The play offs.

[olaftab]

Yes Brassneck finishing 17 to 15th in the the PL every season would be much more glorious than winning  the most famous trophy in world domestic football.

[Axl Rose]

It occurred to me last night as I watched the Derby fans, that losing at any point in the play offs is like somehow being relegated when you were in the top 6.

I am trying to remember that I don't feel that bothered whether we go up, but that feeling is escaping me at the moment.

Yes it's the difference between PL and staying in the Championship and that's continuation of relegation.

Are you going tonight, mate? If so, have an absolutely belting time. I'll be cheering us on like a madman from 3:45am, before a full day of lecturing tomorrow. If we win, the students are going to have to endure Villa themed references to everything throughout each class.

[Tony Erdington]

Its the ability to win silver ware, Wolves are looking at paying £35 million for a goalkeeper. little Aston villa in the second division 5 years hence will be looking at a reserve keeper from crystal palace, so the likelihood of trips to wembley seem .... Distant.

[Drummond]

Putting it another way, I doubt you'd find many Wigan fans who'd swap winning the FA Cup for spending the last 5 years getting stuffed most weeks in the Prem.

Yes but we're Aston Villa, not Wigan. They might well swap a day in the sun for a lifetime of obscurity but we won't. Just because it is YOUR personal ambition to see Villa lift an FA Cup in your lifetime, doesn't make it everyone elses. Personally, I couldn't give a flying one about a devalued FA Cup. Yes it would be nice to win but not at the expense of a PL spot.

I'm with Adam. To the point that I'd rather see us win the FA Cup than anything else.

[Brassneck]

Yes Brassneck finishing 17 to 15th in the the PL every season would be much more glorious than winning  the most famous trophy in world domestic football.

Yes Olaftab. I really said I aspired to finish 17th to 15th didn't I?

And as someone else mentioned, in order to win it, you need to be in the PL in any case - Just as Wigan were when they won it. When the FA Cup was in all of it's glory and splendor, it may well have been possible for a romantic giant killing by a lower tier side but not now. We have to move with the times and stop this selfish "I must see an FA Cup win in my lifetime" nonsense.

[Tony Erdington]

Yes Brassneck finishing 17 to 15th in the the PL every season would be much more glorious than winning  the most famous trophy in world domestic football.

Yes Olaftab. I really said I aspired to finish 17th to 15th didn't I?

And as someone else mentioned, in order to win it, you need to be in the PL in any case - Just as Wigan were when they won it. When the FA Cup was in all of it's glory and splendor, it may well have been possible for a romantic giant killing by a lower tier side but not now. We have to move with the times and stop this selfish "I must see an FA Cup win in my lifetime" nonsense.

100%

[olaftab]

Brassneck I am with you that to win the FA cup we need to in the PL and more competitive but just being in the PL  and surviving playing weakened teams in the Cups is not for me.

[Ads]

I would rather be promoted than anything else. We wont win the FA Cup by being in the 2nd division and the summit of our ambitions is somewhat higher than grubbing around the lower reaches of the top flight.

[olaftab]

Are you going tonight, mate? I so, have an absolutely belting time. I'll be cheering us on like a madman from 3:45am, before a full day of lecturing tomorrow. If we win, the students are going to have to endure Villa themed references to everything throughout each class.

Going tonight? Been ironing my 28 shirt all week. Hoping to see Paul etc. as well. You are super fan Nik as it's not easy following evening games out there.

[olaftab]

I would rather be promoted than anything else. We wont win the FA Cup by being in the 2nd division and the summit of our ambitions is somewhat higher than grubbing around the lower reaches of the top flight.

Yes totally agreed on that.

[Chico Hamilton III]

Are you going tonight, mate? I so, have an absolutely belting time. I'll be cheering us on like a madman from 3:45am, before a full day of lecturing tomorrow. If we win, the students are going to have to endure Villa themed references to everything throughout each class.

Going tonight? Been ironing my 28 shirt all week. Hoping to see Paul etc. as well. You are super fan Nik as it's not easy following evening games out there.

Little bird tells me that Paul will be sober for this ( which is more than we both were for the first leg). You probably won't recognise him. 

[Brassneck]

Brassneck I am with you that to win the FA cup we need to in the PL and more competitive but just being in the PL  and surviving playing weakened teams in the Cups is not for me.

The championship has been a breath of fresh air to me. However, for the good of the club, we need to be in the top flight. Failure this season will see us weakened in at least 4 positions, probably more. The longer we stay in this league, the more isolated we will become. One FA cup win in the naughties will not compensate for a sustained period in the Championship. The vast majority of our support were too young to experience the last championship win so they are not remotely interested in the "full house" that many of our old fans crave.

From where we are, we have to accept that an initial target would be to survive in the PL. It does not mean we should aim for this until eternity. The aim always has to be to play at the highest level. We are paying for the Lerner era but that doesn't mean we will do so for ever more. The sooner we get back to the prem, the sooner we can try to kick on. Each will be a challenge in itself.

[Axl Rose]

Are you going tonight, mate? I so, have an absolutely belting time. I'll be cheering us on like a madman from 3:45am, before a full day of lecturing tomorrow. If we win, the students are going to have to endure Villa themed references to everything throughout each class.

Going tonight? Been ironing my 28 shirt all week. Hoping to see Paul etc. as well. You are super fan Nik as it's not easy following evening games out there.

Haha. Enjoy, pal. I'm extremely envious, and would love to be there! Send my best to Paul, also.

[Richard E]

We're not sat at a crossroads with the devil offering us a pact where we get the choice of the FA Cup or promotion so let's just win the play-offs and take it from there.     

[Axl Rose]

Are you going tonight, mate? I so, have an absolutely belting time. I'll be cheering us on like a madman from 3:45am, before a full day of lecturing tomorrow. If we win, the students are going to have to endure Villa themed references to everything throughout each class.

Going tonight? Been ironing my 28 shirt all week. Hoping to see Paul etc. as well. You are super fan Nik as it's not easy following evening games out there.

Little bird tells me that Paul will be sober for this ( which is more than we both were for the first leg). You probably won't recognise him. 

Haha. When I first met Paul in Shanghai back in 2012, we had a good drink. At the Sheff United game just before Christmas, my wife, attending her first Villa game, insisted on buying a round. She was amazed that he only had a coke. The Japanese are brought up to believe that all English football fans are absolute beer monsters.

I explained that he was driving, but still, it was completely lost on her. It would have been good for her to meet him up at the Riverside by the sounds of things.