Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: fbriai on January 22, 2015, 03:03:16 PM
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I'm not sure there's been a thread on this. I've had a gander and not found anything, so I've started one - why do you support the Villa?
I was motivated by something said by Fin Feds Dad on the More Classic Game Footage thread:
Great game - the team that made me fall in love with the Villa.
Which has led me to wonder about the reasons why everyone on here is in the same boat.
My brothers and I had no choice in the matter. The Old Boy saw to that. He's the youngest of five lads, all of whom, bar one, support the Villa. The other brother, for some reason beknownst only to him, supports the Wolves - while their father - my grandfather - was also Villa. Beyond that I don't know. All I know is that I had no choice in the matter.
This isn't some better-fan-than-you thread, just thought it could be interesting to hear the various different stories.
So then, why are you Villa?
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Grandad was a fan, the only other in family!
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no choice... Dad's family always been Villa since 1880's, so I have been told.
Mom's side Blosers :(
UTV
The Doc
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My Dad's been a season ticket holder since the early 60's.
He took me to my first game, in 1989 when I was five. Had my first season ticket for the 1991-1992 season. Had one ever since!
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When my Grandad came over from Ireland in 1950 he'd never seen a football match, because he was a pretty high-level Hurling player and the GAA rules at the time stated that you weren't allowed to watch or play 'foreign games' like football.
A load of his colleagues from the factory he started working at took him to a Redditch United game, which didn't impress him much. Then the following week they went to Villa Park........
He bought me one of those 1995/96 shirts with the big ol' AST on the front for christmas and the rest is history....
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Great grandad was a fan and took my grandad, my grandad took my dad, my dad took me and I take my son
No escape from it! (although one of dads brothers changed to the dark side and supported the blues, probably to piss of my grandad, that whole part of the family are blue noses!)
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Born in Birmingham, lived first couple of years in Aston, most of my childhood in Erdington. Went to King Edwards Aston. What other choice do I have? It's in my DNA.
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The direct male line in the family were all Villa going back to the 1890's, maybe even earlier, so me and my sister had no choice but to be Villa. Only time it bothers me not having had kids is that the line stops with me, which actually makes me feel a bit guilty, even more than the direct line of family name dying out does.
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My folks moved stayed having been at uni in Birmingham, and the trek to Filbert street became too much in the 70's so they started going to Villa Park instead. The took me to quite a few games when little, but the first I genuinely remember almost all of was 89-90, Villa Park, 0-3 vs Wimbledon. I remember the goals, sitting in the Witton Lane looking across at the crest on the Trinity in pure wonderment, the greyness of the day and most of all the old scoreboard. The goal graphic, the scoreline just making me so depressed. What a bloody first genuine memory. John Fashanu battering us at Villa park. By the time with did them 7-1 under Sir Brian some years later I was a regular, but that victory will always be one of my favourites.
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Grew up in Handsworth, a mile or so from the ground.
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Like MarkM -my Great grandad was a fan and took my grandad, my grandad took my dad, my dad took me and I take my son
I was always born to be Villa - but that team was the team that made me completely bonkers about the club. They were the first side I watched regularly - from 6 onwards.
The end of the o'Neill years and the dross that has followed have been my Sons first teams he has watched regularly - funnily enough , he ain't as keen as me !
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Grew up in Handsworth, a mile or so from the ground.
Similar to me Hilts- born and raised in Villa Road, Handsworth, just up from Villa Cross. All male side of the family were Villa supporters so happy to follow the genetic DNA. Only exception was paternal Grandfather who was a PNE supporter though he slowly converted to Claret and Blue when he moved to South Birmingham after the war. My first match was late 1967/early 1968 and pleased to say that it has been an important part of my life ever since.
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My lad is 7 and shows little interest in football but loves his Villa shirt. He knows Benteke and that is it, but he just does not get football in the same way I loved it. He wants to go to a home game, but I am waiting till the summer time, and hoping that we will be a bit more interesting to watch when he comes.
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Both sides of the family predominantly Villa including both grandads. Dad was raised in Hockley, mom in Erdington. Dad first took me when I was 4 (1974). Born and bred + live live in Villaland (Sutton) and eldest at King Edwards Aston. Not much choice really.
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In my family i am the first generation of Villa fan, my father was a 'Taff' and a Cardiff supporter he moved to Birmingham to marry my mother whose tendencies swayed toward
the Albion, my first ever game was at the sty to celebrate my 5th or 6th birthday a game v Everton then my mates dad over the road offered to take me to Villa Park needless to say from 1961
onwards i was hooked, been a ST holder from 1970 to date i then myself brought 3 sons into the world with a little help from the ex, needless to say they had no choice. The eldest lad has given me my first grandson
a year ago and he also wont have a choice an i'm looking forward to the day when he and i plus my granddaughter from my youngest son can all go down together.
Am a little unsure as to when i should take em down as i'm now getting older so they may have to wait until 6 or thereabouts when a little easier to look after!!!!
