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John Clark
John is co-owner of AVL, and has followed the Villa since the '70s. A journalist by trade, he is, by most accounts, a very nice person. You can follow me on Twitter @JClarkKohoutek. It's an astonishing experience. Or a complete waste of time.

Comments 148

  6. Mark King

    Frem- you don’t think the players are feeling the pressure then?

    Jack should of scored, so should their bloke but as it is I’ll take it.

  7. Frem

    Get Davis on for Sammata Smith you morron

    Get Grealish in the middle, get Hourihane off. Put a winger on

    Sammata is a disgrace

  11. Frem

    Mark- They are paid to be calm. We look awful on thr ball. Clueless. I don’t know what Smith coaches them. Not much

    Get Davis on and Jack Is so wasted. Play him number 10

  17. John Clark

    Frem,

    You have to remember, all Villa need is a draw given Arsenal-Watford. Everything riding on one game, now 45mins? Yeah, there are gonna be nerves. Hammers are safe, they can be free and easy.

  21. Frem

    John. But it’s stupid to play for a 0-0 like we are. Takes a 90th minute winner from wets ham to relegate us

    We need to go and score first

  43. RichardS

    Well done Villa

    Magnificent effort

    We are 7 points adrift a few weeks ago

    Tremendous effort

    Back Dean Smith

    We will be fine next season

    Believe in the Villa

  50. r0bb0

    Well you have to hand it to Dean Smith . . . . he knows how to finish a season!
    Second year running that most of us had given up but thank goodness that he never did.
    Well done him, and the players, . . . . unbeaten in our last 4 games is a superb way to finish the season and gives us something to build on

  51. John Clark

    Absolutely superb. Unbeaten in the last four, Smith played the tournament perfectly, used the lockdown to tighten up, and it was a magnificent achievement.

    Really can’t give him or the team enough credit. They did what they could and had to do.

  52. r0bb0

    The owners must be delighted. Promoted a year ahead of plan (Which brought it’s own problems), but now building a young side that already has a year’s premiership experience behind it.
    Let’s see what they can do in the transfer window now

  54. Villalore

    Oh man, my heart, what a nervous ride. Credit to the DS and the team, what performances over the past games. Nervy today, but they stuck with it. Brilliant boys!

    A word for Bournemouth who were very unlucky and played their heart out. More sympathy for them than Watford.

  57. Frem

    Some quality players to take from teams gone down

    We have tk be smart. We have to sign quality

    Nk more shit like Trez, Sammata l, Wesley, Engles, marvelous etc

  60. Plug

    I’m like a rag doll right now.

    Like a volcano when Jack scores only to be gutted immediately afterwards. My first feeling now is one of immense relief. My second feeling is… we will now be able to build for next season with some astute additions. My third feeling is total happiness that Deeney is honking up all the way home.

    Tomorrow will be thick head time.

  61. Plug

    Also time to renew our jousting with the yam yams next season.

    VillaMD, 40m for a striker is required but NOT one like Spud bought. That’s what Joelinton cost.

  62. Plug

    The first 6 pack has gone, the second one is almost gone. I’m looking at the 3rd and thinking more deliveries are needed.

  63. Mark King

    I don’t think we are in the position to buy quality as that would be £40m upwards, and as we have seen with the likes of Haller that doesn’t guarantee immediate returns. We need to be shrewd for sure but \i don’t think we need a massive lot, we need to keep Jack if possible and support him but we really are now in the position to get 1-2 starters and 2-3 development players. By the following season the U23’s should start producing.

  67. RichardS

    Absolutely sensational to finish the season as we did.

    Lockdown was a great break for Villa.

    We spent the time wisely to evaluate our game plan for the last 10 games.

    Jack Grealish has been truly sensational this season

    Dougie has come on leaps and bounds

    Mings and Konsa has been rock solid for the last 10 games

    We now have a solid foundation to build on for next season

    Time to trust the manager and sign quality players

    THE BEAUTIFUL

    THE MAGNIFICENT

    ASTON VILLA

  68. Frem

    Mark. We need more than a couple of starters

    We need a new front 3. Wesley, Sammata, Davis aren’t good enough. Ghazi, Trez Jota aren’t good enough

    That’s 100 million we need on a starting front 3 plus more on back ups. The wingers and strikers we have now need to go

    Grealish is off so that’s another position. Plus we need another quality cm and probably DM to

    We are still aong way off

    The bench needs improving to

    We need a lot spend but on more quality this time

    FFP is relaxed and we have money so I wouldn’t be surprised if we spend another 200 million

  70. Frem

    We have a foundation with Heaton, Mings Konsa, fred, Jack and mcginn

    We need a better left back. We need another cam to compete with Mcginn and jack if he stays ( he won’t)

    I’d like billing. Marvellous is crap.

