Ex Players - They used to play for us

[ajthefox]

2 hours ago, moore_94 said:

 

 

Will go for double that next summer if Wolves don't get straight back up I reckon.

 

So disappointing to lose him for so long and then miss out on him.

[Vacamion]

3 hours ago, HankMarvin said:

Tielemans says “he owes Villa the world after restoring him to his best level”

 

He's still going to be savagely booed by Villa fans for saying this out loud instead of just thinking it  :

 

 

 

[Corky]

All well and good playing for that level of club but he has to succeed there. Despite being lesser clubs, he has played and scored in cup finals in finished in the top five regularly in the last seven years. He hasn't been playing for also rans.

[JimJams]

What's success at Man Utd in the present day?

[TJB-fox]

He’s got the quality to do really well there and they seem to be a serious top 4 challenger under Carrick, so it could go wonderfully. 
 

On the other hand, he could be absolutely chewed and spat out at Utd. Their fans have already commented on his lack of pressing and cumbersome approach off the ball during pre season. 
 

 

[Corky]

2 hours ago, JimJams said:

What's success at Man Utd in the present day?

Probably similar to what he has achieved at his previous clubs, reaching the Champions League and winning cups.

 

The step up isn't that huge.

[FoxesWalk]

5 hours ago, Vacamion said:

 

He's still going to be savagely booed by Villa fans for saying this out loud instead of just thinking it  :

 

 

 

He built his premier league career off the back of us gambling on him, not Villa. 

[Finnegan]

10 hours ago, moore_94 said:

 

 

 

I'm sorry but **** that. Can we just ban The Bear now? Don't want to see him gushing about how good he is. 

 

[shen]

30 minutes ago, FoxesWalk said:

He built his premier league career off the back of us gambling on him, not Villa. 

And he wouldn't have been the player he was without Anderlecht etc. Ultimately, he's got himself to thank for making it all the way to Man Utd and captaining Belgium. 
It didn't end happily with us - and that's probably another indictment of the management & leadership at the club - but he obviously stepped up a level at Villa and arguably had his biggest club achievement there (winning the Europa League).

[davieG]

Bolton Wanderers have signed Wrexham defender Lewis Brunt for an undisclosed fee on a four-year deal.

The 25-year-old joined the Red Dragons from Leicester in July 2024 and made 31 league appearances in two seasons.

Brunt is the second player to join Wanderers from Wrexham this week after striker Ryan Hardie made the move on loan on Tuesday.

"The club's back into the Championship and I want to try to continue playing in this league and showcase my ability," he told the club website.

[kenny]

16 hours ago, Vacamion said:

 

He's still going to be savagely booed by Villa fans for saying this out loud instead of just thinking it  :

 

 

 

Looks slim in that picture. I reckon he got some real tough love from Emery at the start of his villa career.

[sm1]

Villa did very well out of Youri. Got him for free and sold for 35M. We on the other hand lost 40M. 

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Ricardo signing for Guimares, nice

[Manley Farrington-Brown]

5 hours ago, sm1 said:

Villa did very well out of Youri. Got him for free and sold for 35M. We on the other hand lost 40M. 

Villa did very well out of Youri. Got him for free and sold for 35M. We on the other hand won the FA Cup.

[davieG]

 

 

Tielemans apologises to Villa fans for Man Utd remarks
 

ByLorraine McKenna
BBC Sport Journalist

Youri Tielemans has apologised to Aston Villa fans after suggesting he had moved to a bigger club in Premier League rivals Manchester United.

The Belgium midfielder, 29, moved to Old Trafford this summer on a five-year deal from Villa when United triggered a £35m release clause in his contract.

Tielemans spent three years at Villa Park after joining from Leicester City in 2023, making 134 appearances and scoring 10 goals.

Speaking during United's pre-season tour, Tielemans praised Villa for putting him "back to my best level", before adding: "But there are clubs above Villa, and Manchester United is one of them."

Some Villa fans were unhappy with Tielemans' comments, so he took to Instagram, external to clear the air.