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My Dad and his entire family going back to year dot are all Manure fans. Reason enough not to be one. Team I started following excited me, were swashbuckling and came from a fantastic city. (I live sort of equidistance from Manx, Liverpool and Birmingham. Easiest decision I have made, and never ever regretted being a fan. Been to matches live for 20+ years, and was a proud season ticket holder for six years, ending last summer due to daughter commitments (Its too much time away for me at this point to justify). I know we haven't been great to watch, but for me there is always a huge ball of excitement building up in me when I go to a game. I feel like a seven year old again. And I love our stadium
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My Grandfather was born in 1878 in Aston, four years after the Villa. My father was born in Manor Road Aston across the road from the Witton End. My grandad, my father and his two brothers were all Villa Supporters. I couldn't have been anything else could I?
My son, born exactly one hundred years after my grandfather, is a Villa supporter; as is his son my eldest grandson despite having to live in Wolverhampton.
My daughter loves the Villa and I believe she realises the importance of the Villa to me more so than her brother.
I have the added bonus of never having to contend with any family member supporting anyone other than the Villa. Nobody ever, on my Mom's side had/have any interest in football. Phillistines.
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Dad moved to Brum in late 50's / early 60's after living in London for a few years after arriving from Ireland.
In London he used to rotate watching Arsenal, Spurs, Chelsea and West Ham
Villa was his pick in West Midlands mainly as he worked and socialised a lot in and around Aston at the time. Oh and the fact that just about every Bloser he knew used to talk about Villa ad infinitum.
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Born in Erdington. Lived in Erdington. Went to school in Aston (KEGS).
Support my local team.
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My lad is 7 and shows little interest in football but loves his Villa shirt. He knows Benteke and that is it, but he just does not get football in the same way I loved it. He wants to go to a home game, but I am waiting till the summer time, and hoping that we will be a bit more interesting to watch when he comes.
I took my 6 year old daughter for the first time recently, she absolutely loved it despite her watching very little of the actual football, she just seemed to like the occasion, the atmosphere, everything.
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Dad came to Brum in the early 70s from Glasgow and went to a Villa game and a Blues one. He said that Villa drew 0-0 and the Blues game had lots of goals in it, but he just preferred the atmosphere at Villa.
So it's his fault that I'm a Villa fan (at least I'm not a nose I guess).
It's also his fault that I support Clyde.
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By sheer geography I should have been one of the unwashed. But, my bessie mate's dad brought us to VP in March 1967 (AV 2 - Everton 4) and I was totally hooked. None of my immediate family showed any interest whatsoever.
I've since found out that my father's distant cousin played for the Villa (Billy Evans), and my Great Grand-dad was married at Aston Church. So, I believe there was a natural 'pull' toward the claret and blue.
Even after 25 years living in N Yorks, the passion remains (even if the current doldrums has forced me temporarily off the ST register). My son, born and brought up in the Republic, is nonetheless a died-in-the-wool Villa fan.
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Why? Perché lui è il mio più vecchio amico. Mah adesso e quasi sempre mi tratta come un nemico.
Nah, the colours, the sound and maybe Lord McGrath too. I was four or five and confused.
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My dad's a liverpool fan but my older brother is a villa fan. When i was about 6 in '95 i chose villa, even then i knew I'd go on to dislike my dad (haha ... But true). I do have a soft spot for liverpool though still, not a 2nd team at all but I'd rather see them win apart from when against us. Especially as my dad's f**king unbearable. Really i need to ask why my older brother chose villa and not liverpool.
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Dad's side are Albion
Mom's side are Blues
Dad is Villa, so I'm Villa.
:)
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Being bought up in Selly Oak there was a lot of noses.
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Both sides of the family are from Brum and are Villa from way back.
My uncle took me to my first game in the mid 70's.
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My Aunt and Mum used to follow Wolves all over the country in the 50's & 60's. My Aunt then became the "take the boys to the football" matriarch of the family, thus my older cousins were dragged along to Molineux. As my Mum was the baby of the family, we were a lot younger than them, so when time came round to it being my turn, my Aunt had shacked up with my "uncle Noel" by then and he was having none of that nonsense, so they took me down the Villa - 1977 vs Leeds, we sat on the front row of the Trinity just near the dug-outs and Ron Saunders "brushed" my hand as he walked to his place (remebmer he used to do that?) Deehan and Gray in a 2-1 win and that was that. We built the games up of the next couple of years and had our first season tickets (North Satnd) in 1979-80, then had them right up unitl I was 16 and wanted to go with my mates to stand on the Holte. Noel took me to Rotterdam, I was 14 and the first time I got drunk on the ferry back and it really was a golden era.
The day she died I went to see her in the morning, sefishly because I knew she'd give me the money (£3.50) to go to the game - dreadful match at home to leicester - and when I got home after the match she had died of an asthma attack - so glad I went round that morning.
