Always look on the bright side of life

[Percy McCarthy]

I think we'd walk the Championship as Newcastle did.

The squad wouldn't be vulnerable to being stripped down, as I think only Richards would be drawn away and we'd be able to keep hold of the rest given the lengths on their contracts.

We'd need a centre half, goalkeeper and maybe another midfielder and forward depending on depth, but otherwise the bulk of the squad would be good enough. They should be good enough to stay up as it stands. We'd be the biggest and richest club down there, with the greater draw of any of them in respect of transfer targets.

Ayew and Gestede would score bucket loads. Grealish, Gil, Sinclair and Traroe would be far and away the most creative midfield elements going, while we'd have a manager capable of playing the type of football beyond most in the league.

We may get the opportunity to re-build our home form as it would be 20 odd sides coming to park the bus at the big ground, only this time we have a manager whose attacking nous extends beyond the "get it wide and get it in" mentality.

It would be horrendously embarrassing and a complete humiliation and I for one would only permit myself to crack a smile on two occasion after we smash up the Noses, who to echo Dave's point about the crap Derby being top, the Noses are flying high despite being one dimensional, functional shite.

It’s a league chock full of dross, where the likes of Bournemouth who can kick a ball with relative tempo to a team mate look like their playing a different sport because of it.

Thanks Ads, you've cheered me up.

[four fornicholl]

I suppose the point of the thread is that it may be what we need, to go down, take stock and start over again.

lets take stock and start over again NOW
fk this relegation talk

[Skerra]

I've been a Villa supporter for far more years than I care to remember. One thing that has always puzzled me is how many of our supporters take mediocrity as standard in the Premier and, even contemplate how much better it will be in the Championship. Can anyone please tell me which other major club in the Prem would have accepted our shocking state of affairs for the past 4/5 seasons? Also, can you imagine how fans would react from Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool etc.to having been lowered to our depths. There would be absolute outrage and I doubt that any of their fans would be looking forward to being relegated just to win a few matches.

The world of football has been turned on its' head with all the money sloshing around as, I don't think we would we will come straight back up, will fall so far behind that only a Sheik someone or other would be able to get us promoted and, once again, compete in the top division which all Villa fans should strive for.

Never mind, a miracle could happen!!

[Stirchley Villain]

Bring it on.
Every year for the past 5 has been the worst to go down.
We'll still have resources other Chump clubs can only dream of.
RL will be desperate to get back to the prem.
We'll have the best centre forward in the Chump.
We'll still pull 30k most games.
Bring the fucker on.
We are Aston Villa.

[TonyD]

Just lthink we will be going down.   After the next two games easily 10 points adrift.  Started going down in 79 and then experienced 87.  It's not all that bad.  Had a good crack in fact.   I think we would come straight back up. Everything in football is hyped up including the quality of the Championship , what a stupid name.   

[Ads]

We will 10 points adrift after the next two games.

Of 11th.

[oldtimernow]

If it helps, being in the third tier is even more fun than the second. It is the only time in a long spell of me being a Villa fan when you could look at the fixtures and say who are we going to smash this week?

Agree with that Brian.

The 3rd division days were great fun,fondly remember Notts County away...met Mrs OT that night and she's the second longest relationship I've had!Doncaster and Tranmere were good away days too, exotic places like Shrewsbury as well.


Dropping in to it was not so good mind and we would not be guaranteed to return at first attempt but I also have good memories of our returns so hope that the players grow some balls and would be up for the fight.

[postal]

IF we go down, we will get rid of the PL relegation albatross that has been around our necks for longer than it should be.

It wouldnt be the end of the earth, we should bounce back first time.

That is IF we do go down. 

Tho' I was watching bbc's saturday's FinalScore and they said "over to the Championship" and I thought, I might have to get use to that.

Jason Mohammad seems to take "joy" at villa's demise.

