The Mail have run a quote from manager Paul Lambert, where he says that Villa are the bigger club;
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-bigger-west-brom-6334766
I hate this sort of comment, as you just know that there’s every chance it’ll come back and bite you on the backside.
No doubt Lambert was asked the question outright after earlier comments from Ken McNaught saying we’re the bigger club, but I wish he’d have just said he didn’t want to get involved in that sort of question.
Still, it’s not that big a deal and I have to say I have a lot of respect for the Albion. Certainly more so than the mob down the road.
They have a great history, have won plenty and have decent support.
Certainly I think most Albion fans see us as the biggest local rivals and I suspect quite a few of us see them as ours.
The Albion fans do get a bit lairy though when this subject is raised and it has led to their fans bombarding the site on occasions.
Which is ok as long as things are kept civil.
Me, I’m just hoping for a decent game.
Its hardly news that ‘Villa are bigger than Albion’. Not sure its a sensible comment though given that we are only 48 hours from playing them! No need for the Baggies to find extra motivation….Lambert has done that for them. Very unwise comment at the worst possible time IMO.
No win situation.
If he says he won’t comment, many on here will say his heart isn’t with us, when he does, he’s stoking up Albion.
A collection of foreigners won’t be any more or less motivated for Monday night over a discussion of club size. That’s a fan thing, most players couldn’t care less.
I don’t know about that Vaze.
He could have said something along the lines of “I don’t want to stoke things up and would rather we didn’t go down that road, given that it’s a derby and I don’t want any trouble between the fans”.
It’s this “bigger club” mentality that has caused the Man U- Pool enmity for me.
Both top clubs, who hate each other based on the Sky hype, imo.
That hate certainly wasn’t there before Sky; it was much more a mutual respect.
And no, it probably won’t affect most of the players, agreed.
But it’s more likely to wind the home support up and make them more vociferous.
That can’t be good.
Vaze… Sounds like you share the samr braincell as Lambert lol 🙂
Trust me, knowing a member of the coaching staff at WBA, if you genuinely think that players will be moved by a comment you have no brain cell lol !
Lol… All I am saying is the whole footballing world knows we are bigger… So pointless saying it IMO…
Just stating the obvious really. Although I think Clarke is doing a great job for Albion. Dont think they will be able to keep onto him for that long if he keeps it up.
There was an article in the Mirror yesterday taking about that, Benno.
Iirc, Clark is out of contract at the end of the season and will probably leave if they don’t make him an offer soon.
As you say, he’s done a decent job and it’s strange they haven’t sorted this already.
Probably because he didn’t do well last season. Maybe they will offer him a new one in dec
I remember everyone on here for slagging me as I wanted Clarke or poyet instead if lambert. Would much rather have Clark anyday
Hmm, you also said Vlaar was utter shite and Benteke was the new Heskey.
Just stating facts mate, sorry 🙂
True but vlaar was awful last season though was wrong about. Enteke 🙂
Well Oohah, ?:-)
Villa are the bigger club, but that means jack on Monday night, we need to be on our top game or they will do us,UTV.
we should beg the former blues owner, whos lock up somewhere and broke 2 buy us from this lerner. whos done nothing but spend spend.
then get that McLeish back in control ~ maybe joy will return 2 this site ~ once it was a select few, no names oohahpaulmcgrath but its now affected Langfordvilla
seems like ur all doomed
baggies are more settled team than villa short of a striker from being a really good side so if villa get anything it will be a good evening
villa 2 snatch a 1 zero win and the doom will still linger around the site good evening and bye
No Nath, Lerner DID spend.
A good while back.
But now he doesn’t, is my point.
And the Baggies really aren’t that good.
It’s just that they’re comparable to us at the moment.
It really shouldn’t be like that, given their really tight-fisted chairman, who has put off signing up a decent manager untill the last minute.
We’re supposed to be bigger than Albion, Nath.
You seem to be settling for where we are at the moment and that’s fine.
