The Dilemma

[Villa in Denmark]

Look at Wigan now- be interesting to ask their supporters what they would choose in hindsight.

I did this, okay so I only know one Wigan fan so it's not exactly a representative sample, but the answer was that basically he would have taken that day out and watching his team win the Cup over everything that has happened since. Maybe it's because he "only supports Wigan" (his words) and being in the Premier League was a bit of a bonus anyway, while many Villa fans see us as a club that should never, in any circumstances, be below the top division?

Precisely, has it gotten to the state where our ambitions are no better than the likes of Wigan?

If I supported Wigan or Portsmouth, I'd take the FA Cup every time; but I don't - and winning cups whilst staying in the top league should not be a dilemma at all for a club of our size and status.

Furthermore, if we did go down, Lerner will find it impossible to find a decent owner - the same sort of clowns who look at Leeds, will be eyeing us up.

I don't think anyone's saying it should be a choice we should have to contemplate. It's more a devils advocate type question, where IF you had to choose, which option would you take?

[Chico Hamilton III]

Precisely, has it gotten to the state where our ambitions are no better than the likes of Wigan?

What is Lerner's ambition at the moment? Seems to me that he'll consider it a success if we merely retain our premiership status. Which is pretty much what Wigan's ambition always was when they were dining at the top table.

[PaulWinch again]

I'd love us to win the FA cup, but I couldn't fully enjoy it if we were relegated. I want to celebrate us winning the FA cup and ideally be completely safe by the time that happens.

[pauliewalnuts]

It's funny I was thinking similar thoughts a few days ago. I think I would trade a season in the championship for an 8th FA cup win.

That's not the question, though, is it?

If he had said "would you trade a season in the Championship for the FA Cup", then a lot of people would respond differently.

I know I'd trade missing a season in the top flight for the cup, but re the question asked, there's no guarantee of it being one season, and that's where it gets tricky.

There are loads of clubs of not hugely dissimilar stature to Villa, with histories as long, who have been relegated and stayed relegated for a decade in some cases.

I wouldn't swap winning anything to spend a large chunk of my life with Villa not in the top flight.

[pauliewalnuts]

Precisely, has it gotten to the state where our ambitions are no better than the likes of Wigan?

What is Lerner's ambition at the moment? Seems to me that he'll consider it a success if we merely retain our premiership status. Which is pretty much what Wigan's ambition always was when they were dining at the top table.

Our ambition goes no further than staying up. Hence the lack of ambition in the transfer market, but more obviously, the acceptance of dreadful results which keeps Lambert in a job.

Very similar to Wigan's ambitions.

We're a bigger club than Wigan, but big clubs show a bit of ambition, something which we haven't done for a long time.

[Jimbo]

In proportion to their size, Wigan show a great deal more ambition than Aston Villa.

[Drummond]

I really don't understand.

We've not won a trophy in nearly 20 years, that being the third best domestic trophy. It's 33 years since we won the biggest one any club can win and 34 since the biggest domestic trophy. It's 57 years since we won the FA Cup. The longest drought for any of the competitions (other than the UEFA Cup) and the best knockout competition in the world.

How on earth can building for winning in the future be ahead of winning right now?

If we were to be relegated, it may take us a season, it may take us 20. But given that it's nearly 20 since we won anything, would you really, honestly like to just make up the numbers rather than win a trophy?

[Dave Cooper please]

I wouldn't swap winning anything to spend a large chunk of my life with Villa not in the top flight.

Why not?
You'd still have a team to support (and more games to support them in too), what is so great about the Premier League? I don't pay to watch other teams on the (very odd I admit) occasions I go to Villa Park, I'd be just as happy to watch us play Brentford as Manchester United.
Meanwhile I would sell my family into slavery to get to see us lift the FA Cup.

[dave.woodhall]

I wouldn't swap winning anything to spend a large chunk of my life with Villa not in the top flight.

Why not?
You'd still have a team to support (and more games to support them in too), what is so great about the Premier League? I don't pay to watch other teams on the (very odd I admit) occasions I go to Villa Park, I'd be just as happy to watch us play Brentford as Manchester United.
Meanwhile I would sell my family into slavery to get to see us lift the FA Cup.

You really, REALLY shouldn't have said that.

[saunders_heroes]

It's funny I was thinking similar thoughts a few days ago. I think I would trade a season in the championship for an 8th FA cup win.

That's not the question, though, is it?

If he had said "would you trade a season in the Championship for the FA Cup", then a lot of people would respond differently.

I know I'd trade missing a season in the top flight for the cup, but re the question asked, there's no guarantee of it being one season, and that's where it gets tricky.

There are loads of clubs of not hugely dissimilar stature to Villa, with histories as long, who have been relegated and stayed relegated for a decade in some cases.

I wouldn't swap winning anything to spend a large chunk of my life with Villa not in the top flight.

Agreed. Aston Villa are a Premier League club and nothing less than that should be acceptable.
I'd love the FA Cup, but certainly not at the expense of our PL status.

[saunders_heroes]

Obviously both would be nice. Christ we've waited long enough.

[PeterWithesShin]

I wonder how much of a consolation having seen Villa win the FA Cup in '57 was to those watching us spend 8 years out the top flight. Not much judging by the all the sub 20K crowds we were getting.

[Drummond]

It's funny I was thinking similar thoughts a few days ago. I think I would trade a season in the championship for an 8th FA cup win.

That's not the question, though, is it?

If he had said "would you trade a season in the Championship for the FA Cup", then a lot of people would respond differently.

I know I'd trade missing a season in the top flight for the cup, but re the question asked, there's no guarantee of it being one season, and that's where it gets tricky.

There are loads of clubs of not hugely dissimilar stature to Villa, with histories as long, who have been relegated and stayed relegated for a decade in some cases.

I wouldn't swap winning anything to spend a large chunk of my life with Villa not in the top flight.

Agreed. Aston Villa are a Premier League club and nothing less than that should be acceptable.
I'd love the FA Cup, but certainly not at the expense of our PL status.

But what's the point? This, to me, is the problem; this is why the Champions League is also shit. Clubs giving their eye teeth, just to finish 4th and get to play other big teams with no hope of winning.

It's madness I tell you, madness!

[N'ZMAV]

Prem is the place to be - if we go down we'll probably never come back.

[peter w]

I think the two options are loaded. I want to win the FA Cup because it's the Holy Grail it feels as if I'm empty until i see it happen. I don't care about avoiding relegation because of the option given it's because as a Villa fan I believe the Championship is beneath us as a club. yes there are arguments around us not coming straight back up but we also may well do so. I think we would. However, I don't want to go down because it's not in our DNA. We've spent the vast majority of our history in the top flight and that's where we belong.

Questions like this don't resonate with me because I take being in the top flight as a given. Of course the reality is a little bit more tenuous these days but it's who we are. Cups are what we strive for but I'd never swap who we are for a cup. that's for the Wigan's of this world. i never want to be a Wigan.