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possibly not, but with a smalll squad, and having already shelled out 15-16m quid. Thats the point. We knew, or should have done, that the Souness legacy was this, or at least some of us said so. We would be better off if Bellamy and Robert were still here, agreed ? And considering he wanted them out so desperately we got 4m quid for the 2 of them, who can possibly defend THAT ? 189826[/snapback] You do understand the Chairmen has to OK all sales right. Souness didn't do it behind the fat ones back. 189832[/snapback] you do understand that chairman are supposed to allow their managers to run the playing side of the club, right ? So, if he DID veto any transfers on playing grounds, which appears to be what you are indicating you want, you would have a lot to say wouldn't you ? Seriously, I have my doubts, it seems the vast amount of people on here don't seem to understand this ..... nor the financial state of the club, mostly brought about by the last manager, despite it being as clear as the glass in front of your face. 190603[/snapback] Re: Souness and his bad buys, do you accept that it seems to be common knowledge that the Shepherds rather than Souness were the driving force behind the Luque deal? 190613[/snapback] You shouildn't believe shit rumours. Lesson one. You'll be saying Luque is a "trophy signing" next. Should have bought Wayne Fereday back, if people don't want "trophy signings". 190667[/snapback] There is a middle ground, of course. Somewhere between a few grand and a few million. That could have got us a much better balanced side. Lesson 2: Dont practice what you preach and youre not adverse to believing rumours yourself are you? When they suit.

190611[/snapback] So you don't think our major priority was replacing Alan Shearer, and even Bellamy - as he hasn't been replaced or hadn't been, as Owen is out for a season ? Are you saying we should have bought a defender and spent the whole of the season playing with Luque, Ameobi and maybe Milner up front ? I think the club HAVE prioritised, they knew we needed 2 forwards, minimum. The fact that no money is left to replace Babayaro, with someone better, is the fault of the previous manager, who's legacy will take more than 8 months to recover from. 190634[/snapback] Who had the responsibility of employing him? Who was daft enough to give him the money? Who continued to give him more and more money despite obvious flaws? The buck stops at the top. Doesnt it? The price of greatness is responsibilty, as some fat bloke once said.

stupidest post so far. 190618[/snapback] Seems pretty astute to me. Certainly other clubs have got fees we can only dream of. Cygan went for £2m apparently The Willie McKay thing stinks to high heaven

To be fair to him, I think he's an exile. 190607[/snapback] Still talks like he goes to games when he blatantly doesnt.

I did too but then having seen a fan lobbed into the East Stand paddock by the old bill with half his face hanging off, I didn't really want to watch any more tbh 190599[/snapback] You could smell the trouble that night, I was well up for it, but my faffa thought a 10 year old midget wasn't really going to do much damage, except to myself. 190605[/snapback] I was about 20 and it was the first time I left of my own volition early. It was a wise move too. I had left- weirdly enough from the same part of the ground where I have only ever stood 3 times - whilst seeing Chester beating us when me fatha dragged me out of the crowd for my first use of the C word there

possibly not, but with a smalll squad, and having already shelled out 15-16m quid. Thats the point. We knew, or should have done, that the Souness legacy was this, or at least some of us said so. We would be better off if Bellamy and Robert were still here, agreed ? And considering he wanted them out so desperately we got 4m quid for the 2 of them, who can possibly defend THAT ? 189826[/snapback] You do understand the Chairmen has to OK all sales right. Souness didn't do it behind the fat ones back. 189832[/snapback] you do understand that chairman are supposed to allow their managers to run the playing side of the club, right ? So, if he DID veto any transfers on playing grounds, which appears to be what you are indicating you want, you would have a lot to say wouldn't you ? Seriously, I have my doubts, it seems the vast amount of people on here don't seem to understand this ..... nor the financial state of the club, mostly brought about by the last manager, despite it being as clear as the glass in front of your face. 190603[/snapback] In any business it is commonplace for the head of the business to have final say on major investments. In some cases that investment is their idea. In others not.Responsible management dictates that this has to happen. Responsible chairmen also employ responsible and well qualified staff. That is their duty, not only to the business but to the shareholders. He has failed on both counts. I accept he needs to give managers the ability to decide but he has gone into this issue far too recklessly and it is absolutely nobodies fault bit his own that the 'bottomless pit' is no more.

Never been to a game either. Probably

YOU GOTTA BE SHITTING ME!!!! 190472[/snapback] He's been about 10 days away from fit for about 3 months now according to that site... 190516[/snapback] Know a kid with a similar hamstring problem (he is a youth team player and this is the only thing I know anything about so please dont throw the ITK thing at me!) and he has been into their club - not ours - 3 or 4 days a week in his own time apparently for extra treatment so it appears he is working on it. Needs to as well. He adds a lot to us as a team. That should get a few backs up 190530[/snapback] That's debatable. 190543[/snapback] Just had to throw the tiniest tidbit and in they come.... Top quality player Renton and will make an enormous difference when back. We have nobody to do what he does off the ball and Solano as much as anyone benefits from that. Kid has the pace and energy as well as the ability to carry the ball. If he is doing that then we need to understand that he is creating space. How we utilise that is up to the manager but Bobby did it very well. It is amusing how much vitriol he stirs up though.

i could believe that, sadly.

