Albrighton Going to Leicester

[Toronto Villa]

I don't buy the scared of Houllier's spending plans theory at all. In the end having fallen ill, Lerner paid out the second year of his contract, paid off McAllister, made McLeish a very overpaid football manager and gave him a good transfer and wage budget. I am sure Lerner would sooner have kept Houllier and McLeish, not paid them out, not hired McLeish and rather just gave that money to Houllier to buy his players. At the end of the day the budget would have been what they would come to an agreement on and I'm sure he would have received some assurances from Lerner of what that might be in the first place when he joined. Let's not forget he also convinced the board to make Bent our record signing that season. I would much sooner have seen what Houllier could have done with 25-30m than his successors.

[pauliewalnuts]

I entirely agree with that, however I'd add that he made McLeish our manager when he was the only person on earth who thought it'd work.

I still can't believe he thought that would be a good idea. Mind boggling.

[silhillvilla]

I must have missed the bit where he constantly put down the club.

Small sample of quotes supplied to help your memory loss.

[Rolta]

Let's not worry that Brian should have said Bradford. The statement is valid.

This is a club that got relegated to the third division in living memory for many of us, that were regularly humiliated by Small Heath a few years ago, suffered a record defeat at Chelsea etc.

There have always been bad results, and there always will be, and they are always met with 'lowest point ever' type comments. 

Hallelujah. Perspective. 

[KevinGage]

So is it purely coincidence that two of the worst (if not the worst) results in the clubs entire history have occurred on PL's watch?   He had nowt to do with that at all?

Still, he's only been here two years.  Imagine how many more he could attain in four.

[pauliewalnuts]

Let's not worry that Brian should have said Bradford. The statement is valid.

This is a club that got relegated to the third division in living memory for many of us, that were regularly humiliated by Small Heath a few years ago, suffered a record defeat at Chelsea etc.

There have always been bad results, and there always will be, and they are always met with 'lowest point ever' type comments. 

Hallelujah. Perspective. 

Not really. You could say that about every bad result suffered by every club.

It doesn't really matter if you've been beaten badly in the past, or if you've been relegated in the past. It matters in the context of what is happening at the moment. And what was happening at the point at which we lost to Bradford was we were putting together a 15th place finish.

[pauliewalnuts]

So is it purely coincidence that two of the worst (if not the worst) results in the clubs entire history have occurred on PL's watch?   He had nowt to do with that at all?

See also losing more home matches than in any season in our 140 year history. The year after losing only one less.

There are somethings which are coincidental, I am sure, but the problem is that there are many things that are not.

[kippaxvilla2]

Five records I can think of (and don't forget I actually feel sorry for the bloke now).

Most number of home defeats in one season.
Most number of goals conceded without reply - 15 until we score against Swansea
Number of games without a clean sheet (26)
Record away defeat (Chavski)
The only team who allowed Tottenham to score in the first 18 minutes in the 2013-14 season.

I am sure the Bradford game was a record against a league two side but for some reason and ironically with us again involved Rochdale winning is in my mind.

[silhillvilla]

He's broke loads more records

Eg First loss at home to stoke in 50 odd years

[old man villa fan]

He's broke loads more records

Eg First loss at home to stoke in 50 odd years

Try going back to the 3rd division days.  First time ever lost to (add in various clubs' name).  People talk about the humiliation of the last two years but that relegation from the 2nd to 3rd division will not be beaten in my mind.  It all worked out well in the end and we had some great days getting out of the 3rd division (which has masked what went on before, especially with time) but we should never have been there in the first place.  The club had lost it's way and those were dark days. 

[Toronto Villa]

I must have missed the bit where he constantly put down the club.

Small sample of quotes supplied to help your memory loss.

2 quotes. One a complete fact. And you said constantly. Given that he was employed by the club for pretty much a full season, constantly would suggest by definition on a regular basis. He didn't so you're wrong.

[Hoppo]

Bloody hell when people harp on about Houllier as the answer we know were in trouble.
His sickening love in at Liverpool and the televised embarrassment at Man City were enough to have him sacked.

[Toronto Villa]

Bloody hell when people harp on about Houllier as the answer we know were in trouble.
His sickening love in at Liverpool and the televised embarrassment at Man City were enough to have him sacked.

who said he's the answer?

[Monty]

Let's not worry that Brian should have said Bradford. The statement is valid.

This is a club that got relegated to the third division in living memory for many of us, that were regularly humiliated by Small Heath a few years ago, suffered a record defeat at Chelsea etc.

There have always been bad results, and there always will be, and they are always met with 'lowest point ever' type comments. 

Hallelujah. Perspective. 

Of course, when someone agrees with you they have perspective.

[ClarrieBlue]

He's broke loads more records

Eg First loss at home to stoke in 50 odd years

Try going back to the 3rd division days.  First time ever lost to (add in various clubs' name).  People talk about the humiliation of the last two years but that relegation from the 2nd to 3rd division will not be beaten in my mind.  It all worked out well in the end and we had some great days getting out of the 3rd division (which has masked what went on before, especially with time) but we should never have been there in the first place.  The club had lost it's way and those were dark days.

You're right those were dark days but perversely as you say many of us look back on them as some of the best we had supporting Villa. I think we were still finding the bottom of our trough really. By the time we got promoted back to the Second Division, we had Chris Nicholl, Brian Little, Bruce Rioch, Ian Ross, Chico Hamilton and Ray Graydon playing regularly and John Gidman and Bobby MacDonald ready to start playing the next season. This core group helped us get back to the top division where all (except Rioch I think) helped us get re-established in the first couple of years before building towards the 80-82 era. I wouldn't mind starting next season with a comparable set of players. I'm not saying they were world beaters but they knew their jobs and held their own even if the first season back in Div 1 was a bit precarious.