Aston Villa
League Position - 11th (LAST SEASON)
All competitions - Home - P19 W7 D8 L4 F20 A14
Recent Encounters between teams
28-10-06 Liverpool 3 - 1 Aston Villa WON (Kuyt,Crouch,Garcia)(Agabonhalor)
29-04-06 Liverpool 3 - 1 Aston Villa WON (Morientes, Gerrard 2) (Barry)
05-11-05 Aston Villa 0 - 2 Liverpool WON (Gerrard,Xabi Alonso)
15-05-05 Liverpool 2 - 1 Aston Villa WON (Cisse 2) (Barry)
Interesting Facts
*Original members of the Football League in 1888, Aston Villa are one of the Premier League's founding clubs.
*Randy Lerner the new chairman of Aston Villa is an actual member of their forum.
*George Gillett unsuccessfully tried to buy Aston Villa before he bought us with Tom Hicks.
Club Honours
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
1893-94, 1895-96, 1896-97,1898-99, 1899-00, 1909-10,
1980-81
CHARITY/COMMUNITY SHIELD WINNERS
1981
F.A. CUP WINNERS
1887, 1895, 1897, 1905, 1913, 1920, 1957
LEAGUE CUP WINNERS
1961, 1975, 1977, 1994, 1996
And now thanks to the lads and lasses at Aston Villa Official Message Boards
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Well another season's underway this weekend, what are
your hopes and aspirations for Aston Villa?
generalav:I would be devastated with less than 7th. Always hopeful of a freak 2nd or something like that, though!
shevace:Whilst last season was all about consolidation I think most people would be expecting a top 10 finish at the least. i think our current squad is capable of top 8 and if O'Neil can bring in 3-4 more (of the right) players a proper challenge for the top 6 should not be beyond us.
porky:To win every game this season and to win the league, FA and CC. Which are my hopes every season!
Realistically though I'd be happy with a top 8 finish and a good run in at least one of the cups.
How did you rate your pre-season, results and transfer
wise?
generalav:Results: 10/10
Transfers: 1/10
shevace:Pre-season results can't be argued with we beat the 2 american teams and Stoke. Obviously completely wiping the floor with Inter was the icing on the cake - Villa have looked very good (especially the attack) in pre-season. Transfers.....people have fallen into 2 camps - blind panic (over the lack of action) and blind faith (in O'Neil) I fall into the latter. Reo Coker could be a fantastic bit of business and Harewood could prove to a useful squad player to have. I would still hope that 3-4 players will be added before the window closes (i'd be very happy with Gordon and Davies)
porky:Results wise, very good. Good confidence boosting results. Transfer wise I'd have like to have seen a few more players in earlier than what we have or are going to.
Who do you think is going to be major players for Aston
Villa this season? Any surprises we wouldn't know about?
generalav:Ashley Young is B-Rillliant, and soon everyone will know.
Luke Moore could quite easily have a 20+ season.
John Carew is excellent in case you didn't know.
Shaun Maloney could be the next Joe Cole, if he isn't already.
Martin Laursen is one of the best defenders in the world when fit.
Gareth Barry is being robbed blind of his rightful place in the England team.
Bouma, Petrov, Reo-Coker, Gardner and Petrov are all very good, too.
shevace:Major players - Barry, Reo Coker, Carew all have to be mentioned but for me Young is the Villa player to watch fly this year. Also, Gabby and Moore will be under pressure to really step up and establish themselves as premiership strikers which i believe they both have the talent to do.
porky:Barry will have his usual very solid season.
Moore could be a good season, this is really the time where he needs to show his ability that we all know he's got.
Agbonlahor, I'm hoping he doesnt have 2nd season syndrome and keeps his game from last season.
Carew, looking forward to seeing his first full season.
Reo, I wasnt impressed at the price we paid for him, but he's certainly looked lively during the preseason, could well yet turn out to be a bargain.
Young, I'm really looking forward to seeing him fly from the traps this year.
Petrov, really looking to see an improvement from him as he's had time to adjust to the premiership now.
Bouma, looks to be going from strength to strength, O'Drearys best buy by far.
Gardner, another exciting prospect.
The Usual Suspects: Mellberg, Laursen, Cahill, Sorenson, hopefully we can keep them fit and in the squad.
