I know some of you have already started discussing it, but I can’t miss writing this up as a post, because it’s so important.
Corona is making all the headlines and as we all know, it’s led to football in England being suspended for three weeks.
There was obviously no choice but to do this and it’s the right choice, although I don’t believe it goes anywhere near far enough and is mostly a panic reaction, to try and see how things pan out.
The only problem is that from what I’ve read, Corona virus in the UK is predicted to probably peak out in about fourteen weeks. Ie, the middle of June.
I’m not going to be quite as pessimistic as that, as my pure layman’s guess is that this will prove to be very flu-like and start to peter out come late April or early May.
Not that it matters much.
Either way, I don’t believe for one minute that we’ll be able to restart footy in three weeks time.
Which is where I’ve heard a few options.
The first is that the league is frozen as it is and the season is over, meaning the current positions stand.
That quite simply isn’t going to happen, as the bottom three clubs, us included, would just sue the Premier league for loss of revenue.
Then there’s the possibility that we drag the season into the summer and start next season later.
I can’t see that working, given the amount of moaning the managers do about too many games.
And then there’s the option of playing games behind closed doors, which has massive implications for revenue and sponsorship.
While this is probably the most unpopular of those options, it would seem to me that it’s the only way to go and I can’t see what the league were thinking in suspending the league.
Of course, you have the players and staff to consider, but I would have thought you could have had a situation where they would be tested for Corona on say Tuesday and Friday and if found to be negative, they’re ok to play.
But then, what if one of the outfit tests positive? They’re bound to pass it to the others?
Hmm, I’m flummoxed unless any of you have better suggestions.
The more I think about it, the more I think the season should just be abandoned.
I think Germany has considered this and the teams in the current promotion positions get promoted into an extended league above.
But there will surely be litigation all over the place here, with the likes of restriction of trade.
Abandonment would suit us beautifully, but we ain’t that lucky.
I can see football’s dilemma, but without trying to get political, I don’t think the government has helped.
The advice is that you stay two metres away from other people if possible.
Yet they haven’t banned crowds, which just makes the suggestion a joke.
Either the whole country should be in total lockdown and we let business rant and rave about it or we just leave things entirely, so the virus plays out at it’s own pace and we get it over and done with quicker.
But then, our NHS that can’t cope with a normal winter, goes into total meltdown.
Blimey, what a mess.
No wonder I’ve got the feeling that even the Government haven’t got a clue what to do and are absolutely terrified of what might happen.
I know Hitch, on some sites saying he had die on others he’s still with us.
All papers that are confused. Nice to know 3 hours ago he’s alive.
On balance, I think the BBC are likely to be the most accurate in this instance – so wishing him a full recovery.
Without footy I am struggling for things to do with my spare time. I even found myself talking to the missus the other day. Apparently she has been made redundant from Woolworths!
Nothing wrong with a bit of plagiarism Holte 🙂
Still funny though.
Holte at least your memory ok, just been told my grandson father had an e-mail to say one of his students been diagnosed with the virus, which means the whole of my family are now quarantine, Hells bells.
Bill, it’s crazy times we are in. I hope you and your family are doing well and keeping safe. My mom reminded me that WW2 lasted over 5 years so although lives will be affected and sadly lost, there is hope that in a year or so we will be getting back to normality.
Also best wishes to everyone else on here. Keep safe!
Sorry for the false information on Peter witingham death,I live in Wales and it came out here that he had died. But now it seems he’s just in intensive care unit still critical though.
Bloody news!!!next we will hear that it was only a dream this season football had been cancelled. World gone mad. Once again sorry for false information.utv
This is exactly why I don’t do Facebook and will not update the site’s link to it.
I wouldn’t do Twitter either, but accept that’s where many of the readers come from, so I have to swallow it.
Hi Badger I don’t do those either this news was on the local news in Wales so don’t know how they got it so wrong.
Peter was reported on several websites! He’ll bloody laugh at this when he comes around.
Come on Pete, get well soon!!!!!
Am i dreaming or is this ground hog day or do i have special powers I not know about. But it seems Peter witingham has actually died 😵 I’m confused!!!!!
Sorry to say Roy its right!I’ve just check and he’s passed away.
A club statement read: “It is with an immeasurable amount of sorrow that we must inform supporters that Peter Whittingham has passed away at the age of 35.
“We are heartbroken.
“The news of Peter’s sudden and untimely passing has shaken us to our very foundation. Our love goes out to his wife Amanda, their young son and family.
“They are at the forefront of our thoughts and, on their behalf, we ask for their privacy to be respected at this unfathomably cruel and difficult time.
“First and foremost, Peter was a family man – and somebody who could light up a room with his sense of humour, warmth and personality. Then, as a professional footballer – as a Bluebird – he excelled with talent, ease, grace and humility. Nobody did it better.
