Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: JJ-AV on September 07, 2012, 11:09:51 AM
-
Talking about Villa, talking about signing Boateng and Dublin now.
'I loved going to Coventry, always came back with three points'.
-
Richard Keyes belittling Villa when JG is explaining the Yorkie situation, hate that guy
-
'I loved going to Coventry, always came back with three points'.
I think his memory is playing him up.
-
Will there be a link to this later? I only managed to catch it just as he was talking about York's move to Man Yoo (so missed him talking about Villa).
-
I'm sure that 4-1 home defeat was under Gregory.
-
I know we lost there in 99/00 as well as I was sat next to a Coventry fan watching it at uni. He still had the newspaper headlines pinned up months after the event, even after we'd beaten them at Villa. Bless.
-
We scored the fastest goal of the season there.
Coventry. The biggest sad sacks going.
-
I only caught the parts about Yorke and Izzet. Did he talk about all the money he spunked and shit football we played thanks to his negative tactics, or did he just keep blaming Doug?
-
We scored the fastest goal of the season there.
Coventry. The biggest sad sacks going.
Anal bastards.
-
We scored the fastest goal of the season there.
Coventry. The biggest sad sacks going.
Anal bastards.
It's quite possible we will never play them in the league ever again.
-
Hope there's a link to this later. They were good days overall.
-
I'd love to ask him why he signed Bosko Balaban???
-
We scored the fastest goal of the season there.
Coventry. The biggest sad sacks going.
Anal bastards.
It's quite possible we will never play them in the league ever again.
Let's hope so!
-
I only caught the parts about Yorke and Izzet. Did he talk about all the money he spunked and shit football we played thanks to his negative tactics, or did he just keep blaming Doug?
And did he mention the abject surrender that was the FA Cup final, and how the Villa stank out Wembley like an Alex Mcleish side that day.
-
Did he spend any time talking about Bosko?
-
I'd love to ask him why he signed Bosko Balaban???
If Balaban scored when he went round the keeper at Southampton that day, it would have all been different.
-
I'd love to ask him why he signed Bosko Balaban???
If Balaban scored when he went round the keeper at Southampton that day, it would have all been different.
I remember him coming on late during the home game with Man U in August that season. We were 1-0 up courtesy of Darius and doing ok - we even looked like getting them again on the break. Bosko was sent through for a one on one with their keeper and looked utterly inept, the ball bobbling around his feet, and you knew he would fuck up.
At that moment my heart sank, not just for the missed chance, but because I thought I had seen a man who was way out of his depth.
The worst transfer in the history of the Villa in my mind.
-
I'd love to ask him why he signed Bosko Balaban???
If Balaban scored when he went round the keeper at Southampton that day, it would have all been different.
Ah Bosko , saw him on TV in Malaysia the other day , scoring a couple of Goals for a local side , the Commentator gave us an honourable mention as his most memorable (?!) former Club ...........................Godzvilla! .
-
Bosko was a shite player why did he sign him.
-
Bosko was a shite player why did he sign him.
this
-
Because before we signed him he was scoring a lot of goals else where.
-
And I reckon he had a back hander :)
Seriously though I don't mind Gregory I've met him a couple of times and he's a nice fellah
-
Heh. That story about Bosko walking up to Doug at the beginning of the season and saying "Do you remember me Mr Ellis", and Doug said "I'm hardly likely to forget you son, you cost me £6 million..."
-
this is the link to the interview you need to select 11:00 - 12:00 http://www.talksport.co.uk/radio/listen-again/episode/88882
-
I enjoyed those season's under JG, in the end he was just too far out of his depth.
-
Balaban really was awful for us. My mate covered the reserves for local radio and even at that level he said Balaban looked out of his depth. 11 years ago we spent £6million and 20K a week on him. Almost makes Hutton and his wages look a bargain.
-
Don't suppose he mentioned his dalliance with the SFO ?
-
Having not heard the interview, did he speak fondly of AVFC?
-
Having not heard the interview, did he speak fondly of AVFC?
He always does, it's kind of his thing.
-
I work with a guy who's married to his daughter.
-
I work with a guy who's married to his daughter.
Do you live in Norfolk?
-
John Gregory is a top bloke, good player and proper Villa man
but he was an appaling manager, even more negative than TSM, the results were only better under him because the players we had at the time had more quality, but the tactics were even more mindnumbing
-
I work with a guy who's married to his daughter.
Do you live in Norfolk?
Massive LOL.
-
Haha just started listening and Gregory said Dion Dublin would be worth "at least 25m" today.
-
Because before we signed him he was scoring a lot of goals else where.
And scored a lot of goals after he left us.
We tend to have that effect on strikers.
-
I wonder if Keys and Gray thought their careers would ever come to this. Sucking up to the likes of John Gregory on a radio station that nobody ever listens too.
-
Talking about Villa, talking about signing Boateng and Dublin now.
'I loved going to Coventry, always came back with three points'.
And shite players.
-
I work with a guy who's married to his daughter.
That's interesting.
-
All the Gregory knockers should bear in mind with him in charge we were top of the league for a while , we got to a cup final and you could say we lost it due to a refereeing mistake awarding the free kick that should never have been, yes there was times it was dross but tell me another manager since he left who was better with the exception of MON in his early time with villa also more important than anything else he is a massive Villa fan try reading his tweets on twitter I still would have him back over all of the others we have had since and he would have got better look at Fergie
-
I wonder if Keys and Gray thought their careers would ever come to this. Sucking up to the likes of John Gregory on a radio station that nobody ever listens too.
At leat they get first dibs on any offers from Wickes.<p>Seriously though, it is a cringeworthy listen. Keys is bad but Gray, what a big hairy nutsack of a man.
-
Listening to Gregory, he certainly failed to understand the politics of the Villa boardroom. Having been refused to buy Muzzy Izzet by Ellis, he called Steve Stride to request a board meeting. What did he expect from a meeting with Ellis, Ansell and Stride? He'd have been better off keeping at Ellis on a personal level.
Gregory's right on one thing, Ellis never shared his and our ambtions for the club.
-
Listening to Gregory, he certainly failed to understand the politics of the Villa boardroom. Having been refused to buy Muzzy Izzet by Ellis, he called Steve Stride to request a board meeting. What did he expect from a meeting with Ellis, Ansell and Stride? He'd have been better off keeping at Ellis on a personal level.
Gregory's right on one thing, Ellis never shared his and our ambtions for the club.
Had he done so Gregory would never have got the job in the first place.
-
Listening to Gregory, he certainly failed to understand the politics of the Villa boardroom. Having been refused to buy Muzzy Izzet by Ellis, he called Steve Stride to request a board meeting. What did he expect from a meeting with Ellis, Ansell and Stride? He'd have been better off keeping at Ellis on a personal level.
Gregory's right on one thing, Ellis never shared his and our ambtions for the club.
Had he done so Gregory would never have got the job in the first place.
Had Ellis shared the ambition for the club, he wouldn't have been chairman, he'd have sold up years earlier.
The return of Ellis can best be described as Villa's years of missed opportunities. We always failed to build on our success.
-
Listening to Gregory, he certainly failed to understand the politics of the Villa boardroom. Having been refused to buy Muzzy Izzet by Ellis, he called Steve Stride to request a board meeting. What did he expect from a meeting with Ellis, Ansell and Stride? He'd have been better off keeping at Ellis on a personal level.
Gregory's right on one thing, Ellis never shared his and our ambtions for the club.
Had he done so Gregory would never have got the job in the first place.
Had Ellis shared the ambition for the club, he wouldn't have been chairman, he'd have sold up years earlier.
Not sure but there might be a thread or two on that elsewhere on here...
-
All the Gregory knockers should bear in mind with him in charge we were top of the league for a while , we got to a cup final and you could say we lost it due to a refereeing mistake awarding the free kick that should never have been, yes there was times it was dross but tell me another manager since he left who was better with the exception of MON in his early time with villa also more important than anything else he is a massive Villa fan try reading his tweets on twitter I still would have him back over all of the others we have had since and he would have got better look at Fergie
Where does "top of the league for a while" show on our honours list? When was the last time a side were top in the New Year and finished 6th? An embarrassing collapse.
He spent a fortune and consistently produced some of the worst football i've seen down VP. 5 at the back vs bottom of the football league Chester. 5 at the back at home vs crap side in the league.
