How could Southgate have addressed it in the summer? How arent France anything special? World Cup Winners and quality in literally every position. And so much depth in every position. You wouldnt swap Varane, Kante, Mbappe and Griezemann for basically anyone in world football.

Proper big club, Villa. Victorian supremacy, European cup winners, the Holte End, traditional kit (ish). I remember when they came down to the third division in Furphy’s time, beat us good and proper at Ewood with more away fans than we’ll see on Saturday. Two cracking 5th round cup games under Kendall, we equalized last minute at Ewood with an OG then went to a packed Villa Park and took the lead, oniy for Tony Morley (I think) to rip us a new one. And then the Steve Archibald 3-2 win was one of my top 10 Ewood games. The excitement of seeing a player like Archibald, a cracking game with cracking goals. My prediction Rovers 3 (Crawford, Kennedy, Archibald) Villa 1 (Withe)

Bit harsh, he seems to value away supporter happiness quite highly

As the International break is upon us, an apposite time to look ahead to our next Championship match. After both teams were thumped 4-1 last weekend, we sit 13th and 12th respectively, same 9 points, our negative goal difference, the difference! A good performance essential, now that we are back at Ewood and on the telly box. Our most famous defendant must be fit, after a few bouts of unpaid work, and hopefully back for the day job? Anyway, I play five-a-side on a Thursday, and one of my fellow fifty something five-a-siders is a Villa fan. More interestingly, his son is a budding radio football commentator and has done a bit already on BBC Radio Lancs, so thanks Rick and Scott for the following (they apologise for the cut and paste Wiki history!) : Questions for a Villa fan! A short history of your club?( Aston Villa F.C. were formed in March 1874, by four members of the Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel (known as early as 1867 as Aston Villa Wesleyan Chapel)[1] in Lozells. The four founders were Jack Hughes, Frederick Matthews, Walter Price and William Scattergood. The first match was against the local Aston Brook St Mary's Rugby team.[2][3] As a condition of the match, the Villa side had to agree to play the first half under rugby rules and the second half under football rules. The club were soon playing the modern version of football though and the club won its first FA Cup in 1887.[4] Aston Villa were one of the dozen teams that competed in the inaugural Football League in 1888 with one of the club's directors, William McGregor being the league's founder. Aston Villa emerged as the most successful English club of the Victorian era. By the end of Villa's "Golden Age" at the start of the First World War, the club had won the League Championship six times and the FA Cup five times.[4] Aston Villa won their sixth FA Cup in 1920.[4] For the remainder of the inter-war years though, Villa were on a slow decline that would lead to them being relegated to the Second Division in 1936 for the first time in their history. They returned to the top-tier of English football by the outbreak of the Second World War. As with many clubs, the war brought much change to Villa Park and remainder of the 1940s were spent rebuilding the team. By 1957, Villa were a Cup winning side once again with the club's seventh FA Cup win. Even though Villa won the inaugural League Cup in 1960, the club were to enter into a very unsuccessful period. The 1960s saw much change at Villa Park. By the end of the 1960s, Villa were languishing in the Second Division and fan pressure led to the resignation of the Board and the introduction of Doug Ellis as Villa Chairman. The club was then relegated to the Third Division. In the 1971–72 season Aston Villa returned to the Second Division as champions with a record 70 points. In 1974 Ron Saunders was appointed manager and by 1975 he had led the club back into the First Division and into European competition.[2][3] The club was back among the elite and it continued to have much success under Saunders and won the league in the 1980–81 season. Saunders' resignation halfway through the 1981–82 season came as a surprise, with the club in the quarter-final of the European Cup. He was replaced by his assistant manager Tony Barton who guided them to 1–0 victory over Bayern Munich in the European Cup final in Rotterdam.[4] However, winning the cup marked a pinnacle and the club fell steadily down the League standings over the next five years and was relegated in 1987. However, the club was promoted the following year and achieved second place in the Football League in 1989. Villa was one of the founding members of the Premier League in 1992, and finished runners-up to Manchester United in the inaugural season. The 1990s was a decade of inconsistency; the club had three different managers and league positions were unpredictable, despite winning two League Cups.