FINAL GAME BOYCOTT

[Chris Harte]

Seeing as our last home game is the Geordies then I'm all for a boycott given the shit we are going to get dished out to us.

And that would be scary would it? I've heard it all now.
We had a laugh at their expense a few years back, I'm sure most of the grown ups amongst us can cope with it coming the other way.

The experience I had in Spain last summer when I got chatting to one of them suggests that some of them can't, even now.

[garyfouroaks]

I can't see there being any support for boycotting what could be our last top flight game for some while.

[kippaxvilla2]

Throw a bottle of piss at Fox and Hollis.

Would you really do that?

Depends how full it was.

And you'd be happy to go to prison?

At least he'd be well versed in slopping out.

[ciggiesnbeer]

Seeing as our last home game is the Geordies then I'm all for a boycott given the shit we are going to get dished out to us.

And that would be scary would it? I've heard it all now.
We had a laugh at their expense a few years back, I'm sure most of the grown ups amongst us can cope with it coming the other way.

The experience I had in Spain last summer when I got chatting to one of them suggests that some of them can't, even now.

I am sure they are going to love it. I have no problem with that. Their fans have embrassed themselves for years obsessing over how they relegated themselves at Villa park. If they can get some jollies gloating when we do the same then more power to them, I doubt many Villa fans give a damn what Mags think.

They still have to go home being Newcastle United fans. Thats punishment enough.

[Dave Cooper please]

How about we all go to the final game of the season and we fucking sing and chant and show the fuckers that this is our club?

[alftitimus]

Whilst I applaud the OP with his desire/need -- to take some action - I fear that it is apost-match depression and not really thought out.
Sorry mate 

Clubs publish their "Attendance figures" to include STs and any freebies (Schools etc)
-- so our last Home Game will show an Attendance of way  above 32k, even if TV shows rows of empty seats.
The Stats will over-rule our perception and will make no impact nationally.
(Arsenal had a match last year in a half empty stadium, and published an 85% Attendance.
Our local warrior and Gooner even went on Twitter to question that Attendance figure--
--  it is "tickets sold or distributed" --not real bodies through the turnstiles.
So we can't raise media-copy on a that issue as someone suggested.

The Holte will not boycott. They will sing their hearts out for the club, not the players or the management...BUT...THE CLUB.

So, embarrassment to the club by a boycott in the last match, is really a non-starter.

I'm not an ST, but me dad is, and he hates our owner, but will not ever.........
......EVER miss a match.
He will hold a banner against Lerner but he won't  abandon his love.
Neither would I  ..neither would the Holte.

We all go down together.

And watch Lerner sack Fox and the recruitment bureau....as if...

 

[robbo1874]

Needs to be made personal directly at Lerner. 30,000 people wearing lerner masks and dressed as buffoons would be more embarrassing. Need him to start hating us

This is why throwing the bright future scalves onto the pitch as a game kicks off is a good idea. It's aimed directly at Lerner & the board .

this is the best idea I've seen for a form of protest. Simple, visible and a clear message back to the club- no ambiguity with that action. Requires a lot of people to sacrifice a personal villa momento, but under the circumstances it seems right to do it.

[mattjpa]

Seeing as our last home game is the Geordies then I'm all for a boycott given the shit we are going to get dished out to us.

And that would be scary would it? I've heard it all now.
We had a laugh at their expense a few years back, I'm sure most of the grown ups amongst us can cope with it coming the other way.

The experience I had in Spain last summer when I got chatting to one of them suggests that some of them can't, even now.

I am sure they are going to love it. I have no problem with that. Their fans have embrassed themselves for years obsessing over how they relegated themselves at Villa park. If they can get some jollies gloating when we do the same then more power to them, I doubt many Villa fans give a damn what Mags think.

They still have to go home being Newcastle United fans. Thats punishment enough.

Has anyone lent a thought to the scenario that we could be down by then and they come to VP needing to get something? Hilarity would ensue if we beat them and relegated them again. I might even end my self imposed exile if the cards stack up that way

[levico]

Well I've just spent over 20 minutes wading through all these posts and can't help thinking that if Fox, Hollis et al did the same they would be sniggering by now.

