London hoodoo continues but Blues are relegated and Villa are in Europe
Written by Damian   
Sunday, 11 May 2008

Goals from Ashley Young and Gareth Barry were enough to get a point in London and four goals from Birmingham City were enough to confirm our Intertoto spot for next season.

Surely somebody will mention that they did us a favour today, even though in the end it wasn't needed.

Now, I know I've said in the past that it's nice to have Birmingham City in the league, not only for the six points, but the two matches themselves, but it's even nicer seeing them get relegated.

When they came up, for the first time a few seasons ago, they were quite literally unbearable, but it seems that they've now finally figured it out; they're a second rate team and will never be as big as Aston Villa.

But I digress, the most important thing about today is we've finished sixth and have the home and away leg of the Intertoto to win before playing UEFA cup football.

What a season, well done to everyone!

Premier League 2007/08:
Champions: Manchester United
Champions League: Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool
Uefa Cup: Everton
Intertoto Cup: Aston Villa
Relegated: Reading, Birmingham, Derby
Comments (47)add comment

goalcentre.com said:

Highlights of the match at:-

http://www.goalcentre.com/west...ighlights/

* Sorry for double post. Can delete the first one! smilies/wink.gif
May 11, 2008 | url

maccam said:

great effort today from the boys today, 6th is a minimum we deserved in the league. intertoto in july will be good with a few new singings! you said it right damian the london hoodoo got us again thats 5 matches played in london this season (fulham, spurs, arsenal, chelsea, west ham) and 5 last minute goals (ballack, bendtner, kaboul, bullard & ashton) but i have to admit at least under o'neill we look like winning in London playing attacking football against these teams.
May 11, 2008

Villain from Texas said:

I really wanted to beat West Ham today, no matter whether Everton won or lost. We nearly did, too. But, you know what? We finished 6th place, and that's no small accomplishment. Some people moaned a lot this season, but we did a hell of a job this season.

Well done Villa!
May 11, 2008

Richardo said:

Well said Damian, although we did need Blues to do us a favour - if they'd capitulated against Blackburn we wouldn't have even made Europe. Thanks SmallHeath (and Goodnight). Ho Ho Ho.
May 11, 2008

Jonesy08 said:

Great result 2day lads intertoto cup and really should equal European football. Obviously it would have been nice to win today but that's ok we have got the objective we was looking for and that was 5th (UEFA Cup Football) or 6th (Intertoto Cup Football). Bring on Europe obviously its not guarenteed but really we should qualify for the UEFA Cup now. As for Bazza cum on Gareth stay with us we've finished 6th this season, now stay and lead us to the next level the top four. CUM ON VILLA!!!!!!!!
May 11, 2008

oldman villain said:

well done villa a fantastic season
May 11, 2008

gAZ said:

BARRY PLEASE STAY!!!
May 11, 2008

taglor said:

Ok finished 6th and just 5 points between that and 10th. Ok I suppose I just can't really get excited about 6th next season is the start of our proper rebirth. As for Man utd what an absolute anti climax, man utd win ooh what a surprise, Man utd got a penalty and Scholes never got sent off surely fixing doesn't go on in a multi million pound business?! Rooney acting like a thug again, does he realise he's a role model to kids everywhere the cabbage headed neanderthal lowlife uncultured erroneous vaccuous waste of ether. Really looked forward to today and listened to it all on the radio and it was so boring.
May 11, 2008

Myles said:

Bring on the inter toto and then the uefa absolutly brilliant season hopefully a few good signings now and hopefully barry will stay were on the up, well done damo on your start of season prediction you got it spot on UTV!!!
May 11, 2008

caleb said:

you're boring, taglor.
May 11, 2008

celtic_villian said:

taglor you are an angry geek
May 11, 2008

Jimmy Villain said:

taglor, nobody likes you p**s off and play quake
May 11, 2008

Chrisodon said:

What did taglor say that warranted all them responses ?
May 11, 2008

feed the hare said:

does anyone know how many games we have to play to make the uefa cup proper now?
May 11, 2008

Dizzy Mugs said:

Taglor, you're a legend. smilies/smiley.gif
May 11, 2008

Rossa said:

5th would hav been great but 6th is a very good finish this season and a big step up from 2seasons ago. Looks like we'r makng steady pogress under O'Neill, lets just hope he can take us to the next level now. Players I think would break us into the top 4 are: Given, Dunne, Sidwell, Forlan, Hunt, Kitson, and a right back or two. Woulde be great if the Schweinsteiger rumours were true!!!
May 11, 2008

carvillan said:

I predicted 6th at the start of the season so am a happy fan. Yes we might say 'what could have been' but I am glad I don't support Man City at this moment in time and wondering the same question. Well done Villa great season!
May 11, 2008

theprimeminister said:

taglor said:
"Ok finished 6th and just 5 points between that and 10th."

West Ham finished 10th on 49 points and we had 60 points??

