The positive impact of the pitch invasion?

[Toronto Villa]

Ok this isn't about the pitch invasion itself because there is plenty already written elsewhere about that. This is more about the impact on the fans and players.

I have always believed that as Villa fans we don't need much of an excuse to get excited. Even in the final dark days (TM Mark Lawrenson) of Lambert we were still able to pull in 30k plus crowds. This a team that had scored 11 or 12 goals all season to that point on the back of hideous displays, on the back of what had been 4 previously (on the whole) horrible seasons. The Villa faithful, are just that, faithful. The away support is amazing and rarely don't we sell our allocation and make a lot of noise. Saturday, after the game was such a release of energy so I am wondering what impact that might have had on the fans? Does it make you believe again? I know it is very, very early into Sherwood's time, but is there a glimmer of hope that we might once again get back to 40k+ gates, talk of stadium expansion and never again speaking the R word?

And what of the players? There is a core group at the club that have known nothing other than losing. Morale sapping defeats to lower league opponents, tamely waving the white flag with tactics designed not to win games, but survive them. A manager publicly playing down expectations which must make its way back to the players, even if we believe that what is said privately and publicly is the same. The atmosphere inside Villa Park, despite the attendance numbers being so quiet, resigned to another defeat or at best an abject display. It can't have been easy being a player over the past few seasons, and then to see what we can be, what this club can generate in terms of interest must have been a brilliant feeling. The closest Villa Park has come to that might be Chelsea at home last season when Delph scored, but you can count on one hand besides when the place was last rocking like that after a win in recent seasons. Players who for a couple of years now who must have gone home a little bit miserable (despite all of the money in the world) must have seen a very different side to this club.

In my opinion, there is more hope today of the "bright" future than under any of the false dawns of Lambert. Winning a game generally meant losing a few straight after. Now it could mean going on a sustained run of decent results. For the first time in ages I am actually looking forward to the next game. Not at all because I expect to win but because I expect us to try to win. I expect the manager will send out players with a clear direction to get forward and score goals. Even lost souls like N'Zogbia and Gabby seem to be buying into it.

This isn't a thread to announce everything is fine. We will judge that in due course. But just to recognize that out of away from the negative connotations of fans coming on to the pitch there might be something very positive buried within it.

[silhillvilla]

My fear now is an fa cup hangover and defeat at Sunderland which will leave us in the shit

[Holte L2]

My fear now is an fa cup hangover and defeat at Sunderland which will leave us in the shit

Forever the optimist.  I Personally can't wait to get to Sunderland on Saturday and cheer the lads on.

[silhillvilla]

My fear now is an fa cup hangover and defeat at Sunderland which will leave us in the shit

Forever the optimist.  I Personally can't wait to get to Sunderland on Saturday and cheer the lads on.

Don't get me wrong, I will be there supporting too
I think we may get some harsh refereeing calls in the next few games

[andyh]

I'm going as well.
We'll fuck the fuckers !

[Brend'Watkins]

My fear now is an fa cup hangover and defeat at Sunderland which will leave us in the shit

Forever the optimist.  I Personally can't wait to get to Sunderland on Saturday and cheer the lads on.

Don't get me wrong, I will be there supporting to.
I think we may get some harsh refereeing calls in the next few games

Nothing new there then.

Sunderland will be worried, they will be thinking about a rejuvenated Gabby, a rejuvenated N'Zog, Sinclair hitting form, Benteke chomping at the bit, Delph commanding the middle  and at what point our lot decide to invade the pitch.

[Somniloquism]

Poyet will probably sneak on with our lot so he can give orders to his players directly.

[joe_c]

I was talking with PeterWithesShin after the game on Tuesday and he said that his attitude was that during the crappy times, that's when the club needs his support the most and it was in that spirit that I got my ticket for Sunderland (And Hull. And Newcastle.) But I am genuinely looking forward to it now.

[Marlon From Bearwood]

It's gonna be a bloody nightmare getting on the pitch at Sunderland now we're all gonna be seated in the top tier. 

[thick_mike]

It's gonna be a bloody nightmare getting on the pitch at Sunderland now we're all gonna be seated in the top tier. 

We'll need some of these...

[Chico Hamilton III]

Was the pitch in much of a state after the final fans were cleared off it? can't imagine a couple of thousand "mindless hooligans" will have done much for the grass?

[Tom_Mc9?]

We'll bloody batter Sunderland.

[ciggiesnbeer]

One side effect. It will underline to some of the new players and Sherwood in particular what it feels like when you get Villa Park rocking. I doubt many of them have ever experienced a home atmosphere like that.

That has to be a boost for the manager and players surely?

[AV82EC]

One side effect. It will underline to some of the new players and Sherwood in particular what it feels like when you get Villa Park rocking. I doubt many of them have ever experienced a home atmosphere like that.

That has to be a boost for the manager and players surely?

I was thinking that myself whilst pondering on the game yesterday. We've had a few good atmospheres in the past couple of years but nothing like that level of intensity, after Delphs goal it just grew and grew. Maybe Sherwood is right and sometimes you need to be reminded of what a big club we are? Because that game reminded me of what Liverpool, Man United or Arsenal would have done to a local rival in similar circumstances.

[cheltenhamlion]

My final piece for the new H+V is entitled "A corner turned? - Part 427". But this time I believe there might be something in it after all if the false dawns under Lambert.

Lerner isn't flavour of the month quite understandably but commented about us "howling up a storm" before the league cup final (as described by General Krulak) as him thinking "That's us, we're the Villa".

And that is how I felt as I skipped out of the ground punching the air on Saturday.