Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Match Threads & Player Ratings => Topic started by: Smirker on November 27, 2021, 09:51:53 PM
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Wednesday 1st December, kick off 8:15pm. Live on Prime.
Should be a goodun 8)
I can see it now, Joe has a terrible return and we nick the three points. The fans are loving it and it is a standout moment of the season.
If not that then he misses the game with a 'knock' and we lose 4-1.
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This is terrible why have you done this? Folklore says that next match thread should never be started on current match day. Licky Hills will erupt tonight.
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I'm excited mate I can't help it.
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Give us a P. Give us an O. Give us an L. Give us another L.
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0-2.
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I'd happily take a mind-numbing 0-0 right now.
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BV, I would take that as well but think we’ll need to score at least 2 to get a draw from this one.
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Give us a P. Give us an O. Give us an L. Give us another L.
Up now, voted optimistically for a draw.
Now give us a J. Give us an A. Give us a C. Give us a......ouch!
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Aston Villa 2 Ratty Bs Man City 1
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Am I OK to post the pre match threads after the previous game has ayed or do you want me to wait a bit? I just look forward to the games ;D
VP should be rocking for this, really excited for it. I voted for the win.
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Crikey can't we enjoy this win for at least 24 hours.
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Here's hoping we spunk all over the bastards.
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3 0
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Fred flintstone to spontaneously combust if there are any tickets left. He then raises the 20000 on the waiting list to complain.
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Will Fab Delph be watching on with interest?
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I have a dream that after a convincing win with Grealish having a nightmare the Holte end breaks into a rendition of who's sorry now. ( The lyrics are very appropriate).
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Disappointing Thread title.
Who the fuck are Manchester City?
What about Plastic Billionaire Ratboy super club?
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Doesn't someone who plays for them have brittle shins?
No respect please Villa for any of them. Get into them fk them up!
UTV!
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Can't see us getting hammered, but win for them. 1-3 with a late goal making it look a bit easier than it was. Mind they do stumble occasionally, palace, spurs etc.. Nowt to lose on this one as we've got a decent points buffer of 4 between us and 18th whatever happens with Burnley today.
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Fred flintstone to spontaneously combust if there are any tickets left. He then raises the 20000 on the waiting list to complain.
It's a disgrace, there were about 1000 left yesterday before the game.
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As someone with an unashamed deep-rooted pathological hatred of that club I hope the coach breaks down on the M6 and the fucking lot of 'em have to walk from West Brom and fucking freeze to within an inch of their worthless lives and lose 4:0 and then endure the whole nightmarish experience again on the way back to Cheshire or wherever they live only to find squatters have moved in and changed the locks.
Other than that I'd be fairly happy with a draw.
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Greasy not in the Man City squad today. Got to be very doubtful for our game I guess.
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They could be saving Ratboy for a more special occasion.
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Aye, PPV confrontation between him, Emily Atack and the bird from Love Island. You'd want him fully fit for that.
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Yes, rumours about his personal life are getting in the way of his football again. Or, probably a groin strain injury this time?
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Fred flintstone to spontaneously combust if there are any tickets left. He then raises the 20000 on the waiting list to complain.
Ther will be negativity.
That's a given.
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Dean Ref and Friend on VAR. We're fucked.
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Got a feeling we’ll get a 1-0 win. At the very least we should be coming into this game with masses of confidence and belief. And if Grealish plays any part let’s absolutely boo the roof of Villa Park so he knows what a Judas he is
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Got a bad feeling about this one BUT it's a bit of a free hit! Expected defeat, draw would be absolutely fantastic.
let's hope those final seats are snapped up by the 20,000 in the next couple of days, be a bit demoralising for the new Head Coach who is used to a packed ibrox every match to see empty spaces in the stands.
Looks like it's going to be another cold night with temperatures close to freezing later on in the Evening
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Dean Ref and Friend on VAR. We're fucked.
Oh fucking hell.
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Got a bad feeling about this one BUT it's a bit of a free hit! Expected defeat, draw would be absolutely fantastic.
let's hope those final seats are snapped up by the 20,000 in the next couple of days, be a bit demoralising for the new Head Coach who is used to a packed ibrox every match to see empty spaces in the stands.
Looks like it's going to be another cold night with temperatures close to freezing later on in the Evening
Cold night you say? Freezing temperatures? It's a disgrace. Come on everybody fuck being warm and watching on TV. Get yourselves out.
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Dean Ref and Friend on VAR. We're fucked.
Oh fucking hell.
Dean's a media whore. He'll get more attention if he wrongs one of theirs. Friend is a C-word though.
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Dean Ref and Friend on VAR. We're fucked.
may as forfeit now and take a 3-0 defeat - saves the players fitness
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Got a feeling we’ll get a 1-0 win. At the very least we should be coming into this game with masses of confidence and belief. And if Grealish plays any part let’s absolutely boo the roof of Villa Park so he knows what a Judas he is
I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of booing him! He'll love it.
I would suggest a complete blanking of him.
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Got a feeling we’ll get a 1-0 win. At the very least we should be coming into this game with masses of confidence and belief. And if Grealish plays any part let’s absolutely boo the roof of Villa Park so he knows what a Judas he is
I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of booing him! He'll love it.
I would suggest a complete blanking of him.
In an ideal world this would be the course of action. However, given the number of superior, sycophantic berks who'll no doubt cheer and clap the blister a counter-response will need to be parachuted in.
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JG is all about brand Grealish, Social media likes, attention. Booing him will/would play directly into him.
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JG is all about brand Grealish, Social media likes, attention. Booing him will/would play directly into him.
Yep . Totally ignore him ..we are Aston Vjlla and he isnt.
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I don't know if it's been mentioned but does anyone know why it's an 8:15 kick off?
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I don't know if it's been mentioned but does anyone know why it's an 8:15 kick off?
Amazon.
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Dean Ref and Friend on VAR. We're fucked.
Fucking hell. The perfect storm……of villa hating tossers.
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Dean Ref and Friend on VAR. We're fucked.
Fucking hell. The perfect storm……of villa hating tossers.
With Grealish coming back, plus the officials it's like a shoal of ****** descending on Villa Park. I hope we fucking smash them and their tedious brand of football.
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As if the Man City player will come back from an injury this quickly. He'll be gone till the spring.
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Laportes banned and stones may not make it so could be dias and ake at cb. Also as well as grealish KDB doubtful.
We will probably lose but be delighted with a point.
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A shite fixture - you just don’t see the ball for minutes on end.
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It's a bad enough fixture without it being such a late KO. I hate League games where just "holding your own" is more or less the aim, it gives you little to look forward to. If Joe is absent I think that will be a good thing for us, his presence will introduce even more negativity where we could do without it.
Of course football has the element of surprise so I'll stick my neck out for a draw but that is in desperate hope rather than sort of confidence.
1-1
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Nobody really believes Grealish will play do they. All he needs is a paper cut on his little finger to excuse himself. Anyway they have plenty of worldies in the squad they won't need him. 2-0 to Villa.
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Nobody really believes Grealish will play do they. All he needs is a paper cut on his little finger to excuse himself. Anyway they have plenty of worldies in the squad they won't need him. 2-0 to Villa.
I think the poor little love has some girlfriend troubles and we would not want him to suffer any more would we?
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Jacks been "training" by himself at city, stinks of his shin stuff again
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I dont think jack would miss this game if he genuinely wasnt injured. Despite what he did to us, he loved the big games. The derbies esp at the sty where he would get shit loads of abuse he loved it.
He wont care about a few boos at villa park. Tbh i think alot of people would give him a good reception. It would be mixed i think.
The shin injury i think has creeped back
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No way he plays on Wednesday. Most of us knew this would be the case the second he jumped onto that money train.
Oh, and bollocks to the negativity... I hope the Villa players that Joe dumped in the summer want to prove him wrong and smash it right back in his gormless face. I'm going for a barnstorming 3-1 Villa Win.
*and on the very slim chance that 'he' does play, I hope that either Mings, Cash, Marv or McGinn (or all of the aforementioned) give him a special brand of 'Welcome back to Villa Park'. 💪🏻
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There wouldn't be much chance to smash him in his new colours as he's not allowed to dribble anymore.
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A shite fixture - you just don’t see the ball for minutes on end.
Well Gerrard has made a big improvement with our shape and discipline and its plain to see from our first two game's were not afraid to let the other team have the ball in areas we want them to have. Its difficult as fans to recognise this and we did get a bit disgruntled when Brighton had the ball for large patches but we have to be patient like the team.
Admittedly this is a step up and the important part is, can we do something when Manchester City have the ball in areas that will hurt us.
Our chances will be limited so Ollie will need to take a half chance when it comes his way.
Like many have said Gerrard has given us the platform for a free shot and a few weeks ago I would have been apprehensive to say the least but I have a bit of confidence that we can get something from this.
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A shite fixture - you just don’t see the ball for minutes on end.
A bit like Brighton then. Only a bit mind.
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Whatever we might think of him, there's no way he will miss this if he's fit. Short memories and that but he thrived on the hostility of opposing fans. Let's not forget being punched at the Sty then getting up to score.
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Different thing. He expected rivals fans to hate him. He had god knows how many years of golden boy status and as someone who we turned a blind eye to his misdemeanors. He obviously hasn't coped well with losing that status as his twitter has shown. Nothing personal to the little shit but we should exploit it - certainly no leg breaking tackles but i'd be disappointed if we don't target him for a little roughhousing and playing to the gallery. As I said on his own thread, get SJM to clip his heals first 5 minutes, make diving gestures to the ref, get the crowd wound up.
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Whatever we might think of him, there's no way he will miss this if he's fit.
Unfortunately for him, he’s not the first name on the team sheet any more, and he’s got a manager who can manage just fine without him, thank you very much.
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Something I believe everybody can agree with..
To the tune of 'What shall we do with the drunken sailor'
What have you done with our Jack Grealish
What have you done with our Jack Grealish
What have you done with our Jack Grealish
Now he's fu*kin' shite!
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Grealish, where's your soul?
Grealish, Grealish where's your soul?
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Grealish, where's your soul?
Grealish, Grealish where's your soul?
Like
But also "One Greedy bastard, there's only one Greedy bastard"
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You’re just a shit Leon Bailey, shit Leon Baaaaiiiiiilllley.
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Dean Ref and Friend on VAR. We're fucked.
Yep
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Seems like everybody's got a price
I wonder how they sleep at night
When the sale comes first and the Villa come second
Just stop for a minute and smile
Why is everybody so serious?
Acting so damn mysterious
Got shades on your eyes
And your boots so tight that you can't even have a good time
Leon Bailey is on our left
Emi Buendia on our right
Can you feel, yeah
We're playing with love tonight
It's all about the money, money, money
You just want the money, money, money
We just wanna make the world dance
Forget about the price tag
S'all about the, uh, cha-ching cha-ching
S'all about the, yeah, b-bling b-bling
Wanna make the world dance
It's all about the price tag
We need to take it back in time
When Villa made us all unite
And it wasn't low blows and video hoes
Am I the only the one getting tired?
Why is everybody so obsessed?
Money can't buy us happiness
Can we all slow down and enjoy right now?
Guarantee Villa will be alright
Leon Bailey is on our left
Emi Buendia is on our right
Can you feel, yeah
We're playing with love tonight
It's all about the money, money, money
We don't need your money, money, money
We just wanna make the world dance
It's all about the price tag
Ain't about the, uh, cha-ching cha-ching
Ain't about the, yeah, b-bling b-bling
Wanna make the world dance
It's all about the price tag
La, la la la la la, ey
La, la la la la la, ey
La, la la la la la, ey
Price tag
La, la la la la la, ey
La, la la la la la, ey
La, la la la la la, ey
Price tag
It's all about the money, money, money
We don't need your money, money, money
We just wanna make the world dance
It's all about the price tag
Ain't about the, uh, cha-ching cha-ching
Ain't about the, yeah, b-bling b-bling
Wanna make the world dance
It's all about the price tag
Ahh, ahh, ahh, ahh, yeah yeah
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Forget about the price tag
Ahh, ahh
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Fuck me.
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Come back Glenn Peen, all is forgiven.
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Some things you just can't unsee...
Not got high hopes if I'm honest. Will take any positives that come from what is likely to be a 1-3 defeat. Good luck lads. I hate playing City.
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The fact that they have injuries worries me. Everyone in that squad possibly bar the keepers would walk into our first 11. The players coming in for City will have something to prove.
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I'm clutching at straws and hoping the extra day's rest will help us towards the end of the game.
Villa to cause an upset and win in the last 20mins, 1-0.
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Despite the Pep years, I've never seen them dominate us more than the first half under Lambert at home, we had Kozak up front with Weiman. We barely touched the ball but inexplicably won the game with that Joe Hart howler.
So it can happen.