    I think liuiz will be off back to city.

  71. Paul Pears

    A little late to the party boys, but I always believed, although I never saw a single minute of the game, but I will.
    I did watch the the Everton V Bournemouth game, which was disgraceful, not sure if Everton had any shots in the first half, but definitely not one in the second half. They gave the game to Bournemouth which was a disgrace. Pickford should never play for England again, as he obviously is willing to take bribes, or is just a shit keeper, just watch let the third goal just roll past his hands and into the net. I have watched football for over 60 years, and that Everton team was worse than the Blue noses when they used to divvy up the cash in the toilets when they took bribes…!!!

    Congratulations to Dean and our boys who won in spite of that. Thank goodness Arsenal made the effort.
    God has brought us through now for two seasons on the trot…once more my prayers have been answered…
    I will be at Villa Park for another season!!!! In the Premiership….

  74. Heroes-and-Villans

    Wow. I’ll sleep for a week, drained! Deano your a genius. The work he has done with that side during the corona break is staggering. From being open and conceding 20 odd shots a game to nothing is insane. And the set pieces. Can’t believe it. And you lost his old man. To treat jt like a World Cup and staying in hotels together. 17 th in the champ to 10 game winning run, promotion. Staying up and a cup final in under 2 years. The guys remarkable

  75. Heroes-and-Villans

    7 points adrift and terrible goal difference 4 games ago. Most of my villa life we have been on the end of rubbish and nothing great happening to us, but under Deano magic happens!

  76. Heroes-and-Villans

    Frem

    Yes a huge transfer window for us. For once we have stability and a solid base to build from. There a young team and they’ll all be improved from this first season. Obv front 3 need sorting. I’d love Sarr. Benrahama and Eze. And keep jack! Which is going to dominant our window. Cantwell and buendia too. God knows about a striker.

  77. proxopera

    Delighted for Dean Smith. I had begun to doubt his ability to learn from mistakes but he stuck to his plan and his players bought into his philosophy. He was calm as a coma all the way through and all of the players improved in the last 6 weeks. Good luck to him.

  78. proxopera

    Against the odds promotion , wembley cup final , against the odds relegation escape all in just over a year. Many mistakes made but clear evidence of learning from those mistakes. Forget about Potch. Dean is one of ours and has earned the right to continue.

  79. RichardS

    After the euphoria of the result – I have to admit I am feeling deeply emotional

    Super Jack Grealish – our messiah – did what was required and kept us in league

    Dean Smith kept his composure and delivered the results

    Huge congratulations to the Villa players

    And a BIG SHOUT out to John for keeping the Aston Villa Life blog going – I salute you.

    I am beyond delighted

    We dust ourselves down and kick on.

    The Magnificent

    Aston Villa

  80. proxopera

    Despite all the criticism, one natural finisher would likely have put us at mid table. Trez is actually a good finisher on recent evidence and he certainly would be a very decent option as a makeshift fox in the box striker, despite Frem’s campaign against him.

  82. Heroes-and-Villans

    I’ve no problem trez being on the bench. He works his ass off and has a great knack of scoring goals! But we do need 2 wingers. Last summer was about building a squad, fair enough. But we really need to add quality now.

  83. Frem

    Sarr a great shout
    . We need pace. We are so slow

    Eze to replace jack. Get brooks to

    Delefeogh from Watford to. I can’t spell his name
    Watkins. Benrama

    So many players who would improve us

    But you know Suso will get more useless players like Trez

    Ghazi should never have been signed either. Or jota

    We need Suso gone

  84. Frem

    Trez isn’t even good enough for the bench. He has no ability. He had an easy cross to pick out jack today and fucked it. Really poor players

    Front 3 need a massive overhaul. We need 5 or 6 attaching additions, plus Eze and another in the cam role

  86. RichardS

    Frem

    You really do talk some shit

    Bruno – who?

