It is confirmed. Stewart Downing is an Aston Villa player and while some won't believe it until he is in the shirt and on the pitch, sometime hopefully around September, it is done.

We don't know the fee, but it is thought to be around the £12mn. (I've just read £10mn. with the potential for it to total £12mn. over time) mark but we do know it is a four year deal and it was done after he passed a medical.

Now, call me cynical, but I'm sure it wasn't a full medical mostly because the lad can't run at the moment, but if it is good enough for O'Neill, it is good enough for me.

We've added him to our list of players coming in on our graphic to the right and all we need to see now is Distin, Defour, Bentley, Bent and Hangeland and it might turn out to be a productive season next year.

For the record, we are not going to refer to him as Disco Stu, it will be DJ Stewey in future, but for now, welcome Mr Downing to Aston Villa Football Club and I hope you have a better cross than our other £12mn. signing.

DJ Stewey to the Aston Villa official site
I am really pleased to be joining Villa. It's a massive football club with good ambition. It's certainly been a summer of speculation for me but I have tried to switch off and get a good break after my injury. Saying that, when it became apparent that Villa were interested I was very excited. I wanted to come as soon as I met Martin O'Neill so I am delighted it's now sorted out.

As soon as I spoke to the manager at the training ground, I wanted to play for Villa and I wanted to play for him. He has great ambition and wants to build a good squad to take the club forward. I want to be part of that. As an outsider looking in, it was obvious that Villa were a club on the up. You can see a chairman and manager who want to build great things. They have done that over the past few seasons, particularly by finishing sixth last time around, which was great.

But once you get here and see the stadium, the training ground, the people behind the scenes and the manager with his ambition and hopes for the future, it's even better than you realised.

DJ Stewey to the Middlesbrough official site
Leaving Boro feels strange because I've always been at the club. I supported them when I was young and I'll always be a Boro fan, but I hope the fans will understand that I'm ambitious and want to win things. This move gives me a chance of that. I've got some great memories of my time with Boro and the Boro fans have been brilliant to me.

I'd like to thank them for all their support, but especially for sticking by me after all the speculation in January. In hindsight, it was a mistake to ask for a move at that point. I was frustrated but I know now I should have waited until the summer.

Martin O'Neill on DJ Stewey
I think he is excellent and a super signing. I am really pleased he is here. He is a young man and he has plenty to offer us. He is a left sided player primarily. But I also feel he is capable of not only playing on the left wing but also inside and off the centre forward too, which he has done at Middlesbrough to fantastic effect.

I also believe he can play in off the right. In many aspects we are getting a multi-purpose player who, when fit, will be terrific for the club.

Comments (101)

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TrueVillan said:

... now lets get some more in! good to hear MON talk was a major facture, perhaps he still has it after all, now look abroad!

Comment 1, made on July 16, 2009 at 4.46 pm

kieron said:

... Get in my son! Not a massive fan of his but i'm looking forward to being proved wrong.

Comment 2, made on July 16, 2009 at 4.46 pm

rob h said:

... well said mr downing! Presumably sothgate selling downing is the equivilent of mon selling young?

Comment 3, made on July 16, 2009 at 4.46 pm

I made Vagner love to a fox called megan said:

... good article damo, any other news on immnient arrivals also damo we hear a lot of players say " once i spoken to Martin... etc" do we know of any player who has turned Mon down after speaking to him??

Comment 4, made on July 16, 2009 at 4.47 pm

Enda said:

... Disco Stu gets down and boogies.

Comment 5, made on July 16, 2009 at 4.47 pm

Tom Smith said:

... lets hope downing is the first of many !! GET BENTLEY BEFORE F***ING MAN CITY DO UTV

Comment 6, made on July 16, 2009 at 4.48 pm

kieron said:

... Is there a press conference booked in? Will be interesting what MON has to say about all the Ashley rumours.

Comment 7, made on July 16, 2009 at 4.49 pm

Damian said:

... I made Vagner love to a fox called megan I dont want to sound too negative, but it's just PR .. the players want to say the right things about everything when they arrive - they are told to - so they make friends.

Comment 8, made on July 16, 2009 at 4.50 pm

sterms said:

... Not the most versatile player in the prem' but, i've always thought he was confident on the ball and a class above the rest of his team. Can't wait to see him play.

