Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Rip Van We Go Again on February 17, 2011, 10:33:02 AM
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Anybody else?
I took a passive interest in last night's Arsenal game as it was a decent game, but as a rule of thumb I no longer have any interest in any match that doesn't involve Villa.
I don't give a toss about the national side, although I used to watch the games avidly.
I just can't invest any concentration in games that have no emotional attachment for me anymore.
Getting old?
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I've fallen out of love with football generally I suppose, but still love Villa and also like to watch England. I've been like this for a while, watched the game last night just to see what all the fuss was about Barca, but second half my attention wandered to other stuff. I only tend to watch Villa and England games with any kind of full involvement, and even then I'm easily distracted. As a kid I would watch all the neutral games I could but there was much less on the box back then.
I think it's partly getting old, partly the game has changed for the worse in the Sky era.
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I'm the same as Bentlefletch.
Very little interest in non Villa football these days. Although having said that, I've watched the two CL games this week.
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Very little interest in non Villa football these days. Although having said that, I've watched the two CL games this week.
The Arse game last night was good, but all the time I was sitting there thinking
'That could have been us.'
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It's either Villa, England games that matter or games involving two teams as good as Arsenal and Barcelona (which is a rare occurance). Occasionaly I'll flick to ESPN on a Saturday evening to have a little look if I'm there.
However, the only one that I actually care about is the Villa.
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I thoroughly enjoyed the Arse game last night, and yes there was huge element of jealousy that we are as far away from night like that as ever.
As for football in general, any interest I have in neutral football if wholly dependant on the Villa.
If we have won our last game, I love footy and watch MOTD, not just for the Villa, and watch most other football that is on telly.
If we haven't won our last game, I could't care less about footy. never watch MOTD, and barely read football articles.
This season, I could'nt tell you who is in the top 10 of the prem, and their relative positions. Are Liverpool still running away with the title ?
As an aside, I just read there 7,515 at Wigan vs Bolton in the cup last night !!
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I'm exactly the same - only ever watch the Villa - don't even watch Ireland anymore... once had a (very long, drunken) argument with a Scum fan (I mean Mancs not Noses) about whether or not I could call myself a football fan if I didn't watch the mighty Man. Utd. (git) ::)
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I hardly ever watch neutral football anymore. I should be licking my lips at the prospect of Arsenal v Barcelona but I couldn't give a toss and I resent the champions league and what football has become in general.
There's too much of it, too much fannying about, too many spoilt brats, shit punditry, fewer "characters", sycophantic and increasingly predictable.
Maybe I'm getting old, but I'm sure it's not as entertaining as it used to be.
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Only Villa for me
I struggle to watch us on the telly if I'm not there
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Sadly, I have to agree. Lost a lot of interest in England post Euro 2004 - so much so I laughed like a drain when Croatia beat us to kill off our Euro 2008 qualifying chances - and now I can take or leave their games, even when on ITV. All the hyperbole about the Champions League over the years has put me right off, though I watched highlights of the Arsenal-Barca game last night and really enjoyed it.
It's Villa or nothing for me, pretty much. If we're not playing on a Saturday I very often don't check results and even given MOTD the swerve.
Only exception is, I don't mind catching a bit of Championship football now and again. Which might prove handy.
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It's mostly lost on me as I think most footballers (including our own) are over-paid, dickhead, fuckwit, dipshit, oxygen thieves who seem to have zero appreciation for what they earn. It's like going to the movies and every actor is Tom Cruise.
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Do not watch football if it does not involve the Villa. Did not watch Ingerlund recently, did not watch Barça (even though I only live 120 miles from the ground. It's my local team).
I only wish to be bored by the Villa, be depressed by the Villa, be infuriated by the Villa, and occasionally, be entertained by the Villa. Stupid, really. It's like saying you will only eat at the school canteen when everyone else has a regular table at El Bulli.
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Only Villa for me
I struggle to watch us on the telly if I'm not there
I find watching us incredibly stressful at tht moment especially when we score basically because I'm waiting for the opposition to score within minutes which invariably happens.Am relieved were not playing for two weeks as looking forward to a Saturday when I'm not spending the afternoon shaking like a shitting dog
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I wateched Masterchef rather than the Arsenal game last night. I have absolutely zero interest in non-Villa matches these days, although I'll occasionally watch an FA Cup game if it's a lower league team against one of the big boys.
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I'm the same. Just Villa really, and in contrast to earlier years, an occasional passing interest in England, but I can't say I care too much how they do.
I put it down to a combination of my age, the sour taste of the Sky/Premier league, better things to spend my time and money on, too many games all of which are hyped up but many of which are just shit and too much fan tribalism, 'hating' fans from other clubs. Probably other reasons too, but these are just the ones that spring to mind.
I believe it's going to be all downhill from here.
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On a related topic, had a fairly heated exchange on FB last night with a nose about Chumps League versuse European Cup. He reckons the competition is so much better than it used to be and we would never have had a chance of winning it now. Typical fucking nose I guess trying to downgrade our achievement. But am I alone in thinking that having 58 chances to progress in a competition against teams who could have finished as low as 4th in their domestic divisions and include Rangers or Celtic is easier than a straight knockout competition against the champions of every domestic league in Europe.
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I have little interest in games not involving villa. I saw some of the Barcalona games last night but only had it on in the background whilst doing other things. Can't remember the last time I sat and watched MOTD.
