As a customer I generally know when I go into a shop that what I purchase will fulfil my expectations. If it doesn’t then I can of course get my money back. If I attend a concert and the performer doesn’t turn up then, again, I should expect to get my money back. That ability to define a transaction and the two-way process of money in relation to it more-or-less defines what a customer is. But in sport we know that the “transaction” is not as simple as that; and when the object of our adoration (e.g. Aston Villa) fails to deliver according to the social (almost unspoken) contract that binds the fan to the team, then we generally moan and blame and throw a few curses, but we don’t (or rarely) actually seek to get our money back for the bad showing. Even when that has been happening for as long as five years!

Therefore, football supporters are not customers; we are supporters, and “supporting” means that we not only add our voices to the occasion (you might be thrown out of a shop if you did that!) but the money we lay out is meant to (well, well) support the club and help raise it to the station we expect of it.

I’ve written all that because (over time) I’ve seen on some forums an explicit acceptance by fans that they are “customers” of the club they follow. In my opinion such fans have only encouraged the disconnect that has evolved between fans and club at Villa Park, particularly over the last 10 years. The club was never founded on that basis (its basis was as a club!) and in reality the relationship is largely an emotive and experiential one (almost spiritual, as Bill Shankley would attest) and not singularly related towards the idea of purchasing an object.

Over the years, professional football players have argued, “Well, cinema stars get huge incomes, so why not us as well?” And the footballers won their argument. Even though 60 years ago a top footballer still got substantially above the national average wage, with the bonus of extra payments from testimonial matches (and, it is said, a mysterious banknote left in their shoe after a match if they’ve done well), they felt done by. Playing one or two football matches per week deserved more than twenty quid, they said, the poor dears. Ron Wylie (a servant of the club for 45 years, intially as a player) is reported as saying that “soon we had sixty quid in our pay-packets and we didn’t know what to do with it!”

Well, I’m not saying they were altogether wrong in their demands, but the result of that arguably began the chasm that often exists between supporters and players today. It has been a creeping process, and certainly since the start of the greater influx of overseas players following 1996, the divide exists despite all the artificial attempts to ‘bridge that gap’.

So, by stealth, our beautiful game has been hijacked by the money people, and we have been persuaded that more professionals are needed at all levels of the football club. However, “professionalism” and marketability tend to mean bigger financial outlays: but do they produce worthwhile results often enough? If we were to take the case of Mr. Tom Fox, then the answer is an unequivocal ‘no’, I suggest.

In my view, Remi Garde highlighted exactly what’s been missing. He was referring to the players when he said there’s something wrong with the players’ attitude on the pitch, but you could say that attitude has been wrong from the top down. Especially when the top brass regard the fans as customers and have used questionnable methods to keep those “customers” in order on match days.

As in 1968-69, the time has come for a total re-vamp. Forty-six years ago plus the club’s officers and fans worked as one to re-establish this great club. The academy was re-energised and we saw great players emerging from the youth ranks. The ‘all for one’ energy succeeded to the extent that the club became one of the few British winners of the European Cup only 10 years after they had left the third tier. Then a certain person (who was still a hero to many because of that 1968-69 re-generation) manoeuvred a situation that actually helped (intentional or not) to further a disconnect between fans and the club.

In my view it’s that spirit of 1968-69 we need to revert to if Aston Villa is to get back to its proper footing in a year that sees us having reached 20 years since the club won a trophy. But how to achieve that now when the fans do not have any shareholding? As mere customers I suppose we have to wait to see what happens next – but should we do more as supporters?

Comments 152

  1. That MOMS Report

    It seems that the previous board get somewhat whitewashed in the new chairman’s Review and that the blame lies mainly with the players.

    Now that opinion was uttered by Ellis a week or two ago. Therefore, is this review to be seen as stitch-up?

  2. The investigation was never going to condemn the out going board, as its a direct reflection on Lerner who hired them and was ultimately their boss. He was never going pay for an investigation that makes him look like the incompetent buffoon we all know he is!!!
    I see Bernstein has come out on SSN saying it’s not Lerner’s fault, nor the outgoing board, more a combination of factors.
    Conflicting reports on Gardes future, he hasn’t left yet fuelling reports he may stay, or is currently negotiating a pay out.

  3. SWV
    The fish Rots from the head down. But Berstein is right about one thing, relegation means we aren’t an attractive proposition for any potential new owners out there. I have a horrible feeling we are going to be entering a decade or more of more lower league relegation battles, appalling crowds as we implode. We are only at the start of the bleakest period in the clubs history, far worse than the 60’s

  4. So whys he still our manager ? Is he staying now? Won’t we pay him the full amount ? I think he might be staying

    I don’t want him to. He’s a nice ugh but a pance manager. He’s in the modern bracket of managers who are scared to ever play two up top

    In the championship we need two up front. A fast guy who lives on the shoulder and a good all round partner. We need then two wingers with pace who can supply crosses. We also need two full backs who actually have ability . A fast frantic 442 is the way to get out of that league

    Dyche would do it. Even Pearson would but he’s just horrible and won’t be able to take us any further than promotion

  5. hmmm theres not too many teams that play 442. Not sure whats the best formation but thats the least of our worrys…need new squad of players first!

    It might not be a bad idea to get someone like pearson to stabilise us and get us out the champ. But when in the prem id sack him off and get someone decent in. West Ham done it well getting big sam to do a similiar thing and then got bilic in. To be honest its all a bit of a gamble whoever comes in…someone less fancied might just click with us and do wel. Not one single person said Raneri would do well at lester!

  6. I imagine they are still negotiating the pay off….no real rush considering we are relegated and no game anyhow with int break. Nice the board are thinking about saving some money! The dollar we have spent paying off crepe managers is amazingly bad and disgracefull.

