Aston Villa vs Birmingham City Pre-Match Thread

[Damo70]

Surprised a premier league ref hasn't dropped down for this, that's what usually happens.

A premier league ref dropping down to officiate a championship game is Neil Warnock's pet hate. Although that probably says more about him and his teams than anything else.

[Damo70]

A card happy ref will be good for us, they're the cloggers and could end up being down to ten men. Hopefully he'll protect Grealish aswell.

In two different eras, under Saunders and Bruce Small Heath had a few players who could play a bit and mix it a lot. From what I've seen of their current lot they don't appear to be great at either.

[eamonn]

What about Jota, isn't he skilful and finally coming good?

[Hookeysmith]

Has there been any update on Hogan?

[cheltenhamlion]

Hogan is fit. Jota is shit. And we are going to smash these so hard they won't stop until they play at Newport next season. 4-1 Villa if we score in the first half an hour.

[russon]

The Holte, Shaw, Sid, Morley, McNaught, the atmosphere, the win, their disallowed goal when they’d gone mental thinking they’d taken the lead, even the kit, great days indeed. If any young ‘uns are reading this and want to know what it used to be like in the pre-Premiership good ‘ole days well take 5 minutes to watch this and and you have your answer...

[Dougs Socks]

HAPPY ANTI SMALL HEATH DAY ALL!!!

Now, off to the Witton i go....

[oldtimernow]

No, my fair cousin;
If we are mark'd to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England.
God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more methinks would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Happy Villan, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And pounds for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call'd the feast of St Villans day.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd,
And rouse him at the name of Villan.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say "To-morrow is Saint Villan."
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say "These wounds I had on Villa's day."
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words—
Brucie the King, Terry and Chester ,
Snoddy and Hogan, Grealish  and Johnstone—
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Villa Villan shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be rememberèd—
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Aston Villa's day.


2-0

[HK Villan]

The Holte, Shaw, Sid, Morley, McNaught, the atmosphere, the win, their disallowed goal when they’d gone mental thinking they’d taken the lead, even the kit, great days indeed. If any young ‘uns are reading this and want to know what it used to be like in the pre-Premiership good ‘ole days well take 5 minutes to watch this and and you have your answer...

Note the pre-Ronaldo step over from David Geddes at 3:55....!

Great game... I was behind the goal :-)

[clash city rocker]

For the first time in years i'm starting to get nervous before games now.

[Malandro]

Just posted on one of the villa Facebook pages:

[ADVILLAFAN]

So you’re telling me there’s a chance?

[Gregorys Boy]

My heart says 8-0 to the Villa! On the other hand my head says 6-0!

No seriously the Blues might nick one from a dodgy set play...

[Chinchilla Bathhouse]

It's all well and good Wendy Ansell offering that alternative, but she could at least have posted the Pope's number so people could book.

[curiousorange]

Let's make this the last time we see these lot for a good while. Promotion is there and we have to take it.