Villa legend Ian Taylor: Dressing room fights happen ''every other week''

Star admits being involved in post-match spats 'loads of times' following West Brom bust up at weekend

Dressing room scraps happen “every other week” says ex-Villa footballer Ian Taylor,after West Brom played down their player bust-up.

It was the action off the pitch that stole the headlines last Saturday after tempers flared in the West Bromwich Albion changing rooms following their 3-3 draw against Cardiff.

Players clashed and it has been claimed Baggies striker Saido Berahino suffered a head injury.

But former Aston Villa player Taylor, who admitted he had been involved with post-match spats “loads of times”, said such confrontations in clubs were commonplace.

“They happen every other week, I don’t know why such a fuss has been made of it,” he told us.

“You always had spats in the dressing rooms if you lost.

“When players want to win, and in the furore of the game, especially when you end up losing a game like, that, the way they did, people are going to be angry and things are going to be said.

“You’re brought up to win and if you’re losing, especially games like could dictate the future of yourself and your career, and the club as well, you’re going to get upset aren’t you?”

Former Albion player Kevin Campbell said he’d witnessed several of the dressing room bust ups after tensions reached boiling point following a game, but had never taken part himself.

“It’s heat of the moment stuff,” he added. “ We’re getting to the business end of the season now and there’s a lot riding on these games because there’s so much at stake, so tempers get heated.

“I can’t condone anybody being physically hit but sometimes these things happen. Unfortunately it happens and it won’t be the last.

“I’ve been lucky enough to cover three decades and a lot of this stuff used to happen back in the eighties and nineties.”

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Source : http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/aston-villa-legend-ian-taylor-6910980

Aston Villa Vs. Chelsea at Villa Park:A Match Most Awaited on 15 March

The 15th of March 2014 will see two major teams competing against each other at Villa Park in the English Premier League 2013-14, Week 30. The number one team at the points table-Chelsea will fight it out with Aston Villa the team at number 11th position at the points table.

Chelsea needs to improve on center forward area

Chelsea has come out really good in the past month replacing Arsenal at the number one spot. They are with 66 points winning 20 out of 29 matches, while Aston Villa are with 31 points winning 20 out of 29 matches. Experts say that team Chelsea only needs to maintain its consistency and defend well at the center forward area. The Chelsea tickets are selling like hot cakes at the box office currently before the clash.

Aston Villa Hoping for a Good Match Result

The Aston Villa will have to boost their efforts and gift a win to their fans. They did not have a good month and if they lose this one, then they may face relegation zone soon. However, the team's fans are very sure that things will turn around for the team. Currently the Aston Villa tickets sale is going online.

The Villa Park will be seeing some good action or the match of Aston Villa vs. Chelsea on 15th March. The prediction is that Chelsea will win the match against Aston Villa with 2-1 margin.

Group of Aston Villa Football Club fans from Sutton Coldfield celebrate after scoring £1million EuroMillions jackpot

ELEVEN football-mad friends from Sutton have scored £1million after netting the winning numbers to scoop the EuroMillions jackpot.

The group of avid Aston Villa supporters, who met at school and through mutual friends, only kicked off the syndicate four months ago..

But for The BTNP Syndicate – Bigger Than Normal Peeps – proved top of the table with leader Simon Ashcroft, Richard Cox, joe Collins, Brad Taylor, Oli Hughes, Adam Holt, Adam Finn, Kris Corfield, Chris Hedderley and brothers Matt and Dan Hammonds each getting a £90,909 share following their premier league performance in last Friday’s draw (January 31).

Engineer Simon only started the syndicate with his fellow Villains last September and said they felt “ridiculously lucky” to have landed their big win.

The 22-year-old was travelling on the M6 on Saturday night when he received a text from The National Lottery saying one of their online syndicate tickets had won the jackpot.

“At first I thought nothing of it but when I went into the account and realised it was £1 million it was just unbelievable,” he said. Phenomenal is the word that keeps coming to mind.

“Surreal, you don’t belive its true. You think somebody’s pulling your leg. You have to confirm it with somebody else and then you think ‘is it true’. But it’s fantastic, a great feeling.

“I told Matt first because I had to tell somebody, then we decided on a plan that we were going to go round to everyone’s house one at a time and let everyone know on the same day.”

The pair spent Sunday visiting their football-mad friends to deliver the unbelievable news in person.

“A lots of the lads are still in shock,” said Simon. “I’m a bit of a joker and no-one really believed me to begin with.

“We all just feel ridiculously lucky, especially as we only played out first game in September. I’ve never even won a raffle at the fair!”

From splashing out on holidays, cars and property, the close-knit friends are still deciding on how to spend their slice of the jackpot.

“We’re going to enjoy ourselves,” said Joe, a 22-year-old electrician.

“ We’ll do a bit of travelling and invest some in projects. Our families are all over the moon”

The group were invited to celebrate their big win at the home of their beloved football team, Villa Park.

And the friends have said that their big win won’t ‘Holte’ them from playing the EuroMillions again.

“We’ll definitely going to keep playing!” Simon added.