We are so divided in our views that we can safely be ignored as irrelevant. Anything we attempt would be half hearted and doomed to failure. Impotent about describes us.

Personally I believe that a half empty stadium has some impact but only if it is 'organically' achieved rather than some form of contrived protest.

Other than that we've just got to suck it up. Let's face it were just not as passionate as Liverpool fans.

[CT]

I suppose the ideal scenario would be 90 mins of support / equal abuse for the board.

Drag the Geordies down with us and then all leave before the players come back out for what would be a totally meaningless "lap of appreciation".

Tend to agree with Levico just said though to be fair.

[ChicagoLion]

A protest needs to have a goal. So what's the goal? If it is to get Randy to sell, well he's already trying to do that. He just doesn't have a buyer. If it is show the board how you feel then how does a half or quarter empty stadium achieve that? Not everyone is going to avoid the game. And for those who attend are they not as passionate about the club as those who participate in the boycott?

There needs to be a tangible and defined aim and if the aim doesn't affect immediate change then is there desire to do it again and again until it does? Protests rarely work on the first attempt so will there be enough energy and following to keep this up?

The aim must be to get the powers that be to take care of and focus on creating a football team. That means backing the manager to radically change the squad.

Yes the long term goal I agree, but what does the short term protest hope to achieve? For your suggestion to take effect it will take many protests and I don't know if we have the energy to do that. We've now had 5 years of this and we still get good gates and fans showing up spending a lot of money for something they love. Do Villa fans have what it takes to see a protest and movement through to the desired end?

Based on this thread ,I don't think so.On top of apathy and disagreement about what to do, we have the problem of articulating a message, Randy out won't work, save our club?

[Billy Walker]

Well I've just spent over 20 minutes wading through all these posts and can't help thinking that if Fox, Hollis et al did the same they would be sniggering by now.

We are so divided in our views that we can safely be ignored as irrelevant. Anything we attempt would be half hearted and doomed to failure. Impotent about describes us.

Personally I believe that a half empty stadium has some impact but only if it is 'organically' achieved rather than some form of contrived protest.

Other than that we've just got to suck it up. Let's face it were just not as passionate as Liverpool fans.

I'm sure your tongue is in your cheek when you say that.  Villa fans are as passionate as any set of fans, what we are not - at the moment - is as organised as other clubs' fans when it comes to this kind of thing. 

One of the things Randy has managed to do very well these past four/five years, both through staying away from Villa Park and through cleverly timing when to release statements or make appointments, is that he has kept the fans' ire under control. He has kept us simmering and - somehow, despite everything that has happened - he has kept us all from reaching a very justifiable collective boiling point.  It's quite remarkable how he has achieved this. It's like a guy chatting up your wife and making off with her right under your nose and you feel you have no right or power to put up a fight for her.  It's been a cynical and calculated process, indeed, the only thing Lerner has pulled off with any expertise since his association with the Club.

[Laurence]

In my humble option, we must do something to show our disgust with how the club's run, whilst showing we stand together as Villa fans.   We should take inspiration from the Liverpool fans, they stood up and did something, good for them.

Throwing the Bright Future scarves onto the pitch is a good, semi-practical, safe and legal idea.   Symbolism is key, false hopes and broken promises dashed on the rocks of an incompetent man child. 

If timed properly the visual impact of scarves being thrown on the pitch and simultaneously falling from the upper tiers would be powerful.  Especially if media are briefed beforehand, the key message is we don't reject the club, the club is, and always will be OURS.  We categorically reject the false dreams of the man and seek positive change.

By the way, in my opinion we should all strain every sinew to show Remi Garde how much we appreciate his efforts and most especially his dignity and conduct since joining the club.  He's a top man, and when he speaks everything he says chimes perfectly with me.       

Questions:
How do the scarves make it from the upper tiers to the pitch?   
What's the trigger to throw?  Suggestion - When the ref blows his whistle for kick off. 

[Archbishop Herbert Cockthrottle]

Questions:
How do the scarves make it from the upper tiers to the pitch?   
 

Tie them round a brick.

[phantom limb]

I don't think the players should come out for a lap of appreciation. It's just not a good idea.