Meanwhile, off the pitch....

[pauliewalnuts]

We've had a few years of shambolic on-pitch stuff, which is one thing which made Sunday all the more special, but off the pitch we seem to have been really clued up for a while now.

This is well worth a watch. Not just because it's charitable work, but because of the nature of the charity, which isn't one you'd expect football clubs to gravitate to normally.

Well done, Villa.

[ozzjim]

Nice to see the club making a difference to peoples lives below the surface. Brilliant stuff.

[Villa in Denmark]

No matter how shit things have been on the pitch, we're usually top class off it, and that must be one of the best initiatives of recent times.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Agreed. We may not become a 'top brand' in India but actions like that make me even more proud of our work off the pitch.

[PeterWithesShin]

May as well put this here.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32509958

Kick It Out's chairman, Sir Herman Ouseley - who first set up a project to tackle football racism back in 1993 - says that Chelsea, Aston Villa, and Arsenal are three clubs who are providing an example for others when it comes to implementing equality in the industry.

[danno]

A positive BBC article about us.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32609968

[ChicagoLion]

Yes well done. Aston Villa doing the right thing.

[Toronto Villa]

great article and we do so many good things off the pitch that goes unnoticed because how gash things have been on it.

Question though, why aren't all the kids wearing kits with Acorns. I would have thought you couldn't promote gambling on the kids kits.

[tom jennings III]

Fantastic initiative to be involved with. Maybe it's because I don't hear about other clubs (the mainstream media definitely don't seem to report that much on community/charitable initiatives by any club) but we seem light years ahead and that makes me very proud of AVFC. Having seen first hand the sickening levels of poverty in Delhi and other parts of India it really drives home what a glimpse of hope like this can do for some of the kids there. Well done again Villa.

[purpletrousers]

A positive BBC article about us.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32609968


"On the pitch, there was no distinction between class, economic or cultural backgrounds."

If they managed to include Dalits ('untouchables'), those off the scale of the class system, that's so significant. Whilst things are a bit better in the big cities, still simply horrific discrimination/disablement far and wide despite caste being Illegal.

Jai Bhim/UTV!

[tom jennings III]

Agreed. It's such an age-old tradition (the caste system) that I don't think it will ever truly be abolished even if officially it is illegal. Would be interesting to know if there were Dalits playing.

[peter w]

http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~4717576,00.html

[old man villa fan]

Fantastic initiative to be involved with. Maybe it's because I don't hear about other clubs (the mainstream media definitely don't seem to report that much on community/charitable initiatives by any club) but we seem light years ahead and that makes me very proud of AVFC. Having seen first hand the sickening levels of poverty in Delhi and other parts of India it really drives home what a glimpse of hope like this can do for some of the kids there. Well done again Villa.

Others have said it before that most clubs do a great deal with the community but it never gets reported by the media.  They would rather sensationalise a player with a gas filled balloon or being out after midnight.