I moved to London for Uni and stayed south - it has been really difficult to convince my boy of his heritage, especially with all his mated being Gooners, and I content myself that he has a massive soft spot for us and loves going to VP or away for games - we are the only team I would ever take him to see.
I lost touch with Noel for years, but got hold of him and took home and my lad to the O'Neill Sheff Utd game with Saunders on the pitch before hand - we were both in tears and I really felt at that moment we were about to see the glory all over again. How wrong was I.
I go to about 2 home and a few away games a year these days but still get the butterflies when I approach the Holte End, even though I know I'm about to see 90 minutes of dirge (just like the mid 80s really!!)
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The year my Mum bought me this book (1977)
(http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0243/4979/products/IMG_4704_1024x1024.jpg?v=1372120344)
was the first year I remember seeing First Div football on TV in the US - just picked Villa because I liked the name and the colours.
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When my Dad arrived in Birmingham from Ireland, via Manchester, Warrington and Nottingham, he, like many others took digs in Small Heath. He palled up with a couple of workmates and took to drinking in the Small Arms pub. All the Irish in there were regulars at the Villa so he went with them.
I once asked him if they ever went to St Andrews, his answer was simple, concise and without need for embelishment.
He just said "No".
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Was born in Brum but family moved to the Black Country when I was 2 then Weston-S-M and back to the Black Country by age 15. This made me search for some "roots" and hearing my Dad talk about playing rugby at VP and his never-ending re-telling of the Manure match when they scored 6. I just sort of felt the call. It became something I have identified with ever since - A mate in the 1st year at school had an older suedehead brother and he filled us with tales of the Holte End. Then we moved and "I am Villa" was what made all the bullying by West Country twats as a kid bearable - when Villa played in Bristol mid-70's the lads were in awe of our massive following. Then we came back to Stourbridge and I met other Villans of my own age for the first time and started attending. Still there after 40 years.
I am Villa
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I was chosen.
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Dad was a fan. Stories of Stan Lynn and Gerry Hitchens and the 11-0 v Charlton. Took me to my first game at 5 (lost at home to Swindon in late 60s in the slide into division 3). Never went every week but regularly went with my Dad until I was about 13 the then went with my mates. It was about half way through the 75-76 season that this change happened - which coincided with the thrilling first few seasons back in the top division. Good times. I rarely had a season ticket back then but saw most games.
I now live in South London. I used to take my lad to Selhurst Park when he was small just so we could go to a game. We probably did this for about 6 seasons and went to Cardiff for a play off final. Saw Villa occasionally during this period. However, without forcing him, he grew up a Villa fan anyway even though he could have gone to Palace, or Spurs or Chelsea with his mates. I believe therefore you follow your Father or Mother in who you support unless you just follow the glory.
My lad and I now attend most home games and some away games as season ticket holders in the Trinity and that is priceless, despite the rubbish we have to sit though at the moment and the long, usually miserable, trudge back South. My Dad is unfortunately not well enough to attend now but we have had times when there 3 generations at a game which was really nice.
My lad is now also burdened with a lifetime of misery, false hope and disappointment (and hopefully some good times in between) but what can you do if its in the blood?
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from Aston (Newtown/Lozells) area and the whole family on mom and dad's side are Villa fans. Died in the wool Villa fans. Between my dad and my uncle (my mom's brother) they've covered every monumental game from the 70s onwards and started taking me when I was 2. I was never going to be anything else.
My 5 year-old has been living in Nigeria and Croydon with Chelsea, Arsenal, and a few Palace fans now. It did worry for a while but he lives breathes and eats football now. Plays and watches it at every possible moment. His favourite players are Gabby and Guzan. He's been to quite a few games now and it was West ham away that finally got him. His last game was Blackpool at home and he loved every minute of it. I'm sorry son. Let's hope the penny doesn't drop too soon...
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My brother taught me to say Up the Villa as one of the first things I ever said. No choice then but to support them, and have done so for nearly 60 years!
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My Dad.
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Nice stories above and as a fan who can trace his Villa supporting relatives back to the Victorian era ( we were the original glory hunters) I had no choice... I was also chosen.
Sadly I think it will end with me. I have two young Sons, the eldests first word after Mom and Dad was Villa. My younger one, I think as a response to his brother never wanted to go really. First born got it from day one and loved it, cried at Wembley when we lost to Manure and jumped into my arms with joy when we got the winner against Ajax.
And then came the misery years, week in week out of shite. And not so much the shite but I genuinely think he doesn't want to see the misery on my face anymore and has decided not to go.
Don't blame him, I'll continue to renew his season ticket for a few years. Hopefully he will return!
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This thread is quite heart-warming and, not a little emotional.
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The Holte End. September 1990 and a home game with Cov. I can thank a good friend for encouraging me to go, I was 22 at the time. A true life changing moment for me, 90 minutes later I felt I belonged. I've been up in the NorthWest for most of the next 25 years and have fallen in and out of love with this club more times than I care to mention but I still get excited when I'm walking towards the Holte or singingmy head off in an away end somewhere....