    Try and be positive for a change

    Stop criticising all of the players and the manager

    Give Smith the opportunity to sign the players he actually wants and needs

    Smith has delivered this season

    It was never going to be easy

    We should take a deep breath

    Enjoy the achievement

    And look forward to next season

    No need for criticism this evening

    The universe has rewarded the Villa fans for remaining positive

    I am delighted

  88. RichardS

    Utter nonsense

    Sacked for keeping us in the division

    No chance

    Sack Suso – yes

    But let’s just enjoy the occasion

    No need for negativity

    Let’s look forward and remain positive

    It you cannot enjoy our success this game is pointless

  89. Frem

    I don’t want smith gone yet, but if the season starts badly he has to

    But I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s sacked

    The owners might want more and we haven’t exactly been good this season. 35 points is pathetic

  91. IanG

    Well the world is brighter now, & then you throw in Deeney’s descent back towards the illiterate ones, so on to the beer.
    PP – the missus has hidden it.

  95. Frem

    Why is smith beyond criticism ?

    We lost 21 times this season. 21. 35 points

    Shit load of goals conceded. Football was nothing short of poor

    It wouldn’t sack him now, but he got lucky not be sacked earlier in the season

    He needs to learn. We need to play better football next season. Hopefully with better front 3 and depth. Can’t be worse than what we have

  96. RichardS

    Frem

    Just enjoy the day

    For once

    Stop criticising

    You sound like a petulant wanker

    Are you a qualified football coach?

    Do you even support the team?

    Back the fuck off

    Lessons will be learnt

    And we will be better next season

  99. Heroes-and-Villans

    Christ you don’t sack Suso now. We have a plan for Cham and prem weeks ago as its a quick 6 weeks before season starts. Stick with the plan and no more rushed decisions. Let’s just see what the window brings. I’m confident it will be decent

  101. Mark King

    Frem buddy that has to be the best comment I saw yesterday “ why is smith beyond criticism “

    Let’s see, well since he turned up we have won the play offs and gained promotion which possibly saved the club, we then rebuilt the team in the prem and survived after being told we would do a Fulham . Along the way we went to Wembley again. Add to that he has given us the chance of retaining our best players maybe even jack.

    Other than that he’s done nothing 🙂

    Could he have done better? Probably, and he would be the 1st to say so. But along the way he has shown tactical nous, man management and coaching ability, all things he has been questioned on. So show a bit of appreciation that we didn’t follow the norm and sack him, it might actually be a good thing.

  102. Paul Pears

    Excellent comments MK,

    I am with you all the way. Smith has succeeded against all odds and pulled off the impossible, and the clue to why it has happened, for me came from Micah Richards, when he admitted that in the dressing room, Dean was always totally calm and did not destroy his players, and was almost too much of a gentleman, yet at the same time, he was able to tell players exactly where they stood, and what he wanted.

    Bruno Large is being recruited as a manager for another club being bought by our Egyptian owner, but not for Villa.

    Don’t have a missus at the moment IanG, too complicated…
    but the Gin was safe… and in the end I remained sensible, but hey I still have another six weeks to celebrate further!!!

    Not sure on Jack staying, but who knows who we will get in part exchange, if he does go… Lots of possibilities, or a shed load of cash to spend.
    However he may just stay and continue his Roy of the Rovers story and go on to captain his country in the Euros next year…

  103. Plug

    How did we pull that off? All the noses are gutted. The yam yams are gutted. Troy is gutted. There’s a spring in my step.

    Reflecting on the last 4 games, we were just a few minutes away from 4 wins on the spin. Both late equalizers at Everton and West ‘Aaaamm were flukey.

    Now the next phase of our rebuilding can start to make sure next season is not like the one just finished. Lifers have already identified the weakest areas that need addressing.

    When the fat lady sang……it was Sweet Caroline.

  105. Villalore

    What struck me in Dean’s comments over the past two matches is the work they did during the quarantine break, trying to plug the leaks. And it worked, 2 goals conceded in the last 4 matches and a more composed backline. We all knew that the influx of players needed time to settle down and we are lucky that the break allowed us to do that. There are players in there and we will now build into what is hopefully a decent mid table team.

  106. Frem

    I certainly hope Suso isn’t in charge of buying again because we will end up with more useless attackers like Trez and Wesley

    I’d like to look at a few championship players. Eze at qpr is quality. Some players who have gone down would walk into our side

    One Thjng we need is more pace. Our wingers are so slow. And our strikers. We need more pace to be a threat because going forward we are very poor.

    I the we need a better left back to. Targett is slow and doesn’t stop crosses

  107. r0bb0

    Frem. Why is it that when the professional media plus most villa fans think that Trezeguet has done very well in recent weeks and was a good value for money buy, you (in every other of your many postings) say he’s useless? I’m curious . . . do you ever experience any self doubt at all or do you just feel that you know better than everyone else and need to continually repeat your opinion until they come round to your way of thinking?

