May 13, 2025 • 38 mins
Callum gives his verdict on Villa's crucial win away at Bournemouth, whilst Dan catches up on all things Blues in the season's immediate aftermath, including transfer rumours and a pre-season tour. Elsewhere, the duo check in on the contrasting play-off fortunes of Coventry and Walsall...
00:00 - Intro
01:36 - What We’re Wearing (Birmingham City)
04:15 - What We’re Wearing (Aston Villa)
06:54 - Bournemouth vs. Villa Reaction
18:14 - Blues Catch-Up
29:17 - Aston Villa Women Stay In The WSL
30:43 - Coventry vs. Sunderland Reaction
34:15 - Chesterfield vs. Walsall Reaction
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:12):
Hello everyone, and welcome backto another episode of the Second
City Podcast. Bit of a quick turn around this
week, or at least it feels like it.
I'm Daniel Sketchley and I'm delighted as ever to be joined
by. Alan Byrne, it's me.
How you doing? You're good.
You changed the intro of you caught me off guard There I was
offside. Get it on the VAR.
I'm sorry, mixing it up a bit. How are you?
(00:33):
All good. Yeah, not too bad, Not too bad.
It's been a lovely weekend in the sun, so kind of fine,
really. And I thought it was going to
thunderstorm about an hour ago and now the sun has come back.
Out again. Yeah, we've had little dribs and
drabs, but it's a lovely eveningagain.
I went for a run in the day today.
I kind of wish I'd wait until now.
It's it's really cool until the evening at least.
(00:53):
It's kind of cool, but sun's out.
Lovely. Perfect Mayweather.
Love this time of year. Great.
Yeah, obviously we did an episode only like a few.
Feels like only a few days ago really, but it's good to be back
anyway and obviously Villa have played since.
A little bit of news on Blues and then we're going to touch on
the playoffs as well, like Warsaw and Carpentry and stuff.
(01:14):
So we're going to get into all that, so should be really good.
Thank you to everyone as well who watched and listened to our
last episode. It's done really well so far, so
we're really pleased about that.So let's keep the momentum
going, I think it's fair to say.The road to 350 subscribers on
YouTube continues, but not far off.
That no, we're not. If we can get there by the end
of the season, that's a minimum goal.
I think that'll be good. I think so, yeah, absolutely.
(01:36):
So let's start what we always do, Carl.
Let's do what we're wearing. Bit of a kind of a quick one I
think this week. And do you want to guess?
Shall I guess yours first? Probably a little bit easier.
What are yours first? What are yours first?
For those watching, I'm not wearing a kit again.
I just forgot to source a kit for this week.
I'm very sorry it's been. It's the end of the season.
(01:56):
What? Is the season exactly I'm
wearing just a sort of try standup?
Yeah, so you've got a nice printon a black T-shirt, like a blue,
blue and white tree colour flag with three faces on it.
Is Ivan Sunyitch one of those? Faces It's Ivan Sunyitch check
and die and Juan Castillo left back.
(02:19):
No it's not 3 iconic Blues players might be more people of
a certain generation might know them quicker.
Do you have any idea who they are, Kel?
So it's three. You must know one of them.
On the top. So that's the one that I feel
like I know and it rings a bell and I see.
I feel like if that era, it'd beTrevor Francis.
But I don't think it is Trevor Francis.
(02:41):
It is Trevor Francis. That's Trevor Francis.
Big Trev. Yeah.
And then the other two. You won't know the other two.
The bottom one does look like even Sonyitch though.
It does. Not probably.
Savage, yeah. You're going to have to tell me
who they are. Yeah.
Of course. So the I hope you can hear me
all right, because I'm still up with my mom.
This so. Yeah.
Trevor Francis on the top here. Bob, I believe that's Bob Hatton
(03:04):
on the right, and then Bob Latchford down here on the
bottom. Yeah.
So Trevor Francis, Bob Hatton, Bob Latchford.
They were like the Blues. They were like this.
The Manet Sala. The icons.
Of the stuff Blues in the 70s, kind of the the great Blues team
of the 70s that never quite like, you know, it was kind of
in the top flight for a lot of it and a lot of great memories,
(03:25):
but never quite got over the line to like win a trophy.
The 1975 FA Cup is kind of like the the one where they got they
got to the semi final. But I think Leeds won it in the
end. But a lot has been said about
how kind of over the years that that was the one Blue should
have won. They were really at their peak
at that point. Trevor Francis was just this
force of nature. So yeah, it's a lovely shirt.
I've never got it on the pod. I got this for a Secret Santa
gift. Probably must have been crisp
(03:48):
for Christmas before last Christmas. 23 I think it was.
Certainly wasn't from our SecretSanta because it because ours is
just junk that we give to each other.
It really is a complete waste ofmoney.
Is our Secret Santa. No, a family member got me this.
I still don't know exactly who to this day.
If they're listening, who knows?But yeah, So, yeah, lovely
shirt, kind of a Blues throwbackis nice.
(04:08):
And it's kind of one I can get away with wearing at work as
well. I can't really wear a football
shirt at work, obviously, and kind of get away with this.
So I've done that a couple of times.
On to you. It's a Castor Kazoo sponsored
away kit. Kind of black and grey, like
sort of. It's like a chevrony kind of
pattern I guess. I think my top light is
emphasising the grey. It is mostly black, black and
(04:31):
yellow. Really like a bumblebee.
Yeah, kind of like a almost looks like a fluorescent sort of
lining on it. I am going to say it's the badge
7 of 20 million that you've had.So there is a player on the back
as well. I'll go and then let's have a
look. Let's have a look there's.
Always a player. Yeah, most of my shirts these
days do have a play on the back,and there'll be a There's a
(04:52):
reason why I'm wearing this shirt as well, Dan.
OK, it's going to be Watkins 11 because obviously he, oh, I'd
say why I'll let Callum have that moment, I guess in a bit.
Don't take this away from. Me.
So it must be around. He's been there a few years now.
He's probably been there about 5years now.
I'm going to say it looks like more like a Gerardi kind of era
kit. I'm going to say 2122 away.
(05:16):
You're really close because it is a Gerard era kit, but it's
not just the Gerard era kit because of course you never did
a full season with us. It's the Gerard Emery season, so
2223 third kit. So it's the shirt I've got which
has Ollie Watkins on the back and we're going to talk a lot
about Ollie Watkins in in the next few minutes.
(05:36):
But part of the reason why I mean I love this shirt.
This is from our first year werecast store where the kits they
made for us were actually reallygood.
It was only last year where, yeah, they were a bit rubbish.
Third kit, we only wore it maybea handful of times.
Remember we wore it at Leeds away of all places.
The big ones that come to mind are Southampton away, Man City
(05:57):
away, although we did lose and Everton away of course.
And when Ollie Watkins scored Everton away, he became the
first Aston Villa player to score in five consecutive
matches or five consecutive awaygames, something along those
lines. So it was a record-breaking
shirt for Ollie Watkins. So and the first of many
(06:19):
record-breaking shirts. He will have good season.
We qualified for the Conference League and the rest, as they
say, is history. Absolutely, absolutely.
It feels like ages ago like thatbecause that kick behind me
there on my my right is our 2223season.
I was thinking about that and that was our John Eustace
season. It's my first year as a season
ticket holder actually, and it does just feel like ages ago.
(06:41):
I don't know why I don't. Because the World Cup was in
that year as well, wasn't it? And yeah, it was.
Yeah, I don't know. Yeah, it kind of good memories
from that season. I know we did what we always do
if we tailed off, but yeah, I'vegot some good memories myself
from that. Yeah.
Sweet. Shall we get into then?
We'll get onto the little bit ofBlues news and the playoffs in a
bit. Obviously there's been a Villa
game since we last did an episode.
You played Bournemouth away on Saturday Night Live on the box.
(07:05):
You thought it's going to be a tough game.
Did get a win though. What are your thoughts on it
all? Big win, big win and the results
pretty much all went our way over the weekend as well in
terms of the bigger picture. But yeah, I mean, Bournemouth
have been under Antonio Riola, apart from maybe this 1st 10
games in charge where they didn't win one.
They've been great and they've had maybe a difficult 2025 a bit
(07:30):
up and down. And it's why they're probably
not going to qualify for Europe when it looked like they might
even make the top four at the back end of Christmas.
So, but they've been, they're still a really tough team and,
and I think we said last week we'd only won at the Vitality
once and that was when, when Rudy gusted on the opening day
(07:50):
of the 1516 season, got the winner and that was the only
away game we won all year. So it's nice that we've managed
to, that isn't our most recent victory at that ground now. 10
years took 10 years. What you got there took. 10
years, although we didn't play them a whole amount in that 10
years because we kept, we dodgedeach other a few times going up
(08:13):
and down. So but yeah, you know, I thought
we were great defensively. We were really good.
We, I mean, Bournemouth up untilwhere Jacob Ramsey was sent off
in the second-half, Bournemouth never really threatened us to be
honest. And so up until that point it
was relatively comfortable. But yeah, in the first half we
(08:34):
had a few chances. Bib Kokomar had a great header
which was brilliantly saved by Keppa and the rebound, which was
headed by Mattie Cash was also agreat save to keep it nil nil.
Marco Ascencio hit the post. It looked a little bit more
lively this week, although stilljust seems like ever since
Southampton away just seems to have like lost a bit of spark.
I don't know quite why. Two big games for him coming up
(09:00):
anyway at the end of the season.And then yeah, we, we win the,
we win the ball back quickly. Quick throw in Morgan Rogers
puts in a brilliant cross and Ollie Watkins pokes at home with
the deaf Dist of touch from his studs to make it 1 nil, the only
goal of the game. It means that he is now a record
(09:20):
Premier League goalscorer. Yes, football didn't start in
1992, but it's still a very big milestone.
He surpasses Gabia Bomlahor's record, which was 74.
