If the stories are to be believed, not only do Notts Forest want Gary Gardner, but so do Burnley and Brighton.
Burnley are guaranteed promotion to the Premier league as of tonight and Brighton have every chance.
Hence both clubs might seem a better short-term prospect compared to the Villa.
But then, Gardner’s a Villa fan and has been with us through the academy hasn’t he?
So you would immediately think that he won’t be interested in any permanent move away.
Except he’s hardly played for us over the last five years and if you look at his Wiki, his appearance record is pretty poor, mainly because of injuries.
Indeed, his average number of appearances in a season is 17, although I’m not quite sure what that indicates, except that there’s a reasonable disconnect between him and the club now.
So it wouldn’t surprise anyone, if the old loyalty just isn’t there anymore.
And what must he think anyway, as a part outsider, who obviously still has the contacts to know exactly what’s been going on at the club.
Perhaps he might feel he’s better off away from it all?
All I know is that we’re now in a position where we need experienced Championship players.
And surely Gardner is the most experienced we have in the whole squad, who by all accounts has done a very decent job at Forest?
Fortunately, he’s contracted to us until 2018, which means we won’t have to sell him without a nice chunky fee.
And only a short-sighted owner, who wants to claw money back at any cost to the club would let him go.
Hmm.
As for the Watford game, I’ll keep it brief, as most has already been said.
I watched most of the game, where I thought we were poor against a poor Watford side early on.
But we did seem to get better as the game went on.
It was still no surprise though that we conceded 3 goals, all late on in the halves.
Will our defence look any better, even if they were all to stay, in the Championship? I seriously doubt it.
At least Lescott and Richards will be gone, so there’s hope, I suppose.
And I can’t finish without saying well done to Leicester.
I’ve seen a comment that suggests we shouldn’t really care about other clubs and to some extent, I agree.
But the Foxes winning the title means much more than it being about one club.
It’s one in the eye for Sky and the 4, 5 or 6 clubs that are usually involved.
It’s proof that while money usually wins out, it doesn’t always and teamwork and togetherness is just as important.
When you consider that the whole Leicester team cost around £40 million and Van Gaal has spent around £250 million “improving” Man Utd, so I spit in the eye of Sky even more.
And I laugh while I’m doing it.
There is a downside though, because Sky will just play it up as a fairytale type story and use it to their advantage, in hyping up the fact that even a previously relegation-threatened team can win big. Where in reality, money will indeed usually win out.
Still, this is such a big story that it’s world-wide news.
And more power to Leicester.
Every club is entitled to win big once and I’m truly glad for them.
Even if only because it’s a refreshing change from the Sky created status quo.
only one thing beats being the worst team in the premiership, thats being beaten by the worst team lmao in the league, newcastle fans are talking themselves up, clearly no need too, as nobody expects a game let alone a result for the villa.
pride comes before a fall 😉 i just hope the players give it all they have. we know this hasn’t happened enough over the season. we also know they simply aren’t good enough. but its a one off game. just hope they can end this awful run. because norwich and sunderland don’t deserve to be stitch up by us,
Hmmmm…,I wonder if there’s much truth in this…
http://mobile.avfc.co.uk/default.aspx?s=news-display&aid=5549139
Forgive me for being sceptical…
I was listening to a radio sports programme when I thought I heard them say the customary Lack of Appreciation at Villa Park had been cancelled tomorrow. I was just thinking ‘Oh no it hasn’t’ when I thought to check with the official site, it is the Lap of Appreciation that has been cancelled. I guess Gabby’s mates are booked to dance elsewhere.
Now I’m not one for being ITK but I was told a couple of things yesterday that, if true, are of major concern. The source would know the facts I was told, is a Villa fan and is ‘close’ to the club in various ways. Their nature means I can’t repeat them publically but they do ‘fit’ with what we know is happening at VP.
Essentially they suggest that the cost cutting / no manager yet appointed goes deeper than preparing for the Championship but the implication is that Lerner may well have withdrawn all financial support Not just in terms of player funding. Without wishing to be alarmist but from what I heard I am beginning to think that failure to secure a sale now might ultimately lead to administration.
Why would Lerner risk that? Simply that he can’t recover what he has already spent but is not prepared or cannot afford or is being prevented from investing any further. It also supports the rumour that he will take a much lower figure for the club (£40m?) and explains why suddenly (according to Hollis) there are many people interested in buying.
I am very worried about the future of our club VTID
H60 if we take our emotions away and think of the Villa as a business, it could make sense for him – if he cannot find a buyer I think he may just throw us into admin – which is terrifying !!
Massive club with massive costs falling turnover, losses – gulp.
Lets just hope we get purchased soon..
H60, this makes perfect sense. I think the parachute payment is dependent only having been a member of the Premiership in the current season. I am not sure if the payment could be cancelled if AVFC were relegated further as a punishment.
The club have to honour the contracts of players which have years left, although probably at reduced wages. Administration may provide a way of voiding those contracts. Since the players are unsaleable, this solution may appeal to an owner seeking to quit with as much of his cash as possible.
Can’t argue with any of that OLL. May be able to find out a little more tomorrow.
i don’t want to sound like a know it all, or a smart ass. but i mentioned months ago, loads of us have, lerner was always trying to recoup his losses through tv money, st sales and other merc, now relegation happened, their is only two main payments left and then he will have to foot the bill himself. he will never do that. you will see him drop us, for anything over a pound. admin like bolton and div 1, we might even drop further like a portsmouth
no match previews again. don’t worry groundhog saturdays end soon
iam going for a 3 nil goons win i mean toons
I don’t know about the players not doing the walk of shame I’ve got a good feeling there’ll be a pitch invasion at the end to vent their anger at not only the SHITE the fans have had to put up with but towards a certain yank.