Comment 9, made on July 16, 2009 at 4.51 pm

celtic_villain said:

... its unlikely anyone will say i spoke to o neill and decided to turn him down

Comment 10, made on July 16, 2009 at 4.51 pm

Mike Carter said:

... One thing I've learned from Middlesbrough fans in the last few days is that Downing is a very dedicated and hard working player. I have a feeling we'll have a team that will fight to the last whistle this season, in Downing and Milner we might just have two of the most tenacious players in the league.

Comment 11, made on July 16, 2009 at 4.52 pm

celtic_villain said:

... great all we need now is a central midfielder with a bit of technical craft, a striker who scorers goal without being a chancer who is injured half the time (or half his career) and a centre half with a pair of testicles!

Comment 12, made on July 16, 2009 at 4.57 pm

ak_27 said:

... celtic_villain and don't forget we need at least one more full back. I never ever want to see a CB or CM playing there unless we have a major injury crisis.

Comment 13, made on July 16, 2009 at 4.59 pm

Pete Hutton said:

... damian, why DJ??

Comment 14, made on July 16, 2009 at 4.59 pm

Dan Price said:

... How the hell have you managed to write a brief article about signing a man who cant kick a ball and have a go at a fully fit milner? borderline obsession at all?

Comment 15, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.01 pm

sazavfc said:

... Damian you better change that 'players in' thing on the right now

Comment 16, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.01 pm

RAZ said:

... we dont need bentley!! we need a midfielder and two centre backs, hangerland would be good plus another and then i think tuncay up front would work to add to the attack because i think young will be used mre like rooney at man u now as a player just off carew.

Comment 17, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.01 pm

rob h said:

... damian I know its PR but........ I reckon if i sat down for a beer with mon and he told me about his plans and how he sees the future I would be hanging on every word. He has so much enthusiasm, belief and drive that you would surely only be impressed and taken back by the man. and despite what the minority say on this site mon is regarded by managers, coaches, press, fa, players and other fans as one of the best managers around. People spout on that he hasn't won that much but the only decent size club he has managed apart from us is celtic and his record was awesome. Mon is the man and stu is a typical signing that will take us forward. He has quality as well as the right attitude and work rate. Well done mon. for 12mn good business.

Comment 18, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.01 pm

Daniel Wilson said:

... Leicestershire AVFC - bad luck, like I said yesterday, mines a guiness. Great Signing, wiki page is already nicely updated. Looking forward to a few more signings tomorrow

Comment 19, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.02 pm

Mike Carter said:

... Incidentally, why no love for Disco Stew? Much better nickname!

Comment 20, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.03 pm

Ken Bonker said:

... What a waste of time! He's got a pin in his foot which will be removed in September, then it will be a few weeks before he can kick a ball, he then needs to get fully fit, so expect to see him play around November/December, this is a joke, and won't add to the squad for the kick off, he's not even the good, I despair!

Comment 21, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.03 pm

andrew said:

... Now we just need to sign players thet can actualy play.

Comment 22, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.05 pm

steven said:

... how can he pass a medical when hes injured thats strange.

Comment 23, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.05 pm

Owen avfc said:

... It's a good start to the signings, I'll say that I realy hope Darren bent is next in, that would really raise the tempo.

Comment 24, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.05 pm

Doc said:

... Downing's comments aren't only classic signing PR - they go a bit further than that. He emphasises O'Neill's ambition, which is mighty important.

Comment 25, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.09 pm

James Kennedy said:

... Very pleased with this signing just hope we can add some more of similar or better quality soon and make sure we keep hold of young and carew

Comment 26, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.11 pm

celtic_villain said:

... im not too worried about that. i fully agree, and to have a squad we need another keeper, right back, ball-winning/holding midfielder, and winger on top of the 3 stated. i just mean we need a crafty mid man centre half and striker to get to the point where mon will use the small squad excuse. we dont even have a squad yet. i get the impression that people dont have a clue what defour veloso vanger love delph and naughton are really like, in the most part, and just say them to say someone. delph is the only one i can claim to have seen often (ish), and he looks OK certainly not what we need to move forward, yet. sub keeper and sub right back i dont know or really care too much, but of the others, realistically, i wouldnt mind hangeland or dunne, joe cole (a stretch of the aforementioned realism) or tuncay, bentley, and bent or martins or jones or van nistelrooy.

Comment 27, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.11 pm

steven said:

... i think stewart downing is a cracking player you all should be over the moon.