He's now on 70 five and counting.
Fully deserved. So happy for him.
As you, if you've ever watched the podcast before, big Ollie
(09:41):
Watkins fan. I think he's an absolutely
brilliant striker. He's been great for us and he's
basically got to Gabby's record in half the amount of games he
did it in Gabby over over 400 games.
Gabby quite a long epilogue didn't he, to his bit of career
where he didn't do with that line towards the end.
(10:01):
Yeah, and I think he has said inthe past when he's been on his
talksport show, he did spend a lot of time out on the wing,
which is true when we had John Corrue as the number 9.
So his, you know, he was a pace merchant.
Was Gabby in, in his peak back in the day.
But he was never, I don't think you'd ever call him a prolific
#9 he always played neither A2 or in a from three.
So. But so glad that Olly Watkins
(10:23):
has got it, especially because there's been so much noise about
him maybe leaving the club in January, just gone maybe.
And in the summer I'm glad that he managed to break the record
just in case the worst happens and we sell him in the summer.
Because a little bit like how wesaid with Derby's points record,
it's annoying if they end level and there's no there's no
(10:44):
definitive you need. A definitive answer, yeah, I'm
glad Southampton got 12 points the same.
We can't have two of them on 11.That's just no kind of a.
No, and I I'd also say on that is while the Southampton team is
bad, they are not anywhere near as bad as that Derby side.
No, no, although I would argue complete tangent here, but I'd
argue getting 12 points when theother relegated teams are so bad
(11:08):
as well. Like when the standard's quite
low. Like bear in mind we finished
one place above that Derby team and we got like 20-5 more points
and then was something ridiculous.
But anyway, story for another day.
It is a story for another day, but BA, as I said, Jacob Ramsey
got sent off in the in the second-half.
He was booked in the first half for reacting to quite a poor
challenge on him where there wasthree players booked for the
(11:30):
challenge. The guy who made the challenge,
Jacob Ramsey for his reaction and Emmy Martin as he was
running over to talk to the referee, which he's allowed to
do because he was the captain. Right.
You know, so make it make sense.But obviously I feel like Emmy's
just got a bit of a reputation, hasn't he now?
Yeah, well, like, the ref's justseen him running over and he
hasn't even gone. Oh, yeah, He's the captain.
(11:51):
He's the only one who's actuallyallowed to run over to me.
Well, Emmy Martin is. You're allowed to book him three
times as well, aren't you? Before you?
Yes, he sent. Him off and not send him off,
yes. That is how it goes, yeah.
He's got 4 bookings to get sent off, Yeah.
Yeah, well, you know, 20 to 10 World Cup, somebody got books
twice and not sent off if memoryserves. 2006, wasn't it?
Yeah. 2006. Was it 6?
(12:11):
Yeah, yeah. It's still mad that that could
happen that recently, like, you know, in the last 20 years.
That's kind of remarkable, like.At least that's one thing there.
Val would stop now. True, you think?
Yeah. Never say never.
Yeah. I'm not, I'm not going to, I'm
not going to defend the first yellow card because he's
reacted. He's gone head to head with the
(12:33):
with the Bournemouth player. I think it was Adam Smith.
I might be wrong, booking, fine,whatever.
The second one is really harsh because he is, he is trying to
stop a counter attack. It is a bit of a cynical foul.
It is a tactical foul, but I think it was actually his only
foul in the game and he got booked for it and sent off and
(12:53):
May. And you know, you do see some
how many times do you see it when a player's on a yellow,
they'll make a bad challenge andthe referee will say I should
book you but I won't. But this is your last warning.
Like we didn't even have that. So.
But the game changed like that and all of a sudden Bournemouth
had a whole host of chances. I mean, Martinez made a good two
great saves from, I think it wasone from Evan Nielsen, one from
(13:16):
Semenyo and that one from Simenio looked like it was
landing right on the head of Daniel Jemison, which it did.
But thankfully it was Daniel Jemison on the end of it.
And he was put off by Matty Cashdoing some great defensive work
and he ballooned it over the barwith one of the misses of the
season by by a country mile. But, but we needed a bit of
(13:37):
luck. I mean, how many times have we
said, you know, the first shot on targets gone in the back of
the net? We've maybe lacked a little bit
of luck, but yeah, bit of luck. Got the win.
It may, it confirms European football for next year, which I
remember in the preview, the start of the season that was.
What? I said a successful season was
was us qualifying for Europe andwe are, I think only the second.
(14:01):
We're the first team to qualify for Europe three years on the
trot since Aston Villa did it under Martin O'Neill in the late
twenty 10s, who were not in the traditional Big 6.
All right, well, I was going to say yeah, but yeah, and I
thought that you said exactly that at the start of the season,
just getting into Europe somehowis your goal.
I know we kind of touched on this last week, but obviously
(14:22):
there's two games left now in the league.
Yes, you must be pretty confident that you'll get
Champions League at this point, considering your last two games
are against the league's whipping boys.
But as Man United, relegation fodder, Man United and Spurs,
you must be pretty confident because he's Man United away as
well. Man United away on the final day
(14:42):
of the season. I think we'd beat Man United
away right now. Yeah.
Yeah, the. The thing is I should, I should
be confident for these two gamesand I do think we'll beat Spurs
at home on Friday night, Man United Way.
I think it's just because we've had so many bad, we've had so
many bad results. We never win there.
That one fills me with a bit of nerves and it'll be on the final
(15:03):
day. And I suppose with them, we know
they'll that's after the final as well, they're Europa League.
I think so. It's in the Wednesday because
that might benefit you as well. They'll have a midweek game
journey and travelling to Is it Bilbao the final So you'll have
like that week's rest as well I guess.
And they've, they've literally, they've got nothing to fight for
other than. The euro?
(15:23):
Yeah, they'll be. Which is the same for Spurs.
Exactly. I'd be super confident.
Honestly, I think I think they're both.
I don't think it's a fluke or bad luck or injuries.
I think they're both. Crap, yeah, I agree.
I agree. Spurs have had all their players
back for weeks and they're still.
Rubbish they're they're they're just terrible They've got many
have got actively worse under Amarim as well and I I just
(15:43):
don't I I would find I think 6 points honestly, if you I was
paying for that is to admit I I genuinely.
Six points should do it because Nottingham Forest and Chelsea
both play each other on the final day.
Newcastle, I felt like had already had gone anyway.
We weren't going to catch them. Manchester City all of a sudden
have been pulled back into it with that somehow not be in
(16:04):
Southampton on the weekend. They.
Got the FA Cup to worry about aswell.
I think that'll be, yeah. Kind of.
And then, and then I guess thereis a scenario out there where
Arsenal lose their final two games of the season and finished
6th. There is a scenario where that
happens. That would be extraordinary and
I don't know if Arteta would survive that, but I don't see it
happening. I think they'll probably just
(16:25):
about, they're like jammy team, aren't they?
They find a way to just turn it on at times.
I know they lost to PSG, but against Liverpool they they do
find a way sometimes. Cool, good weekend all round for
you then. Good weekend all round did.
You beat Bournemouth in the homegame as well.
No, so that's that, that was thegame that started our really
poor slump in the in the late autumn, early winter where we
(16:48):
were a goal up and we conceded in the 96th minute with the very
last kick of the game. And then we didn't win again
until December. I was.
Going to say that would have been a good double to have
there. Like, you know, if you're
picking up six points against teams like Bournemouth, you're
having a pretty good run at it. Cool.
And one one more thing before wemove on is if we do win the last
two games, it'll give us 69 points, which will be our
(17:09):
highest ever points total in thePremier League era, which will
be one more than what we got last year when we finished
fourth. Wow, slight tangent.
The so that we're talking about Spurs, Man United there, I think
it's who's 17. Spurs are 17, aren't they?
Is it Man United? Isn't it?
Whoever's lower. It doesn't matter, it's one of
(17:30):
them. Yeah, let's say Spurs, they're
on 38 points. They're on the same number of
points that we were on at this stage when we last got relegated
from the Premier League. We we were on 38 points.
Sickening, Dan. Oh, in fact, we might have been
on 39. I thought you were on 39.
Yeah, because we drew. No, we were.
Yeah, because we drew Wolves like a few games to go and then
(17:52):
we lost the last few. Yeah, so wow.
So we're on the same number of points as Man United and more
than Spurs. I'm pretty sure Man United got
one more point. But yes, positive times for you,
I must say. It's been, I know you had that
Palace debate, but in the cup, but since then you had a pretty
good, pretty good couple of weeks for sure.
Oh yeah, absolutely. Sweet, that was Villa then.
(18:16):
Shall we move on to what's goingon elsewhere in the Midlands?
Obviously Villa have kind of been the main focus this week.
Obviously Blues season's finished, so we'll just quickly
touch on some news. With Blues, it's very much felt
like that sort of immediate postseason, lol.
You know, you kind of obviously as the as the offseason goes on,
you get your preseason and your transfers and they keep coming
out and all that really excitingstuff.
(18:38):
And with this being going into the 150th anniversary for Blues,
that's all doubly exciting. And obviously with the promotion
and so on. But we are in that kind of
immediate little way. Like obviously the playoffs
still going on, the Premier League still going on, no
international tournament this year to look forward to.
So it kind of feels like a bit of a lull, but there have been
some some little snippets of news that the club have
announced. And so yesterday, so that would
(19:01):
be Sunday the 11th Blues did their annual or kind of seems
like an annual event now. Done it a couple years in a row
at the Blues Fest event where they played basically X players
coming together to raise some money for the Birmingham City
Foundation, for those with disabilities and so on.
And they played a team of XW Brom players.
I'm not fully sure how the matchwent, but it's kind of cool to
see some stills of some of the old players that got back like
(19:23):
Kevin Phillips, Lee Carsley, Darren Carter, Roger Johnson,
Marcus Payne and my favorite LeeCamp.