  7. The MOMS piece is a satire

    “Apparently, the £1.25m fee for our services was the reason the club had to remove Tom Fox, so they could afford to pay us,” added the teacher.”

    But the sentiment is valid in that the players are to blame for our situation equally with the board who either hired the wrongs managers or failed to support them

    Back to Newsnow to catch up on who else the media suggests for a currently occupied Villa job

    FOL

  8. And as usual former managers/assistant managers ready to kick the boot in by attempting to absolve themselves of any blame by not getting the players they wanted in as opposed to doing their utmost to get the best out of what they had.

    Lamberk and Wilkins when asked about Villa please politely decline to comment, you were part of the problem, your opinion isn’t part of the solution.

    FOL

  9. Darren,

    Yes a satirical look into our very gloomy situation like all typical brummies we tend to laugh at our current doom because the only alternative is to cry.

    Garde will be gone before we stroll out for our next defeat and the search for his replacement will already be underway and now a massive job has become even bigger, the task of trying to bring the Villa up at the first time of asking is truly mind boggling and one only the craziest manager would take on, but the reality of being a football manager in todays world is you get paid handsomely if you succeed and you get paid a fortune if you fail, Lambert walked away with approx. £3.3m not bad work if you can get it, so the queue to take on the Villa job will be lengthy indeed.

    SWV

  10. Personally i think any manager willing to work under randy deserves every penny they get

    not because they are fantastic but because anyone taking the villa job under randy is signing up to look a fool and try to defend the stupid actions of the club

    I can understand managers being asked to just coach and not select which players are brought in but only if the people buying the players come from a background for them to get the buys right more often than not

    Every manager since MON has had the life drained out of them in front of the camera’s slowly but surely and manager villa may be good for your pocket but not for your health or reputation

  11. It’s a typical Irish trait to take the piss out of ourselves as well, either that or we’d be well pissed off with all the ‘An Irishman walks into a pub’ jokes. 🙂

  12. You’d have thought that Lamebert would have other things on his mind looking at BR’s league position, can’t resist getting a few more quid on the back of AVFC for interviews about us though.
    If Garde gets the boot i hope he reveals a few secrets, doubt it though he has something called integrity Paul.

  13. As much as I love Brian little, if he hasn’t pointed out to Hollis and co that the biggest problem at villa are
    Gabby Richards lescott Hutton wastewood guzan players that are taking our club for a ride
    Next Riley still here has to go
    Then our youth structure why have none of our young made it
    Sort that out maybe tell remi we didn’t back you in January but now tell us what you want or can do

  14. MOYES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GO ON HOLLIS FFS

    but, why hasn’t Remi gone yet ? Are we keeping him until the season is over and then waiting for Bruce or Pearson ? Better not me

    Moyes would be a guy 90% of fans would very happy with

    Go get him

  15. Our youth policy has been a pet hate of mine for years now

    If they are talented, don’t bother loaning them, play them. We never do

  16. Yes Lamberk has always got an opinion he always knows what is going wrong at AVFC although he struggled to find the answers when he was in charge, keep your nose out and get Blackburn out of the relegation zone.

    Again not sure on Moyes our current record with Scottish managers gives me the jitters, we have seen it time and time again a manager who is a good fit at one club but struggles at others, he did a sound enough job at Everton but failed to make an impact at Untied and Sociadad, I am unsure if Moyes is the man for us, plus he will be expensive which means another big pay off if he fails.

    SWV

  17. Steamer,

    Scottish managers at Villa who did well elsewhere? Surely Off-the-leash and Dambuster were not a success before they came to Villa. There was no cause to celebrate their arrival as great achievers.

    I’d suggest Moyes proved at Everton he is a better proposition altogether and may fit Villa’s situation extremely well in having to build from the ground up.

    As good as any other i.m.o. apart from Rogers.

  18. Frem,

    Why should we be worried about whether Garde has gone yet? We’re down then we’re down, Garde leaving isn’t going to change that and there’s not a lot that can be done until the summer in terms of starting afresh.

  19. Hello My Gourgousness Jenny , will be down soon to get my columbian fix , cant wait XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

    Hello you lot and you sww
    l see he still here , thought he would have walked by now . oh hum . also think being a bit harsh on Moyes , that manc side needed overhauling and big nose knew it thats why he got out , and LVG is finding out too that it wasnt just one or two players that was needed ,

    well chris got beat on points and to say it was a farce and sureal is an under statement , his opponent was a pro wrestler , and considering it was supposed to be MMA , when just before the bell goes to start the ref says ” no elbows” chris’s face was a picture , and the yank just lay on him and because no elbows allowed it was a no contest , and fair play to the yank he admitted to chris in the dressing room after that if he stood Toe to Toe with Chris that he (chris ) would have finished it first round and offered for him to go to California for some wrestling training, but it was an experience for chris and there were no sour grapes from him , now getting there and getting out was a complete joke as the manager was out of his depth and thank fuck for chris’s mom sorting it out over here , thank fuck for the internet , Frem get over there the women are Beautiful )), friday before the fight 4 hours in the company of the President at his Palace !! and his kids and the locals loved Chris , photos and autographs , got a Great T-Shirt but been advised not to wear on hols in Turkey in a few months , oh and Runtins and JL l got a bloody big GUN , Jenny indeed , Bet you was hoping l got arrested , you arses , and the rest of you , £20 quid ransom . you really think l would have told them to get in touch with you lot , l’d rather have spent 10 years in a salt mine.
    D.O.R there might be a BAMMA fight coming up in Dublin , but all depends on who he fights ( if its who we think then it will be a no-no as he never makes weight) but maybe if they up the paypacket well !!!. although he going to iceland in 2 weeks then he going to Montreal . Canada to a gym over there where he’s been invited too ,
    well going over to see steamer as l got him a book (directory) on Russian Wives !!! )))) some look like the Iron Curtain itself .

