Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Lucky Eddie on June 20, 2011, 02:37:22 AM
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Moderator Pauliewallbents writes
''For all the grandstanding that goes on here about "OMG, I couldn't possibly live without Villa!!!" or "if i lived in the UK, I'd be there every day of the week, not just matchdays", the reality is that it is surprisingly easy to stop bothering when you've got other stuff to think about.
I wasted years of my life in the 80s and early 90s following Villa all over the place, then went and lived abroad for three years, so had little chance to watch us (pre web, pre satellite tv), then came back to the midlands and carried on not bothering at all for a few years longer. It was probably a hiatus of about 8 years or so when I got to about 3 matches at most.
Did it bother me at the time? No. Because I had other things to worry about / fill my time. That's life, it doesn't revolve around football. Does it make me any less of a fan? No, i don't think it does.
I don't like the "you're not allowed that opinion because you don't go very often" line because it is sneery and dismissive and there are probably lots of other people who could easily get to matches but don't bother, yet they don't seem to get the stick some posters do.
If you accept that's ok, then by the same stretch, next time you come back from the match to find someone on here who hasn't been to the match telling you what it is like - because they live in Timbuktu, or wherever, for whatever reason- you should feel comfortable in telling them their opinions don't count either, because they weren't there any more than the bloke who lives round the corner and spent the afternoon watching back to back repeats of Come Dine With Me.
By the same stretch, though, I also don't understand why anyone thinks anyone else should organise their whole life around Villa. The people who usually spend most time telling us how they organise their holidays around the league proramme, or they've called their firstborn Pongo McGregor McGrath or they're getting married and they're wearing claret and blue are the ones who seem to think they've got something to prove.
It really is just a sport, and while we all get really wound up by it, organising your whole life around it is a bit mental to say the least''.
Are all of the moderators and contributors to this site so 'take or leave it' regarding 'da villa'?
Have the passionate season ticket renewers been duped into considering their opinions?
????????????????????
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...........................and will the 'mods' have removed this thread before I sober up I wonder?
FFS if a bloke who posts ten thousand times about us has had 'periods of his life' in which he 'couldn't give a fuck' why on earth are the passionoftheholte wasting their time reading his worthless opinions?
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The social side of it/thing that binds us is, in all fairness, much of what keeps us interested when things on the pitch are bad (actually, we're all interested when we're doing bad. I should say ''when things are mediocre'').
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...........................and will the 'mods' have removed this thread before I sober up I wonder?
FFS if a bloke who posts ten thousand times about us has had 'periods of his life' in which he 'couldn't give a fuck' why on earth are the passionoftheholte wasting their time reading his worthless opinions?
The fact is that if you've got a lot going on in your life, then football is going to be put on the back burner for a bit. I stopped paying attention to Villa for a few years in the late 90's, possibly down to Gregory's football, but I was out clubbing every weekend back then as well. I wouldn't change it for the world either, I had a great laugh.
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The Villa are part of my family and part of my familys history, my forefathers have been in Brum longer than the Villa and have been going to Villa Park for as long as Villa have. We've seen all the ups and all the downs, even had a family death there in 1948. Whatever else has happened the Villa have been a constant thread, something we have all shared and I wouldnt want it any other way. I cant go every week and its murder to watch on the internet, but my daughter wouldnt speak to me for months if I made the trip without her so I guess the tradition is in safe hands. I know its not the same for everyone, thats just how it is for me.
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Like many others on here I love Aston Villa and they are part of my life a big part of my life my daughter will always be the most important person in my life and then the Villa as I'm single I get to see Villa more regular than if I was married again I couldn't be without the Villa in my life because they are like I've said before a big part of me.
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Lucky Eddie, Paulie's opinions are hardly worthless. Aston Villa are a big part of my life. Just not the most important.
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Villa is very important part of me and its a very important part of my family background. Its not the be all and end all, and its not about making big sacrifices which mean you neglect other parts of your life.
Im 54 and having been going regular since 1966. My Mom and Dad both went when they were still alive. When I think of my Dad I may remember us all going to a league cup game at Grimsby as a family, his last away game and we have one or two family photos in a box somewhere. When I think of my Mom, I may remember how she used to talk about away games we all went to more often than than she would talk about family holidays. For some reason, one of her favourites was a day out at York City in the 3rd division. After my Dad died, my Mom kept going and we sat in the Trinity Road. When she got a bit more unsteady on her feet we moved to the back row of the lower enclosure to minimise the steps. My brother took the seat on when she died as his playing days in the B'ham AFA were finishing and we are still in the same seats. His son comes down with us too. None of us are going to miss out on a holiday somewhere for the sake of one home game, but 9 times out of 10 we are all there. Its a family thing.