"Never meant for my words in the press yesterday to offend anyone or the institution of Aston Villa Football Club, which I massively respect and I'm grateful for the past 3 years," he wrote on Thursday.

"I must however admit my mistake and apologise for my choice of words, will be more careful in the future.

"Wishing the club the best in the future."

I owe Villa the world but Man Utd are above them - Tielemans

Tielemans, who helped Belgium reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup this summer, signed for United in July until 2031.

Last season he suffered separate calf and ankle problems that restricted him to 35 appearances in all competitions for Villa, the lowest number in a campaign during his time in England.

He called his move to Old Trafford "the culmination of years of dedication since I first fell in love with football" and said signing for "such a special club" like United "feels incredible".

United take on AC Milan and Villa face Borussia Monchengladbach in their final pre-season games on Saturday, before the new Premier League campaign begins next weekend.

[davieG]

BBC

 

Handling hate and seeking stability - Fofana's Chelsea journey

Wesley Fofana has played once for France, in 2023

By
Nizaar Kinsella
Football reporter from Hong Kong

Wesley Fofana shed tears, faced criticism for laughing at the wrong moment and exposed racist abuse last season - but now he believes stability will lead to an "amazing" Chelsea future.

The 25-year-old centre-back has been a controversial figure because of the difficulties he has faced since his £75m move from Leicester City in 2022.

However, he is also a survivor. He is the last remaining signing from that summer and, following Marc Cucurella's move to Real Madrid, Chelsea's longest-serving player aside from academy graduate Reece James.

"Football is like this. It moves fast, but it is a good stat," said Fofana. "For me, some years were difficult, but now I'm back. I'm playing, I'm fit."

Fofana is right to be optimistic.

He is young, featured heavily under new manager Xabi Alonso in pre-season, and fit and healthy after injury troubles in recent seasons.

Well, almost.

"Thanks, Filip," he jokes, referring to goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen punching him during an aerial challenge and denying him a truly injury-free campaign last season.

Still, Fofana says "small details" have helped him stay fit having broken his leg at Leicester before overcoming an ACL injury and hamstring surgery at Chelsea.

"For me, the most important thing last season was to be fit, just to remove this from my head - the injuries and other things," he explained.

'I accept criticism - but not racism'

Fofana has only started 46 Premier League games since joining Chelsea four years ago

Fofana reiterates it was his "dream" to join Chelsea, the club he supported as a boy growing up in Marseille, through his admiration for the Blues' former striker Didier Drogba.

However, Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League last season and failed to win a trophy.

Fofana was arguably the fall guy for many supporters, not helped by footage of him laughing on the bench during a heavy Champions League defeat by Paris St-Germain in March.

He said it was not as significant as some made out and that those inside the club "know my mentality", but added: "When the team is not doing well, we need to find someone [to blame]. I can accept that.

"The club bought me for a very big transfer [fee]. I came with the ambition to be the best in my position and to help the team. So, when things go badly, I accept being the guy [people blame]."

The France defender could easily have pointed the finger at Chelsea themselves. Former manager Enzo Maresca left the club after a falling out with the hierarchy, while his replacement Liam Rosenior oversaw a five-game winless run without a goal and lost the support of large sections of the dressing room during his four-month spell.

"Of course we can use this as an excuse, but I think it's the players," said Fofana. "We didn't give everything. We lost some games, we produced some poor performances and we missed a lot of things.

"Of course you can't bring that into the new season, but I think everyone knows what was wrong last season. Everyone looked at themselves in the mirror."

There is a line that cannot be crossed.

Fofana, a Muslim whose father is from Ivory Coast, was racially abused on Instagram last season. He also highlighted abuse in March 2025.

He says it hurts to see those messages, but he will never stop calling it out.

"It is not a big thing to expose people who do that," he said. "For me, it is very important. For me and other players, we need to show what people are saying.

"We need to educate people. I think the people behind Instagram need to work on that. I exposed this on Instagram and Twitter [now called X] because I think they need to be more aware and more conscious of this problem.

"It is not only football. I think the world is a little bit like this and it is too easy to say some things. Sometimes I receive messages and I don't think these people are racist.

