Relegation - Merged

[John]

I went through one relegation in the eighties and it was awful. The club loses its profile and sheen when you get relegated. You become "little", you become "plucky" and "underdogs" in the eyes of the media and footballing world. The longer you are out, the worse it becomes.

Yes, Newcastle are doing okay now but the record book says they were playing second tier football the other year. That is now part of their history and will be lurking in the backs of their minds and the minds of potential signings. Will Newcastle hang on to the players who have done so well this year, will the Bas and Cisses of this world stick with them? My view is that such players still view Newcastle as a club that could potentially be second tier in the not too distant future as they are not established long enough in the top flight yet. Newcastle are not a stable top club and could just as easily have a poor season next year.

One of the many reasons why Villa are so great is that we have, for the vast bulk of our existence, been a top flight club. Relegation IS NOT ACCEPTABLE for us and it will have a huge impact on our image and status - even if we get back up. (And it is an "if".) Our image, our standing and our history suffers.

My relegation memories are not good: it genuinely knocks the stuffing out of you - and if you care about the club it hurts in many, many ways.

Well said McGregor1888. I agree 110%.

I have felt the bitter taste of relegation three times and there really is no guarantee of coming back quickly or at all (as Wolves, WBA and we have demonstrated in the past and as Leeds, Coventry, Portsmouth, Derby & Nottingham Forest are showing now).

1986/7 was the most recent occasion for us and we can thank Graham Taylor for getting us back first time of asking. There was also 1966/7 when we went down the season after England’s World Cup win and stayed in the old Division 2 until 1969/70 when we were relegated again to the old Division 3. Back then there seemed no quick easy way back and it took 2 seasons in the Third Division and another three in Division 2 until we made it back to the top division.

This football club had only twice previously been relegated in 1935/6 when it took us 2 seasons to get back and in 1958/9 when we also got back first time of asking under Joe Mercer. Our 5 relegations were ugly stains on our great football club and the fact that this has only happened to us 5 times is something we can take some pride in. There really is nothing to be gained in going down but there is much to be lost.

[Voinjama]

Leeds have just lost to Reading. So that means they are 7 points off the playoffs with only 5 games left. That means it is very very unlikely they will be playing Premiership football next season. That means we are now talking basically a full decade outside of the prem for them. Proof that just because you are a big club with big resources it doesnt mean anything when you go down. If Villa go down I will not be confident of a Newcastle style immediate come back.

[McGregor1888]

Leeds have just lost to Reading. So that means they are 7 points off the playoffs with only 5 games left. That means it is very very unlikely they will be playing Premiership football next season. That means we are now talking basically a full decade outside of the prem for them. Proof that just because you are a big club with big resources it doesnt mean anything when you go down. If Villa go down I will not be confident of a Newcastle style immediate come back.

This is the thing, some people assume we would be straight back up. Some people assume it would be one step back for two steps forward. Relegation is not like that, it stays on your record and becomes part of your profile and history. There is absolutely no way that relegation is acceptable for Villa on any level.

Get behind the players and lift them up - they need us, the club needs us, we are all in it together. Relegation will not happen on our watch!

[Woodytom]

Get behind the players and lift them up - they need us, the club needs us, we are all in it together. Relegation will not happen on our watch!

The fans are behind the players. The fans are always behind the players.

The fans were behind them in the league cup final - we lost

The fans were behind them in he FA semi final - we lost

The fans never stopped singing in a 4-0 drubbin away at Chelsea in the league cup a few years back.

Im pretty sure the fans were behind the team when they lost 2-0 to Wigan at home on the first day of the season.

Whilst we have shite players, some who clearly dont give a shit and a manager who by his own words goes into games hoping to pull off a miracle and get a 0-0, it doesnt matter how much we get behind them.

These people are on thousands of pounds a week. Why the **** should we be getting them out the shit?

Yes - all the fans will be affected by relegation - but the moment It became obvious that Im supporting a set of arseholes taking the piss - I realised that - I would cope.

Id rather go down supporting an eleven that tried than stay up thinking I did all the hard work and that I was wasting my time and money going to watch them play for the shirt.

In short, time for them to show the fans something to get behind. Because at the minute, their performances and effort are utterly abysmal.

[coda]

Get behind the players and lift them up - they need us, the club needs us, we are all in it together. Relegation will not happen on our watch!

Im pretty sure the fans were behind the team when they lost 2-0 to Wigan at home on the first day of the season.

They got booed off at half-time which was bizarre for the first game of the season.

[Woodytom]

Get behind the players and lift them up - they need us, the club needs us, we are all in it together. Relegation will not happen on our watch!

Im pretty sure the fans were behind the team when they lost 2-0 to Wigan at home on the first day of the season.

They got booed off at half-time which was bizarre for the first game of the season.

But Im sure they went very positive. It works both ways and at some point these players have to take responsibility and give us something to cheer about. They get paid enough.

[KHV]

Leeds have just lost to Reading. So that means they are 7 points off the playoffs with only 5 games left. That means it is very very unlikely they will be playing Premiership football next season. That means we are now talking basically a full decade outside of the prem for them. Proof that just because you are a big club with big resources it doesnt mean anything when you go down. If Villa go down I will not be confident of a Newcastle style immediate come back.

what constitutes a big club???

I dont think think we are a big club and I certainly dont think we have big resources.

If Im honest I think we have become nothing more more than a tin pot oufit that is a laughing stock

[Mantis]

We're a big club, but that certainly doesn't mean we'd come straight back up if the unthinkable happened.

[Woodytom]

I don't think were a big club at all. Even when we seemed to have money we barely signed big players - Carew perhaps the biggest.

