It grieves me to say it but Spurs are probably the best example of how much we’ve fallen behind in recent years. For a couple of decades we were usually better than them and usually beat them. We were in Europe, they were in mid-table. They they took off, we went backwards and we’ve not been able to catch them up since. There was a time twelve months ago when it looked possible but the usual Villa ability to splutter instead of take off came into play again. So we’re looking to finish in the top half and they’re looking to the Champions League. ‘Spurs’ in the same sentence as ‘Champions’. No matter how many times you say it, it still doesn’t sound right. Their chairman is Daniel Levy, a man whose financial acumen is legendary for much the same reasons as Spurs are a Big Club. They’ve also got Italian international goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini on their books. And yes, that sentence looks a bit odd as well.

Spurs are also another in a long recent list of laughable pretentious supporters we’ve played lately. The last time they properly challenged for the title Harold Macmillan was Prime Minister and they’ve won one trophy this century yet once again they’re Galacticos-in-waiting. On the other hand, we’ve got what looks like it might be a full-strength squad to chose from, whic is the most unlikely story of the lot.