Anyone in doubt go back and read back issues of H&V or THT from his last couple of years in charge and also check how crap a lot of our attendances were at the time.
As for the cup final, another complete embarrassment. As were the semi's in both competitions. Total goals scored in the 3 semi's and final? Zero.
I quite liked Gregory as a person (although his continual sound bites started to grate after a while) and he seems to care about the club, but it doesn't disguise the fact that apart from his first 12 months he wasn't much above average as a top flight manager.
-
It's pretty clear that he regrets resigning. It was the biggest mistake of his career. He probably wouldn't have lasted much longer - moreso for the continued strain on his relationship with Ellis than for our steady-eddie record under him.
Likeable in his manner but I was always pissed off at the false dawn under him. Forget the first half of the '98/99 season when we were top in mid-January. I refer to the previous season. I could never figure out how he oversaw the best sustained run of easy-on-the-eye football I've seen as a Villa fan in his first dozen games in charge (the 9 wins and 2 league defeats and glorious failure to Atletico in the Uefa Cup when he took over from Brian Little in Feb '98) but was never able to replicate it. Instead we slowly got increasingly more dour. I guess the loss of Yorke impacted hugely but the football we played with a young, emerging Hendrie, Milosevic, Collymore and even Joachim was a revelation to watch at the time.
-
His handling of the SVC situation was poor to say the least.
-
His handling of the SVC situation was poor to say the least.
Now that is an understatement.
-
His handling of the SVC situation was poor to say the least.
Now that is an understatement.
Don't remember many disagreeing with him at the time though.
-
That's true SH although times have changed.
Just looking at his record and the numbers and finishing positions aren't on the whole that different to MON.
-
i find it mad that he lost all heart and interest in the job because he couldnt sign a player, i wonder how David Moyes copes ????
-
His handling of the SVC situation was poor to say the least.
Now that is an understatement.
Don't remember many disagreeing with him at the time though.
Some of us who had a little bit of understanding about depression did.
-
I work with a guy who's married to his daughter.
That's interesting.
A reflection of how action packed my afternoon at work was.
-
Remember taking my then young lad to Wycombe for Collymores first game in England in pre season friendly. Lad wanted a pee, so went into the ticket room and some snobby bint told me there was nowhere around. Out came the Wycombe manager at the time John Gregory who took us to the Wycombe club bar and had a quick soft drink with us, he was pleased to hear me going on about his two goals in 78//79 v Liverpool on easter monday. Think he wore just about every number shirt that season. Nice bloke who had a great fondness for the club and seemingly still does, but did make a mug of himself while managing us. He seemed to believe all the hype being written about him.
-
It's pretty clear that he regrets resigning. It was the biggest mistake of his career. He probably wouldn't have lasted much longer - moreso for the continued strain on his relationship with Ellis than for our steady-eddie record under him.
Likeable in his manner but I was always pissed off at the false dawn under him. Forget the first half of the '98/99 season when we were top in mid-January. I refer to the previous season. I could never figure out how he oversaw the best sustained run of easy-on-the-eye football I've seen as a Villa fan in his first dozen games in charge (the 9 wins and 2 league defeats and glorious failure to Atletico in the Uefa Cup when he took over from Brian Little in Feb '98) but was never able to replicate it. Instead we slowly got increasingly more dour. I guess the loss of Yorke impacted hugely but the football we played with a young, emerging Hendrie, Milosevic, Collymore and even Joachim was a revelation to watch at the time.
Because he knew from 2000 onwards that the next bad run of results would get him sacked so he made not losing his main priority.
-
I found it strange that after a half decent time at Villa,no other premier team went for Gregory,and he slipped out if the game.
-
Because he knew from 2000 onwards that the next bad run of results would get him sacked so he made not losing his main priority.
Unfortunately he went into the Cup Final with that mentality and we lost to a very poor Chelsea team. For that alone, I will never forgive him, nevermind any of his other nonsense he got up to.
-
I wonder if there was any manager anywhere in the world who had a better record than JG in the eleven months between Feb 28th 1998 and the end of Jan '99.
I can never think of Gregory without thinking about what might have happened if Luc Nilis(what a player!) hadn't suffered such a terrible injury in 2000.
-
Because he knew from 2000 onwards that the next bad run of results would get him sacked so he made not losing his main priority.
Unfortunately he went into the Cup Final with that mentality and we lost to a very poor Chelsea team. For that alone, I will never forgive him, nevermind any of his other nonsense he got up to.
I have to disagree on the assessment of that Chelsea team.
I know we were shite, and it is a day I have almost blocked out of my memory, but look at some of the players in their team : Leboeuf, Desailly and Deschamps were all world champions and about to win Euro 2000; Weah hwas world class and Zola was one of the best in England; and Di Mateo, Poyet and Wise were hardly shite, though the latter is unquestionably a shitehawk.
Our team of competent English journeymen were not in the same league as them, certainly not on a big stage.
-
Because he knew from 2000 onwards that the next bad run of results would get him sacked so he made not losing his main priority.
Unfortunately he went into the Cup Final with that mentality and we lost to a very poor Chelsea team. For that alone, I will never forgive him, nevermind any of his other nonsense he got up to.
I have to disagree on the assessment of that Chelsea team.
I know we were shite, and it is a day I have almost blocked out of my memory, but look at some of the players in their team : Leboeuf, Desailly and Deschamps were all world champions and about to win Euro 2000; Weah hwas world class and Zola was one of the best in England; and Di Mateo, Poyet and Wise were hardly shite, though the latter is unquestionably a shitehawk.
Our team of competent English journeymen were not in the same league as them, certainly not on a big stage.
We'll never know, since we never had a gameplan against them other than to stink the place out and hope for a fluky bobble to Merson. And to be honest, I think if we had have given it a go we'd have beaten them, because their own winner came courtesy of a portable banana skin Mario Melchiot found under the soles of his boot.
Gregory was always one of my favourite managers, but that FA Cup Final is my single biggest disappointment in all my years of following Villa. There have been some horrible moments I've had to take on the chin, but none of them still cause instant upset like that game.
-
He comes across as a bit of a silly sod at times in that interview but seemingly nice bloke and clearly a top Villa man. Always struck me as a very decent coach (seemed to work well with Little/Evans) but not a manager.
-
Thing I liked about John Gregory when I spoke to him was his love of Aston Villa, and that was when he was manager of Wycombe. Maybe the pressure got too much and agree with earlier comment as to why no other fairly decent club came in for him when he had his hissy fit.
-
Because he knew from 2000 onwards that the next bad run of results would get him sacked so he made not losing his main priority.
Unfortunately he went into the Cup Final with that mentality and we lost to a very poor Chelsea team. For that alone, I will never forgive him, nevermind any of his other nonsense he got up to.
I have to disagree on the assessment of that Chelsea team.
Ok, they were very poor on the day, but came up against a Villa team that didn't want to cross the half-way line. How's that?
-
Its a shame that final will go down as one of the worst ever.
-
Its a shame that final will go down as one of the worst ever.
Lots of FA Cup finals are rubbish. It's only because we played in it that it sticks in our mind so much.
-
Balaban really was awful for us. My mate covered the reserves for local radio and even at that level he said Balaban looked out of his depth. 11 years ago we spent £6million and 20K a week on him. Almost makes Hutton and his wages look a bargain.
I watched him in training at BH the once, he was absolutely terrible, that transfer stinks.
-
Balaban really was awful for us. My mate covered the reserves for local radio and even at that level he said Balaban looked out of his depth. 11 years ago we spent £6million and 20K a week on him. Almost makes Hutton and his wages look a bargain.
I watched him in training at BH the once, he was absolutely terrible, that transfer stinks.
He scored a lot of goals for a lesser team, couldn't hack it in England, then went on to score a lot of goals for other lesser teams. It happens. He scored 47 goals in 83 games for Club Brugge.
-
Because he knew from 2000 onwards that the next bad run of results would get him sacked so he made not losing his main priority.
Unfortunately he went into the Cup Final with that mentality and we lost to a very poor Chelsea team. For that alone, I will never forgive him, nevermind any of his other nonsense he got up to.
I have to disagree on the assessment of that Chelsea team.
Ok, they were very poor on the day, but came up against a Villa team that didn't want to cross the half-way line. How's that?
