Jack Grealish

[talkativesprout]

I wonder what the threshold is post count-wise to be considered an actual fan

dunno but at about 2500 you get a sense of humour.

 

[blue61]

Jesus, wasn't expecting to get as many backs up with that comment, wasn't intended as a wind up. We were big in the late 60s, early 70s then fell into oblivion in the grand scheme of things, as others benefited from the start of Premier League, including the juggernaut of Manchester United.

Villa were one of the EFL founder members with fantastic early success, then obviously won the European Cup nearly a century later. Go to the Midlands, it's a massive catchment area and if people don't support United or Liverpool, it's usually Villa. We have been so lucky with the investment we've been given, but without that we are a mid table top division team with about 30-40k hardcore fans (consistently higher crowds than Villa in the Championship, so fair play). The last 10 years has been great but we need to sustain that for the next 20-30 years to be considered up there with the Uniteds, Liverpools, Arsenals. Loads of fans coming through in Gen Z and younger, but it'll take these guys starting to come to games and bringing their kids too for us to grow as a genuine fanbase. Currently we wouldn't fill a stadium the swamp's size week in week out. They struggle due to their drop off in success, and they're a generation or two ahead of us in their establishment at the big table. History isn't everything, we are a fantastic club with a fantastic bunch of fans and we are here to stay; but we're not a massive club.

Back to Grealish, I agree he's stuck around at Villa and been a legend there. Most of their fans probably wouldn't begrudge him a move to a title contender.

100% a rag

 

[dozzie26]

100% a rag

Just a different opinion, which should be welcomed amongst other like-minded people. I want us to win everything and we will do one day, but I don't get the blue tinted specs view that we are the biggest team in England because we are champions. There's 6 or 7 bigger than us and I'm fine with that.

 

[bluemoon32]

Back to Grealish, I agree he's stuck around at Villa and been a legend there. Most of their fans probably wouldn't begrudge him a move to a title contender.

Nearly every single one of them would begrudge him, they are a very bitter fanbase

 

[bluemanchester]

I wonder what the threshold is post count-wise to be considered an actual fan

I also wonder that and what the threshold is when you know better than the manager and can tell everybody who has a different opinion to you how wrong they are;-)

 

[dozzie26]

Nearly every single one of them would begrudge him, they are a very bitter fanbase

Fair point, I've seen my fair share of that from them. Dare I say, I prefer the blue side of Birmingham, despite our club's colourful past with them off the pitch.

 

[LongsightM13]

Villa’s peak years came when Victoria was still on the throne, the crossbar was a rope and the open top bus had horses pulling it

 

[GaudinoMotors]

I also wonder that and what the threshold is when you know better than the manager and can tell everybody who has a different opinion to you how wrong they are;-)

1

 

[bluemoon32]

Fair point, I've seen my fair share of that from them. Dare I say, I prefer the blue side of Birmingham, despite our club's colourful past with them off the pitch.

I work in the West Midlands, i prefer the Baggies over all of them

 

[Keeper!]

Jesus, wasn't expecting to get as many backs up with that comment, wasn't intended as a wind up. We were big in the late 60s, early 70s then fell into oblivion in the grand scheme of things, as others benefited from the start of Premier League, including the juggernaut of Manchester United.

Villa were one of the EFL founder members with fantastic early success, then obviously won the European Cup nearly a century later. Go to the Midlands, it's a massive catchment area and if people don't support United or Liverpool, it's usually Villa. We have been so lucky with the investment we've been given, but without that we are a mid table top division team with about 30-40k hardcore fans (consistently higher crowds than Villa in the Championship, so fair play). The last 10 years has been great but we need to sustain that for the next 20-30 years to be considered up there with the Uniteds, Liverpools, Arsenals. Loads of fans coming through in Gen Z and younger, but it'll take these guys starting to come to games and bringing their kids too for us to grow as a genuine fanbase. Currently we wouldn't fill a stadium the swamp's size week in week out. They struggle due to their drop off in success, and they're a generation or two ahead of us in their establishment at the big table. History isn't everything, we are a fantastic club with a fantastic bunch of fans and we are here to stay; but we're not a massive club.

Back to Grealish, I agree he's stuck around at Villa and been a legend there. Most of their fans probably wouldn't begrudge him a move to a title contender.

We were THE Manchester Team long ago, going back to the 30s, hence the nickname of the Trafford red socks, THE RAGS, because they were so poor.

Like it or not, the Munich disaster was the making of the Rags and their popularity sored because of it.

Manchester City were and are a huge club, only during the late 70s and 80s thanks to PJ Swales did our reputation get tarnished.