Fans Not The Only Ones Reliving 1986/87

It's not just our wiser fans drawing parallels with 1986/87, former winger Mark Walters is drawing the same conclusions.

In an interview with the Birmingham Mail Walters believes (and he's not alone) that the Villa are putting unfair pressure on the younger elements of the side, and that we are desperately crying out for some experience to help bring these lads on.

I don't think there will be many fans who disagree with him, dare I say the vast majority of us expected some experienced signings this window to do that very thing.

And Walters would know what he was talking about, as he experienced 'that' season first hand.

'It's been a disappointing week and season frankly. For most of these players it's their first season and they've only got 20 or 30 league games under their belt. When you're at that stage of your career, you either sink or swim. At the moment it's difficult, and frankly it's a bit unfair of the club to put all this pressure on them.'

I never tire of saying this, in every game since Chelsea the heads drop when we go behind. It is confidence, it is self belief, and these players haven't got any as it's been ripped from them and it's been relentless. They give their all first half, they come back out for the second already looking beaten as it's another case of we didn't take our chances, so here we go again.

'It (1986/87) was a similar situation to the one the club is in now, it was transitional with a lot of players leaving the club. When I first joined Villa we were just about to win the league, then the next season we won the European Cup and the season after that we won the Super Cup so I thought that was a kind of normal three seasons! Unfortunately that wasn't the case. In the next few years, things didn't go well and we got relegated in 1987.'

Walters also had a few words of wisdom for how we ended the game against Bradford, it reminded him of a school yard.

'It's dismal, no one can believe it really. Everybody is shocked. The last 20 minutes against Bradford, we had five attacking players just hanging around the semi circle of the box, just waiting for the ball to be pumped in - we used to do that at school!'

Oh well, let's end on something positive.

Walters knows these lads have talent having worked with them at Bodymoor, but he knows we are doing them no favours at the minute with how we are supporting them on the pitch.

And if that isn't positive enough, think of a fluffy bunny.

Vital Villa on:

Vital Villa on:

Join Vital Villa

It's easy to REGISTER, simply click the link and enjoy getting involved!

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