Will we let Gardner go?, thoughts on the Watford game and congrats Leicester

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.

114 Comments

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  1. Dave67
    Dave67 May 8, 2016 at 5:52 pm . Reply

    Credit to the fans yesterday for their support it was amazing to watch, what relegation. I was watching the game with my father in his house, a Leeds fan he couldn’t get over the support.

    I hope the article is true, get rid of Lerner and hopefully a new start.

  2. originallondonlion
    originallondonlion May 9, 2016 at 12:55 am . Reply

    I have not forgotten we are still in the ST selling season, and any rumours should be taken with a pinch of salt.

    Nevertheless a group of Chinese Venture-capitalists are credible buyers. There is a mountain of cash in China looking for any investment outside the PRC for purely local reasons as a means of evading capital controls.

    For people who do not know much about football ‘the Leicester model’, right now, sounds more believable than it did a year ago when the top of the Premiership seemed to be a closed shop. Finding another missing king to be dug up within a few miles of B6 is more tricky, but at least we have a future king who might help with the publicity.

    With enough money behind Villa and competent leadership the club must rise to the top of the contenders for the Premiership – because of its geographical position and size. Maybe not next season because the current awful squad needs purging, but the following year.

    1. Hitchens 60
      Hitchens 60 May 9, 2016 at 6:31 am . Reply

      Couple of other points OLL

      Football in China is fast increasing in popularity and there is therefore a natural link between Chinese investment in the premiership (OK – potentially as far as Villa go) so let’s say in a major English football club and the development of the game locally. There is also massive revenue potential by ‘exposing’ Villa to the Chinese public as being Chinese owned.

      The Chinese are no mugs and buying Villa now has massive upside with the right incentive and leadership. Key for me (if this sale happens) will be the appointment of a CEO with real football experience, the right people on the Board (accepting that it’s likely the Chairman will be appointed from within the investors) and, of course, the right manager. We’ve seen what’s happened with the Venky’s at Blackburn – we don’t want a repeat of that.

      1. Bum Bum
        Bum Bum May 9, 2016 at 9:16 am . Reply

        We should get a list together of the worst club owners, Gillette & Hick, Ron Noades, Ellis ?, defo Lerner, the Venky’s, that mentalist at Leeds…

        1. Jvillan
          Jvillan May 9, 2016 at 12:58 pm . Reply

          Lerner’s
          Number 1
          Took a club with no debt good stadium facility’s, loaded it with debt no glory is Leeds champion league semi finals,Portsmouth facup win even knob across road won a cup

        2. originallondonlion
          originallondonlion May 10, 2016 at 12:30 am . Reply

          The Glazers would top my list, they essentially bought Manure with its own money. Bernie Madoff went to jail for the same trick.

  3. pat57
    pat57 May 9, 2016 at 9:16 am . Reply

    Just hope something is really happening and it’s not just a media game of Chinese whispers.

    (Apologies for the pun)

    1. originallondonlion
      originallondonlion May 10, 2016 at 12:34 am . Reply

      You will know it is true when a Feng Shui master turns up are moves the main entrance to Witton Lane.

  4. steve
    steve May 9, 2016 at 1:50 pm . Reply

    Went to the chinese quarter for a meal last weekend.
    Sorry i didn’t hear anything.

    1. Bum Bum
      Bum Bum May 9, 2016 at 9:01 pm . Reply

      Hoping you might find news hidden in yr fortune cookie?????

  5. nath
    nath May 10, 2016 at 6:41 am . Reply

    good luck to the under21’s against arsenal tonight :)) whos micky quinn was he a footballer lmao seems like hes upset and alittle bitter, awwww bless him.

    chicken chow mein :))

    1. steve
      steve May 10, 2016 at 9:33 am . Reply

      Micky Quinn has a pop at the villa with every opportunity on the radio.
      If we have got under his skin – FANTASTIC.

      1. steve
        steve May 10, 2016 at 9:34 am . Reply

        Micky Quinn was the fattest centre forward I have ever seen live.
        Gabby is catching him up.

  6. Dave.C
    Dave.C May 10, 2016 at 10:00 am . Reply

    Mickey Quinn was fat but he knew where the goal was, if we had a striker like him we may ‘ve stayed up!

  7. Hitchens 60
    Hitchens 60 May 10, 2016 at 12:18 pm . Reply

    http://www.standard.co.uk/business/race-to-buy-aston-villa-heats-up-as-ice-hockey-boss-david-freeman-enters-fray-a3244416.html

    The plot thickens!

    Is the implication in this article that Lerner will now sell to anyone with the right amount of cash

    1. steve
      steve May 10, 2016 at 3:36 pm . Reply

      i don’t Pucking believe it

    2. originallondonlion
      originallondonlion May 11, 2016 at 11:40 pm . Reply

      H60 You can probably hazard a guess what David Freeman and Randy have in common, and that has been Randy’s problem since he first announced a sale. He is not so interested in selling to people of other origins. Still I see Mr Freeman made his fortune handling toxic waste, that will come in handy when he reaches for the p45s.