"Really looked forward to today and listened to it all on the radio and it was so boring."

only 4 goals and a mere 16 shots on target. Yawn
May 11, 2008

Christian said:

I'm absolutely chuffed to bits that we've got the chance of european football next season smilies/cheesy.gif
Sounds bizarre but I'm verging on satisfied that Ashton equalised at the death because had we won, I'd have felt even sicker about last week vs Wigan knowing we could've pipped Everton!
Fingers crossed some quality comes in over next couple of months, perhaps someone who shines at Euro 2008. A previous post elsewhere mentioned Van der Vaart- top class.
Proud as punch smilies/smiley.gif
May 11, 2008

bizriak said:

Don't you think those players Sven were sticking it to Shiniwatra or whatever his name is?
May 11, 2008

Villa_Rules said:

I think 6th is a great place to finnish considering where we had been finnishing over the pass few years i suppose to it shows really how good martin o neill is

Well done lads and inter to bob will do i suppose smilies/smiley.gif
May 11, 2008

seanbeag said:

I have to agree with all the other postings this has been a good season, steady improvement sixth place is a great achievement and it could have been better if only for last weeks result good to be back in Europe
UTV
May 11, 2008

martygra808 said:

to be honest, i dont think we could have lasted with uefa cup action with the size of our squad but it would have been a nice test! i cant wait to go to liverpool next year because the tatics they are using are pretty dirty! anyways i would rather watch entertaining football with players that want to be at the villa
if barry wants to leave than so be it
i really hate how we are letting melberg go, its so dumb
May 11, 2008

taglor said:

What's the point of football for any fan or team? Winning. Did we win anything this season? No. I remember when a brilliant season was winning a cup or close to winning the league not finishing 6th. All you knockers are corporate media sheep that believe all that they are told by sky sports and the FA to make the premiership seem exciting and that there will ever be somebody else other than the top 4 that will win the league. Just you wait, within 5 years there will be a break away european league as rising season tickets for mid table aspirations will exacerbate and ultimately turn away the traditional football fan ie working to lower middle class. Whwn I said I listened to the football today and said it was boring I meant the whole league not Villa as everything went the way it was meant to. Thanks Chrisodon and Dizzy.
May 11, 2008

Sasa said:

Between 5th - 12th place there isn't much in it in terms of quality. Think Taglor was saying 5 points between us and Man City (9th place). If Mellberg had played at the back with Laursen you can reduce those 51 goals conceded to about 40-45, replace Carson with anything useful (ie a brick) and we would've conceded about 35.

As for Blues doing us a favour? At 2-1 news would've filtered thru that Everton were winning 3-1, also Blackburn losing heavily. At 2-1 if this was not the case I'm sure someone would've rugby-tackled Dean Ashton.
May 11, 2008

theprimeminister said:

taglor said:

"What's the point of football for any fan or team? Winning."

Since the Super cup in 1983 we have won the League cup in 94 & 96 and the Intertoto in 2001.
21 pointless seasons since 1983 I don't know why we bother supporting Aston Villa, there's no point.
May 11, 2008

taglor said:

Exactly, sometimes I really do wonder what the point is. That is also why I have the right to criticise the people who I have helped pay huge wages and for so long with no results. People keep saying MON has just started building a future, like Villa weren't a team for the hundred years before and haven't had time to achieve, it's not MON it's the past that hinders. That is a true statement though in terms of success they were all pointless seasons, although you could say what have Man Utd fans got physically that we don't? They don't get bonuses for winning or medals, just lip service. Even if England won the world cup what would we gain? It's all just a silly game about kicking a ball about and I love it.
May 11, 2008

irishvillan said:


"Fingers crossed some quality comes in over next couple of months !!"

O'Neil has brought us this far...his biggest test as a manager is now...he has a transfer kitty and the ambitions of a club who have a big desire to get to the level of winning trophies (not the top 4...no medels for that, 21 seasons without a trophy says it all..i dont remember getting drunk when we got UEFA a few seasons ago).

Well done to MON and all the players and staff. Great season. Won games we should have lost, lost games we should have won. Whats new!!!

Bring it on.

If you want two teams to support across the pond, check out.

http://www.ltfc.ie and http://www.colmcille.longford.gaa.ie/index.html (a real sport)

How long left to transfer window?

May 11, 2008

Not so Silent Bob said:

taglor your missing the point its not about being told buy anyone that we've had a good season poeple can see where we were and are glad of where we are
that counts as a good season in some peoples eyes purly down to the efforts of our small squad and the resurgence of our fans happyness... it passes on to how the team play yoy know the 12 man syndrome.....
May 11, 2008

taglor said:

That's a good point N S Silent Bob.
May 11, 2008

Kieran McGrath said:

well we are going to win the intertoto cup and qualify for europe, barry is going to stay, martin oniell will spend 50mil on amazing players and next season we will break into the top 4


almost sounds like a carlsberg commercial
May 11, 2008

Kieran McGrath said:

p.s irishvillian

im more of a mayo fan
May 11, 2008

shabba said:

Great performance, shame Olof didnt come back out, unless I left too early, didnt wanna watch the hammers lap of honour!!!

