Why are the Media so Anti-Villa?

[JUAN PABLO]

It should read,


Oliver Charles Thomas Holt (born 22 May 1966 in Manchester) is an award-winning sports journalist who writes for the Daily Mirror newspaper in the United Kingdom. He is the son of Thomas Holt and actress Eileen Derbyshire and is an avid Stockport County supporter. He also has a massive crush on Martin O'Neill , hence the hatred towards the famous football club Aston Villa.

[cdbearsfan]

Edit it then!

[The Situation]

1. Why were they using our old badge? (A bit pedantic I know, but that's not our badge)

2. "Are Villa a bigger club than Sunderland, surely not?" Stupid woman.

3. That Sunderland fan had his rose tinted glasses glued to his face. He was trying to big up Sunderland and completely disregarded that they've been in relegation struggles ever since they were promoted whereas we've qualified for Europe last 3 seasons.

4. I lol'ed when Dave said "Are we going to sell him to Newcastle". Good Job Dave Man. Should have probably brought that Sunderland fan back down to earth with a bump reminding him what Sunderland have done in the last few seasons compared to what we've done. You should of straight up said Villa are a bigger club and we're more successful.

I get that regional news channels are going to bias towards there sports teams, but that was just awful.

[WALTERS WARRIORS]

Thats there only chance to become popular with the local "thicko`s" ........

[Pat McMahon]

I just did a piece for BBC North which may or may not make it onto Midlands Today. A Sunderland supporter was on there and at the end he asked me to have a bet on whether we'd finish above them. "Sure," I said. "And will you go double or quits on every one of the next ten seasons?" Maybe I'm paranoid, but imagine my 'amazement' when there was a fault with the sound and they had to run the interview again. And this time he didn't ask the question.

Like the majority of football supporters he was a decent bloke and we got on well, but I wouldn't be in the slightest bit surprised if the story isn't edited to make us look the baddies.

Cracking riposte, Dave.

In answer to the original question, as somebody who has lived outside Brum for nearly 30 years I simply have to say that Birmingham has a slightly negative but fast improving perception, particularly among people who have actually visited the city in the past decade. This attitude is partly outdated in reality but is also driven by the fact that we have produced no major music groups, authors, top level actors or films / sitcoms of national note for a long time. Which means we are rarely in the national news as a city.

As for Villa, most fans of other team that I meet regard us as a proper club with history and tradition, but without the sheer drive and desire to break into the elite. Apart from MON and Big Ron 20 years ago we have not had managers who are adored by the media. And we have had few superstars or media worthy players at the club over the years either. Further, the bottom line with modern football is that the Champs League is the be all and end all for the media. If you are in it they love you, if you are not you are irrelevant. We are not in it so we are not very interesting to them. Our local rivals are not seen as heavyweights either, so there is little national interest in the region or our derby games - contrast this with the NE derby last weekend, which is still a 50k sell out at both grounds despite both teams being fairly dull and average (whilst admittedly having better seasons than ours).

The other side of the coin is that fans of other clubs pointed out to me how much the media were fawning over us 2 years ago when it looked like we may break into the top 4 - they actually felt the press were willing us to do it, as were many neutrals. How quickly we forget...

And for everything I have said above about the Villa the same appllies to Everton (whose fans are doubtless echoing our own words). With the simple exception that they have to put up with infinitely more successful neighbours, which at least changes the perception of their city. And adds to their daily misery......

[itbrvilla]

' Relegation  holders'  = LOL

[The Situation]

' Relegation  holders'  = LOL

And we're in the bottom 3 according to everyone who doesn't support Villa...

[Dave P]

Why is there is common misconception that we have no money ?  Is it becasue we never trusted Saint Martin with it ?  We sold a player for £16m cash in the summer (not including Ireland) and haven't paid money for a player in 18 months.  Of course we have money !!

[pauliewalnuts]

On the iPlayer:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00xltwz/Look_North_(North_East_and_Cumbria)_19_01_2011/

Nice to see Villa is headline news somewhere...

I liked the "mediocrity haunted Sunderland" bit at the end, followed by Dave's shit-eating grin, and the Sunderland fan shifting from one foot to the other and fiddling with this phone nervously.

Super stuff.

[damon loves JT]

`mediocrity-haunted Sunderland'. Love it, love it, love it

[damon loves JT]

I lost count of the number of times they mentioned that Sunderland are sixth in the table.

[pauliewalnuts]

On a serious note, I do worry what the effect will be on the game, now we have invented this concept of "pay him more money than he earns at his present club".

I'm surprised nobody tried it before.

[damon loves JT]

Soon players could be motivated largely by money, rather than the joy of playing the game of football. If that day ever comes, it will be sad.

[garyshawsknee]

Heard Green on 5 live last spouting the same old crap about Randy not giving M O'N money. When did he become the Oracle of all things football.

The only presenter i've heard question O'N spending is Mark Saggers on TS.

[Simon Ward]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/2011/01/bent_spearheads_new_houllier_e.html

Quite pro Villa piece here!