Comment 28, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.12 pm

shemm said:

... Disco Stu is a better nickname than DJ Downing. But why does he have these nicknames?

Comment 29, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.12 pm

Halfwit said:

... Now we can look forward to the next signing now Downing is a done and dusted

Comment 30, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.14 pm

shemm said:

... just looked on wikipedia and found out it's because he is actually a DJ.

Comment 31, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.15 pm

steven said:

... you better hope hes not a flop.ha ha ha.do you get it as in floppy disc.ha ha ha

Comment 32, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.18 pm

Andy Scarborough said:

... He has these nicknames because he has a soap-on-a-rope in the shape of a microphone, and when in the shower he pretends to be a DJ announcing his favourite songs by people like Matt monroe and Doris Day.

Comment 33, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.21 pm

steven said:

... have you been in the shower with him before andy 5759.ha ha.

Comment 34, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.24 pm

Steve Badger said:

... steven, I'm pretty happy with the signing mate

Comment 35, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.25 pm

Ciaranzo said:

... I think Downing is a good signing, but not exactly exciting. Whilst i agree with buying young, 'hungry' players, i am a bit worried about the experience throughout the team. In the midfield and up front we really only have Petrov and Carew, and we have L.Young and Friedel at the back. So i wouldn't be surprised if we sign someone who's not 22 or 23. Well actually, i hope we do. Distin would be good but he's not a talker from the games i seen, at Pompie he relied on Campbell to do the shouting and at City Dunne did it. So a real leader is needed. Cuellar will hopefully come good but once again he's not a leader. And if Petrov is out injured where do we see the leadership coming from?

Comment 36, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.25 pm

Steve Badger said:

... I meant to say it's nice to get someone I think Redknapp wanted too

Comment 37, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.27 pm

Mike Carter said:

... Davis will develop good leadership skills, I've no doubt about that. Trouble is he needs to develop some defending skills before he can use them

Comment 38, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.27 pm

NeilG said:

... Great signing with downing - much better than bently - just look at the boro comments on other sites!! Also on AVFC Mon's comments about versitility of Downing - looks promising on young!! As for injury it only a few months and the guy is 24! plenty more to come in - hopefully not distin - Bent or Tuncay (hopefully Bent) + then a decent CB and Delph I'll be a happy man!!

Comment 39, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.31 pm

owen avfc said:

... Great signing to get the ball rolling, with this being a world cup year i can see more of the same, even better. You look at the teams were players have gone to to recent, Keane to liverpool, didnt work out, bently to spurs, didnt work out, defoe to pompy, didnt work out. Even Darren bent at spurs not getting a game. These players have to start thinking, hang on if i hang on here i will miss out on the call up. Is that why mon is weighing up his options. Just a thought.

Comment 40, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.34 pm

Damian said:

... rob h we all would be, but that could pretty much be said about every football supporter in the land and the manager of the club they support as for his record, strachan has as good a record than o'neill at celtic .. need i say more? but i'ma big fan of o'neill and want him to get more money, because i believe, given the money like hughes has had this summer, he could win us the league ...

Comment 41, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.38 pm

Halfwit said:

... Martin has got money getting him to spend it is a different kettle of fish it breaks his heart to send money to other clubs Randy im sure would be more than willing to spend 60-70 million

Comment 42, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.40 pm

Wez said:

... For the person who asked how did he pass a medical: it's because 90% of the medical has nothing to do with running it involves a huge amount more I judge signings on our current squad he is as good as milner and younger and more hungry than barry excellent signing and add the fact fat arry trotter wanted him makes it all the more sweeter UTV

Comment 43, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.43 pm

Keith said:

... Adebayor having a medical at Man City - does that involve running to the bank as quickly as possible? Excellent signing no matter what Damian says. No bring on the next.

Comment 44, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.49 pm

TrueVillan said:

... if we have come out and said we will not sell young to spuds, as we will not strenghen a direct competitor, then why would they sell us bentley, bent, jenas or huddlestone? i dont think the club would come out and say this if we really wanted players off spuds, so who is going to be the big midfield signing to replace barry? because it sure as hell aint delph, not for a season or two anyway! good that we have not paid the full 12mil up front for downing, means we should still have plenty in the kitty!

