Feels like 1988 all over again - i hope

[Hookeysmith]

We had just got promoted on the final day of the season back into the 1st division and our two leading lights were a centre half, Martin Keown and a striker Alan McNally. Optimism was high at the start of the season yet it was one of struggle  and we staved off relegation with again those two being our stand out players. During the following close season both were sold to Everton and Bayern Munich respectively and most Villa fans thought the world was going to end (can you see where I am going with this yet!) A shrewd manager and some even shrewder purchases, although at the time the names of Ormandroyd - who? and a washed out Paul McGrath was hardly inspiring made almost everyone feel that relegation was inevitable. We all remember what happened next.

The point being that although we are staring at a potential abyss its not new and we can and will recover from the loss of our star striker and a judas cnut - we have to have faith that the Chairman gives us the funds to compete to find replacements and the Manager has our trust to buy the right players - even if they are not as sexy as some would like

Think this season will be entertaining and interesting in equal measures

Bring it on

[Hoppo]

I like your thinking..

[kippaxvilla2]

Is McInally coming back to replace Christian?

[rob_bridge]

We had just got promoted on the final day of the season back into the 1st division and our two leading lights were a centre half, Martin Keown and a striker Alan McNally. Optimism was high at the start of the season yet it was one of struggle  and we staved off relegation with again those two being our stand out players. During the following close season both were sold to Everton and Bayern Munich respectively and most Villa fans thought the world was going to end (can you see where I am going with this yet!) A shrewd manager and some even shrewder purchases, although at the time the names of Ormandroyd - who? and a washed out Paul McGrath was hardly inspiring made almost everyone feel that relegation was inevitable. We all remember what happened next.

The point being that although we are staring at a potential abyss its not new and we can and will recover from the loss of our star striker and a judas cnut - we have to have faith that the Chairman gives us the funds to compete to find replacements and the Manager has our trust to buy the right players - even if they are not as sexy as some would like

Think this season will be entertaining and interesting in equal measures

Bring it on

In terms of optimism, this is up there with me winning a large sum on the lottery.

We have an unproven manager who seems to be a one trick pony, totally different to 1989 where we had a proven manager at top level.
We have no-one anywhere near, and I mean nowhere near, the quality of McGrath joining to supplement Cowans and Platt.
We finished 36 points behind Arsenal in 1989 and we finished 49 points behind Chelsea last season.

[Hookeysmith]

That's my hopes pissed all over then - cheers 

[QBVILLA]

Yes, coming here with your optimism. Shame on you

[Ormy Droid]

Ormondroyd would certainly bring some much needed laughter back to the Villa

[Rudy65]

We had just got promoted on the final day of the season back into the 1st division and our two leading lights were a centre half, Martin Keown and a striker Alan McNally. Optimism was high at the start of the season yet it was one of struggle  and we staved off relegation with again those two being our stand out players. During the following close season both were sold to Everton and Bayern Munich respectively and most Villa fans thought the world was going to end (can you see where I am going with this yet!) A shrewd manager and some even shrewder purchases, although at the time the names of Ormandroyd - who? and a washed out Paul McGrath was hardly inspiring made almost everyone feel that relegation was inevitable. We all remember what happened next.

The point being that although we are staring at a potential abyss its not new and we can and will recover from the loss of our star striker and a judas cnut - we have to have faith that the Chairman gives us the funds to compete to find replacements and the Manager has our trust to buy the right players - even if they are not as sexy as some would like

Think this season will be entertaining and interesting in equal measures

Bring it on

just some entertainment would be nice. Particularly at home

[Hookeysmith]

It was for the last few games since TS has been here

Bitters x 2
Everton
QPR
Sunderland
Man City

Were all entertaining if nothing else

[Clark W Griswold]

Just been reading McGraths book actually where he talks about that time when he first joined and the great chemistry between him, Neilson and Mountfield. If we managed to get the defence as good as it was then now, I actually think the rest of the team is shaping up quite well, although we'll need to replace Benteke of course.

[VancouverLion]

The one trick pony who kept us up when we were certanties to go down, got us to the FA Cup after easily beating Liverpool in the semis and saw us play the best football we've played in years along the way.
Hmmmm

Hope we get to see more of that one trick. He's learning and will get better imo.

I for one am optimistic despite the gloom by some.

UTV

[Lucky Eddie]

If there's been one common theme throughout my thirty odd years at Villa Park its that the years we expect do to well we don't and the years we don't expect to do well we do. 😎

[brian green]

I am moderately confident that less bad times lie ahead for us.   The basics are being attended to and the structure that so many of us were crying out for for the last four years is being put in place.   The problem with comparing Villa now with 1988 is that football is very different now.   A couple of years back I was in the Barton's  putting forward the opinion that Ron Saunders would not stand for such and such.   I was corrected very necessarily  by a regular poster in this forum to the effect that if Ron Saunders spoke to a current player in critical terms he would be ignored and told to go and talk to the player's agent.   The first signs of this post Sky power shift were when JG commented that David Ginola was "carrying too much timber" and very nearly finished in court for saying it.

[NeilH]

Whilst I don’t subscribe to the doom and gloom following the departure of Hodge Mrk II, Balsawood Ron and Benteke, my biggest concern remains about leaders. On paper the squad looks young, full of potential and could surprise a few, but where are the leaders on the field? It’s looking likely now that Gabby will be captain, which just fills me with dread.
I suspect that this season will be one very big roller-coaster ride for us fans, which will be a huge change from the last few years, but might will test the nerves of many a fan that has got used to mediocrity and lethargy.

[oldhill_avfc]

I am moderately confident that less bad times lie ahead for us.   The basics are being attended to and the structure that so many of us were crying out for for the last four years is being put in place.   The problem with comparing Villa now with 1988 is that football is very different now.   A couple of years back I was in the Barton's  putting forward the opinion that Ron Saunders would not stand for such and such.   I was corrected very necessarily  by a regular poster in this forum to the effect that if Ron Saunders spoke to a current player in critical terms he would be ignored and told to go and talk to the player's agent.   The first signs of this post Sky power shift were when JG commented that David Ginola was "carrying too much timber" and very nearly finished in court for saying it.

Thats the kind of unequivocal optimism I like to see.