Jonas

Hope its not the case Liverpool turn their season around in this dead-rubber. Ah they've got Spurs next so, taketh away with one hand, giveth with the other

My favourite Murray (historian and fortune teller) quote within: 'Mr Murray has now been quoted as saying Sunderland cannot compete with Newcastle and Middlesbrough because "our prices are half Newcastle's prices - you just cannot compare the clubs", adding: "We're stuck between a massive city that's vibrant like Newcastle and a club at Middlesbrough who put £20m a year into the club." Murray is clearly suggesting, according to my interpretation, that Sunderland charge half price because Sunderland is not a vibrant city and punters will not pay the full admission price.' 10/2/03

Cant instantly recall a tidier, classier three at the back. Come a long way since the omni-shambles of Koeman and Van Gobbel

Definite shirt out where allowed (at certain levels they just wouldn't let you) Liked the casual look of not really trying at least partially inspired by Waddle also. And long sleeves wherever possible. Liked things baggy generally, was the Madchester era.

They legit did do a 'the big three' DVD a mackem (good lad) I worked with told me, around 2006 or 2007. The three wins at the point covered quarter of a century, damning themselves with feint praise. We could have released a video in April 93 and April 03 with the same theme covering just thirteen and fourteen months. But didn't. Cos that'd would have been sad as f**k and they weren't big, they were just wins against them.

slagging the players and performance off has gone as quiet as the Villa fans

A spoiled prone to booing and complaining mute button exists?

Just reading that made me here Alan Price's "Blaydon Races" and "Get Down On It" by Kool and the Gang, and for the Paddock "Suicide Blonde". Pretty much the same, players warming up right in front of you. The curvature of the pitch. Cables for televised games and a menacing red light at night games from a chimney or something in Leazes terrace, like something off the Mothman prophecies. Consiering our plight at the time, it pretty much was.

Before they lost all this land to Keegan, they were averaging 16,000. Just over minus the bumper crowd against us. They averaged pretty much the same throughout his spell here and even worse before. It doesn't matter how much land mass they have, had or claim getting the people therein to shift to the ground for a match has always been a problem for them. If they weren't going and had no interest in going to the match what's been lost? Keegan spent 7years here as player and manager but our attendances have been higher 95% of the time we've both existed. Too much to ask to just look at the numbers and facts when you can concuct a myth to excuse the inferior support you have to your rival.

That's how I think of him now. A modern day Sheedy/Kilcline that got caught out in the level and speed of resurgence.

They're saying were trying to appropriate 'Geordie'. I'm saying thats ridiculous in itself and because you could apply that stupid notion to anybody, including themselves.

Ashley/Bruce's signings like Joelinton and Almiron. Great example of two players that have improved beyond all recegnition coincidentally since Ashley/Bruce left. This might be the weirdest yet: "Geordies make up a significant % of our support and always have done!I will stick with the time honoured Mag C**t to label my under rock dwelling neighbours who support NUFC and leave the term Geordie to label people living in a geographical area nomatter how hard those Mag Cu**s try to appropriate the term." So were not Geordies, Everton/Liverpool aren't scousers, London teams aren't cockneys and England fans aren't English because some people from those places don't suppose those teams.

Even smaller things like getting Shelvey fit to alternate and relieve the central midfielders, who I can't believe aren't knackered.

Jo's the one, even more than Bruno, I get kittens about when he might not be available now. I suppose especially for games like this. Trying to burst forward in stoppage time after that graft today on top of the knock...on top of his story, is endearing as fuck.

They used to get very excited, giddy really, at the idea of Keegan getting the England job when Taylor got sacked. Sir Bobby too. I've twice made the mistake of things going well for us letting them off the hook through lack of interest. The second time under Sir Bobby despite how they made so much hay at finishing above us and beating us for the first time in a generation. Their finishing above us was by about 4points, twice, whilst we were finishing more than entire divisions ahead of them for years either side of that. Wont make that mistake again.

Could almost be Kane and Son. He's been thinking so much about Newcastle that its dictated what he wore to an airport, what he takes on holiday with him, and gives him the need to photograph and report on this momentus event in his life and that was before the banter that he didn't want. What a pathetic bastard.

His media mates might have spun it a success but I don't think anybody else would have considered it an achievement for Gerrard to just be mid-table. Which as you've pointed out is average for Villa. Notwithstanding the new finances which I'm not up on. Thus he'd had to have done better than that and the margin was too fine, imho, for someone with his lack of experience to achieve. I'm not at all saying he hasn't done a poor job or that he shouldn't have been sacked I'm saying he shouldn't have taken it because the chances of doing better than average with the top 6, maybe even 7, taken was too much for him at this point.

I never thought he or anybody could move Villa out of that middle tier. O'Neill spent a fortune and couldn't. So what could he achieve? At the absolute best 7th. Kinda where Villa often have been. You'll know better than me Brummie but in the PL era doesn't that include O'Neill, O'Leary, Big Ron, Brian Little, Gregory. So Gerrard could have done what they did at most. He would have had to break into the top 6 to be on track for Liverpool and it was never happening. So he should have bided his time and learned his trade better at Rangers. For me. If it was a Man City situation then by all means.

Bit of a shame but he shouldn't have jumped the gun at the first opportunity to leave a good job to go somewhere with little room for improvement. Shot his bolt now re Liverpool and will have to start over. Wontt get somewhere where you get the same level of achievement (on paper) as Rangers. They might have him back and that's his best bet probably.

They'll get a response. Rather than being reactionary based on the last games of each side as if both games will got the same way again. Very much depends on what's available for us (fancy we need Jo). In fact with what we know is out, we'll be doing well to get a point. Take a point and get fresh for Villa is the optimum I can expect. We'll be the happier set of fans whatever the result though, these are morose.

200m net!!! oh no. Newly promoted Nottingham Forest spent £150m in one, one window. That's okay though because they're doing shite. Just like folks wouldn't be anywhere near as bothered if we were too.

Cant see Gerrard making it to the game against us. Even if they beat Brentford it just a temporary reprieve it seems at this point.

Mackems love a bit of conveniently forgetting context. If you have to go back 31-33years to illustrate that a club isn't well supported it at very least suggests for the last 31years it has been. Likewise not applying that standard to other clubs gates which were all lower on account of it being 31years ago and different times: Leeds won the league average 28k. Liverpool 35k. Arsenal 31k. Chelsea 18k. Aston Villa 24k. Spurs 27k Everton 23k West Ham 21k, Celtic25k all in the top flight whilst we were bottom of Division2. So none of them are massive by that logic. Sunderland averaged 18k so their average was the same as our selectively low terrible gates.

Makes no difference. Surface level change of scenery but the problems remain but there'll be a load of even more pointless conjecture about it that I just can't get into. Its like managerial changes under Ashley. Just cant bring myself to care cos its all bullshit.

Another journalist that wont be watching the World Cup. I take it its just going to be live feed, no commentary and no studio stuff at this point. Wonder what he thought when France collected the World Cup from Putin.