    B62 hows the likkle un mate .
    well have a great Easter All .

  20. ST75,
    Little un is great cheers, pity about Chris and the rule change, I’m sure he will bounce back and continue to tear up his weight division.
    I agree people are being a bit harsh in Moyes, he would be a coup given the position we are in. We are 50 points behind Leicester, yes Leicester, who would have thought that in August? We are effectively 13 points off 17th due to our -GD, we have gone down without a fight, without any effort, nothing we haven’t even tried anything different in games. We cannot turn our noses up at Moyes, who else is gonna come?? Bruce! Pearson? Keep Garde?!! We are in a mess and need someone with know how and experience to steady the ship , rebuild and push for promotion, Moyes ticks many of the boxes for me, none tick all the boxes, we can’t afford to be too picky and big headed, we are no longer a premier league club, we are a championship club in effect and have to start thinking like one, or we will get swallowed up, we have to build for promotion not survival, we have to win regularly and to do that we need to change the mentality from that of grinding out or surviving to going for it and winning games. Yes we need a clear out , that is why I wouldn’t leave too long to make the change, I think as soon as its mathematical we will appoint Moyes/Pearson , they can then come in and see first hand what needs to happen.
    QPR went down on 30 pts in 20th and are struggling, we won’t even make 20

  21. ST75,

    I am over the moon that you are back safe and sound, but lets face it even the Russians thought it was a useless exercise kidnapping you, ironically in a country where they kidnap goats, me and Steamer arranged the whip round to pay your ransom and the fund total stands at £1.21p, £1 we got from a busker who we beat up for playing a Take That song, 20p we found in a old xmas pudding that had gone out of date and I put in the other penny because Steamer said fuck him let him rot.

    Happy Easter. x

    SWV

  22. Should there be a manager change…..

    Moyes for me ticks most of the boxes, not successful in terms of trophies but much more than got a lot of average players playing at a high level and playing good football. Also conducts himself well in public and no baggage.

    United was a hiding to nothing, who wouldn’t take a top job but shafted by Sir Red Nose in terms of playing staff and wasn’t particularly well supported in the transfer market for United’s scale.

    Brave decision going to Spain, it didn’t work out but perhaps a huge learning curve he wouldn’t have got staying in England.

    I’d prefer stability as much as anything if i’m being honest. We have a manager who knows exactly who should be shown the door. And brief evidence before Ayew got sent off that he had a playing style that could get even our shite doing well. Given his own players, i think we’d be very successful under him.

    Next season the expectation is that we win games, a different pressure to avoiding defeat and picking up the odd win to survive. I believe a player clear out of previously mentioned dross will instill in those remaining who is boss and improve the dressing room.

    ST75, if the fight comes off, give me the date and i’ll cheer Chris on and we can get a few pints in after.

    FOL

  23. Big ron failed in spain too!

    Sometimes in football you have to be in the right time at right place and moyes and villa at the mo are fitted to each other perfectly. Id be happy as larry if we got him in working under the present board. Learner can even stay if he stays over the pond and keeps his nose out and lets us get on with it. It would be so good it prob wont happen.

  24. Sad news about Cruyff he was a brilliant player. RIP Johan.

    Just read an article on our 1996 cup win and did not know big Ugo is U21 coach at Spuds, you learn something new every day.

    SWV

  25. Blimey, watching cruyff highlights….he could play a bit!!

    Read a bit on moyes, he is hands on in everything and obsessed with detail buying a player. Has to know everything on and off the pitch.

    We have signed a lb…..who has signed him? Reilly, remi? This is where we go wrong buying players the manager may not want!

  26. Robbo

    Hopefully we can get to more fergie standard dourness than lamberk!

    Moyes transfer record is unbelivable. Had a whole room at everton dedicated with files on players. No coincedence he got likes of arteta, coleman, baines, jags, cahill, pienaar, howard and he good lescott!!

  27. John
    Another good article, thank you.

    I agree that we are supporters. We’re not customers. If we were, we wouldn’t be bothered with Villa.
    So, I also don’t understand those that regard us as customers. Supporters who think of themselves as customers come across as mugs because from a business perspective, they’re getting a poor product, and management who think of supporters as customers are in the wrong business; and in the case of Villa, they’re dodgy in various ways.
    That devide that has long opened up between players, management and supporters barring a catastrophy is here to stay, especially now that clubs see Sky TV as their #1 supporter.
    Even from a business point of view the financial shananigans at Villa over the last year don’t make sense given the TV money on offer that will go elsewhere.
    Who knows what’s really going on, or is it as simply as bad as it looks?

  28. Trinity
    Couldn’t agree more about the books ,Lerner has been doing us over this crap about good owner free flags the day he appointed McLeish our club died,his loans are been repaid with interest plus management fees

  29. Steamer
    Remember me telling you something big will be coming out about Hillary . Well it seems its on its way mate . Same person who told us about that west ham slag being told if she doesnt agree to the £30 away tickets the papers will be told who it was holding it up . See you in the bookies . Pyt a few quid on trump .
    Well lm off to get stick off norwich fans this weekend .
    Jenny l got your easter egg xxxxxx

  30. Getting back to the leader article … which only Trinity has remarke on! … the following has come out from the supporters – *not* the customers! – the Aston Villa Protest Group:

    “So although you hang a large banner at your own risk, and frankly it is up to the club to communicate clearly to you what they class as a “banner”, there is also nothing in the club rules to prevent you from holding up a t-shirt, a placard, an A4 piece of paper, a tea towel, a sock, indeed anything you feel is viable displayed with a message that you feel it is necessary to deliver.

    “There is only a recommendation rather than a demand from the club that you please consult with them first and that you are mindful of other supporters when displaying your message.

