Why are Aston Villa so unpopular with neutrals?

[algy]

Short answer - you're not. Certainly not with anyone I know. I'm a Brighton fan who tends to swerve plastics who support the Big 6 so most people I chat about football with are, I find, a bit more clued up on football.  None of them have got a dislike of Villa. Clubs like MK Dons and Dirty, dirty Leeds are the most mentioned in that regard from lower league and a universal hatred for Man U.

It wouldn't surprise me if fans of the big 6 hate Villa. Clubs like yours  or Everton or Newcastle are the ones who will burst their bubble when the times comes. Take it as a compliment, I don't think Brighton even register with them.

I reckon most other fans quite like Villa,  a grand old club & founder member and a winning the European Cup under the proper rules. Speaking for myself, it's my favourite away ground. That Holte End should be Grade A listed. It's stunning.

Well done on staying up by the way. What a way to finish the season!

This is what I've found from most fans of other clubs I've met, generally quite complementary about us, and Villa Park in particular.

Said before on here, I'm good mates with a few Evertonians and generally like to see them so well (except against us).

Never knowingly met a Brighton supporter, but had a soft spot for them since the financial troubles in the 90s. It's good to see you lot doing as well as you are, it's been a magnificent turnaround

[Jon Crofts]

Their ears?

Judging by the ones who used to abandon their cars blocking her driveway I’d say yes.

[Pat McMahon]

I’ve mixed with fans from clubs  all over the country and abroad by virtue of living in Sheffield, London a few times plus 13 years overseas, and played in a fair few teams of mongrels as well.

Down here in London people I know wanted us to stay up - generally positive re our tradition and a universal love of Villa Park, which is sadly partly based on it being an easy game for away teams for a few years. Many will also reference us re our dear neighbours by saying how aggressive Blues fans were to them compared to drinking in pubs with Villa fans.

Most people though generally don’t have a strong opinion about us, aside from the occasional outlier . Partly because we have been average for a decade now.

I know fans of loads of different teams and have had great chats with decent opposition fans in pubs around the country. Obviously  I only have eyes for the Villa but clubs whose fans have registered with me are the  Sheffield duo - both sets of fans were great with me when I lived there in the early 80s  - and I used to work for a big company in Brighton and knew loads of fans who stuck with them in the dark days of the Withdean. I’m pleased their loyalty has been rewarded. I find Liverpool and Everton fans from Merseyside to generally be decent, unlike the more vociferous Liverpool glory hunters from outside the city. And for some strange reason I know a few Gasheads who are great blokes so always look out for their score too.

[Smithy]

I haven't lived in or around Birmingham since the late 90's, and I think, pretty much without question, no-one I've met and talked football with during the last twenty-odd years has ever said anything particularly negative about the Villa.  Obviously you get the odd comment about specific players, but never about the club itself.  Most fans seem to recognise we're a big, old, traditional club, and they don't think we are ever going to really challenge at the very top end of the game. 

I have a good mate who is a Leeds fan, and I would say that when we're talking football with people who don't know our allegiances, half the people make a comment about 'dirty' Leeds, or not liking them for one reason or another.  It makes me laugh, and he's good natured about it, but it's interesting nonetheless.

[aj2k77]

Take internet bile out of the question and it's mostly made up by noses who try and project their weird,obsessive, hatred of us on to others to try and normalise their strange behaviour.

[Stu]

I think all of the interwebs nonsense is largely driven by people who predicted we would 'do a Fulham' and were proved wrong. Everyone likes to think that they know their football.

[The Edge]

Take internet bile out of the question and it's mostly made up by noses who try and project their weird,obsessive, hatred of us on to others to try and normalise their strange behaviour.

Totally agree about the noses. The "spawny vile bastards" topic has got this covered. My nephew regularly poses as a Villa fan on other forums and deliberately comes across as an arrogant, deluded douchebag and of course says he drives a Range Rover and owns a farm. And he's not alone. It's a strange brew of a football supporter who would go to such lengths to "get one over on da vile"

[Drummond]

Obviously  I only have eyes for the Villa but clubs whose fans have registered with me are the  Sheffield duo - both sets of fans were great with me when I lived there in the early 80s  -

My in-laws are Blades and I work with plenty of both sides of the city.

Blades fans generally have a bigger chip, they are, after all, behind Wednesday and Leeds in size, and I think it comes from scrapping for everything and never really doing much... Owls fans have all been fine with me. Blades fans are just worried about being better than Wednesday.