That pretty much corresponds to my memory of events, Usav, though I remember us simply being unable to cope with them once they really went for it after half time. We were dire and the whole day was a massive let down.
I have just checked on wikipedia and according to their stats we had 11 shots in that final to Chelsea's 5. I can only assume somebody has gone online and hacked those stats because they are utterly untrue (if my ailing memory of that day is correct).
-
Its a shame that final will go down as one of the worst ever.
Lots of FA Cup finals are rubbish. It's only because we played in it that it sticks in our mind so much.
I disagree, it was a dreadful final and the worst i can remember in the last 40 years and villa were an utter embarrassment that day - a dreadful inexcusable display on the biggest of occasions.
-
Its a shame that final will go down as one of the worst ever.
Lots of FA Cup finals are rubbish. It's only because we played in it that it sticks in our mind so much.
I disagree, it was a dreadful final and the worst i can remember in the last 40 years and villa were an utter embarrassment that day - a dreadful inexcusable display on the biggest of occasions.
It was a dreadful game and we did'nt do ourselves justice at all but i would'nt go so far to call us an embarrassment.
-
Its a shame that final will go down as one of the worst ever.
Having waited so long to win the fa cup the display that day was just awful clampy and didn't do ourselves justice is an understatement. The players who played that day and John Gregory should be ashamed for that performance on the biggest stage of all.
-
How is his book, worth to read?
-
Its a shame that final will go down as one of the worst ever.
Lots of FA Cup finals are rubbish. It's only because we played in it that it sticks in our mind so much.
I watched all the cup finals from the late 70s onwards and that one was the worst.
-
I have just checked on wikipedia and according to their stats we had 11 shots in that final to Chelsea's 5. I can only assume somebody has gone online and hacked those stats because they are utterly untrue (if my ailing memory of that day is correct).
Blimey. That's not my recollection either, 11 shots! Maybe David James's goal kicks up field counted as shots that day!!
-
Its a shame that final will go down as one of the worst ever.
Lots of FA Cup finals are rubbish. It's only because we played in it that it sticks in our mind so much.
I disagree, it was a dreadful final and the worst i can remember in the last 40 years and villa were an utter embarrassment that day - a dreadful inexcusable display on the biggest of occasions.
Way way over the top. It was a poor game, but as I said there's been plenty of poor FA Cup finals over the years. From memory the Man Utd v Chelsea in 07 was dreadful as was Man Utd v Milwall, Portsmouth V Cardiff. Lots of others too. It was major disappointment for us, but at least Gregory got us there. No other Villa manager has got us there in about a million years. That match against Leeds will live long in the memory as well. So much for the shit football under Gregory that people love to spout on here.
-
Balaban really was awful for us. My mate covered the reserves for local radio and even at that level he said Balaban looked out of his depth. 11 years ago we spent £6million and 20K a week on him. Almost makes Hutton and his wages look a bargain.
I watched him in training at BH the once, he was absolutely terrible, that transfer stinks.
He scored a lot of goals for a lesser team, couldn't hack it in England, then went on to score a lot of goals for other lesser teams. It happens. He scored 47 goals in 83 games for Club Brugge.
I'm sure the week before the league started, or just when we'd signed him, he played for Croatia against Scotland at Hampden and missed a one-on-one, or simple chance (though Croatia won).
Remember listening on the radio about "Villa's new signing Bosko Balaban" and my Dad wondering whether he'd be any good, with this unexplainable sense that deep down we both knew he wouldn't.
-
Its a shame that final will go down as one of the worst ever.
Lots of FA Cup finals are rubbish. It's only because we played in it that it sticks in our mind so much.
I disagree, it was a dreadful final and the worst i can remember in the last 40 years and villa were an utter embarrassment that day - a dreadful inexcusable display on the biggest of occasions.
Way way over the top. It was a poor game, but as I said there's been plenty of poor FA Cup finals over the years. From memory the Man Utd v Chelsea in 07 was dreadful as was Man Utd v Milwall, Portsmouth V Cardiff. Lots of others too. It was major disappointment for us, but at least Gregory got us there. No other Villa manager has got us there in about a million years. That match against Leeds will live long in the memory as well. So much for the shit football under Gregory that people love to spout on here.
The Chelsea match last season may well will live long in the memory for those who were there, the odd decent match doesn't mean the majority of the rest of the football wasn't dour and negative though.
As I said earlier, if in doubt go and read H&V or THT from 99/00 season onwards under Gregory. While we had the odd good game and the odd good run of results, the quality of football overall was poor, especially given the value of the players he had. And if the football was so great, how come that the 2 lowest average attendance seasons we've had since the attendance boom of the mid 90s were the last 2 full seasons under JG (99/00 00/01)?
-
I'd waited 35 years, from the age of 5, for Villa to get to an FA Cup final. And when we did, we didn't even try. Whatever good stuff Gregory did is totally undermined by that one disgraceful performance.
-
I'd waited 35 years, from the age of 5, for Villa to get to an FA Cup final. And when we did, we didn't even try. Whatever good stuff Gregory did is totally undermined by that one disgraceful performance.
To say we didn't try is wrong. You don't get to an FA Cup Final and not try. It'd be much more apt to just say we were shit.
-
Its a shame that final will go down as one of the worst ever.
Lots of FA Cup finals are rubbish. It's only because we played in it that it sticks in our mind so much.
I disagree, it was a dreadful final and the worst i can remember in the last 40 years and villa were an utter embarrassment that day - a dreadful inexcusable display on the biggest of occasions.
Way way over the top. It was a poor game, but as I said there's been plenty of poor FA Cup finals over the years. From memory the Man Utd v Chelsea in 07 was dreadful as was Man Utd v Milwall, Portsmouth V Cardiff. Lots of others too. It was major disappointment for us, but at least Gregory got us there. No other Villa manager has got us there in about a million years. That match against Leeds will live long in the memory as well. So much for the shit football under Gregory that people love to spout on here.
Completely agree SH. I always thought we had a chance under Gregory, against whoever we played.
-
I'd waited 35 years, from the age of 5, for Villa to get to an FA Cup final. And when we did, we didn't even try. Whatever good stuff Gregory did is totally undermined by that one disgraceful performance.
To say we didn't try is wrong. You don't get to an FA Cup Final and not try. It'd be much more apt to just say we were shit.
What's worse is that Chelsea were really poor that day and there for the taking- we blew it !
-
His handling of the SVC situation was poor to say the least.
Now that is an understatement.
Don't remember many disagreeing with him at the time though.
Excellent point. No one seemed to be saying "poor Stan", more along the lines of "How can he be depressed on £20k a week, he ought to try working for a living". Rightly or wrongly that was the reaction.I liked Gregory as Villa manager for the way he continually bigged the club up.Some of the football was dour but he was in complete contrast to O'Leary who thought we were on par with chuffing Charlton.
-
Its a shame that final will go down as one of the worst ever.
Lots of FA Cup finals are rubbish. It's only because we played in it that it sticks in our mind so much.
I disagree, it was a dreadful final and the worst i can remember in the last 40 years and villa were an utter embarrassment that day - a dreadful inexcusable display on the biggest of occasions.
Way way over the top. It was a poor game, but as I said there's been plenty of poor FA Cup finals over the years. From memory the Man Utd v Chelsea in 07 was dreadful as was Man Utd v Milwall, Portsmouth V Cardiff. Lots of others too. It was major disappointment for us, but at least Gregory got us there. No other Villa manager has got us there in about a million years. That match against Leeds will live long in the memory as well. So much for the shit football under Gregory that people love to spout on here.
Completely agree SH. I always thought we had a chance under Gregory, against whoever we played.
Everyone had more of a chance back then though as it was before the Sky and CL money went through the roof and created the gulf between the top few and the rest. And Chelsea were pre-Abrahmovic. It's why West Ham and Forest were able to finish top 5 in that time.
-
As for Gregory, bearing in mind one minute he was managing Wycombe Wanderers (his first managerial job i think) then next managing Aston Villa, he probably could'nt believe his luck. Yeah he overpaid on some dross (what manager has'nt) and the footy was'nt always great but overall i think he did a reasonable job.
He was a breath of fresh air at the time and we did well to stay top of the league for as long as we did that one season. He was unlucky to lose Yorke and who knows how good Luc Nillis would have been?
