Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Smirker on August 31, 2013, 01:00:07 AM
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- We are one of only a handful of English clubs to have won the European Cup (and one of them only managed it by spending a billion.)
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The name, the ground, the colours.
Followed by the traditions, the history and that there's still an "Aston Villa way of doing things" whether it comes to honouring and respecting traditions and history or how it treats its supporters.
That there's thousands of other mad eejits that feel the same way as I do about the same thing.
And finally, Christian Benteke's alien ears.
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Aston Villa F.C.
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I could go on all day,founder members,Rotterdam,22 major trophies etc,but at the moment its the away support and the attitude of the players.
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I'm proud of the way our current manager does business in the transfer market. No fuss, no overpriced big names, just good business with young, talented, hungry players.
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Everything. In good and bad times.
We're Aston Villa. That makes me proud.
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There's not enough bandwidth on the internet to do this topic justice.
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The name, the ground, the colours.
Yes just this plus for me , of course, the geographical location snugged at the bottom of Aston Park.
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Balti pies
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Gloryhunting.
The Third Division.
7 F.A. Cups
Chico Hamilton and a cold wet walk down Electric Avenue to watch Tranmere.
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http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2992913,00.html
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We epitomise the phrase "A proper club" , and the fact that lots of neutral observers say that about us.
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Turning onto Trinity Road and seeing the ground loom above you like a temple. It's the greatest club in the world.
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"The door to the lavishly appointed guest room....." etc.
Come on Frank, do the honours.
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It was easy for me. I was born on Fentham Road in Aston. This is just off the Trinity Road and is the shape of a dog leg. I was born right on the bend and Villa Park can be seen very clearly from that spot.
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Everything. In good and bad times.
We're Aston Villa. That makes me proud.
This.
And the family links obviously, though this was never a big issue growing up. We were all Aston/Hockley people and the Villa was part of our lives. And still is.
As eamonn says: "The name, the ground, the colours."
I love Aston Villa.
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My mom and dad support Villa, my kids, my brothers, my nephews & neices support Villa.
My ex-wife doesn't.
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Aston Villa F.C.
There is that too, yes.
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My mom and dad support Villa, my kids, my brothers, my nephews & neices support Villa.
My ex-wife doesn't.
I take it that's why she is your ex!!!!
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Everything.
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Fuck me, how long have you got?
Generations of Villa fans on my dad's side of the family growing up in Gravelly Hill, Erdington and Wylde Green started me off believing I follow a unique club and that feeling has never once dimmed. Never once.
I look at someone like Chelsea and am so proud that in off field matters, we are almost the opposite of them in almost every respect
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As everyone says there is so much to be proud about. One thing I will say is though when I come to the ground I'm left a little speechless and I have tingles going right through me every time. From the moment you first see it through all the way to the turnstiles and then you come out and see that lush green pitch. What a feeling.
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Fuck me, how long have you got?
Generations of Villa fans on my dad's side of the family growing up in Gravelly Hill, Erdington and Wylde Green started me off believing I follow a unique club and that feeling has never once dimmed. Never once.
I look at someone like Chelsea and am so proud that in off field matters, we are almost the opposite of them in almost every respect
It's taken them over a billion quid of spending to close in on our trophy count, which says it all. As for how much the other clubs have spent to overtake us...
Being the home of league football, William McGregor and all that, makes me the most proud of the club. Another thing that gets me, though, is the support we attract - the diversity is pretty breathtaking. We don't attract the superficial, gloryhunting, plastic type because we are not given a media-hyped profile (which in many ways a blessing) this means people who end up supporting us (non-Brummies at least) often seek the club out, learn about it and immerse themselves in it.
Going back to the diversity of our support point (and not wanting to start a political debate, this is strictly a point about Villa) I learnt the other day that Bobby Sands (an Irish Republican for the younger folk out there) was a Villa fan. What other club could attract such polar extremes of social hue as the future King of Great Britain and the most famous Irish republican of modern times?
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Fuck me, how long have you got?
