Europa League 2025-26

[tomd2103]

I wouldn't like it if we were banned from Mordor, although they're doing their best to keep the ban going.

I suppose the difference here is you have secterian MPs in Perry Barr and Dewsbury whipping up angst against "zios", in a backdrop of Tarquins workshopping songs to "put them in the ground" and away support with a strong (at present anyway) nationalist element, some racists amongst them, a good chunk of thugs and then in the middle a local populous who want to eat their dinner and watch TV and Villa fans wanting 3 points. So the equivalence made are not really relevant.

That's the thing I keep coming back to.  I can fully appreciate that there are very valid safety concerns around the game and there is potential for serious disorder at the ground and in the city.  If the decision has been made on that basis then I understand it.

I just get the feeling, however, that there may have been other motivations involved.  I don't think it is beyond the realms of possibility that certain people with sectarian motivations just simply don't want Israelis in the area and have used the safety aspect as somewhat of an excuse.   

[Meanwood Villa]

This fixture was always going to cause lots of headaches and see us in the national news one way or another. I wasn't expecting it to play out this way. That is, pretty much every politician choosing to undermine an independent body tasked with ensuring public safety by conflating a football club with a nation state and then conflating that state with an entire race.

[AV82EC]

I wouldn't like it if we were banned from Mordor, although they're doing their best to keep the ban going.

I suppose the difference here is you have secterian MPs in Perry Barr and Dewsbury whipping up angst against "zios", in a backdrop of Tarquins workshopping songs to "put them in the ground" and away support with a strong (at present anyway) nationalist element, some racists amongst them, a good chunk of thugs and then in the middle a local populous who want to eat their dinner and watch TV and Villa fans wanting 3 points. So the equivalence made are not really relevant.

That's the thing I keep coming back to.  I can fully appreciate that there are very valid safety concerns around the game and there is potential for serious disorder at the ground and in the city.  If the decision has been made on that basis then I understand it.

I just get the feeling, however, that there may have been other motivations involved.  I don't think it is beyond the realms of possibility that certain people with sectarian motivations just simply don't want Israelis in the area and have used the safety aspect as somewhat of an excuse.

So you don’t know then, you’re just making stuff up.

[andyh]

Andrew Fox
@Mr_Andrew_Fox
·
11h

Statement from the Aston Villa Jewish Villans supporters’ club, of which I’m proud to be honorary president:

“In the summer of 1938, on a tour of Germany, the name Aston Villa became famous around the world, as the only visiting team who refused an official request to perform the Nazi salute prior to kickoff. Today, the same club have been forced by the local authorities to salute modern day Nazism.

We lay no blame on Villa - it would absolutely not be safe to allow thousands of Jews to walk around Aston and its surroundings. Why that may be so should trouble the entire country.

It must also be said that following the announcement, we have been inundated with Villa fans happy to give up their seats to travelling Tel Aviv supporters.”

Fucking hell.
That’s disgraceful.

[Ads]

I wouldn't like it if we were banned from Mordor, although they're doing their best to keep the ban going.

I suppose the difference here is you have secterian MPs in Perry Barr and Dewsbury whipping up angst against "zios", in a backdrop of Tarquins workshopping songs to "put them in the ground" and away support with a strong (at present anyway) nationalist element, some racists amongst them, a good chunk of thugs and then in the middle a local populous who want to eat their dinner and watch TV and Villa fans wanting 3 points. So the equivalence made are not really relevant.

That's the thing I keep coming back to.  I can fully appreciate that there are very valid safety concerns around the game and there is potential for serious disorder at the ground and in the city.  If the decision has been made on that basis then I understand it.

I just get the feeling, however, that there may have been other motivations involved.  I don't think it is beyond the realms of possibility that certain people with sectarian motivations just simply don't want Israelis in the area and have used the safety aspect as somewhat of an excuse.

So you don’t know then, you’re just making stuff up.

I think its fairly clear what the motivations of the Member of Parliament for Perry Barr are. Who knows on the SAG though. Our new spotter is shite so no real insight from WMP, as you're more likely to find Jimmy Hoffa than him mingling with us. Bladen remains a good man, despite wearing his Dingle socks to Feyenoord.

[Dave]

Andrew Fox
@Mr_Andrew_Fox
·
11h

Statement from the Aston Villa Jewish Villans supporters’ club, of which I’m proud to be honorary president:

“In the summer of 1938, on a tour of Germany, the name Aston Villa became famous around the world, as the only visiting team who refused an official request to perform the Nazi salute prior to kickoff. Today, the same club have been forced by the local authorities to salute modern day Nazism.

We lay no blame on Villa - it would absolutely not be safe to allow thousands of Jews to walk around Aston and its surroundings. Why that may be so should trouble the entire country.

It must also be said that following the announcement, we have been inundated with Villa fans happy to give up their seats to travelling Tel Aviv supporters.”

Fucking hell.
That’s disgraceful.

I had a quick look at his Twitter feed, proper cesspool stuff. Looks like GB News and its ilk are going to make antisemitic Aston Villa their latest thing to kick around.

Josh Howie
@joshxhowie
I’m going to that fucking Villa match with a big Star of David and if the police stop me for my safety rather than deal with the threat of Islamists then this country is fucked. Anybody who wants to come join me then great.