Barry will stay, judging by his celebration today, cant wait for next season.

Well done boys. Im proud of you all, apart from patrik Berger!
May 11, 2008

MainMan85 said:

Had a bet with a Baggie that we would finish top six, now I'm £40 better off! Happy Days!

Bring on the great big £20m striker transfer MON

UTV
May 12, 2008

celtic_villian said:

taglor your an angry geek
May 12, 2008

Simon Mansfield said:

This from the BBC website

[Manchester] City will have to hope that Dunne's dismissal will not make any difference to their hopes of qualifying for next season's Uefa Cup via the fair play league.

Hmmm, now wouldn't that be a marvelous twist of fate!! :-)

May 12, 2008

2eq said:

"But I digress, the most important thing about today is we've finished sixth and have the home and away leg of the Intertoto to win before playing UEFA cup football"

What is the structure of the competition? The way you've worded that it's just one two-legged game? I thought it was three two-legged games?

Can anyone shine any light on this?
May 12, 2008

alextaylor24 said:

anyone notice the disgraceful dive by neill just before their goal to win a foul. it was atrocious and was right in front of the linesman. the referee was the worst i have ever seen at a villa game. no joke. gave nothing to villa. carew was apparently fouling all game. even book petrov for diving when he didnt book neill. double standards.

great performance in the second half. scintellating stuff. amazing what you see from one week to the next!
May 12, 2008

Ciaran Mac said:

Taglor disgusts me, hes the reason why football fans are called fickle, hes the kinda guy who brings a calculator round with him when hes doing the weekly shop,

Well done villa, i love the club
May 12, 2008

Jacko33 said:

Agreed, taglor ur talking absolute balls - 6th place considering the strength of the rest of the league, the quality attacking football we've played (mostly), the progress we've made... its been a good season, anyone who thinks otherwise is a moron, the kind of person who would want Sven sacked I've got to say
May 12, 2008

pazzler said:

ive enjoyed this season purely for the optimism i feel regarding where our future is, and can be. but everyone has an opinion, whether good or bad. not everyone will agree but that the beauty no? i view taglor's comments as a purely frustrated fan, not a negative whatever.
btw, its the summer, so lets look forward to bbq's and potential signings and euro 08! (but no england smilies/angry.gif)
May 12, 2008

andy5759 said:

Great improvement from the team. I hope our fans can celebrate 'Noses relegation without hurting their workmates too much (some hope). Taglor makes good comments, he serves to remind us what it's all about and the social injustices of the wages/adulation the players get. Did you note that after his last comments he said " It's all just a silly game about kicking a ball about and I love it." Same goes for all of us.
May 12, 2008

BArmy Arny said:

i really hope that Bareth Garry stays. i rekon MON and randy will be able to persuade garry barry
May 12, 2008

Top_6_Villa said:

"Taglor disgusts me, hes the reason why football fans are called fickle, hes the kinda guy who brings a calculator round with him when hes doing the weekly shop, "


That was unfair.......

Taglor may be suicidal about Villa....... But not fair bringing the shopping calculator into this... i use one every week on my budget. saves the embarrasing scenario at the checkout when your card get DECLINED for a mars bar smilies/tongue.gif
May 12, 2008

Sasa said:

Dunno why you lot give Taglor a hard time, it's obvious he sounds villa thru & thru- I'm assuming he was around when we won the Euro Cup? That's why I think it must be hard for the older fans to accept us being light years behind the top.

He makes a good point though, paying £30-£35 for a ticket means you want guranteed results, it's no longer just watching your local team kick a ball, the £35 ticket becomes an investment and you want a return on that so we demand victory against the 'lesser sides' and European football. There'll be a point where people will stop paying such high prices for finishing 8th, and the people that continue to do so will not fall into the category of your average football fan- ie no singing, no banter, just loads of digital cameras clicking on corners.

We've had a good season and I'm sure we all want to believe there'll be top signings, but if there isnt then there isnt. The only people that have the right to moan are the people 'investing' the top dosh for their tickets which you all have the right to do so as I'm sure most of you attend the games.
May 12, 2008

oldman villain said:

top 6 you should do what everyone else does with the mars bar and eat it on the way round he store save all that agro at the end ,come on martin give us fans what we have been praying for and thats at least 4 top signings and another 6 sqaud players only have to win against one team in the inter twobob cup away and a home match and we are in eufa cup smilies/smiley.gif
May 13, 2008

Ciaran Mac said:

Top 6- shame on you my man bringing a calculator around with you in the supermarket mate, just do what we do in Belfast and fill the trolley to the brim, have the security guard paid off and walk straight out
May 13, 2008

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