Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Archie on April 08, 2012, 10:56:16 PM
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PART ONE
Even if I was (and I am) a fan of P.G. Wodehouse, the particular circumstances of the case - as you can see - induce me to take as a starting pint the title of the famous book of Jerome K. Jerome (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Men_in_a_Boat) to tell the story of the trip to Italy of four proud villans, included the legend Ian Taylor, for the annual meeting of the Latin Lions, the Italian official fansclub.
I think that you can not but subscribe to this point of view. . . ;)
(http://i42.tinypic.com/qsa9w2.png)
(http://i43.tinypic.com/okttte.png)
(http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/7088/p1030053xw.jpg)
(http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/1684/p1030059a.jpg)
After landing, the Villa delegation was welcomed by the officials of Venezia (Venice) FC, a club that now languishes in the lower divisions, but that once was great (they won an Italian FA Cup and they nurtured Valentino Mazzola, the best Italian player ever, that died in the dramatic aerial crash of the Grande Torino at Superga, in 1949) and will come back to be great again, as they are owned by a Russian multibilionaire now.
Their training ground is modern and is as good as those of the clubs of the Italian serie A.
The media were alerted, but Ian decided to mock at them, and had the good idea to declare that he was the new English forward of Venezia. ;D.
(http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/3193/p1030050if.jpg)
(http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/6711/p1030085h.jpg)
The Venezia old stadium is decadent, now, but beautiful, being located in the isle of St. Helen, one of the thousands isles of Venice, a city that is literally built on the water, and can be reached only by boat, that creates an incredible atmosphere around the game.
(http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/189/p1030061do.jpg)
(http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/2679/p1030062u.jpg)
(http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/8775/p1030069t.jpg)
(http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/7133/p1030070a.jpg)
(http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/7762/p1030073z.jpg)
(http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/9377/p1030079qe.jpg)
(http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/8411/p1030080o.jpg)
(to be continued)
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Nice pics mate.
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Lovely stuff as ever Archie.
How is Ian's Italian?
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Great pics.
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Lovely stuff as ever Archie.
How is Ian's Italian?
He has learned the few essential words: ciao (hello), grazie (thank you) and. . . prosecco (prosecco) ;).
But he wants to come back asap, so he has the time to improve it!
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Thank you.
Four men - starting pint? Freudian slip?
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Do you think we could recreate this in Gas Street Basin?
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PART TWO
After the visit of the old Venice stadium, starter in a tranquil corner in the isle of St. Helen, dinner in a typical venetian tavern (baccaro) and many smiles in our heroes faces.
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(http://i42.tinypic.com/fawt2c.png)
(http://i39.tinypic.com/24xhxlz.png)
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Well this has cheered me up. Nice pics Archie.
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Looks like happy days indeed!
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Wish I had been there Archie, Venice is the most fantastic place I have had the good fortune to visit and seeing your photographs have bought back some very happy memories.
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Wish I had been there Archie, Venice is the most fantastic place I have had the good fortune to visit and seeing your photographs have bought back some very happy memories.
I will post other pics fpr your joy, mate!
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Lovely Archie, you always bring a ray of sunshine to the site, though I only wish I had more appetite to appreciate your efforts at this particular time
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Love Taylor but never met him. He's my biggest Villa hero. Think I'd be stunned if I was to meet him .
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Lovely Archie, you always bring a ray of sunshine to the site, though I only wish I had more appetite to appreciate your efforts at this particular time
I can understand your point, mate.
I also tend to be demoralised when I see that a nice but very small club like Norwich, to say one, play an entertaining, attacking football winning in style at WHL, whereas us, the Mighty Villa, play negative football home and away and play in the starting XI a player like Richard Dunne that in Italy wouldn't play in Third Division.
But then I think that in 140 years of history one or two transitional seasons can be accepted.
Form is temporarily, after all, class is permanent.
And the class of our beloved club is demonstrated by the fact the Villa don't exitate to send in Italy a former player and three representatives of it only to meet the fans. These are the things that make you feel part of a family. A family to which belong fans that share the same pride and values whatever the Country where they live. This is for me much more important than the results of the team on the pitch.
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Lovely Archie, you always bring a ray of sunshine to the site, though I only wish I had more appetite to appreciate your efforts at this particular time
I can understand your point, mate.
I also tend to be demoralised when I see that a nice but very small club like Norwich, to say one, play an entertaining, attacking football winning at WHL, whereas us, the Mighty Villa, play negative football home and away and play in the starting XI a player like Richard Dunne that in Italy wouldn't play in Third Division.
But then I think that in 140 years of history one or two transitional seasons can be accepted.
Form is temporarily, after all, class is permanent.
And the class of our beloved club is demonstrated by the fact the Villa don't exitate to send in Italy a former player and three representatives of its only to meet the fans. These are the things that make you feel part of a family. A family to which belong fans that share the same values whatever the Country where they live. These is for me much more important tha the results of the team on the pitch.
Great stuff Archie!
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Excellent Photos Archie. Very enjoyable.
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Lovely Archie, you always bring a ray of sunshine to the site, though I only wish I had more appetite to appreciate your efforts at this particular time
I can understand your point, mate.
I also tend to be demoralised when I see that a nice but very small club like Norwich, to say one, play an entertaining, attacking football winning in style at WHL, whereas us, the Mighty Villa, play negative football home and away and play in the starting XI a player like Richard Dunne that in Italy wouldn't play in Third Division.
But then I think that in 140 years of history one or two transitional seasons can be accepted.
Form is temporarily, after all, class is permanent.
And the class of our beloved club is demonstrated by the fact the Villa don't exitate to send in Italy a former player and three representatives of it only to meet the fans. These are the things that make you feel part of a family. A family to which belong fans that share the same pride and values whatever the Country where they live. This is for me much more important than the results of the team on the pitch.
Very very true. Indeed, this site itself is one of the few things that keeps me going at this miserable time, or should I say the great family of people on here whom I treat as friends even though I have never met many of them! It is great to feel part of such a wonderful family and to go through all the good and, more pertinently, the bad times together. I find it a great help
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Fantastic stuff Archie, so refreshing...
When Villa is in your heart, it stays right there.
Ian Taylor is a true legend too.
UTV
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The Latin Lions meeting was held in a restaurant on the hill and it was a success!
The first in the pic is Ross, former rugby player and current representetive of Macron, that was presented with a celebrative plaque.
He's a nice guy and a very proud Scottish: http://multimedia.quotidiano.net/?media=16429&tipo=photo&id=539175&cat_principale_page=1&canale=1&canale_page=1
Macron is so enthusiast of its partnership with our Villa, let's hope that it brings success for both. . .
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(http://i39.tinypic.com/34nlcfp.png)
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After watching the Arsenal game on TV we needed a beer or two, but we couldn'it imagine that Ian would occupy the bar. . .
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Two bakers are better than one.
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Who had the pleasure to bring home a Villa legend?
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Villans in Venice.
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