Nicky Shorey Aston Villa Signing From Reading

Welcome to Villa Park to Nicky Shorey, a really decent left back and someone we badly needed after Freddie Bouma's awful injury. Reading's loss is our gain.

Also welcome to VP Luke Young from Middlesbrough (pictured stretching his new shirt!)- I always felt we should have been in for him last year - £2million was nothing then. Both these guys should help solidify things at the back with Brad Friedel in goal too now. A defence of Friedel, Young, Shorey, Davies & Laursen is potentially good but may need some time to settle.

Boro fans seem to reckon he was their most consistent player last season - again, their loss is our gain - although the "Villa are a notch above Boro" comment needs revising. We're on a different planet to Middlesbrough in every sense.

It appears that Fat Arse will soon be off to Liverpool after throwing his toys out of the pram. With the addition of Young it would now appear that Steve Finnan won't be part of any deal so let's make sure the scousers cough up the £18mil. If they can't, let him play for the reserves for two years.

F*cking lard-arse Twat. I hope they go out in the Qualifying rounds to Standard Liege so much!