I think the one mistake he did make was taking the Derby job as soon as he did.
-
Its a shame that final will go down as one of the worst ever.
Lots of FA Cup finals are rubbish. It's only because we played in it that it sticks in our mind so much.
I disagree, it was a dreadful final and the worst i can remember in the last 40 years and villa were an utter embarrassment that day - a dreadful inexcusable display on the biggest of occasions.
That match against Leeds will live long in the memory as well. So much for the shit football under Gregory that people love to spout on here.
That's a good point. Whilst there was some poor footbal along the way, there was some great stuff as well. As well as the Leeds game, the one game that sticks in my memory is Southampton away at The Dell on Dublin's debut. We murdered them 4-1 and it should have been more. Did'nt we have an all English starting 11 around that time as well?
-
Its a shame that final will go down as one of the worst ever.
Lots of FA Cup finals are rubbish. It's only because we played in it that it sticks in our mind so much.
I disagree, it was a dreadful final and the worst i can remember in the last 40 years and villa were an utter embarrassment that day - a dreadful inexcusable display on the biggest of occasions.
I agree. My family joined me for a very special day out with the world watching and it was awful. I would rather have lost 4-1 or something than watch us create a dreadful spectacle for the closing of the old Wembley with so many nations sharing the horror. We should have had a go.
-
Its a shame that final will go down as one of the worst ever.
Lots of FA Cup finals are rubbish. It's only because we played in it that it sticks in our mind so much.
I disagree, it was a dreadful final and the worst i can remember in the last 40 years and villa were an utter embarrassment that day - a dreadful inexcusable display on the biggest of occasions.
That match against Leeds will live long in the memory as well. So much for the shit football under Gregory that people love to spout on here.
That's a good point. Whilst there was some poor footbal along the way, there was some great stuff as well. As well as the Leeds game, the one game that sticks in my memory is Southampton away at The Dell on Dublin's debut. We murdered them 4-1 and it should have been more. Did'nt we have an all English starting 11 around that time as well?
.
Yes we did clamps, the Gregory ere was a reasonable time and there were some good players bought in, if we had got Robbie Keane and juninho in when in a position of strength who knows what could have been achieved- although there were some dreadful games under Gregory it was far better than some of the stuff we have seen over the last couple of years.
-
Didn't he sign all his players via 1 agent - Tony Stephens of SFX ? Didnt that lead to all the suspicions ?
-
Haha just started listening and Gregory said Dion Dublin would be worth "at least 25m" today.
Yes he is correct there. Dion was a fantastic footballer. One of the most intelligent players around. And if we use the Andy Carroll scale he would be worth £40M.
-
Haha just started listening and Gregory said Dion Dublin would be worth "at least 25m" today.
Yes he is correct there. Dion was a fantastic footballer. One of the most intelligent players around. And if we use the Andy Carroll scale he would be worth £40M.
Before he broke his neck, he was as good a centre forward as I've seen in a Villa shirt.
-
I'd waited 35 years, from the age of 5, for Villa to get to an FA Cup final. And when we did, we didn't even try. Whatever good stuff Gregory did is totally undermined by that one disgraceful performance.
To say we didn't try is wrong. You don't get to an FA Cup Final and not try. It'd be much more apt to just say we were shit.
I disagree. We just didn't look interested in taking the game to Chelsea, it was like watching a McLeish team just trying to limit the damage.
-
All the Gregory knockers should bear in mind with him in charge we were top of the league for a while , we got to a cup final and you could say we lost it due to a refereeing mistake awarding the free kick that should never have been, yes there was times it was dross but tell me another manager since he left who was better with the exception of MON in his early time with villa also more important than anything else he is a massive Villa fan try reading his tweets on twitter I still would have him back over all of the others we have had since and he would have got better look at Fergie
to blame our loss in that final due to the award of the free kick is clutching at straws to put it mildly!
wether it was or wasnt is down to opinion, and the one which counts (the ref) said it was. However, James dropped the ball and it bounced of southgate to rvd to score. Then 2 mins later, their keeper dropped the ball at carbones feet, and he passed it to lebeouf on the goal-line..Thats why we lost, no other reason, apart from we were crap on the day!
-
I'd waited 35 years, from the age of 5, for Villa to get to an FA Cup final. And when we did, we didn't even try. Whatever good stuff Gregory did is totally undermined by that one disgraceful performance.
To say we didn't try is wrong. You don't get to an FA Cup Final and not try. It'd be much more apt to just say we were shit.
I disagree. We just didn't look interested in taking the game to Chelsea, it was like watching a McLeish team just trying to limit the damage.
Ok...but you're wrong. No player doesn't try in a FA Cup final. To suggest otherwise seems a bit silly.
-
I just have the memory that we were playing OK leading up to the final with the likes of Alan Thompson in the side, only for JG to bring in all his old favourites for them to stiff completely in the final.
-
Loved Dublin and the Holte chant "Dion Dublin in the air."
I never expected us to win the cup final, Chelsea just had too much quality littered all over the pitch and I think they also had a "goal" wrongly disallowed for offside just before they did actually score.
In my mind a much bigger regret was the 2010 cup final. I really did think we'd win that as that certainly wasn't a great Man. United team we faced and who knows winning that might have lead to Milner and Young wanting to stay and we certainly could've had a bit more confidence to get 4th that season.
-
I spent that weekend at the Wembley Hilton with a super-cute 17 year-old girl who was willing to copy scenarios from the tug TV in the room. Was there a game on then?
-
As for Gregory, bearing in mind one minute he was managing Wycombe Wanderers (his first managerial job i think) then next managing Aston Villa, he probably could'nt believe his luck. Yeah he overpaid on some dross (what manager has'nt) and the footy was'nt always great but overall i think he did a reasonable job.
He was a breath of fresh air at the time and we did well to stay top of the league for as long as we did that one season. He was unlucky to lose Yorke and who knows how good Luc Nillis would have been?
I think the one mistake he did make was taking the Derby job as soon as he did.
Wasn't it rumoured that Stuart Gray was brought in as first team coach on the advise of Graham Taylor with Gregory knowing nothing about it? The Gregory-Deehan partnership was when we looked like going places but it all went negative after Gray's appointment.
In the end, Gregory's downfall was due to him spenting too much time fighting Doug when he should have been focusing on the team.
-
As for Gregory, bearing in mind one minute he was managing Wycombe Wanderers (his first managerial job i think) then next managing Aston Villa, he probably could'nt believe his luck. Yeah he overpaid on some dross (what manager has'nt) and the footy was'nt always great but overall i think he did a reasonable job.
He was a breath of fresh air at the time and we did well to stay top of the league for as long as we did that one season. He was unlucky to lose Yorke and who knows how good Luc Nillis would have been?
I think the one mistake he did make was taking the Derby job as soon as he did.
Wasn't it rumoured that Stuart Gray was brought in as first team coach on the advise of Graham Taylor with Gregory knowing nothing about it? The Gregory-Deehan partnership was when we looked like going places but it all went negative after Gray's appointment.
In the end, Gregory's downfall was due to him spenting too much time fighting Doug when he should have been focusing on the team.
Sir Graham said that the first he knew of it was when Gray's appointment was announced and he wasn't happy as it might have seemed he was involved in the decision.
-
I'd waited 35 years, from the age of 5, for Villa to get to an FA Cup final. And when we did, we didn't even try. Whatever good stuff Gregory did is totally undermined by that one disgraceful performance.
To say we didn't try is wrong. You don't get to an FA Cup Final and not try. It'd be much more apt to just say we were shit.
I disagree. We just didn't look interested in taking the game to Chelsea, it was like watching a McLeish team just trying to limit the damage.
Ok...but you're wrong. No player doesn't try in a FA Cup final. To suggest otherwise seems a bit silly.
Lets be honest, how positive were Villa in that final? We only had one decent chance from what I recall, but we seemed in awe of them when we didnt need to be
-
As for Gregory, bearing in mind one minute he was managing Wycombe Wanderers (his first managerial job i think) then next managing Aston Villa, he probably could'nt believe his luck. Yeah he overpaid on some dross (what manager has'nt) and the footy was'nt always great but overall i think he did a reasonable job.
He was a breath of fresh air at the time and we did well to stay top of the league for as long as we did that one season. He was unlucky to lose Yorke and who knows how good Luc Nillis would have been?