I think that's pretty pretty cool, really.
Excited. Did Miguel San Jose make an
appearance? He didn't go, sadly.
Craig Gardner played in midfield, I know that.
But no, sadly Mikael San Jose didn't go on it.
Side note, Mikael San Jose, how can we contact you, man?
(19:44):
I'm trying to find a way to contact the guy and get him on
the part, but I just can't. I can't find his, can't find a
way through. If anyone knows if anyone has
his number, let us know. We'd we'd love to get him on.
But good to see kind of some ex players back.
It's always quite like nostalgicin a weird way.
I couldn't go sadly. Side note though, Kevin Phillips
has hair now and it's it's really odd, really jarring.
(20:07):
Never had hair as a player ever.And now he's he's got a quite a
yeah, quite a solid head of hair.
I don't, I don't know if it's a transplant.
I'm not going to speculate. Is it a bit like Glenn, whoever
it is? It's a bit like the pictures of
Ashley Young from lockdown when he was training with into Milan
and he had like his full head ofhair and we're like, whoa.
Yeah, it's just really like, whoa, it's yeah, really strange.
Looks good, though. Nice one, Kev.
(20:28):
Good on you. Looks good.
Fine wine. Yes, absolutely.
Little stuff. So the Blues have announced, no
pre season fixtures specificallyhave been announced yet, of
course, because it's so early on.
But they have announced they're going to be doing a pre season
sort of Portugal. I think it's from the 7th to the
13th. They said there'll be a fixture
in there. They haven't announced who will
be against yet. I can't remember.
(20:50):
We went to Portugal last year, but we definitely went there
back 3-4 years ago. I feel like we go there quite a
lot. I'm surprised no Villa are going
to America. I'm actually that was surprised.
Blues. I'm trying to do that obviously
with all our connections and theAmazon documentary and so on.
Maybe next year, but I'm sure that will happen at some point
elsewhere. Obviously we talked talked about
(21:10):
it last week. Blues Women just missed out on
promotion to the WSL, which is abig shame.
But just today actually, the women's divisions have announced
a bit of a rebrand. So it's currently the Women's
Champ WSL and the Women's Championship.
They've reruned it to the Women's Super League and Women's
Super League too. So a bit of a kind of a bit more
of a merger I guess of the two, I don't know if anything
(21:31):
literally is changing, but a bitof a rebrand.
Brings it all in line, doesn't it?
Yeah, exactly. And they're probably trying to
kind of get a bit more brand exposure out there, which makes
sense. And instead, Boom City Women
just announced a host of quite alot of players that are going to
be leaving upon the expiry of their contracts.
So I've got the list here. That's Ellie Mason, Gemma
Lawley, Jay Penner, Libby Smith,Kate Dungate, Luan Woozy Chu So
(21:55):
Hyun, Charlie Devlin, Abby Jenner, Ivana Fuso, Cho Yi Cho,
Yuri and Charlotte Clark. They're all leaving and then a
few players of their loans expires.
So I'm Shannon Cook, Ashanti Akpan and Olivia spreading
Scuska. I'm really sorry.
That's I never know to say that name.
Which So point being, if we'd gone up, I doubt that would have
(22:18):
been the case for a lot of them,although at least some of them
they probably have tried to retain a few of them.
Bit of a sign. Maybe they're going for a bit of
a rebuild this year, I believe. I think it's Amy Merrick's first
summer as the manager or the head coach.
She thinks she might try and maybe bring some of us fresh
blood in instead maybe. And Blues men haven't announced
any sort of released and retained list yet.
(22:38):
But I don't. It's not like last summer we had
so many players out of contract.We don't really have that
situation this year. Instead they might try and shift
a few players. I will probably do something a
bit important in depth on this, but I don't think I've seen a
lot of Blues fans talking about in regards to the men's team
players that they would keep andreturn or sell and so on.
(22:59):
I don't think it's going to be as easy as as that really.
And I can see most sticking around if I'm honest.
Players like who have maybe beenOK this season, but you wouldn't
expect them to kick on next yearor I wouldn't certainly wouldn't
build the Championship team around them in any way.
Players like Emil Hanson and Scott Wright maybe just to name
2 examples, people saying Oh yeah, get rid of them and I, I
agree, I wouldn't if we had my, if I had my way, I won't keep
(23:21):
them around. But for one, Scott Wright for
example, is injured and he's going to be out for quite a
while and we only signed him last summer.
So he's probably going to be on at least he's going to have at
least one year left. Nice contract.
Obviously probably more. Same for Emil Hanson, he's come
from the Dutch league and we've probably given him like, you
know, a few years on his contract.
So it's not going to be that simple.
I think it might be a case of and also handsome, he's always
(23:43):
injured as well. So be interesting to see what
the club does in regards becausewe're going to be wanting to
bring in a lot of players, I'm sure.
So it's what they do with these kind of fringe players.
Players like players like Yuki Yama I could see leaving
permanently. Of course barely pick up.
Farrell I could see having a lower league, a mid to lower
League One team might come in for him.
(24:04):
But be interesting to see what the club does with that rather
than releasing players as such and then otherwise only rust off
on Blues. I know we kind of, we never
really cover transfer rumours orsuch, kind of wait until it's a
fact because there's so much noise out there.
But seeing as things are a bit quiet, a few transfer rooms with
Blues, some more side than others.
Obviously the one which kind of isn't going away is Kwame Paku
(24:25):
from Peterborough. A lot of talk about him,
obviously the Barry Frye connection with Peterborough,
He's their director of football,isn't he?
That room has been going on for ages.
I feel like I've been here aboutthat for months now and there's
rumours, it's always rumours. The Blues have offered some big,
you know, big salary to get him on board and I believe he's out
of contract this summer. It might be more of a
compensation thing that Blues might need to do for some reason
(24:46):
due to Paki's age. Usually when you get a free
transfer that what would have been the transfer fee goes into
the players wages and signing onbonuses and things like that.
Yeah, you'd think so. So maybe it makes sense that
Blues can dish out a bit more, be a right signing.
He, I mean, he was brilliant in the AFL trophy final.
He's excellent and Y players is definitely probably our biggest
(25:09):
priority really in my opinion. Like Keshi is the only one that
we can really rely on. I think he he'd bring pace, he'd
be exactly what we need and he'smore than ready to step up to
the Championship, so I think he'd be a great first step.
Another rumour that's been goingaround, Shay Adams obviously got
a lot of time. Shay Adams, he was terrific at
Blues between 2016 and 2019. I want to say.
(25:29):
Obviously he went Southampton for a bit a few years, was part
of the promotion team last season and he's been into been
playing for Torino in Italy thisyear.
He's doing great though. Yeah, had a good season.
I would love to see him back. I don't know if it's just an
easy rumour is the only thing like, you know, it's a bit of a,
you know, Blues going up again and could come back a few years
later and do a job. It just was like a bit of an
(25:50):
easy rumour to start spreading it.
It's a bit like, what's the other rumour I've read recently
that was interesting but I was like, it just feels like an
obvious rumour it won't come to.Us it's it's like the Villa
every transfer when it's all. Will Villa go in for Jack
Groholish though? Exactly.
It's just a natural story there,but I'd love to see him come
back. My only concern is he's
(26:11):
probably, I think he's about, I thought he's older than this,
but it turns out he's only 28. That would be like kind of prime
age, be really exciting. My only concern is Stanfield's
going to be the 9:00 next year, the main number 9.
I'm not sure. A few people have said Shale
could play as a ten. I'm not convinced that's the
smartest thing to do and we don't.
We never really play with two upfront, so I'm not sure about
that either. But who knows.
I would be very excited if he does come back though, and we
(26:34):
could somehow work him in the new one.
Tom Fellows at West Brom have been linked with.
Obviously he's 20, he's 2122 I think, so very young.
I do not see them selling to us as a direct rival.
It would be a huge statement. You're talking like 10 to
15,000,000 at least I think. But one to keep tabs on the
Feather Room being linked to himthough is a is a is a big
statement be. Interesting to see what you do
(26:55):
in the summer because obviously you spent a lot of money in the
last summer window. The EFL financial rules are
quite tight really. You've got to be, you've got to
be careful, Championship in particular as well.
I know you're going to get a bitmore revenue coming in from the
TV money that will come in by going up to the Championship,
but I don't know if you'll be spending maybe much more than
(27:17):
you did last summer. Really, no.
I think it would be a comparableamount to last summer, probably
around the same, maybe a bit more, who knows.
But yeah, I mean, Tom Wagner's talked a lot about like the
revenue and that's been coming in, how we're going to be on par
with like teams that are being relegated with their parachute
payments, which, you know, pretty exciting if so.
So want to keep tabs on there. My only last point with Blues is
(27:38):
I'm sure you saw this COW has been doing the rounds the EFL
League One team of the season. Oh yeah.
Yeah, I mean I. Have.
I think it's perfect I. Bet you do.
I feel bad giving them the airtime even.
We shouldn't even be talking about it because it's just
nonsense. That so it's kind of based off
like who scored or something like that.
It's like very. It's very who?
Scored.com it's very stat based.It's completely stat based, it's
(28:02):
kind of got no common sense in it whatsoever, which is why you
know AI will never completely replace humans.
At least not, well, not maybe not never, but at least
certainly not. Certainly not when it comes to
speaking Team of the season because not a single Blues
player was in it. We just broke the transfer
record with a sorry, broke the points record.
With a you did break the transfer record as well.
We did that as well. We broke the points record with
(28:22):
111 points. No team in history has ever done
that in the world. And we didn't have a single
player get in. And maybe the fact that the
Blues fans all sang F the EFL when the EFL members came out to
present the trophy to us, maybe it was a little factor as well.