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On a related topic, had a fairly heated exchange on FB last night with a nose about Chumps League versuse European Cup. He reckons the competition is so much better than it used to be and we would never have had a chance of winning it now. Typical fucking nose I guess trying to downgrade our achievement. But am I alone in thinking that having 58 chances to progress in a competition against teams who could have finished as low as 4th in their domestic divisions and include Rangers or Celtic is easier than a straight knockout competition against the champions of every domestic league in Europe.
er...no.
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Went to Bilston Town 2-2 Blackheath Town last night instead, can't get into the Champions League at all, although it sounds like I missed a good game.
Still watch plenty of football on the telly, I find it helps to cultivate a real irrational hatred for a few clubs so you nearly always have someone to cheer on.
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i watch it, but get irritated by the agenda fuelled fornication over certain clubs and players by the commentators and then analysists and media outlets...
part of the reason why i have got rid of sky sports (once the termination date thing expires)...
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really only watch Villa these days,---not bothered about Engerrrrland unless Villa Boys are involved,
only watch other internationals if Villa players are playing- eg-Republic of Ireland now that both Clark and Dunne are in the side,
if we loose or sometimes draw can,t be bothered with MOD ,---but if we win always watch sky,s match choice Saturday night,
reckon the age factor has something to do with it----but at the end of the day its only Villa that matters to me,when we win i,m happy when loose like a bear with a dam very sore head,
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I always used to support our teams in Europe, but that was when they were full of British players. Seeing Arshavin score against Barcelona provoked no emotional response from at all apart from 'jammy bastards'.
Can't remember the last time I took any interest in the Premier League champions lifting the trophy and hardly bother to watch all of the FA cup final. The play offs are more enjoyable.
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I hardly ever watch neutral football anymore...I resent the champions league and what football has become in general.
There's too much of it, too much fannying about, too many spoilt brats, shit punditry, fewer "characters", sycophantic and increasingly predictable.
Same here. I never even watch MOTD - can't stand the presenters.
Don't have SKY or ESPN - so the only football I'm seeing is live - whicb suits me just fine.
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I watched the Arse v Barca -- it makes you realise why you love football when you see tow teams like that.
Fabulous game, you have to give Wenger a great deal of credit.
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Never really have been a watcher of non-Villa games. I really find it hard to get into games where I have no interest - sometimes there will be a good few mins or so, but then I lose interest.
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i watch it, but get irritated by the agenda fuelled fornication over certain clubs and players by the commentators and then analysists and media outlets...
Sums up how I feel about it all.
Also, the ITV FA Cup coverage puts me off the damn competition. Cramming 35 minutes of goal round-up into an hour and a half just gets me angry rather than anything else. 30 years ago we might not have known the scores to key games until they told us, but in this day and age is there really any need to tease the audience who've waited up til 11.30pm to see the goals?
Luckily my lads play junior football so I get a good fix of honest grit and toil every weekend without being spoon-fed my football as if I'm some moron who loves millionaires and shit car insurance ads.
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Anybody else?
I took a passive interest in last night's Arsenal game as it was a decent game, but as a rule of thumb I no longer have any interest in any match that doesn't involve Villa.
I don't give a toss about the national side, although I used to watch the games avidly.
I just can't invest any concentration in games that have no emotional attachment for me anymore.
Getting old?
Been like that for years and years with English Football. Never make the effort to watch anything but Villa. I do watch the English Internationals and major Tournos though and the odd foreign games.
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If we have won our last game, I love footy and watch MOTD, not just for the Villa, and watch most other football that is on telly.
If we haven't won our last game, I could't care less about footy. never watch MOTD, and barely read football articles.
This is exactly my attitude - the other week there was a lot of hype because a lot of goals had been scored in the premier league. But since Villa only drew with Fulham my response was "meh".
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I wateched Masterchef rather than the Arsenal game last night.
Me too, which is why I caught the CL highlights. Much as the Arsenal game was entertaining, I'm pleased I watched that girl totally ruin that 're-constructed' trifle. Torode refused to even taste it!
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If we have won our last game, I love footy and watch MOTD, not just for the Villa, and watch most other football that is on telly.
If we haven't won our last game, I could't care less about footy. never watch MOTD, and barely read football articles.
This is exactly my attitude - the other week there was a lot of hype because a lot of goals had been scored in the premier league. But since Villa only drew with Fulham my response was "meh".
I still haven't seen the goals from the Fulham game. Simillarly refused to watch MOTD or acknowledge anything relating to the game until we had approached kick-off at Blackpool.
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I seem like a bit of an exception, I admit, but I'll watch almost anything - though England and English football can be depressing for just so many reasons (ahem Sky ahem). Last night was brilliant, and though I'd kind of like Barca to win out of habit I wasn't really rooting for anyone, but it didn't matter.
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That game last night was superb, both teams playing the game in the right way, attacking at pace wanting to win. No diving and players wanting to out do each other. I was just thinking how far away we are from either playing that way or playing to those standards, so touch of jealousy.
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I tend to watch MOTD, though I sometimes wonder why I bother given its focus on the top four and Lawrenson's ramblings.
Didn't bother watching Arsenal Barcelona last night, though both are usually a real pleasure to watch. Missed out there by the sound of things.
I would actually watch more of the Football League show, but it's on too late and I rarely get round to watching it on catch-up.
I gave up watching international friendlies years ago. I'm also unlikely to bother with England again until Poland/Ukraine - the qualifying campaign that preceded the World Cup was very good but we all know what happened when it came to the real thing.