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My grandad was a villa fan and when I was 7 he took me to my first game at villa park in 1967.
But to be honest it has to be those beautiful colours no matter what anybody says no other two colours go better together than claret and blue.
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Wasn't too interested in football as a young child but then new neighbours moved in and the son, about my age, kept going on about the Villa - who had just won the FA Cup.
That sparked my interest albeit that I didn't attend my first match until 1963 - beat Arsenal 3-0.
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Grandad was from Aston and I was just drawn to the club. Hopefully one day we'll be rewarded for suffering all this pain!
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Dad came to Brum in the early 70s from Glasgow and went to a Villa game and a Blues one. He said that Villa drew 0-0 and the Blues game had lots of goals in it, but he just preferred the atmosphere at Villa.
So it's his fault that I'm a Villa fan (at least I'm not a nose I guess).
It's also his fault that I support Clyde.
Exactly the same with my dad, by coincidence.
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Dads side are Villa.
Moms side are Blose.
Dad took me to the football.
There wasn't a choice.
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My granddad grew up in Lozells. My dad drove supporters and team coaches in 60s, 70s and early 80s. I was indoctrinated before I was born.
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I was born on Fentham Road, just off the Trinity Road. You can see Villa Park from the house I was born in. We have had some superb times, some brilliant players, some wacky but creative managers. Villa Park is a world wide renowned stadium. Brilliant club, going through a crap period at the moment.
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In my family i am the first generation of Villa fan, my father was a 'Taff' and a Cardiff supporter he moved to Birmingham to marry my mother.
Some great stories in this thread.
The one above is a similar story for me really. My Mum's side of the family are from Birmingham (Handsworth / Handsworth Wood area) and my Dad's from mid Wales. My Dad moved to Birmingham to marry my Mum in the early 70's and was instantly converted into a Villa fan by my Villa supporting Grandpa, whose father had been a fan since the early 1900's. I went to my first game with my Dad as a five year old in 1985 and have been going regularly ever since. Some of my earliest memories were me and my brother standing on milk crates on the Holte End, hats with half Villa and half Rangers or Celtic, inflatable bananas and a vicious dog guarding a scrapyard we walked past on our way to and back from the game.
Old age and health problems had caught up with my Grandpa by the time I started going and he went less and less. He still talked about Villa all the time though and would phone after every game we had been to and asked how we had played. Him and my Nan moved house shortly before he died and in the clear out he gave me an old book about the Football League because "it had some great stuff about the Villa in it". On the night after he died, I picked up the book and hadn't realised he'd written a little note in it. It simply that said "In the hope that when Villa win the Cup you'll be there cheering for me". I'm not ashamed to say that reading that really got me and still does.
I've really felt like packing it in over the past couple of seasons, but I just can't turn my back because without being over dramatic, I really feel like the club is a part of me and my family.
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Got something in my eye.
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Dad is from Small Heath (!) so I had a lucky escape. Thankfully his Grandad was Villa and indoctrinated him into The True Faith.
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Dads family have always been Villa. He forced them on anyone he came in to contact with. My Mom pregnant was taken a game in 72/73 I think and had to stand on the Holte as it tipped down with snow. I was born in the year we won the League, so it was meant to be!
He took me my first game in 87, Watford at home 1-1, it wasn't the best but my first full season had the joys of Taylors march back to the top. The first few games I was too nervous to watch, so I just sat on the steps reading the program, listening to the crowd. We went to Wembley together in 94 and he got us lost walking back from Wembley to the pick up pub and we had to sleep in a train station. He's always loved the Villa and although he doesn't go down anymore he still sits listening to them on the radio, creature of habbit.
I have a son now and from his bedroom he can see Villa Park in the distance, he's been on the steps but not to see a game yet, he's only 3. Hopefully he has kids and we can keep the chain going strong.
UTV
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My Grandad came from Shropshire to Brum and started taking my dad down to VP either side of the war. Dad married a lady born in Vllage Road (in the shade of the Witton Lane Stand) and I was born in Heathfield Road Lozells. My first view of VP was out of a bedroom window on a tour of Aston Hall from my primary school - and I was educated just the other side of Aston Park at K.E.G.S
Like some have already said - it was meant to be , wasn't it?
My first match was 1959 - a vintage year - and my son is 4th generation
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Was taken to my first game at 7 and that was it really. Was Villa mad from that moment. Quite fitting with this season it was a 0-0 draw with West Ham aswell!
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Dad was raised in Aston i was bought up in Great Barr and all our exteded family (Aunts, Uncles, Cousins etc)were within walking distance and there were lots of them all Villa supporters, saw Sir Stanley Mathews play one of his last games at Villa Park and was weaned on Dixon,Mcparland, The back line of Sims, Lyn, Aldis and Baxter will live in my memory forever.
