The Villa Times - 13/11/2008

Unoial Villa News...

Is it January already? Must be as earlier in the week we were linked with Wigan's Emile Heskey and now we are being linked with ...... I do like this one.... Newcastle United's Michael Owen.
World class striker at Villa? And then the Heskey link would also make perfect sense as Owen used to feed very nicely off Heskey's work for England. I know there is just one big IF linked to this though, the injury record. Owen, who seems to have been around forever, is still only 28 (29 in December) and if fit is a match for any striker in the world. That is the thing though, IF fit. Is it worth the gamble? I'd pay his taxi fair down personally, but then again, I'm not the geezer who has to pay his wages...! Full article: Villa Linked With World Class Striker

The latest ticket news including Arsenal away sold out, + tickets for Fulham, Bolton and MSK Zilina at home and Everton away:

Setanta have an exclusive today with Sporting Gijon star Roberto Canella telling setantasports.com that he is flattered Premiership teams are tracking him. Apparently Villa had scouts watching the 20-year-old Spanish U21 left-back. Setanta say the €12 million-rated defender has little more than 18 months remaining on his contract. The player said: 'I cannot say too much but I`m always grateful that big clubs are looking at my matches.'

Our last poll asked, following yet another press round of links to Wigan's Emile Heskey, what sort of signing you think he would be. 35% voted an ok signing and 32% voted it would be a step backwards. 13% labeled the link totally average and 10% refused to believe the link and said he would be awful. That left 10% saying a great signing.

rdunbar100 has left a post in the forum which I thought was worthy of front paging: I have just read a report regarding Craig Gardner providing his old Sunday league club with kits and training equipment. What a fantastic gesture that this player has made, it shows that not all of them let the fact that they are now millionaires (or on the way to being) destroy their sense of pride at where they started. Full article: Craig Gardner - A Cut Above The Average Player

Martin O'Neill has been talking about our visit to the Emirates this Saturday and says, as it was also his first game as manager in charge of Villa, that he feels we are better equipped.
MON told AVTV: 'Arsenal represented my first game in the Premier League for Villa. I feel we are better equipped now than we were then. Olof scored the goal for us on the opening day of the season and we held on for a 1-1 draw, which was terrific for us. Last year, we went down there, played brilliantly and the game was out of sight and then they equalised with a few seconds left. I don't know what will happen third time around. I just feel we are a better football side now than we were two years ago.'

25-year-old former Aston Villa striker Stefan Moore has extended his deal with Kidderminster Harriers for another month. Assistant manager Neil Howarth told BBC Hereford and Worcester: 'Stefan is a quality player and he's someone who really knows the game.' What a fall from grace, he was so promising at one stage! Not heard much of Luke since his move to the Baggies either?!

Thought for the day: A conscience is what hurts when all your other parts feel so good.

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.