I remember when I used to get really excited about big European games, even if they didn't involve Villa. But that was before the overkill of the Champions League/Europa League format. There's also just far too much football on TV these days - it's not something special anymore.
I did enjoy the World Cup, though. Apart from England's games, obviously.
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I seem like a bit of an exception, I admit, but I'll watch almost anything
Fair enough. Strangely, I find that I can listen to almost any game at all on the radio (though I sometimes have to turn off Alan Green). Often a better class of commentator and analysis, and you can do other stuff while you listen.
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I'm similar, although I quite enjoy watching some of the Spanish games. I sometimes watch England, although more in the big tournaments. It's only Villa I am interested in really.
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On a related topic, had a fairly heated exchange on FB last night with a nose about Chumps League versuse European Cup. He reckons the competition is so much better than it used to be and we would never have had a chance of winning it now. Typical fucking nose I guess trying to downgrade our achievement. But am I alone in thinking that having 58 chances to progress in a competition against teams who could have finished as low as 4th in their domestic divisions and include Rangers or Celtic is easier than a straight knockout competition against the champions of every domestic league in Europe.
The CL group stages are a procession and "filler" and I think we'd have cruised something like that back then.
The knockout rounds are harder due to having more of the big boys in there from the big leagues.
I tend to think Chelsea and maybe Arsenal would both have won it in the original format. For one thing it would have been rare for them to have been knocked out by other English teams.
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I love all football. I grew up with SkySports and as much as I see how overpriced it is and how they dominate the market, I'd be gutted if we didn't have it anymore.
I don't really mind kick off time changes, and when we don't play on a Saturday I look forward to keeping up with other scores and watching Soccer Saturday all day.
The knockout stages of the Champions League are brilliant, the group stages are awful though.
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I love all football. I grew up with SkySports and as much as I see how overpriced it is and how they dominate the market, I'd be gutted if we didn't have it anymore.
I don't really mind kick off time changes
Interesting to hear a perspective like that, because I'm one of those who's nostalgic for the pre-Sky era.
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The CL group stages are a procession and "filler" and I think we'd have cruised something like that back then.
The knockout rounds are harder due to having more of the big boys in there from the big leagues.
I tend to think Chelsea and maybe Arsenal would both have won it in the original format. For one thing it would have been rare for them to have been knocked out by other English teams.
i have had discussions about this with chelsea and arsenal fans who claim they would have won it back then as it was a lot easier to win... my response to that is "if it was easier to win, then why didnt you win it?"
their response to that is usually because winning a competitive league was harder back then... to which my response is "then it wasnt easier to win, as the qualification was a lot harder, so that negates your original argument"...
i usually get an expletive laden "villa iz crap anywayz innit" comment as a response to that...
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Wouldn't watch any old game anymore unless totally bored
Last nights game was the best football match I've seen for a while, neutral or villa in terms of technical excellence, attacking endeavour and quality of play
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I don't have Sky so don't suffer from overkill so I'll tend to watch most games on terrestrial telly. I'm also generally very interested in football & keep up-to-date with all results in all divisions to quite an anorak level. I find the race for the Premiership (C Sky) the least interesting element of it all.
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Same.
Caught most of the Arsenal/ Barcelona match and the last few minutes of the Tottingham one, but generally can't be arsed with live football if it doesn't involve Villa.
Two reasons; the standard of commentary/ punditry often makes me want to put my foot through the TV (might catch a few more on Sky now that Gray has facked off mind). And the likelihood that watching a decent match for a change might bring home to me just what we're missing out on.
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Not me, I love watching all football.
I get really excited about Champions league football. I love watching England.
I get abit bored sometimes of the games like Wigan vs Wolves but generally watch any game if I'm not busy and the misses isn't moaning (which is rarely).
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Very rarely even bother with MOTD these days, certainly don't watch it on a sunday. Never bothered with International football until it's a major tournament. I don't have SKY so will watch the odd Champions League knockout on ITV, especially if it involves Barcelona.
The most enjoyment I get is watching my 7 year old play, i'll be going to my first Villa match in a year when we come to the Wolves game but to be honest if I didn't take Billy I don't think i'd bother anymore.
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I find the excitement of knowing theres a match on tv is usually better than the match itself which after spending a good few hours looking forward too usually turns into boredom if it is'nt an exciting start to the game, i'll watch pretty much any football but must be in the minority here as I still have'nt saw Rooney's goal
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At the very top level I find it hard to enjoy football, unless it involves Villa.
Arsenal are an ideal example. When I first started watching football I had enormous respect for the club, loved visiting Highbury and felt that they were an essential part of the make-up of the game in this country. A club with huge tradition, that treated that history with respect and dignity.
The modern Arsenal play at a glorified theme park stuffed full of corporate seats that hasn't even got it's own name but that of the highest bidder. The manager is a hypocrite who has built a side that while playing some wonderful football, have a bitter and nasty gait fueled by unjustified paranoia and show almost no respect whatsoever to officials or the opposition. They have trampled all over the original image of the club, and have an unpalatable and vulgar arrogance.
Sadly Arsenal are not alone, it is a by product of the modern game and the money now generated within.
I watch non-league on a regular basis and football is still a great game, played and watched by people for enjoyment but at the top of the game it has left fans like me behind. The new generation of fans worship the players I hold in contempt, the new generation don't care for the cup competition that I hold in reverence and the new generation have limited ambition depending on the club they support while I used to believe (and sometimes still do) that Villa will sweep all before them.