“The loss of Peter will be painfully felt by our city, supporters and indeed all who ever had the pleasure of knowing him. We love you Pete and your memory will eternally stay with us.”
Yes; very sad indeed when any young person dies, particularly from an accident such as this. Demonstrates how fragile life really is!
FA have extended the football due to virus it’s now 30th of April. I’m Bored.
Bill; it seems you’re about to become even more bored if reports are true that all people over 70 will have to self isolate for 4 months. Going to need more mental hospitals to cope with all the old people ‘going round the bend’.
Might also see a spike in divorce rates as well 🙂
The quotes on the BBC were the ones I read a few days ago. Did it actually happen in the first place but not get reported properly?
Poor show!
RIP Peter Whittingham. Far too young! He was definitely one of the players we shouldn’t have let go.
Badger
Based on Boris Johnson’s statement tonight the Premier League no longer has the authority to compete the fixture list. Apart from family no more than 2 People can meet.Thats puts an end to the season. He has already stared
Infections will peak in June. That is taking us a further 3 months to get there. It would be likely to take a further 3 months minimum for infections to drop and even then until a vaccine is developed we will be in lock down.
This season cannot be finished. I think we have managed to avoid relegation by default.
That’s my prediction.
Badger
In an effort to raise our spirits could you encourage us fans to recollect great matches we saw Villa play or ones that we felt were special. It could be a fun way to pass some hours over the next few months.
Apart from the obvious greatest day at Rotterdam, the first one that came to mind was Tranmere in the semi final. The atmosphere on the day was electric. A massive comeback and a penalty shootout was certainly an emotional rollercoaster. My brother who is older than me raves on about the day Villa scored five in the first half against the great Liverpool team. A game that I missed out on unfortunately.
Holte – both great games which I was lucky enough to be at although I didn’t manage to get to Rotterdam. Villa beating Manure 3-1 at Wembley in the old League Cup was another great day out. But maybe the best ever atmosphere I can remember was at Villa Park when we beat Manure 2-1 in the semi final of the League Cup in 1971 two days before Christmas when we were in the old third division (winning 3-2 on aggregate) – and that was a really great Manchester side. What a Christmas present.
Went with the wife, having only been married a couple of months, and she’s still hanging around nearly 50 years on 🙂
Hitchens and Holte
My favourite was seeing Banik Ostrava v Villa. My mate and I were travelling around Europe inter railing. We went Czechoslovakia and Prague. We were at a bar called something like U Flecku which brewed its own stout and costs pennies to buy. Whilsting drinking in the court yard you would see stout splashing out of the glasses or people scratching their heads. The courtyard had horse chestnut trees, it was October and horse chest nuts were raining down on us.
On the Monday we caught a train to Ostrava and was met by the grey communist concrete buildings. We walked to the football ground to buy match tickets. They were still building parts of the ground/ improvements.
We bought our tickets, if memory serves me right they were less than 80p! As no one was around we walked into the pitch and started running around pretending we were Toni Daley and David Platt! After that I needed the toilet. This is the best bit, I bumped into thier coach / manager who showed me to the home team changing room and I used the toilet. I did contemplate writing AVFC on the toilet side of the door to freak out their players, but felt it was disrespectful and didn’t.
On the Wednesday my mate and I took the long train journey back to Ostrava. We thought we would be with the Villa contingency. Oh how wrong we were as neither my mate and I could speak Czech or Russian (second language at the time). Plus the ticket sales person could not speak English (hardly any English spoken their in those days).The Bill fans were in a seated stand top right side of the pitch. My mate and I were in the opposite side with all the Banik fans. We sat in a bench and each row of benching went the length of the pitch.
I can recall Ostrava scoring and all around us jumped up. However, when we scored our first my mate and I jumped up and down grabbing each other. It was at that point we realised we were the only Villa fans in that part of the ground. Many eyes looked at us. Thereafter, we did not make an emotional celebration of the further goals.
After the match we Villa fans flocked into the hotel bars. At the time Czech Krona was 44 to the £1. Villa fans were virtually fighting each other to buy Russian champagne at £3 a bottle. At the time rules meant you had to take out just over £10 a day. This was a pain when having to cash in two £10 travellers cheques and struggling to spend the money. Everyone was trying to get rid of this worthless currency.
This match has one that gave a real tricky Villa quiz question.
Which Villa player scored for Villa but never played for Villa?
Ivo Stas. He scored an own goal for Banik. Villa bought him later and he passed a dodgy medical with an injury. He was never fit to play in a league match. I believe because of this signing Villa received a short term ban from buying players from Europe.
So there you have it.My memorable European away match. Was anyone else there that day? Love to hear if your experience.