"They send monkey emojis because they are unhappy with the result and then, if I score in the next game, the same people support me.

"We need to educate people because it is not normal to talk like this. I understand that if I get a red card, you can be disappointed, but you cannot say these things."

Fofana says young players have shown him similar messages after matches and chosen not to do anything about them. Having received such abuse from a young age he is prepared to continue speaking out, even if it leads to criticism of his own character.

What does the future hold?
Alonso has picked his strongest XI for three of his five matches during pre-season, and all three featured Fofana.

However, Chelsea have signed Maxence Lacroix and have nine centre-backs on their books. In addition, the club also has a group of players it considers "untouchable", meaning they are not for sale - but Fofana does not feature on that list.

When this was put to Fofana, he replied: "Yes we have a lot, I think there are nine or 10. Everyone needs to be good, to train well and after the manager takes the decision. It's like this for everyone.

"Maybe some guys will leave, others will come again. For myself, it is about training well, trying to be fit and we will see what the manager does. If the club tells me they don't need me anymore, it is like this. Of course I will be sad but this is football. You can't say 'I have my place and I am sure to play'".

It seems unlikely Fofana will leave and, indeed, he wants to stay and believes in a positive future for Chelsea.

He is among the players who have been convinced by assurances from the sporting directors and board about a change of direction, embodied by the signings of senior players Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck.

Fofana says the duo, aged 36 and 35 respectively, "know how to win big games", will be "important in training sessions" and may give one or two players "a kicking" if they are slacking.

However, he believes managerial stability under Alonso will define whether Chelsea succeed or not.

"I think everyone knows we need stability," he adds. "We talked last season with the directors and they said the same thing. They think the same way as the players. We need stability."

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Fofana will be injured again before you know it, got the gait of a newborn giraffe

[davieG]

Who is he? 

 

Looking back on the career of 1960s Filbert Street cult hero Frank Large, with the help of his son Paul

[HankMarvin]

Not April fools 

 

Perez is wanted by Barcelona 

[steve555]

1 hour ago, davieG said:

Who is he? 

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Looking back on the career of 1960s Filbert Street cult hero Frank Large, with the help of his son Paul

 

Frank Large, I think.

[1972 Fox]

1 hour ago, davieG said:

Who is he? 

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Looking back on the career of 1960s Filbert Street cult hero Frank Large, with the help of his son Paul

 

He went to Fulham as part of of the deal which brought Allan Clarke to Filbert Street.

[Andrew]

On 13/08/2026 at 18:37, davieG said:

BBC

 

Handling hate and seeking stability - Fofana's Chelsea journey

Wesley Fofana has played once for France, in 2023

By
Nizaar Kinsella
Football reporter from Hong Kong

Wesley Fofana shed tears, faced criticism for laughing at the wrong moment and exposed racist abuse last season - but now he believes stability will lead to an "amazing" Chelsea future.

The 25-year-old centre-back has been a controversial figure because of the difficulties he has faced since his £75m move from Leicester City in 2022.

However, he is also a survivor. He is the last remaining signing from that summer and, following Marc Cucurella's move to Real Madrid, Chelsea's longest-serving player aside from academy graduate Reece James.

"Football is like this. It moves fast, but it is a good stat," said Fofana. "For me, some years were difficult, but now I'm back. I'm playing, I'm fit."

Fofana is right to be optimistic.

He is young, featured heavily under new manager Xabi Alonso in pre-season, and fit and healthy after injury troubles in recent seasons.

Well, almost.

"Thanks, Filip," he jokes, referring to goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen punching him during an aerial challenge and denying him a truly injury-free campaign last season.

Still, Fofana says "small details" have helped him stay fit having broken his leg at Leicester before overcoming an ACL injury and hamstring surgery at Chelsea.

"For me, the most important thing last season was to be fit, just to remove this from my head - the injuries and other things," he explained.