    “We are imploring you all to do just that, Banners Out On 74, April 2nd Vs Chelsea. A vivid and visceral display both in response to the overzealous stewarding that has added a darkness to the already dreary atmosphere at Villa Park, and also for the cameras. To leave the world in no doubt how angry and disaffected we truly are.

    “So ask around you on the 74th minute on April 2nd, ask your fellow supporter if they mind you displaying your message of discontent. Whilst we continue to engage in peaceful protest the club have no right to impose their draconian heavy handedness upon us. Stand firm with your fellow Villan. If we do not make this stand now, today, where next?

    “This is Villa Park, not North Korea. We must not allow ourselves to be silenced or our message to be controlled. Because nothing strengthens authority so much as silence.”

    http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-protest-group-explain-11095480

  31. Don’t expect Garde to be here much longer, the committee didn’t back him in January and, by their silence, they don’t look as though they’re going to do it now.
    Remember a couple of years ago and the customers were turning their noses up at Benitez, McClaren and others, look at the list of possibles now.

  32. Do football clubs be audited like any business, how can club a villa lose 27 m in season where they got to cup final bigger gates,more sponsorship than club b Leicester just after promotion spent more on players yes wage bill be lower but not 50 m

  33. I see Tim Sherwood is heavily linked to the Derby job! How ironic would it be if he was in the premier league next season, given that we won’t be.
    I see the dithering continues at VP, the will he won’t he saga surrounding Garde is becoming a farce, surely its a no brainier, if Moyes wants the job, is available then surely he should get the job. He ticks the majority of the boxes and we aren’t going to get anyone better. There is no way Garde can come back or continue given his part in this seasons debacle. I was having a beer with an Arsenal fan last night, even he said he couldn’t believe Garde was still in the job, he didn’t rate him as a player and actually thought Sherwood would have got more points and would have given it more of a go than Garde, and couldn’t really have done any worse. It was hard to argue against that theory given our results and performances under Remi.

  34. B62- thinking Tim would given it more of a go? got more points? where’s the evidence for that? the squad was well and truly fractured by the tenth game how would that of got any better? and what does Gardes ability as a player count for anything? mourinio? was he a great player?

    Tim had a full squad with no injuries worth calling and a pre-season and got 4 points which is worse than Gardes record, he even got to pick some players. Makes you wonder if anyone would of done any better eh? I doubt it very very much.

  35. Damming article in the telegraph. Says Garde was lied to in jan. He was told his targets didn’t want to come, turns out know ever actually spoke to his targets.

    The message to lie would have come from Randy. That will put of any decent manager from wanting the job. Moyes will read that and think ” feck that” Pearson or Bruce it will be

    God news is Rilley Is going and Garde maybe next week

    What a mess

  36. I see Ellis has emerged from Herbertland again with his usual mix of lies and BS, put fortunes into the club, how he suffered, all the usual crepe. Even mentions Garde asking his opinion (doubtful) and saying he promised not to interfere, yet goes and puts his thoughts into print, WAW. No mention of him turning down Brian Cloughs offer to manage Villa and refusing it because of his own enormous ego. The Merc then puts a photo of Herbert and Loser on top of the lies, the two rissoles who have done the most damage in the history of AVFC. Next week it’ll be Ellis ‘How i invented a cure for cancer in my lunchbreak.’

  37. Telegraph can reveal that the former Manchester City chairman has been staggered by the findings from his investigation into the club’s season. As a result, Riley is on the brink of joining chief executive Tom Fox and Hendrik Almstadt, the sporting director, as the latest high-profile casualty.

    Riley is responsible for organising and appointing Villa’s scouting network and it is alleged that head European scout Jon Bickers, whose main focus is players in the Bundesliga, has emigrated to Australia. Simon Ward, the regional scouting manager, is studying journalism at university although his remit is to watch players in La Liga and Portugal.

    Bernstein has also been stunned to discover that other senior staff have no experience of professional football, with the only exception said to be goalkeeping scout Tony Coton, who was appointed by Garde’s predecessor Tim Sherwood.

    Fred Karno’s Army.

  38. Disgraceful that the toerags lied to him, everyone responsible should be booted including the scout who lives in Oz if he was still being paid. Fox really was a moron yet he walked away with probably 3m. Investigate the whole farce and then take the appropriate action. Lerner is worse than anyone thought.

  39. Why are we all reporting the same thing (or similar)? 😉

    The truth has been gradually emerging and it’s reaching a peak. Bernstein’s take provides the greatest clarity yet. He even seems to know what he’s talking about and appears to me that he would have made a better chairman.

    This mess has some distance to run yet, though. It could be years before the fire dampens down into a coherent future.

    Mind you, that’s about how the situation in the rest of the world is shaping. If we think tha Villa is an isolated issue then perhaps we should look again.

    Still, it was nice to see Steamer’s Jeermans put to the sword last night. What a come-back! 🙂

  40. Steamer: “Lerner is worse than anyone thought.”

    Certainly his affect has been. Not sure about him being maleficent exactly – he has always seemed to me to be a dreamer, but that (maybe) is the very kind that can destroy an Enterprise. Even Captain Kirk would have been frustrated if he had to report to his kind! 🙂

  41. I don’t think learners evil or wanted to get like this. He is just clueless about footy and hired the wrong people. If this new board is any good does learner take credit for it? The above from the telegraph is jaw droppingly staggering, a prem footy club spending millions on wages being run worse than my local 7 a side team. And that’s true

  42. The new owner rumour is back as usual before the end of the season. Trying to sell tickets for next season

    The most worrying thing is why were we going to wait to sack Garde at the end of the season when Moyes is there to get now?

    Are we waiting for Bruce ? The rumour was Pearson won’t join until the end if the season. It’s going to be one of those wnakers

    How this club is they will just ignore the fact Moyes exsists

  43. Frem,
    Possibly we’re that skint we can’t afford to pay THREE managers.
    JL,
    Its easy to beat a team that uses coaching badges that even Lamebert can get.

