (and it was big IMO - they were just talking about it and as a result Lerner on MOTD) people had to really stretch to get 5-6,000 to walk out after 74 minutes at 3-0 down last night, about a thousand couldn't even wait the extra 14 minutes after the 3rd went in. So you get what, 2,000 people who otherwise would have gone to boycott. So what. Explain to me what impact that has, especially if those numbers come from season ticket holders. 

It's a bloody stupid idea and I'm sick of hearing it. So there 

Edited March 3, 2016 by dont_do_it_doug.

[Villarocker]

For the record, can I just point out that I'm not promoting or suggesting that violence be used as any form of protest. Unless putting rope around a blow-up doll's neck could be considered as such 

Good luck to anyone that protests in any kind of way. Personally, I doubt anybody will find a way that will force Lerner out of the club. Unfortunately for us, he seems as disinterested in forcing a sale as he does watching the team play. 

[rodders0223]

90 minutes straight of abusive chants is what I want to see.

[TRO]

On 2 March 2016 at 16:13, dont_do_it_doug. said:

In which case you feel the only appropriate course of action is a full boycott? 

Quite a number of fans have intimated at that to me....but so difficult to organise.

it will create a natural drop off, shortly with so many reversals.

[TRO]

On 3 March 2016 at 00:07, MikeMcKenna said:

Lot of individuals on various Villa FB pages proposing match boycott. However when questioned, they almost invariably are already boycotting. So they don't have to actually put much effort into the protest they advocate - do they? What They actually mean is that they think everybody else should join them.

 Be interested to know if those who have suggested Boycott on this thread go to matches? 

The thing is Mike It's the only language they understand......empty stadia

With any protest like this... You will always have other camps that want to do something different and it gets diluted.

we had all this with "Villa fans combined" organised by Jonathan Fear.....even had fans spitting at us.

I only go now and again my season ticket went years ago.

I love the club, but have not time for the team or hierarchy.

There comes a time when you have to say "put up or shut up"

If fans keep wanting to go......they are accepting it and condoning it by their attendance.

sorry, no other way of saying it.

 

Edited March 5, 2016 by TRO

[MikeMcKenna]

37 minutes ago, TRO said:

The thing is Mike It's the only language they understand......empty stadia

With any protest like this... You will always have other camps that want to do something different and it gets diluted.

we had all this with "Villa fans combined" organised by Jonathan Fear.....even had fans spitting at us.

I only go now and again my season ticket went years ago.

I love the club, but have not time for the team or hierarchy.

There comes a time when you have to say "put up or shut up"

If fans keep wanting to go......they are accepting it and condoning it by their attendance.

sorry, no other way of saying it.

 

Sorry mate, I don't agree with you. "Wanting to go" is what I and thousands of others do. It is ridiculous to say we are condoning the management of the club.

Those that don't go to games any more have made no difference. I would rather they all turned up and protested in some way. A sold out VP park calling for Lerner Out that then walked out on the 74th minute in their masses would be a massive statement. 

When fans turn away they often don't come back, no matter how well we do. I know people who used to go to every game and then stopped going during the Ellis protest years. Many just got out of the habit and never came back when Lerner took over despite all the big money and relative success. If they wouldn't come back during Lerners first three seasons I don't know what would get them back. The most vociferous opponents to the OTDO74 campaign have tended to be those who don't go to games. That's  their choice and I  respect their right to do as they please, but imho they have lost any right to demand that I or others boycott and should in turn respect our decisions to keep going to matches. 

Currently the club is completely broke, nobody apart from the players is making money.  As you know I despise Lerner but he is still having to put money in - if he stops we are insolvent and believe it or not I think there is a chance we could go into Administration. The rumour is that the finances are going to show another big loss. There comes a point where Lerner would be financially better off putting Villa into Adminstration than cutting his sale price. People will scoff at the idea but it really isn't that far fetched when you consider Lerner is a preferred debtor, Reform Acquisitions  in the UK losses can be used to gain future tax breaks by the parent company Reform Acquisitions in the USA. I don't understand all this in detail but there is a tipping point. 

People are losing their jobs at VP and the screws are really on - they are cost cutting everywhere. Some of the staff have been told to reapply for their jobs. One of the staff told me at Everton that it felt the club was already in Administration! 

During the last 5/6 years the gates have been falling, but it hasn't made any difference to the direction of the club. The same was true of the Ellis years, Between 2001-3 when attendance money was more important, average gates dropped to around 31K but Ellis carried on. The gates are down by up to 15% since O'Neills years and it hasn't made any difference. Boycotts organized or personal have never worked and never will in my opinion beyond losing long term fans and future generations forever. 

The OTDO74 campaign maybe imperfect and have little visible effect but I think it has had a much bigger impact behind the scenes than people realize. Doing nothing generates nothing, doing something might change something. 

 

 

Edited March 5, 2016 by MikeMcKenna

[nobler]

I can't really do anything but that's purely because I can't afford to go to much games these days, football has outpriced me and only get down about 4-5 times a season. I think OTDO74 is a good idea, because fan power is important and if pushed and pushed will work to the point where changes will be made but ultimately nothing will change until Lerner sells because he doesn't know what he's doing. You might as well put a cat in charge. The only thing we can all hope is that he sells to somebody who knows how to stabilise and do a decent job running a football club, and that just seems long a long way off. So, that's just it for me. Wait for a decent investor, which may take many years.

