23 Aug 2026 16:18:03
I wouldn't let Watkins leave until we have a replacement full stop.
As for saying let Mings go, why would we even consider it after that performance from Torres? He was rubbish and to be honest I didn't rate him last season.
23 Aug 2026 16:40:45
He refused to play today. Been a great servant, but he can now f*** off. Was a legend, but leaving as a rat, good riddance!
23 Aug 2026 16:48:23
He is still a legend. Don't blame him. He will sort his family out for life. Best of luck to him. Big things need to happen.
23 Aug 2026 17:02:47
No Tom, refusing to play for your club is a disgrace; they still pay his wages!
He knew how short we were up top today, and refusing to play is a piss take in my eye.
He could have played today and said his goodbyes to the fans; that way he would have left a legend. I hope he doesn't make one of those goodbye videos, he will get slated.
23 Aug 2026 17:06:50
He has no loyalty to Aston Villa. Why would he want to play and risk his big money move?
23 Aug 2026 17:12:56
Because they pay his bloody wages, that's why!
23 Aug 2026 17:53:03
I can't blame Watkins. Our record goal scorer in the Premier League, one of the main reasons we are where we are, and a huge portion of the fans could not wait to get rid of him.
If you get stick every day at work and then all the other half decent employees leave in a short space of time, you'd be jumping at the chance to earn double anywhere else.
Nobody is staying on that ship to then be further criticised for not single handedly holding down the fort.
He probably does have to go, just to show us how much we'll miss what he brought to the team, not that it'll make our miserable fans any more appreciative of future stars.
23 Aug 2026 17:57:13
Should f*** off. The sooner the better, in my opinion.
To those who say "he's not a fan", we pay his bloody wages!
Tell your gaffer you're not working tomorrow because you might have a better offer. See how that works.
Turned from fan favourite to absolute s***house.
23 Aug 2026 18:00:08
Like I said, RK, he could have played today and left a legend after all. He phoned up Emery and asked to play against PSG, but no. For me, he is done, and yes, everyone would want more money, but he has tarnished his Villa career in one afternoon.
23 Aug 2026 18:26:45
It might have changed things for you personally, Daz, but if he had played, it wouldn't have made any difference to the masses that don't understand that Watkins is one of the best, just because they focus only on one thing.
It's not like he promised us anything like Downing or Delph did.
Managers leave players out of teams while offers are in all the time because they might not be focused. This isn't really any different.
23 Aug 2026 18:43:17
Totally agree, RK, with regards the masses, as you know, I will back any manager and player, but refusing to play is in itself inexcusable. imo
23 Aug 2026 19:25:30
Remember a week or so ago (just before a sniff of the Saudis being after him) I said I 'know someone who knows someone' about Ollie being settled in the Midlands as regards his family/kids/school/kids friends? Now he wants to uproot all that for more money even though his family are happy here & are more than set up for life already? It just shows me the kind of man he is. Let's say he's on £150K per week (minimum) & he's got at least 2 years left on his contract, even more set up for life & I'm sure if he left at the end of that to go for 1 more payday in Saudi, USA or wherever he'd go with our best wishes.
Now we know where he stands, then absolutely 100% we should only let him go for what the club wants for him, he'll understand that as money is his God now. Why should it be any different for us as the selling club. ??♂️
UTV
23 Aug 2026 20:17:30
Obviously, I don't get why we are considering selling Watkins for, say, 50 million, with Al Hilal and those Saudi clubs practically swimming in money; let em pay 80 million if they want him so badly! To them it means nothing whether it's 50 or 80 million.