I think the one mistake he did make was taking the Derby job as soon as he did.
Wasn't it rumoured that Stuart Gray was brought in as first team coach on the advise of Graham Taylor with Gregory knowing nothing about it? The Gregory-Deehan partnership was when we looked like going places but it all went negative after Gray's appointment.
In the end, Gregory's downfall was due to him spenting too much time fighting Doug when he should have been focusing on the team.
Sir Graham said that the first he knew of it was when Gray's appointment was announced and he wasn't happy as it might have seemed he was involved in the decision.
Cheers for clearing that up, Dave. The football certainly didn't improve after Gray joined us, though how much that was down to him is another matter.
-
I'd waited 35 years, from the age of 5, for Villa to get to an FA Cup final. And when we did, we didn't even try. Whatever good stuff Gregory did is totally undermined by that one disgraceful performance.
To say we didn't try is wrong. You don't get to an FA Cup Final and not try. It'd be much more apt to just say we were shit.
I disagree. We just didn't look interested in taking the game to Chelsea, it was like watching a McLeish team just trying to limit the damage.
Ok...but you're wrong. No player doesn't try in a FA Cup final. To suggest otherwise seems a bit silly.
What's so sad was that we were that shit it was difficult to tell.
-
The 2000 FA Cup final was as bad as anything I have seen as a villa fan. It was a terrible let down, it was like he was playing for penalties. Today there is a gulf between ourselves and Chelsea, back then there wasn't, we were pretty evenly matched that day and yet we didn't try. That was a serious mark against JG.
Still, he did well enough with us even if he was more fortunate than some of his successors to have had a more even playing field.
-
I really dont remember much about the final except hating chelsea so much. I managed to blag a couple of tickets from my football team chairman which were in the Chelsea end. I was pretty hammered as well. I remember passing a pub full of chelsea and they were throwing all kinds of abuse at passing villa fans, including kids, from behind a locked gate. From then on I vowed to hate Chelsea.
Whilst we are on the topic, I fell asleep during the extra time of the semi. bored and drinking way too much.
-
I was so stressed during the semi I kept wishing I'd never got interested in football.
-
I was so stressed during the semi I kept wishing I'd never got interested in football.
That's exactly how I felt, a feeling which got more intense after the final. I honestly got quite depressed for a while afterwards. I've never let myself get that emotionally involved since
-
I was so stressed during the semi I kept wishing I'd never got interested in football.
My main memory of that game is Dean Holdsworth blazing an absolute sitter over the bar.
-
As disappointing as the 2000 FA Cup final performance ultimately was, I'd thank John Gregory to getting us to our only one in the last 55 years. His stats tell you he did a very good job during his time as Villa manager.
-
As for Gregory, bearing in mind one minute he was managing Wycombe Wanderers (his first managerial job i think) then next managing Aston Villa, he probably could'nt believe his luck. Yeah he overpaid on some dross (what manager has'nt) and the footy was'nt always great but overall i think he did a reasonable job.
He was a breath of fresh air at the time and we did well to stay top of the league for as long as we did that one season. He was unlucky to lose Yorke and who knows how good Luc Nillis would have been?
I think the one mistake he did make was taking the Derby job as soon as he did.
Wasn't it rumoured that Stuart Gray was brought in as first team coach on the advise of Graham Taylor with Gregory knowing nothing about it? The Gregory-Deehan partnership was when we looked like going places but it all went negative after Gray's appointment.
In the end, Gregory's downfall was due to him spenting too much time fighting Doug when he should have been focusing on the team.
R
Sir Graham said that the first he knew of it was when Gray's appointment was announced and he wasn't happy as it might have seemed he was involved in the decision.
r
What a shame sir graham has never written an auotbiography, he would have given us a great insight into a wonderful management career , not just at villa.
Many lesser villa managers have done a book and Graham's career is more than worthy of reading .
-
I just have the memory that we were playing OK leading up to the final with the likes of Alan Thompson in the side, only for JG to bring in all his old favourites for them to stiff completely in the final.
Sort of agree with this. Neither Dublin or Taylor were really fit to start that final (you can argue that Dublin had looked fit enough at Spurs a few weeks earlier when we came back from 2-0 down to 4-2 up, but Carbone and Joachim would have been the better bet I think).
-
Regarding rubbish FA Cup finals, I would say the 1996 shitfest called Man Utd v Liverpool was the worst final ever. But, Ooh ahh Cantona scored the winner, so it was ace really (© Sky)
-
Tottenham v Chelsea 1967 was absolutely dire. Over hyped as the first all London FA Cup Final and cost me a fiver for a ticket to my eternal shame from a tout. A weeks wages for me at that time.
-
Regarding rubbish FA Cup finals, I would say the 1996 shitfest called Man Utd v Liverpool was the worst final ever. But, Ooh ahh Cantona scored the winner, so it was ace really (© Sky)
I have fond memories of that one, not so much the game but I was in the Dawlish Town squad which reached the Pub Cup Final at Wembley. I didn't get on from the subs bench but I had a kick-a-bout on the pitch before the game and scored in the same net as Cantona the day before. I did the Wembley steps as a winner too which Gregory's team didn't do! Cracking day out.
Gregory's time started so well and we played some good stuff for a while, we seemed to have a good spirit too. I don't know where it went wrong but we was not in the best of shape come the end.
-
I may be wrong but my beer addled memory is telling me that it all started going wrong when he switched from a tracksuit to a proper suit on matchdays.
-
The 3-2 against arsenal from 2-0 down was was of the best villa games i have been to (half time aside)- took us back top with one tabloid headline stating "Villa- loud and clear" (as title favourites).
-
The 3-2 against arsenal from 2-0 down was was of the best villa games i have been to (half time aside)- took us back top with one tabloid headline stating "Villa- loud and clear" (as title favourites).
Was that the game where the parachuting father christmas had that awful accident at half time?
-
Yes. At 2-0 down at half-time a few under the Holte were hoping for an abandonment.
-
I remember on the way home listening to Tom Ross, some twat phoned in and said thanks to father christmas for the brilliant half time entertainment, dickhead.
-
The 3-2 against arsenal from 2-0 down was was of the best villa games i have been to (half time aside)- took us back top with one tabloid headline stating "Villa- loud and clear" (as title favourites).
Was that the game where the parachuting father christmas had that awful accident at half time?
I was feeling slightly delicate at that game [Christmas party the night before may have been a contributory factor]. The fall from the stand to the ground seemed to occur in slow motion, though obviously it didn't.
-
I was so stressed during the semi I kept wishing I'd never got interested in football.
The semi the cute 17 year old gave you in the Chelsea hotel or the Bolton game?
-
I'd waited 35 years, from the age of 5, for Villa to get to an FA Cup final. And when we did, we didn't even try. Whatever good stuff Gregory did is totally undermined by that one disgraceful performance.
To say we didn't try is wrong. You don't get to an FA Cup Final and not try. It'd be much more apt to just say we were shit.
I disagree. We just didn't look interested in taking the game to Chelsea, it was like watching a McLeish team just trying to limit the damage.
Ok...but you're wrong. No player doesn't try in a FA Cup final. To suggest otherwise seems a bit silly.
I'm talking about as a team, tactically - it looked very much like we were set up not to lose rather than to try to win. Much Like McLeish did against various teams last season. Nice debating skills by the way. "you're wrong" wins it every time.
-
I may be wrong but my beer addled memory is telling me that it all started going wrong when he switched from a tracksuit to a proper suit on matchdays.
I remember thinking that at the time. We did fine during the time he used to show up in tracksuit bottoms tucked into white socks with the collar on his t-shirt turned up. We turned shit when he turned into David Dickinson and started wearing three piece suits and tank tops when it was warm.
I seem to remember him rediscovering his touch after being sent to the stands for a few games too. Didn't he then keep it up after his touchline ban ended such was our upturn in form?
-
Great interview, top man JG is.
At his best Dion would probably be worth £20 million these days, he was 57% as good as Carroll is at least !
-
His win record of 43% compares better to Mr O'Neill's and Brian Little's and is on a par with BFR's. I think that's quite good.
-
On stats alone he's one of the better Villa managers.
But I lost count of the number of people who stopped going- many of them long term season ticket holders- on his watch.
