Will we ever be that happy again?

[amfy]

Happiness in football is a last minute winner or equaliser, or seeing out a result when you didn't think you would, or making up a daft song, and everyone enjoying singing it together (It's up to you....), or daft running jokes with the mates you go with or the people around you. That is why you can be just as happy supporting Dagenham & Redbridge as you can supporting Manchester United - probably happier, because your expectations are less. Happiness isn't rooted in results, but unhappiness is rooted in expectations. We should expect to do better as a club of our size than we are doing right now, but as part of the joy of football is the unexpected, there have to be bigger clubs under performing to allow the littler ones their moments. It's just the way it all goes round. Not saying relegation wouldn't hurt but I can definitely be just as happy supporting Villa in any division.

[Dante Lavelli]

Happiness in football is a last minute winner or equaliser, or seeing out a result when you didn't think you would, or making up a daft song, and everyone enjoying singing it together (It's up to you....), or daft running jokes with the mates you go with or the people around you. That is why you can be just as happy supporting Dagenham & Redbridge as you can supporting Manchester United - probably happier, because your expectations are less. Happiness isn't rooted in results, but unhappiness is rooted in expectations. We should expect to do better as a club of our size than we are doing right now, but as part of the joy of football is the unexpected, there have to be bigger clubs under performing to allow the littler ones their moments. It's just the way it all goes round. Not saying relegation wouldn't hurt but I can definitely be just as happy supporting Villa in any division.

Exactly.  Thank you.

I'd imagine that 90% of folks on here would give their non-wanking arm to be Everton right now.  But at the end of the season they're going to be gutted because they'll miss out on the mystical/money making 4th spot.  So will their season be one of failure or success?

If we went down, would that mean you couldn't enjoy winning the championship the following year? 

[Dave Cooper please]

Happiness in football is a last minute winner or equaliser, or seeing out a result when you didn't think you would, or making up a daft song, and everyone enjoying singing it together (It's up to you....), or daft running jokes with the mates you go with or the people around you. That is why you can be just as happy supporting Dagenham & Redbridge as you can supporting Manchester United - probably happier, because your expectations are less. Happiness isn't rooted in results, but unhappiness is rooted in expectations. We should expect to do better as a club of our size than we are doing right now, but as part of the joy of football is the unexpected, there have to be bigger clubs under performing to allow the littler ones their moments. It's just the way it all goes round. Not saying relegation wouldn't hurt but I can definitely be just as happy supporting Villa in any division.

Marvellous.
And exactly.

[robbo1874]

I'm sure we didn't sing that to Dwight under BFR. I'm sure back then his song was what I always called the clock chiming tune.

And yes we will.

It was when little was in charge and the cup final against dirty Leeds.

[Chico Hamilton III]

I'm sure we didn't sing that to Dwight under BFR. I'm sure back then his song was what I always called the clock chiming tune.

And yes we will.

Im pretty sure I recall BFR singing it prior to a televised cup tie at Liverpool ,

I remember that too. Villa players doing the karaoke in a hotel, pre match, and big Ron grabs the mike and starts doing a Sinatra impression singing Dwight Yorke Dwight Yorke. First time I ever heard this version.

[Villadroid]

Happiness in football is a last minute winner or equaliser, or seeing out a result when you didn't think you would, or making up a daft song, and everyone enjoying singing it together (It's up to you....), or daft running jokes with the mates you go with or the people around you. That is why you can be just as happy supporting Dagenham & Redbridge as you can supporting Manchester United - probably happier, because your expectations are less. Happiness isn't rooted in results, but unhappiness is rooted in expectations. We should expect to do better as a club of our size than we are doing right now, but as part of the joy of football is the unexpected, there have to be bigger clubs under performing to allow the littler ones their moments. It's just the way it all goes round. Not saying relegation wouldn't hurt but I can definitely be just as happy supporting Villa in any division.

I don't agree with this.

It has a certain specious appeal but there are just too many contradictions and logically false claims.

It claims that "happiness is not rooted in results" which suggests that the fans feel exactly the same no matter what the result(s). I don't think that is true.