But it sums it up like we didn'thave a single player in the team
in the season this year or in 2007 or 2009 when we also got
(28:43):
promoted. But we did have Lucas Yukovich
get in when we when we finished like 17th on the Gary Monk
because he obviously won so manyeditors and got so many gold and
so many assists. So it's probably a sign that
common sense maybe should provide a little bit more on
occasion. I would be embarrassed.
Get Garth Crooks to pick the team of the season for League
One. Don't get caught.
I would love to say it because he's probably never watched a
(29:04):
league game in his life, a League One game in his life.
But yeah, if I was the AFL I'd honestly be embarrassed to
release that list. Or you'd just be like, really?
Are we going to do this anyway? That's everything I had on Blues
this week. Just before we jump onto the
playoffs, because just because you mentioned Blues women,
because the WSL season finished at the weekend as well and Aston
(29:25):
relegation threatened, Aston Villa won again and they
finished 6th, which is mad because they looked doomed.
They genuinely looked doomed andthey've somehow finished mid
table. It looked unbelievable.
It looked like Blues and Villa we're going to be doing a little
switcheroo at one point, yeah. Never quite happened sadly, but
you'd think Blues and Women would be one of the favourites
to cup this year. So who knows, we may get a
(29:46):
second City Derby of some sorts next year.
But yeah, I supposed to see themstay up because they were so
Villa women were so poor for this season.
Yeah, the beat Brighton won three nil and four players said
goodbye to Villa Park for definite, which was Jordan Nobs.
It was Rachel Corsi, Maz Pacheco, which was a real
(30:10):
surprise to see her go and then Danielle Turner as well.
So Maz Pacheco got her second ever WSL goal for Villa in her
final appearance. So we wish them all the best.
I imagine you'll see a lot of Rachel Corsi as a pundit in the
years to come. She seems like she's done a
little bit of that, especially on the radio side over the
while. She's had her injuries this
(30:30):
year, so I think there's a women's major tournament coming
up this year. So I reckon you'll see a lot of
Rachel Corsi on your television.That's coming up.
Cool then shall we go on to the play offs then?
We already talk about obviously W Brom haven't been playing
Wolves. Lost two nil at home to Brighton
at the weekend. Not too much to talk about
(30:52):
there. But yeah, the real meet was in
Coventry and Walsall. I don't know if you saw either
the games Keller or sort of highlights or anything like
that, but it looked pretty interesting with the first legs.
I wanted to watch the Coventry game.
I certainly watched the second leg.
I think it was on the Friday night, I think, and I was.
Playing it was. Yes, it was so.
But yeah, drama. Yes, absolutely.
(31:13):
So we'll start with Coventry. They played Sunderland at home,
they lost 2/1. The second leg I think is
tomorrow night. Isn't it Tuesday night or
tonight? A day of release I guess.
It's not tonight's tomorrow. Yeah, alcohol, yeah, really kind
of surprising, I must say. I thought, I thought Coventry
would do it. Obviously it was late, a late
(31:33):
goal. It was basically a soppy back
pass, wasn't it? A.
Bad blunder and I don't know, I don't know if you remember down
to the start of the season, the very first home game for
Coventry at home to Oxford underthe lights.
The winner, which I think was scored by Hadji Wright, came
from an Oxford player with a dodgy back pass that he nipped
on the end of and scored. And So what a what a way to
(31:55):
bookend the home season with an almost carbon copy, but the
other way around. It's like poetry at rhymes.
Oh, wow, that's amazing. And yeah, it kind of left Ben
Wilson a goal in like, I don't think he helped himself because
he came charging up the back pass was so he was so far away.
The back pass was it like it wasVan Ay Van Aywick who played it
(32:16):
back and it was like it's there's no power on it at all.
It's no, he's basically on the halfway line.
It's like no, in a million yearsgoing to reach the keeper and I
think the keeper's panicked and charged out, but my Ender's got
all the time in the world to take it past him.
The keeper should have just stayed.
Back and as soon as the keeper'scome out-of-the-box, Terry can't
use his hands. He's always just going to go
round him and knock it in. Yeah, exactly.
It's like not what's the word like, thinking back on it like,
(32:42):
you know, in the moment, he. Just panicked, didn't he?
Yeah, I understand why in the moment he came out.
Hindsight is the hindsight is the word I'm looking for.
You know, it's he, he should have stayed in his mind.
But I understand in the moment, 89th minute, whatever it was,
he's just panicked. But I must say Sunderland's
first goal, if you haven't seen it, is divine, unbelievable and
(33:02):
scored by Wilson Isadore. It is like a.
Pure first goal since February. And it's a pure counter attack
and it's like beautiful finish opposite corner to him, bottom
corner. Go check it out if you haven't
seen it. Leaves country a lot of work to
do. It's frustrating for them as
well because obviously Sunderland's first goal, Jack
Rodoni then scored like a minutelater, so they were right back
(33:24):
in it. But I think going Sunderland
obviously have been in really poor form going into the end of
the season. They knew for ages they were
going to finish 4th, but they'vejust turned it on, really turned
it on the other night. I think going to a rocking
stadium, a light is really, really hard.
They will. They'll pack that place out but
interestingly get on anyway. They got a fighting chance.
(33:46):
We know the playoffs and any sort of semi final.
We've seen it in the Champions League recently.
Second legs can be a bit chaoticto say the least, so never write
them off. Never forget Peterborough
Sheffield Wednesday from a few years ago.
Oh yeah, Oh my God, was that thewhen Sheffield Wednesday were
like 4 nil down? 4 nil down after the first leg.
And then the one fight they lost, 51.
So kind of like. Yeah, they won five one.
(34:08):
Yeah, yeah, remarkable. And then obviously Derby Leeds
2019 just you know, crazy, some crazy things about other one.
So Warsaw obviously had a devastating end of the season.
We talked about it last week. They so Bradford scored in
another game, 97th minute to send Walsall into the playoffs.
Also can't complain. They've been in such poor form
lately and I know even all theirfans have been saying that.
(34:31):
And but they had something of a resurrection.
They played away at Chesterfieldin the first leg of their
playoffs. Really hard to pick themselves
up, but they absolutely did the job.
They won two nil away at Chesterfield and like sound like
they actually kind of struggled in the end to start with, but
then kind of once they got a penalty and then after that kind
of saw the game out. Taylor Allen scored a penalty
(34:51):
and then it was tune up before half time.
It's actually Alfie Chang who scored the second one and Alfie
Chang is actually on loan from Blues first goal of his career.
So that's actually really nice to see.
He was he was at Blues a couple of years ago kind of coming into
the first team actually under useless.
But then I'd like a really bad injury.
So it's good to see him kind of getting back, getting back on
it. But yeah, Walsall that only won
three in the last 21 games. So to turn it on in this way
(35:13):
against a Chesterfield team thatI looked up and it's something
like, I think it was in the last13 games, they got like, I think
it's 2728 points or something. So they were like the opposite.
They were absolutely like, it's two teams on completely
different trajectories, but Walsall's class just showing
through a bit more I think. So you'd have to kind of fancy
the chances now in the second leg.
(35:33):
And then I think it's Knox County or who?
Who is it, Knox County or Morecambe?
I want to say it's off the top of my head.
I'm not telling you Wimbledon, sorry, await them in the final.
So I don't know, Kyle, you'd have to say it's looking pretty
likely for them at the minute. Yeah, but like we said two
minutes ago, anything can happenin the playoff.
Second legs. Yeah, absolutely.
(35:54):
And I think it's, I think I didn't realise as well.
Chesterfield are managed by Do you remember Paul Cook?
Yes, the former Pompey and Wiganmanager.
Yeah, so he's managed manager ofthem now and I don't know if he
was with them at the time, I'm going to assume he was.
They only got promoted 2 League 2 last season, Chesterfield.
So the fact they even kind of got into the playoffs on the
last day is is a big achievement.
(36:14):
So Walsall probably are man for man, like a better team.
So yeah, you have to fancy the chances and be a good final.
If they get maybe a Knotts County or someone Silver Line,
they might get to go to Wembley and find another way through.
So yeah, that's the playoffs. And I'm going to the playoffs
this week as well. I'm making.
I am going back. You are.
I thought I thought you'd gone to the the home game, but we
(36:36):
were talking about it before youWiccan boy, the chair boy.
Yeah. You're you're going to the
Valley for their. Going to the Valley on Thursday
night, yeah. So I I've never a new stadium to
take off never been absolutely. And yeah, it can't say no to a
playoff semi final second leg. No, and you're in the away end
and everything as. Well, in the away end, yes.
You did invite. So that should be a lot of fun.
(36:57):
Yeah, I did invite you to come. Yeah.
If you know, I love, you know, kind of this time of year when
we're going into the summer and I love a bit of football.
This time here it was just a random game.
So I would have loved to have came but I can't unfortunately.
But I was saying to you before, I've been to the Valley before,
obviously famous. It was right behind the goal
when Jude Bellingham did the business there in, in, in this
(37:19):
it was that season, was it? That shirt, I'm sure it was, I
don't think. It was it wasn't that season
behind me, for those listening, I've got the the sort of play
that play sort of grey black Adidas kit we had that season.
No, I'm sure it was the home kit, but it was that season.
Good, good memory. Enjoy the game though.
What's the score in that game sofar?
(37:41):
Nil, Nil. It was not what it was a it was
a it wasn't a great watch. Apparently the first leg not
going to the first leg, Yeah. Well, enjoy it, enjoy the game
with the we know the Wickham Y fans are like like the Ultras of
into Milan, aren't they so. Yes, they are.
Cool, I think that pretty much wraps us up for this week then
(38:02):
Kel, unless I am mistaken. I think it does and obviously
Villa got Spurs on Friday night so and Man United play at the
same, I think they play Chelsea at the same time.
So big implications in terms of Champions League spots will
happen on Friday night. So a big weekend ahead for the
running, but we'll talk about that next week.
(38:22):
So are. You going to the Spurs game?