[PussEKatt]

After the teams have shook hands, and before kick off.Supporters carrying banners peacefully and casually walk onto the pitch, maybe chanting "Lerner has destroyed us" while the supporters in the rest of the ground stand up and clap. 

[TRO]

10 hours ago, MikeMcKenna said:

Sorry mate, I don't agree with you. "Wanting to go" is what I and thousands of others do. It is ridiculous to say we are condoning the management of the club.

Those that don't go to games any more have made no difference. I would rather they all turned up and protested in some way. A sold out VP park calling for Lerner Out that then walked out on the 74th minute in their masses would be a massive statement. 

When fans turn away they often don't come back, no matter how well we do. I know people who used to go to every game and then stopped going during the Ellis protest years. Many just got out of the habit and never came back when Lerner took over despite all the big money and relative success. If they wouldn't come back during Lerners first three seasons I don't know what would get them back. The most vociferous opponents to the OTDO74 campaign have tended to be those who don't go to games. That's  their choice and I  respect their right to do as they please, but imho they have lost any right to demand that I or others boycott and should in turn respect our decisions to keep going to matches. 

Currently the club is completely broke, nobody apart from the players is making money.  As you know I despise Lerner but he is still having to put money in - if he stops we are insolvent and believe it or not I think there is a chance we could go into Administration. The rumour is that the finances are going to show another big loss. There comes a point where Lerner would be financially better off putting Villa into Adminstration than cutting his sale price. People will scoff at the idea but it really isn't that far fetched when you consider Lerner is a preferred debtor, Reform Acquisitions  in the UK losses can be used to gain future tax breaks by the parent company Reform Acquisitions in the USA. I don't understand all this in detail but there is a tipping point. 

People are losing their jobs at VP and the screws are really on - they are cost cutting everywhere. Some of the staff have been told to reapply for their jobs. One of the staff told me at Everton that it felt the club was already in Administration! 

During the last 5/6 years the gates have been falling, but it hasn't made any difference to the direction of the club. The same was true of the Ellis years, Between 2001-3 when attendance money was more important, average gates dropped to around 31K but Ellis carried on. The gates are down by up to 15% since O'Neills years and it hasn't made any difference. Boycotts organized or personal have never worked and never will in my opinion beyond losing long term fans and future generations forever. 

The OTDO74 campaign maybe imperfect and have little visible effect but I think it has had a much bigger impact behind the scenes than people realize. Doing nothing generates nothing, doing something might change something. 

 

 

please do not misconstrue my point.

I am in no way criticising the OTDO74 campaign.....On the contrary, I applaud your efforts and those that have contributed......and I do accept your explanation for attending and not wishing to be patronising, but I am proud of those that do attend. Home or away.

My cynicism was aimed at the hierarchy and their relief at money coming in at any price.

I am in no position to argue with you and I think your explanation is eloquent.I simply chose not to support the incompetence of this club anymore and only go when I am invited in the corporate.....my attitude had changed and I am not necessarily proud of it.

It used to spoil my weekends, I was partially obsessed with the fortune of the club.I could not stand watching players with half hearted attitudes, it was eating away at me. I would growl, shake my head at basic errors and shout in frustration at clear moves that had been missed,by ineffective play.

I had to break the cycle and give it up. it was affecting me and my demeanor.I would eventually ended up in fights and arguments.... So I had to give it up.

when I go now, I don't pay and I don't feel obliged to criticise for that reason. I have given up my right to complain and feel I can watch with a different objectivity.

Pent up anger and frustration has been replaced by sadness and sorrow.

I am no longer a supporter, just a passive fan.

 

Ps yes, I take advantage of my associations, by attending at Wembley.....just like the players take advantage of our loyalty, by buying big houses and flash card.

 

 

[limpid]

13 hours ago, PussEKatt said:

After the teams have shook hands, and before kick off.Supporters carrying banners peacefully and casually walk onto the pitch, maybe chanting "Lerner has destroyed us" while the supporters in the rest of the ground stand up and clap. 

Anyone that enters the pitch can be banned from all football grounds for a number of years and have travel restrictions placed on them. I would not recommend this action.

[MikeMcKenna]

19 hours ago, PussEKatt said:

After the teams have shook hands, and before kick off.Supporters carrying banners peacefully and casually walk onto the pitch, maybe chanting "Lerner has destroyed us" while the supporters in the rest of the ground stand up and clap. 

Trouble with that mate is that it could lead to a ban

[Genie]

Something that will get in the news.

The sit in is a good idea, if they had to make announcements to get people to leave it would certainly make the news. It could also be done with a relatively small group. 

[pacbuddies]

Just don't go. I fail to understand why anyone would wish to continue to pay good money to watch absolute shit. You wouldn't do it at the theatre or any other entertainment venue.

[maqroll]

5 minutes ago, pacbuddies said:

I fail to understand why anyone would wish to continue to pay good money to watch absolute shit.

For the same reason people slow down to stare at a car crash. 

[DCJonah]

On 03/03/2016 at 08:43, rodders0223 said:

90 minutes straight of abusive chants is what I want to see.

Just coming in to post this.

Let's boo the touch of every single one of our players. And when we haven't got the ball anti Lerner and anti Fox songs. 

**** every word removed at that club. 

[Xela]

14 hours ago, pacbuddies said:

Just don't go. I fail to understand why anyone would wish to continue to pay good money to watch absolute shit. You wouldn't do it at the theatre or any other entertainment venue.

This is my view as well. Full boycott needed