All us Villa Fans, miles away from home.

[Dave Clark Five]

I used to look for any excuse to get to Villa Park and would peer through the gaps in the gates, when it was all locked up, even though I had been there loads of times.

I remember one night at an evening wedding reception in the old McGregor Suite. A few of us went through a door into the Directors Box. The ground was dimly lit. All around was pitch black.
It was absolutely magical.

A security bloke came and took us on a mini tour of the ground, even into Doug's office in the North Stand. Sorry, Sir Doug, we didn't fiddle with anything.

[Clampy]

I used to look for any excuse to get to Villa Park and would peer through the gaps in the gates, when it was all locked up, even though I had been there loads of times.

I remember one night at an evening wedding reception in the old McGregor Suite. A few of us went through a door into the Directors Box. The ground was dimly lit. All around was pitch black.
It was absolutely magical.

A security bloke came and took us on a mini tour of the ground, even into Doug's office in the North Stand. Sorry, Sir Doug, we didn't fiddle with anything.

I went to a Birthday party at the Corner Flag a couple of years back and the ground looked superb when it was dimly lit. It was a lovely setting.

[ACVilla]

I miss you, Aston Villa. I first found you on a dim, miserable night in the mid 80s against a team called Oxford United. I fell in love with the club, I fell in love with the shirt, I fell in love with the stadium and I dreamt of you every night.

I would wake up on a Friday morning and immediately get excited at the thought of only one more sleep until the next game, I would get heart palpitations and tingles up my spine all day at school just at the thought that we would soon be reunited again.

We had our ups and downs, I remember endless renditions of Dwight Yorke, Dwight Yorke, I remember Santa falling from the sky and Dion Dublin inspiring a remarkable comeback, I could have sworn the Holte was going to collapse that day. I remember being the first team to win  at Pride Park and being able to celebrate in the stands with Ian Taylor. I remember that miss by Dean Holdsworth. I also remember the final against Chelsea, Blackburn away with Savo spitting, and David O'Leary.

I fell out of love with you when O'Leary was in charge, I was disinterested at the match, I was disillusioned with the Sky millions and the ineptitude of Ellis. I didn't much care for watching you, I paid interest in the results, I had the game on when we were on TV but I had other things which I prioritised.

A revolution then seemed to begin, manager and chairman gone, multi millionaire in place with the most sought after manager in charge, the revolution gathered pace but I was still not that bothered, I went to Wembley but could still not generate the enthusiasm I once had, the players were still overpaid prima donnas who wouldn't dream of doing an Ian Taylor and in the blink of an eye the manager was gone and the revolution hit the buffers and the stuff of nightmares began, I cannot imagine the pain I would have felt if I had still been a fanatic, obsessive Villa lunatic and experienced the withering displays under the McLeish year, I was still a fan but a very distant and casual observer. I didn't watch Match of the Day any more and very rarely took in a live TV game. I thought I was lost forever, another fan forsaken for the Sky football extravaganza, Super Spunking Sunday and all that it entailed.

Fortunately, the McLeish year was only that, a year and a new guy was put in place, a guy by the name of Paul Lambert, I paid interest in this because I will always be a Villa fan in one capacity or another. I saw our squad, I saw our new signings and was frankly shocked at how poor a squad we had, I literally wouldn't have recognised half the players if I bumped into them in Sainsburys.

I was still fairly disinterested when we started the season so poorly, a couple of poor performances then a decent result or two but something happened during the Liverpool game, I watched the game on a live stream for the first time in my life, I saw these kids working their socks off for the sake of my club, and for the first time in about ten years I was genuinely excited to be watching Aston Villa again and the love came poring back through my veins and and the feeling was overwhelming. I watched Match of the Day and nearly cried with enjoyment.

I watched the Chelsea game, and was still hugely proud of our players for giving it a go, this may sound stupid but I would genuinely rather see us lose 8-0 at Chelsea, giving it a go, than having a McLeish team out there or an O'Leary in charge.

