Aston Villa vs West Ham Post-Match Thread

[Monty]

Any player whose service to the club could have been described as even course to Stride's would've got an invitation.

[Clampy]

I’ve got nothing against Steve Stride, he spent 35 years as an employee at Villa and resigned 18 years ago, I know he did a lot for the club
I just can’t quite get my head around the sense of entitlement he seems to have.
They couldn’t invite everyone, he didn't make the cut.

If you don't get it, then you don't get it.

[Villa Lew]

Just had a look at the attendance, a near full house on a flipping freezing cold night, is pretty good.

[cdward]

Maybe he’ll get an invite to the next one now he’s had a cry about it.

[Clampy]

Maybe he’ll get an invite to the next one now he’s had a cry about it.

Oh dear. I suggest you come back when you know your own club.

[Somniloquism]

Just had a look at the attendance, a near full house on a flipping freezing cold night, is pretty good.

Cheap prices and then Heck dedicating it to the 150 probably got a lot more in.

[eamonn]

that's poor - Stride would be a better CEO at Villa than anyone running the place currently there

Couldn't agree more: shocking business!

Stride inside the Villa
Strive outside it

[TopDeck113]

I enjoyed the occasion, and result but one thing irks me. We have so many staff doing ancillary stuff with the players and, who do it well, but we don’t have anyone it seems who can advise those players on what boots to wear. If you’re wearing moulded soles on your feet there’s every chance you will slip on a frosty surface with the temperature at -4. The players should have been in studded boots, more of them would have stayed on their feet then.

Not just the club's employees. You'd think whoever at Nike or whichever brand who chucks money at the top players to wear their boots, would be having a word in their ears about different soles for different surfaces.  Kids are hardly going to go into Sports Direct and pester their parents to buy them the same boots that Leon Bailey falls over in every five minutes.

[Witton Warrior]

Maybe he’ll get an invite to the next one now he’s had a cry about it.

Why so snarky? Lack of generosity of spirit seems out of proportion

[KevinGage]

I think I would have given their young lb MOTM had he stayed on a bit later. He owned Bailey in that first half and pretty much nullified our right

A strategically positioned hat stand could have nullified Bailey in the first half.

He got tackled, not hard just the ball knicked away in the first 10 minutes and stayed in a heap on the floor and I thought "here we go, he doesn't fancy this".

Needs a spell out to sort out his injuries and head.

Agreed.  It was probably a bit too cold or something.  If this Malen character turns up, I'd be very surprised if Bailey doesn't end up in 'impact sub' territory.

He's played himself out of the side with that performance last night.

A shame, as I thought there were signs of recovery last week.

[TopDeck113]

Nevermind, Steve.  I'm sure you'll get an invitation when MK Dons celebrate an anniversary of their 1988 Cup win.

[AV84]

Looking at the photos from the game, I think the jersey looks great on the players that wore long sleeve base layers underneath. A proper long sleeve version would have been epic.

[LeeB]

They didn't invite that miserable bastard in the ticket office in the 90's with the bumfluff moustache either.

[jon collett]

Looking at the photos from the game, I think the jersey looks great on the players that wore long sleeve base layers underneath. A proper long sleeve version would have been epic.

I always think that about all Villa shirts. The blue sleeves don’t have the same effect next to a claret body unless they are long!

[The Edge]

Always the best way to win a game, to come from behind.

Re:Steve Stride, he’s an ex-employee, he could have bought a ticket if he really wanted to go to the match.
It’s like wanting to be invited to the Christmas party of the company you worked for years ago.
Move on, if you really want to be there, just turn up.
Anyway 4th round, yay.
UTV

Sorry mate but that's bollocks. Steve Stride was an absolute stalwart at Villa Park through the good times and the bad times. Of course he could've bought a ticket like the rest of us but he's not like the rest of us is he? He put his all into running the club and he's got his own chapter in our history. Of course he got paid as an employee for doing that just like Ron Saunders did, and Paul Mcgrath, Peter Withe, Gary Shaw and even William McGregor. They were all employees weren't they but they're all club legends. His contribution might not be up there with such greats but he absolutely deserved some recognition and an invitation should have been forthcoming. I like to think that we're a club that has always had a touch of class about us but ignoring Steve Stride last night showed a distinct lack of class from the current employees at Villa Park.