Comment 45, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.50 pm

Paul Egan said:

... So did MON buy him to play in the middle? He is a left sided player primarily. But I also feel he is capable of not only playing on the left wing but also inside and off the centre forward too, which he has done at Middlesbrough to fantastic effect. I also believe he can play in off the right. In many aspects we are getting a multi-purpose player who, when fit, will be terrific for the club. I'm glad he said that - it makes me more confident that we're not interested in selling Ashley Young.

Comment 46, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.51 pm

Damian said:

... I'm not saying Downing is a rubbish signing but hardly an excellent one .. come on lads, lets put things into perspective. If it was his first season last year, sure, but he has played at the top flight for a while now. If he was really good enough for the top four, he'd be at a top four team.

Comment 47, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.53 pm

Halfwit said:

... Martin O'Neill has issued a firm 'hands-off' warning to any clubs hoping to sign Ashley Young. ^^^ This is best news this year ^^^ Sign no one else i dont care anymore as long as young stays that all im botherd about haha

Comment 48, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.56 pm

Dave Rogers said:

... MON's comments on Ash from the OS... http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/0,,10265~1724877,00.html

Comment 49, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.56 pm

Halfwit said:

... http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.u...77,00.html ^^^ Ash's stays ^^^

Comment 50, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.57 pm

Fitzy_7 said:

... just seen it myself halfwit.. hopefully the papers will shut up now, it really does get tedious reading the same drivel every day

Comment 51, made on July 16, 2009 at 5.58 pm

Kevin Curtis said:

... dan wilson: like i said even if i did win i would still get you a drink, shall i do count down to our second player?

Comment 52, made on July 16, 2009 at 6.01 pm

Daniel Wilson said:

... No Leicestershire AVFC, I think your first count down will suit the second signing just fine, Distan tomorrow please Mon must have heard my plea this morning, thats great news about Ash Young

Comment 53, made on July 16, 2009 at 6.09 pm

Keith said:

... Damian Any player we sign then will not be any good because according to you if they were really good enough for the top four, they'd be at a top four team.

Comment 54, made on July 16, 2009 at 6.10 pm

gregdavillain said:

... firset off i think he is a really decent signing and will do well for us. 2nd damian you often use that example 'if he was good enough he would be at a top four club' when it comes to putting players into perspective. Well now if fairness its a long long time since we finished fourth and you didnt get champs league footie for it back then, so why do you think we would be able to attract top four-esque type players?? IMO Dj Downing is a shwred buy as he has a bit of class about him and is the type of player to fit into our squad. He might posses the vision of a Riquelme or the skill of ronalso but he is a good all rounder, with a deadly left foot and his attribute will bring out the best attributes in other players, ie crosses to carew, through balls for gabby to run onto. We do need 4r5 more players of this quality and higher if possible to fill out our problem and squad positions. ps disco stew seems has a better ring to it!!! maybe a poll is in order but at the end of the day ur da boss, boss

Comment 55, made on July 16, 2009 at 6.16 pm

AV79 said:

... Fantastic news. Downing will be a great addition to the squad and even sweeter than twitching Harry wanted to get his greasy mitts on him.Ha Ha Keep them coming MoN!

Comment 56, made on July 16, 2009 at 6.18 pm

Nathan said:

... hooray! our first signing more, more, more

Comment 57, made on July 16, 2009 at 6.19 pm

gregdavillain said:

... excellent news about what mon is saying about young, the euphoria is back!!

Comment 58, made on July 16, 2009 at 6.21 pm

cavan said:

... am sure MON will play him right back...

Comment 59, made on July 16, 2009 at 6.32 pm

Fitzy_7 said:

... or in goal

Comment 60, made on July 16, 2009 at 6.32 pm

stephen said:

... Loving the news of MON telling them all to f**k off

Comment 61, made on July 16, 2009 at 6.33 pm

Connor Rust said:

... C'mon Martin, lets go for a good center back and midfielder....I think Veloso is okay, but there has got to be better talent out there....

Comment 62, made on July 16, 2009 at 6.34 pm

davo said:

... A positive signing....good news...and still Damian has to scrabble around to find a way of having a dig at his pet obsession..Milner. It's tiresome, childish and just uncalled for. If you're determined to constantly pick a player to criticise, why not make it one that plays for another team, not the Villa?