[5] They reached the FA Cup Final for the first time since 1957 in 2000, but lost 1–0 to Chelsea in the last game to be played at the old Wembley Stadium.[6] Once again Villa's league position fluctuated under various managers and in the summer of 2006, David O'Leary left under acrimonious circumstances.[7] Martin O'Neill soon arrived and received a rapturous reception.[8] After 23 years as chairman and largest shareholder, owning approximately 38% of the club, Doug Ellis decided to sell his stake to Randy Lerner, the owner of the NFL franchise Cleveland Browns.[9] The arrival of a new owner and manager marked the start of sweeping changes throughout the club, including a new crest, a new kit sponsor and new players in the summer of 2007.[10][11] After several years of narrowly avoiding the drop, Villa were relegated at the end of the 2015–16 season. Best moments? Undoubtedly winning the League in 1980-81 followed by the European Cup in 81-82 season. However, beating Manchester United 3-1 in the 1994 League Cup Final is up there What did you make of pre-season? Is there stability at the club? Overall our pre-season went well with a few of the youngsters coming through. However, the start of the close season was dominated by talk of the club going into administration and having to sell at least £40 million of talent to stave off breaching FFP regulations. We were partially bought (55%) by new owners worth £49 billion in June which has removed any problem with liquidity and we have now gone into the market adding 6 new players (2 bought and 4 loans). Stability in the form of Steve Bruce has been maintained and we have just appointed a new CEO, Christian Purslow, who is ex Liverpool and Chelsea. Both clubs have made a decent start to the season ( save for this weekend’s fixtures when we both got tubbed!)). From a Villa fans point of view, with all that was happening pre-season, what were your expectations for the campaign, and is nothing less that automatic promotion expected/possible and/or attainable? Early in pre-season it seemed that survival was the aim for this year as all the loans went back and we were looking to sell all the crown jewels. However, the new investors have changed that and we are now expecting automatic promotion given the quality of the players we have. Given the investment we will have FFP issues if we don’t go up. If not, would you be happy with the play-offs again? We would probably accept play offs but not be happy! Who are the players in the current team to look out for? Jack Grealish, Jonathon Kodja, John McGinn, Tammy Abrahams, Bolasie, Al Ghazi Are Villa fans generally happy with Steve Bruce? No – generally thought to be too negative/cautious and getting the sum of the team to add up to less than its parts. Particularly hostile at the moment due to his total failure to build a balanced squad and insistence on playing players out of position. For example, current back 4 are: RB Tuenzebe – MU loan, normally CB (We have 4 genuine RB’s at the club, Hutton, De Laet, El Mohammady, Bree) CB – Chester – ok CB – Jedinak – a defensive midfielder (He also loaned Elphick to Hull our only other genuine CB) LB – Hutton who is a RB. He won’t play Taylor who is the only LB at the club How have you bedded in to life in the Championship? Was it an eye-opener? Quite enjoyed the championship and to be competing for something each year is better than 5 years of struggle in the Premiership. However, the quality of football when compared to the top of the Premiership is light years away Predictions for top six places? Middlesborough, West Brom, Derby, Villa, Swansea, Brentford Predictions for relegation? QPR, Reading, Hull How are ticket sales going, bearing in mind it’s a Saturday evening game on Sky? Our allocation is 5000 and we normally sell out but I’d predict 3500-4000 will travel Prediction against Rovers? We can’t defend but will probably have Bolasie, Abrahams, Kodja, Al Ghasi all playing so I’ll go for a high scoring draw – 2-2. So there you have it. A Villa perspective. Head to head: Rovers W: 62 Drawn: 35 Villa: 75 First meeting: 13th October 1888, Villa 6 Rovers 1! (First Football League - both inaugural members) We got our revenge just over a month later winning 5-1, with a Southworth hat-trick, in front of 9,000. Villa went on to finish second in the league behind the Nob enders, Rovers finishing fourth. Our last meeting was in April 17, when a Danny Graham goal was enough to seal victory, but it was too little too late to avoid the drop. No doubt the Sky cameras will affect the attendance, and I see that prices have not been slashed to encourage the masses to go. I just hope that we put Bristol behind us and TM motivates the team he puts out as much as he did to persuade DJ Clark not to send BD down...... I'm rubbish at predictions, hard earned 2-1 win, 16,000. I'll take 13th season end. COYB's.