I am not unfortunately, so it'llbe 1 to watch on the box.
Absolutely through biting your fingernails, I'm sure.
Awesome. Thank you so much again for
joining us everyone. We will be back as Cal mentioned
after that Spurs game probably in like a week or so and until
then keep our eye on and shit onthe Villa.
(38:45):
See you next week Dan and up thevilla.
Hello everyone, and welcome backto another episode of the Second
City Podcast. Bit of a quick turn around this
week, or at least it feels like it.
I'm Daniel Sketchley and I'm delighted as ever to be joined
by. Alan Byrne, it's me.
How you doing? You're good.
You changed the intro of you caught me off guard There I was
offside. Get it on the VAR.
I'm sorry, mixing it up a bit. How are you?
(00:33):
All good. Yeah, not too bad, Not too bad.
It's been a lovely weekend in the sun, so kind of fine,
really. And I thought it was going to
thunderstorm about an hour ago and now the sun has come back.
Out again. Yeah, we've had little dribs and
drabs, but it's a lovely eveningagain.
I went for a run in the day today.
I kind of wish I'd wait until now.
It's it's really cool until the evening at least.
(00:53):
It's kind of cool, but sun's out.
Lovely. Perfect Mayweather.
Love this time of year. Great.
Yeah, obviously we did an episode only like a few.
Feels like only a few days ago really, but it's good to be back
anyway and obviously Villa have played since.
A little bit of news on Blues and then we're going to touch on
the playoffs as well, like Warsaw and Carpentry and stuff.
(01:14):
So we're going to get into all that, so should be really good.
Thank you to everyone as well who watched and listened to our
last episode. It's done really well so far, so
we're really pleased about that.So let's keep the momentum
going, I think it's fair to say.The road to 350 subscribers on
YouTube continues, but not far off.
That no, we're not. If we can get there by the end
of the season, that's a minimum goal.
I think that'll be good. I think so, yeah, absolutely.
(01:36):
So let's start what we always do, Carl.
Let's do what we're wearing. Bit of a kind of a quick one I
think this week. And do you want to guess?
Shall I guess yours first? Probably a little bit easier.
What are yours first? What are yours first?
For those watching, I'm not wearing a kit again.
I just forgot to source a kit for this week.
I'm very sorry it's been. It's the end of the season.
(01:56):
What? Is the season exactly I'm
wearing just a sort of try standup?
Yeah, so you've got a nice printon a black T-shirt, like a blue,
blue and white tree colour flag with three faces on it.
Is Ivan Sunyitch one of those? Faces It's Ivan Sunyitch check
and die and Juan Castillo left back.
(02:19):
No it's not 3 iconic Blues players might be more people of
a certain generation might know them quicker.
Do you have any idea who they are, Kel?
So it's three. You must know one of them.
On the top. So that's the one that I feel
like I know and it rings a bell and I see.
I feel like if that era, it'd beTrevor Francis.
But I don't think it is Trevor Francis.
(02:41):
It is Trevor Francis. That's Trevor Francis.
Big Trev. Yeah.
And then the other two. You won't know the other two.
The bottom one does look like even Sonyitch though.
It does. Not probably.
Savage, yeah. You're going to have to tell me
who they are. Yeah.
Of course. So the I hope you can hear me
all right, because I'm still up with my mom.
This so. Yeah.
Trevor Francis on the top here. Bob, I believe that's Bob Hatton
(03:04):
on the right, and then Bob Latchford down here on the
bottom. Yeah.
So Trevor Francis, Bob Hatton, Bob Latchford.
They were like the Blues. They were like this.
The Manet Sala. The icons.
Of the stuff Blues in the 70s, kind of the the great Blues team
of the 70s that never quite like, you know, it was kind of
in the top flight for a lot of it and a lot of great memories,
(03:25):
but never quite got over the line to like win a trophy.
The 1975 FA Cup is kind of like the the one where they got they
got to the semi final. But I think Leeds won it in the
end. But a lot has been said about
how kind of over the years that that was the one Blue should
have won. They were really at their peak
at that point. Trevor Francis was just this
force of nature. So yeah, it's a lovely shirt.
I've never got it on the pod. I got this for a Secret Santa
gift. Probably must have been crisp
(03:48):
for Christmas before last Christmas. 23 I think it was.
Certainly wasn't from our SecretSanta because it because ours is
just junk that we give to each other.
It really is a complete waste ofmoney.
Is our Secret Santa. No, a family member got me this.
I still don't know exactly who to this day.
If they're listening, who knows?But yeah, So, yeah, lovely
shirt, kind of a Blues throwbackis nice.
(04:08):
And it's kind of one I can get away with wearing at work as
well. I can't really wear a football
shirt at work, obviously, and kind of get away with this.
So I've done that a couple of times.
On to you. It's a Castor Kazoo sponsored
away kit. Kind of black and grey, like
sort of. It's like a chevrony kind of
pattern I guess. I think my top light is
emphasising the grey. It is mostly black, black and
(04:31):
yellow. Really like a bumblebee.
Yeah, kind of like a almost looks like a fluorescent sort of
lining on it. I am going to say it's the badge
7 of 20 million that you've had.So there is a player on the back
as well. I'll go and then let's have a
look. Let's have a look there's.
Always a player. Yeah, most of my shirts these
days do have a play on the back,and there'll be a There's a
(04:52):
reason why I'm wearing this shirt as well, Dan.
OK, it's going to be Watkins 11 because obviously he, oh, I'd
say why I'll let Callum have that moment, I guess in a bit.
Don't take this away from. Me.
So it must be around. He's been there a few years now.
He's probably been there about 5years now.
I'm going to say it looks like more like a Gerardi kind of era
kit. I'm going to say 2122 away.
(05:16):
You're really close because it is a Gerard era kit, but it's
not just the Gerard era kit because of course you never did
a full season with us. It's the Gerard Emery season, so
2223 third kit. So it's the shirt I've got which
has Ollie Watkins on the back and we're going to talk a lot
about Ollie Watkins in in the next few minutes.
(05:36):
But part of the reason why I mean I love this shirt.
This is from our first year werecast store where the kits they
made for us were actually reallygood.
It was only last year where, yeah, they were a bit rubbish.
Third kit, we only wore it maybea handful of times.
Remember we wore it at Leeds away of all places.
The big ones that come to mind are Southampton away, Man City
(05:57):
away, although we did lose and Everton away of course.
And when Ollie Watkins scored Everton away, he became the
first Aston Villa player to score in five consecutive
matches or five consecutive awaygames, something along those
lines. So it was a record-breaking
shirt for Ollie Watkins. So and the first of many
(06:19):
record-breaking shirts. He will have good season.
We qualified for the Conference League and the rest, as they
say, is history. Absolutely, absolutely.
It feels like ages ago like thatbecause that kick behind me
there on my my right is our 2223season.
I was thinking about that and that was our John Eustace
season. It's my first year as a season
ticket holder actually, and it does just feel like ages ago.
(06:41):
I don't know why I don't. Because the World Cup was in
that year as well, wasn't it? And yeah, it was.
Yeah, I don't know. Yeah, it kind of good memories
from that season. I know we did what we always do
if we tailed off, but yeah, I'vegot some good memories myself
from that. Yeah.
Sweet. Shall we get into then?
We'll get onto the little bit ofBlues news and the playoffs in a
bit. Obviously there's been a Villa
game since we last did an episode.
You played Bournemouth away on Saturday Night Live on the box.
(07:05):
You thought it's going to be a tough game.
Did get a win though. What are your thoughts on it
all? Big win, big win and the results
pretty much all went our way over the weekend as well in
terms of the bigger picture. But yeah, I mean, Bournemouth
have been under Antonio Riola, apart from maybe this 1st 10
games in charge where they didn't win one.
They've been great and they've had maybe a difficult 2025 a bit
(07:30):
up and down. And it's why they're probably
not going to qualify for Europe when it looked like they might
even make the top four at the back end of Christmas.
So, but they've been, they're still a really tough team and,
and I think we said last week we'd only won at the Vitality
once and that was when, when Rudy gusted on the opening day
(07:50):
of the 1516 season, got the winner and that was the only
away game we won all year. So it's nice that we've managed
to, that isn't our most recent victory at that ground now. 10
years took 10 years. What you got there took. 10
years, although we didn't play them a whole amount in that 10
years because we kept, we dodgedeach other a few times going up
(08:13):
and down. So but yeah, you know, I thought
we were great defensively. We were really good.
We, I mean, Bournemouth up untilwhere Jacob Ramsey was sent off
in the second-half, Bournemouth never really threatened us to be
honest. And so up until that point it
was relatively comfortable. But yeah, in the first half we
(08:34):
had a few chances. Bib Kokomar had a great header
which was brilliantly saved by Keppa and the rebound, which was
headed by Mattie Cash was also agreat save to keep it nil nil.
Marco Ascencio hit the post. It looked a little bit more
lively this week, although stilljust seems like ever since
Southampton away just seems to have like lost a bit of spark.
I don't know quite why. Two big games for him coming up
(09:00):
anyway at the end of the season.And then yeah, we, we win the,
we win the ball back quickly. Quick throw in Morgan Rogers
puts in a brilliant cross and Ollie Watkins pokes at home with
the deaf Dist of touch from his studs to make it 1 nil, the only
goal of the game. It means that he is now a record
(09:20):
Premier League goalscorer. Yes, football didn't start in
1992, but it's still a very big milestone.
He surpasses Gabia Bomlahor's record, which was 74.
He's now on 70 five and counting.
Fully deserved. So happy for him.
As you, if you've ever watched the podcast before, big Ollie
(09:41):
Watkins fan. I think he's an absolutely
brilliant striker. He's been great for us and he's
basically got to Gabby's record in half the amount of games he
did it in Gabby over over 400 games.