Comment 63, made on July 16, 2009 at 6.34 pm

Altan Kargaci said:

... Great day to be a Villa fan ,Downing a £12m England international brought in and now MON has come out and officialy told everyone he has no intension in selling Ashley Young . I for one am well happy , more of the same please MON. Just a decent CB need Maybe a new striker and a few young players and I think we will be more than sorted. UTV

Comment 64, made on July 16, 2009 at 6.43 pm

Steve Badger said:

... SSN just quoted MON saying Young is going nowhere and he's bored of the talk. I wonder what the doom-mongers have to moan about tonight?

Comment 65, made on July 16, 2009 at 6.45 pm

Damian said:

... keefvilla if you want to take what i said as that you can, but if you think about it, you'll see that that isn't what i've said had we signed valencia last season or the season before, he would have been good enough ashley young was good enough steve sidwell is good enough i could go on and on and on with this list - you have merely read what you wanted to read and interpreted it the way that suited you ..

Comment 66, made on July 16, 2009 at 6.45 pm

Damian said:

... gregdavillain my point is, we have to look further afield. downing is a good player. i even, some will remember this but clearly not davo, praised milner towards the end of the season, but it doesn't mean he doesn't have a shit cross we can have all these young bright prospects, but we need more, we need guile, we need a bit of creativity in the middle. i also hope downing gets a chance at that but i doubt it .. although he could come good actions speak louder than words. this is a decent signing and one you would hope would do well for us, but he is just an above average player, not excellent or a world beater or even 'top class' how many shots did he have last season; 80 something. and how many did he score?

Comment 67, made on July 16, 2009 at 6.49 pm

Mike Carter said:

... I might actually argue Steve Sidwell isn't good enough. This season will tell, but he put in a lot more bad performances last season than he did good ones.

Comment 68, made on July 16, 2009 at 6.50 pm

gregdavillain said:

... ah but damian in fairness young was a gamble, as most players, some come off some dont, the jury is still out on sidwell but i think he will come good personally. Wenger turned down the likes of valencia b4, and bruce took a gamble and it paid off. I would like a bit of foreign flair but look at newcastle, enrique, sisko, beye etc da list goes on and on, im sure there all good players in their own right to ge tthat farbut everythings a gamble and you need luck. I like martin o neills tried and tested approach, but the odd gamble would be nice

Comment 69, made on July 16, 2009 at 6.52 pm

steven said:

... damo i think downing is a cracker whenever ive seen him play hes impressed me.

Comment 70, made on July 16, 2009 at 6.55 pm

dazza said:

... http://www.footballshirtcultur...-2194.html

Comment 71, made on July 16, 2009 at 6.59 pm

Southern Fairies said:

... Great signing! It's basically Steve Guppy II who played out of his skin at Leicester!! Really not feeling too concerned here. Shorey & Knight can go provided Distan comes plus a decent attacking LB & Naughton at RB ideally. As for midfield, if only the Diarra from Real Madrid link was true, but Muntari (who regularly made Barry look average in our games and isn’t having a great time at Inter) wouldn't hurt either if we're looking for ex-Pompey players! Delph sounds good but Albrighton and Bannan (not to mention Gardner) deserve their chance first, so no thanks. We have sufficient creativity on the wings and Milner or Young through the middle negates the need for a Defour type creative player – just wasted cash. Not bothered about a striker either. Carew is the man and The Fonz needs playing time too. Not much spent there and a solid looking team with just the right numbers. Obviously the Laursen replacement is still outstanding and i'd break the bank for Lescott personally. Lets see the signings start to roll in!!

Comment 72, made on July 16, 2009 at 6.59 pm

gregdavillain said:

... ok sorry my reply was to what u were saying to keefvilla.... Your spot on we definitly need that guild, craft in the middle of the pitch, and i like thought maloney was it, and i do remember u praising milner when he'd settled into the 4-5-1 and u even tried to excuse the change back to 4-4-2 as upsetting his rythm. ok u say downing is just above average, i agree if you put him into a squad of the top 4 or elite clubs around europe. For us he will be given a role, a job to do, responsability, we'l luse his decent attibutes to maximise our team effort. Im mite not be explaining myself right, but if he were at real he'd be thrown on the pitch, and after not scoring a hat-trick first time out he wudnt be given a chance. O neill cultivated players, what one player is good at he'll get him to do it and try to get some 1 else to cover his weakness, we are a team rather than individuals. All im saying is in our system it'll work, and this is just the first signing the lockpicker could yet be on the way.....

