Why are Aston Villa so unpopular with neutrals?

[cannock villa]

Coming from Cannock where there is a large following of Wolves and have quite a few mates among them, I can confirm they are obsessed with us. Straight after the final whistle on Sunday one messaged me about our 'dark season' and Jack would now be sold. I replied that now the season has finished its been a great season. Objective to stay up achieved, plus throw in a cup final appearance, something they haven't done since Thatcher was in power. He didn't reply.

[Meanwood Villa]

We were the preeminent local team, pretty much unchallenged for around 40 years from mid 70s to mid 10s. That kind of thing grates with local rivals.

[themossman]

I think it's probably true that this whole debate is skewed by the views of some salty vocal gobshites on twitter who don't respresent their team's fanbase. We've got plenty of them as well.

Personally, I care 0.1% as much about other clubs - inlcuding local rivals - as I do about the villa.

But I'd say there probably is a hierarchy of other clubs in my mind.

Manu and Leeds at the bottom, consistently hateable.

Shithouse clubs that conduct themselves poorly and/or have gobshite owners (West Ham, Barcodes, Cardiff)

(loads in the middle)

Clubs I quite like because they have a playing philosophy / nice manager / nice ground / are a 'proper club' / I have a mate who supports them. Everton and Brighton are in the last category for what it's worth!

[Chico Hamilton III]

Most people I meet down here say a similar thing when I tell them I'm a Villa fan. "Big club, Villa..... proper ground......good support". I've never really experienced negative comments.   

[Meanwood Villa]

When I replied earlier I thought the comment about Wolves fans was the OP and we were just talking about local fans. I would agree that beyond the Midlands bubble we're not that disliked. Be nice to get good enough to piss a few more people off wouldn't it?

[UK Redsox]

News to me that Villa are unpopular with neutrals.

As someone who doesn't live in the West Midlands, I wasn't aware that many people outside of that area had any strong feelings about Villa

[JUAN PABLO]

I had loads of customers saying to me Saturday , Villa are a big club and need to be in the Prem , good luck buddy including loads of Leicester fans..  Dont think Cov were too happy thou

[Sexual Ealing]

I don't know any Blues or Wulvs, but everyone I know was pleased for us.

[Risso]

I've never met a Leicester fan yet who doesn't share the average Coventry fan's rabid and slightly bewildering dislike of us.

[Meanwood Villa]

One thing I would say is that if the boot was on the other foot and if had been Newcastle, Everton, West Ham or any more established top flight club I would have wanted them down in that situation. Maybe I'm contrary but for other clubs who fit in the "big club, great history" stuff it makes me want them to do worse.

[dave.woodhall]

I've never met a Leicester fan yet who doesn't share the average Coventry fan's rabid and slightly bewildering dislike of us.

I'd be a bit worried if anyone or anything from Leicester liked us.

[Axl Rose]

I've never met a Leicester fan yet who doesn't share the average Coventry fan's rabid and slightly bewildering dislike of us.

You'd like my dad, Risso. He absolutely loves us! On Sunday, when we scored, he facetimed my wife and was going mad. I asked him about the Leicester result and he said he couldn't give a shit

I think he's in love with our Jack, also.

[LeeB]

I've never met a Leicester fan yet who doesn't share the average Coventry fan's rabid and slightly bewildering dislike of us.

I've told it before, but I once had a bewildering conversation with a Leicester fan. It was in a factory canteen over there, with my gaffer (a nose), me and this bloke. All amiable enough, but after about 10 minutes or so the bloke got up to use the microwave and I noticed a very distinctive coloured t-shirt sticking out the back of his work jacket, which happened to by the Villa home top with the NTL sponsor on. I questioned him on it and he just shrugged and said his nan had bought it for him.

Fucking weirdos.

[SoccerHQ]

Are we that unpopular? Can only go by looking at a few fan forums and seemed most were happy to stay up as it makes premier league more interesting if we're in it.

Seems a few in championship were unhappy we got away with FFP so they've got that chip on their shoulders about us e.g. Bristol City but they're of no concern now.

[dave.woodhall]

Ultimately, we're a sort-of inbetween club. As has been said before, we're too big to patronise but not done enough recently to respect. Within a forty mile radius we're everything, but after that we're pretty much ignored.