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I've 4 kids & appart from them villa comes 2nd, i have a v f c tattooed down my leftarm & had a season ticket for 15 years!
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...........................and will the 'mods' have removed this thread before I sober up I wonder?
FFS if a bloke who posts ten thousand times about us has had 'periods of his life' in which he 'couldn't give a fuck' why on earth are the passionoftheholte wasting their time reading his worthless opinions?
I think that's out of order to be honest.
You seem to have a large chip on your shoulder.
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I haven't been to a Villa game since 03, due to living in Australia before that though I had periods where I couldn't be arsed watching these were short lived as I had attended home and away since 76.
I now watch from the comfort of my armchair almost every game live, home and away. Not the same, nowhere near but it still fills in the gap that I have missed since leaving the UK.
I don't really miss it as much as I thought I would but my family are much more important to me. Villa are like the icing on the cake, wife and kids are 1st always but supporting Villa is that something that makes thing's worthwhile. If that makes sense???
Lucky Eddie, when you sober up you might want to apologises for that remark against Pauliewallbents as it is out of order.
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I started going to Villa Park when I was about 13 in the sixties (Villa 8 Leicester 3 is an abiding memory from those days as well as a last ditch fightback to make it 2-2 against Chelsea in a night match). I kept going while I could; then college, moving to London, working and living in Spain, having kids, back to London, family life, busy job, all managed to keep me away. The last ten years, since I lost my overly stressed job managing a language school and started to work for myself, I have reverted to proud season-ticket-holder status and manage to get up the motorway for most home games and to see the London away games too.
Throughout all that time, I don't think I have ever been MORE or LESS of a Villa fan, even though when I was living in Spain, I hardly knew what was going on. It just depends on circumstances, but the passion and the interest in your club is always there.
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You seem to specialise in these "considerably better fan than yow" posts Eddie. Villa dominated my life as a kid, and at the lives of at least two generations of my family before me, in more parochial times. The club is in my blood and my heart and I will always follow them and care about them. I used to think a bit like you do until I turned about 16 and realised there really are more things to life than football and Villa. I suspect you are a bit older than 16 although the tone of many of your posts seems to indficate otherwise. There are many rich, varied and wonderful life experiences I would have missed out on had I allowed watching Villa to dominate my time and finances. I'm glad I didn't and it doesnt make my opinion less valid than yours whatever you'may think.
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Given the fact that I have been depressed as fuck since last Sunday, and even worse since Friday, I'd say pretty important.
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Villa are a big thing in my life, however my family are bigger. From the age of 14 to 21, my life was all Villa, everthing i did was about the Villa. But i then went to New Zealand, got with my now wife and moved to Cornwall. I moved to Cornwall for a better family life. I miss match days, meeting with mates, going for a couple before and after the game and so on. However i wouldn't change anything. I still get to around 5 or 6 matches a season a mix of home and away and its great. I go now with my wife and we make a weekend of it. Planning of the trip to Fulham is already under way.
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Aston Villa means the world to me. They always have and always will be a huge part of my life, and, like a previous poster, we have had a family death down there. I did my school history project on them when I was thirteen, against the advice of a teacher, so was probably unhealthily obsessed for some time before that. I've written countless articles and a book on the subject, helped with a couple of others, been invited onto TV to talk about them, and worked there for over twenty years. Thanks to the internet, I probably read all Villa-related articles every day, and see most games. I don't think I'm a 'better fan' than anybody, but am willing to acknowledge that some who hardly miss a game are 'better' than me, including some of the hundreds of mates I've got down there, with whom, through our common experiences, I've forged a solid bond.
I've lived without going to the match before, through finances and other interests, but always knew I'd be back. Still looking forward to a period in my life when family and finances permit me to do all the aways. Always passionately VTID.
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I had a season ticket all through university in the early 90s when I was in Brum, then after moving up to the North West I carried it on for a couple of years until being made redundant. After that I got to a few home games and most of the more northerly away games until I moved over here 5 years ago, and now distance and kids mean that my games are very infrequent indeed.
I do however think that the Premier League is killing football, so although the Villa are still very important to me, my interest in football as a whole continues to take knocks as there are more and more scandals and it becomes less competitive every year. The thing I miss most about going to the match I think is pre or post drinks with a group of mates. That's always good, even if the match itself ends up being disappointing. When I came over last to watch Bolton away, I couldn't help but think we'd have been better off just staying in the boozer!