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Source : http://www.suttoncoldfieldobserver.co.uk/Group-Aston-Villa-Football-Club-fans-Sutton/story-20557833-detail/story.html#ixzz2u1kj8LAY

January Transfer Rumours: Aston Villa target Championship midfielder

The Sutton Coldfield Observer has scoured the papers and internet to find some of the transfer gossip being circulated.

It may not be true but these are the latest rumours ...

Aston Villa have set their sights on a move for Charlton Athletic midfield man Dale Stephens. (Sportsdirectnews.com)

Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel is a £3.5million target for AC Milan (Daily Mirror)

West Brom are reportedly eyeing former Liverpool winger Albert Riera who is available at Turkish club Galatasaray. (Daily Mail)

West Ham are to hold talks with former Liverpool and Chelsea midfielder Raul Meireles (Daily Mail)

West Bromwich Albion are set to make a January deadline move for AC Milan defender Cristian Zaccardo (Sportsdirectnews.com)

Newcastle are keen to off-load Senegal striker Papiss Cisse in part exchange for Luuk de Jong from Borussia Monchengladbach (Sportsdirectnews.com)

Chelsea are planning a renewed attempt to sign Wayne Rooney in the summer. (Times)

Jose Mourinho wants to land Real Sociedad striker Antoine Griezmann after flogging Juan Mata to Manchester United (Sun)

Chelsea intend to launch big bid for Everton midfielder Ross Barkley in summer (Telegraph)

Former Netherlands international Edgar Davids has been linked with a coaching role at Ajax despite reported interest from AC Milan (Clubcall)

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Read more: http://www.suttoncoldfieldobserver.co.uk/January-Transfer-Rumours-Aston-Villa-target/story-20489367-detail/story.html#ixzz2rIljlO54

Crystal Palace boosted by Dwight Gayle's late winner at Aston Villa

Dwight Gayle, centre, hand raised, celebrates scoring Crystal Palace's winner at Aston Villa match. Photograph: David Davies/PA

Peter LansleyIf this time last year seemed like the bleakest of mid-winters for Aston Villa, this one could be even harsher. Never mind conceding 12 goals in defeats by Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, top-five sides, last Christmas, this loss at home to Crystal Palace means Paul Lambert's side have the lowest home scoring record in all four divisions. They will seek to avoid a fifth successive defeat when they host Swansea City on Saturday just three points above a relegation zone that Crystal Palace escaped thanks to Dwight Gayle's wonderful winning goal two minutes into stoppage time.

As Tony Pulis celebrated a third victory from six games in charge at Palace, Lambert must deal with the fact his team are in relegation form. Whether considering the meagre tally of 10 points from 12 games since Manchester City were beaten here in September, or assessing this shapeless performance against a team who started in the bottom three and set up to avoid defeat, the Villa manager has to stem a spiral that is dragging his team into another battle against relegation.

Gayle came on as a late substitute to curl in a memorable effort into the top corner, his third goal in the Premier League since he signed from Peterborough United for £6m in the summer. Palace responded to a loose home defeat by Newcastle United by jamming the midfield and stopping Villa from playing. Good job, with a trip to Manchester City next up. The escape act, not so long ago seemingly a fantasy, is now possible. If Palace are to survive, Villa are one of the teams they can drag into trouble.

Lambert's team, having mustered only six league goals at Villa Park all season, have failed to score in five of their last six home games and they were booed off the field at the end of a dreadful performance. Lacking the spine of Ron Vlaar, Christian Benteke, both injured, and the suspended Ashley Westwood, they looked toothless and lacking direction.

"There shouldn't be pressure here," the Villa manager said. "There's nearly 40,000 behind you. There shouldn't be that pressure but the expectation level – you've got to handle that. It's a quick turnaround, we have to go again on Saturday, so you have to pick yourself up. You've got to meet that challenge."

Asked whether, looking at the league table, he thought his team were in a relegation fight, Lambert replied: "No. As the manager, I've got to be as positive as I can. It's as tight as anything. Our home form's not good enough. You have to stand up and be counted, and get on the front foot." Benteke's knee injury is definitely set to keep him out on Saturday but he has a chance of returning at Sunderland on New Year's Day.

The first half was a write-off as Palace, after two successive defeats, replaced the suspended Marouane Chamakh with Yannick Bolasie and packed the midfield. Villa could not find the room to claim the initiative. The return from suspension of Gabriel Agbonlahor might have helped compensate for Benteke's continued absence, but the home side failed to find any rhythm.

Home crowd hushed, Palace opened up in the second half and twice Jason Puncheon should have scored, allowing Brad Guzan to save. Andreas Weimann also spurned two clear chances at the other end, either side of Guzan tipping Bannan's shot against the post.

Just as both teams looked content with a point, Dean Moxey sent Gayle down the inside-left channel from whence he cut inside Fabien Delph and curled his right-footed shot into the far top corner. "This will give me the opportunity to talk to the chairman," Pulis said. "We need to try and get some people in."

Source : http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/dec/26/aston-villa-crystal-palace-premier-league-match-report