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Different thing. He expected rivals fans to hate him. He had god knows how many years of golden boy status and as someone who we turned a blind eye to his misdemeanors. He obviously hasn't coped well with losing that status as his twitter has shown. Nothing personal to the little shit but we should exploit it - certainly no leg breaking tackles but i'd be disappointed if we don't target him for a little roughhousing and playing to the gallery. As I said on his own thread, get SJM to clip his heals first 5 minutes, make diving gestures to the ref, get the crowd wound up.
I'm not sure the players will feel the same way as the fans though; I'd imagine McGinn's still mates with him. It'll be fierce but ultimately friendly, so there'll be tough challenges but doubt we'll see any diving gestures.
I don't think he'll be fit anyway.
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You’re just a shit Leon Bailey, shit Leon Baaaaiiiiiilllley.
AEG is better than the shit Leon Bailey we have seen so far...At this stage last season Grealish was arguably the best player in the division on form. Likes of Bailey/Buendia/Ings individually and collectively have an awful long way to go to remotely cover his loss.
Am surprised that City/Guardiola kept playing him 1-2 games per week early on given the shin problem he had last season and this summer. Thought one of the benefits of moving to City was that they would be able to manage his playing load a lot better...
Decent time for us to being playing them. They are missing a lot and we pretty much have a fully fit squad. Need the first goal though, otherwise we won't be able to get close to them. Will be interesting to see what front 3 Gerrard selects, think it's a game for Bailey to drop out for.
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You’re just a shit Lee Hendrie, shit Lee Hendrieeeeeeeeee.
Followed by a gutsy rendition of 'My old Man Said'.
And, if we're winning' 'Ratboy, what's the score? Ratoy Ratboy what's the score'.
'
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I could see Bailey's pace being just what we need in this game, maybe coming on later.
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1-2 I really hope we win but...
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Like to think I’m usually pretty rational, but these fuckers can take a walk. Preferably through the fiery pits of hell, in bare feet, with the hands of the dead reaching out and strangling the last drops of life from their wretched, corporate, empty club.
Other than that I hope everyone has a pleasant evening and we win the game of football.
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You’re just a shit Lee Hendrie, shit Lee Hendrieeeeeeeeee.
Followed by a gutsy rendition of 'My old Man Said'.
And, if we're winning' 'Ratboy, what's the score? Ratoy Ratboy what's the score'.
I like "You used to play for a big club, play for a big club " , and "You could have been a legend, you could have been a legend"
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It’s hard not to think back to the early days of last season, when I was confident that we could take on the best.
At the moment I’m prematurely expecting the worst, partly because I’m struggling to see the effect of our new signings.
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We are going to tear them apart.
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Villa 2 - City 1.
Grealish compound cock fracture.
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Villa 2 - City 1.
Grealish compound cock fracture.
Anterior Cruciate Banjostring Damage.
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Probably a narrow defeat but another good performance and loads to build on for Leicester.
Our defence going to have to play well again but worry they'll expose us at full back so really interested what SG produces in midfield area, certainly need SJM and Ramsey to get wide and help out Cash and Targett. Think Young will stay in aswell.
2-3. Laporte is suspended so our best hope is that Stones falls over again like he did in the cup final.
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A draw would be a great result in this one.
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Cant go to this as ironically up in Manchester for a training course with work, so feel a tad disengaged from it. Also never really expect us to get anything from playing them. Guessing it will be difficult to watch in the pub or hotel as its on Amazon.
We’ve beaten all of the so called sky super 6 since we’ve back up, except this lot, would love to be surprised tomorrow.
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Despite the Pep years, I've never seen them dominate us more than the first half under Lambert at home, we had Kozak up front with Weiman. We barely touched the ball but inexplicably won the game with that Joe Hart howler.
So it can happen.
That game was daylight robbery. Superb.
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lambert interview ' its not like Brad just launched it for the 3rd goal ' errr I think he did Paul
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You’re just a shit Lee Hendrie, shit Lee Hendrieeeeeeeeee.
Followed by a gutsy rendition of 'My old Man Said'.
And, if we're winning' 'Ratboy, what's the score? Ratoy Ratboy what's the score'.
I like "You used to play for a big club, play for a big club " , and "You could have been a legend, you could have been a legend"
Or for anyone over the age of five how about just getting behind the players wearing claret and blue.
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Villa 2 - City 1.
Grealish compound cock fracture.
Anterior Cruciate Banjostring Damage.
Nobody wants banjo string damage. Believe me.
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Or for anyone over the age of five how about just getting behind the players wearing claret and blue.
Be sure to tell everybody at the ground that singing songs to wind up the opposition isn't allowed.
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Or for anyone over the age of five how about just getting behind the players wearing claret and blue.
Be sure to tell everybody at the ground that singing songs to wind up the opposition isn't allowed.
Are you seriously telling me that chanting “you used to play for a big club’ would wind an opponent up? Come off it.
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I don't think he will be fit by the sounds of it, but expect he might start if he is anywhere near ready.
Water under the bridge now, but I still think there would have been a bit of him that was sad to leave the club, yet felt it was something he had to do and he made his decision.
If he does play, I would rather he is largely ignored than have abuse aimed at him. With the arrival of Steven Gerrard and after the start we have made under him, it feels like we have finally moved on from him.
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More interested in the Villa line up, it would not suprise me if he makes changes from Saturday with Luiz fit and Ings as an option. Bailey may be back on the bench with El Ghazi starting.
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More interested in the Villa line up, it would not suprise me if he makes changes from Saturday with Luiz fit and Ings as an option. Bailey may be back on the bench with El Ghazi starting.
I would be fine with El Ghazi starting on the proviso that if he's clearly not on it after 15 minutes, he's hooked, as we'll know by then that he'll do nothing (penalties notwithstanding. But, looking at the officials, we ain't getting one of them)!
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Free hit, few injuries for them… 1-3 it is then. I’d be really happy with a point, but despite our upturn with SG, can’t really see it. Maybe chuck some kids in? Carney, JPB?
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More interested in the Villa line up, it would not suprise me if he makes changes from Saturday with Luiz fit and Ings as an option. Bailey may be back on the bench with El Ghazi starting.
I would be fine with El Ghazi starting on the proviso that if he's clearly not on it after 15 minutes, he's hooked, as we'll know by then that he'll do nothing (penalties notwithstanding. But, looking at the officials, we ain't getting one of them)!
What a waste of a sub that would be so early on though. Silly suggestion, sorry.
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More interested in the Villa line up, it would not suprise me if he makes changes from Saturday with Luiz fit and Ings as an option. Bailey may be back on the bench with El Ghazi starting.
I would be fine with El Ghazi starting on the proviso that if he's clearly not on it after 15 minutes, he's hooked, as we'll know by then that he'll do nothing (penalties notwithstanding. But, looking at the officials, we ain't getting one of them)!
What a waste of a sub that would be so early on though. Silly suggestion, sorry.
It wasn't a serious suggestion. I think he ought to be on the bench (serious suggestion).
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It's not a free hit and certainly not a game to give the kids a run out. We can win, and should be aiming to. We've players that can score, we've ceded over 60% possession in the last two and won, we seem to have new manager bounce.
We should be aiming for a win.
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We did beat the Champions of England 7-2 last season, a sneaky 2-1 victory should be in our grasp !
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I think with the wave of confidence flowing through the team gives us a great chance. The atmosphere will be something else.
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lambert interview ' its not like Brad just launched it for the 3rd goal ' errr I think he did Paul
El Ahamadi goal would've been disallowed for offside nowadays. Nice free kick from Bacuna though in that short spell when he was a mildly useful player.
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It's not a free hit and certainly not a game to give the kids a run out. We can win, and should be aiming to. We've players that can score, we've ceded over 60% possession in the last two and won, we seem to have new manager bounce.
We should be aiming for a win.
Exactly this. If ever there was a game to play your strongest team, this is it. They are a seriously good side, albeit missing one or two players (hopefully). But they do get beat from time to time and we are due a good gam v these.
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I
It's not a free hit and certainly not a game to give the kids a run out. We can win, and should be aiming to. We've players that can score, we've ceded over 60% possession in the last two and won, we seem to have new manager bounce.
We should be aiming for a win.
Exactly this. If ever there was a game to play your strongest team, this is it. They are a seriously good side, albeit missing one or two players (hopefully). But they do get beat from time to time and we are due a good gam v these.
I doubt he knows yet what is his strongest team. I’m expecting a couple of changes, for example is Young up to another start at his age, might he make a swap for Bailey?
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yeah wouldn't be surprised if Ings starts (if fit). Buendia maybe.
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if we can keep an unlikely clean sheet, we will win.
UTV
The Doc
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if we can keep an unlikely clean sheet, we will win.
UTV
The Doc
Or draw.
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They weren't all that against west ham. I thought Moyes rather raised the white flag with his formation
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Be interesting to see if he persists with Watkins or tries Ings (if fit) out.
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Despite the Pep years, I've never seen them dominate us more than the first half under Lambert at home, we had Kozak up front with Weiman. We barely touched the ball but inexplicably won the game with that Joe Hart howler.
So it can happen.
That game was daylight robbery. Superb.
Think we drew 0-0 the year we were relegated too. Seem to remember De Bruyne falling over his own feet, instead of tapping the ball into an empty net.
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Apologies but couldn’t see correct thread for this. With the ongoing issues with trains after the game can anyone suggest where to park before the game. Coming in from South Brum.
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Apologies but couldn’t see correct thread for this. With the ongoing issues with trains after the game can anyone suggest where to park before the game. Coming in from South Brum.
Depends on what way you come in (ie straight through town, M5 or M6), how far you're prepared to walk and how early you're able to get there
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Peps said kvb is back but probably missing as needs ti build fitness after covid
Foden andbgrealish back in training. Foden ruined us last season so be glad to see him out but expect him and grealish to be in squad
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if we can keep an unlikely clean sheet, we will win.
UTV
The Doc
Or draw.
yep that too :)
UTV
The Doc
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I don't think he will be fit by the sounds of it, but expect he might start if he is anywhere near ready.
Water under the bridge now, but I still think there would have been a bit of him that was sad to leave the club, yet felt it was something he had to do and he made his decision.
If he does play, I would rather he is largely ignored than have abuse aimed at him. With the arrival of Steven Gerrard and after the start we have made under him, it feels like we have finally moved on from him.
Bollocks to that, if he turns up he'll be getting dogs abuse from me.
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I don't think he will be fit by the sounds of it, but expect he might start if he is anywhere near ready.
Water under the bridge now, but I still think there would have been a bit of him that was sad to leave the club, yet felt it was something he had to do and he made his decision.
If he does play, I would rather he is largely ignored than have abuse aimed at him. With the arrival of Steven Gerrard and after the start we have made under him, it feels like we have finally moved on from him.
Bollocks to that, if he turns up he'll be getting dogs abuse from me.
And me.
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Ings is out then. From Gerrard's comments about managing Young, he might not start this one I reckon.
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After reading that Torygraph puff piece in which Joe bangs on about how close he came to leaving three years in a row I hope he gets absolute dog's abuse from every corner of Villa Park. And I hope Purslow never, ever invites him to any of our games again. He's a Judas.
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After reading that Torygraph puff piece in which Joe bangs on about how close he came to leaving three years in a row I hope he gets absolute dog's abuse from every corner of Villa Park. And I hope Purslow never, ever invites him to any of our games again. He's a Judas.
I hope he does. I'll chuck a half time cup of coffee over his £1,000 My Little Pony trainers.
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After reading that Torygraph puff piece in which Joe bangs on about how close he came to leaving three years in a row I hope he gets absolute dog's abuse from every corner of Villa Park. And I hope Purslow never, ever invites him to any of our games again. He's a Judas.
I hope he does. I'll chuck a half time cup of coffee over his £1,000 My Little Pony trainers.
Brilliant!
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Ings is out then. From Gerrard's comments about managing Young, he might not start this one I reckon.
Out or injured and on the bench like he was on Saturday?
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So, the music played over the tannoys tomorrow should include tracks like Dirty Cash; Money, Money, Money; Pricetag; Money, That's What I Want;
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So, the music played over the tannoys tomorrow should include tracks like Dirty Cash; Money, Money, Money; Pricetag; Money, That's What I Want;
Plus “Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more, no more, no more, no more”.
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So, the music played over the tannoys tomorrow should include tracks like Dirty Cash; Money, Money, Money; Pricetag; Money, That's What I Want;
Plus “Hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more, no more, no more, no more”.
:D
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Please Release Me.
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Apologies but couldn’t see correct thread for this. With the ongoing issues with trains after the game can anyone suggest where to park before the game. Coming in from South Brum.
Depends on what way you come in (ie straight through town, M5 or M6), how far you're prepared to walk and how early you're able to get there
Coming down Pershore Road/Bristol Road. Probably looking to get there about 7.15ish. Don't mind a bit of a walk.
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Water under the bridge now, but I still think there would have been a bit of him that was sad to leave the club, yet felt it was something he had to do and he made his decision.
If he does play, I would rather he is largely ignored than have abuse aimed at him. With the arrival of Steven Gerrard and after the start we have made under him, it feels like we have finally moved on from him.
That's my view too.