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I have become much more Villa focused over the last decade.
I reckon it started at Japan 2002 WC when we bent over for the Brazilians,, whilst the manager sat like a turnip. The same has happened with England ever since - different overated foriegn manager, same over paid over rated wankers like SG and JT in the team. Same stupid FA. If England have a total clearout and regime change it could lift the blinkers.
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Like most, I have very little interest in watching games that aren't Villa related. Too many average games on TV.
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Nope, completely different for me. I was fully hyped for last night's game and watched it all with great interest. Particularly looking forward to Man Utd - Crawley at the weekend also.
I think I'd blame it on Villa's poor performance as of late, but in retrospect I've always had a great deal of interest for other games. I'm villa through-and-through, but I love football.
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I like to watch MOTD and England matches and try to watch The Football league Show that's about it for me.
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I always record MOTD although sometimes never get round to watching it especially if i know villa were gash. I prefer MOTD2, near the end when they skim through all the goals. I'll have the occasional live game on but usually i'm doing some networking at the same time and will look up when something interesting happens.
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I like football so if I'm not doing anything else will watch it when it is on the box but I do have some quality control. So if it's a crap game I tend to drift off and do other things. This week the Spurs game left me cold so I was watching it while reading, surfing the net and chatting on the phone whereas last night the game kept me entertained throughout.
It is the oposite if it's the Villa, i'll always watch and result comes before performance.
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Listened to first half commentary of Arsenal's game last night on R5, watched most of second half on television. Enjoyed it more than expected.
Generally though, only interested in Villa. There are some players like Torres, Arshavin, Van der Vaart etc I wouldn't recognise if they walked past me in the street. Would recognise some like Drogba, Tevez, ex Villa, Giggs, Nevilles.
I was more concerned last night about Forest losing.
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I just watch the big games as I don't have time to watch friendlies or group stages.
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I'm not out of love with non-Villa football but I always like to see other English teams fail. Yes, it's sour grapes but also indicates that I've made my choice and therefore can show no residual affection for others. So I watched the game last night largely to see Arsenal get outplayed and was happy for 45 minutes that they had been.
Having said that, I love watching international tournaments and other leagues. I actively enjoy that football.
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Just the Villa games for me, I used to enjoy watching England but now the national team is just made up of the modern day footballer who only gives a flying fig himself, the Euro champs and World Cups are always good viewing but it's nogood getting our hopes up as we are way behind the top countries.
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I thoroughly enjoyed the Arse game last night, and yes there was huge element of jealousy that we are as far away from night like that as ever.
As for football in general, any interest I have in neutral football if wholly dependant on the Villa.
If we have won our last game, I love footy and watch MOTD, not just for the Villa, and watch most other football that is on telly.
If we haven't won our last game, I could't care less about footy. never watch MOTD, and barely read football articles.
This season, I could'nt tell you who is in the top 10 of the prem, and their relative positions. Are Liverpool still running away with the title ?
As an aside, I just read there 7,515 at Wigan vs Bolton in the cup last night !!
This could have been written by me
I could name you the cup winners for every year from 1970 to 1990, but barely for one year after that
I used to want English teams to win in Europe, even Liverpool. Now I can't stand them
I loved watching England too and was very patriotic, now I secretly quite enjoy it if they get beaten...
There's so much to hate (starting with that gimp Clive Tyldesley and his over-wrought commentary last night) and so little to like
In short, I am a grumpy old git...
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Occasionally watch a non-Villa match, but more often tham not will have Five Live on in the background, so will listen to lots of matches.
On the subject of neutrals, I note that the cheapest ticket on general sale for the Champion's League final will be one-hundred and seventy-six sheets. Who the f*ck is going to part with that?
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My views are well documented. I fell out of love with football a long time ago. If we aren't playing, I dont give a shit.
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I actually switched to the Dutch telly commentary last night as Tyldessley was just simply winding me up. As much as I enjoyed the game last night I am now just utterly indifferent to football on the telly. I still try to go and watch team locals to where I live, as a neutral fan, even going to watch Telstar Velsen a couple of times. Frankly being there always gives you a different perspective and involvement that the telly cannot provide, not least the characters you see at other grounds (especially true the lower down the leagues you go).
I used to always be in the group that watched MOTD based on the Villa result, but now I just don't bother at all. Maybe it because I've probably seen the Villa game over the internet or telly, or maybe it because I just don't care that much. I even shrugged my shoulders at the so-called 'amazing weekend of results' a couple of weeks ago.
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There aren't enough characters in the English game now. Not enough stand out quality players, ranging from the top clubs, even down to lower end clubs, who you'd sit and want to watch them do their things. Bergkamp, Zola, Ginola, Cantona, Di Canio, Le Tissier, Merson (for us, for two seasons, was a joy to watch), Giggs (when he was young and quick), Henry. Players who really stand out and look a cut above their team mates and opposition.
Seriously, who do we have in the Prem right now who could single handedly light up a game? Rooney? No, not IMO. Plus, he's a cock.
Also, whereby teams even in the lower reaches would have some flair, and carry a mercurial player, these days they prefer grafters and athletes. All too often they aint yer plodding good old geezer Englishman, it's a slightly better, slightly more athletic fella from abroad, which makes him less relatable. But yeah, Southampton a shit club, for all those years with Le Tiss in their side. Nowadays, a plodding perennially struggling Prem side would never carry a mercurial player like that. Just wouldn't happen.