Comment 73, made on July 16, 2009 at 7.00 pm

Damian said:

... gregdavillain maybe young was a gamble but at the time he has only spent a few months in the premier league. we did it at the right time and had young stayed in the premier league for another season or two with watford a top four team would have come in for him

Comment 74, made on July 16, 2009 at 7.01 pm

7 said:

... you lot need to chill and sit back and wait and see what happens do u put the kettle on then come and post on here moaning it aint boiled yet, i have found no reason at all not to trust mon as yet, he is not infalible, but he is building a side to a structure and pupose, i think u may find a central midfielder and 2 centre halves coming in and i see ash young playing like this a continental formation CAREW DOWNING YOUNG MILNER PETROV DEFOUR DELPH IS A CERT TO JOIN TOO, IM JUST PRESUMING DEFOUR BUT I WOULD STICK HEFTY MONEY ON A NEW MC, ONIEL LIKES PLAYERS WHO CAN MOVE AND INTERCHANGE DJ STEW, ASH AND THE TOTTALLY UNDERATED MILNER CAN CAUSE HAVOC PLAYIN OFF BIG JON,

Comment 75, made on July 16, 2009 at 7.02 pm

nickw said:

... Damien; Since when did Gordon Strachan become a bad manager? Don't get me wrong, he's nothing compared to MON, but he really isn't poor. He did a fantastic job at Saints, and at Cov except for his final season. Please justify your opinion. Secondly, his success at Celtic does not compare with MON's. Strachan didn't take Celtic to the UEFA cup final, Strachan didn't have a British record number of wins. Strachan didn't turn around the previous 9 firm derby games. MONS win ratio was 75%, Strachans 67%. Need I continue? Thank you wikipedia.

Comment 76, made on July 16, 2009 at 7.07 pm

gregdavillain said:

... damo, agreed but thats a gamble that paid off, if he didnt come good? O neill would have been ridiculed, u cant always take those gambles unless u really see something in a player. The gambles wont always come off. Downing is proven in the prem league and im not worried about statistics they dont always show the wholw truth. southern fairies Sure look every1 would love lescott, o'leary was gona sign him for 3 million from wolves but ellis wudnt give over the cash in the end if i remember rightly, as much as that guy iritated me as a man and a manager he knew how to pick a player. I dunno if its a flaw in oneill but people seem to think he lacks the one qualilty o'leary had. But moyes has said he wont sell him and if city cant break the bank for him how can we???

Comment 77, made on July 16, 2009 at 7.13 pm

gregdavillain said:

... nicw and plus strachan took over an extremely healthy regime whereas oneill had to break the stranglehold rangers had at the time which was his greatest success imo

Comment 78, made on July 16, 2009 at 7.16 pm

Nick said:

... I have always thought Downing was a very good player, not as good as Ashley Young, which was frustrating from an England point of view. But a quality player nevertheless. He is the sort of signing we need and can get imo.

Comment 79, made on July 16, 2009 at 7.20 pm

avfc1983 said:

... Great signing bring on delph

Comment 80, made on July 16, 2009 at 7.26 pm

Hadders7 said:

... The new home shirt looks sh*t! http://www.footballshirtcultur...-2194.html

Comment 81, made on July 16, 2009 at 7.28 pm

Fitzy_7 said:

... indeed it does... is that the real thing?

Comment 82, made on July 16, 2009 at 7.31 pm

mikey18 said:

... I think it will look like this: Carew/Gabby Downing Ashley Milner Reo-Coker Petrov Reo coker is a box-to-box player, he likes gettin forward but also has the mobility to track back and help out petrov, he is a great tackler. I think he has earned his chance to play for Villa this coming season. Also we do have a lot of CM's with something to prove. Gardner, Reo-coker and Sidwell so i would like to see MoN give them a chance next season and NOT BUy A CENTRE MID! i know its crazy but in one season a player can go from average to world class! so i think its worth the gamble. Instead of speading 10mil + on a CM give what we have a chance and Invest in some youth and at the back. Naughton and Delph and what ever it takes to get Hangeeland or Upson.

Comment 83, made on July 16, 2009 at 7.41 pm

Rich said:

... Wasn't Huntelaar considering Stuttgart? Are they a bigger club than us? NO. Is it a better city than Brum? NO. Is the Bundesliege a superior league to the Premiership? NO. Why undersell ourselves. If you don't try, you don't get. LETS GO FOR VAN DER VAART AND HUNTELAAR.

