Venue: St James'Park, NE1 Date: 5th February 2012 Kick Off: 1.30pm Referee: Mark Halsey I never used to bother much about Aston Villa. They were just one of those "middle of the road" clubs who chug along season after season with reasonable-sized crowds but nothing particular to shout about. I got a bit annoyed at [.

Didier Drogba, Gary Cahill, Andrei Arshavin and Andy Johnson headline the list of Premier League stars who are out of contract at the end of the season according to Goal.com, and could be available on a free transfer this summer.

You could put together a pretty competitive side from this list.

Habib Beye is keen to stay at Doncaster Rovers for the rest of the season as he has no desire to head back to his parent club.
The right-back joined the Yorkshire club on loan from Aston Villa until January, but he is hoping to secure a longer move after making his first appearance in a 0-0 draw with Watford this weekend.

It's been the week of loans in B6 with no less than four players heading out to get some competitive football elsewhere.

Firstly, Habib Beye went to Doncaster, initially until January, but hopefully a deal to take him through to the end of the season (and his Villa contract) won't be out of the question.

It's been the week of loans in B6 with no less than four players heading out to get some competitive football elsewhere.

Firstly, Habib Beye went to Doncaster, initially until January, but hopefully a deal to take him through to the end of the season (and his Villa contract) won't be out of the question.

Carlos Cuellar got on the pitch last night for the first time since his knee operation in May, playing 45 minutes in the reserves' 1-0 win over Chelsea Callum Robinson with the goal and says that he's feeling good.
That's great news for a very popular player, but what happens from here remains to be seen.

Bolton come to Villa Park for the 3rd round of the Carling Cup, Alex McLeish has fielded a very strong side and Owen Coyle is able to hand Stuart Holden his first appearance since his knee injury at the tail end of last season.

Aston Villa Bolton 1 Shay Given 1 Adam Bogdan 2 Alan Hutton 2 Gretar Rafn Steinsson 5 Richard Dunne 5 Gary Cahill 6 James Collins 31 David Wheater 3 Stephen Warnock 11 Ricardo Gardner 19 Stiliyan Petrov 7 Chris Eagles 25 Barry Bannan 6 Fabrice Muamba 7 Stephen Ireland 8 Stuart Holden 12 Marc Albrighton 21 Darren Pratley 14 Nathan Delfouneso 28 Gael Kakuta 11 Gabriel Agbonlahor 24 David Ngog Subs Subs 22 Brad Guzan 22 Jussi Jaaskelainen 23 Habib Beye 4 Paul Robinson 34 Shane Lowry 20 Robbie Blake 16 Fabian Delph 16 Mark Davies 38 Gary Gardner 10 Martin Petrov 10 Charles N'Zogbia 14 Kevin Davies
Graham Burke 9 Tuncay Sanli League Cup 3rd Round Ties (K.

Venue: Villa Park, Birmingham Kick off: Saturday, 17th Sept, 3pm Referee: Neil Swarbrick Well if stats are anything to go by, our forthcoming away clash with the Villans, the result could well be another 0-0 like the QPR match. Of course though, there's been many a time in the past when people like myself written [.

This is a big, big game for Alex Mcleish today. The last of a run of home games and a derby against an opponent that caused his predecessor so many problems. It's also something of a "top of the table" encounter and the winner, should there be one, will get boasting rights over the rest of the league for at least a while today.

Alex McLeish has rung the changes for this Carling Cup clash, but retained a strong side blending youth and experience.

Aston Villa Hereford 22 Brad Guzan 28 David Cornell 31 Chris Herd 2 Ryan Green 5 Richard Dunne 5 Michael Townsend 21 Ciaran Clark 3 Joe Heath 30 Eric Lichaj 16 Daniel Williams 17 Jean II Makoun 17 Joe Colbeck 25 Barry Bannan 8 Nicky Featherstone 7 Stephen Ireland 14 James Mcquiokin 12 Marc Albrighton 4 Harry Pell 10 Charles N'Zogbia 10 Delroy Facey 9 Darren Bent 7 Stuart Fleetwood Subs Subs 33 Andy Marshall 38 Russell Hoult 32 Nathan Baker 30 Tommy Johnson 23 Habib Beye 19 Kyle McCarthy 34 Shane Lowry 11 Kenny Lunt 28 Jonathan Hogg 31 Lewis Feeley 26 Andreas Weimann 9 Yoann Arquin 14 Nathan Delfouneso 32 Nathan Perkins

Why Villa must splash the cash in wake of pitiful pre-season defeat to Derby

I was at Pride Park last night to see Aston Villa crash to a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Championship Derby as the hosts' keeper barely had a save to make. Villa line-up was admittedly a largely second string team.

Aston Villa are taking 24 players to Hong Kong to compete in the Barclays Asia Trophy and the travelling party are en route right now. As the strength and depth of the squad is a hot topic at the moment, I thought it might be interesting to compare this pre-season tournament squad with the squads from the last couple of seasons.

McLeish's first game in charge ended in a comfortable 3-1 at the Bescot thanks to a brace from Darren Bent and rare goal from Emile Heskey, but it could have been much more with several players going close throughout the game, notably Nathan Delfouneso during a strong second half performance.

There is apparently a quote from Alex McLeish doing the rounds this evening which has caused a few knickers to get well and truly twisted. It doesn't take much admittedly, if it's not the colour of socks, it's something else equally earth-shattering. The new gaffer has said something to the effect that he only expects to make one more signing before the season starts.

Welcome to the fourth in my small series of ‘blogs looking at Newcastle United's new signings in the latest transfer window. In this episode, I will be looking at former West Ham and 1899 Hoffenheim player, Demba Ba. I was going to write that this is the final of my little series, but like many [..

Former Newcatsle right back Habib Beye has talked today about his close pal Demba Ba, who signed for Newcastle just over a week ago, as a free agent. Demba Ba currently averages one goal for every two games We had been told that when Demba Ba was told Newcastle were after him, he was [...]

This is the second in InTheStands' Transfermation series exploring the potential summer ahead for all Premiership clubs involved....this addition: Aston Villa

Where they stand:

Well, well, well, if I was an Aston Villa fan I would be sceptical – looking down the barrel at another mid-table finish.

The 9th of February is a FIFA scheduled interlull and we have quite a number of players called up to their senior national teams:

Firstly, Darrent Bent, Gabby Agbonlahor, Ashley Young, Stewart Downing and Kyle Walker were called up to the England squad travelling to Copenhagen to play Denmark.

Oba Martins has not had a good time of things since he left Newcastle 18 months ago. Oba Martins our favorite shot of Oba when he played at Newcastle When Oba left the club, Newcastle were on their knees, having just been relegated, and that was when the Tyneside club had the fourth [...]

Aston Villa have completed the loan signing of Kyle Walker, Tottenham's young right back signed from Sheffield Utd about 18 months ago, before being promptly loaned back and then playing at QPR on loan this season. He'll be on loan with Villa until the end of the season, I don't know yet if there is any option to make the move permanent.

Aston Villa have completed the loan signing of Kyle Walker, Tottenham's young right back signed from Sheffield Utd about 18 months ago, before being promptly loaned back and then playing at QPR on loan this season. He'll be on loan with Villa until the end of the season, I don't know yet if there is any option to make the move permanent.