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rather a bizarre attack on paulie, Lucky eddie. You'll make enough enemies on here without going looking for them.
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Being at college the last 2 years i havent been able to afford a season ticket, I've still managed to go to every game I can afford. It doesn't make me less of a fan. Im at the age now where i can go out with my mates clubbing and such. I've just got a full time job but doubt i'll afford a season ticket just yet. I'll be getting a half season ticket and attending. The Villa will always be a big part of my life, but not the most important
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...........................and will the 'mods' have removed this thread before I sober up I wonder?
FFS if a bloke who posts ten thousand times about us has had 'periods of his life' in which he 'couldn't give a fuck' why on earth are the passionoftheholte wasting their time reading his worthless opinions?
What a bizarre load of nonsense.
It's difficult to know where to start in countering stuff like this, but I suspect you won't actually understand in any case, so I won't waste my time trying.
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...........................and will the 'mods' have removed this thread before I sober up I wonder?
FFS if a bloke who posts ten thousand times about us has had 'periods of his life' in which he 'couldn't give a fuck' why on earth are the passionoftheholte wasting their time reading his worthless opinions?
We should all drink more than is good for us one night then have a thread picking random fights with each other, for no other reason than we can. Mods drunk too so they are incapable of seeing their keyboards to keep control. After a home defeat to give it some edge. ;D
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I have loved, and been fascinated by, Aston Villa since I was about 8. This in itself is very unusual given that I grew up in rural Ireland and was surrounded by family who were mostly into other sports. I had an aunt and uncle who liked football but they were Man U fans. Nobody introduced me to villa, I just found and loved them all by myself.
Some seasons I have paid less attention than others because of major milestones: important exams, coping with deaths, women etc. I was in my undergrad for most of the DO'L period and I reckon it was the most disinterested in the villa that I have ever been.
For me, Aston Villa is a huge part of my identity and when I go to visit my parents back home there is something of the 'I'm the only villan in the village' about it. People associate me with villa and ask me about it. I like that. It's also a form of escape for me. No matter how bad things are in my life, villa exists on another level. It's always there no matter how good/bad other aspects of my life are. Back in 2008 I went through a very hard time from March to December pretty much and, at that time, I could usually rely on villa to get a decent result to lift me.
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Of course Villa are important to me, I wouldn't spend so much time on here arguing the toss with you lot if they weren't but they are still just a hobby and a way of socialising with like-minded people.
It's about striking a balance isn't it? If you have no other commitments that are more important to you than Aston Villa then that's fine, base your life around them, you may even be lucky enough to work for them and have a family as passionate as you are.
I will say though, if a bad result or a poor decision by the board get you worked up and angry to the extent of you becoming depressed or doing something criminal I'd suggest you have a long, hard look at yourself.
Above all, watching your football club should be fun shouldn't it, regardless of how they are doing surely your leisure time should be spent doing something you actually enjoy, no?
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Cop this for a contradiction.
I go to all home matches and most away matches and I see fans who would never miss a match. Do I respect them? No I think they should get a life!!
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I used to follow Villa home and away as a kid and I couldn't sleep at night before big games. As I have got older and know a few footballers, I have to say my passion has waned dramatically. I'll always follow the Villa and stand up for them whenever we are in converastion but I pick and choose my games now and much prefer away games due to the chance to have a few beers, a laugh with my mates and a bit of atmosphere.
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Cop this for a contradiction.
I go to all home matches and most away matches and I see fans who would never miss a match. Do I respect them? No I think they should get a life!!
That's my thought. Anyone who takes it less seriously than me is a dirty part-timer-cum-NewFootie-fan who should go back to watching opera and anyone who takes it more seriously is a sad anorak who should sort their priorities.
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Cop this for a contradiction.
I go to all home matches and most away matches and I see fans who would never miss a match. Do I respect them? No I think they should get a life!!
That's my thought. Anyone who takes it less seriously than me is a dirty part-timer-cum-NewFootie-fan who should go back to watching opera and anyone who takes it more seriously is a sad anorak who should sort their priorities.
Bus mans holiday for you though Dave.
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Watching opera?
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Watching opera?
Verdi good.Watching opera?
Can't see much call for an Opera fanzine.
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When I was a teenager and had a Villa obsession,and later on when I was a season ticket holder,I use to hate Saturdays in the summer,as I missed the games.