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I doubt of interest to anyone but here is my dad (as a boy obv) and grandad withe FA Cup. They are the 2 on the right, and the photo was taken in a pub in Cradley. Photo got a bit battered over the years!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v436/EnglishPride2004/IMG_1750.jpg)
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Apart from the obvious...
born in Aston - at home - Mum had been having half of mild with her brother, my Uncle Bill at lunch-time...to give her strength no doubt...and she went into labour shortly afterwards.
Villa were just always there - a big part of the family's life and the neighbourhood. I can't remember anybody supporting any other team except my cousin's husband who was a nose.
Dad would always tell me about the great players - Pongo, Eric Houghton, Frank Barson, and Uncle Frank of course.
I always loved it that Uncle Frank was born in Aston and so were his 3 boys, 2 of whom went on to play for Villa as well.
My brother took me to my first games - we'd sit on the grassy bank in Aston Park peeking through the gaps and listening to the crowd, then go into the game at half time when they opened the gates and let you in for free. When we moved to Tamworth, aged 8 - I didn't go for a few years - but Villa were always there.
Started going again when I as about 11, on the Midland Red special (3 and thruppence) and got the bug again, bigger than ever. Went to my first away game - on my own - didn't know there were special trains and coaches etc - when I was 12. Sheff Utd. Soon got that one sorted and went to any game I possibly could.
Always thought it typically modest that nobody in the family made a fuss of our Villa connections or that not many of my family except me and older cousin Barry went to games.
My own lad is not a football fan but is Villa - works Saturdays/he came to the Blackpool game - I get my sister to VP when I can, my God son is Villa and takes his boy now and then (I save all my programmes/tickets etc for him), and occasionally drags his Dad, my brother, along with him.
I've moved quite a few times but never more than about 60 minutes from VP and always attended most home games but have hardly missed a game home/away for the last 10/12 years.
I love the approach to Villa Park, walking towards the Holte is like coming home, and meeting like-minded, dedicated, loyal fans every week who feel every bit of the game so strongly. I love our name, our colours, our history, our ground, our love for our club.
Up The Villa!
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Moved to Holte Rd in 1957 when I was 3 years old.Dad took me to the Villa when I was about 5.We used to 'mind' cars parked in our road before the games and walk in for most when they used to open them just after half time.Stood right at the front of the Holte when Colin Withers was our keeper and Tony Hateley was number 9.First year at Holte Grammar school we were relegated in 1967.Got the cane for racing down to Villa Park on lunchtime to hand in a protest to the old Norman Smith board.Tommy Docherty came to our school and addressed us at assembly in 1969.
Absolutely love the Villa,seen us win everything except the F A cup,seen the lows and highs and I will keep going.
This is without doubt the longest low period and definitely the most frustrating.
Lets hope we can have some good times again soon.
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Dad was raised in Aston i was bought up in Great Barr and all our exteded family (Aunts, Uncles, Cousins etc)were within walking distance and there were lots of them all Villa supporters, saw Sir Stanley Mathews play one of his last games at Villa Park and was weaned on Dixon,Mcparland, The back line of Sims, Lyn, Aldis and Baxter will live in my memory forever.
F Moss (junior) was often in that line-up too Robbo.
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The correct answer to this question is of course 'because how could anyone not be?'
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My dad and uncles where old bread Villa one week and small heath the next.
Dad took me and my older brother to our first ever game away v Walsall in division three we live close to Walsall. :-(.
Money was short so did not start going to games till i left school and was at work went with an old friend just after the 75 league cup final and have been going since.
Sadly my dad passed away in 1976 so i only got to do one more game with him Southampton home division two.
i am now the only active villa supporter in the family. My brother is a manure fan but i think that had something to do with the air crash. my nephews are a mix of Walsall and manure but one of them is a Villa fan but does not attend games. VTID
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The original thread many, many years ago was opened by one of the best posts ever from ozzjim.
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Born in Nursery Road Lozells and all of Mums side of family have been Villa since year dot. Dads side were from Stoke on Trent and converted to Coventry City on relocating. So supporting the greatest football club in the world was never in doubt. :)
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I am a glory hunter.
Its not being going well the past 30 years I admit.
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My grandad was, but he was the only boy of 7 children in Smethwick, and his sisters all married into Albion, so we have swathes of strpeyfilth in our family.
Still - got our own back when my Dad married my mum & her Dad was an Albion fan. My Dad took her & both of her younger brothers to The Villa, & Villa they have stayed - so my immediate family Dad, Mum, & uncles on both sides are all Vila
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Growing up I could see the ground from my old house in Erdington. Also my best mate used to live on Gladstone Road off brookvale which because it's so high has a spectacular view of VP, also I would ride my bike everywhere and on matchdays I would ride to the ground via the canal at Spaghetti and come out by electric avenue and head to the ground to peek through the gates and sometimes take my radio to listen to the comms as I watched. Also when they built the new Trinity I went to the ground pretty much everyday in my final school years to watch it being knocked down and rebuilt, just watching in amazement that you could see directly into the place, pitch and the other three stands in all their glory close up. Started going down regularly after that when I bagged a nice cash-in-hand Saturday job that finished at half one...........perfect!