Generations of Villa fans on my dad's side of the family growing up in Gravelly Hill, Erdington and Wylde Green started me off believing I follow a unique club and that feeling has never once dimmed. Never once.
I look at someone like Chelsea and am so proud that in off field matters, we are almost the opposite of them in almost every respect
It's taken them over a billion quid of spending to close in on our trophy count, which says it all. As for how much the other clubs have spent to overtake us...
Being the home of league football, William McGregor and all that, makes me the most proud of the club. Another thing that gets me, though, is the support we attract - the diversity is pretty breathtaking. We don't attract the superficial, gloryhunting, plastic type because we are not given a media-hyped profile (which in many ways a blessing) this means people who end up supporting us (non-Brummies at least) often seek the club out, learn about it and immerse themselves in it.
Going back to the diversity of our support point (and not wanting to start a political debate, this is strictly a point about Villa) I learnt the other day that Bobby Sands (an Irish Republican for the younger folk out there) was a Villa fan. What other club could attract such polar extremes of social hue as the future King of Great Britain and the most famous Irish republican of modern times?
Well he was an MP.
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I think Villa Park is a stunning place. For me, Villa Park is Aston Villa. It is just steeped in the history of the club and the redevelopment of the modern ground has been reasonably (Trinity facade aside) respectful to the history of the ground.
Aston Villa is just a great club with a magnificent history, beautiful colours, unique name and one of the best stadiums in world football. Aston Villa FC = class.
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I think Villa Park is a stunning place. For me, Villa Park is Aston Villa. It is just steeped in the history of the club and the redevelopment of the modern ground has been reasonably (Trinity facade aside) respectful to the history of the ground.
Aston Villa is just a great club with a magnificent history, beautiful colours, unique name and one of the best stadiums in world football. Aston Villa FC = class.
I agree, the stadium really is fantastic and this isn't bias as loads of fans of other teams say the same to me. Posted it the other day but worth posting again:
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BS2BvpXCIAAKhWZ.jpg)
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Aston Villa, 1874-2013 a nd counting...this equates to one hundred and thirty nine years of history, precedence, innovation, style and character. When all this is added together you arrive at an institution, and that institution is known as class. Does anyone need a better reason to be proud to be a Villa fan? I think not.
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If I could choose any club to have been brought up a fan of I would still choose Aston Villa. We are the lucky chosen ones.
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My mom and dad support Villa, my kids, my brothers, my nephews & neices support Villa.
My ex-wife doesn't.
I take it that's why she is your ex!!!!
She could never understand why I insisted on spending Wednesday nights and all-day Saturday with my true love.
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With all the rest of my family, without acception, supporting the Albion, the pride of me being right and them all so very, very wrong.
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Its a part of who I am and you know that ever one else that knows anything about Association Football secretly wishes that they had chosen The Villa
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Because my dad did.
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I think Villa Park is a stunning place. For me, Villa Park is Aston Villa. It is just steeped in the history of the club and the redevelopment of the modern ground has been reasonably (Trinity facade aside) respectful to the history of the ground.
Aston Villa is just a great club with a magnificent history, beautiful colours, unique name and one of the best stadiums in world football. Aston Villa FC = class.
I agree, the stadium really is fantastic and this isn't bias as loads of fans of other teams say the same to me. Posted it the other day but worth posting again:
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BS2BvpXCIAAKhWZ.jpg)
this
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It was decreed by my mother that my sister and i would be Villa fans, even before we were born,
so there was no choice in that regard.
Nothing has made me want to swtch my allegiance in the 50 intervening years, not even the dark days.
The good times are obvious, but it makes me proud that the club, whoever is, or was, in charge,
has always tried to do the right thing for the right reasons.
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I have been Villa all my life. My mother's side of the family are all Blues. My dad who is from Belfast started courting my mom when he was in the navy during the 50's. A happy convenience was that his sister was courting a man from Stratford who was a big Villa fan and my dad fell in love with their trips to VP. I have seen a number of clubs have their 15 minutes of fame. Kids running through the streets of Telford wearing Liverpool, Chelsea, United and even Blackburn strips. We have never been devalued in that way and yet you sense that despite our proud history there will be another period in the near future when we will rise to the top again. Nobody can prevent it forever. We support Aston Villa, one of the World's biggest clubs. That's what makes me proud; the past, present and future.