But now I'm older I really appreciate summer Saturdays,its nothing to do with Villa,but the whole over exposure of football,the hype from sky,how everything is marketed towards making money. It's not even down to us not cracking the top four,as we've never been a top four team that much in my lifetime,so I'm use to us having average seasons.
Cost of matches and players wages has turned me off of football more and more in recent years.
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Arrigo Sacchi once said of the game as a whole that "Football is the most important of life's least important things."
I'd go with that.
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Arrigo Sacchi once said of the game as a whole that "Football is the most important of life's least important things."
I'd go with that.
cracking quote. If I had to choose between Villa and my life experiences, and more importantly that of my friends and family, Villa won't makw the cut. I love the club as evidenced by need to come on this place every 30 seconds, but I was never to going stay in Birmingham to fuel that passion while more attractive opportunties to better myself existed. With the internet, satellite TV etc I really don't miss a thing. Nothing can properly replace the feeling of going to down to game. I wish I could go more but it's been a worthwhile sacrifice.
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Not very important at all in the great scheme of things. They are pretty important where my 8 year old son is concerned though.
Off Topic is where most of my posts are made these days before any comment about the amount of posts i've made come into play.
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I used to follow Villa home and away as a kid and I couldn't sleep at night before big games. As I have got older and know a few footballers, I have to say my passion has waned dramatically. I'll always follow the Villa and stand up for them whenever we are in converastion but I pick and choose my games now and much prefer away games due to the chance to have a few beers, a laugh with my mates and a bit of atmosphere.
And that's exactly what's missing at Villa Park nowadays. You get a bit of desultory singing from the back of The Holte now and again and apart from that bugger all else. Nobody seems to know all the words to Holte Enders In the Sky anymore. I'm sorry but it means a lot more than singing the chorus for a few seconds to get the crowd going.
It's about time we started to live up to the Twelfth Man tag emblazoned across the Holte End.
" As I rode out one dark and stormy night, I saw a poor City fan......."
So who can add the rest of the lines?
It's time we again made Villa Park the fortress it once was.
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Born and raised in Brum for over 30 yrs and now living in the States for almost 20 yrs. On the who's a better fan debate, I have no doubt I was a better fan while I lived in Brum.
I quite simply look back now and see that I was addicted to the Villa. I was a season ticket holder and did not miss games home or away unless absolutely necessary. There were many times that I went several consecutive seasons without missing a game and would also spend a lot of time down at the reserves. I turned down promotions due to the chance of it interfering with Villa games.
Travel was my 2nd love and when I came to the States planning to stay 1 yr on a working trip, leaving Villa behind for a year was the biggest struggle. At that time an occasional English game would be aired at obscure times like 4 am and even in getting up to watch a game at that time it would be common for it to be bumped by some lower league baseball game or the like.
I look forward to returning to Villa games once in a while, I enjoyed seeing my son walk out as a mascot for a game, I took my family to the Columbus game and had a great time. I sacrificed many many things in my life to follow the Villa, and I have since sacrificed following Villa "live" to stay with the American woman I met, fell in love with and raised children with, all of the aforementioned are Villa fans by the way . I watch every game just as passionately albeit a lot more sober, and Aston Villa are as much in my blood as they have ever beenand always will be
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change better fan to a more devoted fan
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Aston Villa are important to me. I still check SSN and online daily for any news about the club, I still go to about 8 or 9 home games a year and I vent my spleen on fine sites such as this. I also feel just as passionately about the England cricket and Rugby teams.
However, there are things far more important in my life. Such as family, friends and making sure I can earn a living.
A bad result 5 years ago would render me unapproachable for the next couple of days. Now its throw a little tantrum whilst no ones looking and thats that. Maybe thats partly because of my growing dislike for what football has in general become, or more likely because i'm growing up.
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Arrigo Sacchi once said of the game as a whole that "Football is the most important of life's least important things."
I'd go with that.
That's a very nice way of putting it.
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Me too, what a wise man!
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The Villa have always been a huge part of my life and they always will. I've got my season ticket, i do a lot of away games (i missed 5 last season) and spend an awful lot of time on here, too much time probably.
I have found though that as i've got older, that it's not the end of the world if we lose. Yes, it's disapointing, but that's as far as it goes because you can't change the result. I remember being at Chelsea when we were 7-1 down thinking, oh well, what can you do? I think the last time i was angry after a result was when we threw that 4-1 lead away at Spurs. Since then, it's a case of chat about it in the car on the way back or over a pint or two, then more or less forget about it.
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Arrigo Sacchi once said of the game as a whole that "Football is the most important of life's least important things."
