Author: Ashley Hardy
My names Ashley Hardy I’m seventeen and I aspire to become a sports journalist. I hope to study Sports Journalism at University in September. You can follow me on twitter - @AshleyHardy_ or @AVFC_AllTheNews I hope you enjoy my articles and I look forward to debate and constructive feedback!
On Saturday evening, Aston Villa, bottom of the league, faced Leicester City, a team that oozes confidence, vying to be at the top of the table. The Leicester players have worked hard for each other, something that we could not say about our own players – until very recently. The first fixture against Leicester City this season was arguably the catalyst for Aston Villa Football Club’s demise. Goals from Jack Grealish and Carles Gil put the Villans two-nil up and the visitors looked very good value for the lead, outplaying Leicester City. As soon as Tim Sherwood changed things tactically, the game was flipped…
Aston Villa Football Club was one of the founding members of the Football League. Aston Villa Football Club has been inthe Premier League since the very start. Aston Villa Football Club’s team of 1982 won the European Cup. The Villans were champions of England. Aston Villa was once a team that other teams wanted to be, people were once envious of our success, but we are now a laughing stock, an object of ridicule in the Football League we founded. What would William McGregor think of this demise of this football club? Some supporters have witnessed the glory days: they…
The current state of Aston Villa Football Club has made it difficult to write about anything positive. Supporters have only seen one measly league victory all season. With one win in the Premier League, I cannot help but think that things could have been so different, if only the team had kept hold of the lead at The King Power Stadium… Just look at the two teams now. I am not saying that we would be at the top of the Premier League had we won that day – but we probably wouldn’t be languishing at the bottom of the…
This mess has been coming: the past few seasons have led to this sorry situation and the powers that be at Aston Villa Football Club have made our club a laughing stock. Aston Villa season ticket holders have forked out hundreds of pounds and are yet to see an Aston Villa win at Villa Park. Meanwhile, Tom Fox has waffled about false narratives whilst Randy Lerner has broken several promises. Once upon a time, teams feared playing Aston Villa. However, in recent times we have become the gift that keeps on giving and the fear factor has long gone. Our players…
On social media sites, there is one name that fans keep on mentioning. Libor Kozák has not been forgotten by the Villa supporters but the last time the Czech forward played in a Villa shirt seems like a distant memory. Currently plying his trade with the Under-21s, and scoring goals, he is being overlooked by yet another Villa manager. Last night, the Czech international scored a brace in a 2-1 victory over Derby County’s Under-21s. Goals bring confidence, something the first team lacks, and it wasn’t just his attacking threat that impressed either: his desire to help the team defensively, something…
Next month is a time for giving but will we see Aston Villa receive any gifts this Christmas? As has been the case in recent seasons, our team has become one that other teams want to face, especially if they are going through tough patches. Charitable as ever, the Villans can be relied on to present opponents with three points. Instead of roaring like lions, our players often whimper and are shaky at the back when put under pressure, as we found out against Everton, Crystal Palace and against Manchester City last season. The Swans were on a bad run…
As football fans, we have often heard the saying ‘One step forward, two steps back.’ Whenever anything positive happens then a negative is only around the corner. After obtaining a draw, against a team vying for the Premier League title, in Garde’s first game in charge, frustrated fans had hoped that this point might signal the start of a revival at Aston Villa Football Club. However, losing key players to injury isn’t going to help the cause. International games during the season cause club managers nightmares and Garde will now be having sleepless nights after seeing several of his new…
After six straight defeats, Randy Lerner decided to take action, which saw the owner sack Tim Sherwood and his backroom staff. This means that fans’ favourite Kevin MacDonald is in temporary charge of the first team – a role that he has had to play before. With a managerial vacancy at a Premier League club, the media is now starting to link names to the Aston Villa job, some of them names that are always mentioned when a job becomes available. It wouldn’t surprise me if Tim Sherwood reappears on the betting market in the next few days, as that…
Tim Sherwood has been scrutinised by the media this week. This led to several names being linked with taking over the helm from Sherwood, which is a scenario that Paul Lambert never faced during his ill-fated reign. The media backed Paul Lambert throughout his tenure. It seemed that he had ‘friends’ within the media industry, one being James Nursey from ‘The Daily Mirror’. In May 2014, Nursey claimed that Aston Villa fans should be thanking Paul Lambert rather than calling for him to be sacked. This summed up the media’s perception of Lambert. Nursey also wrote that Lambert had his hands tied over transfer dealings, due to…
Soon after Tim Sherwood arrived at Aston Villa Football Club, he stated that the dressing room needed characters who had winning mentalities. On Saturday, Tim Sherwood faced a Stoke City team that is blessed with players who can boast of major European honours, something that Sherwood certainly envies. In the past five seasons, the Potters have been able to buy some well known names in European football, as well as five players who have had the honour of winning the Champions League. Snatched up by Peter Coates, these players pushed the Potters’ net spend to £46,150,000 compared to the £33,650,000…