  44. Steamer
    Just had a text. Remember the day in the pub and jg made that bet with us and he carried it out ???
    Well l hear its all been put in a book about the head . But who has told them ??? Now l can rember about 8 of us being there . Doogle days . See you tomorrow. Mother in law got me a note book and ball of string for Easter. She got you a bloody big egg . ….not a happy bunny here

  45. Steamer,

    Trouble is we beat ’em in friendlies and then – when it *really* matters – they pull out the stops and win the trophies.

    … except in the days of the Bobbies of course. 😉

  46. Frem

    We need to get moyes in asap. The quicker we are all settled the sooner we can plan and steal a march on the other teams next season. Gardei holding out for loads of money, fair enough i guess!

  47. Happy Easter.
    I think Moyes would be good for Villa. As long as the aim of the club (including the chairman) is promotion. The aim and the doing of whatever it takes is the key to a successful 2016-17 season. If the powers that be can’t do that, Villans will be supporting, as we all know, a lower league team for years to come.
    I’d give Moyes a go. A new broom sweeps clean. What can be done about the manager, though? He’s seemingly the “unflushable” in the situation. If he got Moyes in and really supported him with an honest view to promotion, Villa would have a decent chance of promotion. That comes with a caveat against duplicity. The last statement is aimed at the chairman.

  48. Happy Easter everyone.
    The revelations that the club told Garde that his targets didn’t want to join when they hadn’t even been approached coming on top of our German scout emigrating to Oz and the Iberian scout taking a Uni course should lead to sacking and legal action, it also shows what a complete unprincipled shambles our club has become. On Tom Fox’s tenure, there is nothing that isn’t rotten yet he took home a fortune for making a complete balls up and costing the club millions.
    Nice to see Saggy and Richards enjoying themselves in Dubai, all attired in expensive suits except the fat one who had a back to front baseball cap and t shirt, oh and a big cigar, acting the Billy BB.
    So Bacuna reckons he wants to go to Ajax or PSV !! ambition or fantasy ? Like Okore who has similar delusions he should concentrate on getting a game for the worst ever EPL team and the worst in our history.

  49. Trinity,

    It appears that Villa are looking for a manager with promotion credentials. That appears to put Pearson as one of the main contenders but also Moyes with his promotion success from the third tier with Preston.

  50. Steamer: “he took home a fortune for making a complete balls up and costing the club millions.”

    As did Off-the-leash and Plumbert. Though Fox’s errors almost make their efforts look good.

    It’s strange that disaster had to threaten before the owner decided to take decisive action – thereby costing him many more millions.l

  51. Villa bombshell, Saggy wants to play for Real Madrid or Barcelona, Ronaldo threatens to retire and Messi has been taken to hospital with a laughing fit.

  52. JL,
    I reckon that all in, what with relegation, compo and mad contracts it would be approx 150m without the lower takings from next season.

  53. Bacuna is a nob. Heard collymore on the radio say he could not believe it when he was at a game, saints away i think, and had to leg itvto the airport straight away after to go to another job, when he saw bacuna at the airport in holland with his mates riding a segway around. Bacuna must of literally come off the pitch straight to a car to go and see his mates for a bit! That sums up the mindset and how much these players care. To be fair the richards and gabby one is a no story, they have time off and doing what 100s of other footballers are doing in a int break. Could do with practising on the trainng field though!!

  54. If we can sack remi, get moyes in. Get a new director of football in…..or whatever the title was all before end of season we will then be ready for the summer transfer window straight away. And to be honest id be looking forward to a season the most for years!! And if new owners came in and kept the board in place the better.

  55. Andrew,
    Just wondering if we have any cash to spend though. We could sell all our current players but who would you buy with a fiver ? The board seem tuned in to the situation but obviously with Lerner in the background there’s obviously the danger of a disaster looming.

  56. Great to see England play with pace and intent against ze jeeermans, the other night, something Villa never do.
    Big match today , I’m off to the No9 Derby Halesowen Town v Stourbridge, a bit of non league action local derby and some real ales, only drawback is we have a bluenose coming with us, so expect some more piss taking on how bad Villa are( I have no defence these days, they are a disgrace).
    The Garde saga continues as the club descends further into a complete mess, on and off the pitch.

  57. What happened yesterday couldn’t get on the site? still if Bacuna had world class players around him he could turn out to be mediocre. what if the rest of the team find out that its possible to get into the worlds best teams by being crap will they get worse?

    If this is the way we are going to work with rapier quick decisions when in a dire position Vauxhall conference here we come. If they are going to sack Remi get it done within a 2 week break and then get a manager in to tell them how rubbish their squad is for the third time this season.

    steamer totally deluded 😉

  58. B62- nice to think we will have a decent euro’s to look forward to with only the return of Rooney to taint it, no steevie me, lampard etc bliss.

    I was thinking myself what has changed this season in our side and the huge standout is the pace we attack, we are pedestrian all over the pitch, Adama and Amavi the only players capable of troubling defences coupled with poor delivery to the statue in the middle. I defy any manager to play differently than we have seen this season with this lot, a totally mismatched squad.

  59. Mark,
    Is it possible to get worse ?

    B62,
    Saw Halesowen many times when they had a good team, don’t know how they played such good footy on those hills though, decent pitch now. Hacketts done a great job at Stour, nice pitch there too.

  60. Its the biggie at Alvechurch tonight, versus Hereford, capacity 1,900 all ticket. nice of the Merc to totally ignore the semi final victory.

  61. Mark

    I couldnt get on the site either, got redirected to a nameing site?! I am fairly pleased with the speed the board have acted, think everything will be in place before the summer and then the hard part, grtting rid of this shite and buying new!

    Steamer

    Thanks to fox with have new unflushables, gabby, hutton, west, bacuna are going to be hard to sell.