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Water under the bridge now, but I still think there would have been a bit of him that was sad to leave the club, yet felt it was something he had to do and he made his decision.
If he does play, I would rather he is largely ignored than have abuse aimed at him. With the arrival of Steven Gerrard and after the start we have made under him, it feels like we have finally moved on from him.
That's my view too.
He acted in a totally selfish way, he dicked the club around, he dicked Smith around and left us unprepared for the season because the summer was all about him and his move.
Fuck him.
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Without being completely privy to what went on behind the scenes with him (really from last season up until he actually moved) i think that you're just surmising there. No offence intended BTW because we all know it is very frustrating as a fan in these situations but personally i don't think that he deserves any kind of harsh treatment from us as he really was excellent from that second season in the championship all the way through. He did then have the opportunity to not just play in the CL but for a team that actually has a good chance of winning it, as well as the PL and other trophies. I think he'll come back at some point as well. I certainly wouldn't be clapping him but i think that just treating him like any other opposing player is the way to go.
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Water under the bridge now, but I still think there would have been a bit of him that was sad to leave the club, yet felt it was something he had to do and he made his decision.
If he does play, I would rather he is largely ignored than have abuse aimed at him. With the arrival of Steven Gerrard and after the start we have made under him, it feels like we have finally moved on from him.
That's my view too.
And mine, it's the match we need to concentrate on, not him.
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Ignoring him would be incredibly smalltime and it's what the media expect. Would Salah get any stick at Liverpool if he went directly to Man City? Or Ronaldo? Course they would and no-one would expect any different. I hope the press pan our reaction to him.
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Each to their own in my opinion
I’ve no problem with others booing and hating on him as they feel betrayed, let down, whatever
But for me I won’t be joining in
I count it a privilege to have watched him over the last few years and is one of the best players I’ve ever seen at Villa
I was unhappy he left, the way he left and I still think he’s made a huge mistake going to Man City
but I cant forget that some of the best experiences I’ve had inside football grounds over the last five or six years have been down to him
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Without being completely privy to what went on behind the scenes with him (really from last season up until he actually moved) i think that you're just surmising there. No offence intended BTW because we all know it is very frustrating as a fan in these situations but personally i don't think that he deserves any kind of harsh treatment from us as he really was excellent from that second season in the championship all the way through. He did then have the opportunity to not just play in the CL but for a team that actually has a good chance of winning it, as well as the PL and other trophies. I think he'll come back at some point as well. I certainly wouldn't be clapping him but i think that just treating him like any other opposing player is the way to go.
I hope he doesnt come - cos it will mean were still under-achieving Villa. By the time he is Ashley Young's age we should be a champions league side - end off - and shouldnt have room in a 25 man squad for cast offs from "our betters"
The only way I could actually handle it would be if it was a career move at a point where he had something to prove. I.e. if it isnt in the next 2 or 3 years then he can fuck off.
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Pep’s got his moaning about a depleted squad in - their first XI is still far stronger than ours. Cue the vomit-inducing ‘heroic performance’ stuff if they beat us.
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We'll win this 3-1 and they'll ditch the Sweet Caroline post match singalong in favour of blasting this out of the tannoy system! ;)
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Ignoring him would be incredibly smalltime and it's what the media expect. Would Salah get any stick at Liverpool if he went directly to Man City? Or Ronaldo? Course they would and no-one would expect any different. I hope the press pan our reaction to him.
yeh , it would smack of, "we were so lucky that you played for us and now we know our place"
Lets retire the shirt and name the ground after him.
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Ignoring him would be incredibly smalltime and it's what the media expect. Would Salah get any stick at Liverpool if he went directly to Man City? Or Ronaldo? Course they would and no-one would expect any different. I hope the press pan our reaction to him.
yeh , it would smack of, "we were so lucky that you played for us and now we know our place"
Lets retire the shirt and name the ground after him.
We could name a stand after each of his current girlfriends
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Ignoring him would be incredibly smalltime and it's what the media expect. Would Salah get any stick at Liverpool if he went directly to Man City? Or Ronaldo? Course they would and no-one would expect any different. I hope the press pan our reaction to him.
yeh , it would smack of, "we were so lucky that you played for us and now we know our place"
Lets retire the shirt and name the ground after him.
He needs to know how we feel. And I never want him in our colours again, ever. Many players have betrayed us, very few have done so while feigning to be not just one of us but of us.
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Ignoring him would be incredibly smalltime and it's what the media expect. Would Salah get any stick at Liverpool if he went directly to Man City? Or Ronaldo? Course they would and no-one would expect any different. I hope the press pan our reaction to him.
yeh , it would smack of, "we were so lucky that you played for us and now we know our place"
Lets retire the shirt and name the ground after him.
We could name a stand after each of his current girlfriends
Think it scans well in commentry - "And as always, in the second hald Villa will be playing towards the one off love Island's end"
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Ignoring him would be incredibly smalltime and it's what the media expect. Would Salah get any stick at Liverpool if he went directly to Man City? Or Ronaldo? Course they would and no-one would expect any different. I hope the press pan our reaction to him.
yeh , it would smack of, "we were so lucky that you played for us and now we know our place"
Lets retire the shirt and name the ground after him.
He needs to know how we feel. And I never want him in our colours again, ever. Many players have betrayed us, very few have done so while feigning to be not just one of us but of us.
I agree, it was a once in a lifetime chance to write a truely special story - and you can't turn round halfway through and say that your bigger than the story without the people that bought into it being hurt
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Ignoring him would be incredibly smalltime and it's what the media expect. Would Salah get any stick at Liverpool if he went directly to Man City? Or Ronaldo? Course they would and no-one would expect any different. I hope the press pan our reaction to him.
yeh , it would smack of, "we were so lucky that you played for us and now we know our place"
Lets retire the shirt and name the ground after him.
He needs to know how we feel. And I never want him in our colours again, ever. Many players have betrayed us, very few have done so while feigning to be not just one of us but of us.
I agree, it was a once in a lifetime chance to write a truely special story - and you can't turn round halfway through and say that your bigger than the story without the people that bought into it being hurt
Well said.
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I will miss this one, but if biscuit shins plays, I hope our fans welcome will make him cry like the day he signed for city.
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Beard,don’t think we have enough stands to name them after his girlfriends.
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I just have this sneaky feeling we'll win tomorrow. Its about time we broke our duck against them. The only one of the Sky 6 we haven't beaten since we've been back up.
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/59481173
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/59481173
I would not expect SG to say anything else.
I wonder how Dean Smith feels.
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I think it's a no-win situation for Villa fans tomorrow with regards to Jack Grealish. There's no right or wrong way to behave (aside from anything violent of course). Boo, clap. Whatever. The media will either patronise or castigate - who cares really? I think Gerrard is lacking a bit of context with how strongly some Villa fans feel about him leaving though. He's getting his 'there's a lot of love' vibes from Jacks old mates.
I hope he doesn't play to be honest. That way we can all just watch the game without it being all about him.
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Strange analogy from Gerrard when the whole point is he DIDN’T move from Liverpool when tempted - and stayed loyal even though they never won the league when he was there.. logically, of course, he’s right, but like everyone else I feel bad about what’s happened. It’s a visceral, not a logical business, football.
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Strangely optimistic and think we will get a hugely deserved win that will have the press spunk all over SG's mush bit who cares? Players genuinely seem to be buying into his ideas so it's a 2-1 from me. As for JG, quite frankly, who gives a shit?
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Off topic slightly. My stepson is choosing to stay at his nans tomorrow rather than come to the match. No idea why.
So my wife said she'd come (and more importantly, drive).
My stepson's ticket is under 18s. Will my wife get in with his season ticket? It would pain me to have to pay to upgrade her ticket to an adult.
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Pep pleading poverty saying they only have 14-15 senior players I read.
Will probably only cost about 300m.
Hopefully De Bruyne won't make miracle recovery and Foden out would be good aswell.
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That is still so good to watch and I remember cheering the third goal!
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1.Jack was one of the best Villa players I have ever seen.
2.He no longer plays for Villa.
3.He is now as important as Francis Benali.
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1.Jack was one of the best Villa players I have ever seen.
2.He no longer plays for Villa.
3.He is now as important as Francis Benali.
1. True, but not a patch on Tony Morley.
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He'll be nowhere near their squad tomorrow, despite Guardiola's bleating. You heard it here first.
8.15pm kick-off. WTF???.
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He'll be nowhere near their squad tomorrow, despite Guardiola's bleating. You heard it here first.
8.15pm kick-off. WTF???.
Amazon
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I'm glad I'll be seeing it live as the feed for me was abysmal
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Water under the bridge now, but I still think there would have been a bit of him that was sad to leave the club, yet felt it was something he had to do and he made his decision.
If he does play, I would rather he is largely ignored than have abuse aimed at him. With the arrival of Steven Gerrard and after the start we have made under him, it feels like we have finally moved on from him.
That's my view too.
He acted in a totally selfish way, he dicked the club around, he dicked Smith around and left us unprepared for the season because the summer was all about him and his move.
Fuck him.
Professional football is an utterly ruthless and selfish business. Grealish certainly looked out for himself in the summer but don't think supporters should forget what he did for us on the pitch.
Purslow did say the club had been planning for Grealish leaving for some time. The issue of being unprepared this season lands with our previous head coach unfortunately, not Grealish.
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He'll be nowhere near their squad tomorrow, despite Guardiola's bleating. You heard it here first.
8.15pm kick-off. WTF???.
Amazon
I know who to blame then if I don't get a train back home after the game before Christmas week!
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The Telegraph interview by "our" John Percy.
I know most people on here hate Jack, but I can't bring myself to. Even in this, he just comes across as a normal, young chap making the best of his talent while retaining respect for his old team.
Jack Grealish exclusive: 'It's been harder than I expected at City - but it's nice being a £100m player'
In his first newspaper interview since leaving Aston Villa for Man City, Grealish talks through the emotions around leaving his boyhood club
By
John Percy
30 November 2021 •
Jack Grealish exclusive interview: 'It's been harder than I expected at Manchester City - but it's nice being a £100m player'
Grealish returns to Aston Villa on Wednesday where he spent seven years in the first team and 13 more in the academy before
There are two versions of Jack Grealish. The first one you probably know already - the £100 million Manchester City footballer, a poster boy for England’s new golden generation of talent and a man who inspires such devotion you can buy a calendar which features nothing but pictures of his calves.
Then there is the other Grealish - the bashful kid from Solihull devoted to his family, and still so gripped by self-doubt that he recently turned down an invitation to watch his beloved Aston Villa, for fear of the reception he would receive from his former fans.
On Wednesday, he really will be back at his old club, with City, and it is this second version of Jack Grealish - the thoughtful, caring one - who is talking Telegraph Sport through his tumult of emotions in his first newspaper interview since his transfer.
“I knew some people would be unhappy when I left, and I can see why some were like that, but I gave my all for the club every single year I was there. If I score, I’m not going to be celebrating,” he says. “At the end of the day I’m Jack Grealish from Solihull who loves the Villa. That will never change - I’ve had a season ticket since I was four and been a fan my whole life.
“I was so close to coming to the West Ham game [in October], as we’d played on Saturday against Palace. I was invited to sit with Christian [Purslow, Villa’s chief executive] but I wasn’t actually sure of the reception I was going to get so I didn’t go.
“Fingers crossed it will be a good one on Wednesday. I’ll clap all four sides of the ground no matter what. If I get booed it will be a bit awkward!”
Grealish’s return to the club where he spent seven years in the first team, and 13 in the academy before that, will be a highly-charged evening for him and his Villa-supporting family, nearly four months after that record-breaking move to the Premier League champions.
He became the most expensive footballer in British football history when City triggered the £100million release clause inserted into his contract and has no regrets over moving. City are in the thick of the Premier League title race and have dazzled in the Champions League, with Grealish scoring on his European debut against RB Leipzig.
Yet those ties to Villa are not easily broken and he is still clearly moved when he reflects on the day he had to say his goodbyes.
“You can’t imagine how hard it was for me to leave,” he says. “I went for a run in the morning, a load of people took photographs of me and it was all on social [media] that I was staying.
“I came back and had to address all the players and staff. There were about 70 people there. I spoke for about a minute-and-a-half, then I had to stop because I had a lump in my throat and was crying.
“I was a bit surprised by some of the backlash when I left. I’d never want a toxic relationship with anyone there. I owe everything to them and I wouldn’t be at City without Villa.”
Grealish could easily have left long before City came calling. Tottenham Hotspur wanted him in the summer of 2018, and it was only the intervention of Villa’s new owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens which blocked the deal at the 11th hour.
Last year, he was targeted by Manchester United, under their former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
“I was really close to going, but nothing happened in the end,” he says. “We played United in a pre-season game on Saturday and I wasn’t supposed to play in a cup game at Burton. But after the United game I said to Purslow and my agent [David Manasseh]‘if I’m not leaving, I’ll sign my new contract’.
“I went in with my dog on Tuesday morning, signed the deal, and played later that day. We all agreed on the clause and if any team hit that, it’s a win-win because it means I’ve had an unbelievable season and Villa got £100 million.”