@Giddy
If they had any sense they’d invade at he beginning. It would get them to the pub a bit earlier and save them 90 minutes of pain 🙂
BTW I am joking 🙂
Like your thinking pat it’s a waste of good drinking time mate get it down yer 😀
I will watch the match it won’t be the game that I am interested in, its the protest if it comes off, more exciting . 2 – 0 Newcastle.
I’ll be watching this tasty blonde at the bar that’s my afternoon sorted.
I’ve got it on Fox sports, its absolutely terrible game, both sides are shite, Villa haven’t any idea of what to do.
Bill
Last week on talksport commentators said
Villa can’t pass tackle run shoot or score other than that they where OK
Today Charlie Nicolas
Villa can’t pass the ball very far,it usually goes astray like this all season
Diabolical game two bad teams.
Fairplay to the mackems they must want premier league survival more than their neighbours
Will we do a lap of honour if we get a point?.
I think we just buried half a nail in the barcodes coffin that’ll do.
i agree we were shite, but they tried and they gave their all. which they avent for most the season. can’t say iam not happy the toon army will be sobbing, bet they wished they shut up before the game lmao. roll on the END and my mate jimmy said the end my only friend the end
And news filters though that the money per team from TV rights is going to be nearer £200 million a year!!! Obscene.
Randy has got to be up for the ‘Worst Businessman on the Planet’ award. What a loser…And if the rumours are to be believed, his pulling the plug on all funding is the behaviour of a spiteful brat – if the rumours are true…(allegedly…ho hum…)…
Didn’t see the game as at a wedding – which was probably more exciting! From the team sheet looks like Black decided he just wasn’t going to lose – not a single shot on target all game.
Hats off to the supporters – love the humour in the protest; only villa fans could party at a wake!
What form did the protest take???
Pistols at Dawn might have been more dramatic, but this was Beachballs at 74th Minute, as a host of them came onto the pitch.
Villa fans are usually up with their football history, Rafa Benitez has a score to settle with a Beachball, so this managed to annoy both dugouts.
In two weeks the Chinese are reportedly going to takeover for Lerner. If you believe Moxley anyways.
What all 1,381,400,099 of them?
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/aston-villa-verge-100m-sale-7921768
Andrew is referring to this article. Not sure whether I like the implications or not.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/aston-villa-verge-100m-sale-7921768
Andrew is referring to this article – not sure what to make of it.
Venture Capitalists. Right. They will want a return on investment. Point is, the club will have to be moderately successful to turn a profit. And balance the books. Only a small handful of clubs have sugar daddies but the rest have to be run as a business so this might not be such a bad thing. Venture Capitalists\Consortium – amounts to the same thing really…
if true it could open up some massive commercial avenues for the club in Asia.
All good points and probably high on Hollis list of considerations. I just worry about the patience of venture capitalists and I’m also concerned about the reference to the ‘Leicester City’ model which we all suspect is a ‘once off’. Wasn’t moneyball vaguely predicated on the Leicester model?
Still anything to see the back of Lerner – well almost anything!
Morning Hitch, I don’t think Leicester Will be a one off scenario, Might not win the league but stands a chance of being competitive to top clubs, ok history was made this season by them and to crown it, they have players that fight for the game and club. I think my prediction of a Chinese owner coming was right, remember me saying that the Chinese are interested in Birmingham and surrounding area, wing yip buying up houses in Nechells and donations to the City in monuments around the city centre, bet he would answer our questions about Buying Villa.
I’d say it was more a Leicester City fluke than a model, that’s taking nothing away from their superb achievement but with Man U, City, Chelsea in transition or off song. The Spuds leaving their run a bit late and Arsenal bottling it (as usual) it was just a case of right time, right place (imo).
But hey ho enjoy the moment and will they replicate it next season? Somehow I doubt it.
when ever this take over happens, if one does happen, really needs to happen sooner rather than ltrs. preparations are needed and the way we have been run from top to bottom over the years. theirs loads of sorting out.
gonna watch moftd reply hopefully they say sumat nice for the villa. while the performance was lacking in attacking threats. they grafted for the club. what a pity they only managed this, on the last home game. fans were amazing supporting the club and this was like sticking fingers up, to everyone outside the club, that has taken a swipe at us. aston villa THATS who VTID
Just glad Villa were half decent for once, we owe it to the other clubs still fighting relegation.
Just wish I knew what the f*** was really going on at VP regarding takeovers etc. but I suppose we’ll have to be patient.
Oh well only one more game to suffer 🙂
why pat57 got two dislikes for this comment baffles me. villa players gave all in a defensive battle, ok they offered little going forwards, but this was after a eleven games Losing streak.
plus takeover statement,we should be panicking over the time its taking,( bare in mind lerner, has been so called after selling for years not months or weeks.)
but pat57 says be patient. not cause this is good,but cos we cant do anything else but be patient, cross fingers things work out for the best.
how can you dislike this, we are all frustrated i guess
B’ham Mail says –
‘Rumours circulated that Villa’s potential new owners were actually at Villa Park to see the events unfold.
Discussions have been taking place all week with Steve Hollis and it’s thought they are actually at a more advanced stage than the chairman suggested in a statement on Friday.’
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-takeover-talks-entering-11301203#ICID=FB-Birm-avfc
Fingers, toes and everything else crossed that it might be true!
I’m putting up alink to an article here – if anyone dislikes it please be good enough to reply and say why!
Really beginning to hate these phantom dislikers!
just hope this article is close to the truth. because we do have wonderful fans that showed in buckets yesterday. fans that supported the team, that let them down all season, if the new owners were present at VP, they should be impressed, think wot support the team would get. if we had a team worthy of them.
phantom dislikers are probably the riffraff that support the team in blue and have big noses