    Least nzog is def off in summer, thats 65k a week saved!

    Of the current lot if i was manager hutton, cissokho, guzan, bunn, lescott, richards, westy, gabby bacuna would never kick a ball again,

  62. andrew- That gives the new manager 2 months to get a new team in and get them fit ready for early august? I don’t think that is enough time for a manager aiming to come straight back up. It will mean keeping most of this squad and already they are making noises about where they want to play next season. We could end up losing the best again and keeping the disgruntled few we cannot sell, watch this space.

  63. Andrew
    Agree with most but would keep cissko to let amavi get fit ,
    We have signed almost 60 players since Mon walked out and only one( benteke) we made profit on most walked free bent zog given,paid to leave Cole sendross rest lost money on lowton kea rest foreign crap Lambert and fox bought helnius tonev crespo
    After way remi was treated by board no reason he stays bar payoff( we are good at pay offs Mon houiller mcknob Lambert Sherwood fox,alstad) Lerner’s going to have to pay for all fox disaster s ,start again build a new spine one that if we are promoted strong enough to keep us up again
    I would take Moyes didn’t fox them not try push Steve round on remi at a time,instead pushed black onto him

  64. Why is Moyes still not with us?

    Still a joke. It’s took over a week to sack Garde ( hopefully gone tomoz) and all reports say we are interested in Moyes and he’s interested in us. So what are doing ?? Pearson shouldn’t even be a contender for the job. Vial man and bang average manager

    Sean Dyche I’d love after Moyes but he won’t come down after getting Burnley up.

    It should be Moyes or nothing. If hey can’t get him they may as we’ll shut down the club for good

  65. Must admit that imo all British managers are crepe so i’d make Karanka top target, give him a financial package with a large bonus and Roberts yer Ma’s bro.

  66. Watching how things develop for next season is far more interesting than the footy, which I can’t see improving this season. What more can be said regarding Villa’s season, anyway?
    Like others have said, get Moyes if he’s interested. He’s got the credentials and he’ll be keen to get stuck in.
    Congratulations to the England team for a big hearted performance against Germany. Also, a belated well done to the England rugby team. That cocky little Aussie coach might be on to something.

  67. Another great appointment into the mgmt team at Villa.

    Hurry up on the meat and potatoes and that is the football manager and playing staff. Can you come out and confirm Garde is the manager and that he’ll be backed to build a team for the championship or get rid based on the results and back a new manager.

    As with Frem, speak to Moyes and offer him what he needs for Villa to be a success alongside ensuring several current professionals never get a chance to disgrace the claret and blue shirt again.

    FOL

  68. Lots of suits at VP now, dunno what this new bloke does but for Bernstein to say he worked at the top level in football is BS, he worked for the English FA.
    Had long enough to sort out the managers position, i think Garde is French toast and the committee is waiting until the end of the season before approaching someone, Probably Dyche or Bruce otherwise whats the point in waiting if its going to be the currently unemployed Pearson or Moyes ?

  69. He’s a Spin doctor who happens to have worked for FA & some clubs! Doesn’t mean he knows anymore than anyone else about how to win games or get promoted! Just how to better spin relegation!

  70. Well if we have to have someone in there picking staff that this enquiry deems we need I would rather it be Bernstein than Fox. Long way to go yet and if we are setting all this up now pre-new manager it means he will have less control than a moyes might like to have or Garde stays.

  71. So Garde gets le boot and with him goes any pretence of honesty and dignity at Villa Park, Lerner and his lowlife pals have destroyed any genuine standards of behaviour in football. The stream of lies from our leaders is sickening, not just to Garde but in general, would anyone actually employ any of this rabble in a proper club ?

  72. Cheers remi, 2 wins out of 20 and being chosen by tom fox has got him gone. 5 months work and prob made a millionaire so wont feel too sorry for you. Sorry you have seen villa in the worst times though and sorry for the shithouses you had to work with. Best of luck in the future

  73. Garde, dignified til the end, despite being shafted in January, but ultimately was out of his depth and has been a dead man walking for a while.
    Eric Black ffs, let’s hope Moyes / Dyche /Karanka get appointed sooner rather than later, let the cull continue and revamp the squad for a promotion push

  74. Manager, Rémi Garde, has today left Aston Villa Football Club by mutual consent.

    The Club would like to place on record its sincere thanks to Rémi for all his efforts during a difficult period and wish him well in the future.

    Eric Black will take over as acting manager until the Club appoints a new manager.

    There will be no further comment from the Club at this stage.

    The gobshites wouldn’t have to wish him well if they’d backed him as promised in January. The standards in every facet of AVFC have been shot to pieces. We’re now operating on the same level as the vermin.

  75. Andrew,
    You have more confidence in these toerags to make any correct decision than i do, its like having two boards consisting entirely of Herbert clones, i really don’t feel like associating with these twats, is it really Aston Villa ? Lerner’s legacy is armageddon.

  76. well I’m sorry for the bloke and if the shithouses turn in a performance against Chelsea now it will speak volumes. Black in charge as he will possibly be the only French speaker left at VP presuming Gardes back-room staff will walk. Good luck Remi I can only apologise for your treatment.

    What will happen now that the brits got there way? will the French now give up? I cannot see BMH being a friendly place tomorrow

  77. next statement from the club will be the playing staff have left the club by mutual consent and we wish them well on their next gravy train, if they succeed in catching it.

    There will be no further statement from the club, until they have concluded buying Walsall f.C. as a replacement club to represent us.

  78. I am sure that Moyes will be announced as manager before Saturday’s game. It will probably be announced on Thursday afternoon .

    I really cannot see the board choosing anyone else.

  79. Another hyena commenting on accepting a job that wasn’t vacant, just a no class Jock who’s won one Div 3 championship and produces boring teams, i’ll give the twat less than a year before he’s booted. We used to have a reputation for doing the right thing, honour and dignity etc, well that’s all shot, its what happens when you have a mixture of Republican scum and Tory scum running the show.