Grealish is still in regular contact with many of his old Villa team-mates, and is still part of a WhatsApp group with his close friend John McGinn, Matt Targett and Matty Cash, who recently picked Grealish’s brain over which vet should treat his pet dog.
Grealish’s association with local charities remains strong. He recently donated 300 balls to Birmingham Childrens’ Hospital, while 30 tickets have also been offered to Acorns Children’s Hospice for the reverse fixture at City on the final day of the season. Acorns ambassador and Villa fan Moin Younis, who was diagnosed with severe epidermolysis bullosa, is booked in for a box at the Etihad Stadium for that game.
Such are the ties that he hopes, one day, to return. “It’s a club that is so close to my heart and I definitely hope to go back there,” he said. “That’s always been in my mind. Ashley Young has done it and I want to do the same, 100 per cent.”
Like Young, and others including Gareth Barry and James Milner before him, Grealish’s time with Villa did have to end.
Their progress over the past three years from promotion to top-flight stability has been impressive, with Grealish - the local boy made good - at the forefront. But as he approached 26, and his peak years, the offer from City simply could not be turned down - not least because he craved the chance to test himself in European football.
“You only get one shot at your career and it just flies by,” he says. “I feel Villa are going towards that [Europe] but I just didn’t know how long it was going to take for us. If I hadn’t come here, I would have regretted it forever. I remember hearing Michael Owen say the same about Real Madrid.
“You look at most of my England team-mates - I was probably one of the last to play [in the] Champions League. You could probably count two or three who haven’t, such as Kalvin Phillips or Sam Johnstone.
“I’ve played four times in it now and loved every moment. It’s completely different to the Premier League, a completely different standard and way of playing.
“It’s the one we all want to win. The manager has come here and won everything else, we’re all desperate to win it and I’ve come here to try and help them.”
Grealish has loved his time in Manchester, but admits acclimatising has taken time: while he was front and centre of most of Villa’s attacking play, at City he is simply one of a stellar cast list, who tend to share the glory around.
“I’ve got so much more to give,” he said. “I’ve found it a lot more difficult than I thought I would, adapting to a different manager and team-mates. At first I thought I’d have more of the ball, get more assists and goals but it doesn’t work like that at all. I’ve had nowhere near as much of the ball as I used to get at Villa.
“I wouldn’t say I’ve struggled, but I found it hard to get used to at the start. I’ve not had the assists and goals I got last season, but I’m never one to doubt myself.”
And what of the price-tag - has being a £100million player fazed him? “I couldn’t care less about that,” he insisted. “There’s a spotlight on you but, if anything, it’s a nice thing to have as the first British £100million player.”
If Grealish does ever have a flutter of self-doubt, he need only look around the City dressing room at team-mates such as Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo Silva and the outstanding Joao Cancelo to realise that the first season under Guardiola can be a slow-burner. They have all flourished after modifying their game under the City manager, whose standards remain dizzyingly high.
“Some games this season he’s literally won on his own, from stuff he’s got us to do on the training pitch, with little tactics or tweaks. He’s an unbelievable manager and obsessed with football,” says Grealish. “You don’t see much of him in the building, but we see him on the pitches and in meetings. He has a lot of people working with him but 99 per cent of it comes from him.
“Every game we have a different way of setting up and it helps us so much.
“It’s weird because I’ve always classed myself as an off-the-cuff player. Last season I was playing left-wing and Dean Smith would say ‘if you feel like it’s right to go inside, I trust you and go and do it’.
“Here, it’s more structured and completely different. That is what I mean about adapting. There’s lots of meetings and a lot to get used to.”
Grealish is already a popular addition to the City squad, and he points to the assistance of England team-mates Phil Foden (“He’ll go down as one of the greatest English players”), Raheem Sterling, Kyle Walker and John Stones for helping him settle in.
He has also fulfilled an ambition of playing alongside his idol Kevin De Bruyne, who is also expected to return soon after contracting Covid-19. There is one City player, however, who has taken Grealish’s breath away.
“Joao [Cancelo] is unreal! I can’t tell you how good he is, honestly one of the best players I’ve ever played with,” he says, laughing. “He’s loud, and a funny guy. He doesn’t speak much English but I’ve got a good connection with him.
“In the first season he struggled a bit, but this season he’s been so good. So has ‘Walks’ [Walker] - he’s different to Joao, as he’s more of a defender who will give it to the players who can hurt you. But he was amazing against PSG last week - Neymar and Mbappe couldn’t get past him.”
And so back to Villa, and the stadium Grealish has called home for so much of his life. It may only be four months since he moved up the M6, but much has changed at his old club, notably the manager. For all the excitement Grealish feels at his impending reunion with his old team-mates, the fact that Dean Smith will not be there for a quick handshake and hello is perhaps his only regret.
“I was devastated to see Dean go. I FaceTimed him straight away after the news and spoke to him for about 20 minutes,” he says. “I was so happy to see him go straight back in at Norwich. I actually watched his first Norwich game on a stream, with the Villa game on at the same time.
“He’s one of the best human beings I’ve ever come across. My family absolutely loves his family to bits.
“The day I left Villa, after I spoke to the staff, I shook everyone’s hand. But I gave the gaffer a big hug.”
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Already posted on the ratboy thread but to me that interview is another example of him being terribly advised by those minding him. All he's done is stirred up resentment again especially with the "i'll play for you again when i'm past it " comments. The correct protocol in these situations is to keep your gob shut because literally nothing he's says is going to change anyone's mind for or against. Most of us were concentrating on what was going on at the Villa the last few months and now he's brought the spotlight back on himself when he could have just passed and done the interview later on.
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Piss off Greasy you horrible chav.
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He can’t help himself, he thinks if he keeps saying he loves the Villa everything will be forgotten.
It won’t.
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Piss off Greasy you horrible chav.
🤣
You forgot womanising
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Find it hard to get worked up about Grealish. He was a great player for us, helped us improve and brought in 100m quid. Move on. Terrible decision by Purslow to invite him to sit next to him at a game though, he's an ex-player not a superstar to flaunt.
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I’ll be watching this in the train to work tomorrow morning, so may give him a muted boo in the quiet carriage.
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What a class A bellend he’s turned out to be. I hope we are way too good for him by the time he comes crawling back and he ends up begging for a game at the sty instead.
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So he nearly joined united in 2020 confirmed by him. Goes to prove the "signing the new contract to guarantee HIS club more money" theory is a load of crap
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The Telegraph interview by "our" John Percy.
I know most people on here hate Jack, but I can't bring myself to. Even in this, he just comes across as a normal, young chap making the best of his talent while retaining respect for his old team.
Jack Grealish exclusive: 'It's been harder than I expected at City - but it's nice being a £100m player'
In his first newspaper interview since leaving Aston Villa for Man City, Grealish talks through the emotions around leaving his boyhood club
By
John Percy
30 November 2021 •
Jack Grealish exclusive interview: 'It's been harder than I expected at Manchester City - but it's nice being a £100m player'
Grealish returns to Aston Villa on Wednesday where he spent seven years in the first team and 13 more in the academy before
There are two versions of Jack Grealish. The first one you probably know already - the £100 million Manchester City footballer, a poster boy for England’s new golden generation of talent and a man who inspires such devotion you can buy a calendar which features nothing but pictures of his calves.
Then there is the other Grealish - the bashful kid from Solihull devoted to his family, and still so gripped by self-doubt that he recently turned down an invitation to watch his beloved Aston Villa, for fear of the reception he would receive from his former fans.
On Wednesday, he really will be back at his old club, with City, and it is this second version of Jack Grealish - the thoughtful, caring one - who is talking Telegraph Sport through his tumult of emotions in his first newspaper interview since his transfer.
“I knew some people would be unhappy when I left, and I can see why some were like that, but I gave my all for the club every single year I was there. If I score, I’m not going to be celebrating,” he says. “At the end of the day I’m Jack Grealish from Solihull who loves the Villa. That will never change - I’ve had a season ticket since I was four and been a fan my whole life.
“I was so close to coming to the West Ham game [in October], as we’d played on Saturday against Palace. I was invited to sit with Christian [Purslow, Villa’s chief executive] but I wasn’t actually sure of the reception I was going to get so I didn’t go.
“Fingers crossed it will be a good one on Wednesday. I’ll clap all four sides of the ground no matter what. If I get booed it will be a bit awkward!”
Grealish’s return to the club where he spent seven years in the first team, and 13 in the academy before that, will be a highly-charged evening for him and his Villa-supporting family, nearly four months after that record-breaking move to the Premier League champions.
He became the most expensive footballer in British football history when City triggered the £100million release clause inserted into his contract and has no regrets over moving. City are in the thick of the Premier League title race and have dazzled in the Champions League, with Grealish scoring on his European debut against RB Leipzig.
Yet those ties to Villa are not easily broken and he is still clearly moved when he reflects on the day he had to say his goodbyes.
“You can’t imagine how hard it was for me to leave,” he says. “I went for a run in the morning, a load of people took photographs of me and it was all on social [media] that I was staying.
“I came back and had to address all the players and staff. There were about 70 people there. I spoke for about a minute-and-a-half, then I had to stop because I had a lump in my throat and was crying.
“I was a bit surprised by some of the backlash when I left. I’d never want a toxic relationship with anyone there. I owe everything to them and I wouldn’t be at City without Villa.”
Grealish could easily have left long before City came calling. Tottenham Hotspur wanted him in the summer of 2018, and it was only the intervention of Villa’s new owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens which blocked the deal at the 11th hour.
Last year, he was targeted by Manchester United, under their former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
“I was really close to going, but nothing happened in the end,” he says. “We played United in a pre-season game on Saturday and I wasn’t supposed to play in a cup game at Burton. But after the United game I said to Purslow and my agent [David Manasseh]‘if I’m not leaving, I’ll sign my new contract’.
“I went in with my dog on Tuesday morning, signed the deal, and played later that day. We all agreed on the clause and if any team hit that, it’s a win-win because it means I’ve had an unbelievable season and Villa got £100 million.”
Grealish is still in regular contact with many of his old Villa team-mates, and is still part of a WhatsApp group with his close friend John McGinn, Matt Targett and Matty Cash, who recently picked Grealish’s brain over which vet should treat his pet dog.
Grealish’s association with local charities remains strong. He recently donated 300 balls to Birmingham Childrens’ Hospital, while 30 tickets have also been offered to Acorns Children’s Hospice for the reverse fixture at City on the final day of the season. Acorns ambassador and Villa fan Moin Younis, who was diagnosed with severe epidermolysis bullosa, is booked in for a box at the Etihad Stadium for that game.
Such are the ties that he hopes, one day, to return. “It’s a club that is so close to my heart and I definitely hope to go back there,” he said. “That’s always been in my mind. Ashley Young has done it and I want to do the same, 100 per cent.”
Like Young, and others including Gareth Barry and James Milner before him, Grealish’s time with Villa did have to end.
Their progress over the past three years from promotion to top-flight stability has been impressive, with Grealish - the local boy made good - at the forefront. But as he approached 26, and his peak years, the offer from City simply could not be turned down - not least because he craved the chance to test himself in European football.
“You only get one shot at your career and it just flies by,” he says. “I feel Villa are going towards that [Europe] but I just didn’t know how long it was going to take for us. If I hadn’t come here, I would have regretted it forever. I remember hearing Michael Owen say the same about Real Madrid.
“You look at most of my England team-mates - I was probably one of the last to play [in the] Champions League. You could probably count two or three who haven’t, such as Kalvin Phillips or Sam Johnstone.
“I’ve played four times in it now and loved every moment. It’s completely different to the Premier League, a completely different standard and way of playing.
“It’s the one we all want to win. The manager has come here and won everything else, we’re all desperate to win it and I’ve come here to try and help them.”
Grealish has loved his time in Manchester, but admits acclimatising has taken time: while he was front and centre of most of Villa’s attacking play, at City he is simply one of a stellar cast list, who tend to share the glory around.
“I’ve got so much more to give,” he said. “I’ve found it a lot more difficult than I thought I would, adapting to a different manager and team-mates. At first I thought I’d have more of the ball, get more assists and goals but it doesn’t work like that at all. I’ve had nowhere near as much of the ball as I used to get at Villa.
“I wouldn’t say I’ve struggled, but I found it hard to get used to at the start. I’ve not had the assists and goals I got last season, but I’m never one to doubt myself.”
And what of the price-tag - has being a £100million player fazed him? “I couldn’t care less about that,” he insisted. “There’s a spotlight on you but, if anything, it’s a nice thing to have as the first British £100million player.”
If Grealish does ever have a flutter of self-doubt, he need only look around the City dressing room at team-mates such as Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo Silva and the outstanding Joao Cancelo to realise that the first season under Guardiola can be a slow-burner. They have all flourished after modifying their game under the City manager, whose standards remain dizzyingly high.
