Aston Villa v Bradford City Pre-Match Thread

[dave.woodhall]

People have this idea that our supporters are fickle, quick to moan and that Villa Park is usually quiet. That might often be the case, but on special occasions there is no ground like it. Tonight will be one of them.

[nigel]

I'm much more of lurker than a poster but today feels like it could be special. And please forgive me if the following feels like a patronising lecture on 'how to be a better fan', that is not how its intended. And I know that most of you will already be up for the match; I guess i'm just trying to do whatever I can to try and help the Villa win.

It seems that Bradford's game plan will be to keep the fans quiet tonight, and let their 6,000 (imagine!) drown us out. It's an understandable premise given our team's fragile confidence, but it has a flaw; as fans, we have the power to nullify their main tactic and have a larger-than-usual influence on a very important football match.

I remember a while ago someone on here, after yet another act by the club that made our collective bosom swell with pride, said "one day this club will get the luck it deserves". Few of us would argue with that. Today though, thinking of that brings to mind a quote from Thomas Edison: "I find that the harder I work, the luckier I get". Tonight, we (the fans) need to put a shift in.

One of my favourite moments of the season so far (this acts as an indicator of how shit our season has been I guess) was the last 10 minutes of the Spurs home game. 4-0 down, half the stadium empty and all you could here (even on the TV I'm told) was a never ending chorus of Paul Lambert's Claret and Blue Army. Walking out the stadium I compared it to the standard bearers of old; no matter how many bodies lay battered and bloody on the ground, if the flag is still raised the battle isn't over. If we're still singing, the battle isn't over.

We need that sort of spirit (preferably with a full stadium) tonight. If we go a goal down (which, let's be honest, could easily happen), we get louder. If we miss a sitter, we get louder. If there's 5 minutes to go and we still need two goals, we get louder. Tonight could be the night that a lot of our boys become men, but we may need to give them a leg up.

So I'm appealing to everybody; even if you normally wince every time the ball goes near Clark in the air, or shout "for fuck sake Bannan" every time one of his cross field passes trickles out for a throw 20 yards behind the intended target, or you think Nigel Reo-Coker could do a job for us for the rest of the season, or you think Randy is a know-nothing yank who's lost the love for the club, or you have to turn away every time Delph flings himself into another tackle from 16 yards away, or you think Curtis Davies could do a job for us for the rest of the season, or you think Lambert is a know-nothing jock who is taking us down, or you're still wondering why Barry didn't take the penalty, or you think Joe Bennett is the worst left back to ever play for the club: none of that matters. Not tonight. Tonight we need to provide the support that the club (no matter who the owners, manager or players are) deserves. We need to shout, cheer, sing, clap, stamp and jump. And if it doesn't seem to be working, we have to do it more.

Sound trumpets!
Let our bloody colours wave!
And either victory,
or else a grave

(Oh Jesus, now he's quoting Shakespeare)

Let's make tonight a night to remember. And let's be proud of ourselves no matter what the outcome.

If we're still singing, the battle isn't over.


And if you can pick holes in the above (I'm sure there are plenty if you want to look for them) then how about this; the louder we are, the more chance that Stan can lead us out at Wembley.

Agree
Well said.
But it should be for every game, not just 'The chance of glory' games.

[oldham_villa]

People have this idea that our supporters are fickle, quick to moan and that Villa Park is usually quiet. That might often be the case, but on special occasions there is no ground like it. Tonight will be one of them.

I do hope so Dave. If we can encourage those next to us to raise the noise, and them next to them, and so on, why not :-)

[tomd2103]

Bradford lost their last game 4-1 (last Tuesday in the JPT at Crewe) and I'm going for the same scoreline tonight. 

[Mazrim]

Is it true we've won the last 8 cup games at VP by 2 goals or more?

We've come from two down in our last four League Cup semis, either on the night or on aggregate.

[rjp]

I've just realised I don't have paper tickets for this.  Does anyone know if season tickets have been activated if you've bought your own seat?

[Richard E]

I've just realised I don't have paper tickets for this.  Does anyone know if season tickets have been activated if you've bought your own seat?

No, you should have a paper ticket. Sorry.

[Jon Crofts]

Different sport but I always like this Al Pacino motivational number.

This

[rjp]

I've just realised I don't have paper tickets for this.  Does anyone know if season tickets have been activated if you've bought your own seat?

No, you should have a paper ticket. Sorry.

Balls.  I'd better get on the phone then.

[PaulWinch again]

Bradford's win against us was their only win in the last 6 games. They're hardly in form, so if we can be clinical tonight we'll hammer them.

[Lambert and Payne]

In the last few weeks we've been poor, its been a horrid time to be a Villa fan and I must admit I wasnt feeling confident about tonight at all.  Posts from boozey182 and The Laughing Policeman have got me right up for this. Magnificent

[The Laughing Policeman]

On the weather front, theres a bit of a freezing fog just started to descend on Harborne.  Let's hope it doesn't last long.

[pendinevilla]

I am feeling fairly positive about tonight - I just pray that if we get to 2-0 with 5 minutes to go we don't come over all nervous and bugger it up.

[Tony Boucher]

I've just realised I don't have paper tickets for this.  Does anyone know if season tickets have been activated if you've bought your own seat?

No, you should have a paper ticket. Sorry.

Balls.  I'd better get on the phone then.

If you bought them after 9am on Friday, they won't post them - you'll have to collect from t'Village

[pauliewalnuts]

Strangely, after having almost zero availability yesterday, almost all of A7 is now showing as available.