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My family moved to South Birmingham in 1987. Football wasn't even on the radar. Started secondary school a few months earlier and there were 3 distinct cliques. The knuckledraggers were skin head type racists. The Carrier bags were sharing the one brain cell. Lo and behold, the sensible, friendly, civilised fellows were of the claret and blue persuasion.
Hours and hours discussing players, games, stickers, internationals and Alan Macinaly.
I'm the only one in my family and now have passed it onto my kids. Wife supported Manure early in our relationship - wtf ?!! Soon put an end to that nonsense.
I cannot countenance supporting another team (shudder).
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Because of my grandad . Thank you John , RIP.
Holte Enders in the sky !
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Lived in Sutton 1st game taken by dads friend....never looked back...or should that be forward? My 3 lads were all born and bred in leyand, Lancashire..all now have a villa shirt plastered on them permanently...I do feel a some what guilty...however sets them apart from their Manc/scouse mates who never go to games...
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Born in Birmingham.
My Dad was a Villa fan.
His Dad was a Villa fan.
His Dad was a Villa fan, whose ashes were scattered on the pitch.
His Dad was a Villa fan, married in Aston church. And possibly buried there too.
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As a child I lived in Cato Street, Nechells and my best friend lived in Needham Street. We were at the Secondary school in Elliot Street. My friends family moved to Holte Road and we both used to walk around Villa Park after playing football in Aston park whenever I went to his house. The 1969/70 season did it for me. Yes that was the worst ever season in our history but I started following Villa results through the Sports Argus. If I remember right we won the last two games but got relegated nevertheless to the Third. I really really felt sorry for the club and the team. That summer the world cup in Mexico drew me even further into love with football. In our first season in the Third division I wanted to go and watch home matches but there were two problems. As a school boy I had no money and there is no way I could ask my dad as he would not let me go near VP on match days for reasons I have written about previously. However when we drew manu in the semi final of the League Cup we were both determined to be there. My friend managed to persuade his older brother to give us the money for tickets and the rest is history full of love and hate!
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1969 and Albion were a good side, my mates at school wore Albion shirts for games so I asked my dad if I could have a football shirt. He took me to the Harry Parkes sports shop in town and when I asked for one of the shirts with dark blue stripes and white arms he looked at owner and said "I think we can find a better one than that don't you Mr Parkes" I didn't realize at the time how far back the Villa went in my family.
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Seeing the original Trinity Road Stand for the first time when I was taken to my very first Villa match - it took my breath away and sealed the deal.
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My uncle took me to my first game in 1971. Sat in the Trinity, (I was small and young then), against Halifax, won 1-0, Ray Graydon.
Remember this, but can't remember what I went in the kitchen for an hour ago!
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Born in kidderminster in 1977. Dad was a WBA fan. I looked out for harriers results but wanted to support a league team that was local and picked the villa, primarily for the colours and secondly cos they had the best name in football. Really gained interest in the 88 promotion season but didn't manage to go till first game of next season vs Millwall. First hero was David platt.
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The original thread many, many years ago was opened by one of the best posts ever from ozzjim.
God I remember that post. You know it is really sad that I couldn't write it again now in the same way. Strange how life changes in different directions and perspective is different.
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Born in Chester St, Aston, I was indoctrinated into the faith in my early years by Dad - all of his family were of the blessed persuasion, but the first game I can clearly remember is in 1963 when my uncle took me to a game against Blackburn Rovers. I spent half time running up and down the bank at the back of the Witton End.
I spent all of my teen years and more travelling around second and third division grounds until the resurrection.
Didn't give my boy much of a chance of following anyone else and so it goes on.
It doesn't feel like my club right now - just hoping that it all changes soon and that we win the FA Cuo before I pop my clogs.
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F**k me!
This has got more history than the History thread.
Love it!
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An angel came down from heaven and said unto me, see the light. There is only one true God and Sid shall sit at his right hand.
You are born of the people for the people and Gerry Hitchens shall be thine uncle. Thy Father shall be born within a stroll of Villa Park and thy nan shall live in Erdington Hall road. Thy family shall worship with a claret flame. Thou shall not worship any false idols,yea but Manu Chelsea and Man C may promise the earth, but a pestilance shall be cast amongst them. Thy life may be envious of others, but be upholden to the truth and the Villa shall be your beginning your middle and your end. Then praise McGrath, for you have been chosen, for my son.
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Because as a kid I was a fucking mug who for some reason decided to choose a team based on the funniest name and the kit colour, instead of being nice and sensible and going for good football (i.e. Arsenal) or glory hunting (United).
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Funniest name? That's Arsenal.
