Champions League - PSG

[Axl Rose]

Hope we get aek athens

My mates on Kos (most are massive AEK fans) would love that.

They absolutely despise your Olympiakos though, fella. 'Kologavri' was mentioned a lot when discussing the semi final.... 😂

I don't know how offensive that is, mind. One said it translates as 'smelly anchovy'

[SaddVillan]

So obviously Unai and the current squad are the deserved stars right now but I know I'm not the only one who thought it apt to pay tribute to Dean Smith for starting the journey we've been on. Here are some others:

James Chester
Conor Hourihane
Ahmed Elmohamady
Glenn Whelan (never forget the pen)
Tammy Abraham
Anwar El Ghazi
Trezeguet (the back post Messi)
Bert Traore
Matt Targett

I might have missed others. I know one Judas who I missed deliberately. What a ride it's been.

Add Steve Bruce .

From a cabbage to a king.

[john2710]

Jed Steer

[PeterWithesShin]

Hause, Hutton, Grabban, Jedi, Kodj, Uncle Albert, Taylor, Tuanzabe, Barney, are others that played their part in us going from a side on a run of 4 wins in 52 league games to the Champions League.

[Beard82]

I'm not sure where to share these thoughts and will probably regret it.

We've written a famous chapter in the history of our famous club.  I was convinced that my fondest football related memories would be left in my childhood in the early 90s.

This has been special because the last few years since I have started going back to Villa Park, albeit it not every week, has allowed me to spend time with my Dad and Brother - and they will be memories I'll treasure as well as seeing some brilliant football. 

I have been touched seeing all the supporters on social media with tributes to absent loved ones today - knowing how much this would have meant to them.  Seeing the man who nearly died at the Semi- Final, and the women who saved him both back at the Liverpool game. 

One of the things I have really struggled with about football over the past 10 years or so is so many footballers seem hugely unlikeable.  So its been great seeing this bunch of very talented players achieve so much despite often been having to take the less conventional routes.  And above all being seemingly decent people with a lot of affection for each other.

What Unai has achieved is he has made each and everyone of them believe in themselves and each other, and I think most of them have gone further than they ever believed possible and it has been a privilege to see it.

I've even enjoyed wasting time on here, spending time with you lot. 

Hopefully this warm glow lasts for the summer, with a brief interlude to be outraged that Southgate didnt pick Ty in his squad even though his not fit.

I guess - in short - Football is more than a game, and Aston Villa is more than a football club. UTV

[Rudy Can't Fail]

All my kids seeing Villa in Champions League/European cup for the first time
Unai manager of the season
Best owners in the league
Blues relegated
Mansfield promoted (personal thing)
My lads team won the league cup last Friday
Seeing Stevie Nicks in the summer at Hyde Park

What a time to be alive

John, you shouldn't have waited until you were 80 to have kids.😉

I've tonnes of respect for those fans who have followed us through shit and smellier shit who now think this is the best time of their lives.  Let's hope we never let standards drop so low again.

We're Aston Villa..we should be demanding.

[Beard82]

So obviously Unai and the current squad are the deserved stars right now but I know I'm not the only one who thought it apt to pay tribute to Dean Smith for starting the journey we've been on. Here are some others:

James Chester
Conor Hourihane
Ahmed Elmohamady
Glenn Whelan (never forget the pen)
Tammy Abraham
Anwar El Ghazi
Trezeguet (the back post Messi)
Bert Traore
Matt Targett

I might have missed others. I know one Judas who I missed deliberately. What a ride it's been.

Add Steve Bruce .

From a cabbage to a king.

I think all the players that played a part in keeping us up - its easy to forget that by rights we should have gone back down.   Nyland - for the most important save in Villa's history. Wesley (who probably wasnt good enough but never really had a chance).  From the championship team Uncle Albert, Neil Taylor  - Jed Steer and Miles for the stares.   

[AV84]

I'm not sure where to share these thoughts and will probably regret it......

Very well said (all of it, not just the quoted bit, to be clear!)  We're obviously bias, and I'm sure there's other teams with great team spirit, but it really feels like something special happening with us at the moment.

[Beard82]

I'm not sure where to share these thoughts and will probably regret it......

Very well said (all of it, not just the quoted bit, to be clear!)  We're obviously bias, and I'm sure there's other teams with great team spirit, but it really feels like something special happening with us at the moment.