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Because my dad did.
That will be my sons answer.
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Was in Dublin for the Shamrock Rovers game. Met up with some realtives, Everton, Liverpool, Leeds etc supporters all of them have been to Villa Park. They vere all suprised how big and spacious it is and how we are a big club.
We really don't know how lucky we are!
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Because my dad did.
That will be my sons answer.
Mine and SOTC too.
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The away support.
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"The door to the lavishly appointed guest room....." etc.
Come on Frank, do the honours.
The door to the lavishly appointed Guest Room at Villa Park was open and out in the corridor the little boys, dodging the commissionaire, were calling for Brian Little and John Gidman. Quite rightly, they took no notice of myself and the elderly bald-headed man, bespectacled, stooping a little, who was quietly finishing his tea. He looked over at them for a moment, a whimsical look, and moved to the long window overlooking the now deserted playing pitch.
"Every time you come here it must bring back memories Pongo," I said. He stared out for a long while. I thought he'd forgotten I was there. "Aye", he said suddenly "aye, they're a great club...the greatest." I stood and looked with him, this old man whose goals had set the Villa crowds roaring so long ago. It was not quite dusk on that March afternoon and I saw them too...they were out again, the old ghosts...Jack Hughes, scorer just about one hundred years earlier of Aston Villa's first goal (perhaps to the very day)...George Ramsay...the Hunter brothers...Willie McGregor...Denny Hodgetts...legion upon legion of them on parade now, filling the field with claret and blue...the century with pride.
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The away support.
We are bloody good arnt we ?
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The away support.
We are bloody good arnt we ?
(http://replygif.net/i/159.gif)
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Is that quote from the Children of the Revolution?
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The Peter Morris book iirc.
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Where to begin? Maybe with our Wesleyan roots that have perhaps instilled in us our innate decency as a club, an uncanny ability to do 'the right thing, a quality that endures to this day.
The characters in our story; George Ramsay - the greatest Villa club man of all time - no mean feat when one considers his rivals for that honour. Player, captain, revolutionary coach, secretary, manager and director. 59 (I think) years unbroken service during which he turned us from a bunch of enthusiastic amateurs into the most powerful professional sporting organisation in the world.
William MacGregor, who's vision made us the most historically significant club in the game. The wonderful statue which is such a fitting tribute.
Fred Rinder, another visionary who's influence we still enjoy everytime we visit our Paradise.
The roll-call of our internationals - a list that is longer than any other club for our home country.
Hundreds (thousands?) of other, perhaps less celebrated, players, and their fascinating stories.
Our protest against fascism in its epicentre in 1938. The recognition of our work towards harmony and inclusion in the present day.
The Acorns sponsorship and on-going partnership. Where we led others have followed.
Our supporters and the way we rallied round when the club was at its lowest ebb to not only ensure its survival, but drive it on to its greatest success.
The current team and management - their way of doing things is a beacon of sanity and decency in today's insane and obscene money-obsessed game.
We're just class.
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As a non Brummie and someone with no family ties to the area and absolutely no reason to support the Villa I quite often find myself thinking why Villa? It's simple, Villa Park and the Holte End. I'd been to loads of football grounds before a friend invited me to VP for a game against Coventry in September 1990. Highbury, white hart lane, loftus road, vicarage road, London road, the abbey stadium, blundell park and sincil bank had all passed me by in various trips with family and friends but the first time I stepped onto the Holte End it was different. To paraphrase I can't remember who the history the tradition and most of all the feeling that this was a special place seemed to crackle around the whole ground. For someone who could previously have been construed as a teenage armchair Liverpool fan it flicked something in me that I just can't explain and whilst my attendance every other week at Villa Park has never been guaranteed this club, the ground and its history will always be a part of me, and now for my son. There are others clubs with history and tradition which interest me and I respect but none of them come close to Aston Villa.