Gabby quite a long epilogue didn't he, to his bit of career
where he didn't do with that line towards the end.
(10:01):
Yeah, and I think he has said inthe past when he's been on his
talksport show, he did spend a lot of time out on the wing,
which is true when we had John Corrue as the number 9.
So his, you know, he was a pace merchant.
Was Gabby in, in his peak back in the day.
But he was never, I don't think you'd ever call him a prolific
#9 he always played neither A2 or in a from three.
So. But so glad that Olly Watkins
(10:23):
has got it, especially because there's been so much noise about
him maybe leaving the club in January, just gone maybe.
And in the summer I'm glad that he managed to break the record
just in case the worst happens and we sell him in the summer.
Because a little bit like how wesaid with Derby's points record,
it's annoying if they end level and there's no there's no
(10:44):
definitive you need. A definitive answer, yeah, I'm
glad Southampton got 12 points the same.
We can't have two of them on 11.That's just no kind of a.
No, and I I'd also say on that is while the Southampton team is
bad, they are not anywhere near as bad as that Derby side.
No, no, although I would argue complete tangent here, but I'd
argue getting 12 points when theother relegated teams are so bad
(11:08):
as well. Like when the standard's quite
low. Like bear in mind we finished
one place above that Derby team and we got like 20-5 more points
and then was something ridiculous.
But anyway, story for another day.
It is a story for another day, but BA, as I said, Jacob Ramsey
got sent off in the in the second-half.
He was booked in the first half for reacting to quite a poor
challenge on him where there wasthree players booked for the
(11:30):
challenge. The guy who made the challenge,
Jacob Ramsey for his reaction and Emmy Martin as he was
running over to talk to the referee, which he's allowed to
do because he was the captain. Right.
You know, so make it make sense.But obviously I feel like Emmy's
just got a bit of a reputation, hasn't he now?
Yeah, well, like, the ref's justseen him running over and he
hasn't even gone. Oh, yeah, He's the captain.
(11:51):
He's the only one who's actuallyallowed to run over to me.
Well, Emmy Martin is. You're allowed to book him three
times as well, aren't you? Before you?
Yes, he sent. Him off and not send him off,
yes. That is how it goes, yeah.
He's got 4 bookings to get sent off, Yeah.
Yeah, well, you know, 20 to 10 World Cup, somebody got books
twice and not sent off if memoryserves. 2006, wasn't it?
Yeah. 2006. Was it 6?
(12:11):
Yeah, yeah. It's still mad that that could
happen that recently, like, you know, in the last 20 years.
That's kind of remarkable, like.At least that's one thing there.
Val would stop now. True, you think?
Yeah. Never say never.
Yeah. I'm not, I'm not going to, I'm
not going to defend the first yellow card because he's
reacted. He's gone head to head with the
(12:33):
with the Bournemouth player. I think it was Adam Smith.
I might be wrong, booking, fine,whatever.
The second one is really harsh because he is, he is trying to
stop a counter attack. It is a bit of a cynical foul.
It is a tactical foul, but I think it was actually his only
foul in the game and he got booked for it and sent off and
(12:53):
May. And you know, you do see some
how many times do you see it when a player's on a yellow,
they'll make a bad challenge andthe referee will say I should
book you but I won't. But this is your last warning.
Like we didn't even have that. So.
But the game changed like that and all of a sudden Bournemouth
had a whole host of chances. I mean, Martinez made a good two
great saves from, I think it wasone from Evan Nielsen, one from
(13:16):
Semenyo and that one from Simenio looked like it was
landing right on the head of Daniel Jemison, which it did.
But thankfully it was Daniel Jemison on the end of it.
And he was put off by Matty Cashdoing some great defensive work
and he ballooned it over the barwith one of the misses of the
season by by a country mile. But, but we needed a bit of
(13:37):
luck. I mean, how many times have we
said, you know, the first shot on targets gone in the back of
the net? We've maybe lacked a little bit
of luck, but yeah, bit of luck. Got the win.
It may, it confirms European football for next year, which I
remember in the preview, the start of the season that was.
What? I said a successful season was
was us qualifying for Europe andwe are, I think only the second.
(14:01):
We're the first team to qualify for Europe three years on the
trot since Aston Villa did it under Martin O'Neill in the late
twenty 10s, who were not in the traditional Big 6.
All right, well, I was going to say yeah, but yeah, and I
thought that you said exactly that at the start of the season,
just getting into Europe somehowis your goal.
I know we kind of touched on this last week, but obviously
(14:22):
there's two games left now in the league.
Yes, you must be pretty confident that you'll get
Champions League at this point, considering your last two games
are against the league's whipping boys.
But as Man United, relegation fodder, Man United and Spurs,
you must be pretty confident because he's Man United away as
well. Man United away on the final day
(14:42):
of the season. I think we'd beat Man United
away right now. Yeah.
Yeah, the. The thing is I should, I should
be confident for these two gamesand I do think we'll beat Spurs
at home on Friday night, Man United Way.
I think it's just because we've had so many bad, we've had so
many bad results. We never win there.
That one fills me with a bit of nerves and it'll be on the final
(15:03):
day. And I suppose with them, we know
they'll that's after the final as well, they're Europa League.
I think so. It's in the Wednesday because
that might benefit you as well. They'll have a midweek game
journey and travelling to Is it Bilbao the final So you'll have
like that week's rest as well I guess.
And they've, they've literally, they've got nothing to fight for
other than. The euro?
(15:23):
Yeah, they'll be. Which is the same for Spurs.
Exactly. I'd be super confident.
Honestly, I think I think they're both.
I don't think it's a fluke or bad luck or injuries.
I think they're both. Crap, yeah, I agree.
I agree. Spurs have had all their players
back for weeks and they're still.
Rubbish they're they're they're just terrible They've got many
have got actively worse under Amarim as well and I I just
(15:43):
don't I I would find I think 6 points honestly, if you I was
paying for that is to admit I I genuinely.
Six points should do it because Nottingham Forest and Chelsea
both play each other on the final day.
Newcastle, I felt like had already had gone anyway.
We weren't going to catch them. Manchester City all of a sudden
have been pulled back into it with that somehow not be in
(16:04):
Southampton on the weekend. They.
Got the FA Cup to worry about aswell.
I think that'll be, yeah. Kind of.
And then, and then I guess thereis a scenario out there where
Arsenal lose their final two games of the season and finished
6th. There is a scenario where that
happens. That would be extraordinary and
I don't know if Arteta would survive that, but I don't see it
happening. I think they'll probably just
(16:25):
about, they're like jammy team, aren't they?
They find a way to just turn it on at times.
I know they lost to PSG, but against Liverpool they they do
find a way sometimes. Cool, good weekend all round for
you then. Good weekend all round did.
You beat Bournemouth in the homegame as well.
No, so that's that, that was thegame that started our really
poor slump in the in the late autumn, early winter where we
(16:48):
were a goal up and we conceded in the 96th minute with the very
last kick of the game. And then we didn't win again
until December. I was.
Going to say that would have been a good double to have
there. Like, you know, if you're
picking up six points against teams like Bournemouth, you're
having a pretty good run at it. Cool.
And one one more thing before wemove on is if we do win the last
two games, it'll give us 69 points, which will be our
(17:09):
highest ever points total in thePremier League era, which will
be one more than what we got last year when we finished
fourth. Wow, slight tangent.
The so that we're talking about Spurs, Man United there, I think
it's who's 17. Spurs are 17, aren't they?
Is it Man United? Isn't it?
Whoever's lower. It doesn't matter, it's one of
(17:30):
them. Yeah, let's say Spurs, they're
on 38 points. They're on the same number of
points that we were on at this stage when we last got relegated
from the Premier League. We we were on 38 points.
Sickening, Dan. Oh, in fact, we might have been
on 39. I thought you were on 39.
Yeah, because we drew. No, we were.
Yeah, because we drew Wolves like a few games to go and then
(17:52):
we lost the last few. Yeah, so wow.
So we're on the same number of points as Man United and more
than Spurs. I'm pretty sure Man United got
one more point. But yes, positive times for you,
I must say. It's been, I know you had that
Palace debate, but in the cup, but since then you had a pretty
good, pretty good couple of weeks for sure.
Oh yeah, absolutely. Sweet, that was Villa then.
(18:16):
Shall we move on to what's goingon elsewhere in the Midlands?
Obviously Villa have kind of been the main focus this week.
Obviously Blues season's finished, so we'll just quickly
touch on some news. With Blues, it's very much felt
like that sort of immediate postseason, lol.
You know, you kind of obviously as the as the offseason goes on,
you get your preseason and your transfers and they keep coming
out and all that really excitingstuff.
(18:38):
And with this being going into the 150th anniversary for Blues,
that's all doubly exciting. And obviously with the promotion
and so on. But we are in that kind of
immediate little way. Like obviously the playoffs
still going on, the Premier League still going on, no
international tournament this year to look forward to.
So it kind of feels like a bit of a lull, but there have been
some some little snippets of news that the club have
announced. And so yesterday, so that would
(19:01):
be Sunday the 11th Blues did their annual or kind of seems
like an annual event now. Done it a couple years in a row
at the Blues Fest event where they played basically X players
coming together to raise some money for the Birmingham City
Foundation, for those with disabilities and so on.
And they played a team of XW Brom players.
I'm not fully sure how the matchwent, but it's kind of cool to
see some stills of some of the old players that got back like
(19:23):
Kevin Phillips, Lee Carsley, Darren Carter, Roger Johnson,
Marcus Payne and my favorite LeeCamp.
I think that's pretty pretty cool, really.
Excited. Did Miguel San Jose make an
appearance? He didn't go, sadly.
Craig Gardner played in midfield, I know that.
But no, sadly Mikael San Jose didn't go on it.
Side note, Mikael San Jose, how can we contact you, man?