I think teams aren't as attacking as they used to be either. Remember Newcastle with two wingers and Shearer and Ferdinand up front? Fucking hell. Plus they also had Rob Lee, a goal scoring midfielder to boot too.
Utd don't play as good football as they did 10 years ago. They're not as good either. Stalwarts remain like Giggs, but he's 37. Scholes 36? Arsenal play good football, but even so, they don't have as much quality, cutting edge and robustness as the Viera, Bergkamp, Pires, Ljungberg, and Henry era. That really was a joy to watch them then.
I find it all so dull now.
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I don't think i'll ever fall out of love with the Villa, at least i hope not anyway. I'm not grumpy when we lose, i never have been really, but nowadays it's a case of chat about what went wrong in the pub afterwards, then look forward to the next game.
As for England, the interest is'nt there anymore. After the final whistle went against Germany in the World Cup, i thought 'oh well' and went to the bar.
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It's been years since I've sat & enjoyed a neutral club game. I love a good World Cup & EUROS.
The Champions League has continually passed me by since day 1 almost as the footballing equivalent of Formula 1 - all procession with the odd burst of action.
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I did watch the game last night but it's not normal practice for me to watch any live tv football if it doesn't involve Villa or England. MOTD highlights are sufficient for me. I have never had any interest in watching whole games involving teams I have no passion for and have no interest in who wins.
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Not bothered about international football. Makes me sad to say that too.
I'm watching the darts tonight instead of the liverpool game.
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I rarely watch any game if it doesn't involve the Villa. i might watch European matches if i think the English team will lose.
I used to watch the national team but since the World Cup they can fuck right off.
Football's dead and Sky money killed it. I'm sure the new footie fan loves it though.
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No home internet service for a few days, having to rely on mobile & the odd snatched moment at work; otherwise would quote. I dislike Sky, admittedly partly for petty political reasons. If they weren't the providers, it would be other conglomerate. Having said that, I watched QPR v Forest in a pub in N'ham on Sunday & enjoyed it, & cared about the result. With other PL games my only cares are how they affect Villa and petty prejudices. Sometimes feel mildly ashamed by feeling almost happy when England inevitably mess things up.
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If we aren't playing, I dont give a shit.
This for me, too.
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I don't mind if I have someone to cheer for. It's an unfortunate side effect of being at the bottom end of the table that I find myself having to cheer for horrible teams. Like having to cheer for Evil Chelsea against Nice Cuddly Fulham on Monday. Hopefully we will be better next year and I can go back to hating all the nasty teams near the top of the league. And Blues.
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Ticket prices for neutral supporters at this years CL final: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/feb/18/ticket-prices-champions-league-final-wembley
Check out the eighth paragraph. That's the attitude UEFA have with regards to ordinary supporters.
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never really cared about any games other than the villa
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Ive wondered about this for a while and have come to the conclusion that Im a Villa fan more than I am a football fan.Ive never been that interested in England ,its hard to shout for players that I spend so much time disliking, I dont know if its the pop star bubble they now live in or the media hype surrounding them that puts me off more.Id rather see John Terry, Steven Gerrard, Ashley Cole etc... fail than have a good game.I'll watch a match if Im hoping for the Villas sake one of the sides loses but a completely neutral game gets a bit boring and I fall asleep before the end of motd every week, which is a shame because that means I usually miss us. I love the Villa , thats the beginning and the end of it.
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see..............................
This is the kind of shite that puts me right off non Villa football.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/9401083.stm
Who gives a fuck ??...but its the main BBC football story
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see..............................
This is the kind of shite that puts me right off non Villa football.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/9401083.stm
Who gives a fuck ??...but its the main BBC football story
What he fails to mention is that it is probably his last season at the club too. Bless...
I can never ever think of Chelsea as anything else but some chavvy, classless no mark outfit who won the lottery
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I believe apart From Barcelona there isn't one club worth watching these days.
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Don't disagree with that at all Salsa
I have long contended that the premier league is at an all time low in terms of quality, both when judged within the top 4 or 5 clubs or across the whole league. Run through the league and write down the star player from each team - hardly makes for exciting reading whoever you choose. How many would you pay the entrance fee alone to watch to use an old cliche?!
I would extend that to the european scene where there are very few standout teams or players.
And of course, that is all then partly reflected at 'world level' where I thought the last World Cup was the one of the poorest in terms of quality I have ever seen
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i love football, never lost the love of football, its still the greatest game in the world for me
even if i'm walking the dog over the field and theres a kids match going on on a nearby pitch, i will have to go over and watch it for a bit.
i have watched my son play most weeks from the age of 8 and loved it, he's 22 now and is not always about, so its dropped of a bit.
when he was playing for Buckingham Town i watched him every game untill he left a season ago,
i watch Newport Pagnell play in the UCL prem league with me mates, its not a high standard but i still enjoy it.
my love for the Villa is no where near as strong as it was when i was younger, Villa were the most important thing in my life when i was in my teens and early 20's, but i'm 49 now, and the passion has subdued somewhat.
i mainly go now because its a great day out with my Son,
as daft as it sounds i enjoy watching him get excited at games, and want Villa to win and be successful because i want him to have his own memories of great Villa teams and winning trophies.
he was 7 when we last won something, and i want Villa to win more for him than me,
i'm quite happy having seen us win everything exept the 'you know what' hopefully might see that before i die
i can enjoy nuetral games because i still just love football being played, i fell in love with the game of football when i was a small kid and i still feel the same about the game.
what i have fell out of love with is the Premieship, money, cheating, expence and to a certain extent the Villa.
but the actual game of football is still great and always will be, whether it be Villa a nuetral game, a kids match on the park, non league or a kick a bout in the back garden
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I thought the last World Cup was the one of the poorest in terms of quality I have ever seen
And given the farce over the two forthcoming World Cups and the seeming indifference from the big clubs to the tournament #I cannot personally see myself giving a flying you know what over the 'feast of football'
I am still firmly of the opinion that those who have fallen out of love with football a bit and want to get back to the true experience of loving a game should go down and watch lower league fixtures, preferably the lower the better.