  80. I hope that you are wrong Steamer, but echo your sentiment.

    I would love to see Karanka from Middlesboro’, but do not see Villa being able to tempt him, or anyone else of the same calibre.

    The only reason for Remi going now is bringing in the unemployed, which means Pearson or Moyes…

  81. I think we are being a bit harsh on Moyes, whoever comes in needs to revamp this squad and cull quite a few. Moyes, Rodgers, Pearson all free agents, Dyche and Karanka have a great chance of promotion so can’t see them coming in. Not much love for Remi out there, everyone has acknowledged his hands were tied in jan, but he has been a disaster from the off, wrong man , wrong time, wrong club.
    Let’s hope we can start the road back earlier rather than later.

  82. Steamer

    Im not 100% confident of the new board. But i know i wanted fox, almsradt out and wanted anyone with football knowledge and experience in. We now have, king, little, hollis, bernstein and this new chap in which looks better to me on paper, but proof will be in the pudding if gabby dont eat it first. Like i say if they got moyes in ill bedelighted but wont rest till the squad is ripped up.

  83. About fecking time

    I have a horrible feeling the board won’t even know David Moyes exists and have tunnel vision on getting either bruce or Pearson. This is AVFC we are on about. A joke

    Moyes would life everyone if they can pull him of though. Hes perfect for the job

  84. This is what I put on my FB page last night in response to the news.

    “Thanks Remi, hold your head high as the so-called professionals still take their extortionate wages out of the club despite making no effort to earn them.

    Results were poor under Remi but what would you expect from the bunch of waters we have.

    The board have to back the next manager financially and assist in the clear out of the dross.

    Pack your bags, Paddy Riley, your next.

    FOL VTID”

    And still feeling the same today, would echo the sentiments of everyone that this is the most crucial managerial appointment in recent history as this is the one that could get us promoted back or see us stink up the championship. Moyes is the best of British in terms of player mgmt and working within budgets. I’ve a feeling our prima donnas wouldn’t take kindly to a Pearson shout and would work to get him sacked as they did with Remi.

    Looking beyond these isles, Karanka, DeBoer, Laudrup would play football the right way.

    At least off the pitch is interesting compared to what’s on it.

    All the best Lifers

    FOL

  85. DOR,
    Well said.
    Must admit that my affection for AVFC is weakening by the day to the point when i’m about to say feck ’em, i really don’t like ANY of the staff, admin or committee, the way we play, the actual players, even the stewards are gobshites, the happy clapper fans who react five tears too late and as for that gormless cowboy of an owner ! The dickheads running the club had better start making a few correct decisions for the benefit of the club not the custodians bank account or their own pensions before they lose any more customers.

  86. I have heard plenty about Garde being the wrong man at the wrong time, the right man at the wrong time, its all rubbish. If that is true then what was Tim? the wrong man to rebuild with? who is this mystery man who would of got the best out of our shambles of a squad? Moyes Who cannot speak French or Spanish? would he have save a divided squad of dubious talent? could he have got the team playing that has shown no ability to do so all season and no fight? a squad who were prepared to go under because they did not like Remi? did they not like Tim as well?

    The truth of this season is we a have a poor and indisciplined bunch, by that I don’t mean that the manager did not discipline them, they did not discipline themselves. The squad was poorly put together with no thought to unity, Players were treated like grown ups when in fact the xmas video showed them to be anything but. They did not like Remi as he was the school teacher that would not let them bring their toys to school. He treated them as adults that was his biggest fault and was surprised by the reaction he got or non-reaction as it was. Good luck to the next manager whomever he is I’m strangely not bothered, he will have to deal with AVFC lads club.

  87. Fellers,

    These be very sad times: we’d all say that.

    I am in the Mark King camp of belief in attitude towards Remi. I had my doots about his qualifications when he arrived, but afterwards I thought his demeanour and coolness was what was needed. Trouble was that he was dealing with people that were not up to his standard, executive management *and* players. He has clearly been dealt with a bad hand. I wish him all the very best.

    The club itself has been badly run, aided by a far-away owner who only wanted to employ his own ideas (it’s my money, he probably said to himself) and he’s been taken for a ride himself by his appointments, thanks to his vacillations.

    Let’s keep our peace for awhile. They be interesting times at least as Lerner appears to have belatedly set in motion what has been needed since day one: proper management. I feel a positive buzz with Bernstein and Little about and so I am positive that something better will emerge over the next few months.;

    That being the case I take Steamer’s doomsday warning of 30th June with a pinch of salt, I’m afraid. Yes, there might be something imposed at the next AGM, but if there was to be a doomsday then all the +ve work under Bernstein wouldn’t make sense, would it?

    Ah, well, second tier it is next season. But I remember so well that 11-1 thumping of Charlton back in 1959 and 21 goals in 3 games. Those days in the second tier put us in the right mood, no mistake. I *don’t* expect the same this time, but it will be an opportunity to re-build: I think we should regard it as such, though it may take some time.

  88. Bye Remi,and good luck.Now,I can only look forward,Moyes might be a temporary good fit to get us up within 2 seasons,but not beyond that.This opinion is contradictory I know,as it is a short term vision,and I have often preached about long term planning,but who knows?I am loathe to suggest a Uk coach,but we have to cut our cloth accordingly.
    We need to dismiss the money for a moment or two.Can`t we just get back to being a football club again?Scoring goals and competing in whatever level we find ourselves at.Competing instead of being seen as an easy 3 points for all and sundr.
    We have been dumped on the rubbish tip of obscurity,after years of mediocrity.I hope we can rebuild,and I agree,this next appointment is so very important.