I was away on holiday, unable to catch the Tottnham or Wigan games and have not read up on them deeply but suffice to say my love is still there and my pride ever present and the Lambert way is the way I wish my club to go. No more overpaid mercenaries just players who want to be professional footballers and want to do their best for the sacred Aston Villa.

So to those of you losing the faith then please reconsider, get behind the lads 100% and roar the players to victory. An escape from relegation this season could see us have a very bright future, as Magic said on SSN, "if Villa can avoid relegation this season then they could go on to be frightening".

I've found my love again and will be back down Villa Park at every opportunity.

I've missed you Aston Villa but I'm glad to be back.

[darren woolley]

Nice post ACVilla.

[danlanza]

Bloody magic that is.What a post.

[Clampy]

Probably the best thing i've read on here for a while.

[TheSandman]

Fantastic stuff.

[ACVilla]

Cheers guys, I was in the bath with my iPad and just started writing, inspired by Danlanzas post but I actually meant to post it in the Lambert Out thread as that would have been more appropriate.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Some of these posts have cheered me up, I need it too, i've got to go out dressed as a shark later.

[Legion]

Dear AVFC, in 2012 you have made me laugh, you've made me cry, you've given me dreams, you've taken me high. I've had ecstasy, euphoria and heartache too and I will always be nothing but claret and blue. I hope 2013 is a better one for Villa. Happy New Year. VTID SOTC UTV #keepthefaith

[joe_c]

I used to look for any excuse to get to Villa Park and would peer through the gaps in the gates, when it was all locked up, even though I had been there loads of times.

I remember one night at an evening wedding reception in the old McGregor Suite. A few of us went through a door into the Directors Box. The ground was dimly lit. All around was pitch black.
It was absolutely magical.

A security bloke came and took us on a mini tour of the ground, even into Doug's office in the North Stand. Sorry, Sir Doug, we didn't fiddle with anything.

The school I went to (St Edmund Campion) reached the Villa Cup final on a few occasions in the 1980s with the final being played at Villa Park and spectators watching from the Trinity Road stand.

As one such match was about to kick off, I noticed the nicely upholstered seats in the directors box so we clambered over the wooden partion wall to avail ourselves of them.

Within a couple of minutes however, we were rumbled by a pair of club employees who were none too pleased at the sight of a gaggle of scruffy teenagers making the place look untidy.

"How did you get in here?" they demanded. We admitted we'd simply climbed over the wholly inadequate fence to which he replied "Well, that's the way out as well then!" and we sheepishly complied.

[olaftab]

ACVilla you have expressed everything I feel about the Villa. I fell in love when we were relegated to the old third division so nothing will tear me apart from B6.

[Dave Clark Five]

ACVilla you have expressed everything I feel about the Villa. I fell in love when we were relegated to the old third division so nothing will tear me apart from B6.

It was almost like having a vaccination against anything non-Villa. We may moan about our club but we only do it because we care. There are those who saw us in the 30s and 40s still around but, quite often, even they say their best times were when we went into the Third Division.

[Steve R]

ACVilla you have expressed everything I feel about the Villa. I fell in love when we were relegated to the old third division so nothing will tear me apart from B6.

It was almost like having a vaccination against anything non-Villa. We may moan about our club but we only do it because we care. There are those who saw us in the 30s and 40s still around but, quite often, even they say their best times were when we went into the Third Division.

Every now and then, I look at the youtube clip of Andy Lochhead's goal against Bornemouth. Especially after bad defeats.

Not so much for the goal, I can remember that like it was yesterday, but for what I couldn't see at the time as I was standing there. A packed Holte reacting to a little bit of what following your team is all about.

[VancouverLion]

Brilliant stuff AC, exactly how I feel!!
Cheers and up the mighty Villa, we will be great again!!!!!!

VTID!