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I think Villa Park is a stunning place. For me, Villa Park is Aston Villa. It is just steeped in the history of the club and the redevelopment of the modern ground has been reasonably (Trinity facade aside) respectful to the history of the ground.
Aston Villa is just a great club with a magnificent history, beautiful colours, unique name and one of the best stadiums in world football. Aston Villa FC = class.
I agree, the stadium really is fantastic and this isn't bias as loads of fans of other teams say the same to me. Posted it the other day but worth posting again:
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BS2BvpXCIAAKhWZ.jpg)
this
Absolutely beautiful. I usually have Villa Park as my laptop wallpaper. I usually alternate between about ten different images. I just love the place.
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Where to begin? Maybe with our Wesleyan roots that have perhaps instilled in us our innate decency as a club, an uncanny ability to do 'the right thing, a quality that endures to this day.
The characters in our story; George Ramsay - the greatest Villa club man of all time - no mean feat when one considers his rivals for that honour. Player, captain, revolutionary coach, secretary, manager and director. 59 (I think) years unbroken service during which he turned us from a bunch of enthusiastic amateurs into the most powerful professional sporting organisation in the world.
William MacGregor, who's vision made us the most historically significant club in the game. The wonderful statue which is such a fitting tribute.
Fred Rinder, another visionary who's influence we still enjoy everytime we visit our Paradise.
The roll-call of our internationals - a list that is longer than any other club for our home country.
Hundreds (thousands?) of other, perhaps less celebrated, players, and their fascinating stories.
Our protest against fascism in its epicentre in 1938. The recognition of our work towards harmony and inclusion in the present day.
The Acorns sponsorship and on-going partnership. Where we led others have followed.
Our supporters and the way we rallied round when the club was at its lowest ebb to not only ensure its survival, but drive it on to its greatest success.
The current team and management - their way of doing things is a beacon of sanity and decency in today's insane and obscene money-obsessed game.
We're just class.
Wonderfully put Percy a perfect précis. So many reasons that no other club can match. Well done.
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Thanks Dave.
Also think it is worth mentioning our literary cannon - some of the best football books ever are Villa-specific - our great fanzine and this website. I see them as a by-product of being the greatest club and having such wonderful and diverse support, but they all need a lot of hard work and talent, so deserve a mention,
I also love the setting of the stadium, the Holte pub, the church, Aston Hall and park, King Edward's school, the Bartons etc. Aston often gets a bad press, but there's a lot of good there too if you look around.
And being the biggest club in a great metropolis like Birmingham is not to be sniffed at either, as long as one doesn't look too hard at the competition.
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Thanks Dave.
Also think it is worth mentioning our literary cannon - some of the best football books ever are Villa-specific - our great fanzine and this website. I see them as a by-product of being the greatest club and having such wonderful and diverse support, but they all need a lot of hard work and talent, so deserve a mention,
I also love the setting of the stadium, the Holte pub, the church, Aston Hall and park, King Edward's school, the Bartons etc. Aston often gets a bad press, but there's a lot of good there too if you look around.
And being the biggest club in the great metropolis like Birmingham is not to be sniffed at either, as long as one doesn't look too hard at the competition.
You should write a book.
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I love the setting of Villa Park. The Church, The Holte Pub, Aston Hall and the park. There's no place id rather be on earth than walking up to Villa Park on a Matchday.
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crikey where do you start.
the answer reminds me of that part in monty pythons life of brian "what have the romans done for us"
the history and standing of aston villa in the game
the way we conduct ourselves
the un rivalled support
the famous old ground that all other fans love to come to
the holte end known all to all fans everywhere
the refusal of the nazi salute in 1938
the we dont need a billionaire to be a big club(cuz we already are and always have been)
the club badge which oozes class
that claret and blue shirt which is magnificent
48,000 at villa park for the 3rd div game v bournemouth which was the first game ever shown on motd from the 3rd div
yea ok besides all that what makes you proud to support the villa
my grandad who introduced me to the villa aged 6 a guy who put his life savings into the villa shares when we was in danger of being broke and who spurned generations of villa fans that will never end
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If Dave was so inclined to print it, and thinking of Legions "From a fans perspective" idea, I have long been tempted to write a "Why The Villa?" Book.
