Aston Vanilla - The team anyone can lick

[villa `cross the mersey]

Those of a certain vintage will remember this particular jibe from the late 1960`s - from the News of the World or Sunday Mirror?
We were the butt of many jokes 40 years ago and we nearly went out of business and the  issue of shares helped turn the club around in many ways - an old fashioned board was eventually ejected and we literally rose from the ashes from 1971 onwards.

I chuckle when I read many posting on here about the agony of relegation in 1987, primarily as it does not compare to the humiliation of watching the slide in the last few years of the 1960`s .

To those fellow over 50`s how does this years` embarassment compare to the 1960`s?

Potentially the financial  implications are equally damaging especially if we cant remove the leeches on ridiculous contracts and associated payments.

No one could foresee us going from 3rd Division Champions to European Champions inside 11 years  - is that possible again ?
Why not? - Leicester are doing a remarkable job this season and them winning the league would be a massive boost to those outside the "Big Six"

Following the awful showing in last years Cup Final I did not renew my season ticket this season - a culmination of poor health and other committments has left me only attending one game this season - Everton at Goodison - the worst performance I can recall on Merseyside in watching Villa play up here over 40 years.

VCTM jnr and I spoke at length on Sunday about the liklihood of going to games next season - we love the craic  of going to the away games and will probably  do the games "oop north"but that is dependent on the managerial appointment and clearing of the decks followed by a positive recruitment of players who will show some pride playing for the old claret and blue.

So is this season worse than the relegations of 1987 and the last 1960`s?

For me the slow death of the club over the past seasons has put things on a parallel with the late 60`s , in particular all the "wrong" records constantly being created. Living and working in a passionate soccer city - I am constantly being asked "What`s happened to the Villa?" and receiving  genuine expressions of sympathy and good wishes for the campaign next year. 

[trevor fisher]

I remember this gibe only too well. Sadly while we can hope to bounce back, the money side is now stupid. Leicester we hope can turn dream into reality, but one swallow does not make a summer. Blackburn did it once and Leicester may do it this time, but with the other teams getting £300million over three years of the new deal and villa getting £87 million in parachute payments, the backroom staff will have to be exceptional

We can but hope.

Trevor FIsher.

[Mister E]

Remember it well but we are in such a different era now that I find comparisons only interesting for the nostalgia element.
As Trevor points out, the money factor is the obvious differentiator. I do have a different view though: Bournemouth, Leicester and Watford are good examples of clubs that have not needed to bust the bank to create a credible PL squad. Our management team need to be cuter and more demanding in the use of the money. And, probably, more importantly, our coaching staff need to be significantly better at developing and preparing players.

We seem to have suffered massively from a lazy use of money and mediocre coaching.

[Witton Warrior]

I remember being taught to respond "we're the tastiest team in the land" ;-)

[The Laughing Policeman]

Putting the financial difference to one side. The team that took us down to Div 3 were a ropey bunch of footballers pretty much like the ones we've got now. The difference on the pitch between the1969/70 team and today's is that the former did at least seem to care and in spite of their shortcomings appeared to be trying.

[pauliewalnuts]

I remember this gibe only too well. Sadly while we can hope to bounce back, the money side is now stupid. Leicester we hope can turn dream into reality, but one swallow does not make a summer. Blackburn did it once and Leicester may do it this time, but with the other teams getting £300million over three years of the new deal and villa getting £87 million in parachute payments, the backroom staff will have to be exceptional

We can but hope.

Trevor FIsher.

I've heard Blackburn mentioned as having done what Leicester are doing a few times recently.

It's not even remotely similar though as Blackburn at that time were one of the richest clubs in the league due to the huge amounts jack walker poured into them.

Daphne Fairbottom

[brian green]

Plus Blackburn's cash cascade was pre mega Sky and oil money.

Felicity Charlotte Smythe.

[TheMalandro]

Are you an ostrich? Blackburn did exactly what Chelsea/Man City have recently done.
   
Terence Trent D'Arby

[Clampy]

Are you an ostrich? Blackburn did exactly what Chelsea/Man City have recently done.
   
Terence Trent D'Arby

Signing your name across your post I see.

FYI, he's no longer TTD, he's changed his name to Sananda Maitreya.

[Virgil Caine]

From what I can recall there was a three to four year period of decline that eventually took us down to the Third Division. I agree that although some of the players were below the required standard they did, at least, seem to care. There were isolated incidents of naughtiness i.e. Barry Hole being dropped for a late night booze up but I can't recall Brian Godfrey for example,showing off photos of his new Ford Prefect.

Douglas Wakihuri

[brian green]

Pedant alert.  Brian Godfrey drove a regulation issue Marina.

Lucinda Satterthwaite.

[Clampy]

From what I can recall there was a three to four year period of decline that eventually took us down to the Third Division. I agree that although some of the players were below the required standard they did, at least, seem to care. There were isolated incidents of naughtiness i.e. Barry Hole being dropped for a late night booze up but I can't recall Brian Godfrey for example,showing off photos of his new Ford Prefect.

Douglas Wakihuri

I thought it was a Ford Tippex?

[Jimbo]

I think the levels of ridicule are much higher today, with every slavering knuckledragger with access to a phone leaping up and down in frenzied delight, whooping, throwing their own excrement, and posting garbage about 'da viyull'.

Dame Cortina Tittyhammer-Swak

[Risso]

Blackburn aren't remotely comparable.  They just timed things well by getting a relatively rich owner before the Premier League got going properly and before oil rich states started buying playthings.

Froth Reviser

[TheMalandro]

Are you an ostrich? Blackburn did exactly what Chelsea/Man City have recently done.
   
Terence Trent D'Arby

Signing your name across your post I see.

FYI, he's no longer TTD, he's changed his name to Sananda Maitreya.

Only because I changed my name to Terence Trent D'Arby.

Terence Trent D'Arby