[mattjpa]

people are getting way too pissy over the championship. We do not have a massive wage bill and do not have a particularly good squad that will get fingered if we do go down. This squad will in the whole stay intact.

We will be in the top few teams, we will win most of our games and will come straight back up with a possible playoff final day out to celebrate. We will be less accessible on streams and on sky and if anything, our attendances will improve because when it comes down to it, we have a very big and loyal fan base. I would love to see Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs fill their grounds after the 5 years we have had.

We will have the luxury of giving players like Gardner, Baker and Bennett a good chance at establishing themselves at the club which will stand us in better place when we do come back up. More importantly, we will all look forward to the weekened again and can enjoy a day out at VP.

50 big ones says we either get straight up or get to the play off final if we go down. Lets be having you...

[Nelly]

I sort of hoped this thread would be about us starting to sing this song again.

[Hookeysmith]

Why are we so worried about holding onto our premiership status  - seriously are we ever going to win it - NO are we ever going to get a rich benefactor like Chelski / Etihad fc - NO then days are long gone

so lets have a young hungry  side that wins more games than it loses

I would like to stay but if not - BRING IT ON

[Steve kirk]

I think we'd walk the Championship as Newcastle did.

The squad wouldn't be vulnerable to being stripped down, as I think only Richards would be drawn away and we'd be able to keep hold of the rest given the lengths on their contracts.

We'd need a centre half, goalkeeper and maybe another midfielder and forward depending on depth, but otherwise the bulk of the squad would be good enough. They should be good enough to stay up as it stands. We'd be the biggest and richest club down there, with the greater draw of any of them in respect of transfer targets.

Ayew and Gestede would score bucket loads. Grealish, Gil, Sinclair and Traroe would be far and away the most creative midfield elements going, while we'd have a manager capable of playing the type of football beyond most in the league.

We may get the opportunity to re-build our home form as it would be 20 odd sides coming to park the bus at the big ground, only this time we have a manager whose attacking nous extends beyond the "get it wide and get it in" mentality.

It would be horrendously embarrassing and a complete humiliation and I for one would only permit myself to crack a smile on two occasion after we smash up the Noses, who to echo Dave's point about the crap Derby being top, the Noses are flying high despite being one dimensional, functional shite.

It’s a league chock full of dross, where the likes of Bournemouth who can kick a ball with relative tempo to a team mate look like their playing a different sport because of it.

Thanks Ads, you've cheered me up.

Brilliant post, cheered me up as well, thank you Ads

[leylandalbion]

Yeah. Agree...but I suspect all high earners would go....except gabby. No chance that we would keep half of the players.  Championship means championship wages.

[DB]

I suppose the point of the thread is that it may be what we need, to go down, take stock and start over again.

lets take stock and start over again NOW
fk this relegation talk

Yes, nothing good comes from getting relegated. It only makes things worse.

[Steve kirk]

Let's not get too excited about the Championship, things have moved on

I would expect Lerner to pair down to the bone to reduce costs. For one thing the squad will be unrecognisable and we have no idea how Garde will fair.

Will it? Everyone will be on a contract that reduces their wages to a sustainable level if we go down. Pretty much all contracts stipulate that now, since Newcastle were burned by it a few years ago. Even Arsenal put relegation clauses in new contracts.

And it's not like there is going to a big queue for many of our players from teams better than us. I expect the bulk of the squad would likely stay as it is.

We may end up flirting with relegation all over again.

A Derby team with Scott Carson in goal, Stephen Warnock in defence and Andi Weimann leading the line is currently the form team in the Championship, two points from first. Bobby Zamora is scoring the goals to keep Brighton top 

Would you replace any of the current team with them? If not, why wouldn't we be doing as well as they are? It's a league in which Cameron Jerome and Rudy Gestede are considered 20+ goal strikers.

Good point about those 3 ex Villa players at Derby Dave, your right if Derby can be so close to the top with those in the team we may do a lot better than people think should the worst happen.