I could get some dead interesting people to write about but, as Dave would ask, "Is there a markst for it?"
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I still have all my original material if you ever need it. Some great stuff from Steve Stride aswell which I did not get around to putting together. I got interest from two publishers, but they were the 'vanity' type so I did not pursue it. The avfp website is still hosted on my server but I could not afford to renew it with the site host.
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A very generous offer, Lee. I will leave it to the good folk here in the meantime.
Would you pay good money to read such a book?
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Yes.
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Indeed.
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Not half.
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Definitely.
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Where to begin? Maybe with our Wesleyan roots that have perhaps instilled in us our innate decency as a club, an uncanny ability to do 'the right thing, a quality that endures to this day.
The characters in our story; George Ramsay - the greatest Villa club man of all time - no mean feat when one considers his rivals for that honour. Player, captain, revolutionary coach, secretary, manager and director. 59 (I think) years unbroken service during which he turned us from a bunch of enthusiastic amateurs into the most powerful professional sporting organisation in the world.
William MacGregor, who's vision made us the most historically significant club in the game. The wonderful statue which is such a fitting tribute.
Fred Rinder, another visionary who's influence we still enjoy everytime we visit our Paradise.
The roll-call of our internationals - a list that is longer than any other club for our home country.
Hundreds (thousands?) of other, perhaps less celebrated, players, and their fascinating stories.
Our protest against fascism in its epicentre in 1938. The recognition of our work towards harmony and inclusion in the present day.
The Acorns sponsorship and on-going partnership. Where we led others have followed.
Our supporters and the way we rallied round when the club was at its lowest ebb to not only ensure its survival, but drive it on to its greatest success.
The current team and management - their way of doing things is a beacon of sanity and decency in today's insane and obscene money-obsessed game.
We're just class.
That, is a 'ting a beauty.
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We're a very important part of the history of the English game, and the history of the English game is the history of world football.
Chelsea may have huge amounts of money, millions of new fans in Asia, and more recent silverware, but they will never have what we have.
I also like the fact that, increasingly, though there is a lot more to do still, when I go to matches, I see more of a reflection of the city - more people who are not white blokes. Loads of ground to be made up, and I know this sounds wishy washy, but when I see groups of Asian lads at our matches, it makes me happy that maybe we're one of the clubs who are starting to show a proper representation of what makes this city, and this country, great - the fact we're a gigantic melting pot of cultures and races.
What I'd really like is if one day, you could go, say, the bull ring, stand outside and spend half an hour watching and listening to the people who walk past, all sorts of nationalities, skin colours, languages, and then go to Villa Park and see something really close to the same mix.
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We're a very important part of the history of the English game, and the history of the English game is the history of world football.
Chelsea may have huge amounts of money, millions of new fans in Asia, and more recent silverware, but they will never have what we have.
I also like the fact that, increasingly, though there is a lot more to do still, when I go to matches, I see more of a reflection of the city - more people who are not white blokes. Loads of ground to be made up, and I know this sounds wishy washy, but when I see groups of Asian lads at our matches, it makes me happy that maybe we're one of the clubs who are starting to show a proper representation of what makes this city, and this country, great - the fact we're a gigantic melting pot of cultures and races.
What I'd really like is if one day, you could go, say, the bull ring, stand outside and spend half an hour watching and listening to the people who walk past, all sorts of nationalities, skin colours, languages, and then go to Villa Park and see something really close to the same mix.
I like this.
And, my Dad.
and Percy's post.
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Good post, Paulie. It will happen.
In many ways the fact that the destiny of our club was shaped by Scots "immigrants" is a testament to how the city has always been a place where people have been able to find a home and leave their mark.
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- the fact we're a gigantic melting pot of cultures and races.
