Villa: Now Really Back In The Big Time?

After two years of players (Barry and Milner) leaving Villa ostensibly because they wanted to win things, the message has begun to be clear that it is important to demonstrate to the remaining stars that Villa does intend to win things, and that serious action is being taken to get to that exalted position.

By going out and staking such a whopping sum on a player (as well as the other signings that have taken place of apparent quality) it tells Ash & Downing, "look, there's the reason for you to stay". It's expenditure that's been necessary just for that reason, if for nothing else.

For that line of thinking to take effect, and for the actual purchase recommendations, the primary person to be given credit is M. Houlllier ... in doing the persuading, but also the owner, of course, for stumping up the cash.

On face value, brave and important executive action has been taken, and the kind of action that Villa has not really seen for more than 80 years - perhaps since the arrival of Gibson, Brown, Beresford and Waring.

Yes, it's taken 80+ years for the Villa to re-assert itself in expenditures of mammoth proportions according to the time.

BTW, it may take a lot of believing, but from my researches it's come to light that in the last 60 years, Villa could quite easily have obtained (when young) John Charles, Jackie Sewell, Alex Jeffrey and Allan Clarke, but the Villa board wouldn't take the risk of purchasing young talent that had not been fully proven. We saw that scenario repeated in the case of Keane a decade ago. And George Graham was let go for a snip in '64, and Gerry Hitchens could have been bought from Kidderminster for £1,000.

Imagine; John Charles - a Villan! How things would have been so different - probably.

So, perhaps this is the first real indicator that Villa is back in the big time ... All that's required now is for it all to come together and do the business.

I still am not sure that that 18m or 24m has gone on the right player, though. It's tempting to think it's the right one, but ...
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