Not won anything for nearly 2 decades. Cant come close to filling a just above average sized stadium. The vast majority of our success came over a century ago - were exactly where we deserve to be and by no means have any right to be any higher.

[Voinjama]

Leeds have just lost to Reading. So that means they are 7 points off the playoffs with only 5 games left. That means it is very very unlikely they will be playing Premiership football next season. That means we are now talking basically a full decade outside of the prem for them. Proof that just because you are a big club with big resources it doesnt mean anything when you go down. If Villa go down I will not be confident of a Newcastle style immediate come back.

what constitutes a big club???

I dont think think we are a big club and I certainly dont think we have big resources.

If Im honest I think we have become nothing more more than a tin pot oufit that is a laughing stock

Aston Villa are a big club. Might be performing poorly at the moment, but probably 6th biggest club in the country based on history, fan base, stadium and fame. I dont really want to down the path of bigger club then x y and z but aston villa as a club should be performing like Newcastle United currently are. I will agree that the club are a laughing stock though, and are seen by other clubs fans as very boring.

[KHV]

Leeds have just lost to Reading. So that means they are 7 points off the playoffs with only 5 games left. That means it is very very unlikely they will be playing Premiership football next season. That means we are now talking basically a full decade outside of the prem for them. Proof that just because you are a big club with big resources it doesnt mean anything when you go down. If Villa go down I will not be confident of a Newcastle style immediate come back.

what constitutes a big club???

I dont think think we are a big club and I certainly dont think we have big resources.

If Im honest I think we have become nothing more more than a tin pot oufit that is a laughing stock

Aston Villa are a big club. Might be performing poorly at the moment, but probably 6th biggest club in the country based on history, fan base, stadium and fame. I dont really want to down the path of bigger club then x y and z but aston villa as a club should be performing like Newcastle United currently are. I will agree that the club are a laughing stock though, and are seen by other clubs fans as very boring.

the whole big club thing is hard to judge. if its history then yeah we are a big club.

if its fan base then we are behind man utd,man city,arsenal,spurs,chelsea,liverpool,everton,newcastle,sunderland.

I agree with the boring. I can honestly say this villa team is the most boring team I have ever seen since I started going to villa park in 1987/88.

I think the rest of the premier league would quite like us to go down and I dont blame them

[Voinjama]

KHV You have been going to Villa Park as long as I have been alive. For some reason I presumed you were my age or late teens. I dont mean that in a disrespectful way, but it is just what I thought. So you have seen the club play a lot longer then me. Because I dont live in Birmingham I am always in contact with fans of other clubs and I agree other clubs fans want us to go down, but that is because we are boring and they say the club does not contribute anything to the league.

[Qwpzxjor1]

It's the fact that we're boring that hurts the most.

Going down trying to play good football without good enough players is frustrating, but commendable when you compare it to our current situation - on course to go down after boring the arse off the entire league all season.

What have Aston Villa achieved this season? What are our season highlights? In fact, can anyone remember anything of any note we've even done this season? A win away at a capitulating Chelsea? I think we managed to beat Norwich or someone like that at home.. those aside, this season is just a blur really.

If you go down, you should go down fighting. We're on course to go down with a whimper and a sigh.

[Voinjama]

When people say Aston Villa are boring, it is not just the style of play they are referring to, it is also the club itself. Not much happens, uninspiring players. Boring boring club, and unfortunately I have to agree with them. Apart from the MON years and the time in the 90s when the club were doing well, this has alwys been the case.

[Voinjama]

Look at how much praise Mellberg gets for his time at villa, other top clubs would not of lauded so much praise and legendary status on a player for what he did at villa. His performances were just quite good, that is all. Desperate for a hero.

Anyway I should stop now, people will think I am a dingle or a nose.

[brommy]

When people say Aston Villa are boring, it is not just the style of play they are referring to, it is also the club itself. Not much happens, uninspiring players. Boring boring club, and unfortunately I have to agree with them. Apart from the MON years and the time in the 90s when the club were doing well, this has alwys been the case.

Do you really think Villa have always been boring, except for the MON period and a time in the 90's? :shock:

[Woodytom]

Look at how much praise Mellberg gets for his time at villa, other top clubs would not of lauded so much praise and legendary status on a player for what he did at villa. His performances were just quite good, that is all. Desperate for a hero.

Anyway I should stop now, people will think I am a dingle or a nose.

Totally agree with this.

[Woodytom]

It's the fact that we're boring that hurts the most.

Going down trying to play good football without good enough players is frustrating, but commendable when you compare it to our current situation - on course to go down after boring the arse off the entire league all season.

What have Aston Villa achieved this season? What are our season highlights? In fact, can anyone remember anything of any note we've even done this season? A win away at a capitulating Chelsea? I think we managed to beat Norwich or someone like that at home.. those aside, this season is just a blur really.

If you go down, you should go down fighting. We're on course to go down with a whimper and a sigh.

Also agree fully with this.

Id actually rather go down fighting, than stay up not fighting.

Not fighting spells more trouble in the long run if you ask me and goes against everything a football club should be about.

Relegation is just an unfortunate part of competitive sport.

[coda]

Mellberg was well like here so any status bestowed upon him is not limited to his ability as a footballer.

[Voinjama]

When people say Aston Villa are boring, it is not just the style of play they are referring to, it is also the club itself. Not much happens, uninspiring players. Boring boring club, and unfortunately I have to agree with them. Apart from the MON years and the time in the 90s when the club were doing well, this has alwys been the case.

Do you really think Villa have always been boriing, except for MON and a time in the 90's? :shock:

Well I am probably alot younger then you. I started following the club in 1995 and so from that period to present day I would say yes. Of course before I was born like the 1982 euro cup win, 1981 league win etc, no, but my conversations with supporters of other clubs started when I started following in the mid 90s.