FA Cup semi-final - vs Liverpool Sunday 3pm

[Tom_Mc9?]

I thought it was quite a nice gesture to be fair.

[Billy Walker]

did I read correctly that Sherwood is letting petrov lead the team out for the semi? Two things, do teams get lead out for a semi-final other than the usual player line-up? Second, I can't think of anything more saccharin induced stomach churning, trying to pluck away at villa heart strings than this. Why not just stick tubes into him, shave his hair off again, wheel him onto the ground and  release a 'This Is For Stan' semi-final song?

Please don't Villa.

If we get to the Final and win it I'd love to see Stan lift the Cup - indeed, I wouldn't mind seeing him lead the team out in the Final either.  As for the semis, you make a good point,  I think they are played out in a fairly standard way with relatively little fanfare. 

[peter w]

Why? A gesture for what exactly? One of our ex-players (and in the Patheon of great Villa Players he's not there) had a very serious illness which he beat and for that everyone is relieved and thankful. But, we've gone from a years minute's applause, to giving him a job, to now letting him lead the team out. It's getting out of hand now. And just because he was seriously ill. It's statrting to look less about Stan and more about us wanting to be looked at for caring about Stan.

If we really care then why not explain that of our 230 or so disabled spaces at Villa Park to we only actually allow 90 or so in every game?

[Billy Walker]

Why? A gesture for what exactly? One of our ex-players (and in the Patheon of great Villa Players he's not there) had a very serious illness which he beat and for that everyone is relieved and thankful. But, we've gone from a years minute's applause, to giving him a job, to now letting him lead the team out. It's getting out of hand now. And just because he was seriously ill. It's statrting to look less about Stan and more about us wanting to be looked at for caring about Stan.

If we really care then why not explain that of our 230 or so disabled spaces at Villa Park to we only actually allow 90 or so in every game?

Why?  His career was cut short through an awful illness, he's incredibly popular among the players and staff, he's a former captain who possibly dreamed of doing this for us...there's a million and one reasons why this would be a fitting gesture.  It could also provide fantastic publicity for his charity, which in turn would benefit a lot of people.

I can appreciate cynics outside the club would think it a little too sweet a scenario, but I think any club at any level within the football pyramid would make a gesture like this for one of their players, given the same circumstances.

[peter w]

Why? A gesture for a player being ill? How many more gestures do you want? If we lift the Cup do you want him to lift it too? I get that for a lot of people it is a nice thing for the club for a player who as a person appears to be a great person. But surely it's time to move on? The absolute cynic in me would say that it is being done purely to try and help us through to the final. Whip up the emotion of the day and get the fans and players together behind Stan and doing it for Stan. To me, that's just a bit cold.

[Holte L2]

I'm sure Stan would rather just see us win the Cup, and be part of the backroom team.  I don't think he'd want anymore token gestures. Lets not forget, it was Stan who asked us to stop the minutes applause.

[chrisw1]

did I read correctly that Sherwood is letting petrov lead the team out for the semi? Two things, do teams get lead out for a semi-final other than the usual player line-up? Second, I can't think of anything more saccharin induced stomach churning, trying to pluck away at villa heart strings than this. Why not just stick tubes into him, shave his hair off again, wheel him onto the ground and  release a 'This Is For Stan' semi-final song?

Please don't Villa.

I think your reaction is a bit OTT.

I kind of agree that the Stan thing has gone above and beyond his achievements in his playing career.  Certainly my first thought when they gave him a coaching job was that's nice but I hope it's on merit.  I also think there is a lot of revisionism from people who now call him 'Legend' compared to the general analysis of him when he was playing (I'm sure I recall he was almost invariably in the fantasy lists of who we should let go to make room for the 5 star players we were going to buy in transfer threads) .  However, if he becomes a talisman that unites the fans and galvanises the team, then that's ok by me.

[Chico Hamilton III]

Has to be Blackburn in the final. If the FA want tradition, there are no other teams left who can give them that. Villa and Blackburn, 13 FA cups between us, gong back 130 years to when the Cup was everything - we had both won the Cup before Arsenal, Liverpool, Bradford and Man United were founded ( for convenience, I've ignored the fact Reading are an older club than all of us), 2 of only 3 teams who were founder members of the Football League and premier League.

[Billy Walker]

Why? A gesture for a player being ill? How many more gestures do you want? If we lift the Cup do you want him to lift it too? I get that for a lot of people it is a nice thing for the club for a player who as a person appears to be a great person. But surely it's time to move on? The absolute cynic in me would say that it is being done purely to try and help us through to the final. Whip up the emotion of the day and get the fans and players together behind Stan and doing it for Stan. To me, that's just a bit cold.

I get the feeling they may have wanted to do it for him in the League Cup until fate stepped in v Bradford.  Maybe it is a sentiment that is carrying on from then?   At the end of the day, if this is something the players want to do for a former Captain and friend, I'm all for it it.  If it's a cynical exercise I would have my reservations just like you.

[andyh]

So, Liverpool and Blackburn wont replay until around 7th April. Just over a week before the semi.
What happens if we draw the winner of that game?
I guess the date of the match can be finalised (saturday or Sunday), but does it mean tickets wont go on sale for either of semi finalists until the outcome of that game?

[Drummond]

It doesn't matter. ManUre for the final please, and a repeat of 57, Benteke can bundle De Gea into the net for the winner.

[Ron Manager]

It doesn't matter. ManUre for the final please, and a repeat of 57, Benteke can bundle De Gea into the net for the winner.

and Peter McParland can lead the team out!

[DeKuip]

So, Liverpool and Blackburn wont replay until around 7th April. Just over a week before the semi.
What happens if we draw the winner of that game?
I guess the date of the match can be finalised (saturday or Sunday), but does it mean tickets wont go on sale for either of semi finalists until the outcome of that game?

I means we snap up all the cheaper train tickets and hotel rooms first.

[Holte L2]

So, Liverpool and Blackburn wont replay until around 7th April. Just over a week before the semi.
What happens if we draw the winner of that game?
I guess the date of the match can be finalised (saturday or Sunday), but does it mean tickets wont go on sale for either of semi finalists until the outcome of that game?

I think tickets would just distributed without the other teams names on.

[OCD]

It doesn't matter. ManUre for the final please, and a repeat of 57, Benteke can bundle De Gea into the net for the winner.

We would never hear the end of it from their fans and the media. It would be much better for us to beat them and for there to be no comeback.