I'd go with that.
Yes that makes sense.
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Cop this for a contradiction.
I go to all home matches and most away matches and I see fans who would never miss a match. Do I respect them? No I think they should get a life!!
That IS life.
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I think there are four distinct periods to my Villa-supporting. As a kid in the 70s and early 80s, as a student in the mid 80s, as a young working adult up to about 2000 and then the years since at the onset of middle age.
I once made an analogy of my relationship with the Villa as being like that of the first serious spend-the-night, meet-the-parents girlfriend, who you still see from time-to-time years later.
At the start the relationship was all consuming: the only thing that really mattered was the time spent together; and when it wasn't match day, I 'd spent the time thinking about or talking about nothing else.
However, the relationship cooled as I found new interests and met new friends. The club was still there in my heart, victories were celebrated and defeats hurt, but if I went periods of time without seeing them it didn't unduly concern me.
Then there was a long and sweetly remembered reconciliation through the late 80s and 90s. It was never as all-encompassing as it was at the beginning, but following the team was a big part of my life.
Finally, there was the mid-life rationalising of the money-spent against the pleasure gained, the time constraints brought about by other commitments and responsibilities, coupled with the cynicism brought on by seeing the same cycles of optimism and despair being repeated again and again by an ever-changing cast of itinerant millionaires. Villa are still my team. I care about them, worry about them and want the best for them, look forward to when I do see them, but no longer feel like putting myself to any great inconvenience on their behalf.
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Had nightmares last week when Alex McLeish was rumoured to be coming but Mrs M hid all the
knives in the kitchen so I'm still in the land of the living today albeit slightly depressed with life -
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I have "SHIT ON THE CITY" tattoed across my buttocks. I have three sons named "Juan Pablo", "Savo" and "Bernard Gallagher". I've never missed a game, home or away... even going so far as to invent time travel so I could watch all the matches from before I was born. I'm the best fan ever so there.
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I'm in awe (http://you-win-the-internet.com/?n=cdvillafan)
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I'm in awe (http://you-win-the-internet.com/?n=cdvillafan)
I promise to use my prize wisely.
**Googles Suzanne Virdee mud-wrestling**
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I have "SHIT ON THE CITY" tattoed across my buttocks. I have three sons named "Juan Pablo", "Savo" and "Bernard Gallagher". I've never missed a game, home or away... even going so far as to invent time travel so I could watch all the matches from before I was born. I'm the best fan ever so there.
Not a word of anti baggies sentiment there. Part time supporter !
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Since about the age of 5 or 6 I have loved The Villa.
Growing up in Ireland like Irishvillain said, surrounded by Man U and Liverpool fans you tend to stand out wearing a Villa shirt. I love this but it can make you an easy target and a source of entertainment at times.
I have stuck with the Villa through school years , collage and and now in my mid 30s My love for Villa is as strong as ever.
My 3 year old daughter comes first , I never thought Villa would be pushed into 2nd place but that's the joy of having kids.
I make it over to one game a season and once that's done I spend the next 12 months looking forward to my next trip over.
Villa till I die.
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Villa winning or losing makes a BIG difference to my life every week during the season.
I hate the so called Sky teams. I hate the fact that we are not competitive enough or good enough to be right up there. I have NEVER regarded any other Club in England to be permanently better than the Villa. Never!
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I have AVFC tatooed on my penis. When I'm excited it read Aston Vi........
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I love the villa,they have the power to make me really happy if very very sad. I have been to many games home and away but I don't have a season ticket anymore I gave it up under Mon, I do still go as much as I can and I still get nervous on the walk to the ground. I have made many great friends as well comin to the games
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Arrigo Sacchi once said of the game as a whole that "Football is the most important of life's least important things."
That sounds very much like a quote from John Paul II. "Amongst all unimportant subjects, football is by far the most important." Maybe Sacchi was paraphrasing.
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Arrigo Sacchi once said of the game as a whole that "Football is the most important of life's least important things."
That sounds very much like a quote from John Paul II. "Amongst all unimportant subjects, football is by far the most important." Maybe Sacchi was paraphrasing.
I've just had a search for it and found the original quote:
"Il Calcio č la cosa pių importante delle cose non importanti" (Arrigo Sacchi)
Which translates directly as:
'Football is the most important of the not important things'
I don't know who is para-phrasing who though.
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I have AVFC tatooed on my penis. When I'm excited it read Aston Vi........
Couldn't you afford the extra letters?