  8. pat57
    pat57 May 10, 2016 at 12:57 pm . Reply

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/05/10/fulham-could-lose-ross-mccormack-for-12-million-if-aston-villa-o/

    Hope this is true. If we’re going for a striker who scored 23 goals in the Championship last season we’d actually be doing the first rational thing we’ve done in years!

  9. Hitchens 60
    Hitchens 60 May 10, 2016 at 5:53 pm . Reply

    http://www.myoldmansaid.com/aston-villa-chinese-takeover-interest/

    First apologies for pasting the above article from the MOMS web site but it’s a good informative article and well worth a read; puts a lot more detail onto my earlier post about the natural link between Chinese investment in English football and their own footballing ambitions. Let’s hope that Hollis has enough clout to prevent Lerner cocking up the sale – again?

  10. nath
    nath May 10, 2016 at 6:46 pm . Reply

    anybody have any links for the under21 game tonight

  11. nath
    nath May 10, 2016 at 8:50 pm . Reply

    hard luck for under21’s there are quite a few players in that team that could easily step up to first team, especially championship lvl was a strong arsenal team with a few experienced 1st team players in there strangely, wenger must of wanted this badly,

  12. Andrew
    Andrew May 10, 2016 at 9:27 pm . Reply

    Chambers, Coquelin, Campbell and Cazorla… I know the latter’s probably gone by the end of the season but that’s a fairly strong team Arsenal played. Definitely odd they’d go all out but hey, it was for promotion. The kids did well though. A few of them look good enough to at least get into the team next season.

  13. pat57
    pat57 May 10, 2016 at 10:53 pm . Reply

    Not surprised at the scenes at West Ham. Reminded me of the time we went down there for a cup tie (QF 1980 I think) and we lost 1-0.

    Fans were vile, aggressive loudmouths and the police kept us penned in until well after the game. Long enough for the so-called ‘fans’ to reach their positions where they pelted our coaches with bricks and bottles. Eight year old kids f’ing and blinding at us. Never, ever have I seem such hate at a game of football.

    An old guy in front of me said, ‘Christ what would have happened if we’d won?’

    So not surprised that the Man Ure coach got the same treatment, they’re just reverting to type.

  14. pat57
    pat57 May 11, 2016 at 8:16 am . Reply

    Just a footnote to the unsavoury scenes outside West Ham last night. Anyone remember when we went down to there for a cup tie (QF 1980?). We lost 1-0 and the police kept us penned in so that the West Ham fans could man their artillery positions for when our coaches left. Bottles, bricks and god knows what were launched at us.

    An old man in front of me said ‘Bloody hell, what would have happened if we won?’

    So not surprised. Class (or total lack of it) will out eventually.

  15. nath
    nath May 11, 2016 at 6:21 pm . Reply

    just seen lewis kinsella will not be offered a extension, now i don’t mean to be a expert on players. but i seen him a few times, he also played against arsenal other night. he was solid defensively and he tried to go forwards with purpose. surely we need a manager to make these decisions. who is making the decision on this and other contract renewals.

    kinsella might be the new managers cup of tea. fail to prepare ….. prepare to fail …….

  16. Bill Pearson
    Bill Pearson May 11, 2016 at 6:34 pm . Reply

    Nath, what does that say? To me nothings changed, how can they say hes not the player we need.ive no idea on him but it tells me dont move Bill till they prove otherwise.

    1. nath
      nath May 11, 2016 at 6:40 pm . Reply

      i understand the stance we cant employ a new manager until the imaginary sale is done. but standing still AGAIN while other clubs plot their new campaigns. its ludicrous kinsella could be a decent left back, cissokho amavi both likely to move this summer. bennett who knows apparently hes looked good in 10 games for wednesday……. but surely we need a manager to make footballing decisions.

      1. DSVilla
        DSVilla May 11, 2016 at 7:13 pm . Reply

        Ha! Just posted the same point on the next thread regarding letting a new manager decide these things. I just don’t get it. The only explanation I can see is that his contract was up and it’s another cost saving as no compensation required. If so it’s utterly ludicrous.

  17. VillaFan
    VillaFan May 11, 2016 at 6:35 pm . Reply

    Di Matteo suddenly new favourite?

    What the hell is going on at VP?

    1. giddyvillan
      giddyvillan May 11, 2016 at 6:54 pm . Reply

      No thanks I thought we’re looking for someone with plenty of championship experience????

      1. Andrew
        Andrew May 11, 2016 at 7:07 pm . Reply

        Technically has some, got Albion promoted to the Premier League… Then got sacked the season they were in the Premier League but hey…

  18. giddyvillan
    giddyvillan May 11, 2016 at 6:42 pm . Reply

    All I can say about Lewis first hand he certainly looked comfortable in a harriers shirt & became a fans favourite almost immediately.I wish him the best for the future hard to gauge his abilities playing against national league players but he’ll settle nicely in a a div1 or possibly higher standard of team.which begs the question why get rid???

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