Me, I expect more, simple.
Oh and maybe the fact that it’s affected Langford might mean there’s something in what we’re saying???
Just a thought, Nath.
then ur allowed 2 say and act how u see fit
I am buying into the project ~ we av short memories if we can’t remember MON spending, that’s led us ere targeting younger hungrier players, instead of the over paid mercenaries.
this season’s target is mid table, that’s were we are at present
as 4 whos bigger than who depends on how u judge this, current form or form over last 2 seasons or maybe fan base or a mixture of all
but leeds utd fans use this we re bigger than u argument and look were they are or man city aven’t won shit b4 they had their suger daddies
each 2 there own langfordvilla had faith last year and his comments help me through bad times, I say its not half as bad as last year and we’ll improve once the new recruits settle
just my thoughts b4 bed lol addios
Nath…. Good morning …I have NOT lost faith in us ‘not being relegated’. But is that good enough? I have also not lost faith in the club, I never will. But you have to ask yourself after 3 years of struggling why the investment from Lerner has not increased by at least 50%. Thats all I am questioning. Every club on the planet, whether it be PL or Sunday League needs to show at least ambition to improve. Lerner is not showing any such ambition. Moreover, there is NO comment from him suggesting when that is likely to, or is ever going to change.
I have great admiration for our fans, especially those who travel every other week. We have higher crowds than Spurs, Everton, Southampton Swansea etc. we deserve MUCH BETTER. Randy is taking the piss, relying too heavy on our undoubted loyalty. If the unthinkable should happen (and I dont think it will). Randy will deserve all the flak thrown in his direction.
Fuck off Lerner, the Villa is OURS,
Langfordvilla that’s how I feel about My club, its been to long now to be in the shadow of football clubs that have got owners that do not make more money out of the club but for the glory of its history.Villa should be among the likes of London and Manchester, Liverpool, the board at Villa just sit and do nothing to move it on, I did think when the likes of Stride, and Ellis moved on it would change, it did but stood still. Its going to be like it is for many year’s but as long as I live its my club, but with bad owner.
Morning Bill. Lerner is turning in deadly Doug mark2. Probably have a stand named after him when he keeps us up again!
Lerner will be telling us he invented the bicycle kick next!!!
Agree Langford we won’t go down this year simply because our gd gives us an extra point. So I guess that’s progress. But we will never be more than a bottom 6-8 club unless Lerner sells and that is not good enough
A club’s size should be judged from the day it was formed and what it as brought to the football world, players ,trophies ,national players and its over all pulling power i.e. fans, sponsors . not the last two seasons, we could say lets look back over the last ten years and judge, who as spent more, been in the top flight had European campaigns had top six finish’s had cup finals and so on. there is only one winner which ever way you look at it, VILLA.
We don’t have to justify our stature as a club.
Founding members of both the Football & Premier League, (creators of the Football League).
Winners of numerous league titles, FA Cup, League Cup, European Cup, European Super Cup.
Villa Park has hosted more FA Cup semi finals than any other ground, hosted Internationals including World Cup and European Championship matches. Add to that, we have provided the England team with more players than any other side.
Not many clubs can compare to that, never mind the Albion.
As for Lerner not investing, Lambert has had a net £40m. That’s top eight spending still, and that’s on top of an interest free debt in excess of £100m run up in the MON days. Yes, Lerner is clearly robbing us blind and shows no ambition.
Vaze lol…you love disagreeing with me. Thats fine given that we all have a common aim….improvement for our beloved club. Sadly, that does not appear to be on Randolph’s agenda. If we struggle again this season and he doesnt invest more in the summer then, whilst I will still turn up, there will be no sense of excitement from me. The current situation cannot, and should not be continued and a change will be needev at the top IMO,
I don’t love to disagree with anyone.
If you check the thread on player purchases, I have made my point regards the Villa and spending. We’re sixth in the table of net outlay, hardly reason for Lerner to go.