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I have AVFC tatooed on my penis. When I'm excited it read Aston Vi........
Couldn't you afford the extra letters?
It read as "Aston Viagra"?
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It's more of a social thing for me. If Villa had been relegated a few times and fallen on hard times i'd still enjoy going to the games with my mates. Football isn't really my favorite sport. Villa will always be a huge part of my life regardless of the manager, players, stadium etc.
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I just simply refuse to miss a game. It costs one hell of a lot of money to do it, but at the moment, I won't miss a game. I find an Away Day is the only way to take absolutely everything else off the brain for the day, not only due to the excessive amounts of alcohol but due to the excitement and build up.
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Throughout my early teens Villa were everything, the reason i took two paper rounds.As time has progressed though it's become a lesser thing.Work commitments during my early twenties coupled with financial constraints limited my visits.Then I met the wife and decided that i'd take her 10yr old son to the Villa,my interest re-awakened.I'm 33 now and have added two daughters of my own so it's more of a passing interest these days as I have far greater priorities.I coach a kids team and I enjoy being involved in that far more than I do going up the Villa these days.I still hate 19 Premiership sides along with 72 football league clubs and the witterings of Mickey Quinn on Talksport over the past couple of weeks has cost me a few quid in text messages where i felt the urge to call him a variety of names associated with being a fat scouse nobhead.However, this will be my third consecutive season without a season ticket and I can't see that changing in the near future.
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I have AVFC tatooed on my penis. When I'm excited it read Aston Vi........
Couldn't you afford the extra letters?
There was no space!
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I love football, I love the Villa. If something else comes up that stops me from watching a game, I pretty much generally do it. Life comes first, Villa are at the top of the "if I've got the time" category. If I can live life and spend time with family and friends AND see the Villa, then lucky me.
There are better fans than me and there are people that need some perspective in life.
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Villa are a very important part of my life.
My Dad started taking me down in 1989 to see whether I'd enjoy going. My Dad has been a season ticket holder and a very passionate supporter since the early sixties.
I don't recall the very early games, apart from the fact I used to cry at the living room window when he decided for whatever reason not too take me. I remember vivid things like my name being on the score board for what would have been my 5th birthday.
I had my first season ticket in the old Witton Lane Stand, aged 6 in the 1991-192 season. I loved everything about going to the Villa. I remember my mum asking upon picking me up from school with a few of my friends birthday parties and saying "well Dan, who's party are you going too? Will it be Phil's or Tracey's"
My reply was "I can't mum, we've got Notts County at home"!
I moved to Manchester for a job in 2007, and yet I've still kept my season ticket. I've not ever missed a home league game. I've also only missed one Cup Game, The only exception was the Rapid Vienna game last season. I had a meeting at work that I just couldnt get out of or re-arragne!. I've also been to pretty much every away game since 1992.
I still go with my dad, and I've got to admit to re-arranging prety much everything around the Villa. I'm in a stable relationship, and she puts up with it. Holidays, you name it is re-arranged around our fixture list!
I think the reason I am the way I am, is because I've been going from such an early age that I really don't know any different. For me, going to the Villa is literally a way of life. It's still the highlight of my week. It's also just as important that my Dad still comes home and away with me. It's what we do together, and he introduced it to me.
I've also had some fantastic experiences watching Villa away and in Europe and have so many different experiences, travels, stories to tell and a great bunch of mates that I commute with from Manchester.
I'm also commemorating my 500th game against Wolves on 27th August. Not bad for a 26 year old!
Up The Villa.
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Important. But not the be all and end all.
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I do not subscribe to the either or approach which seems to require that you either have a balanced productive satisfying life and watch the Villa when you can and when it fits in with other important stuff or you are totally consumed by the passions of following your chosen team.
I cannot think of any activity or pursuit I have been denied or been deprived of by following Villa. I mow lawns, tile bathrooms, pay bills, support charities, go to church, sign petitions, moan at the wheelie bin men just like other normal human beings. I did once try to clip a yew tree at the top of my drive into the shape of the European Cup but it was not a success.
For me it all began with my mother's father one of ten orphaned brothers and sisters in Corporation Street workhouse finding in Aston Villa the momentum through sport to escape the dire poverty into which he was born and continues to this day though my son's children, the oldest of whom walking with me down Bevington Avenue to the Wigan game said "you know the three things I like best about being a Villa fan?" "Tell me" I said. "When I come to Villa I can shout and swear. I can eat chips and I can wear my Villa shirt without people making fun of me." Clever lad that but he is Damon's boy.