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Supporters dubbing Jack Grealish traitor and Judas ‘are appalling’, says fan who thanks captain for ‘giving everything’ ahead of £100m Man City transfer
With Jack Grealish on the cusp of a £100million move to Manchester City, Aston Villa fans will understandably be experiencing a wide range of emotions right now.
Grealish, the club's talisman and captain, is set to depart his boyhood club for the reigning Premier League champions in the biggest transfer of the summer to date... and in British football history.
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A flurry of calls followed on talkSPORT after the news broke on Wednesday morning, from a mixture of disgruntled, angry and understanding supporters.
And while some joined the station to blast Grealish as a 'traitor' and 'Judas', there were plenty of supporters who wanted to send off their hero with well wishes.
Adam:
"I've got no ill feeling towards him whatsoever. I'm incredibly proud of him. to be honest.
"I think he's the best player in the league and he's proven it to us.
"I think Aston Villa fans are looking at it in the wrong way as well. He's done an immense amount for the club and the owners should be applauded as well.
"They've put Villa back on the right track and this sale says a lot for their business now."
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Chris:
"Do you know what, I'm delighted for him. I'm happy for him as he's going to a massive club - one of the best clubs in the world.
"They're probably the best club in the world [right now], and personally I'm happy for him... but, you know what, I feel like he's a bit of a traitor.
"I feel like he's left us now and he's left us in the lurch a bit. His family are from around the area, and you feel like he's done it for the money.
"Villa have offered him reportedly £200,000-a-week, which is incredible, but I feel like he's a bit of a traitor.
"Personally for him I completely understand the move, but being a Villa fan I'm bitter - but that's to be expected.
"Where does that leave us this year? He's going to a club with loads of players in his position. Is he going to sit on the sidelines or is he going to play a massive role?"
Leyton:
"Thank you for all he's done, he's been a great player. He has carried the club, he has.
"But, I tell you what, I will not wish him any success at all going forward.
"That's not just because he's going to them [Man City], it's with any player going, it just seems hollow.
"Even Scott Carson's won a Premier League at Man City, so when I hear people say oh he's gone to win medals... so what!
"Win something with the Villa... we've never been so close in 40 years to winning something properly and not just do it once.
"Honestly we could be up there, and for many, many years. With Jack going it's as if we're going to go about a few years now.
"I know we're talking about getting [Tammy] Abraham in and [Leon] Bailey is a great signing and we are in a really good place.
"If this would have happened five years I would have understood it, but it's happening now when we've got everything in place to go forward.
"And it guts me, as a fellow Villa fan, he's decided not to take that opportunity."
Edward:
"I'm a little bit dismayed to be honest at all these Villa fans happy to get behind him and wish him well.
"Obviously I was desperate for Jack to stay, I've been a season ticket holder for about 10 years but this [decision] doesn't really sit well with me to be honest.
"It was only nine months ago he was sitting down signing a contract saying this is my city, this is my home, this is my club and I like what the owners are building.
"It all sounds as though it was nonsense now. Did he really mean that?
"You're guaranteed trophies with City... that's not a very ambitious footballer if you ask me.
"Especially when you look at what Villa are building at the moment, we've got a genuine chance of getting ourselves into Europe.
"I'm a die-hard Villa fan and if I was good at football... what would I do?
"I wouldn't want to go to City where I'm going to be a player where I'm going to be forgotten in a couple of years.
"I'd rather play for my boyhood club where I'm the captain and getting everything I want, push for Europe and go down as a legend for the next 50/60 years.
"I'd have the whole stadium singing for me and get a statue of me outside the ground, wheres as City he's going to be a nobody!"
Paul:
"I've been compelled to ring. One referred to Grealish as a 'Judas' and another referred to him as a 'traitor', which I think is appalling, really.
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"He's been at the club since he was five years old and made a huge contribution to where we are as a club now.
"I think we're in a very healthy position and the £100m we've recouped from his sale will take us even further forward.
"I accept he's a huge loss to Villa and I think at the end of the last season where we lost him for two-and-a-months we were clearly not the same team without him.
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"I think to be far too reliant on one player cannot be healthy for a club of Villa's stature. I have faith in the owners and I have faith in Dean Smith.
"Whilst I'm gutted that Jack is gone, I'll probably sulk for the rest of the day, I'll get up in the morning and I'll be looking where we'll be spending the £100m."
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