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

[Vegas]

We’re giving up our STs next year. I think apart from very recently the football’s been good over the last 3-4 years.

Not much to add to the other excellent posts above, but for us it’s a bit of costs and kick off times, but mainly that the dream is dead. You need to believe in football that you can build to something big, that better times are around the corner. The current financial rules just means that’s finished. This summer we’ll sell Rogers to the Big 5. Newcastle will sell Tonali to the Big 5.. Forest will sell Anderson to the Big 5. Palace will sell Wharton to the Big 5. Then we’ll all play another season against the Big 5 and see who’s the best at football.

Plus, I’m a match going fan over 50 that’s been a regular for 40 years so no-one gives a fuck what I think - it’s not about me.

[cdward]

Re: selling of our best players to the "big 6".
Yorke, Bosnich, Barry, Milner, Delph, Young, Benteke, Grealish, you just know that Rogers will be next. Even losing out on the likes of Gallagher to Spurs.
This has all slowly chipped away at the enthusiasm we all had at one point.
When you look at the amounts being spent by the big 6,(without the cheating), it's hard to see how we will ever be able to compete.
We need some silverware to keep the dreams alive.
Newcastle, Spurs, Palace, West Ham have all won something recently.
If it's not this year in the Europa, i can't see us winning another trophy.

[kippaxvilla2]

They never seem to mention us on the Shipping Forecast either. Like, never. It can't be a coincidence.

Bailey regularly gets a mention so that’s not true.

He’s a dogger of a player.’

[ez]

This makes me think back to the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s when I was a regular attender at Villa Park. I would see the old blokes among the crowd still enjoying watching the Villa and thinking that will be me one day. Now I am one of the old blokes except you will rarely find me at Villa Park. Sad really.

[Baldy]

It just seems like a 'perfect storm' at the moment brought on by:

1) Injuries to three of our best players.
2) Subsequent loss of form of other players.
3) Bad transfer dealings to address above problem.
4) Injustices of the elite (Man City*, Chelsea* etc)
5) Re-emergence of Man Utd (really pisses me off)
6) Ever escalating costs

Football aside, throw in the Trump factor and no wonder we are all feeling 'doom and gloom'.

But, but, but if we stuff Lille and the Hammers we will be on cloud nine again. When Tielemans returns we will all explode in a fit of ecstasy and the world will feel right again.

And always remember, you could have been born a Birmingham City supporter.

That feels better. Renew those season tickets folks. 

[kippaxvilla2]

Anyone missing it? :-)

[Hookeysmith]

Yep. International football, unless a knock phase of a comp is so boring.