  89. I have been scratching my head trying to work out why BL and the new board would decide to get rid of a manager that has not had a fair shot at the job

    My guess is that he wasn’t strong enough with the loose cannons earning so much money at villa
    We has players insulting fans online and no punishments – no bans from twitter

    there is no discipline at villa and the most senior players are getter away with murder– apart from hutton who always gives is all

  90. I can only mirror the feeling of most on this site, I have slowly been falling out of love with football for a good while now and the goings on at VP recently has all but finished my attachment to this game. I have not watched an England game since the wasters decided they could not be bothered to turn up in South Africa and still had the gall to have a go at the fans who spent thousands of their hard earned going over to support these idiots.
    I cancelled my sky subscription ages ago because I would not put any more of my money into the Sky five pockets plus sitting down to watch a game became more and more tedious.

    I have watched the club that I have loved since a boy slowly implode over the last six years, I have watched players take millions out of the club without any feeling for the great club that they were suppose to play for, I have watched pariahs like Faulkner and Fox shaft the club and walk away with massive pay offs for failing to do their job properly, I have watched managers who were not fit to be at this club come and go and bank their golden handshakes.

    We were the pride of the Midlands, the football club had a name that earned respect in footballing circles, the mighty Aston Villa would be uttered by fans all over the world and to some it would evoke memories of what football was all about, having class and pedigree that other clubs would envy.

    Now look at Aston Villa FC a complete shambles a club in ruination some think administration is just around the corner and they may well be right, there are so many different companies attached to the organisation that none of us actually know the whole financial story, and to be honest who bloody cares, not Lerner for one, Hollis and his team are here to do a job and are being paid handsomely for attempting to pull some survivors out of the car crash that is AVFC.

    I will always be a Villan and was proud to be a part of the Steamers in days when passion actually meant something when you were part of a great club, you would fight for the colours because they mattered, you would protect your end because you was proud to stand there and be a part of something that was difficult to explain.

    I always knew back in those dark second and third division days that we would come back and visit greatness and success once again, you just felt it and you thought you could play your part, but I cannot say the same about our club today, I feel we will spend years in the footballing wilderness along the likes of Leeds and others who will find it impossible to match the financial clout of the premier clubs from next season.

    I write this with a very heavy heart but Aston Villa Football Club. RIP.

    SWV

  91. Some guy on twitter who seems to get decent info now and then says Moyes isn’t first choice

    imagine that. we fancy Pearson over Moyes

    Muppets

  92. Perhaps, at the end of the day, this “annus horribilus” has been what Aston Villa as a whole, including us fans, has needed, and now can be the dawn of a new beginning.

    We have lurched along for years now, after winning the European cup, had a few good ones under MON, but have only hit the heights on odd occasions, as in the beginning of the Premiership, competing with Utd, but failing at the final fence, what a huge trophy that would have been, Villa winning the first Premiership.

    I am like DOR, and feel that with Bernstein and Little involved, that the club will now move in the right direction. I have had the privilege to meet Brian, in the last twelve months, and know how he felt about Villa, and I am certain he would not be involved, unless he knew he was going to be listened to.

    There is also rumour that Villa is already sold, and it is the new people putting the structure in place and the figures have been agreed on the basis of Villa’s relegation.

  93. Garde, Sherwood etc. The end began after O’Neill.

    Lerner’s crass managerial and playing staff appointments led to an ever-increasing cycle of instability and chaos that has now come home to roost. Villa haven’t sent a competent team onto a pitch since Houllier left (not that he was any good).

    Lerner is still in charge so I’m baffled why any of you think the next appointment will be any better.

  94. Bizzarely Lerner still doesn’t trust Brits to run one of their own football clubs, he has to send Krulak over to keep an eye on things as if he actually knows f-all about soccer ball. I have to say that Lerner is the dumbest of the dumb and hopefully destined for skid row.
    SWV,
    Good but sad post, i fear its going to get even worse, the atmosphere around the club must be poisonous. Perhaps this may help.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFPLk5mJ1D4

  95. Hi Paul

    I think we have to look at Hollis’ statements around being in control and the creation of the football board.

    Granted, prior managers would prove we’ve not had the right man but these were under Fox’s remit or under the remit of a letter from Alex Ferguson saying everything would be alright if we selected his compatriot.

    If we can’t hope that the right decision will be made for the good of Villa then for all those who have fallen out of love with football and Villa will have every right to walk away

  96. swv – well said yet again …………. that really says how I feel at the moment and quiet correct about the old days when it all meant something to us. I will probably only go to the Newcastle game mainly to say my goodbyes to Villa Park as I move abroad after that. (also to hopefully send the Geordies down with us)
    Other than that there isn’t much to get excited about and it’s only sites like this one that keep an interest for me in “our” club …….
    Although ……………….. I may have to fly back for the noses games unless the neanderthals get promoted ……

  97. Hey Darren,

    My point is that McLeish, Lambert + his signings, and then Sherwood (+ whichever idiot recruited the summer 2015 jokers) prove that Lerner continues to repeat terrible mistakes in all the appointments that happen at the club.

    While Lerner so desperately wants out I cannot see how any investment will be made. There isn’t a single Villa player who is equipped to play Championship football…League 1 maybe, which is where I see this club heading.

    Forest, Derby, Leeds all spring to mind

    The bedrock of recovery from here would be a great youth team, but that has been an issue for Villa as long as I can remember.

    Time will tell

  98. OldVilla,

    Where you moving to hopefully somewhere sunny that does not beam live football, don”t make the same mistake as some Villa fans booking flights etc to come back for a game only for Sky to change it to something more convenient because they need to show monster truck racing from Idaho.

    SWV

  99. Jose Mourhinio to be announced as new Villa manger in days.

    New owners will be Chinese Billionaires who own Land Rover, and they will be our major Sponsors for the new season, and Villa will have at least one top Asian player in the team next season…..

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