YOU GOTTA BE SHITTING ME!!!! 190472[/snapback] He's been about 10 days away from fit for about 3 months now according to that site... 190516[/snapback] Know a kid with a similar hamstring problem (he is a youth team player and this is the only thing I know anything about so please dont throw the ITK thing at me!) and he has been into their club - not ours - 3 or 4 days a week in his own time apparently for extra treatment so it appears he is working on it. Needs to as well. He adds a lot to us as a team. That should get a few backs up

Agree with Gemmill I have backed managers, players and even this arsehole until they have had enough time not to warrant it. Shepherd has screwed up once too oftn and the lame excuse that he is Bob Murray or Doug Ellis is utter garbage. His last 3 major decisions have been appalling - Bob's one year left comment, Souness and then Roeder. Hope the fucker sells up. Why would he leave the land of milk and honey though? He is getting worse than I ever imagined he could.

Oliver is a complete knob. He consistently called Souness something along the lines of 'the most honest man in football' for months before resorting to his current tack He slated Robert before becoming his friend again and deciding he wasnt all bad. He laid into both Bellamy and Robert and claimed consistently that both were responsible for their own exit. Thereupon he decided that it was his ex-friend Souness. Tip of the iceberg that lot. The slant today is that he is worried after Villa. You can see the snidey tosser beginning to change his view just in case Roeder fucks up. Horrible little scrote. Roeder has been sucked in by the arsehole. Roeder wants to give the fans news and Oliver is happy with that. then we get let down, Glen looks a tit and Oliver makes something up. Place is a bloody shambles. WE need new chairman, new manager and new chief sports reporter.

I think we get the picture Sima.

He was ok when he was us. Lots of people seem to have jumped on the 'he's shit' bandwagon, yet many were lobbying for him to play fro France when he was here (he did end up getting in the provisional squad of 50 or something for the last Euro) Anyway, hopefully he will put some pressure on Babayaro. Now we need 2 centre halves, a right back and a new chairman.

If we put all of the nonsense aside from those with personal tirades against some players - and they tend to be on NO an that one that gets 12 posts a week from 3 member.... We do have the basis of a decent side (but not squad) Given, Bramble (with brain engaged), Parker, Emre, Butt, Zog, Duff, Solano, Dyer, Martins (hopefully), and on current form Ameobi are decent players The untried: Rossi Beyond them we have the overrated: Taylor and Milner who look adequate. Taylor is someone the fans want to do well without having really done anything in my view. After that we have the cant be arsed: Luque Then the general dross and long term sick. On that basis it will be a bloody hard year.

Doug Ellis is free....

Had a chinese early and got the shits now. God Bless laptops. Now you can think of me sat on the pot with an arse dripping special curry! Thats what comfort eating on transfer deadline does

Did you back Souness ? I think you should sit back and think about the fact that, if Souness hadn't sold Robert and Bellamy, and wasted 17m quid on Boumsong and Luque [who you support] our need to stay in the top positions of the premiership may not be so urgent. Hm..."top positions of the premiership", chasing a european spot. Terrible isn't it. And spending only 16m quid this summer is truly the sign of a shite board ..... I don't need to make long posts about things like this. The stupidity of some people is explained far easier than that. I really don't give a toss who Villa have bought. Do you ? If so, why ? 189677[/snapback] Back him in what way? I was hugely against his appointment (a mistake by FS) but I also recognised that it would be a bigger mistake to sack him straight after the transfer window closed. I didn't send any emails to Freddie congratulating him though. I do care who Villa have bought, yes. I care about all the players our rivals have bought. After all, we're competing with them, no? EDIT: We've bought no fucking defenders man! I couldn't give a shit how much we've spent! 189684[/snapback] It would not have been a mistake to have sacked him straight away. The day he assaulted Bellamy is the day he should have been sacked, if not the day he replaced him at Charlton where he made it clear his managership was going to be all about his ego rather than the best thing for the club. But there are people on here who said he should stay. As I said, he told you that Boumsong was "a good player, and a leader". And people backed him, and Boumsong. We have spent 16m quid this summer, on top of the massive amount last year. How many other clubs have done that ? Why exactly do you and others think this football club can continue spending so much money on every decent player that comes along ? Do you want us to buy every player that comes on the transfer market, or are you going to blame FF whenever any player goes anywhere else ? A 12 year old could tell you we can't do that. 189714[/snapback] Bit harsh isnt it? and confused. If assault results in sacking Souness as you say....well then Bellamy wouldnt have been at the club by the time Souness arrived would he? Make your mind up which is acceptable but you cant have it both ways. The fact of the matter surely lies with : 1. Shepherd announced Robsons final year and as with Fergie at Man Utd it was a big mistake. Players are quite stupid but not short on knowing when they can take the piss and half a dozen did it very well during those days to the point they would have gone in most other businesses. 2. Shepherd employing Souness - bad idea. everyone knew it. 3. Shepherd employing Roeder - accident waiting to happen. many acknowledge it. Whatever anyone thinks of Boumsong, he is centre half who has gone. Surely a competent manager employed by a competent chairman would have replaced him? No? The buck stops with the man at the top and he has done many decent things. But throwing money at incompetent managers is not good stewardship. It is reckless. Recently he has been appalling when making the most important appointment.

189541[/snapback] Sad to point out, but as of 7 minutes ago the've removed that snippet All over I'm guessing 189549[/snapback] Best right back display I saw since Irvine Nattrass was Kieron Dyers at Villa a couple of years ago. Maybe Glenn is going to play him there. (sometime)

189522[/snapback] i love Freddie Shophard He knows the way to strike a bargain.