Martin Laursen retires

[1878]

Who gives a s***, doesn't play for us. No feelings of sympathy for a man who's set up for life and gets to retire with no money worries at the ripe old age of 31. If I get to retire at 65 I'll be happy.

It's not always about money.

 

actually, i think you'll find it is for people who don't have any dude

 

 

I could understand if it was a prick like Ronaldo. It's Martin Laursen though, a top professional both on and off the pitch.

 

Not sure about that. Conducted himself like an angry little ASBO chav at Goodison this season.

 

I've disliked him since but I wouldn't wish a career ending injury on anybody. Good player as well.

 

Kind of ironic.

 

After Joleon Lescott had celebrated for so long like a true chav in front of our fans (similar to when he scored at our place last year, when he ran to the Holte End, turned his back on the crowd and pointed at the name on his shirt, before turning around and standing, arms outstretched in front of us), we get just enough time added on for Ashley Young to go and score at the other end.

 

You can hardly blame him for celebrating like that.

 

Fact is, had Lescott not done it AGAIN this year, we wouldn't have had the time to score, and he wouldn't have had the chance to celebrate "like a chav".

 

 

I'm not talking about him celebrating goals. I can't remember if it was the cup or league game come to think of it either.

 

What I'm referring to is him shouting abuse at the crowd and gesturing toward the Gwladys Street for no apparent reason after he'd got away with a foul and our fans were  moaning at the ref. He was generally just being a dick most of the game.

 

I don't think you can blame Lescott for over zealous celebrations either when he's getting songs sung about him being ran over by a bus or having Elephant Man chanted at him.  Villa fans give him more stick than even the red shite do which is baffling. Laursen never got any of that kind of treatment to warrant a response.

[brummie]

I don't think you can blame Lescott for over zealous celebrations either when he's getting songs sung about him being ran over by a bus or having Elephant Man chanted at him.  Villa fans give him more stick than even the red shite do which is baffling. Laursen never got any of that kind of treatment to warrant a response.

 

I can blame him. I didn't hear anyone singing about him being the elephant man or run over by a bus, either, and I never have.

 

One thing he's done by last year and this year's massively over the top shenanigans is ensure that next time, he will get stick.

 

Moaning about Laursen giving the crowd stick when you've got the one player who gives our crowd more stick than anyone else is a bit rich, really. It is either acceptable, or it isn't.

 

 

[Guest]

Will probably be remembered by Villa fans in years to come in a similar way Tony Green is worshipped here.

[1878]

I don't think you can blame Lescott for over zealous celebrations either when he's getting songs sung about him being ran over by a bus or having Elephant Man chanted at him.  Villa fans give him more stick than even the red s**** do which is baffling. Laursen never got any of that kind of treatment to warrant a response.

 

I can blame him. I didn't hear anyone singing about him being the elephant man or run over by a bus, either, and I never have.

 

One thing he's done by last year and this year's massively over the top shenanigans is ensure that next time, he will get stick.

 

Moaning about Laursen giving the crowd stick when you've got the one player who gives our crowd more stick than anyone else is a bit rich, really. It is either acceptable, or it isn't.

 

 

So I'm making it up? Try the majority of 3,000 Villa fans in both games at our place this year chanting that stuff.

 

A quick search brought up this opinion piece from the Echo, it's also mentioned in the match report:

 

It's just a shame that this good 'old-fashioned' FA Cup tie was tainted somewhat by some of the vile chants directed at Joleon Lescott from a significant section of the Villa fans.

 

It was also particularly brainless considering that one of Villa's own, supporter Christopher Priest, died after being hit by a car following a derby match against Birmingham less than a year ago.

 

http://www.evertonbanter.co.uk/2009/02/everton-3-aston-villa-1-commen.html

 

I think it's reasonable to distinguish between giving the crowd stick after provocation and doing it for no reason, which is why I don't blame Gerrard for doing it to our fans. Laursen however was totally out of order.

[brummie]

I didn't say you made it up, I said I didn't hear it.

 

I would say that professional footballers have an obligation to act in a different way to supporters. If Laursen taunted your fans then, well, that's not good.

 

But if you're going to condemn him for that, you have to condemn Lescott who - consistently - has done the same thing to us.

 

You should also bear in mind that the ear cupping celebration at your place, although that is not the thing you're referring to, came immediately after Lescott was giving it very large in front of our lot.

 

You can't have double standards. If you're going to condemn Laursen for it then you have to condemn Lescott for it, not temper it with "well, they were singing nasty songs".

 

i don't see Tevez flipping at people singing "Tevez for Star Trek" or being "Hermann Munster's sun", for example.

 

It does make me chuckle, however, when football fans rush to climb the moral high ground, though.

 

Tell me, do you still sing those songs about Steven Gerrard's kid not being his? And next time you do it, will you be so magnanimous if he runs over and flicks you the Vs?

 

 

 

 

[Mowen]

Absolutely gutted (although i knew it was coming a while back, having heard whispers).

 

He was a colossus. Scored 4 times in 24 for us this season, and got six goals last year. He also brought the best out of Curtis Davies until he got injuired, and marshalled the centre of defence superbly.

 

I never usually hang around for laps of honour, but this season will do, given the chance to say goodbye to him.

 

Effectively they told him that he could try to rehabilitate again, but it meant months and months of painful treatment, being effectively unable to move for hours on end. I think he's done the right thing at this point in his career.

 

I live not very far at all from him, and see him around quite often, he's supposed to be a thoroughly nice chap, was often seen in the company of Olof Mellberg around town (liked a tab as well, as it happens).

 

He'll be very difficult to replace.

 

Or you could come for a beer