We’re all disappointed that we’re scraping around midtable, and I’m not overly confident we’ll get a win tomorrow over there.
This constant slagging and moaning with no suggestion of alternate thinking is boring though. Populist admittedly, but predictable and boring.
yeah be proud we are aston villa ~ founder members of the English football league ~ we are the envy of world. so fitting we was present at the birth of the premier league also ever-present,
I really do understand all concerns of lerner, but its my opinion he has spent and will spend again, lamberts been given funds, players that av been recruited are all potential, not world established. but as benteke proved lambert has a good eye 4 buying stars of the future.
after this season ~ I believe we will be a solid top 10 again and ready 4 the next lvl be patient and we will proud again
thanxs 4 ur reply langfordvilla ~ ur opinions are red and valued always so I was shocked and very concerned. I hope u do keep ur faith and judge them after two more transfer windows
I’m with you on this Nath, I just agree to disagree with others who demand instant success as Villa have some sort of right to be in the top six constantly. Money changed all that. Chelsea and Citeh were nobodys in the 90’s when we had a run in their place.
If only Lambert had been here spending the fortunes that MON was given. At least nearly every player that Lambert buys can be sold on at cost.
Beats the likes of Curtis Davies and Warnock brought in for millions on huge contracts and released for free.
In my opinion anyways, that’s all any of us, mine’s no more right than any other.
Vaze mate….. I have never demanded (or expected) instant success (we havent won anything since 1996). Moreover, I have always been a fan of the ‘new model’. But there should be a balance! All I called for in the summer was the addition of 2 relatively experienced PL players….at the cost of perhaps £6 or £7 million each ie Caulker, Barry on loan…the Kozak fee would have covered Barry’s wages and we could have probably got him on a free at the end of the season. We did NOT need another forward IMO. Dont forget that Barry can play in a number positions and would have been an enormous help to our youngsters and a great role model to boot. My point is that this would have barely been more than we actually spent and would have indicated a little ambition at the very least……….and a little ambition is all I need to see….not asking too much is it?
Perhaps, Vaze, you may even agree with that 🙂
I agree Langford. That’s a fair point people forget Barry can play virtually anywhere in midfield and defence. We missed out bug time. Agree there needs to be a balance I’m not saying bring players like Warnock etc but Milner Barry etc who play their heart out regardless of money and give us much needed experience. The only way our youngsters will go up a level is to play with players like Barry. Even Barry had to learn from experienced pros around him when he was young. Look at utds side of giggs scholes etc they had a great hard core of top experienced players around them to bring them on like robson Bruce pallister Hughes etc
Why do people keep claiming we didn’t need another striker? When Benteke was out… We would have had…. BOWERY. Bowery… Yes… Bowery, that’s it… Bowery. Kozak was an absolute must.
Although I agree about Barry.
Andrew…I hold my hands up mate. Your right, on reflection we did need another striker. Bowery, not ready yet (will he ever be)?
100% correct citeh were 2nd division and Chelsea were bottom half at best ~ we tried 2 overspending and mon signings we just short but overspending and missing out on the holy grail of champions league has set us back ~ its my opinion and iam standing by this with vaze 🙂
but we will be back ~ groundwork was done last season and this and we av another crack nxt year
We are twice the size and value of WBA, no discussion required:
More fans
Bigger ground
More honours
More PL seasons
Higher average PL finishes
Better sponsorship deals
More famous
Can’t be arsed going on any more. There is not one area where WBA are bigger
I got no beef with WBA, got loads of mates who are fans and we get on fine. They fucking know the score that’s why. Silly argument.
Radio WM Franksy phone last Friday – Villa fan phones in
“Just drove past the Hawthorn’s and seen Clarky outside polishing the open top bus.”
Albion fan on the panel – “Polishing an open top Buzz? What yoo guing on about?”
Villa fan – “Well it’s your Cup Final on Monday mate.”
Foooking Brilliant.
Lol good one