Comment 84, made on July 16, 2009 at 7.42 pm

Mr_Motivator said:

... Damian - your comment no. 41 Didn't O'Neill take over at Celtic when Rangers were steets ahead of them year after year, winning the SPL by over 10 points season after season??? Then MON turned it round to Celtic being the winning team and creating the foundations which have cemented Celtics winning form since with Rangers now closing the gap?? Lets not be negative about our MON when stats don't show the full picture, reality is what we should be looking at here. Downing is a great bit of business, makes our midfield much stronger and provides many attacking options. Bring on the next signing exciting times ahead

Comment 85, made on July 16, 2009 at 7.44 pm

kohoutek, home now and name still not working properly said:

... Doc Bowles said: Doc Bowles ... Downing's comments aren't only classic signing PR - they go a bit further than that. He emphasises O'Neill's ambition, which is mighty important. Indeed, Doc. They all say nice things, he said all the right things, a sort of anti-Barry.

Comment 86, made on July 16, 2009 at 7.54 pm

Law said:

... nice to see we have finally signed a player. the players in section doesnt look as lonely as players out anymore!

Comment 87, made on July 16, 2009 at 8.05 pm

Andy Scarborough said:

... Eyeiiiiiiii Ammmm Thay Antay Barrrrrraaaay Jonny Rotten Sorry, my imagination gets the better of me sometimes.

Comment 88, made on July 16, 2009 at 8.07 pm

FatKevs said:

... Come off it DJ you needed no persuasion leaving a relegated side in a £12m deal Who else would of come in with such an outragous bid for an injured player. I thoght MoN was mad paying all that money for JM but this I am lost for words

Comment 89, made on July 16, 2009 at 8.39 pm

Villa4life said:

... sounds like MON is saying he is the Barry replacement.... lets hope he gets more in.... for once he has bought before August...lol

Comment 90, made on July 16, 2009 at 8.43 pm

dave said:

... the fat f**kers off again

Comment 91, made on July 16, 2009 at 8.56 pm

Gingervilla said:

... Damian you’re talking like an idiot Milner is class and now Downing signs you start looking for faults, I bet you are one of the morons that was booing Gaby last season, like I have said before on here when a player plays for the villa we all get 100% behind him and the club if you don’t want to do that go and watch the scum

Comment 92, made on July 16, 2009 at 9.30 pm

vijay said:

... A top signing, lets get Bentley, Hangeland, Bent and Delph in NOW!!

Comment 93, made on July 16, 2009 at 9.33 pm

pjmavfc said:

... WE HAVE SIGNED SOMEONE !!!!!!!

Comment 94, made on July 16, 2009 at 10.03 pm

bass said:

... very typical villa signing someone who is no better than what we have, to fill a position we dont need to fill and a player that cant kick a ball for 5 months! who did he turn downb to come to us??????? oh yea no one!!!

Comment 95, made on July 16, 2009 at 10.51 pm

Woodinho said:

... Turned down spurs enough times!

Comment 96, made on July 17, 2009 at 1.47 am

bass said:

... ok who has he turned down that are on our level?

Comment 97, made on July 17, 2009 at 6.18 am

FatKevs said:

... The player is already talking about going back to boro yes one day if they get promoted but still shows all his drive was for them will he get any better with us i doubt it This will turn out to be another SM home sick what a waste of money

Comment 98, made on July 17, 2009 at 4.13 pm

Rodin said:

... I feel we have either overpaid for DJ stew,or undersold Barry.I reckon that downing is a good signing,but not a great one.If we want to break into the top 4, then,we a great signing like a sneijder etc.But, then again,i don't ,for even a second,think he or any one like him would want to come to us.So,we can only attract the likes of above average players at best.

Comment 99, made on July 18, 2009 at 9.19 pm

Rodin said:

... I like the fact that milner helps out in attack as well as defence,and also that he's a good dribbler.But,he doesn't or can't cross the ball well,which is a very fundamental skill that a winger needs to possess.

Comment 100, made on July 18, 2009 at 9.29 pm

Ashton said:

... Downing... born n bred Middlesbrough. And his only thoughts will be how his beloved Boro are getting on. Consiquently his form will suffer!! His heart aint in Villa so dont be fooled into thinking it is!!

Comment 101, made on July 19, 2009 at 2.54 pm

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