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Entire family are BLose & Wolves...aged 5/6, 1980, saw a certain European cup winning blonde centre forwards picture in paper/magazine in the wonderful kit & that was me...AVFC!
I watched Paul McGrath, they saw Liam Daish
I watched Dwight Yorke, they saw Ricky Otto
I watched David Platt, they saw Paul Tait
The kit that chose me, thank you!
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I've loved reading this thread, a sincere pleasure!
My own reasons aren't as grand or moving as some here but nevertheless: my family moved here from India in '82 and I was born in '84. When I was about seven, my elder brother (who was and is my hero) asked me which team I supported and as I thought about it, he answered for me, "Aston Villa". I remember it was like the light being turned on - of course! Aston Villa - it all makes sense now! Then, hearing from him about the Holte End, what songs we sang, the players, it was just magic to me. I've always considered it a privilege to support Villa, a grand old football club, unique and distinct amount countless others. I thank God for my brother making sure!
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Born in RAF Cosford Hospital in 1975 just outside Wolverhampton I should have followed my families footsteps and followed Wolves. However I was given a Villa shirt at 6 years old by my brother (he didn't want it as was given to him). I loved it so much and lived in that shirt. It was 1981 and at the start of MOD they would show an image of 11 claret and blue shirts during the opening titles. I didn't know the significance of this as I didn't actually get football and didn't know it was because we had previously won the league. I would just see it as my shirt on the telly!
My Aunt then married a Villa fan who took me under his wing and saved all his match day programmes for me. I was completely hooked and my bedroom became a shrine to Villa.
My first match '83 I think was a 1-1 draw at Molineux, all I remember is our fantastic kit and Rimmer in goal. We moved then to Devon and I never made it to Villa Park until a few years later stuffing West Ham 4-0 with Stainrod bagging a brace.
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My Mom's side are all from Smethwick and are Baggies fans. My Dad was not a football fan, but if he had to have chosen it would have been Blues, he was raised in Edgbaston. I was raised in Solihull and I have 3 older brothers, one Leeds, one Blues and one West Brom. The Leeds fan is 11 years older than me and it was he who took me to games when I was younger. Leeds was too far to drive, so he took me to the best team around at the time locally, which happened to be Villa. We did go to all the Midlands clubs though on other occasions, but there was only ever one team for me.
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My Dad.He had 10 brothers 8 of them were noses.
I love him so much for choosing the Villa over that lot.
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No idea. My family has little interest in football - my dad is South African and is more into cricket and rugby, my mum doesn't really get football. I guess something happened when I was about 4, and despite flirting with the idea of supporting Manchester United (I'll forgive myself, as I said I was 4), Villa happened and I've been hooked since.
On a slight aside, I've just noticed that I registered for this version of the site ten years ago almost to the day. I doubt, if I read through my posts down those ten years, that I could fathom why I still do follow the Villa. Football fanaticism is an odd thing.
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The only memory I have of my Father's interest in football was that sanctified 10 minutes around 5 p.m. on a Saturday when the classified results were read out and it was confirmed we'd not won the pools. Again.
He came from Handsworth, which where I was born, but we'd moved to London and had only returned to the Midlands in 1960, so had no knowledge of Villa at all. After the '61 and '62 Cup Finals on TV I pestered him to take me to a game.
Looking back, dimly, I recall him having a preference for a visit to The Hawthorns, but proximity (we were then in Sutton) won out and he took me to a reserve game against Sheffield Wednesday. We stood in the Witton Stand in a sparse crowd, I can't recall the score and have no idea who played for us, though I do remember that Peter Swan played for Wednesday.
What I can most definitely recall was the greenness of the pitch, the size of the stands and most of all the astonishing vibrancy of the colours of our kit (my football world up to then had been exclusively black and white).
And that was it. Utterly captivated, spending what little pocket money I had going to as many games as I could, often travelling to VP by train on my own as an 11 year old. I was lucky, in that in those wretched 60s we actually had a decent home record (well, compared to the drubbings we often had away) so it was fun most of the time until increasing awareness of the big picture and our selling of Burrows, Hateley and injuries reduced us to utter crap.
But hey, at least we could score back then.
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Reading Woofles's post above about travelling to the Villa on his own, brought to mind the fact that I did the same. As an 11year old I'd do the two bus journey to Villa Park. I'd get the 17 from Garretts Green to the Yew Tree and then the 11 to Witton. Often, I would walk to the Yew Tree to save the bus fare so that I could put it towards buying a programme.
Sitting here at my kitchen table typing this I can still feel the jolt of excitement I always got when the 11 bus pulled up at the stop in Stockland Green because I knew that within the next five minutes or so I would be outside Villa park.
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Because one of my mate's kids didn't want to go one day in 1996 and I went along with him instead (we upgraded a kids ticket several times that season).