[PeterWithesShin]

This game is very different to a derby to police.

[Ads]

I agree it is. But also, so what. WMP saying they cannot monopolise violence is a bit failed state-y.

[tomd2103]

I wouldn't like it if we were banned from Mordor, although they're doing their best to keep the ban going.

I suppose the difference here is you have secterian MPs in Perry Barr and Dewsbury whipping up angst against "zios", in a backdrop of Tarquins workshopping songs to "put them in the ground" and away support with a strong (at present anyway) nationalist element, some racists amongst them, a good chunk of thugs and then in the middle a local populous who want to eat their dinner and watch TV and Villa fans wanting 3 points. So the equivalence made are not really relevant.

That's the thing I keep coming back to.  I can fully appreciate that there are very valid safety concerns around the game and there is potential for serious disorder at the ground and in the city.  If the decision has been made on that basis then I understand it.

I just get the feeling, however, that there may have been other motivations involved.  I don't think it is beyond the realms of possibility that certain people with sectarian motivations just simply don't want Israelis in the area and have used the safety aspect as somewhat of an excuse.

So you don’t know then, you’re just making stuff up.

Nope, just going off the back of the reaction of people like Ayoub Khan, whose feelings on the matter are there for all to see.  Are you honestly saying that the strong anti-Israeli sentiments prevalent in certain sections of society at the moment might not have come in to play at all?

On the whole though, I do think it can be argued that the right decision has been made given the circumstances and the potential for serious disorder.  As someone who has got a ticket for the match, I'd obviously hope to avoid any sort of threat outside the ground. It is a pretty unique situation and set of circumstances that I can't really see being replicated again, unless we play opposition from the same country of course.  I just hope the decision was made in good faith. 

[PeterWithesShin]

If the tories hadn't trashed police numbers they probably could...

[PeterWithesShin]

It's the outside influences that make this a very different game. The run up to the game even without away fans is going to be bad enough, never mind if it was going ahead with away fans. It's a draw that was always going to be a shit show and I can't wait for it to be done with as the Villa name will be in the news for the wrong reasons through no fault of our own.

[Ads]

If the tories hadn't trashed police numbers they probably could...

6%/740 decrease means this sort of event cannot be policed? The Met are down 310 (33k and change v 32k and change) and seem to cope with this sort of thing, plus Millwall/Tottenham/West Ham et al zig zagging across a huge public transport network. You'd think a place with natural bottle necks like Aston or the Ciry Centre would be easier, but I suppose not.

Don't disagree with your second post. I assume they're well up for it where ever they go and we have sectarian MPs whipping up people that ordinarily wouldn't know/care we were playing.

[AV82EC]

I wouldn't like it if we were banned from Mordor, although they're doing their best to keep the ban going.

I suppose the difference here is you have secterian MPs in Perry Barr and Dewsbury whipping up angst against "zios", in a backdrop of Tarquins workshopping songs to "put them in the ground" and away support with a strong (at present anyway) nationalist element, some racists amongst them, a good chunk of thugs and then in the middle a local populous who want to eat their dinner and watch TV and Villa fans wanting 3 points. So the equivalence made are not really relevant.

That's the thing I keep coming back to.  I can fully appreciate that there are very valid safety concerns around the game and there is potential for serious disorder at the ground and in the city.  If the decision has been made on that basis then I understand it.

I just get the feeling, however, that there may have been other motivations involved.  I don't think it is beyond the realms of possibility that certain people with sectarian motivations just simply don't want Israelis in the area and have used the safety aspect as somewhat of an excuse.

So you don’t know then, you’re just making stuff up.

Nope, just going off the back of the reaction of people like Ayoub Khan, whose feelings on the matter are there for all to see.  Are you honestly saying there aren't strong anti-Israeli sentiments prevalent in certain sections of society at the moment?

On the whole though, I do think it can be argued that the right decision has been made given the circumstances and the potential for serious disorder.  As someone who has got a ticket for the match, I'd obviously hope to avoid any sort of threat outside the ground. It is a pretty unique situation and set of circumstances that I can't really see being replicated again, unless we play opposition from the same country of course.  I just hope the decision was made in good faith.

Of course there are anti-Israeli sentiments in society currently, it would be naive to think there isn’t. I see no reason why professionals involved in SAG wouldn’t make the decision in good faith, they have all the evidence and their primary concern is the safety of the match going public and the local community. They definitely shouldn’t be having to think about any issues wider than that.

[DC1874]

What f**cks me off about all of this is that no-one has mentioned that Maccabbi fans are scummy right wing hooligans who showed their true colours in Amsterdam last year - I don't care if they were Jews, Christians or Scientologists - the local authority and police have made the right call. Starmer is a handwringer who panders to those who pay him, I resent the implication/inference that this decision is anti-semitic in any way. Picture this, if it was Millwall over in Israel for a game and they were banned, would anyone jump on the bandwagon and call it anti-Christian? Thought not! Starmer funnily hasn't mentioned anything about away fan bans in Glasgow derbies, I wonder why?

[PeterWithesShin]

Some Maccabi fans are scumbags. I don't like tarring all of their fan base with that title. Beitar are far far worse.