So close, but never felt so far....

[VillaSpen]

Wonderful post

[Chap]

I’m 62 this year and share the same sentiments as others on this thread. It’s very sad.

[Holte132]

I'm 70 and sadly have to agree with the post too. At least I can say that we've won the FA Cup in my lifetime!

[Legion]

I can't. I'm 55 now and that is the only one I've never experienced. Sticking it on my revised bucket list.

[Holte132]

I wish I could remember it though!!

[Drummond]

I can't. I'm 55 now and that is the only one I've never experienced. Sticking it on my revised bucket list.

Please don't! 😉

[Brend'Watkins]

I don’t know. I get the sentiment of the thread. I’m
52 now and I understand the corruption of football via the money now involved, no point in repeating everything that’s already been said.

And yes its a rip off as well, I pay for me and my sons lower holte season tickets as well as the euro games on my credit card and by the time its paid off, it’ll be time to go again, unless they price me out.

I understand I’m being ripped off and I understand the monetisation of football is creating a seemingly impossible cartel to break into….and even if Villa did, then what.

But despite all of that, recent years have been some of my most enjoyable ever in over 40 years of going down. I loved when Dean became our manager and the 10 game run to the play off final was exhilarating. I loved regularly taking apart the so called better teams under Emery and some of the European nights have been incredible. Maybe its because I’ve shared those moments with firstly both my kids as they’ve grown up, now just my son as my daughter has moved away to uni and stopped going. Maybe if and when my lad wants to go with his mates rather than his dad, or in a couple of years he decides to move away to uni, I may feel differently, I can’t imagine going without him.


I think age and personal circumstances play a part and if you really have had enough, maybe its time for you, it’ll come to us all at some point.

Same here Andy, these topics always appear when our fortunes on the field tail off. It’s always been the same. We’re not a London club, we’re not a Manchester Utd, we’re not a media club, no one likes Birmingham and a host of other excuses/unfairness/and whatever. Since the PL and before the PL it has been the way. It will remain that way until we disrupt the “favoured”. We’re fairly close at the moment and need to keep our nerve.

[algy]

I agree, Brend. Keep our heads, we’re nearly there and once we get over that barrier we’ll be just as hard to displace.

We’ll be fine

[Rory]

I've just turned 37 and I've been disillusioned with football for a long while; probably 20 years.

The top-level game is as close to being rigged as it's possible to get without it being so transparent as to destroy the illusion of competition.

I am possibly more embittered than most because my formative years as a supporter were kind of from Yorke leaving up to MON being appointed, and I went to a school (2000-2007) that was about 80% Man Utd 'supporters'. If anybody dare remember or look up our record against those fucking scumbags in those years, it is the ultimate proof that god and natural justice do not exist. The amount of verbal bullshit and dirty plastic fingers mockingly pointing in my face during that time, from people who were born and lived within about three miles of VP, makes me wish in hindsight that I was a Percy-type (no disrespect, Perce) and had chinned every last one of them.

I went to 5-10 games a season in the Championship but I haven't been to a game since we were promoted. Some of that is ticket prices and difficulty getting tickets for me, my Dad and brother together. But part of it, undoubtedly, is apathy.

I'll always love Villa and they'll forever hold the power to make or destroy my happiness for an entire week, but the game itself is broken.

I don't think there is any conspiracy involved, it's just demographics and economics, but what we have now is a product, not a sport.

Maybe it was always the case and it has simply come into sharper focus over the last two or three decades. I don't know.

[OzVilla]

Thos OP has nailed it.

I'm a former Holte End season ticket holder exiled for many years now.  Whenever i'm back in Blighty during the season I always go as I have family and friends with season tickets and they always sort me out.

But what staggers me when I go is always how boring and flat the atmospheres are nowadays, even with this Emery team. The whole experience feels steralised, from dull uninspiring football to a sport commercialised to death at the expence of the match going punter. 

Thank God I saw us in the 80/81 title era and throughout the 90's when it felt like an even playing field, I can't see anyway i'd be forking out for a season ticket nowadays. 

[PhilVill]

Yep, I'm slowly coming to the same conclusions so an excellent post and it's sad to see so many feel the same.

I think VAR will eventually do it for me, it'll be one decision too far, although the dour style of football most teams play (most certainly including us) also just makes me bored watching.

[frank black]

Maybe we just need to cheat for a few years, worked for Chelsea and Man city.

[ChicagoLion]

Great thread Nils and reflects my sentiment.
I am getting fed up with the dishonesty of the officials and how there is now more left to their interpretation enabling them to have the hand in the scales, the reason why Arse will win the league is because they are the most cynical and set piece savvy team.
I do not trust the FA/Premier League UEFA FIFA.The Man Citeh situation Trump Peace prize shows that the game is corrupt at its core and we are watching this play out in games.
The kick off times , the horrible Sky Sports presentation of the game.

[ROBBO]

I only watch Villa on the tele, promise myself I will go to sleep and watch the replay in the morning, but, I usually wake up just before kick off and stagger out of bed to watch it live. I am transfixed on the witton end and spot where i used to stand in all weathers, frozen feet and hands, the days of Dixon and Peter Mac. Everyone stood and thats where I think the atmosphere has gone, the crowwd used to have movement, swaying to the movement of the ball. It has been ruined by those with vested interest in maintaining the status qou, Man City a tin pot club bought by another nation and allowed to spend a fortune, now untouchable it seems.

[luke95]

I'm another thinking of knocking it on the head.
45+ years as a home season ticket/regular, really don't think I'll be making it to 50.
The memories now are of bad VAR decisions, favouritism of the 'big 6',same old same old & the greed of all clubs
Don't even get ST card now or a ticket stub to remind you of any good times.

It was A way of life .  It has now become a chore