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I have felt this for a long time too. I believe (for what its worth) that the fundamental reason is the huge amount of live football on tv. I'm old enough to remember when it was so rare that FA Cup final day was like Christmas day and the whole family sat around the screen watching the incredible build up.
Which included fans from each team playing each other, talking to the families of the players, interviews from the team coach going to the ground.
Now there has to be some sort of emotional attachment for me to watch. I need to want someone to win or lose. Unless it directly affects Villa who wants to see Wigan v Blackburn for example (not even Wigan or Blackburn fans I suspect ;D).
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I thought the last World Cup was the one of the poorest in terms of quality I have ever seen
And given the farce over the two forthcoming World Cups and the seeming indifference from the big clubs to the tournament #I cannot personally see myself giving a flying you know what over the 'feast of football'
I am still firmly of the opinion that those who have fallen out of love with football a bit and want to get back to the true experience of loving a game should go down and watch lower league fixtures, preferably the lower the better.
My brother in law would agree with you certainly Neil. He is a diehard Derby fan who has just fallen completely out of love with the 'money is all that matters' way of modern day football. He now watches Exeter (his local team) and has a great time, fully enjoying the way in which you can feel part of a genuine togetherness and have a cameraderie with the players and the club.
Interesting to ask yourself how many players you have seen recently down the Villa have a real connection with the club?
Ironically, probably only two overseas players during the last few years, Olly and Martin...
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I can never ever think of Chelsea as anything else but some chavvy, classless no mark outfit who won the lottery
Amen.
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I don't give a shit about any other matches really apart from Villa. Occasionally i will watch a Sunday afternoon game if i am down the pub but generally i couldnt care less about anyone else these days.
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I don't have a television, so if I wanted to watch 'other' games I would have to make the effort to go to the pub. Quite frankly I can't be bothered. Radio commentaries are so bad, the commentators and summarisers over hype the action and really do not understand club supporters. so I turn that off too.
I only look at football with a 'how does that affect us' attitude.
So basically, I am a Villa supporter not a football fan.
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I thoroughly enjoyed the Arse game last night, and yes there was huge element of jealousy that we are as far away from night like that as ever.
As for football in general, any interest I have in neutral football if wholly dependant on the Villa.
If we have won our last game, I love footy and watch MOTD, not just for the Villa, and watch most other football that is on telly.
If we haven't won our last game, I could't care less about footy. never watch MOTD, and barely read football articles.
This season, I could'nt tell you who is in the top 10 of the prem, and their relative positions. Are Liverpool still running away with the title ?
As an aside, I just read there 7,515 at Wigan vs Bolton in the cup last night !!
This could have been written by me
I could name you the cup winners for every year from 1970 to 1990, but barely for one year after that
I used to want English teams to win in Europe, even Liverpool. Now I can't stand them
I loved watching England too and was very patriotic, now I secretly quite enjoy it if they get beaten...
There's so much to hate (starting with that gimp Clive Tyldesley and his over-wrought commentary last night) and so little to like
In short, I am a grumpy old git...
Richard are we twins?
Everything said there is very much the way I think about football now............. I enjoyed myself watching us go from Third Division Champions to European Champions inside 11 years - that never gets mentioned by the Media who are so obsessed with Premiership, Champions League etc.
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i am going to start watching torpoint athletic... one of my team mates from my 6-a-side team plays for them, and its good to go and support him every now and again... they are two matches away from wembley too in a cup competition...
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i am going to start watching torpoint athletic... one of my team mates from my 6-a-side team plays for them, and its good to go and support him every now and again... they are two matches away from wembley too in a cup competition...
FA Vase. Great competition, Tamworth won it in 1989.
Whitley Bay will win it this year though.
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I don't give a shit about any other matches really apart from Villa. Occasionally i will watch a Sunday afternoon game if i am down the pub but generally i couldnt care less about anyone else these days.
Athough i admire your loyalty. I find it hard for you not to be excited about Arsenal v Barcelona in mid week. As surely any football fan would mark this down as a "must see." I have no connection to either team and have supported Villa from day one. But i love football and was certainly not disappointed ..........
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i am going to start watching torpoint athletic... one of my team mates from my 6-a-side team plays for them, and its good to go and support him every now and again... they are two matches away from wembley too in a cup competition...
FA Vase. Great competition, Tamworth won it in 1989.
Whitley Bay will win it this year though.
yea, thats the one.. was meant to go and watch them last week against billingham synthonia, but couldnt make it.. torpoint won 1-0... my mate is an excellent keeper and its nice to offer a bit of support to him...
i went to watch villa play torpoint athletic many years ago (think we won 8-1) in a pre season friendly, and bosnich laughed at me for falling over.. lol...