This is bang on. We're second tier nation until we produce a few world class central midfielders. That's just brutal reality. For the players available Southgate is doing a very good job. No point jumping off a bridge about it. Question for me is where from? Wilshire decided he'd rather play relegation football than go abroad and play Champions League which is such a British thing to do. Also too injury prone, and not really a creative mid, more a number 10. Honestly you look across all of the Premier League and the only English creative central mid is Shelvey. There's a lot of scrapers, a lot of players who can play behind the strikers, a lot of box to box types. But he's the only one who you can say had the allround passing game to dominate the ball from deep. He's got flaws but I think we have to give him a shot. He's another who should be asking how to get regular CL football, potentially looking to move abroad to do so. That said - do I think putting Shelvey in the XI will make us competitive against France, Brazil, Germany, Belgium, Spain? Of course not, he's maybe the best we've got but he wouldn't get anywhere near their squads. It's going to take time. To be competitive we need to have the extraordinary talent pipeline those countries have, and start exporting large numbers of players to other leagues like those countries do. 10 years at least I would say.

We need that 'laughter' emoji back as soon as possible.

Yup, France are a fabulous side who can go on to dominate the next two or three tournaments. Quality absolutely everywhere. A lot of players who they left out of their world cup squad would not only make the England first XI, but also be amongst our best players - Benzema, Poyet, Koscielny, Lacazette, Martial, Coman. Mad and terrifying.

Certainly didn’t play in a traditional number ten role. He may have swapped around with Rothwell, but he also swapped with Smallwood and Evans periodically, hence the work ethic being praised afterwards. Bennett certainly tracks and runs all day but he is not, and never will be a central attacking midfielder. I think he’d suit a box to box central mid these days, perhaps even in a two next to a more technically able midfielder to unlock defences. He strikes me as a player who started off as a flying winger but has evolved into a “warhurst”.

They are a decent team with better players than England... . though I've always thought they are a bit of a soft touch and had they not had the rub of the green in the WC or gone a goal down I think they could have easily lost the plot and crumbled.

You don't see him on the pitch, that's your whole problem. If you did you would see he's a far better player than you give him credit for. Is he one of Conning's boys? If so what a great job he's doing with young Ryan. Three cheers for Simon. Hip Hip Hooray....

Brentford at home. Nuttall started up front. Graham on bench. Armstrong and Dack both injured. Palmer played wide right.

The thing with Bennett is that he will do a job and put in a shift wherever he plays but I'm not sure that when everyone is fit that he is our best player in any one position. He's a sort of jack of all trades master of none

If you go into the actual list of results its now 0-6

I would have agreed with this 10 years ago, but not now. Lots of skillful high technique players coming through (Sterling, Kane, Wilshire, Rashford, Trippier, Stones etc.). Think we've turned that corner on skill and technique. What we do lack though - like you say - is vision. Not had anyone who could pick a pass and control the ball like Pogba, Kroos, De Bruyne etc.. We've just got a massive hole there.

thanks .. old darwen blue, this was also my favourite. ordering soon !

I’m not particularly arsed either way, but you do make me laugh roverandout. During the World Cup you were pretty much calling people traitors if they even made a slight criticism of the team, two months later and they are woeful!

France, great team of a great World Cup.

What hyperbole that is. Henderson was as good as anyone in an England shirt at the world cup. A key player to give experience to what is otherwise a young side. Didnt have his best game tonight but neither did anyone really, especially Kane. Which brings me on to your other point. It was a side that did well in the summer and is very young. Didnt we have one of if not the youngest sides in the tournament? And he brought in only Joe Gomez and Luke Shaw. Bottled it? Regressed? Pack it in. Our problem is in the centre of midfield, Henderson is the only natural central midfielder and for me the balance is slightly off. Against big teams I think we need only 1 of Lingard and Alli and someone next to Henderson. Dier is shite so id have someone like Will Hughes who is tidy in possession. But thats a problem area, Foden has done nothing to suggest picking him bar doing well at youth football so lets not get carried away. Either way, we simply dont have the personnel to dominate against teams like Spain centrally who have such resources. Busquets, Saul, Thiago, Isco etc all top top class. Pickford should have done better for the first, I dont think he is the best keeper, yes he made the save in the shootout v Colombia and hes excellent on the ball but he makes so many mistakes for all the hype.

Kane has been anonymous the last few competitive games. Needs dropping

We are 2 or 3 quality midfielders away from being a good team..everywhere else is fine but midfield is woefull

England played like we did under Coyle. Someone needs to teach Rashford to keep his head up - pathetic for an international behaving like a schoolboy. Ref was poor. If goal was disallowed for De Gea's acting we need to re write football rules.

Great preview my team Raya Nyambe Lenihan Mulgrew Williams Evans Bennett Armstrong Dack Rothwell Brereton subs:- Luetwiler, Williams, Travis, Smallwood, Palmer, Graham, Reed

So one of the clubs who were used as justification for shutting the Darwen End won’t bring anywhere close to the numbers that would have filled the old allocation, never mind the whole end. Waggott has totally misread the Championship if he thinks there’s a load of clubs out there that will bring hordes of fans - or as is probably the case, it was just an excuse to shut it.