(19:44):
I'm trying to find a way to contact the guy and get him on
the part, but I just can't. I can't find his, can't find a
way through. If anyone knows if anyone has
his number, let us know. We'd we'd love to get him on.
But good to see kind of some ex players back.
It's always quite like nostalgicin a weird way.
I couldn't go sadly. Side note though, Kevin Phillips
has hair now and it's it's really odd, really jarring.
(20:07):
Never had hair as a player ever.And now he's he's got a quite a
yeah, quite a solid head of hair.
I don't, I don't know if it's a transplant.
I'm not going to speculate. Is it a bit like Glenn, whoever
it is? It's a bit like the pictures of
Ashley Young from lockdown when he was training with into Milan
and he had like his full head ofhair and we're like, whoa.
Yeah, it's just really like, whoa, it's yeah, really strange.
Looks good, though. Nice one, Kev.
(20:28):
Good on you. Looks good.
Fine wine. Yes, absolutely.
Little stuff. So the Blues have announced, no
pre season fixtures specificallyhave been announced yet, of
course, because it's so early on.
But they have announced they're going to be doing a pre season
sort of Portugal. I think it's from the 7th to the
13th. They said there'll be a fixture
in there. They haven't announced who will
be against yet. I can't remember.
(20:50):
We went to Portugal last year, but we definitely went there
back 3-4 years ago. I feel like we go there quite a
lot. I'm surprised no Villa are going
to America. I'm actually that was surprised.
Blues. I'm trying to do that obviously
with all our connections and theAmazon documentary and so on.
Maybe next year, but I'm sure that will happen at some point
elsewhere. Obviously we talked talked about
(21:10):
it last week. Blues Women just missed out on
promotion to the WSL, which is abig shame.
But just today actually, the women's divisions have announced
a bit of a rebrand. So it's currently the Women's
Champ WSL and the Women's Championship.
They've reruned it to the Women's Super League and Women's
Super League too. So a bit of a kind of a bit more
of a merger I guess of the two, I don't know if anything
(21:31):
literally is changing, but a bitof a rebrand.
Brings it all in line, doesn't it?
Yeah, exactly. And they're probably trying to
kind of get a bit more brand exposure out there, which makes
sense. And instead, Boom City Women
just announced a host of quite alot of players that are going to
be leaving upon the expiry of their contracts.
So I've got the list here. That's Ellie Mason, Gemma
Lawley, Jay Penner, Libby Smith,Kate Dungate, Luan Woozy Chu So
(21:55):
Hyun, Charlie Devlin, Abby Jenner, Ivana Fuso, Cho Yi Cho,
Yuri and Charlotte Clark. They're all leaving and then a
few players of their loans expires.
So I'm Shannon Cook, Ashanti Akpan and Olivia spreading
Scuska. I'm really sorry.
That's I never know to say that name.
Which So point being, if we'd gone up, I doubt that would have
(22:18):
been the case for a lot of them,although at least some of them
they probably have tried to retain a few of them.
Bit of a sign. Maybe they're going for a bit of
a rebuild this year, I believe. I think it's Amy Merrick's first
summer as the manager or the head coach.
She thinks she might try and maybe bring some of us fresh
blood in instead maybe. And Blues men haven't announced
any sort of released and retained list yet.
(22:38):
But I don't. It's not like last summer we had
so many players out of contract.We don't really have that
situation this year. Instead they might try and shift
a few players. I will probably do something a
bit important in depth on this, but I don't think I've seen a
lot of Blues fans talking about in regards to the men's team
players that they would keep andreturn or sell and so on.
(22:59):
I don't think it's going to be as easy as as that really.
And I can see most sticking around if I'm honest.
Players like who have maybe beenOK this season, but you wouldn't
expect them to kick on next yearor I wouldn't certainly wouldn't
build the Championship team around them in any way.
Players like Emil Hanson and Scott Wright maybe just to name
2 examples, people saying Oh yeah, get rid of them and I, I
agree, I wouldn't if we had my, if I had my way, I won't keep
(23:21):
them around. But for one, Scott Wright for
example, is injured and he's going to be out for quite a
while and we only signed him last summer.
So he's probably going to be on at least he's going to have at
least one year left. Nice contract.
Obviously probably more. Same for Emil Hanson, he's come
from the Dutch league and we've probably given him like, you
know, a few years on his contract.
So it's not going to be that simple.
I think it might be a case of and also handsome, he's always
(23:43):
injured as well. So be interesting to see what
the club does in regards becausewe're going to be wanting to
bring in a lot of players, I'm sure.
So it's what they do with these kind of fringe players.
Players like players like Yuki Yama I could see leaving
permanently. Of course barely pick up.
Farrell I could see having a lower league, a mid to lower
League One team might come in for him.
(24:04):
But be interesting to see what the club does with that rather
than releasing players as such and then otherwise only rust off
on Blues. I know we kind of, we never
really cover transfer rumours orsuch, kind of wait until it's a
fact because there's so much noise out there.
But seeing as things are a bit quiet, a few transfer rooms with
Blues, some more side than others.
Obviously the one which kind of isn't going away is Kwame Paku
(24:25):
from Peterborough. A lot of talk about him,
obviously the Barry Frye connection with Peterborough,
He's their director of football,isn't he?
That room has been going on for ages.
I feel like I've been here aboutthat for months now and there's
rumours, it's always rumours. The Blues have offered some big,
you know, big salary to get him on board and I believe he's out
of contract this summer. It might be more of a
compensation thing that Blues might need to do for some reason
(24:46):
due to Paki's age. Usually when you get a free
transfer that what would have been the transfer fee goes into
the players wages and signing onbonuses and things like that.
Yeah, you'd think so. So maybe it makes sense that
Blues can dish out a bit more, be a right signing.
He, I mean, he was brilliant in the AFL trophy final.
He's excellent and Y players is definitely probably our biggest
(25:09):
priority really in my opinion. Like Keshi is the only one that
we can really rely on. I think he he'd bring pace, he'd
be exactly what we need and he'smore than ready to step up to
the Championship, so I think he'd be a great first step.
Another rumour that's been goingaround, Shay Adams obviously got
a lot of time. Shay Adams, he was terrific at
Blues between 2016 and 2019. I want to say.
(25:29):
Obviously he went Southampton for a bit a few years, was part
of the promotion team last season and he's been into been
playing for Torino in Italy thisyear.
He's doing great though. Yeah, had a good season.
I would love to see him back. I don't know if it's just an
easy rumour is the only thing like, you know, it's a bit of a,
you know, Blues going up again and could come back a few years
later and do a job. It just was like a bit of an
(25:50):
easy rumour to start spreading it.
It's a bit like, what's the other rumour I've read recently
that was interesting but I was like, it just feels like an
obvious rumour it won't come to.Us it's it's like the Villa
every transfer when it's all. Will Villa go in for Jack
Groholish though? Exactly.
It's just a natural story there,but I'd love to see him come
back. My only concern is he's
(26:11):
probably, I think he's about, I thought he's older than this,
but it turns out he's only 28. That would be like kind of prime
age, be really exciting. My only concern is Stanfield's
going to be the 9:00 next year, the main number 9.
I'm not sure. A few people have said Shale
could play as a ten. I'm not convinced that's the
smartest thing to do and we don't.
We never really play with two upfront, so I'm not sure about
that either. But who knows.
I would be very excited if he does come back though, and we
(26:34):
could somehow work him in the new one.
Tom Fellows at West Brom have been linked with.
Obviously he's 20, he's 2122 I think, so very young.
I do not see them selling to us as a direct rival.
It would be a huge statement. You're talking like 10 to
15,000,000 at least I think. But one to keep tabs on the
Feather Room being linked to himthough is a is a is a big
statement be. Interesting to see what you do
(26:55):
in the summer because obviously you spent a lot of money in the
last summer window. The EFL financial rules are
quite tight really. You've got to be, you've got to
be careful, Championship in particular as well.
I know you're going to get a bitmore revenue coming in from the
TV money that will come in by going up to the Championship,
but I don't know if you'll be spending maybe much more than
(27:17):
you did last summer. Really, no.
I think it would be a comparableamount to last summer, probably
around the same, maybe a bit more, who knows.
But yeah, I mean, Tom Wagner's talked a lot about like the
revenue and that's been coming in, how we're going to be on par
with like teams that are being relegated with their parachute
payments, which, you know, pretty exciting if so.
So want to keep tabs on there. My only last point with Blues is
(27:38):
I'm sure you saw this COW has been doing the rounds the EFL
League One team of the season. Oh yeah.
Yeah, I mean I. Have.
I think it's perfect I. Bet you do.
I feel bad giving them the airtime even.
We shouldn't even be talking about it because it's just
nonsense. That so it's kind of based off
like who scored or something like that.
It's like very. It's very who?
Scored.com it's very stat based.It's completely stat based, it's
(28:02):
kind of got no common sense in it whatsoever, which is why you
know AI will never completely replace humans.
At least not, well, not maybe not never, but at least
certainly not. Certainly not when it comes to
speaking Team of the season because not a single Blues
player was in it. We just broke the transfer
record with a sorry, broke the points record.
With a you did break the transfer record as well.
We did that as well. We broke the points record with
(28:22):
111 points. No team in history has ever done
that in the world. And we didn't have a single
player get in. And maybe the fact that the
Blues fans all sang F the EFL when the EFL members came out to
present the trophy to us, maybe it was a little factor as well.
But it sums it up like we didn'thave a single player in the team
in the season this year or in 2007 or 2009 when we also got
(28:43):
promoted. But we did have Lucas Yukovich
get in when we when we finished like 17th on the Gary Monk
because he obviously won so manyeditors and got so many gold and
so many assists. So it's probably a sign that
common sense maybe should provide a little bit more on
occasion. I would be embarrassed.
Get Garth Crooks to pick the team of the season for League
One. Don't get caught.