“Some games this season he’s literally won on his own, from stuff he’s got us to do on the training pitch, with little tactics or tweaks. He’s an unbelievable manager and obsessed with football,” says Grealish. “You don’t see much of him in the building, but we see him on the pitches and in meetings. He has a lot of people working with him but 99 per cent of it comes from him.
“Every game we have a different way of setting up and it helps us so much.
“It’s weird because I’ve always classed myself as an off-the-cuff player. Last season I was playing left-wing and Dean Smith would say ‘if you feel like it’s right to go inside, I trust you and go and do it’.
“Here, it’s more structured and completely different. That is what I mean about adapting. There’s lots of meetings and a lot to get used to.”
Grealish is already a popular addition to the City squad, and he points to the assistance of England team-mates Phil Foden (“He’ll go down as one of the greatest English players”), Raheem Sterling, Kyle Walker and John Stones for helping him settle in.
He has also fulfilled an ambition of playing alongside his idol Kevin De Bruyne, who is also expected to return soon after contracting Covid-19. There is one City player, however, who has taken Grealish’s breath away.
“Joao [Cancelo] is unreal! I can’t tell you how good he is, honestly one of the best players I’ve ever played with,” he says, laughing. “He’s loud, and a funny guy. He doesn’t speak much English but I’ve got a good connection with him.
“In the first season he struggled a bit, but this season he’s been so good. So has ‘Walks’ [Walker] - he’s different to Joao, as he’s more of a defender who will give it to the players who can hurt you. But he was amazing against PSG last week - Neymar and Mbappe couldn’t get past him.”
And so back to Villa, and the stadium Grealish has called home for so much of his life. It may only be four months since he moved up the M6, but much has changed at his old club, notably the manager. For all the excitement Grealish feels at his impending reunion with his old team-mates, the fact that Dean Smith will not be there for a quick handshake and hello is perhaps his only regret.
“I was devastated to see Dean go. I FaceTimed him straight away after the news and spoke to him for about 20 minutes,” he says. “I was so happy to see him go straight back in at Norwich. I actually watched his first Norwich game on a stream, with the Villa game on at the same time.
“He’s one of the best human beings I’ve ever come across. My family absolutely loves his family to bits.
“The day I left Villa, after I spoke to the staff, I shook everyone’s hand. But I gave the gaffer a big hug.”
I understand how this article makes you feel like that, it's clearly been designed to in my opinion. But even in a pro article, poor old jack he's a lovely lad, he just couldn't help himself. "If I'm not getting my move, I'll take the extra cash for a year thanks".
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“I went in with my dog on Tuesday morning, signed the deal, and played later that day. We all agreed on the clause and if any team hit that, it’s a win-win because it means I’ve had an unbelievable season and Villa got £100 million.”
To be fair I had no idea his dog handled his contract negotiations so that's probably been half the problem.
-
I'll clap him. He was a great player for us and played a huge role in getting us back where we are. The new contract did both sides a huge favour, moaning about that is churlish. The club knew he was going to leave and should have handled it better. For me everything else is just noise. People have their own views on what he should have said, how he should have acted etc, but does it really matter? We're better off for having him and he's beter off for having us.
And yes, I'd have him back if he's still at a decent age, playing well and the manager felt he would provide a positive contribution to the team. Those would be the only criteria for me. I couldn't give a stuff that people may have been upset because he didn't quite fawn over us enough in his early City interviews. Probably the same people who would have puked if Gerrard had mentioned Liverpool and would be apoplectic if Gerrard said similar stuff to what Jack has just said in that Telegraph interview.
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Bollocks, he can get fucked. Shameless prick.
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I'll clap him. He was a great player for us and played a huge role in getting us back where we are. The new contract did both sides a huge favour, moaning about that is churlish. The club knew he was going to leave and should have handled it better. For me everything else is just noise. People have their own views on what he should have said, how he should have acted etc, but does it really matter? We're better off for having him and he's beter off for having us.
And yes, I'd have him back if he's still at a decent age, playing well and the manager felt he would provide a positive contribution to the team. Those would be the only criteria for me. I couldn't give a stuff that people may have been upset because he didn't quite fawn over us enough in his early City interviews. Probably the same people who would have puked if Gerrard had mentioned Liverpool and would be apoplectic if Gerrard said similar stuff to what Jack has just said in that Telegraph interview.
I certainly wouldn't be clapping him, not to say I'd boo him either but he's the opposition now, the enemy, anything that stops him feeling good and playing well for 90 minutes against should be done.
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I’m planning to neither boo nor clap, should anyone be wondering.
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Tutting is probably the best option for those undecided.
-
Tutting is probably the best option for those undecided.
Turning our backs whenever he has the ball?
-
Bollocks, he can get fucked. Shameless prick.
Quite. I'll ignore him until he does something twatty on the pitch and then, as with any other player he'll get pelters.
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Tutting is probably the best option for those undecided.
Turning our backs whenever he has the ball?
Do the Poznan? Do The Strand
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Tutting is probably the best option for those undecided.
Turning our backs whenever he has the ball?
Bit over the top that. Perhaps a quiet muttering under the breath, or a Ferguson style slight shake of the head with a disappointed expression and accompanied blowing out of the cheeks
(https://media1.giphy.com/media/YYGYGaj9RbTjjDlevf/giphy.gif)
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So are we going with inflatable snakes like we did with Delph or is it inflatable rats this time?
I've obviously stocked up on both but can't be bothered inflating both options if there's a general consensus towards one.
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“I went in with my dog on Tuesday morning, signed the deal, and played later that day. We all agreed on the clause and if any team hit that, it’s a win-win because it means I’ve had an unbelievable season and Villa got £100 million.”
To be fair I had no idea his dog handled his contract negotiations so that's probably been half the problem.
It was Harry Redknapps dog. It also put together the Sports Direct tie up.
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A great player but on reflection I'm glad he went before we turned into bit part players in the JG show.
One thing that will always stick in the craw, the briefing of his family to the media (SVC for one) that he would sign a new contract with us after the Euros. That, with hindsight, was never true and just designed to screw more money from his new employers, whilst giving false hope to people who loved him. A shithouse trick.
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Really don't understand the 'clapping him' thing - We've been his employers for years and made him a very rich man so he's had enough out of us. He turned his back on us in favour of 'Buy a Trophy' fc and a swollen bank account, and is no longer a Villa player so he can get fucked as far as I'm concerned!
Yes, we got £100 million out of the transfer, but he fucked us over big time on the cusp of a new season (he royally fucked Dean Smith over too). All that loyalty bollocks last season was just a smokescreen.
I'll be clapping, but for the 11 players wearing that Villa badge with pride. Grealish, if he turns up, will be getting pelters from me for the full 90!
He'll be just another player up there. Here, he could have been a legend of the game. It's a sorry state of affairs.
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The Telegraph interview by "our" John Percy.
I know most people on here hate Jack, but I can't bring myself to. Even in this, he just comes across as a normal, young chap making the best of his talent while retaining respect for his old team.
Jack Grealish exclusive: 'It's been harder than I expected at City - but it's nice being a £100m player'
In his first newspaper interview since leaving Aston Villa for Man City, Grealish talks through the emotions around leaving his boyhood club
By
John Percy
30 November 2021 •
Jack Grealish exclusive interview: 'It's been harder than I expected at Manchester City - but it's nice being a £100m player'
Grealish returns to Aston Villa on Wednesday where he spent seven years in the first team and 13 more in the academy before
There are two versions of Jack Grealish. The first one you probably know already - the £100 million Manchester City footballer, a poster boy for England’s new golden generation of talent and a man who inspires such devotion you can buy a calendar which features nothing but pictures of his calves.
Then there is the other Grealish - the bashful kid from Solihull devoted to his family, and still so gripped by self-doubt that he recently turned down an invitation to watch his beloved Aston Villa, for fear of the reception he would receive from his former fans.
On Wednesday, he really will be back at his old club, with City, and it is this second version of Jack Grealish - the thoughtful, caring one - who is talking Telegraph Sport through his tumult of emotions in his first newspaper interview since his transfer.
“I knew some people would be unhappy when I left, and I can see why some were like that, but I gave my all for the club every single year I was there. If I score, I’m not going to be celebrating,” he says. “At the end of the day I’m Jack Grealish from Solihull who loves the Villa. That will never change - I’ve had a season ticket since I was four and been a fan my whole life.
“I was so close to coming to the West Ham game [in October], as we’d played on Saturday against Palace. I was invited to sit with Christian [Purslow, Villa’s chief executive] but I wasn’t actually sure of the reception I was going to get so I didn’t go.
“Fingers crossed it will be a good one on Wednesday. I’ll clap all four sides of the ground no matter what. If I get booed it will be a bit awkward!”
Grealish’s return to the club where he spent seven years in the first team, and 13 in the academy before that, will be a highly-charged evening for him and his Villa-supporting family, nearly four months after that record-breaking move to the Premier League champions.
He became the most expensive footballer in British football history when City triggered the £100million release clause inserted into his contract and has no regrets over moving. City are in the thick of the Premier League title race and have dazzled in the Champions League, with Grealish scoring on his European debut against RB Leipzig.
Yet those ties to Villa are not easily broken and he is still clearly moved when he reflects on the day he had to say his goodbyes.
“You can’t imagine how hard it was for me to leave,” he says. “I went for a run in the morning, a load of people took photographs of me and it was all on social [media] that I was staying.
“I came back and had to address all the players and staff. There were about 70 people there. I spoke for about a minute-and-a-half, then I had to stop because I had a lump in my throat and was crying.
“I was a bit surprised by some of the backlash when I left. I’d never want a toxic relationship with anyone there. I owe everything to them and I wouldn’t be at City without Villa.”
Grealish could easily have left long before City came calling. Tottenham Hotspur wanted him in the summer of 2018, and it was only the intervention of Villa’s new owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens which blocked the deal at the 11th hour.
Last year, he was targeted by Manchester United, under their former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
“I was really close to going, but nothing happened in the end,” he says. “We played United in a pre-season game on Saturday and I wasn’t supposed to play in a cup game at Burton. But after the United game I said to Purslow and my agent [David Manasseh]‘if I’m not leaving, I’ll sign my new contract’.
“I went in with my dog on Tuesday morning, signed the deal, and played later that day. We all agreed on the clause and if any team hit that, it’s a win-win because it means I’ve had an unbelievable season and Villa got £100 million.”
Grealish is still in regular contact with many of his old Villa team-mates, and is still part of a WhatsApp group with his close friend John McGinn, Matt Targett and Matty Cash, who recently picked Grealish’s brain over which vet should treat his pet dog.
Grealish’s association with local charities remains strong. He recently donated 300 balls to Birmingham Childrens’ Hospital, while 30 tickets have also been offered to Acorns Children’s Hospice for the reverse fixture at City on the final day of the season. Acorns ambassador and Villa fan Moin Younis, who was diagnosed with severe epidermolysis bullosa, is booked in for a box at the Etihad Stadium for that game.
Such are the ties that he hopes, one day, to return. “It’s a club that is so close to my heart and I definitely hope to go back there,” he said. “That’s always been in my mind. Ashley Young has done it and I want to do the same, 100 per cent.”
Like Young, and others including Gareth Barry and James Milner before him, Grealish’s time with Villa did have to end.
Their progress over the past three years from promotion to top-flight stability has been impressive, with Grealish - the local boy made good - at the forefront. But as he approached 26, and his peak years, the offer from City simply could not be turned down - not least because he craved the chance to test himself in European football.
“You only get one shot at your career and it just flies by,” he says. “I feel Villa are going towards that [Europe] but I just didn’t know how long it was going to take for us. If I hadn’t come here, I would have regretted it forever. I remember hearing Michael Owen say the same about Real Madrid.
“You look at most of my England team-mates - I was probably one of the last to play [in the] Champions League. You could probably count two or three who haven’t, such as Kalvin Phillips or Sam Johnstone.
“I’ve played four times in it now and loved every moment. It’s completely different to the Premier League, a completely different standard and way of playing.
“It’s the one we all want to win. The manager has come here and won everything else, we’re all desperate to win it and I’ve come here to try and help them.”
Grealish has loved his time in Manchester, but admits acclimatising has taken time: while he was front and centre of most of Villa’s attacking play, at City he is simply one of a stellar cast list, who tend to share the glory around.
“I’ve got so much more to give,” he said. “I’ve found it a lot more difficult than I thought I would, adapting to a different manager and team-mates. At first I thought I’d have more of the ball, get more assists and goals but it doesn’t work like that at all. I’ve had nowhere near as much of the ball as I used to get at Villa.
“I wouldn’t say I’ve struggled, but I found it hard to get used to at the start. I’ve not had the assists and goals I got last season, but I’m never one to doubt myself.”
And what of the price-tag - has being a £100million player fazed him? “I couldn’t care less about that,” he insisted. “There’s a spotlight on you but, if anything, it’s a nice thing to have as the first British £100million player.”
