Dodgyknees Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 It goes without saying that we are the top midlands team of all time. We've had dips and moments where we have fallen from grace. But this season it looks like we might actually have two teams from the midlands finishing above us, not sure when that last happened (under GT?) but even so, it is not something that happens regularly. It matters little to Lerner that we finish below these, I think as long as we are safe and have a tight belt, he will accept this. I'm not sure it is something we can accept as fans, we don't accept second best. Now, we've plenty of threads debating the style of football, spending and who is to blame, this is just something I want to ask those in the heart of the midlands etc, those closer to it all... Does it hurt to see us as potentially finishing below the likes of Stoke and Albion? As somebody living down south, it pisses me off big time and hurts to think it is now acceptable by those at the club to just be "fighting it out" (not that we actually show real fight on the pitch) and I am hoping we can change this around next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villapark1 Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 I don't live in the Midlands, but I would imagine it hurts like hell for those that do. How we have fallen over the last 2 years especially. We have always been the top team of the midlands but I am more concerned with where our great club is heading. There doesn't seem to be any positives anymore,the club and staff seem happy to except mediocrity and just seem to be happy if we maintain premiership status. Sad sad times to be a Villa fan, and really can't see them getting any better over the next few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Personally I'm not bothered about the other sides, for me its all about Villa and we are a club in crisis. I just cannot believe how poorly the club is being run. The PR just smacks of rearranging the deck chairs on the deck of the Titanic. Do they really see how bad it is?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houlston Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 All I want is Villa to finish as high as possible, who is above or below us I really couldnt give a shit about. If in the most ridiculous scenario that we finished 4th and the Baggies finished 3rd it wouldnt hurt at all I'd be buzzing. What does hurt is how low down the league table we are and the points we have amassed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AValon Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Don't particularly care where anyone else finishes tbh (well, with one exception maybe, but that goes without saying). The main focus is on our status not only as top Midlands team, but more importantly as a premier side next year. If he stays in charge, I fear the inevitable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 Stoke is so far from Birmingham I dont consider them local rivals at all. Its probably closer to Manchester than it is to Birmingham, and I think the only reason they are featured on Midlands Today is because the town happens to be in Staffordshire. I agree about Albion though. It's not much fun being below them, though as I know barely half a dozen Baggies fans I can live with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 yeah i dont care about stoke, baggies I'll get a ton of stick as i work with a load of them and half my family support them, its started already, fortunately i havent come across one that sees it as anything other than a false dawn cant wait till they do the double over us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 I want to be top dog in the Midlands and have grown used to being that. We were top 6 a couple of years ago now we aim to end the season above Stoke and WBA and accept that is unlikely. It has been a very long time since they were both a threat to us. :oops: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CastleBromVilla Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Only consider the Blues our rivals, and we won't have to worry about that shower of shit until next season at the earliest - not interested in the black country lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PussEKatt Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Well I live 12000 miles away and it matters to me if we are the top team in the midlands or not. If we can't be top of the league then at least we can be top of the midlands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRS-T Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Stoke is about halfway between Birmingham and Manchester. Don't really consider them to be local rivals but still want us to finish as the top Midlands club. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 All I want is Villa to finish as high as possible, who is above or below us I really couldnt give a shit about. If in the most ridiculous scenario that we finished 4th and the Baggies finished 3rd it wouldnt hurt at all I'd be buzzing. What does hurt is how low down the league table we are and the points we have amassed. A little bit of this ^ and A little bit of this \/ for me I want to be top dog in the Midlands and have grown used to being that. We were top 6 a couple of years ago now we aim to end the season above Stoke and WBA and accept that is unlikely. It has been a very long time since they were both a threat to us. Which I guess explains the dichotomy that is me. I would also say that as much as I am pissed off by our league placing, form is temporary, class is permenant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barry'sboots Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 I don't care about the relative position of the club per se. I don't even necessarily care about Premier League status. What I do want is for our club to perform to (or at least to be given the opportunity to be able to perform to) the best of its potential. Given that we are probably the 7th or 8th biggest club - in terms of revenues/spend/infrastructure/academy (arguably higher for this latter point) - I would expect that a reasonable performance would be perform to at least that level. I felt that MON did this but was often, personally, quite frustrated by the style and way that he achieved this. I do not believe that the current regime will ever achieve this and changes certainly need to be made - starting with McTool but ending up where I do not know. I just want to see my club set up in a way that it has the opportunity to maximise its potential and then, in an ideal world, exceed it. By this measurement I am disappointed in finishing below the Albion and Stoke as - and not meaning to disrespect them because I have nothing against either club and think that they are both well run (certainly in comparison to our current regime) - because our potential dictates that, properly run, we should be ahead of both of these clubs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voinjama Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 The only times in the last 20 years Villa were not the top midlands club. 1995 Nottingham Forest 2003 Birmingham City You can add this season to the list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voinjama Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Still top dogs though, even when not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briggaman Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Is Stoke even considered to be in the Midlands? Just wondering. I would only consider WBA to be in the Midlands, so that would only make one team finishing above us. Not too bad continuing how poor we have been this season. At least Wolves and the blue shite are below us. One is actually still in the league below us... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voinjama Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 I have never seen Stoke as a midlands team. Slightly too far North. It would be like including Northampton as a midlands club, but the other way round. They are slightly too far south. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PussEKatt Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 It must be something to do with borders or something.Cause Derby is a midland team, and how far away are they from Villa ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbojames Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Yeah Stoke is considered part of the midlands as it comes under Staffordshire. The midlands is quite a big area of the country and not just the West Midlands. Anyway, trying to look on the bright side at least this season we shouldn't be finishing bottom of the midlands clubs. I personally prefer to see as many more local games as possible and hope to see the likes of Derby, Forest and Leicester get back up, even Small Heath to an extent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voinjama Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 It must be something to do with borders or something.Cause Derby is a midland team, and how far away are they from Villa ? 40 miles from Villa Park to Pride Park. And 49 miles to Stoke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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