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I admire those of you who will watch non-league football to scratch the itch.
In recent years I've been to see FC United a couple of times, which since it is played at a league ground in front of a couple of thousand, isn't really your archetypal non-league fare, and also Ramsbottom United. I can't say I was hooked.
I reckon that in a scenario where the Villa were to cease to exist for whatever reason, I'd not bother with watching live football outside of my school teams.
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I will pretty much watch any game that is on TV if nothing better is on. There is always one team that I will want to win more than the other. That's why the Champions league/UEFFA cup is so watchable...I love seeing the English teams (ourselves apart) getting beat, always have and always will.
I enjoyed the Barca Arse game the other night. That was the best football match I've seen in a while, wrong outcome though. The 2nd leg should be something, hopefully Barcelona will give them a spanking by which time I hope I will have witnessed Arsenal giving the Blues a sever beating...a record beating in fact in a League cup final.
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Its the day of the 5th round of the FA cup and there are 2 games kicking off on Saturday at 3. If the FA don't want to take this competition seriously then why should anyone else?
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Football in general leaves me with a VERY hollow feeling.
I'm a huge sport fan, but only football does that to me.
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If it's not Villa, I'm not interested.
I'm even getting that way with international tournaments as well which saddens me though that could be partly due to having been working in two different arse end of nowheres for Euro 2008 and the last FIFA™ World Cup and not having the option of popping in to a pub to watch a game unless I wanted to get home at 8 or later.
Being of good Irish Catholic stock, my only interest in the English national side has been in them being amusingly defeated.
Like TopDeck113 I admire those who go to watch non league games but it only has curiosity value for me. And of course the possibility of a nice pub I suppose.
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I will pretty much watch any game that is on TV if nothing better is on. There is always one team that I will want to win more than the other. That's why the Champions league/UEFFA cup is so watchable...I love seeing the English teams (ourselves apart) getting beat, always have and always will.
I enjoyed the Barca Arse game the other night. That was the best football match I've seen in a while, wrong outcome though. The 2nd leg should be something, hopefully Barcelona will give them a spanking by which time I hope I will have witnessed Arsenal giving the Blues a sever beating...a record beating in fact in a League cup final.
Like the sound of that. Maybe start with the Knuckles?
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Feckin hell, what a load of grumpy old codgers!
The league is the tightest it's been in years. More goals being scored, the bottom club just beat the top club to end their unbeaten league run. Rooney doesn't light up a match? Must have imagined his overhead winner last week. Who wants to watch Wigan v Blackburn? Er, when it finishes 5-4 like the other week, yeah, why not?! Noocassil coming back from four goals down.....
While I doubt we'll see Nottingham Forest win the European Cup again, and the same clubs compete at the top each year I don't think it's quite the drudgery that most of you make out. As for the money, if there was this much in the game 20 or 30 years ago, players would have been as spoilt and mercenary as they are now.
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As for the money, if there was this much in the game 20 or 30 years ago, players would have been as spoilt and mercenary as they are now.
But it wasn't, so they weren't!
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Its the day of the 5th round of the FA cup and there are 2 games kicking off on Saturday at 3. If the FA don't want to take this competition seriously then why should anyone else?
It's a very good point. I'm going to nick it.
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If it's not the Villa then I don't care anymore. I honestly get more entertainment out of watching a blood and thunder game between Port Vale and Bradford, dodgy pitch, players constantly playing for livliehoods and no glory hunting fans than another sterile over hyped snore-fest of Chelsea V's Liverpool.
All the Rooney and Terry incidents last year was the final straw for me following Engerlund too. The thought of Sir John or Sir Wayne is horrifying.
If modern day football where a food it'd be a Pot Noodle.
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Its the day of the 5th round of the FA cup and there are 2 games kicking off on Saturday at 3. If the FA don't want to take this competition seriously then why should anyone else?
What a very excellent statement. Spot on.
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Its the day of the 5th round of the FA cup and there are 2 games kicking off on Saturday at 3. If the FA don't want to take this competition seriously then why should anyone else?
What a very excellent statement. Spot on.
I don't think that's a sign of the FA not taking the competition seriously. It's a sign of how much control television has over football, with a brief nod to the fact that two games from the previous round were still to be resolved.
I started losing interest in neutral domestic football a few years ago, but things definitely got worse for me over the course of this and last season. It seems such a waste of time to even care about the game now that so many of the decisions being taken seem in direct opposition to the interests of the fans or any clubs outside the hallowed PL circle.
Suggestions of how to 'improve' the FA Cup is typical of this, swiftly followed by the issue of a winter break. The FA Cup doesn't need changing. It's fine just as it is. If the PL were to downsize to 18 teams as per its original remit (and the 'big clubs' weren't playing in quite so many Chumps League games) then we wouldn't need a winter break. Not that I think we need one anyway. Squads are bigger than ever and the pitches remain in better condition throughout the season.
Had we had one in January (as certain people were suggesting in January last year during the bad weather we had then) then all that would have happened is that we'd have ended up having little football outside the top flight between the start of December and the end of January. Whilst the richest clubs took their sideshows to Hong Kong, Qatar, Miami and wherever else it was they fancied milking the corporate cash cow the most.
Modern (money obsessed, marketed) football is rubbish, but then that's no great surprise when as Albarn et al said, modern life is rubbish. But that's a discussion for another (off topic) thread, although Charlie Brooker covered most of the relevant points in his recent TV Ruined My Life series.