We have both recently been taken over by American owners, how is things going with Randy? And what do you think of George and Tom?
generalav:We all love Randy for the way he has done things, really a touch of class. Don't know much about your Yanks (except that they called Liverpool a "franchise" ahahahahahaha........{weeps with laughter}), but Doug Ellis said he was impressed with them when they were sniffing around the Villa for a while.
shevace:Randy seems to be doing everything right at the moment - he's really won the fans over with off the pitch initiatives the next part is to prove the backing is there when O'Neil needs it - i have no reason to doubt that it will be. As for your owners (Gillett looked at us before you - Randy scared him off, Villa Reject! ) Thy seem to be backing benitez - with the players you've brought in i see no reason to complain.
porky:Randy seems to have a good rapport with the Villa fans, having come in and set about lifting the deep depression thats surrounded us for far too long. Injected a bit of vigour and freshness to the whole place. Backing us in the transfer market, getting the training facilities to where they should be for any aspiring Europe bound team and starting to bring the crowds back can only be good for any team.
George and Tom I'm not too familiar with. I know they've come in and provided funds for team building and have big plans with your new stadium et al. Has their been a change in atmosphere at Anfield with them coming in?
What do you think of Liverpool's transfers this
year?
generalav:Could go either way. Make or break for Rafa I'd say.
shevace:As I say i don't think you can complain - to be honest i'm a bit sceptical about Torres and how he'll adapt, i think Voronin (is that right?) will score for you and Babbel will prove a fantastic bit of business.
porky:Sorry havent really been watching your transfers apart from the obvious Torres. Who should add that little bit extra you may need to kick on for a run at the league title, I still dont think you'll be quite there yet, but not as far off it as the last few seasons. Who else have you bought by the way?
What are your views on the Liverpool squad this year?
generalav:Ditto
shevace:Your squad is definately stronger this season - but so is Man U's and to be honest i can see them winning the league again. i think you'll come 3rd but be a lot closer to Chelsea this time. i think next season is when i'd expect your squad to be strong enough to challenge for the title (but how many years has that been said about Liverpool?)
porky:Stronger than what they've probably been for a couple of decades now, I'd expect them to push for the title this year, but I dont think you're quite at the point to be able to do it yet. Another good tilt at the Champions League beckons though.
What are your views on the new Liverpool stadium?
generalav:Would be sad to see Anfield go. And even sadder to see Liverpool getting huge crowds to their games, lol.
shevace:Stadium - It's sad that you're leaving such a famous ground but you're losing so much potential revenue by having a stadium so much smaller than the likes of United and unfortunately cash seems to take presidence over tradition in football these days. The idea of a 'new kop' should help prevent the lack of atmosphere that usually acompanies a move to a new ground.
porky:Looks okish, I'm more impressed by the Emirates though, although the atmosphere there is a bit wishy-washy.
Your worst and best memories from matches with Liverpool ?
generalav:Been a while since there were any good memories, and prefer to forget the bad ones.
shevace:Worst memories - that's a tough one, how do i seperate one 3-0 thrashing from the next. Maybe when you knocked us out of the league cup a few years back - the game where kick off was delayed, you won 4-3 with Gerrard scoring in the last minute. Favourite - has to be Rosenthal missing the open goal in front of the holte! (or collymore getting sent off and doing the harry enfield "calm down, calm down" sketch to you lot as he passed you).
porky:Well I'm glad Fowlers not in the premiership anymore!!!!
Your winners of the following this year : Premiership,
F.A Cup, Carling Cup and Champions League:
generalav:Man United, Chelsea, Villa, Milan
shevace:Prem - Man U, F.A. - Chelsea, C.C. - Liverpool (or Villa!), CL - Man U (i'm not going to be too popular after that am I - sorry!)
porky:Premiership: Man Utd
FA Cup: Liverpool
Carling Cup: Villa
Champions League: Barcelona
Finally can you predict the score for the Newkit Forum?
generalav:2-1
shevace:I'm going out on a limb, bearing in mind how you usually start campaigns 1-0 Villa.
porky:Villa 3-1 Liverpool
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Rafa-Dodd
*Good bunch of fans on the whole.
... this is very entertaining...
Sorensen for me is one of the most underrated keepers in the league. He has done well for 