'I accept criticism - but not racism'

Fofana has only started 46 Premier League games since joining Chelsea four years ago

Fofana reiterates it was his "dream" to join Chelsea, the club he supported as a boy growing up in Marseille, through his admiration for the Blues' former striker Didier Drogba.

However, Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League last season and failed to win a trophy.

Fofana was arguably the fall guy for many supporters, not helped by footage of him laughing on the bench during a heavy Champions League defeat by Paris St-Germain in March.

He said it was not as significant as some made out and that those inside the club "know my mentality", but added: "When the team is not doing well, we need to find someone [to blame]. I can accept that.

"The club bought me for a very big transfer [fee]. I came with the ambition to be the best in my position and to help the team. So, when things go badly, I accept being the guy [people blame]."

The France defender could easily have pointed the finger at Chelsea themselves. Former manager Enzo Maresca left the club after a falling out with the hierarchy, while his replacement Liam Rosenior oversaw a five-game winless run without a goal and lost the support of large sections of the dressing room during his four-month spell.

"Of course we can use this as an excuse, but I think it's the players," said Fofana. "We didn't give everything. We lost some games, we produced some poor performances and we missed a lot of things.

"Of course you can't bring that into the new season, but I think everyone knows what was wrong last season. Everyone looked at themselves in the mirror."

There is a line that cannot be crossed.

Fofana, a Muslim whose father is from Ivory Coast, was racially abused on Instagram last season. He also highlighted abuse in March 2025.

He says it hurts to see those messages, but he will never stop calling it out.

"It is not a big thing to expose people who do that," he said. "For me, it is very important. For me and other players, we need to show what people are saying.

"We need to educate people. I think the people behind Instagram need to work on that. I exposed this on Instagram and Twitter [now called X] because I think they need to be more aware and more conscious of this problem.

"It is not only football. I think the world is a little bit like this and it is too easy to say some things. Sometimes I receive messages and I don't think these people are racist.

"They send monkey emojis because they are unhappy with the result and then, if I score in the next game, the same people support me.

"We need to educate people because it is not normal to talk like this. I understand that if I get a red card, you can be disappointed, but you cannot say these things."

Fofana says young players have shown him similar messages after matches and chosen not to do anything about them. Having received such abuse from a young age he is prepared to continue speaking out, even if it leads to criticism of his own character.

What does the future hold?
Alonso has picked his strongest XI for three of his five matches during pre-season, and all three featured Fofana.

However, Chelsea have signed Maxence Lacroix and have nine centre-backs on their books. In addition, the club also has a group of players it considers "untouchable", meaning they are not for sale - but Fofana does not feature on that list.

When this was put to Fofana, he replied: "Yes we have a lot, I think there are nine or 10. Everyone needs to be good, to train well and after the manager takes the decision. It's like this for everyone.

"Maybe some guys will leave, others will come again. For myself, it is about training well, trying to be fit and we will see what the manager does. If the club tells me they don't need me anymore, it is like this. Of course I will be sad but this is football. You can't say 'I have my place and I am sure to play'".

It seems unlikely Fofana will leave and, indeed, he wants to stay and believes in a positive future for Chelsea.

He is among the players who have been convinced by assurances from the sporting directors and board about a change of direction, embodied by the signings of senior players Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck.

Fofana says the duo, aged 36 and 35 respectively, "know how to win big games", will be "important in training sessions" and may give one or two players "a kicking" if they are slacking.

However, he believes managerial stability under Alonso will define whether Chelsea succeed or not.

"I think everyone knows we need stability," he adds. "We talked last season with the directors and they said the same thing. They think the same way as the players. We need stability."

I wince when I see stuff about this man. I just don't like him, he's arrogant, has little respect for anything or anybody ( I refer to his multiple driving offences) and showed very little respect for LCFC. 

[Holly B]

 

[Phil_Dunphy]

3 hours ago, Holly B said:

 

Wearing Ivan Perisic's shirt which he must have swapped during the last group game of the World Cup.

 

Surprised it fits him.

[Sol thewall Bamba]

12 hours ago, Holly B said:

 

Didn't he say the grass would be greener when he left hahahahah

 

Enjoy retirement bozo