Hopefully that melting pot turns into a scrumptious casserole!
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We're a very important part of the history of the English game, and the history of the English game is the history of world football.
Chelsea may have huge amounts of money, millions of new fans in Asia, and more recent silverware, but they will never have what we have.
I also like the fact that, increasingly, though there is a lot more to do still, when I go to matches, I see more of a reflection of the city - more people who are not white blokes. Loads of ground to be made up, and I know this sounds wishy washy, but when I see groups of Asian lads at our matches, it makes me happy that maybe we're one of the clubs who are starting to show a proper representation of what makes this city, and this country, great - the fact we're a gigantic melting pot of cultures and races.
What I'd really like is if one day, you could go, say, the bull ring, stand outside and spend half an hour watching and listening to the people who walk past, all sorts of nationalities, skin colours, languages, and then go to Villa Park and see something really close to the same mix.
Bring it on.
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I stood next to two Asian lads at Walsall pre-season. They were happy and felt safe in amongst the villa fans . They were loving being at the game and were really passionate about villa. It made me proud that they were in with us and safe and having a great time.
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Everything on this thread.
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As a non Brummie and someone with no family ties to the area and absolutely no reason to support the Villa I quite often find myself thinking why Villa? It's simple, Villa Park and the Holte End. I'd been to loads of football grounds before a friend invited me to VP for a game against Coventry in September 1990. Highbury, white hart lane, loftus road, vicarage road, London road, the abbey stadium, blundell park and sincil bank had all passed me by in various trips with family and friends but the first time I stepped onto the Holte End it was different. To paraphrase I can't remember who the history the tradition and most of all the feeling that this was a special place seemed to crackle around the whole ground. For someone who could previously have been construed as a teenage armchair Liverpool fan it flicked something in me that I just can't explain and whilst my attendance every other week at Villa Park has never been guaranteed this club, the ground and its history will always be a part of me, and now for my son. There are others clubs with history and tradition which interest me and I respect but none of them come close to Aston Villa.
Good post AV82EC. Same with me, all my family are Spurs fans, but as a lad the first time I set foot in Villa Park in 1975 I felt the magic that other grounds and teams just don't have. It has never ceased to amaze me for all the years I went to Villa games walking up towards the Holte End always sent a shiver down my spine. Aston Villa really are magic.
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We have so many postive boxes ticked it's hard where to start.
For me, the history - the birth of the 1st football league, only 1 of 2 clubs to have over 100 seasons in the top flight (along with another great English club - Everton), one of the original 12 league clubs. Our trophy haul, supplying more players for England (for all the good it's done!) than anyone else, sticking our fingers up to Hitler.... and on...on....
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I also like the fact that, increasingly, though there is a lot more to do still, when I go to matches, I see more of a reflection of the city - more people who are not white blokes. Loads of ground to be made up, and I know this sounds wishy washy, but when I see groups of Asian lads at our matches, it makes me happy that maybe we're one of the clubs who are starting to show a proper representation of what makes this city, and this country, great - the fact we're a gigantic melting pot of cultures and races.
What I'd really like is if one day, you could go, say, the bull ring, stand outside and spend half an hour watching and listening to the people who walk past, all sorts of nationalities, skin colours, languages, and then go to Villa Park and see something really close to the same mix.
Good post and a fine ambition. What is impressive about football at Premiership level (but it is well exemplified by Villa) is how this team sport thrives on young men of diverse backgrounds playing as a single unit. I like the subversion of a Belgium national squad member an Villa forward being as black as yer boot and hailing from Central Africa. When once it was difficult to name any famous Belgium beyond the (resolutely white) fictional characters of Tin Tin an Hercule Poirot - mention this country an CB comes to mind immediately.
Still waiting for the AV hospitality service to open a Balti outlet at the ground offering a cheaper alternative to the up-scale meals it tends to specialise in.
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The name
The ground
The colours
And mainly because of my grandad and step dad.
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Just seen this on twitter.
Football like this from last week, that helps too!
(https://www.plus9.co.uk/move.gif)
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You'd seen it before though, right?
