Okay, even if you're taking more into account than simple trophy haul... I just don't get your overall conclusions. And trust me, that's from reading all your posts on this thread.
I'm not trying to lecture, Greavsie, just point out that the criteria you've been using to compare us with Villa, when applied to the teams who are actually finishing around us in the league, is of less value. After all, Liverpool are so far out in front with their acheivements that we shouldn't consier ourselves level with them... except that we have been in direct competition with them in recent years (last year is an exception to this, I'll accept).
Perhaps I'm being too emotive with my preference of Villa winning the final. Your conclusions seem far more logical/cold with the entire history of the clubs taken into account. I'm looking at the here and now - and I know I don't want to see Jack Wilshire singing on an open-top bus again.
We clearly won't agree on this, which is fine, but I hope you understand why so many on here won't be agreeing with your support of Woolwich in the final (which I gather you do, so fair enough).
Fair comments TLD.
I'll give some depth to my views on us v Villa, this isn't me lecturing either BTW, but I think I need to spell things out so people don't misunderstand my position. They may still not agree, that's not a problem. (Being rude or sarcastic is a different matter obviously
Not that you were TLD, which is I'm very happy to debate with you.)
Villa have more trophies, but many have been won a long time ago. So on the 'trophy count' allowing for the fact that I give more weight to recent trophies, I make us round about equal, probably us shading it a little.
However, Villa have won the European Cup (we haven't) and more league titles than us. Also they have won the Lge more recently than us. (1981 compared to 1961), so that levels up things considerably.
With regards to top flight points gained, Villa are significantly in front of us,
http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/premier-league/all-time-table
However we edge it in the Prem era
http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/premier-league/all-time-table/1992-1993
Our income is way in excess of Villa's and so too is our fanbase, though anyone who has argued about fanbase on a forum, down the pub, wherever, will know it's a difficult subject to prove.
For example, I think we have a bigger fanbase than Toon, but I suspect there are lots of non-Spurs fans who think that's laughable. Hilariously many West Ham fans think their fanbase is a similar size to ours, whereas ours is probably three times at least bigger globally.
So overall, and I could go into far more depth, I don't think there's much between us and Villa. We probably edge it ATM, but an FA Cup win brings them neck and neck at least, IMHO.
Re Liverpool, they're on a completely different level to us. They are one of three 'superpowers' of English football. For me, they're still the second biggest club in the country. Though I can see that Woolwich are pushing them closer and closer, and another FA Cup will further narrow that gap. But as they are both well out of our league, it's not a major concern of mine.