  108. Frem

    Robbo- Only a few weeks ago he was apparently joining someone in Turkey and everyone in twitter and Facebook etc were all saying they will drive him there etc etc. Nobody wanted him to stay

    Yes, he then went and got a couple of tap ins v Palace and scored against arsenal. But generally.he is an awful player

    We need 2 or wingers in. I hope Jota, Ghazi and Trez are for the exit door and we sign 5 or 6 new wingers and strikers. We have been so poor going forward

  110. RichardS

    I am still buzzing from the result yesterday

    High drama

    Incredibly entertaining

    Jacks goal was quality

    Now it’s all about cementing our place in the devision

    We need players with Premier League Experience

    There are rich pickings from Watford – Bournemouth- Norwich

    Convincing players to come to Villa will be the challenge

    We should sign Axel from Man UTD

    There are plenty of wingers we could approach
    Benrahma – Brooks – Deulafou – Beundia – Cantwell

    And midfield – Billings – Capoue

    Strikers will be challenging – we must be the only team in history to stay up with 10 games remaining without our strikers scoring a single goal – unbelievable

  111. Heroes-and-Villans

    The lack of patience is baffling. Haven’t been on here for a while, last time it was luiz who was useless and a waste of money! Are all the singings going to be a success, no. Impossible especially with such a big build.

    This next window is about quality not spreading money thinly. Go all out with the front 3. Obv recruit right but spend whatever. The rest of the squad can be tinkered with here and there for now. One season at a time

  112. Heroes-and-Villans

    Frem pace is obv and issue hopefully new front 3 will see to that! Can see why some aren’t hot on targett. But again we signed players who aren’t the finished article and will improve with some time and patience eg konsa and luiz. What I love about targett is his left peg think only Robertson has created more chances from lb.

  113. Mark King

    Amazing, after months of people wanting Smith gone for all these relegation avoiding experts he’s the one left standing. On top of that we are now desperate to get rid of the players for the ones that didn’t keep their teams up.

    I can only deduce from it all that Smith must be an absolute genius to have engineered our safety during the lockdown with such a bunch. Clearly the other managers thought the same and didn’t bother drilling their own players.

    This feat is worth £200m to us and even if we go down next season gives us three years of parachute payments, its a massive early Xmas. To top it off we either keep our top player or he pushes that £200m closer to £300m. If Smith was a firm I’d be buying shares 🙂

  114. Plug

    Mark, famous last words I know, but I can’t see us getting relegated next season. It was this season where we were most vulnerable. Having escaped the trap door, I expect team strengthening to continue and the likes of the yams yams, Swansea/Fulham/Cardiff/Brentford can fight it out for survival.

  115. Canadian Villan

    So now I survived yesterday without a heart attack, I can look forward to September and a fresh kick at the can.
    We know for sure we need one more quality midfielder as we don’t have any real cover for Jack, John or Dougie should one of then get a long term injury again. Then up front needs lots of work, Davies is class and if only he could start scoring goals we’d be made. However, we need someone who without doubt is going to get us a dozen plus goals at this level. We also, as has been covered extensively need some quality on the wings, some one who can pinpoint a cross and get passed the opposition full backs.
    We cant buy squad players this summer, we have to go for first team players, hopefully with some experience either in the Prem or a league of better quality than Belgium.
    As for Frem and friends, it’s ok to keep calling half the team crap, but we need some depth, and I for one have no issues keeping the likes of Trez around as a squad player, always puts in a shift, will give the lads a run around at Bodymore, and can be very useful coming off the bench. We have seen players three and four times what we paid for our guys take a year or more to settle in.
    It’s not just the footy either, you’d be surprised how many times my missus and I nearly packed it all in and came back to Brum in those first few years in Canada, and that’s going to a country that speaks the same language and having friends already over here. So suck it up and give them some credit, believe me its tough enough as it is to settle down abroad!!!!!!!

  119. Mark King

    JC- I’m already seeing an all villa fan team 🙂 Jack, lolley and Louie Barry are just the start in my head, all other players will be hypnotised.

  122. Heroes-and-Villans

    Yeah I like lolly. Nice little player. Wanted him when we was in the champ. But we have to be aiming higher buying a new front 3. I’m talking 100 mill on the 3!
    Tied the young lad chembumba spelling! Down. Meant to be seriously good. Youth is getting a re vamp. Getting 2 European lads too

  123. Paul Pears

    We need to forget any Brentford players until the plays offs are over, or they are out of it, as if they get promotion, no one will be for sale, and Brentford can afford to the salary demands.