The claim that "unhappiness in rooted in expectations" is true but unless Villa fans have very low expectations, it is not a promise of future happiness but in fact the promise of future unhappiness.

In short this reassurance can only work if Villa fans have no greater expectations than fans of Dagenham and Redbridge, which seems unlikely.

The BFR era will remain a high-water mark of Villa delight and happiness and is unlikely to be matched in the foreseeable future.

[Damo70]

Along with the obvious trophy/promotion/runners up seasons one of my favourite years was BFR's first season. Games like Sheffield Wednesday and Spurs in the league and Derby and Spurs in the cup are right up there with my favourite ever away games.

[Risso]

It was almost as good under Little, and there were lots of highlights under Gregory and O'Neill.  The last three years have been utterly miserable though, and reminds me of how I felt when Mark Ansell said that buying Angel for £9.5m was a big mistake and that we'd never make that mistake again.

[Greg N'Ash]

There was an aritificial happiness under pubehead/Lerner based presumably on the assumption we had a tactical genius in the manager's seat and a guy who would bankroll us off it. The 2nd bit was obviously encouraged by Lerner and his pals with the "no budget" mantra and whispers about paying 30m for a player. A lot of the abject misery since then is the comedown from that I believe. We were promised top players, attractive football and the CL, and we got Ireland, hoofball and probably relegation.

[Drummond]

I'll never be that happy again.

I'm an optimist and don't see everything bad but in all honesty, when Gareth Barry left that was the straw that broke the camel's back for me. Players come and go and all that, but it was all about money at that point.

Now I'm turned off football and to be honest it feels like I go through the motions. I debate on here, I'll watch other matches live but can't even be arsed to watch MoTD, I skip through to watch us get beaten again but that's it.

My season ticket didn't get renewed under MON as that's when Barry left and there really hasn't been anything since to convince me to get another. I was almost tempted to be a glory hunter and buy a half season ticket in case we got to the Carling Cup final but in the end realised I didn't want to spend a load of money on football any more.

It's a longish round trip and the cost of travel etc puts me off, now that I've a little one on the way I can see my interest diminishing further. Until, of course, I have a child that I'll make sure has an interest, if it's a son then there will be vision and silky skills and I'll become one of those dads that gets very excited on the touchline and I make sure he's signed up to the Villa academy!!

[saunders_heroes]

I don't think Barry left for more money. He left to win things. Just as depressing though.

[Greg N'Ash]

Same thing nowadays. The clubs that win things pay the most money. Never had a problem with Barry leaving, or Young and Milner for that matter. Barry did his time and we made a big profit.

[dave shelley]

I've always been happy being a Villa supporter, I cannot envisage being anything else.  OK it aint great at the moment but, it's still Aston Villa and it's what I'm happy being; an Aston Villa supporter.  Results are like the weather; constantly changing.  Success is, in the main fleeting.  There will come a time when it swings in our favour again so in the meantime I'll just keep smiling.

NURSE! he's out of bed again!

[saunders_heroes]

Same thing nowadays. The clubs that win things pay the most money. Never had a problem with Barry leaving, or Young and Milner for that matter. Barry did his time and we made a big profit.

Yes. I'll always have a lot of respect for Barry as he gave us more service than any other player in years. And you can't really blame any of the other players for moving on either. They knew in what direction we were moving in, and it wasn't upwards. I think that's the real reason so many fans are depressed about what's going on. It's the fact that its been a Managed Decline that's so gut wrenching.

[WarszaVillan]

There was an aritificial happiness under pubehead/Lerner based presumably on the assumption we had a tactical genius in the manager's seat and a guy who would bankroll us off it. The 2nd bit was obviously encouraged by Lerner and his pals with the "no budget" mantra and whispers about paying 30m for a player. A lot of the abject misery since then is the comedown from that I believe. We were promised top players, attractive football and the CL, and we got Ireland, hoofball and probably relegation.

No people were happy because we were winning a lot more games than we lost and challenging near the top. The sustainability of it all is now a matter of hindsight, but at the time people were smiling (well at least more of us were) about beating Man U or Chelsea, or thrashing the Blues, or getting to a cup final, or challenging for the top four. Pretty simple really