It's a bit like our relationship with other clubs in the Midlands, they hate us because we're bigger and more successful and deep down they hate that and all they strive for is to be better than us. Meanwhile, we aspire to, and have, achieve(d) more.

Let's face it, we've not won anything for such a long time, but Cup Finals have happened, and we did push under MON for a while....

[kipeye]

I live on Merseyside and work in Mancland. Very little hate for Villa amongst any of the local teams. Rivalry, but no real deep dislike.
others may experience different but I just don't see it.

[villa `cross the mersey]

I live on Merseyside and work in Mancland. Very little hate for Villa amongst any of the local teams. Rivalry, but no real deep dislike.
others may experience different but I just don't see it.

Same here Kipeye...lived here since 1995 and have never come across any animosity towards the Villa

[The Edge]

I live on Merseyside and work in Mancland. Very little hate for Villa amongst any of the local teams. Rivalry, but no real deep dislike.
others may experience different but I just don't see it.

Same here Kipeye...lived here since 1995 and have never come across any animosity towards the Villa

I was working on a renovation in the centre of Liverpool staying in Hanover street. I think the hotel was called The Hanover? There was a group of us Brummies at a Karaoke one night about 6 villa and 3 noses. We were slagging each other off and i could see the locals had clocked us. I went for a piss and a very large scouser came and stood next to me at the trough. He said "are you birmingham or villa?" Dick still in hand i just said "villa" I thought here we go and was about to say "don't hit me while i'm having a piss mate" Before i could he pulled up his sleeve and showed me a lovely Villa tattoo. Never been so relieved. I said "fuck me mate i thought i was a goner there" He just laughed and when i went back in the bar he introduced me to another villa fan in front of my blues workmates who were truly gutted. His dad was from kingstanding and he moved to Liverpool years previous. We stopped in Liverpool for about a month and i bumped into him a couple of times. I met a lot of Liverpool and Everton fans and to a man they were decent and complimentary about Villa and had a genuine fondness of going to Villa park.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

I live on Merseyside and work in Mancland. Very little hate for Villa amongst any of the local teams. Rivalry, but no real deep dislike.
others may experience different but I just don't see it.

Same here Kipeye...lived here since 1995 and have never come across any animosity towards the Villa

One thing about the Scousers I've met is their complete obsession with football. Not just their own club, the bloody lot. There must be some sort on Merseyside competition to be the most knowledgeable football man in the city, a bit like the Noses are about us but for every team in every league.

[villa `cross the mersey]

I live on Merseyside and work in Mancland. Very little hate for Villa amongst any of the local teams. Rivalry, but no real deep dislike.
others may experience different but I just don't see it.

Same here Kipeye...lived here since 1995 and have never come across any animosity towards the Villa

One thing about the Scousers I've met is their complete obsession with football. Not just their own club, the bloody lot. There must be some sort on Merseyside competition to be the most knowledgeable football man in the city, a bit like the Noses are about us but for every team in every league.

Nice one Rudy....you are spot on.....it's one of the things I like about living up here .....the passion for the game. There is always someone in the workplace, on the train, in the shops or pub willing to talk about " the game" ........very rarely do you get the response " I don't like football or I'm a rugby fan"
Another plus is being able to ask " Red or Blue"? And then being asked the same question in return.....
"me? I'm Villa "
Which usually gets the following response .." I love going to Villa Park"

[SoccerHQ]

Remember asking a scouse lad in my Uni class the "red" or "blue" question. He answered "Tranmere."

We then had a great 20 minute debate in the lecture room about the 94 league cup SF 2nd leg being the best/worst game in football history!

[Pat McMahon]

I live on Merseyside and work in Mancland. Very little hate for Villa amongst any of the local teams. Rivalry, but no real deep dislike.
others may experience different but I just don't see it.

Same here Kipeye...lived here since 1995 and have never come across any animosity towards the Villa

One thing about the Scousers I've met is their complete obsession with football. Not just their own club, the bloody lot. There must be some sort on Merseyside competition to be the most knowledgeable football man in the city, a bit like the Noses are about us but for every team in every league.

Same here Rudy, that’s why I don’t mind fans of either club who are from the city. They seem to have a good knowledge of football generally, not just their own club. They just seem to have a great knowledge of the game.

I’ve said a few times on here but after the 2015 semi final every scouser I spoke to was very decent and congratulated me. There was no blaming the ref, decisions, bad fouls etc. All their ire was reserved for Brendan Rogers.