6th placed finishes and a (dismal) cup final was a solid, rather that spectacular return considering the financial backing he enjoyed at the time. He -like MON- frittered away the chance to really establish ourselves amongst the elite again. We might not get another chance.
-
People seem to forget we were shit in the semi v Bolton not just the final
Even the Leeds game we were poor but launched an epic comeback
-
Yes, we were unbelievably shit v. Bolton. We froze in open play but James was brilliant in the shoot-out. I believe we thought penalties was our best chance in the final, and it probably was.
-
I'd waited 35 years, from the age of 5, for Villa to get to an FA Cup final. And when we did, we didn't even try. Whatever good stuff Gregory did is totally undermined by that one disgraceful performance.
To say we didn't try is wrong. You don't get to an FA Cup Final and not try. It'd be much more apt to just say we were shit.
I disagree. We just didn't look interested in taking the game to Chelsea, it was like watching a McLeish team just trying to limit the damage.
Ok...but you're wrong. No player doesn't try in a FA Cup final. To suggest otherwise seems a bit silly.
I'm talking about as a team, tactically - it looked very much like we were set up not to lose rather than to try to win. Much Like McLeish did against various teams last season. Nice debating skills by the way. "you're wrong" wins it every time.
To be a debate I would have to listen and take on board your opinion, but it is of no consequence because you're wrong, so this is not deemed a debate.
I win, you lose ;)
-
I think the point about the surrender in the Cup Final is valid and his time here will allways be tainted by that.
If we had guven it a go and got beat then I think most of us would have said OK fair enough. But the tactics on the day were a disgrace.
-
That Chelsea side were far from invincible.
They had only just qualified for the CL for the first time the season before and were still prone to inconsistency.
There was also a feeling that -as good as they were going forward- their backline could be 'got at.' Dion had caused Desailly and Lebouef nightmares for Cov the season before. But we never tested the theory that afternoon, seemingly content to just pussy out of it and play for penalties.
-
I think the point about the surrender in the Cup Final is valid and his time here will allways be tainted by that.
If we had guven it a go and got beat then I think most of us would have said OK fair enough. But the tactics on the day were a disgrace.
And if we'd scraped a scrappy 1-0 win, everybody would have been ecstatic.
-
I think the point about the surrender in the Cup Final is valid and his time here will allways be tainted by that.
If we had guven it a go and got beat then I think most of us would have said OK fair enough. But the tactics on the day were a disgrace.
And if we'd scraped a scrappy 1-0 win, everybody would have been ecstatic.
But we didn't and we weren't and we stunk the place out and got what we deserved - beaten. 40 odd years of waiting and we get the opportunity that all Villa fans have hung out for and we dont make a genuine attempt to win the game. Shameful
-
I just remember it as a poor game, that was settled by a David James error in goal.
-
I just remember it as a poor game, that was settled by a David James error in goal.
That's as good a way to remember it as any other I suppose and the further away it gets then the more that becomes an accurate appraisal, but you know as well as I do Risso that we failed to step up to the plate that day in a way that didn't do the name of Aston Villa FC any credit
-
It certainly wasn't a classic, but I don't remember Chelsea being much more impressive. I suppose I'd just about rather get to a final and not win, then not get there at all, if that makes sense. We hadn't been in great form leading up to the final, I seem to remember.
-
Somebody mentioned previously on this thread the 3-2 comeback against arsenal at Christmas when the parachuting stunt went wrong. That was one of my favorite games watching villa (apart from the obvious) and I still respect Gregory for how he got us playing. However, I had my one and only season ticket in the last season of his reign and it was soul-destroying making the trek down from London in the second half of that season- terrible football. For that his memory will always be tainted for me.
Funnily was reading collymores autobiography recently and that match doesn't even warrant a mention in his villa section, the twat. Completely changed the course of the game when he came on and seems to have forgotten all about one of the best villa comebacks you're likely to see.
-
Good interview with Gregory on the OS, was this taken from Talksport?
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2915684,00.html
Comments on the FA Cup final and his relationship with Doug Ellis are very honest.
-
Interesting how he names SVC as the most talented player he ever worked with at Villa!
-
Interesting how he names SVC as the most talented player he ever worked with at Villa!
I don't think his talent was ever the problem really.
-
Good interview with Gregory on the OS, was this taken from Talksport?
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2915684,00.html
Comments on the FA Cup final and his relationship with Doug Ellis are very honest.
Really interesting and refreshingly honest that.
-
Great interview and Grego never shirked any answers- well worth reading.
-
Interesting how he names SVC as the most talented player he ever worked with at Villa!
I don't think his talent was ever the problem really.
Reading that bit made me think that, if anything, it makes his idiotic handling of the depression situation with Collymore even more of a rubbish piece of management.
-
Interesting how he names SVC as the most talented player he ever worked with at Villa!
I don't think his talent was ever the problem really.
Reading that bit made me think that, if anything, it makes his idiotic handling of the depression situation with Collymore even more of a rubbish piece of management.
Maybe if Gregory's managerial career had been 10-15 years down the line, he might have handled it better. Then again you could question how someone like Brian Clough would have handled him.
-
Interesting how he names SVC as the most talented player he ever worked with at Villa!
I don't think his talent was ever the problem really.
Reading that bit made me think that, if anything, it makes his idiotic handling of the depression situation with Collymore even more of a rubbish piece of management.
Possibly, but as others have said, while not condoning the actions, understanding of the condition was nowhere near as good back then as it is now. Similarly, how would people judge the club's handling of McGrath's alcoholism? I'm talking in terms of his well-being, rather than his performances on the pitch. Would he be treated differently these days I wonder? It's been a while since he read his book, but I got the impression that they did too much more to help him than ensuring he could play every week.
-
Interesting how he names SVC as the most talented player he ever worked with at Villa!
I don't think his talent was ever the problem really.
Reading that bit made me think that, if anything, it makes his idiotic handling of the depression situation with Collymore even more of a rubbish piece of management.
Maybe if Gregory's managerial career had been 10-15 years down the line, he might have handled it better. Then again you could question how someone like Brian Clough would have handled him.
It also doesn't help that mental condition not withstanding, Collymore was/is a cock of the highest order. How much of that was down to the depression is impossible to say I suppose, but he doesn't appear to be suffering now, but is still an almighty arse in my opinion.
-
His win record of 43% compares better to Mr O'Neill's and Brian Little's and is on a par with BFR's. I think that's quite good.
I've always thought Gregory and O'Neil were about level on what they did for us. Both spent lots and wasted lots. Both got to good positions in the league only to fade out. Both got to a cup final and were poor in it. Both walked out without really saying why.
-
His win record of 43% compares better to Mr O'Neill's and Brian Little's and is on a par with BFR's. I think that's quite good.
I've always thought Gregory and O'Neil were about level on what they did for us. Both spent lots and wasted lots. Both got to good positions in the league only to fade out. Both got to a cup final and were poor in it. Both walked out without really saying why.
I'm not sure we were poor in the 2010 Carling Cup Final, we were robbed by a poor decision from a gutless ref then got edged out by a better team. I never questioned the effort or desire in 2010 as I did in 2000.
-
His win record of 43% compares better to Mr O'Neill's and Brian Little's and is on a par with BFR's. I think that's quite good.
I've always thought Gregory and O'Neil were about level on what they did for us. Both spent lots and wasted lots. Both got to good positions in the league only to fade out. Both got to a cup final and were poor in it. Both walked out without really saying why.
I'm not sure we were poor in the 2010 Carling Cup Final, we were robbed by a poor decision from a gutless ref then got edged out by a better team. I never questioned the effort or desire in 2010 as I did in 2000.
I thought we were pretty piss poor in both the CCF and the FAC semi final.
Yes, we suffered from a shit decision by Phil Dowd, but bar the penalty, how many shots on target did we manage across the whole 180 minutes?
I reckon it's no more than two.
We were worse in 2000, yes, but those two Wembley appearances under MON were great days out, but we never really looked like winning either of them.
-
Interesting how he names SVC as the most talented player he ever worked with at Villa!
I don't think his talent was ever the problem really.
Reading that bit made me think that, if anything, it makes his idiotic handling of the depression situation with Collymore even more of a rubbish piece of management.
Maybe if Gregory's managerial career had been 10-15 years down the line, he might have handled it better. Then again you could question how someone like Brian Clough would have handled him.