If Grealish does ever have a flutter of self-doubt, he need only look around the City dressing room at team-mates such as Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo Silva and the outstanding Joao Cancelo to realise that the first season under Guardiola can be a slow-burner. They have all flourished after modifying their game under the City manager, whose standards remain dizzyingly high.
“Some games this season he’s literally won on his own, from stuff he’s got us to do on the training pitch, with little tactics or tweaks. He’s an unbelievable manager and obsessed with football,” says Grealish. “You don’t see much of him in the building, but we see him on the pitches and in meetings. He has a lot of people working with him but 99 per cent of it comes from him.
“Every game we have a different way of setting up and it helps us so much.
“It’s weird because I’ve always classed myself as an off-the-cuff player. Last season I was playing left-wing and Dean Smith would say ‘if you feel like it’s right to go inside, I trust you and go and do it’.
“Here, it’s more structured and completely different. That is what I mean about adapting. There’s lots of meetings and a lot to get used to.”
Grealish is already a popular addition to the City squad, and he points to the assistance of England team-mates Phil Foden (“He’ll go down as one of the greatest English players”), Raheem Sterling, Kyle Walker and John Stones for helping him settle in.
He has also fulfilled an ambition of playing alongside his idol Kevin De Bruyne, who is also expected to return soon after contracting Covid-19. There is one City player, however, who has taken Grealish’s breath away.
“Joao [Cancelo] is unreal! I can’t tell you how good he is, honestly one of the best players I’ve ever played with,” he says, laughing. “He’s loud, and a funny guy. He doesn’t speak much English but I’ve got a good connection with him.
“In the first season he struggled a bit, but this season he’s been so good. So has ‘Walks’ [Walker] - he’s different to Joao, as he’s more of a defender who will give it to the players who can hurt you. But he was amazing against PSG last week - Neymar and Mbappe couldn’t get past him.”
And so back to Villa, and the stadium Grealish has called home for so much of his life. It may only be four months since he moved up the M6, but much has changed at his old club, notably the manager. For all the excitement Grealish feels at his impending reunion with his old team-mates, the fact that Dean Smith will not be there for a quick handshake and hello is perhaps his only regret.
“I was devastated to see Dean go. I FaceTimed him straight away after the news and spoke to him for about 20 minutes,” he says. “I was so happy to see him go straight back in at Norwich. I actually watched his first Norwich game on a stream, with the Villa game on at the same time.
“He’s one of the best human beings I’ve ever come across. My family absolutely loves his family to bits.
“The day I left Villa, after I spoke to the staff, I shook everyone’s hand. But I gave the gaffer a big hug.”
Hate's a strong word and certainly not how I feel - but do feel let down, and also that's it's the wrong move for all parties. He's gone to a side whose passing is so good, dribbling is practically obsolete.
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A great player but on reflection I'm glad he went before we turned into bit part players in the JG show.
As opposed to bit-part players in the SG show?!
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I don't hate anyone so why should I hate a footballer who used to play for my club.
He did what he thought was best for his career, I would imagine most on here have made decisions about jobs that will better their career
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Good player, utter bellend.
-
The Telegraph interview by "our" John Percy.
I know most people on here hate Jack, but I can't bring myself to. Even in this, he just comes across as a normal, young chap making the best of his talent while retaining respect for his old team.
Jack Grealish exclusive: 'It's been harder than I expected at City - but it's nice being a £100m player'
In his first newspaper interview since leaving Aston Villa for Man City, Grealish talks through the emotions around leaving his boyhood club
By
John Percy
30 November 2021 •
Jack Grealish exclusive interview: 'It's been harder than I expected at Manchester City - but it's nice being a £100m player'
Grealish returns to Aston Villa on Wednesday where he spent seven years in the first team and 13 more in the academy before
There are two versions of Jack Grealish. The first one you probably know already - the £100 million Manchester City footballer, a poster boy for England’s new golden generation of talent and a man who inspires such devotion you can buy a calendar which features nothing but pictures of his calves.
Then there is the other Grealish - the bashful kid from Solihull devoted to his family, and still so gripped by self-doubt that he recently turned down an invitation to watch his beloved Aston Villa, for fear of the reception he would receive from his former fans.
On Wednesday, he really will be back at his old club, with City, and it is this second version of Jack Grealish - the thoughtful, caring one - who is talking Telegraph Sport through his tumult of emotions in his first newspaper interview since his transfer.
“I knew some people would be unhappy when I left, and I can see why some were like that, but I gave my all for the club every single year I was there. If I score, I’m not going to be celebrating,” he says. “At the end of the day I’m Jack Grealish from Solihull who loves the Villa. That will never change - I’ve had a season ticket since I was four and been a fan my whole life.
“I was so close to coming to the West Ham game [in October], as we’d played on Saturday against Palace. I was invited to sit with Christian [Purslow, Villa’s chief executive] but I wasn’t actually sure of the reception I was going to get so I didn’t go.
“Fingers crossed it will be a good one on Wednesday. I’ll clap all four sides of the ground no matter what. If I get booed it will be a bit awkward!”
Grealish’s return to the club where he spent seven years in the first team, and 13 in the academy before that, will be a highly-charged evening for him and his Villa-supporting family, nearly four months after that record-breaking move to the Premier League champions.
He became the most expensive footballer in British football history when City triggered the £100million release clause inserted into his contract and has no regrets over moving. City are in the thick of the Premier League title race and have dazzled in the Champions League, with Grealish scoring on his European debut against RB Leipzig.
Yet those ties to Villa are not easily broken and he is still clearly moved when he reflects on the day he had to say his goodbyes.
“You can’t imagine how hard it was for me to leave,” he says. “I went for a run in the morning, a load of people took photographs of me and it was all on social [media] that I was staying.
“I came back and had to address all the players and staff. There were about 70 people there. I spoke for about a minute-and-a-half, then I had to stop because I had a lump in my throat and was crying.
“I was a bit surprised by some of the backlash when I left. I’d never want a toxic relationship with anyone there. I owe everything to them and I wouldn’t be at City without Villa.”
Grealish could easily have left long before City came calling. Tottenham Hotspur wanted him in the summer of 2018, and it was only the intervention of Villa’s new owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens which blocked the deal at the 11th hour.
Last year, he was targeted by Manchester United, under their former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
“I was really close to going, but nothing happened in the end,” he says. “We played United in a pre-season game on Saturday and I wasn’t supposed to play in a cup game at Burton. But after the United game I said to Purslow and my agent [David Manasseh]‘if I’m not leaving, I’ll sign my new contract’.
“I went in with my dog on Tuesday morning, signed the deal, and played later that day. We all agreed on the clause and if any team hit that, it’s a win-win because it means I’ve had an unbelievable season and Villa got £100 million.”
Grealish is still in regular contact with many of his old Villa team-mates, and is still part of a WhatsApp group with his close friend John McGinn, Matt Targett and Matty Cash, who recently picked Grealish’s brain over which vet should treat his pet dog.
Grealish’s association with local charities remains strong. He recently donated 300 balls to Birmingham Childrens’ Hospital, while 30 tickets have also been offered to Acorns Children’s Hospice for the reverse fixture at City on the final day of the season. Acorns ambassador and Villa fan Moin Younis, who was diagnosed with severe epidermolysis bullosa, is booked in for a box at the Etihad Stadium for that game.
Such are the ties that he hopes, one day, to return. “It’s a club that is so close to my heart and I definitely hope to go back there,” he said. “That’s always been in my mind. Ashley Young has done it and I want to do the same, 100 per cent.”
Like Young, and others including Gareth Barry and James Milner before him, Grealish’s time with Villa did have to end.
Their progress over the past three years from promotion to top-flight stability has been impressive, with Grealish - the local boy made good - at the forefront. But as he approached 26, and his peak years, the offer from City simply could not be turned down - not least because he craved the chance to test himself in European football.
“You only get one shot at your career and it just flies by,” he says. “I feel Villa are going towards that [Europe] but I just didn’t know how long it was going to take for us. If I hadn’t come here, I would have regretted it forever. I remember hearing Michael Owen say the same about Real Madrid.
“You look at most of my England team-mates - I was probably one of the last to play [in the] Champions League. You could probably count two or three who haven’t, such as Kalvin Phillips or Sam Johnstone.
“I’ve played four times in it now and loved every moment. It’s completely different to the Premier League, a completely different standard and way of playing.
“It’s the one we all want to win. The manager has come here and won everything else, we’re all desperate to win it and I’ve come here to try and help them.”
Grealish has loved his time in Manchester, but admits acclimatising has taken time: while he was front and centre of most of Villa’s attacking play, at City he is simply one of a stellar cast list, who tend to share the glory around.
“I’ve got so much more to give,” he said. “I’ve found it a lot more difficult than I thought I would, adapting to a different manager and team-mates. At first I thought I’d have more of the ball, get more assists and goals but it doesn’t work like that at all. I’ve had nowhere near as much of the ball as I used to get at Villa.
“I wouldn’t say I’ve struggled, but I found it hard to get used to at the start. I’ve not had the assists and goals I got last season, but I’m never one to doubt myself.”
And what of the price-tag - has being a £100million player fazed him? “I couldn’t care less about that,” he insisted. “There’s a spotlight on you but, if anything, it’s a nice thing to have as the first British £100million player.”
If Grealish does ever have a flutter of self-doubt, he need only look around the City dressing room at team-mates such as Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo Silva and the outstanding Joao Cancelo to realise that the first season under Guardiola can be a slow-burner. They have all flourished after modifying their game under the City manager, whose standards remain dizzyingly high.
“Some games this season he’s literally won on his own, from stuff he’s got us to do on the training pitch, with little tactics or tweaks. He’s an unbelievable manager and obsessed with football,” says Grealish. “You don’t see much of him in the building, but we see him on the pitches and in meetings. He has a lot of people working with him but 99 per cent of it comes from him.
“Every game we have a different way of setting up and it helps us so much.
“It’s weird because I’ve always classed myself as an off-the-cuff player. Last season I was playing left-wing and Dean Smith would say ‘if you feel like it’s right to go inside, I trust you and go and do it’.
“Here, it’s more structured and completely different. That is what I mean about adapting. There’s lots of meetings and a lot to get used to.”
Grealish is already a popular addition to the City squad, and he points to the assistance of England team-mates Phil Foden (“He’ll go down as one of the greatest English players”), Raheem Sterling, Kyle Walker and John Stones for helping him settle in.
He has also fulfilled an ambition of playing alongside his idol Kevin De Bruyne, who is also expected to return soon after contracting Covid-19. There is one City player, however, who has taken Grealish’s breath away.
“Joao [Cancelo] is unreal! I can’t tell you how good he is, honestly one of the best players I’ve ever played with,” he says, laughing. “He’s loud, and a funny guy. He doesn’t speak much English but I’ve got a good connection with him.
“In the first season he struggled a bit, but this season he’s been so good. So has ‘Walks’ [Walker] - he’s different to Joao, as he’s more of a defender who will give it to the players who can hurt you. But he was amazing against PSG last week - Neymar and Mbappe couldn’t get past him.”
And so back to Villa, and the stadium Grealish has called home for so much of his life. It may only be four months since he moved up the M6, but much has changed at his old club, notably the manager. For all the excitement Grealish feels at his impending reunion with his old team-mates, the fact that Dean Smith will not be there for a quick handshake and hello is perhaps his only regret.
“I was devastated to see Dean go. I FaceTimed him straight away after the news and spoke to him for about 20 minutes,” he says. “I was so happy to see him go straight back in at Norwich. I actually watched his first Norwich game on a stream, with the Villa game on at the same time.
“He’s one of the best human beings I’ve ever come across. My family absolutely loves his family to bits.
“The day I left Villa, after I spoke to the staff, I shook everyone’s hand. But I gave the gaffer a big hug.”
Hate's a strong word and certainly not how I feel - but do feel let down, and also that's it's the wrong move for all parties. He's gone to a side whose passing is so good, dribbling is practically obsolete.
I dont hate him but that reads like a letter from an ex who's just dumped you and I don't give a fuck, he hurt my club in furthering his own career, by the way in which he went about it. I don't care if I would have done the same in my job etc etc, if so I wouldnt have expected to go back to my former place of work and get a round of applause for how hard I used to work and how sad I was after . He's going to get what's due to him as far as I'm concerned and if he expects anything different then he's in cloud cuckoo land. If he was as much of a fan as he said then he'd be booing himself.
Come on Villa, f**k these plastic oil baron w**kers right back up the M6 and they can take Joe Greedish back with them with boos ringing in his ears.
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He pissed all over his own people and that article shows that he doesn't have villa in his heart. If he thinks he can come back when he's past it he can Go F**k himself.
Our club was always a bigger club than his current club. They won the lottery and contributed greatly to our downfall by using their new wealth to buy Barry, Milner and Delph. Then, when we got back on our feet he f**ked us again only harder than the others.
I resent him more with every day that passes.
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Really don't understand the 'clapping him' thing - We've been his employers for years and made him a very rich man so he's had enough out of us. He turned his back on us in favour of 'Buy a Trophy' fc and a swollen bank account, and is no longer a Villa player so he can get fucked as far as I'm concerned!
