I didn't watch the cup draw yesterday. And frankly, what would have been the point? The only safer bet than Villa drawing United again yesterday was a scoreline on Saturday reading "Derby County nil".

I'm not sad enough to have got my calculator out and worked out the odds of Villa drawing the Red Devils in the third round for a fourth time in seven years. But either the FA is smiling on us, or this is some kind of cruel joke.

For my part, I don't think we could have got a better draw. This is fabulous - and I'll explain why...

1. It is only in the past fortnight that the country has started to take notice of Villa. A thumping win at Ewood followed by a rousing performance against the Gunners, and tongues are starting to wag now. It's high time the club enjoyed some time in the limelight, and no other draw does it quite like this one. Perfect.

2. Villa let themselves down against Man. Utd at home in the league, but a win against Chelsea and the narrow defeat to Arsenal means that we are getting ever more competitive with the Big 4. It would be a shame to have to wait twelve months to play one of them again at Villa Park - bring it on and let's see the results of everything we've learned.

3. The club has a target average home attendance of 39,000 for this season. This tie will help beat that, as well as put a good seven figure sum in the kitty to help persuade Randy to let O'Neill spend even more in January. So the tie even helps keep us on track in the club's development.

4. When was the last time you went to a home FA Cup tie at Villa Park, let alone one this exciting? About time....and a reward for our patience.

5. At least it's not Leicester or the other half of Manchester.

Comments (10)

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The Mighty Steve said:

Bring 'em on. I was flaberghasted when we drew them again but THIS is the time we'll do 'em. I keep saying that everytime we play them (including the FA Cup ties) but I feel the time is right and we owe them. Early exit for Man U. Villa - Arsenal cup final.

December 03, 2007 | url

John Churchley said:

Hey the draws wrong Aston Villa should be playing Middlesbough take a look at draw again! The guy pulling the number out says the number 24 while holding the number 25. Number 25 is Middlesbrough not Man United. Seems like a fix as Aston Villa have been drawn some many times before against Man U in the FA Cup draw. 4 in last 7 years.

December 03, 2007

NH1985 said:

There seems to be a growing movement for this belief that the ball said '25' yet '24' was read out... If anyone believe it they should take it up with the FA.

December 03, 2007

Holteenders in the sky said:

bring them on!!! im the same as you mighty steve i say it every time i hate man u cause theres so many damn glory hunters around and would love to send them back with their tails between their legs. Come on you lions!!!!!

December 03, 2007

Luke said:

I think we'll get beat again, simple as. Would love to beat them and probability suggests we have to at some point but we haven't got the cutting edge.

December 03, 2007

andy5759 said:

I agree with all of Doc's points above. Does anyone remember the Sky (or BBC) ad for the 3rd round last year. There was this young lad in a Villa scarf sitting on the edge of his bed as the draw was coming over, when they called out Villa v Manure the poor mite sighed and collapsed back onto the bed - bless. Personally I don't believe in conspiracies, me and my mates Elvis and Jim Morrison reckon it's just bad luck. To Luke; we do have the cutting edge, we just need to stick it to them where it hurts (legallly). UTV!!

December 03, 2007

Thegreatdando said:

You couldn't write this stuff even if you wanted to, I was so wanting Chasetown or the excellently titled Harrogate Railway! Even more ironic when you think about the 99/00 season, when we made the final, and now thinking about it the only reason that we did was because Man Utd weren't in it...else we would have played them in the 3rd round!

December 03, 2007

oldman villain said:

of course we can beat manure we gotta think we can beat any team on our day and we can and it was 24 not 25 but the bbc and sky needed a big tie and villa v middlesborough did not have the same glitter and villa to stick it up em 2.1 this time around

December 04, 2007

Gwyllum18 said:

If we play like we have been the Villa could pinch it. Bring 'em on!

December 04, 2007

german_villan said:

I get feelings about games that strangely happen. And I have got the feeling that this time its our day! Dont forget Coventry beat them in the Carling Cup at Old Trafford! And last year we only lost at Old Trafford because of a keepers mistake (Sorensen, and Taylor both being injured, we had a keeper on loan) that Carson, Taylor or Sorenson would have held! Just as MON says constantly, "We just need to believe we can do it!" And I am certain we can! We dont just want a good cup run, we want to win the thing! That means we need to be able to beat the best, and to meet them at home in the 3rd round would be the best time and place to do it!

December 04, 2007

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