It also doesn't help that mental condition not withstanding, Collymore was/is a cock of the highest order. How much of that was down to the depression is impossible to say I suppose, but he doesn't appear to be suffering now, but is still an almighty arse in my opinion.
If you read some of the stuff he's written about depression over the last year or so, he's definitely still suffering.
It's a valid point to look at how Clough would have dealt with it, but he was managing in the 1980s. Gregory was handling Collymore far more recently, and things had moved on considerably by then.
If you take away any personal aspect from it, in the sense of the personalities of the two men involved, it's really hard to conclude anything other than Gregory was dealt a difficult situation with a very talented player we'd paid a huge amount of money for, and managed it very poorly indeed.
-
Carbone and Joachim had a good run together during Dion's long absence. We suddenly found ourselves playing better football rather than trying to lump it
onto big Dion's nut. I thought we should have stuck with BC & JJ for the start of the final.
-
I still can't believe he signed Balaban for 6m without watching him. Christ.
-
His win record of 43% compares better to Mr O'Neill's and Brian Little's and is on a par with BFR's. I think that's quite good.
I've always thought Gregory and O'Neil were about level on what they did for us. Both spent lots and wasted lots. Both got to good positions in the league only to fade out. Both got to a cup final and were poor in it. Both walked out without really saying why.
True. Gregory was living the dream though. We were just a rung on the ladder for O'Neill.
-
I still can't believe he signed Balaban for 6m without watching him. Christ.
Little did the same with Savo didn't he?
-
And Grayhib.
-
Gregory that is.
-
I still can't believe he signed Balaban for 6m without watching him. Christ.
Little did the same with Savo didn't he?
Yes, Sir Brian saw Savo as well on video, but he didn't turn out too bad really.
-
and O'Neill with Salifou.
-
Thought O'Neill saw Salifou at the 2006 World Cup?
-
He watched him as a pundit, can't remember who against (Switzerland?).
About Dublin's price now - you can't use Carroll's fee as a benchmark because that has never and will never be understood by a rational person. It was a brainless, meaningless transfer.
How about Bent to Villa? Or Defoe's last transfer? Dublin would not command a higher fee then those players, and I reckon the same player in his prime now would fetch no more than 15m (which in itself is ludicrous, but there you go).
-
Thought O'Neill saw Salifou at the 2006 World Cup?
Yes, on the telly.
-
Thought O'Neill saw Salifou at the 2006 World Cup?
Yes, on the telly.
O Neill was a tv panellist for the bbc and over in germany for the tournament.
Pity of all the talent on show he decided Salifou was worth signing.
-
Kind of ironic that MON (not known for being frugal) comes back from a watching a tournament that traditionally sees players' values inflated on the back of a couple of good performances, and make one of his few relatively risk-free signings.
-
Kind of ironic that MON (not known for being frugal) comes back from a watching a tournament that traditionally sees players' values inflated on the back of a couple of good performances, and make one of his few relatively risk-free signings.
He made it on the last day of the transfer window, the year after though, I don't think it was a carefully considered purchase. Salifou is now playing he German third division isn't he?
-
i've only ever seen Pele, Maradona and Messi on a TV screen,
but i would still chance my arm and say they were players that could have or would do a job for Villa without me ever seeing them live
-
I guess what I'm getting at is that it didn't seem, from what Gregory says, that we really did due diligence on Balaban. I can understanding taking a couple of low cost gambles but I'm surprised Ellis as much as anything sanctioned 6m for such a deal.
-
I was quite excited before the 01-02 season, I actually thought Gregory had signed well for once.
That summer Mellberg, Schmeichel, Hadji, Kachoul, Balaban all signed.
Obviously we didn't know Balaban would be a dud but his stats were good, let's hope Benteke dosen't go the same way!
Mellberg WAS a great signing and he had a great partnership going with Alpay (all went wrong when we somehow lost at home to Leicester and Alpay broke his leg in that game)
Schmeichel came of mirrored our form. Started off the year in great knick but started throwing them in around xmas time and we sooned pensioned him off (he was very good for Man. City the next season).
Hadji and Kachoul were both solid premier league players who I thought would add a touch of creativity. In reality both became very expensive squad players and soon they weren't even making the bench so two Habib Beye's right there.
Interesting season though we had a great 3-1 win at Anfield, lost a 2-0 lead at Arsenal after playing great, JPA and Vassell were looking like a good partnership and we went top in that October at which point JG decided Muzzy Izzet was the last piece in the jigsaw. He left soon afterwards.
-
I still can't believe he signed Balaban for 6m without watching him. Christ.
Little did the same with Savo didn't he?
Yes, Sir Brian saw Savo as well on video, but he didn't turn out too bad really.
I think I remember hearing at the time that Venables had tipped Brian Little off about Savo and then came the video, or vice versa.
Not sure how reliable this memory is though.
-
I'm not sure Muzzy Izzet would have been the final piece of the jigsaw.
-
I'm not sure Muzzy Izzet would have been the final piece of the jigsaw.
I am sure muzzy izzet would not have been the final piece of the jigsaw.
-
I wonder if Juninho would have been.
-
I wonder if Juninho would have been.
Juninho and Robbie Keane may well have been .
-
I wonder if Juninho would have been.
Juninho and Robbie Keane may well have been .
I was gutted when we missed out on both of those. Though, we may not have signed one or both of Merson and Dublin if we had signed Keane and perhaps Juninho couldn't have played in the same team as Merson?
We did always seem to be just a player short of being excellent, under both Little and Gregory, between mid 1995-2001 or so. Then we were just mediocre for a few years until Randy took over.
Can anybody remember if attendances improved after Gregory left?
-
Just found the answer myself here http://www.stadium-attendances.com/Aston%20Villa,historical,attendances.html
Hard to believe we were getting much better attendances under GT II and O'Dreary than when JG was at the helm.
-
Yes they did. In his final season we were often under 30K while he was here, after he left our lowest for the rest of the season was 32K which was the only one under 35K.
-
I was so disappointed when doug went for Gregory , I was hoping for terry venables at the time and Greg was very much a cheap option.
-
Judging on how he's gotten on since, we probably dodged a bullet with venables, though was he ever actually in the running?
-
I think I wanted Gullit at the time, I was only 11.
-
Judging on how he's gotten on since, we probably dodged a bullet with venables, though was he ever actually in the running?
Favourite with some bookies and available at the time, having left the England job the previous season I think.
-
Gullit was linked along with Platt as player coach in 1998.
But I think that centered largely on them being teammates at Sampdoria for a bit, Gullit being freshly out of work having recently got the bullet at Chelsea and Platt being an ex player of ours.
In his book JG said Stever Stride had put his name forward almost as soon as Sir Brian was out the door, suggesting there were no other real candidates. But then he would say that, wouldn't he.
-
Gullit was linked along with Platt as player coach in 1998.
But I think that centered largely on them being teammates at Sampdoria for a bit, Gullit being freshly out of work having recently got the bullet at Chelsea and Platt being an ex player of ours.
In his book JG said Stever Stride had put his name forward almost as soon as Sir Brian was out the door, suggesting there were no other real candidates. But then he would say that, wouldn't he.
He was certainly appointed very quickly and his name was mentioned by a Villa staff member at the Little resignation press conference
-
Gullit was linked along with Platt as player coach in 1998.
But I think that centered largely on them being teammates at Sampdoria for a bit, Gullit being freshly out of work having recently got the bullet at Chelsea and Platt being an ex player of ours.
In his book JG said Stever Stride had put his name forward almost as soon as Sir Brian was out the door, suggesting there were no other real candidates. But then he would say that, wouldn't he.
He was certainly appointed very quickly and his name was mentioned by a Villa staff member at the Little resignation press conference
I think doug probably saw Gregory as a cheaper option and a bit of yes man, in hindsight I think if venables had got the job he and doug would have soon fallen out.
-
Hard to believe we were getting much better attendances under GT II and O'Dreary than when JG was at the helm.
All I have to do is remember how the football was during the latter part of JG's reign and it isn't that hard.
-
We finished 5th in 1996/97, so -on the face of it- you couldn't say there was a huge decline in fortunes.
