Joey Barton’s regrets…

Joey Barton [narrating]: “The first day’s the toughest, no doubt about it. They march you in, hand you your uniform and force you to pose for the photographer while loads of fat, tattooed, skinheads shout abuse at you. That’s when you know it’s for real. A whole life blown away in the blink of an eye. Nothing left but all the time in the world to think about it. That’s when it hits home. That’s when you realise you’ve signed for Newcastle.”

Thanks for your support…

Just a quickie (“as the bishop said to the actress”) to thank readers of this blog for their support. Despite my not writing too much at this time of year the popularity of the Blog has increased dramatically and I look forward to your continued support as the new season approaches and I return to contributing on a regular basis…

One recent comment seems to sum up readers’ points of view – “Very impressive that this blog is syndicated through Google…Obviously this is a popular blog with great data so well done on your success”..

See ya, Gareth…It was good but…

The Gareth Barry transfer saga continues but the end may finally be in sight. His proposed move from Villa Park to Anfield seems certain to take place, particularly with the player putting the final few nails in his Villa coffin over the past few days with his comments in the press.

Why do footballers feel they have to do this. In Barry’s case he has announced that if he wants to play in the European Champions League he must go to Liverpool. Staying at Villa will not get him there. He also says that Manager Martin O’Neill’s participation as television pundit for Euro 2008 meant that the “gaffer” had not expressed any interest in keeping Gareth at the club.

What a load of old bollocks all that is!. We are all very aware that playing for Liverpool rather than Villa has a much greater liklihood of resulting in E.C.L. football. It has done so for decades and will almost certainly continue to do so for some time. But why he has to say so, and thus alienate the many Villa fans who have supported his rise from promising full-back at Brighton to England part-time captain, is beyond me.

Why do departing players feel the need to abuse the club they are leaving. Why can’t they show a little class for once – thank the club and fans for all they have done for the player’s career; mention how the club will always have special memories – even if it’s not true, I suppose!

As for O’Neill’s apparent disinterest in re-signing Barry that is just wrong. He has clearly stated that he would love to keep Barry in claret and light blue. Just because he took a three-week break did not signify otherwise. Barry is now trying to put the ‘blame’ of his move on to the Villa manager – another classless act.

In my opinion,Gareth Barry was not one of the Villa ‘greats’, just one of the ‘very goods’… As my Dad said on many occasions following a match, “Barry was alright today, but he just doesn’t like to get his shorts dirty”. Perfect. Barry is a very good player but too often over his Villa career he would disappear in games – not good for a “star” and midfield general.. He was one of Villa’s best performers over the past couple of seasons. Prior to that he was very inconsistent, hence his merely sporadic appearances for England. I for one believe that for eighteen million we should be dancing up and down the Holte End with joy. He can and will be replaced; the money will hopefully bring in an equally good midfielder, plus an extra midfielder, another forward to back-up Carew and Agbonlahor, a right-back (we didn’t have one last year), a centre-back (to replace the dear, departed Mellberg, who selflessly capably performed at right back for much of the season), and a keeper to replace Carson and Sorensen. Eighteen million for Barry plus some pocket money from Chairman Randy Lerner should make O’Neill happy, and the Villa a top six club…I wish Barry well, certainly in an England shirt, and his efforts in the past two years will mean he will not be forgotten by the Villa faithful, but now, perhaps, as a result of his recent comments, he will not be forgiven either…

Claret & Light Blue and remembering the classic John Gregory story when he was Villa manager and we signed Barry from Brighton, about ten years ago…This caused the Brighton Chairman to accuse the Villa of all sorts of improprieties. Barry was the future of Brighton he said; it was a disgrace that Villa had “stolen” him…Upon hearing the Seagull’s Chairman’s comments, Gregory said, “The Brighton Chairman’s claim that Gareth is the future of Brighton is ridiculous. The Chairman has no idea who Gareth Barry is. He wouldn’t even recognise Barry if he saw him on Brighton beach, in a Brighton kit, with a seagull sitting on his head!”…