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The FA Cup has been in a flat tailspin since the year ManUre totally de-valued it by pulling out
Wankers
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The FA Cup has been in a flat tailspin since the year ManUre totally de-valued it by pulling out
Wankers
You can't blame them - the FA wanted them to withdraw.
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Does anyone feel that their growing antipathy for football is a consequence of getting older? That even if the game had not changed at all you would still be less enthusiastic about it? That what is happening is that you're yearning for your lost youth?
I accept that there is a lot that is wrong with the game but I can remember my dad's generation moaning about footballers all being too soft, earning too much money and looking like girls back in the 70s.
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Does anyone feel that their growing antipathy for football is a consequence of getting older? That even if the game had not changed at all you would still be less enthusiastic about it? That what is happening is that you're yearning for your lost youth?
No.
The situation is a world away from the football we grew up with in comparison to our Father's 1950's football.
In the 70's, which for the likes of you and I Chris, was the early years of watching football, players were on a good wage, but they couldn't become millionaires overnight.
Something is really rotten within the game when a very, very average player like Habib Beye can earn £8m over 4 years, or a pile of shit like Salifou can become a millionaire in less than 2 years.
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Seeing the Man City subs today clutching hot water bottles to keep warm made me wonder about footballers today and who's idea it was that they need to be kept warm.
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Does anyone feel that their growing antipathy for football is a consequence of getting older? That even if the game had not changed at all you would still be less enthusiastic about it? That what is happening is that you're yearning for your lost youth?
I accept that there is a lot that is wrong with the game but I can remember my dad's generation moaning about footballers all being too soft, earning too much money and looking like girls back in the 70s.
I take your point Chris, but i'm 24 and am becoming more and more disillusioned with the game. Maybe it's part jealousy at Men of a similar age making vast amounts of money and the lifestyle that can bring.
I think it has got to a point where there is far too much wrong with the game to be able to appreciate its remaining good points.
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I hate the brainwashing of sky punditry - i have followed football for 40 years - i do not need Jamie cuntflap or some other washed up ex player telling me what was a good pass or good save - i fucking know.
I hate the bias towards the clubs that have the most money
The inane stats that Tyldlsey and co come out with
The wankfest that has been Man United since the premiership began
The England team when new kids play and do well yet everyone knows if it was a proper game the likes of Terry , Rooney, Lampard, Stevie me et all all trot up as they know they will play
I hate the way average players earn so much money yet swan around like total wankers
I am sick of being spoon fed supamegadupersunday matches that are usually boring as hell
Champs league - just worng on so many levels - the first round where they might as well save the pitch and just give the seeded teams money, because thats all it is
It died for me on 3 fronts a long time ago
1/ The Cantona incident (I have mentioned this a good few times over the years) the bias shown towards that ****** and united was sickening - he jumped into the crowd and assaulted a fan in front of watching millions and kids - in the end it was spun that the guy who abused him was being racial and the fa waited for Fergiecunt to ban him as they did not have the bottle (and what made it worse was at the end of the season when united missed out Fergie blamed the FA!!!). Now before anyone offers a counter arguement imagine if that was Vinny Jones, Julian Dicks, Denis Wise et al - they would have been banned for life , and rightly so.
How dare they claim that it was racial so the twat was justified to jump into the crowd in football boots - how the hell must some of the black players have felt with the dogs abuse they got over the years yet they showed total dignity - just because it was them fucking lot up the road they got off with it.
2/ The year that our very own GH won three trophies at 'The Mighty Reds YNWA' - yet they all claimed the biggest win that year was to finish 4th and the chumps league - the day money overtook honour, glory and silverware
3/ When we played United in an FA cup game at vp - KO time 7pm on a sunday night - showed me then that the fa and TV do not give a flying shit about fans - in fact i now feel that fans are merely a sound backdrop to the live game - and if need be they can always edit sound on to it if needed
I am begining to really hate football - i have 2 mates who are noses and they followed them for years home and away through all the years of shit - they started to miss games (their first season in the prem did it) and they said how easy it is to give up going - i could never understand them - I pay £800 per year for my golf membership and you know i really am starting to see their point (Must be bad as i get paid to watch the villa!!)
The problem is - if we win on Satirday i am back in love again!!! I must be fickle :-[
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Professional football - like every business - tends to be false and distant. The freaks are an endangered species. If they are not invited to the party, you might just as well go to bed early.
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I live in S.E London and last saturday because villa had no game i decided to take my two lads along to the valley to watch Charlton v Exeter City,it was a fiver in anywhere in the ground and they pulled in a crowd of 25/26k
The game from a Charlton perspective as desperate,they were shambolic at the back and ended up getting gubbed 3-1
The whole day cost me £20,we got to see a bit of football and at the end i didnt feel lousy cause it had been villa who had lost
I love football and will generally watch anything,obviously Villa are always the number one for me and i will make the journey up to brum this saturday again.
But i got to admit i did enjoy the game at Charlton and on tuesday 1st march im going to see them play against Carlisle.
Well,for a fiver again why not eh ?
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I thought Salifou was on £2,000 a week? He would have to stay at Villa for at least ten years to becoming a millionaire... Assuming he never spent any money.
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Football clubs, players, FIFA, UEFA, The FA and TV networks all prey on our addiction to the national sport. They'll all fleece us as much as possible until a significant majority turn their back on the game. And that is never going to happen.