But there was a suggestion that Cheeky Chappie JG was the perfect foil for the more introspective and thoughtful Little, and that when times eventually got tough and we went through a bad run JG wasn't there to lighten the mood having left for the Wycombe job towards the end of 1996. The players missed having him around. That makes him sound more like a court jester than a coach, but you get what I mean. Different elements to a dressingroom et.c
Would help to explain our upturn in fortune in the second half of 1998, to an extent. Just a shame that his ego ran riot and he started to think he was Lambert Big Bollocks when he was calling the shots.
I'm not one to excuse Herbert, but on that one I don't think that appointment was purely about the cheap option. The money JG was allowed to spend/ fritter away seems at odds with that.
-
I'm not one to excuse Herbert, but on that one I don't think that appointment was purely about the cheap option. The money JG was allowed to spend/ fritter away seems at odds with that.
It was the one time in all our lives when we had plenty of money.
-
I'm not one to excuse Herbert, but on that one I don't think that appointment was purely about the cheap option. The money JG was allowed to spend/ fritter away seems at odds with that.
It was the one time in all our lives when we had plenty of money.
.....and relative to nearly everybody else, which was the main thing.
-
Hard to believe we were getting much better attendances under GT II and O'Dreary than when JG was at the helm.
All I have to do is remember how the football was during the latter part of JG's reign and it isn't that hard.
Yes the football was dire but we were a bit more successful under Gregory than his two immediate successors (save that 6th place finish under DOL in '04).
-
I'm not one to excuse Herbert, but on that one I don't think that appointment was purely about the cheap option. The money JG was allowed to spend/ fritter away seems at odds with that.
It was the one time in all our lives when we had plenty of money.
Not all the time. The infamous pound signs protest happened under his management.
In hindsight losing the cup final should've been the end of the road as pretty much half the squad put in transfer requests (Joachim, Southgate, James, Merson, Ehiogu etc>) after that game but I believe JG was given a new contract just before that game.
Did lead to probably the most mind-numbing season I've watched Villa play. I usually have a computerised memory of Villa results but with 2000/01 season I'm really struggling given how non-descript it was. Apart from relegating Coventry at the end and a Merson wonder goal at Everton (maybe described by D.Woodhall on fanzone) I'm really struggling to remember anything else of that season!?
-
No more non-descript than the following season or a couple of others over the past decade. That mad referee in the Celta Vigo Intertoto game at the Hawthorns as the Trinity Road stand had it's face uplifted and backside destroyed.
Nilis' glory goal in the Cup final rematch at Villa Park. If only we'd had him three months earlier or the following nine months...The pound signs in November when we beat Spurs 2-0 and sat pretty in the top five. Ginola hitting back at Gregory's assertion that he was too flabby with a late equaliser at home to Man City before Christmas. Before being hauled-off at half time the following month, 0-3 down to Liverpool. Angel finally arriving after red tape threatened to scupper the deal, then struggling with the pace of the game and the club not fully supporting him off it. Joachim, having been subjected to a fair bit of jeering throughout the season after handing in a transfer request the previous summer, showed some of his intermittent promise with two great goals in a win over flavour of the month Ipswich. I remember Southgate being great in that game as indeed he was for most of the season after his move to Chelsea had fallen through the previous summer. We then went on a nice scoring run in the spring. A decent win at Maine Road while Carlos Tevez was being raised by wolves in Patagonia. Finally beating bastard Leicester at Villa Park in April, Hendrie, in one of his rare goalscoring purple patches, with the winner. And then a last-gasp 3-3 at Charlton, the Coventry/JPA/Merson game and rounding it all off with an abject last day performance at Newcastle with Daveed being subbed and leaving in a strop at the place where he had once been a hero. A fair bit of frustration and dross in between but not uneventful on the whole.
-
Hard to believe we were getting much better attendances under GT II and O'Dreary than when JG was at the helm.
All I have to do is remember how the football was during the latter part of JG's reign and it isn't that hard.
Yes the football was dire but we were a bit more successful under Gregory than his two immediate successors (save that 6th place finish under DOL in '04).
Gregory had all but sold the family silver. Each of his successors had a bit of a wedge to buy a striker but that was about it. Welcome to the club messrs Gudjohnson, Kinsella, Bakke and Leonhardsen and whoever else we found cheap.
We still hadn't recovered by 2006 when RL took over. At least we are showing a bit of life sooner this time around.
-
Leonhardsen was signed by GT after he read the match programme at spurs and remembered that he played there but hadn't seen him in a while.
-
Eamonn, that is a brilliant synopsis of that season....I'd love to read your thoughts on each season since then!!
-
dodged a bullet by not signing juninho tbh
-
dodged a bullet by not signing juninho tbh
I thought he was brilliant for Boro
-
First time round he was.
-
when he
dodged a bullet by not signing juninho tbh
I thought he was brilliant for Boro
he was in his first spell - he went back on loan to boro about 6 months after we were in for him and he was a shadow of his former self
and then when he returned properly he still wasnt a patch on the player he was first ime
-
Eamonn, that is a brilliant synopsis of that season....I'd love to read your thoughts on each season since then!!
Tá fáilte romhat. Had to double-check a couple of things on soccerbase but remembered most of the stuff fairly well. I'd struggle a bit with the following year and O'Leary's second season, '04/'05.
From the early 90's onwards, like yourself I imagine, my memory of where I was/what I was doing on a particular date is guided completely by recalling Villa's game on that particular day.
-
Eamonn, that is a brilliant synopsis of that season....I'd love to read your thoughts on each season since then!!
...but with paragraphs.
-
Eamonn, that is a brilliant synopsis of that season....I'd love to read your thoughts on each season since then!!
Tá fáilte romhat. Had to double-check a couple of things on soccerbase but remembered most of the stuff fairly well. I'd struggle a bit with the following year and O'Leary's second season, '04/'05.
From the early 90's onwards, like yourself I imagine, my memory of where I was/what I was doing on a particular date is guided completely by recalling Villa's game on that particular day.
Go raibh maith agat. It sure is, as may have been revealed by that off topic post I made back in April! However, I am a bit sketchy after 2001, until 2003. They were my teenage angst years!
I'm hoping that I will simply forget last season though....However, I have a feeling it will be one of the seasons I will recall most vividly. Particularly the night I came back to my place from a date and started obsessing about how bad we were at Old Trafford.
-
Its funny because I always see a heavy defeat at man u as a catalyst for a great run seeing as it happened once in either 04-05 or 05-06. O'leary's first season. we were humped 4-0 (maybe 1 but i think 0) and we were bottom 3. I thought we were doomed and then went on a run up to 6th.
-
Its funny because I always see a heavy defeat at man u as a catalyst for a great run seeing as it happened once in either 04-05 or 05-06. O'leary's first season. we were humped 4-0 (maybe 1 but i think 0) and we were bottom 3. I thought we were doomed and then went on a run up to 6th.
December '03.
-
Two goals each from RVN & Forlan (I think so).
Barry got one back in the traditional FA Cup 3rd round only for cheeky Scholes to score his share of two goals.
-
Well, if you think Gregory's admission that Stan Collymore was the most talented player he ever worked with was a surprise, what about this!
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2921793,00.html
-
Well, if you think Gregory's admission that Stan Collymore was the most talented player her ever worked with was a surprise, what about this!
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2921793,00.html
Well that's a surprise.
-
Unfortunate with the difficulties SVC had, with more stable time and maybe better understanding about his depression he could've been great player for us.
-
Unfortunate with the difficulties SVC had, with more stable time and maybe better understanding about his depression he could've been great player for us.
Ok it's not maybe the modern way of thinking but Collymore can feck right off as far as i'm concerned. Every time he mentions "My beloved Aston Villa" I think back to seeing him stroll around the pitch not giving a shit. Gregory did well getting £250k for that waste of space.
-
Unfortunate with the difficulties SVC had, with more stable time and maybe better understanding about his depression he could've been great player for us.
Ok it's not maybe the modern way of thinking but Collymore can feck right off as far as i'm concerned. Every time he mentions "My beloved Aston Villa" I think back to seeing him stroll around the pitch not giving a shit. Gregory did well getting £250k for that waste of space.
I agree and I'm unconvinced he suffered depression for all of the time he was at Villa. We should have got shot of him in Summer 98 - there would have been some mugs who would have given us 3-4m, at the time.
Anyone who beats up women doesn't get a grain of respect from me.