I would love to say it because he's probably never watched a
(29:04):
league game in his life, a League One game in his life.
But yeah, if I was the AFL I'd honestly be embarrassed to
release that list. Or you'd just be like, really?
Are we going to do this anyway? That's everything I had on Blues
this week. Just before we jump onto the
playoffs, because just because you mentioned Blues women,
because the WSL season finished at the weekend as well and Aston
(29:25):
relegation threatened, Aston Villa won again and they
finished 6th, which is mad because they looked doomed.
They genuinely looked doomed andthey've somehow finished mid
table. It looked unbelievable.
It looked like Blues and Villa we're going to be doing a little
switcheroo at one point, yeah. Never quite happened sadly, but
you'd think Blues and Women would be one of the favourites
to cup this year. So who knows, we may get a
(29:46):
second City Derby of some sorts next year.
But yeah, I supposed to see themstay up because they were so
Villa women were so poor for this season.
Yeah, the beat Brighton won three nil and four players said
goodbye to Villa Park for definite, which was Jordan Nobs.
It was Rachel Corsi, Maz Pacheco, which was a real
(30:10):
surprise to see her go and then Danielle Turner as well.
So Maz Pacheco got her second ever WSL goal for Villa in her
final appearance. So we wish them all the best.
I imagine you'll see a lot of Rachel Corsi as a pundit in the
years to come. She seems like she's done a
little bit of that, especially on the radio side over the
while. She's had her injuries this
(30:30):
year, so I think there's a women's major tournament coming
up this year. So I reckon you'll see a lot of
Rachel Corsi on your television.That's coming up.
Cool then shall we go on to the play offs then?
We already talk about obviously W Brom haven't been playing
Wolves. Lost two nil at home to Brighton
at the weekend. Not too much to talk about
(30:52):
there. But yeah, the real meet was in
Coventry and Walsall. I don't know if you saw either
the games Keller or sort of highlights or anything like
that, but it looked pretty interesting with the first legs.
I wanted to watch the Coventry game.
I certainly watched the second leg.
I think it was on the Friday night, I think, and I was.
Playing it was. Yes, it was so.
But yeah, drama. Yes, absolutely.
(31:13):
So we'll start with Coventry. They played Sunderland at home,
they lost 2/1. The second leg I think is
tomorrow night. Isn't it Tuesday night or
tonight? A day of release I guess.
It's not tonight's tomorrow. Yeah, alcohol, yeah, really kind
of surprising, I must say. I thought, I thought Coventry
would do it. Obviously it was late, a late
(31:33):
goal. It was basically a soppy back
pass, wasn't it? A.
Bad blunder and I don't know, I don't know if you remember down
to the start of the season, the very first home game for
Coventry at home to Oxford underthe lights.
The winner, which I think was scored by Hadji Wright, came
from an Oxford player with a dodgy back pass that he nipped
on the end of and scored. And So what a what a way to
(31:55):
bookend the home season with an almost carbon copy, but the
other way around. It's like poetry at rhymes.
Oh, wow, that's amazing. And yeah, it kind of left Ben
Wilson a goal in like, I don't think he helped himself because
he came charging up the back pass was so he was so far away.
The back pass was it like it wasVan Ay Van Aywick who played it
(32:16):
back and it was like it's there's no power on it at all.
It's no, he's basically on the halfway line.
It's like no, in a million yearsgoing to reach the keeper and I
think the keeper's panicked and charged out, but my Ender's got
all the time in the world to take it past him.
The keeper should have just stayed.
Back and as soon as the keeper'scome out-of-the-box, Terry can't
use his hands. He's always just going to go
round him and knock it in. Yeah, exactly.
It's like not what's the word like, thinking back on it like,
(32:42):
you know, in the moment, he. Just panicked, didn't he?
Yeah, I understand why in the moment he came out.
Hindsight is the hindsight is the word I'm looking for.
You know, it's he, he should have stayed in his mind.
But I understand in the moment, 89th minute, whatever it was,
he's just panicked. But I must say Sunderland's
first goal, if you haven't seen it, is divine, unbelievable and
(33:02):
scored by Wilson Isadore. It is like a.
Pure first goal since February. And it's a pure counter attack
and it's like beautiful finish opposite corner to him, bottom
corner. Go check it out if you haven't
seen it. Leaves country a lot of work to
do. It's frustrating for them as
well because obviously Sunderland's first goal, Jack
Rodoni then scored like a minutelater, so they were right back
(33:24):
in it. But I think going Sunderland
obviously have been in really poor form going into the end of
the season. They knew for ages they were
going to finish 4th, but they'vejust turned it on, really turned
it on the other night. I think going to a rocking
stadium, a light is really, really hard.
They will. They'll pack that place out but
interestingly get on anyway. They got a fighting chance.
(33:46):
We know the playoffs and any sort of semi final.
We've seen it in the Champions League recently.
Second legs can be a bit chaoticto say the least, so never write
them off. Never forget Peterborough
Sheffield Wednesday from a few years ago.
Oh yeah, Oh my God, was that thewhen Sheffield Wednesday were
like 4 nil down? 4 nil down after the first leg.
And then the one fight they lost, 51.
So kind of like. Yeah, they won five one.
(34:08):
Yeah, yeah, remarkable. And then obviously Derby Leeds
2019 just you know, crazy, some crazy things about other one.
So Warsaw obviously had a devastating end of the season.
We talked about it last week. They so Bradford scored in
another game, 97th minute to send Walsall into the playoffs.
Also can't complain. They've been in such poor form
lately and I know even all theirfans have been saying that.
(34:31):
And but they had something of a resurrection.
They played away at Chesterfieldin the first leg of their
playoffs. Really hard to pick themselves
up, but they absolutely did the job.
They won two nil away at Chesterfield and like sound like
they actually kind of struggled in the end to start with, but
then kind of once they got a penalty and then after that kind
of saw the game out. Taylor Allen scored a penalty
(34:51):
and then it was tune up before half time.
It's actually Alfie Chang who scored the second one and Alfie
Chang is actually on loan from Blues first goal of his career.
So that's actually really nice to see.
He was he was at Blues a couple of years ago kind of coming into
the first team actually under useless.
But then I'd like a really bad injury.
So it's good to see him kind of getting back, getting back on
it. But yeah, Walsall that only won
three in the last 21 games. So to turn it on in this way
(35:13):
against a Chesterfield team thatI looked up and it's something
like, I think it was in the last13 games, they got like, I think
it's 2728 points or something. So they were like the opposite.
They were absolutely like, it's two teams on completely
different trajectories, but Walsall's class just showing
through a bit more I think. So you'd have to kind of fancy
the chances now in the second leg.
(35:33):
And then I think it's Knox County or who?
Who is it, Knox County or Morecambe?
I want to say it's off the top of my head.
I'm not telling you Wimbledon, sorry, await them in the final.
So I don't know, Kyle, you'd have to say it's looking pretty
likely for them at the minute. Yeah, but like we said two
minutes ago, anything can happenin the playoff.
Second legs. Yeah, absolutely.
(35:54):
And I think it's, I think I didn't realise as well.
Chesterfield are managed by Do you remember Paul Cook?
Yes, the former Pompey and Wiganmanager.
Yeah, so he's managed manager ofthem now and I don't know if he
was with them at the time, I'm going to assume he was.
They only got promoted 2 League 2 last season, Chesterfield.
So the fact they even kind of got into the playoffs on the
last day is is a big achievement.
(36:14):
So Walsall probably are man for man, like a better team.
So yeah, you have to fancy the chances and be a good final.
If they get maybe a Knotts County or someone Silver Line,
they might get to go to Wembley and find another way through.
So yeah, that's the playoffs. And I'm going to the playoffs
this week as well. I'm making.
I am going back. You are.
I thought I thought you'd gone to the the home game, but we
(36:36):
were talking about it before youWiccan boy, the chair boy.
Yeah. You're you're going to the
Valley for their. Going to the Valley on Thursday
night, yeah. So I I've never a new stadium to
take off never been absolutely. And yeah, it can't say no to a
playoff semi final second leg. No, and you're in the away end
and everything as. Well, in the away end, yes.
You did invite. So that should be a lot of fun.
(36:57):
Yeah, I did invite you to come. Yeah.
If you know, I love, you know, kind of this time of year when
we're going into the summer and I love a bit of football.
This time here it was just a random game.
So I would have loved to have came but I can't unfortunately.
But I was saying to you before, I've been to the Valley before,
obviously famous. It was right behind the goal
when Jude Bellingham did the business there in, in, in this
(37:19):
it was that season, was it? That shirt, I'm sure it was, I
don't think. It was it wasn't that season
behind me, for those listening, I've got the the sort of play
that play sort of grey black Adidas kit we had that season.
No, I'm sure it was the home kit, but it was that season.
Good, good memory. Enjoy the game though.
What's the score in that game sofar?
(37:41):
Nil, Nil. It was not what it was a it was
a it wasn't a great watch. Apparently the first leg not
going to the first leg, Yeah. Well, enjoy it, enjoy the game
with the we know the Wickham Y fans are like like the Ultras of
into Milan, aren't they so. Yes, they are.
Cool, I think that pretty much wraps us up for this week then
(38:02):
Kel, unless I am mistaken. I think it does and obviously
Villa got Spurs on Friday night so and Man United play at the
same, I think they play Chelsea at the same time.
So big implications in terms of Champions League spots will
happen on Friday night. So a big weekend ahead for the
running, but we'll talk about that next week.
(38:22):
So are. You going to the Spurs game?
I am not unfortunately, so it'llbe 1 to watch on the box.
Absolutely through biting your fingernails, I'm sure.
Awesome. Thank you so much again for
joining us everyone. We will be back as Cal mentioned
after that Spurs game probably in like a week or so and until
then keep our eye on and shit onthe Villa.
(38:45):
See you next week Dan and up thevilla.
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