Yes, we got £100 million out of the transfer, but he fucked us over big time on the cusp of a new season (he royally fucked Dean Smith over too). All that loyalty bollocks last season was just a smokescreen.
I'll be clapping, but for the 11 players wearing that Villa badge with pride. Grealish, if he turns up, will be getting pelters from me for the full 90!
He'll be just another player up there. Here, he could have been a legend of the game. It's a sorry state of affairs.
Look I understand what you're saying, but this myth that he fucked us over at the last minute is just wrong. The club knew exactly what was happening. They knew he would leave if the £100m bid came in and probably knew it was coming. They could and should have prepared for it better.
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I am a villa fan. Club comes first not some prima donna who masqueraded as one of us.
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Can we stop quoting that article please? It's a pain scrolling through.
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I don’t intend on applauding Jack tonight, but the lad spent the best part of 20 years of his life at the club and served us well, so won’t be booing him either. I do feel bitter that he left us, but we have to move on and I think jeering him would be small time.
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That tweet they have put out is the most small time thing I have seen them do in years.
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This one? https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/december/01/welcome-back--jack/
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There's football itself, players, staff and media.
Then there's the fans. The gulf between the two is mammoth and long may it stay that way.
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I don’t intend on applauding Jack tonight, but the lad spent the best part of 20 years of his life at the club and served us well, so won’t be booing him either. I do feel bitter that he left us, but we have to move on and I think jeering him would be small time.
This!
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This one? https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/december/01/welcome-back--jack/
That's horrendous. The entire media, including our own media team it seems, seem to be living in this weird world whereby Villa fans will be more than happy to accept their position as a feeder club to bloody Man City and will give nice brave Jack who was obviously way too good for us a nice big cheer and a clap.
He can fuck off.
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I don’t intend on applauding Jack tonight, but the lad spent the best part of 20 years of his life at the club and served us well, so won’t be booing him either. I do feel bitter that he left us, but we have to move on and I think jeering him would be small time.
Its a real shame as a collective we couldn't all just refrain from Booing or cheering as that would be a great response.
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Whoever posted that shite on the AVFC website needs the fucking sack, pronto.
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Whoever posted that shite on the AVFC website needs the fucking sack, pronto.
It's also on their FB Page as well as, I assume, their Twatter feed.
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This one? https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/december/01/welcome-back--jack/
I might just be mellowing in my middle years, but I don’t really have too much of a problem with this.
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I've just seen this.
Infuriating. We really do have a lot of fans and people at the club who seem to think we should 'know our place'.
Pathetic.
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He pissed all over his own people and that article shows that he doesn't have villa in his heart. If he thinks he can come back when he's past it he can Go F**k himself.
Our club was always a bigger club than his current club. They won the lottery and contributed greatly to our downfall by using their new wealth to buy Barry, Milner and Delph. Then, when we got back on our feet he f**ked us again only harder than the others.
I resent him more with every day that passes.
Its just the food chain, do other clubs have a morbid hatred of us for taking their best players. How about Brentford where we have paid big money for Hogan, Konsa and Watkins, the only difference that they re-invested better and improved.
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This one? https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/december/01/welcome-back--jack/
I might just be mellowing in my middle years, but I don’t really have too much of a problem with this.
There are thousands of comments on Twitter that don't seem *quite* that indifferent...
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I've just seen this.
Infuriating. We really do have a lot of fans and people at the club who seem to think we should 'know our place'.
Pathetic.
Absolutely. And they seem to have stormed the moral high ground to look down at the rest of us.
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Load of fucking shite. Wankers the lot.
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Fuck Grealish and fuck that tweet too, how mindbendingly small-time.
He's moved on, fuck him and fuck the club he plays for. All this "welcome back Jack" stuff is vomit inducing.
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Oh my god that’s hideous.
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Serious serious misjudgement by the club, puke inducing. Did like someone suggesting it was part of his release clause.
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I've just seen this.
Infuriating. We really do have a lot of fans and people at the club who seem to think we should 'know our place'.
Pathetic.
Absolutely. And they seem to have stormed the moral high ground to look down at the rest of us.
Modern fans innit. Some twat on Twitter with a picture of Ratboy as his profile pic called me sad yesterday for daring to opine that I wasn't delighted to be welcoming Greasy back to Villa Park.
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I saw a parody on Twitter from a random account replacing Joe with Scott Carson. Very salient point, and with Kyle Walker too as highlighted by DW in his pre match piece. Do it for all or none.
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I really don't like how we've approached this game.
Steven Gerrard commenting on how tough it's going to be and 'we'll try our best' and might sneak a draw type attitude, etc, the club putting out the red carpet for Joe Grealish with video compilations on social media, etc.
That is not how you inspire 11 Villa players (currently) committed to the club to go out and win a fucking football match. So small time.
Looks like it's going to be down to us fans to put the record straight tonight!
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I've just seen this.
Infuriating. We really do have a lot of fans and people at the club who seem to think we should 'know our place'.
Pathetic.
Absolutely. And they seem to have stormed the moral high ground to look down at the rest of us.
Modern fans innit. Some twat on Twitter with a picture of Ratboy as his profile pic called me sad yesterday for daring to opine that I wasn't delighted to be welcoming Greasy back to Villa Park.
Celebrity culture. That's why you could put Dennis Mortimer next to Chris Kamara on Witton Lane tonight and Kamara would be the one mobbed.
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Celebrity culture. That's why you could put Dennis Mortimer next to Chris Kamara on Witton Lane tonight and Kamara would be the one mobbed.
*Deletes photo next to Kamara on the train back from the Play Off win...*
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I wanted to ignore him, but that won't happen now. So, I hope he gets grief, plays shite, and frankly, that he injures himself.
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I’m hoping to the see the headline “Pole-Axed” in tomorrows papers. A Villa win and pictures of our former captain behind helped out of the second row of the Doug or Trinity.
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I remember the hostile reception Gareth Barry got, when he first returned to VP, that saddened me, and it will do tonight, if as expected Jack gets the same reception.
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I really don't like how we've approached this game.
Steven Gerrard commenting on how tough it's going to be and 'we'll try our best' and might sneak a draw type attitude, etc, the club putting out the red carpet for Joe Grealish with video compilations on social media, etc.
That is not how you inspire 11 Villa players (currently) committed to the club to go out and win a fucking football match. So small time.
Looks like it's going to be down to us fans to put the record straight tonight!
Do you seriously think he tries to inspire his players via press statements?
I’m sure his team talk will be very different but let’s be honest it will be a major upset if win tonight.
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Delph got what he deserved.
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Like someone said on the other thread. Can understand why you left but don't expect a hero's welcome back.
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Those tweets and the website stuff is the biggest misjudgment since the change of regime. It is so counter to the idea that we should be at the top table.
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That 'welcome back, Jack' bollocks makes me feel sick. How out of touch can a club be with it's fans. Possibly the most small-time thing Villa have done that I can recall.
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If there are any consultations upcoming it should be put to Purslow that the social media team have dropped a massive clanger today.
A more clued in organisation would have deleted it by now.
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It has certainly stirred things up for tonight, probably the opposite of their intention.
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This, the ticket re-selling email, membership problems. They do seem to be getting a few of the little things wrong.
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Whoever posted that shite on the AVFC website needs the fucking sack, pronto.
Absolutely.
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Someone on that twitter thread told them they need to "learn how to read the room", which is absolutely spot on.
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I'm more relaxed about Jack than a lot on here, but I still think the social media posts are a big mistake. Talk about not reading the room. They've made us look small time and I'm not surprised about the reaction they're getting tbh.
I don't mind giving the lad an off the cuff clap of appreciation if the mood feels right, but I don't want my club fawning over him on the morning of a big game. Idiots.
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It has certainly stirred things up for tonight, probably the opposite of their intention.
Too right, I may have been ambivalent before but his puff piece and the forelock tugging from some of our fans and the bloody club have got me right wound up.
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This one? https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/december/01/welcome-back--jack/
This is wrong in my opinion, as he's here in the capacity of a player (putting aside fitness doubts) who will be trying to score against us. It's also out of touch with the fans.
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I'd have had more respect if the tweet said something like
"Hoping the Villa park crowd roar us on tonight to a victory and Jack hears / sees what he is missing" *
*As he will never get an atmosphere like it where he is at
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Whoever posted that shite on the AVFC website needs the fucking sack, pronto.
I am truly surprised that was posted.
Think nothing should have been posted
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The Grealish saga is now overshadowing the match itself.
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(https://media.tenor.com/images/bb87b36662b9fa67d2872989d1c2e31b/tenor.gif)
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I wasn't that fussed about him coming back until I saw that post.
It's unbelievably patronising. It's annoying enough when you see the wider media hoping "the fans show him respect", but when our club is doing the same it starts to create an internal 'us vs them' attitude, which is not healthy for a football club.
The club (Purslow?*) and Jack we so keen to push the 'one of us' message - it was meticulously cultivated by them both for their benefit. We went along with it, well, because which fan base wouldn't?! One of you leading the team is what football is all about.
But you can't have it both ways. You can't be 'one of us' if you are one of them - whoever 'them' is. You were one of us, and now you're not. And we will react however we see fit, thank you very much - no halfwit pundit, shitty montage or Telegraph interview is going to make us welcome him with open arms. In fact, that seems to have the exact opposite effect on me. He can get fucked.
*I worry about Purslow's fascination with 'big names'. Interviewing Henry when we got Dean, appointing Terry as part of that team, now hiring Gerrard and inviting Jack to matches. There seems to be a theme with his decision making - this may not be a huge problem if Gerrard works out, but having a fanboy for a CEO is a little disconcerting.
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Absolute PR shambles. They obviously have no idea. Fucking Idiots.
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Well said. I have been a massive chearleader for the current regime based on the crap that went before but the last few weeks have been concerning. I hope the owners are watching Purslow closely.
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I wasn't that fussed about him coming back until I saw that post.
It's unbelievably patronising. It's annoying enough when you see the wider media hoping "the fans show him respect", but when our club is doing the same it starts to create an internal 'us vs them' attitude, which is not healthy for a football club.
The club (Purslow?*) and Jack we so keen to push the 'one of us' message - it was meticulously cultivated by them both for their benefit. We went along with it, well, because which fan base wouldn't?! One of you leading the team is what football is all about.
But you can't have it both ways. You can't be 'one of us' if you are one of them - whoever 'them' is. You were one of us, and now you're not. And we will react however we see fit, thank you very much - no halfwit pundit, shitty montage or Telegraph interview is going to make us welcome him with open arms. In fact, that seems to have the exact opposite effect on me. He can get fucked.
*I worry about Purslow's fascination with 'big names'. Interviewing Henry when we got Dean, appointing Terry as part of that team, now hiring Gerrard and inviting Jack to matches. There seems to be a theme with his decision making - this may not be a huge problem if Gerrard works out, but having a fanboy for a CEO is a little disconcerting.
This 100%
I have a growing mistrust of him. He speaks well, but it feels too much about his ego and the people he can rub shoulders with. The second Dean went I knew we would get Gerrard, like you say its fine if it works - but if not this ones on CP
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The Grealish saga is now overshadowing the match itself.
It was always going to. Man Citeh are a hugely efficient but very dull winning machine so any hype that can be generated off the pitch will be.
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He was happy to leave and we're making it easy on him for his return. I hope the crowd eviscerates him and Matty crumples him.
No love lost from me.
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I hope he gets booked for simulation then dismissed for dissent.
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The whole Joe thing is such a cock-up on so many levels. Since Man City's takeover they specifically started buying our players which took us from a top 4 challenging club to eventual relegation. They were third division 20 years ago FFS. He has gone to Manchester's second club.
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The official tweet actually borders on being unprofessional.
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Oh my god that’s hideous.
Or, it's the club 'owning' JG's success rather than pretending he never played for us and allowing Citeh to claim all the glory ...
as someone else said, he gave us 20 years of his playing life.
A different view?
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I hope he gets booked for simulation then dismissed for dissent.
I hope he gets a Nakamba special launching into the advertising hoardings, then does a Lee Chapman v Spurs tribute using his face as a brake.
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The official tweet actually borders on being unprofessional.
Its a huge error of judgement. Undermines all the talk of us joining them, and was completely unneeded
I imagine some bright spark released that we get more social likes when we mention him
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The Grealish saga is now overshadowing the match itself.
As will the Gerrard saga when we play on the 11th.
It's an inevitable media thing.
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I hope he gets booked for simulation then dismissed for dissent.
I hope he gets a Nakamba special launching into the advertising hoardings, then does a Lee Chapman v Spurs tribute using his face as a brake.
... and then one of those Extinction Rebellion pricks vaults the advertising hoardings and glues his face to the floor.
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The Grealish saga is now overshadowing the match itself.
As will the Gerrard saga when we play on the 11th.
It's an inevitable media thing.
It's not the same thing though really. The media will be all over it, but we're now pleased he's our manager, and the Liverpool fans will be pleased to see him. With Greasy, the majority of Villa fans certainly won't be pleased to see him. Hopefully the Liverpool fans' delight will only last 90 minutes though.