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Yes of course.
I'd not seen it anywhere on the web, though, not the full move.
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Great stuff.
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That is a thing of beauty.
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Born in Winson Green, brought up in Great Barr, dragged to VP at age of six with Grandad and Dad (1965) and made to carry my own box to stand on so I could see. That was it. It's in my blood and I can't stop thinking about the Villa everyday since. Life's troubles, moves round the country, can't get to the hallowed ground anymore, living in the south working in London, but still I wake up every morning and the first thing I check is whats happened down VP, then see if there is a problem in Syria. To me its not a question of pride, I automatically feel I'm involved (note involved not supporter) with the greatest club on earth.
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You're still a supporter.
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Drove home tonight southbound down the M6, around jct 6, to look right and see Villa Park, the church spire and Aston hall bathed in autumnal sunlight was absolutely stunning. Sent a shiver down my spine .
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We're a very important part of the history of the English game, and the history of the English game is the history of world football.
Chelsea may have huge amounts of money, millions of new fans in Asia, and more recent silverware, but they will never have what we have.
I also like the fact that, increasingly, though there is a lot more to do still, when I go to matches, I see more of a reflection of the city - more people who are not white blokes. Loads of ground to be made up, and I know this sounds wishy washy, but when I see groups of Asian lads at our matches, it makes me happy that maybe we're one of the clubs who are starting to show a proper representation of what makes this city, and this country, great - the fact we're a gigantic melting pot of cultures and races.
What I'd really like is if one day, you could go, say, the bull ring, stand outside and spend half an hour watching and listening to the people who walk past, all sorts of nationalities, skin colours, languages, and then go to Villa Park and see something really close to the same mix.
Class post mate. 8)
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Drove home tonight southbound down the M6, around jct 6, to look right and see Villa Park, the church spire and Aston hall bathed in autumnal sunlight was absolutely stunning. Sent a shiver down my spine .
Until last year, I drove into Brum city centre for work every day, and would go down the Expressway, and every single time, I'd have to look at the ground.
Whenever I drive into town with Mrs Walnuts at the weekend, I have to do it, but as I know she is watching me, just waiting for my to look so she can have a go at me, I make a point of doing it really exaggeratedly.
it makes me laugh. And her, though she won't admit it.
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Hiring Simone Farina after he'd basicly become unemployable and probably pretty much pariah in Italy.
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Every time I fly home I try to get a window seat on the right hand side of the plane coming in, and the left hand side going out. This, so if the plane takes off heading over the city centre flight path then, you get a great arial view of Villa Park. This always fills me with pride and nostalgia.
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The refusal to do the Nazi salute, in a time of immense pressure from the establishment, is as important as any trophy we've won as far as I'm concerned.
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Where to begin? Maybe with our Wesleyan roots that have perhaps instilled in us our innate decency as a club, an uncanny ability to do 'the right thing, a quality that endures to this day.
The characters in our story; George Ramsay - the greatest Villa club man of all time - no mean feat when one considers his rivals for that honour. Player, captain, revolutionary coach, secretary, manager and director. 59 (I think) years unbroken service during which he turned us from a bunch of enthusiastic amateurs into the most powerful professional sporting organisation in the world.
William MacGregor, who's vision made us the most historically significant club in the game. The wonderful statue which is such a fitting tribute.
Fred Rinder, another visionary who's influence we still enjoy everytime we visit our Paradise.
The roll-call of our internationals - a list that is longer than any other club for our home country.
Hundreds (thousands?) of other, perhaps less celebrated, players, and their fascinating stories.
Our protest against fascism in its epicentre in 1938. The recognition of our work towards harmony and inclusion in the present day.
The Acorns sponsorship and on-going partnership. Where we led others have followed.
Our supporters and the way we rallied round when the club was at its lowest ebb to not only ensure its survival, but drive it on to its greatest success.
The current team and management - their way of doing things is a beacon of sanity and decency in today's insane and obscene money-obsessed game.
We're just class.
Spot on Percy, brings a lump to the throat