Eventual Press-ing

[dave.woodhall]

Here it is.

https://thebirminghampress.com/2025/04/aston-vila-and-whats-another-year/

[Steve67]

Blimey Dave, what a day you've described.   

[Nev]

The driver of the coach we were on didn't know the A46 was closed so we had to detour through Leamington. Then he proceeded to approach Wembley from the west side, so we drive right past the ground, then past the packed pubs where the flags were flying and songs being sung, away from the stadium again to come in from east side and park in the Green car park. We left St Chad's at 9.55 and got off the coach at 3.15.

Never again.

[darren woolley]

It sounds like trains planes and automobiles to get to Wembley spot on about the match Dave.

[dave.woodhall]

It sounds like trains planes and automobiles to get to Wembley spot on about the match Dave.

Thanks Daz.

[Legion]

Done.

[andrew08]

For what is worth the travel was the only decent part of my day. Left Brum at 10am parked up in Harrow just after Midday. Few pints in Harrow, less than a tenner Uber to Wembley. Tube back to Harrow, back home for 10.

[frank]

You've described a miserable afternoon very well. It was every bit as depressing as the finals in 2000 and 2015.

[Rico]

The thing that I really, really do not get with games like yesterday are as you've said, things weren't going well, but we just seemed to be content to keep on repeating the same tired pass it sideways and backwards routine. Clearly this was not working, but what I don't get is this: We all know that our transformation since Emery has arrived has been miraculous, and we all know his philosophy is to retain the ball at all costs, but if it's clearly not working why not change it. Try something different even if it was only for ten minutes just to see what would happen. I feel absolutely wretched after yesterday's game, it's not like we even went down fighting. We were abysmal all over the pitch. I wish there was a way we could take some sort of solice from the game, but we can't. There was absolutely nothing positive to come out of yesterday's game. Nothing! Fair play Crystal Palace! You didn't even have to play well to beat us!

[Villafirst]

Flippin' heck Dave, now that experience was bad! You can always rely on the Villa to wreck a big occasion at Wembley. Sorry that you endured a nightmare day!

[Jane]

You've described a miserable afternoon very well. It was every bit as depressing as the finals in 2000 and 2015.

I'd say that this was as depressing as 2000. Arsenal 10 years ago, we were the underdogs & pretty much expected it. Yesterday - the whole day, team selection etc etc was just rotten. I don't even care if we win the last 4 games - the FA Cup is what matters most to me, and what an abject display that was. Livid.

[Villafirst]

The 3-0 FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea at Wembley in 2010 was a pretty dire experience as well. You start to get a phobia about going to Wembley when the Villa get there! We'd already lost to Man United in the League Cup final a couple of months earlier. The game where Phil Dowd bottled his decision not to send Vidic off for a blatant foul on Gabby Agbonlahor, which resulted in a penalty scored by James Milner.

[Chris Smith]

We had a pretty decent day up until kick off. Hired a minibus who used the official parking. Driver was great, when he picked us up he had a massive smile of relief and said he’d been worried that he’d been booked by a bunch of hooligans. We had a couple of youngish kids with us so decided a few beers in the fan zone was the best bet which worked out fine after getting a couple of photos first with sons and grandson in front of the stadium. Then into the ground and a last beer before taking our seats which sadly turned out to be the final enjoyable part of the day.

[amfy]

After the flixbus experience I have written a scathing review for TrustPilot and marked every negative review going back 6 months on their site as useful for traction. They turned a bad day into a complete shitstorm.