the villa fanzine

It wouldn't be the Villa without at least one crisis before the first month of the season was out. The biggest surprise about John Gregory's reign is that it's taken so long for the first rift between him and Our Leader. But it's here now.

It was all nicely packaged in time for the Shareholders Forum and AGM, which enabled messages of mutual comfort and support to be issued. As you'll have read elsewhere, what was most significant about the event was what wasn't said. It's obvious that Doug & John have had a major falling out. That in itself is no big deal; every manager falls out with Ellis sooner or later. The important thing is whether or not this friction hardens John's resolve to succeed or merely poisons the atmosphere at the club.

And as for the football..... Up the top of the league and winning more than we lose. Should be cause for boundless optimism and celebration. 'Fraid not. And the reason is that I don't for a minute think that anybody really expects this team to carry on like it.

The first month of the season has started off in much the same way as the last three years. There's three clubs at the top with another five or six behind them. Villa are, again, in the second group and don't show much inclination to leave it. The framework is in place, but the final touches still need to be completed. Even worse, the football is as mundane/negative/predictable/boring as it could get without actually turning into Sheffield Wednesday.

I could cope with the results; I don't expect the Villa to win every match (well I do, but I know it won't happen). Unfortunately, I can see a season of grinding out results stretching in front of us. The team are difficult to beat, which is fair enough. Trouble is, avoiding defeat seems to be the first, second and third priority. Winning isn't enough anymore, you've got to do it and look good. There's so much football on television now that if the choice is between watching the Champions League or shelling out £20 + to watch ninety minutes of tedium at the Villa, a lot of people will switch the telly on. Give me a whole season of 1-0 wins and at the end of it the Premiership trophy being paraded at the Council House and I'll be happy. But I'm not a typical football supporter any more.

Clubs are reaping what they've sewn. They sold out to the dubious benefits of the Murdoch empire, corporate entertainment and hype and are now finding that a new generation of supporters see football as a television programme rather than a live event. Even if they do turn up, they want to see Premiership football and excitement rather than Aston Villa winning at all costs.

Which leads us onto the crowds. Reducing prices is a novel experiment and one for which the club should be applauded. Don't complain about season ticket holders losing out, I'm sure you'd rather see a full seat at £18 than an empty one at full price.

If that doesn't work, how about twelve rounds barefist between Iron John Gregory and the former boys club champion of the Wirral? That's one I'd willing pay to see.

7th August: Newcastle 0 Villa 1. Well, what a pleasant surprise the start of the season was. Especially when we were under the cosh first half with Mary Poppins getting away with murder again. David James made some top saves and slowly things changed round. Then came the most dramatic news since the relief of Maefeking. Shearer sent off!!!!!!!!!!! JJ scored, they didn't and thanks for the three points. Mark Delaney looks a potential star, Boateng did what he had to do and the rest did their bit. Newcastle look as though, with a bit of luck, they could be relegation candidates and wouldn't that be a shame? £25.50 and it was almost worth it.

8th August: Ruud Gullit claims Shearer shouldn't have been sent off, because well, because he's Alan Shearer.

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