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Once again, joe_c wins the entire internet for his response of "Now do Scott Carson". Excellent stuff indeed.
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The Grealish saga is now overshadowing the match itself.
As will the Gerrard saga when we play on the 11th.
It's an inevitable media thing.
It's not the same thing though really. The media will be all over it, but we're now pleased he's our manager, and the Liverpool fans will be pleased to see him. With Greasy, the majority of Villa fans certainly won't be pleased to see him. Hopefully the Liverpool fans' delight will only last 90 minutes though.
It's the same in that the media will overshadow all else in the build-up, and the match reports will milk the individual's connection to each club ...
... not that it bothers me.
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'I wouldn’t be at City without Villa.'
Well whoopdee-doo. Enjoy being booed.
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Genius marketing ploy by the club to get things a bit spicy and get Flinstone's tickets sold I reckon.
As the Mancscum sing
(Emily) Atack! Atack! Atack Atack Atack!
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'I wouldn’t be at City without Villa.'
Well whoopdee-doo. Enjoy being booed.
You'd think by now with how popular he's become, hes genius agent and the number of people around him someone with have said "seriously Joe, just keep your mouth shut"
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We're going to be the bad guys again aren't we? Then in a a few days, the narrative will be all about how much love there is for Steven Gerrard at Anfield, and Villa fans should take note blah blah blah
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We're going to be the bad guys again aren't we? Then in a a few days, the narrative will be all about how much love there is for Steven Gerrard at Anfield, and Villa fans should take note blah blah blah
I very much hope so. Looking forward to them whining at his reception.
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We're going to be the bad guys again aren't we? Then in a a few days, the narrative will be all about how much love there is for Steven Gerrard at Anfield, and Villa fans should take note blah blah blah
I very much hope so. Looking forward to them whining at his reception.
Yeah, I hope there's much hand wringing in the meeja at those nasty Villa fans, and Pep rails about it in his passive/aggressive post defeat rant.
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I'll boo the ****** into next week, the rat fuck. Clap the twat? Fuck off.
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As anyone who's ever been to a game with me will no doubt testify, I'm not the most reserved of supporters but I'm fucked if I'm going to abuse a born-and-bred Villa fan who was brilliant for us. I was a gutted as anyone when he left but it was inevitable and we move on. If he dives and wins a penalty, if he scores and runs the full length of the pitch with a fucking hard-on well all that's another matter but for now I'll keep it shut. Can't be there tonight because I've got the virus but I'll be following somehow and hoping he has a mare - purely for practical reasons because he only means anything to me when he pulls on an England shirt and then he becomes super Jack again.
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He's a bellend, he always was a bellend, but for a while he was our brilliant bellend. I don't actually bear him any ill will, in fact I'm surprisingly zen about it. But I'll boo him with the anger of a talk radio DJ discussing the mandatory wearing of masks, because I like the pantomime that is football.
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As anyone who's ever been to a game with me will no doubt testify, I'm not the most reserved of supporters but I'm fucked if I'm going to abuse a born-and-bred Villa fan who was brilliant for us. I was a gutted as anyone when he left but it was inevitable and we move on. If he dives and wins a penalty, if he scores and runs the full length of the pitch with a fucking hard-on well all that's another matter but for now I'll keep it shut. Can't be there tonight because I've got the virus but I'll be following somehow and hoping he has a mare - purely for practical reasons because he only means anything to me when he pulls on an Englamd shirt and then he becomes super Jack again.
Same here regarding the virus.
If I was going though I'd be more interested in supporting the team rather than giving dogs abuse to someone who used to play for us.
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As anyone who's ever been to a game with me will no doubt testify, I'm not the most reserved of supporters but I'm fucked if I'm going to abuse a born-and-bred Villa fan who was brilliant for us. I was a gutted as anyone when he left but it was inevitable and we move on. If he dives and wins a penalty, if he scores and runs the full length of the pitch with a fucking hard-on well all that's another matter but for now I'll keep it shut. Can't be there tonight because I've got the virus but I'll be following somehow and hoping he has a mare - purely for practical reasons because he only means anything to me when he pulls on an Englamd shirt and then he becomes super Jack again.
Same here regarding the virus.
If I was going though I'd be more interested in supporting the team rather than giving dogs abuse to someone who used to play for us.
The two things aren't mutually exclusive, despite the efforts no doubt of some bellends on Talk sport claiming otherwise.
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As long as Villa draw or win I don't give a Castlemine 4 X, until the final whistle of course, but I won't be there then because I be running to Aston station, but I advise everyone else to stay and give him loads
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He's a bellend, he always was a bellend, but for a while he was our brilliant bellend. I don't actually bear him any ill will, in fact I'm surprisingly zen about it. But I'll boo him with the anger of a talk radio DJ discussing the mandatory wearing of masks, because I like the pantomime that is football.
Can't you just use the Force for fuck's sake.
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I have no problem with him leaving for greener pastures. It was all the "I'm a Villa man, it's my club, I admire Totti for staying at one club", etc, ad nauseum. He's disingenuous, speaking out of both sides of his mouth.
Not that I think he cares while he's counting his money all snuggled up with Sasha/Emily/Amber.
I'll be booing the twat from CT.
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Just checked their website 5.6% are going for a Villa win, they're getting worried :)
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This is a free hit for us. Not expecting to get a result, so if we can get anything, it will be bonus.
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As long as Villa draw or win I don't give a Castlemine 4 X, until the final whistle of course, but I won't be there then because I be running to Aston station, but I advise everyone else to stay and give him loads
Post of the day.
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I don’t think any game is a “free hit”, particularly if it’s at home. However, there is less pressure on this purely because we’ve bought ourselves a bit of breathing space with our last two results.
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I won't boo him. He was brilliant for us for half a season in each of the previous 3 seasons & City paid us £100m for that.
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Well the good news is the club has taken down that tweet, and are offering fans free tickets to their "Tribute to Steve Hodge" night as an apology.
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I don’t think any game is a “free hit”, particularly if it’s at home. However, there is less pressure on this purely because we’ve bought ourselves a bit of breathing space with our last two results.
I must admit I don't get the 'free hit' reasoning. We're playing a team from the same division as ourselves, and if we don't play like we believe we can actually get something from the game, we shall get our arses handed to us.
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Carson was a footnote, Grealish was our talisman and a Villa boy/man for 20 years. I can understand why the club would see why fawning over him would be the "decent" thing to do, however wrong-headed in terms of reading the mood/understanding how tribalism works in football.
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After reading that Torygraph puff piece in which Joe bangs on about how close he came to leaving three years in a row I hope he gets absolute dog's abuse from every corner of Villa Park. And I hope Purslow never, ever invites him to any of our games again. He's a Judas.
Absolutely this
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I don’t think any game is a “free hit”, particularly if it’s at home. However, there is less pressure on this purely because we’ve bought ourselves a bit of breathing space with our last two results.
I must admit I don't get the 'free hit' reasoning. We're playing a team from the same division as ourselves, and if we don't play like we believe we can actually get something from the game, we shall get our arses handed to us.
I know they are high on confidence, but West Ham gave them a decent game.
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I don’t think any game is a “free hit”, particularly if it’s at home. However, there is less pressure on this purely because we’ve bought ourselves a bit of breathing space with our last two results.
I must admit I don't get the 'free hit' reasoning. We're playing a team from the same division as ourselves, and if we don't play like we believe we can actually get something from the game, we shall get our arses handed to us.
On the money - A defeatist attitude will get us nowhere!
I want tonight's Villa starting 11 to go out there and give them a game, leaving a mark or two on them in the process. If I was Tyrone, I'd pin that Joe interview (back from when he left us), on the changing room wall, where he commented he was now playing with 'much better players'.
Fuck em up Villa, and give that Bon-Bon headed manager of theirs something to cry about post-match!
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He'll be nowhere near their squad tomorrow, despite Guardiola's bleating. You heard it here first.
Shame.
He sits on your bench
He sits on your bench
Jack Grealish, he sits on your bench.
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He'll be nowhere near their squad tomorrow, despite Guardiola's bleating. You heard it here first.
Shame.
He sits on your bench
He sits on your bench
Jack Grealish, he sits on your bench.
Yes looks like he’s not in the 11 but if he is on the bench that chant is a must.
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He'll be nowhere near their squad tomorrow, despite Guardiola's bleating. You heard it here first.
Shame.
He sits on your bench
He sits on your bench
Jack Grealish, he sits on your bench.
I wouldn't even grace the song with his name, insert - 100 million.
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He's not a Judas. He's a footballer with an agent who's priorities lie in fellating the great money Gods in the sky. We keep saying that people don't respect us enough as a big club...show them that big clubs are bigger than their biggest player.
What I'm trying to say is "Get the f over it".
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This is a free hit for us. Not expecting to get a result, so if we can get anything, it will be bonus.
It’s not a free hit. We can beat anyone.
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I couldn't give a fuck about Jack Grealish any more.
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Man City have spent the last decade waiting for the best moment to pounce and prey upon Aston Villa's dreams. Jack Grealish is such a Villa fan that he couldn't wait to joint him. 'Of course I like Villa, they helped me get to City' - and people worry about Gerrard using us as a stepping stone! Grealish lived all of our dreams then decided it was beneath him. I hope you all give him pelters.
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Well said.
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What jars with me is the insinuation that we ‘owe’ him something.
He’s a top quality footballer who was made into that by Aston Villa.
If there is any ‘owing’ going on, it needs to be in the opposite direction.
On the verge of joining Spurs and being disappointed, on the verge of joining man United.
Thanking us for getting him to Man City.
Wanting to come back and canter out his declining years here.
You can roll all that up nice and tightly and stick it up your fucking arse Jack.
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What jars with me is the insinuation that we ‘owe’ him something.
He’s a top quality footballer who was made into that by Aston Villa.
If there is any ‘owing’ going on, it needs to be in the opposite direction.
On the verge of joining Spurs and being disappointed, on the verge of joining man United.
Thanking us for getting him to Man City.
Wanting to come back and canter out his declining years here.
You can roll all that up nice and tightly and stick it up your fucking arse Jack.
To be fair, he did, quite obviously, play for us for nothing all that time.
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I just wish he didnt say anything , he just digs himself such a hole
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Please, please..no more of this free hit crap, does my head in. Every football match is there to be won otherwise what’s the point.
Ads, brilliant quote from you regarding Mr Shinsplints!!
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Any word on potential lineups yet? Will be interesting to see what team we put out, and if Joe or Foden are included in the City squad
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Any word on potential lineups yet? Will be interesting to see what team we put out, and if Joe or Foden are included in the City squad
There is a rumored leak for Citeh, but nothing for us yet.. we'll have to wait and see if its true.
Ederson
Jaoa Dias Ake Zinchenko
Rodri Fernandinho Silva
Mahrez Jesus Sterling
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Any word on potential lineups yet? Will be interesting to see what team we put out, and if Joe or Foden are included in the City squad
There is a rumored leak for Citeh, but nothing for us yet.. we'll have to wait and see if its true.
Ederson
Jaoa Dias Ake Zinchenko
Rodri Fernandinho Silva
Mahrez Jesus Sterling
3-1 Villa
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my wife just said "Oh No, Dean is the ref, Friend on VAR and they have Jesus, and Judas but we have Saint John "
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Any word on potential lineups yet? Will be interesting to see what team we put out, and if Joe or Foden are included in the City squad
There is a rumored leak for Citeh, but nothing for us yet.. we'll have to wait and see if its true.
Ederson
Jaoa Dias Ake Zinchenko
Rodri Fernandinho Silva
Mahrez Jesus Sterling
BOOOOOOO!!! We'll have to injure their players to get him on >:(
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Any word on potential lineups yet? Will be interesting to see what team we put out, and if Joe or Foden are included in the City squad
There is a rumored leak for Citeh, but nothing for us yet.. we'll have to wait and see if its true.
Ederson
Jaoa Dias Ake Zinchenko
Rodri Fernandinho Silva
Mahrez Jesus Sterling
BOOOOOOO!!! We'll have to injure their players to get him on >:(
Pep was right, it really is emergency status - that team can only of cost half a billion
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Good to see they're getting into the festive spirit with Nativity elements. Myrrh-ez, Baby Jesus and Sterling-Silva (in place of Gold).
And it was snowing at Bodymoor this week - Ashley Young pelted the cameraman with a snowball on Pravda, the cheeky get. He is only 36 I guess.
UTV !
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I see Mike Dean hasn't given a red card this season, which is a bit of a concern.
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On the bench (Joe).
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Ramsey dropped for Dougie and Buendia starts. Probably our best team.
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That will be 2 DMFs
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What kind of mad fucking time is 8.15 to start a football match.
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Amazon.
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What kind of mad fucking time is 8.15 to start a football match.
Also
Supporters should be aware that at 11.30pm the M6 at Junction 6/ A38 interchange will close and diversions will be in operation.