Fabian Delph - Signed for Manchester City

[pauliewalnuts]

Isn't the bitterness and schadenfreude just part and parcel of being a football supporter, though?

The clubs get the huge amounts of money. The agents get piles of it. The players get set for life after a couple of decent contracts, live lives of unimaginable luxury, and are free to direct their careers entirely in the direction which produces the biggest reward for themselves without so much as a thought to things like "loyalty".

So what is in it for the fans? Especially of clubs like ours which produce no silverware or achievement? Fans who support these clubs through thick or thin, who devote chunks of their lives to thinking about them?

What do we get in return?

I'd say things like the ability to laugh at Delph's latest misfortune is part of it. Then there is other stuff not related to Villa - laughing at Liverpool, taking the piss out of Albion or Small Heath, taking pleasure in Louis Van Gaal wasting the large part of almost a quarter of a billion pounds for not much discernible improvement.

I don't know about anyone else, but I laughed when Delph went off injured so quickly. I'm not spending my every waking hour fretting over him or being angry at him, I don't think anyone else is, either. I'm just partaking in one of the ritualistic, tribal activities involved in being a football supporter.

All this is surely just part of "the deal"? We certainly don't get much else back.

[olaftab]

Mancity must be pissed off because they were relying on W*nker playing in all England games to keep bench fit and now he's gone and fucked himself.

[LeeS]

Shortest ever England appearance, apparently.

"Dedication's what you need, if you wanna be a record breakerrrrrrrr"

[Toronto Villa]

I'd say it couldn't happen to a nicer bloke but I'd be lying. There are loads of nicer blokes out there and this is fun. Let's just enjoy it. We all know it won't last and he's young enough to come back from this and in all likelihood have a good balance of his career. So while this shitness falls upon him from a great height we should laugh and laugh and laugh. We've had our fair share of crap the past few seasons so for it to land on someone else's doorstep for little while with pretty now on top is very enjoyable and a welcome distraction.

[The Laughing Policeman]

I never knew snakes had hamstrings until last night. Just goes to show even at my age you can learn something new everyday.

[Villa in Denmark]

Paulie, thanks for an excellent and eloquent summation.

As one of my former bosses said, "Enjoy your victories wherever you may find them, you don't know when the next will come around."

Bastard didn't know he was preparing me for life under Lambert.

[brian green]

I don't get the importance of winning trophies and leagues in the life of a real fan of a club. What being a die hard proper fan delivers is way above pot hunting glory, it is the inalienable right to take the piss out of anybody and everybody who is not just the same as we are. It is our duty to the ghosts who walk with us through Villa Park to bray and cavort when one who has wronged us falls in a tub of turds. There are those who join us on here like footy who make me roll my eyeballs inside my skull but if a nose or a bitter or a dog head dared to try to put him down he or she would face a verbal Gatling gun from these pages. We are a tribe, a band of moral and behavioural outlaws.

[LeeB]

I don't get the importance of winning trophies and leagues in the life of a real fan of a club. What being a die hard proper fan delivers is way above pot hunting glory, it is the inalienable right to take the piss out of anybody and everybody who is not just the same as we are. It is our duty to the ghosts who walk with us through Villa Park to bray and cavort when one who has wronged us falls in a tub of turds. There are those who join us on here like footy who make me roll my eyeballs inside my skull but if a nose or a bitter or a dog head dared to try to put him down he or she would face a verbal Gatling gun from these pages. We are a tribe, a band of moral and behavioural outlaws.

Preach brother!

[Villa in Denmark]

I don't get the importance of winning trophies and leagues in the life of a real fan of a club. What being a die hard proper fan delivers is way above pot hunting glory, it is the inalienable right to take the piss out of anybody and everybody who is not just the same as we are. It is our duty to the ghosts who walk with us through Villa Park to bray and cavort when one who has wronged us falls in a tub of turds. There are those who join us on here like footy who make me roll my eyeballs inside my skull but if a nose or a bitter or a dog head dared to try to put him down he or she would face a verbal Gatlinggun from these pages. We are a tribe, a band of moral and behavioural outlaws.

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers

By the way "tub of turds" is another fantastic H&V turn of phrase.

[johnc]

I don't get the importance of winning trophies and leagues in the life of a real fan of a club. What being a die hard proper fan delivers is way above pot hunting glory, it is the inalienable right to take the piss out of anybody and everybody who is not just the same as we are. It is our duty to the ghosts who walk with us through Villa Park to bray and cavort when one who has wronged us falls in a tub of turds. There are those who join us on here like footy who make me roll my eyeballs inside my skull but if a nose or a bitter or a dog head dared to try to put him down he or she would face a verbal Gatling gun from these pages. We are a tribe, a band of moral and behavioural outlaws.

Word

[Lastfootstamper]

Superbly put, Brian.

Mind if I pinch it?

[Leicester_Villian]

Get well soon Fabian ....... we have a warm welcome awaiting you early November !

[cheltenhamlion]

We do indeed. And the Germans are coming over to abuse you as well!

[LTA]

Getting lectured on our favourite local radio phone in that we should get over it as Delph has gone to a bigger club to win trophies and stop whining.

I doubt anyone begrudged him going even for the money.  It's just the lies.

[darren woolley]

I must say it made me smile when his hamstring went and he at to go off right at the start.