Rovers often raise their game against the higher profile sides who bring big followings and I don't see this being any different add in we usually get a good reaction after a crap display. Not sure whether the break has come at a good time or bad time taking that into account as to balance it we are usually sluggish for some reason after an International break. Much depends on TM's mindset this is just the type of game they shouldn't need much motivating for so I hope he'll let them off the leash but I can see an over cautious approach taking over again. On the crowd front Villa didn't always travel well up here when Prem games were televised or things weren't going well they certainly haven't always sold out. Not sure of the mood down there at the min but there'll be a decent number I reckon this being a Saturday. Hard fought draw.. Rovers 1 Villa 1 14,283 (2.6k Villa)

Why do you make a big thing of Nyambe needing help.All defenders need help when two on one. I would challenge any defender at any level to cope with two attackers on there own. If that was any managers tactic they would soon show up as being unsuccessful. You state that helping another player weakens the team in other areas. On the contrary I would say that if you win the ball back the team is in a better position to win a game.

My first house was on Southwood Drive....fond memories....especially when the wind blew the smell of Holland’s Pies over my back garden...?

The apprehension and negativity regarding Mowbray's appointment was completely justified at the time. It wasn't some masterstroke from the owners, they went for another cheap option and this time they got lucky. Similar to Bowyer every so often the cheap option works out (to a degree). Of course it was also their cheapskate antics that got us into trouble in the first place by bringing in Coyle and we ended up relegated as a result. Why we're suddenly able to spend £7m on a single player after multiple seasons of poverty I don't know, but I'll never trust these snakes.

To keep the opposition guessing.

We were on holiday in the Cotswolds. I'd just popped into a local supermarket leaving our friends in the car with the radio on. When I came back my pal who was a Darlington fan said - " What do you want first, the good news or the bad news ? " I said " The bad news " . He said " It's just been on the radio, Shearer's gone, but the good news is he hasn't gone to United ".

Brereton up top. Arma, Dack and Palmer behind. Hard to fault that. Not many defences will enjoy their afternoon against us this season. Pace, guile, young, exciting, English. That would have been hard to believe in the not too distant past.

as Abbey would probably vouch in the 80's travelled all over with the lads in tranni vans racking up hundreds of miles visiting haunts like shrewsbury,wrexhm and the likes and enjoying every bloody trip, win lose or draw. spectacular highlights of a long career following my beloved blue and whites involve the abandoned game at cambridge, falling off the bridge at shrewsbury into he muckiest river ever, being part of the rovers hordes who took the bee hole end at dingleville,sponsoring the matchball against shrewsbury at ewood and getting @#/? with alan ainscow. in later years finishing my shift on my RN ship at 0800hrs whilst in Gibraltar, legging it to the airport with 8 pack, flying to london, few beers in covent garden then off to wembley for the full members cup final, winning then having to pay 38 quid to get back to the airport in a joe baxi before getting back to gibraltar 30 minutes before the start of a 18hr shift ! 2nd leg of the play off final at palace was the same except i flew from cyprus and got seriously @#/? with a bottle of champagne that I had bought to celebrate promotion ! the day at Bristol when pne let us down badly. I dont think I had ever been reduced to tears before bu this was the first time ! All of the away games in our promotion season, every game of the play offs, the final versus Leicester is memorable for other reasons. every Pl game bar 3 since we got there (due to weddings/holidays), the most memorable of these is whilst doing the video for my sisters wedding in cheshire. I was listening to the Rovers/spurs match whilst videoing the speeches with an ear piece in my radio, as Shearer scored the clinching 2nd goal all you can hear me over the speeches is shouting YESSSSSSS shearer 2-0, a memorable speech if anything more than complemented by me telling the 300 guests the score up at ewood ! the promotion clinching winat Preston whilst in their main stand, very helpful stewards kindly took us to the Rovers end at half time ! The worthy cup run, every game, every minute and every goal. The curry pies at cardiff washed down with about 20 pints. The night at the Spurs based hotel where we cleared the bar of every yid around ! and finally the sad passing of our great leader, being able to be there in Jersey on the day of his funeral was special and a day that will never be forgotten. So I think I have earned mine

Think the understanding was it would be brought back "effective immediately" right? Not like 10 years from now.