    Lolly would be a great squad member, and worth buying, as we need players that are willing to die for the shirt, not players just looking for a step up.

  124. Mark King

    PP- if Brentford sell their two top players I’d be amazed but you never know, I’d take Both and Lolley.

    H&V- I’m not entirely sure what you would get for £100m dropped on three players? probably not far shy of the three I just mentioned above, Both West Ham and Newcastle bought £40m players that bombed. These have to hit the ground running and they all know the English game., dodgy business. Can’t wait to get started.

    Got a really good vibe about the academy.

  128. Frem

    Great news Suso has gone.et Smith sign the players, or at least get someone in from Brentford he knows

    He signed some serious shit in Trez and Wesley. Spending 17 million on targett. Marvellous and Engles aren’t great.

    Great news. Now get the crap out and sign some quality

  130. Heroes-and-Villans

    Frem

    Deano scouted and knew Engels at Brentford! Your very harsh on Wesley! Guys 22 and I like him lots!

    Smith said a plan was drawn up for staying up and going down. Is this Susos plan or are we starting from scratch 6 weeks to ko? Sounds like he was gone a while ago and not said. Didn’t he make some random comments during covid? Anyway onwards and upwards!

  133. Mark King

    Part of the reason for suso’s departure was a difference of opinion with purslow, I assume that’s “its your fault” vs “ it’s not my fault “

  135. Frem

    H and V. What do you like about Wesley?

    I thought he was awful to be honest. He’s a big guy but centre backs bullied him. He was never in the box, and his technical ability looked poor

    We certainly need to go and spend 30 million on a striker, maybe 2 because we don’t have a sing striker good enough

    Wingers to. We need a couple of big spending wingers. Wiht pace. We are such a slow side

  137. runtings

    Think there will be much better times ahead for the club ,cant wait to see how we build from here , the fact Suso has gone show the standards aston villa staff have been set are geared towards being successful as soon as possible
    With the right buys we could have a very capable squad on our hands very quickly

    Frem i think like Luiz Wesley had a slow start but in his last few games he had made some real improvements , i would expect either of those buys to be fantastic straight away but would say potentially they will be top players and they have broken into there national side which would support that theory

    UTV

  138. Frem

    So apparently Purslow is a bit of a twat and hard to work for. Suso wanted Nzonzi and Smith and Purslow wanted Drinkwater instead?!?!??!

    Apparently Smith and Purslow going behind owners back a bit and Suso decided to leave, instead of being told to leave.

    Mmmmmmm. Not sure

  139. Frem

    runtings- Luiz is quality but even during the season l, he showed signs of his potential

    Wesley I didn’t once walk away from villa Park thinking there is a player in him. Wasn’t remotely impressed

    Spent most the time on the floor waving his arms about moaning when a centre back touched him

  142. Frem

    If its true about drinkwater and Nzonzi then I don’t want Smith or Purslow here

    It makes sense as to why DD was played so much at first. If he was smiths man then it makes sense why he wanted him to play

    But if Smith really did choose Drinkwater over Nzonzi then that is absolutely shocking and confirms he probably isn’t good enough

  143. John Clark

    Wesley:

    Thing is, he actually did score goals, which Davis can’t say. I like Keinan. But I don’t think he’s the answer to anything other than holding the ball up. Which isn’t a small thing, necessarily, but if he can’t put it in the net, then…Like everyone says, we need some reworking up front.

    But, depending on how he comes back from injury, there’s a player in Wes. He’s quick, has a decent touch, can finish, and he’ll get used to the physicality. Was a huge adjustment and a lot of expectation on his shoulders. I’m glad he’s in the stable, but it wasn’t the best idea to expect so much of him in a new side just coming up.

  144. John Clark

    Frem,

    Maybe the truth/reasons will come out, but everyone will have their ideas. Maybe it was about attitude, dressing room fit, who knows. Drinkwater was definitely a reach, and didn’t help the dressing room. And I was liking the Nzonzi talk. Who knows.

    At the time DD came in, neither Luiz nor Nakamba were shining brightly and we were shipping goals. So whoever came in as a DM was going to play.

  148. John Clark

    Ha…calm down, Frem.

    Smith wasn’t sacked, everyone wanted Suso gone.

    And with that, I’ll switch us over to a fresh sheet. A bit late, but less scrolling.

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