Ha - thanks.  I agree, you achieve things with either brilliant players,  or players being brilliant.  We've seen the second and its always sweeter. 

[andyh]

So obviously Unai and the current squad are the deserved stars right now but I know I'm not the only one who thought it apt to pay tribute to Dean Smith for starting the journey we've been on. Here are some others:

James Chester
Conor Hourihane
Ahmed Elmohamady
Glenn Whelan (never forget the pen)
Tammy Abraham
Anwar El Ghazi
Trezeguet (the back post Messi)
Bert Traore
Matt Targett

I might have missed others. I know one Judas who I missed deliberately. What a ride it's been.

Add Steve Bruce .

From a cabbage to a king.

Kodjia played a massive part too.

[DeKuip]

My daughter phoned this evening and asked what I’ve been doing. I said “I’ve been sitting here staring at the table since I got home”, to which she replied “your tea won’t cook itself”… “No love, not that table!”

[eamonn]

It's a cracker!

[maidstonevillain]

Interesting seeing players like Digne, Cash, and Carlos celebrating last night. They're players a lot assume will leave, or should leave in the summer. They may not even get to play CL for us. You'd think at this point in the season they'd have been made aware of Uni's plans for them. Maybe they're all staying?

Even if they do leave (and I don't think any of them will), pretty much every one of their contracts will probably have a "qualifying for the Champions League" bonus in it.

And they're celebrating their professional achivement. Chambers looked to be having a lovely old time as well, and there's no chance he's going to be playing any Champions League football for us.

Yeah, I think qualifying for the Champions League puts a slightly different focus on it personally.  We can realistically keep Moreno + Digne now, they're a strong pair of left backs to have and Digne's wages will be less problematic with CL cash flowing around.  Likewise Cash, I could see us adding another RB but keeping him on, at least for next season.

Carlos is maybe the odd one there as it sounds like Milan were/are quite keen on offering us a load of cash for him, and he doesn't seem to overly fit with the way Emery sets the team up.  Again, I don't think it's necessarily critical that we flog him but I could see us selling Carlos and bringing in another central defender.  That'd give a back 4 of something like:

Cash / ? - Konsa / ? - Mings / Torres - Moreno / Digne

Which'd look pretty tasty to me, capable of being strong on two fronts simultaneously.

I can’t help thinking we have seen the last of Mings. At least as a regular. Just don’t feel he will get back to the player he was.

[baddowvillans]

Interesting seeing players like Digne, Cash, and Carlos celebrating last night. They're players a lot assume will leave, or should leave in the summer. They may not even get to play CL for us. You'd think at this point in the season they'd have been made aware of Uni's plans for them. Maybe they're all staying?

Even if they do leave (and I don't think any of them will), pretty much every one of their contracts will probably have a "qualifying for the Champions League" bonus in it.

And they're celebrating their professional achivement. Chambers looked to be having a lovely old time as well, and there's no chance he's going to be playing any Champions League football for us.

Yeah, I think qualifying for the Champions League puts a slightly different focus on it personally.  We can realistically keep Moreno + Digne now, they're a strong pair of left backs to have and Digne's wages will be less problematic with CL cash flowing around.  Likewise Cash, I could see us adding another RB but keeping him on, at least for next season.

Carlos is maybe the odd one there as it sounds like Milan were/are quite keen on offering us a load of cash for him, and he doesn't seem to overly fit with the way Emery sets the team up.  Again, I don't think it's necessarily critical that we flog him but I could see us selling Carlos and bringing in another central defender.  That'd give a back 4 of something like:

Cash / ? - Konsa / ? - Mings / Torres - Moreno / Digne

Which'd look pretty tasty to me, capable of being strong on two fronts simultaneously.

I can’t help thinking we have seen the last of Mings. At least as a regular. Just don’t feel he will get back to the player he was.

You may be right but I do hope not.  What a man he is though.  Always articulate and incisive even reminding McGinn, but tactfully, that Hause was one of the members of the Championship squad still at the club.  He's not a bad footballer either and has always been a natural leader  I would love to see him staying with as I think he could still add to the squad but if he isn't getting a regular game time is running out.  I wish the best whatever happens.

[Neil Hawkes]

I wonder if Ty is considering coaching, that may explain the coyness about a return date?