I've supported Aston Villa all of my life. I have done some things as a supporter that I'm not proud of, but I also believe I've done many that I can be proud of and I don't hide from any of them. I've witnessed good times and bad. I've jumped with joy and I've sat gutted and demoralised, close to tears.
Never have I felt embarrassed. I do today and that is thanks to our new owner.
Sure, players in the past have said and done things - but they are transient figures that play a role. A manager or two has said things too, but they've said it and we've all known exactly what it meant and why. Today, our new owner has tarnished Aston Villa, not just because of the words he used but because mostly because they have come from the owner of Aston Villa and what that represents in the game of football.
And you've read that right, his role. Owners are very much transient figures these days too. But he holds the highest office of Aston Villa and that is a proud office and one looked upon admiringly and respected the world over.
If you don't know what I'm referring to, I've quoted the Tweet below.
A failed player, failed manager and now f***ed pundit. Don't bother reading at all! https://t.co/NyyeyhYOex
— Dr. Tony Xia (@Dr_TonyXia) August 1, 2016
Our owner is referring to this post on the Sky website where Ian Holloway, a man that has spent his entire career in football, predicts that we will finish 16th this season.
If Ian Holloway is right or wrong isn't the point. He's done enough in the game to be able to say what he has said. And by some, it will be viewed upon as a well respected opinion.
For those that don't know, Ian Holloway had a career playing of almost 700 games and has had a managerial career of over 800 matches. He has probably forgotten more about football in the last month that our owner knows. Ian Holloway also isn't just a former player, former manager and current TV pundit, he has done so much more and continues to do so.
It's not for me to list what Holloway has done or is doing for football that gives him the right to predict Aston Villa finish 16th - he's got a job to do too. And it's not for me to say that someone has to speak to our owner, I've already done that and warned of this train wreck happening. It's basically no longer becoming embarrassing, it has reached that point.
But I can say that I hope he gets off Twitter and concentrates all of his efforts on getting Aston Villa promoted. Instead of Twitter do a monthly vlog, that is edited by a good team - it will work so much better in the short and long term.
And for those that say you want an owner to wear his heart on his sleeve, you've got it, but the video blog would be better and in the comments on YouTube, you can even ask him questions for the next video, but he shouldn't be allowed to reply to comments.
And while you might disagree with me, it's probably because I tend to think of the office the owner represents and his role in the footballing community and this isn't how I want that office to talk because in the footballing world, if he continues this way, he's not going to make any friends and that ultimately means Aston Villa is losing friends.
Latest tweet from the owner
Don't let us down! Don't let Villa down! @AVFCOfficial We could lose but we couldn't be knocked down! @TommyElph4 &all Villa lads!
— Dr. Tony Xia (@Dr_TonyXia) August 1, 2016
It's 9.30pm in China. I'm starting to think our new owner likes a drink and just wants to see the reaction.