Before then I had no real interest in football. I was nominally a Liverpool fan as a six/seven year old but that was only because I lived a couple of doors from David Fairclough's aunt/uncle and his cousin was my teacher.
Really, until my late 20s it was all Rugby for me
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I've really enjoyed reading the posts on this thread. There are some cracking stories in amongst it all.
Makes you realise how important the club is to people, too. I was particularly moved by PWS saying that he's more concerned about the Villa lineage, rather than his family name ending with him.
As I said in my OP, I had no choice in the matter and am at least third generation. I've connections all over the West Midlands - Worcester, Wolverhampton, Alcester, Brum - but right from the off, it was Villa and nothing else.
That said, I'm pretty sure the first live game I ever saw was at the Molineux - Wolves v Spurs in '84, I think. Spurs might have won 3-2. I was taken for a mate's birthday and didn't go back there again for a good eight years I reckon. I was already Villa anyway, but just didn't feel any emotional attachment to the match, the stadium, the club. They weren't mine. A few months after, the Old Chap took me to Villa Park for the first time. I was nine at the time. We sat in the Upper North, QPR at home. 5-2. Withe (2), Rideout (2), Walters. Gary Bannister got both of theirs. The sights, the sounds, the smells! I can remember parts of that day as if it were yesterday. I was completely and totally hooked. Took one of my dad's old football almanacks to school with me the next day and spent break and lunch time sat in the playground going through the history of the FA Cup. Following the Villa's results through each of the rounds, right from the first competition.
I guess the Big Ron era was my heyday; taking the 19-minute train from Wolverhampton, where we lived at the time. They were some great times on The Holte. I don't get to go anymore, for obvious reasons, but still follow things. It's an addiction. There might be times when it feels a little more distant than others, but it always comes back. I don't go and watch any local football here, don't really follow the championship here in any great detail either, even though my father-in-law is a Romanista. It feels like it would be like cheating on the love of your life. Besides, Villa provide more than enough heartbreak on their own.
I wonder if it will be the same for kids who are starting to follow them now. What would a thread like this look like in 20 or 30 years time? I hope they have as much affection for the old place as we do.
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My Mom & Dad came from Yorkshire and Dad was keen on Middlesbrough though he wasn't really into football. My Mom's family however seemed to have something of a history with Aston Villa. That could be the reason why all my brothers and sisters were Villa fans by the time I came along.
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This thread makes very interesting reading for me.
Sometimes I wish that I'd grown up in a football area but then again, during seasons like the current one, I'm glad that I don't have the historical family allegiance or personal emotional attachment to Villa and football in general.
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Why? Perché lui è il mio più vecchio amico. Mah adesso e quasi sempre mi tratta come un nemico.
Ain't that the truth!
By the way, Eammon, your 'mah' doesn't need the 'h', it should just be 'ma'.
'Mah' is sort of the equivalent of going 'pffffff' or shrugging your shoulders, as opposed to the 'but' you were looking for.
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This thread makes very interesting reading for me.
Sometimes I wish that I'd grown up in a football area but then again, during seasons like the current one, I'm glad that I don't have the historical family allegiance or personal emotional attachment to Villa and football in general.
It was easy for me being where I was growing up however I admire people like yourself who choose and select class rather than glory.
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Primarily to annoy my Dad.
It also helped that my next door neighbour was a Villa fan and was happy to fill his car with whichever kids from the street were around on a Saturday and take us all down to VP.
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This thread makes very interesting reading for me.
Sometimes I wish that I'd grown up in a football area but then again, during seasons like the current one, I'm glad that I don't have the historical family allegiance or personal emotional attachment to Villa and football in general.
How did you come to be a Villa fan, then?
EDIT ignore. I used the cunning link to the previous page and saw your post.
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This thread makes very interesting reading for me.
Sometimes I wish that I'd grown up in a football area but then again, during seasons like the current one, I'm glad that I don't have the historical family allegiance or personal emotional attachment to Villa and football in general.
Same - interesting to read for someone who hadn't been to Birmingham till I was 23. I was a 4 year old kid in Bangladesh, where the only football we got on TV was a 30 minute highlights show once a week. I liked the colours, and that was it. A couple of years later, Dwight Yorke happened and it sealed the deal.
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Didn't like football until I was eight. Didn't know much about football so supported Man U like most kids in the late 90's. Watched them win the treble in 99 and thought to myself- "there's nothing left for them to win now.". Wanted to support a new team. My hometown Swansea were old 3rd division then so that wasn't appealing to me. Had FIFA 2000 on the playstation and decided to support a top 6 side that was more of a challenge. Chose either villa, N'castle or Spurs. Did a lucky dip and came out Villa. Which I was happy about because there's something different about villa. Plus my cousin is also a villa fan for no particular reason too. Loved villa ever since!
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Family, they are all Villa on both parent's sides and my Mom used to live in B6 too.
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I started going with my elder brother in mid 60s. But it was my first match travelling on my own which was the real start on my support. Nov 1966 against the albion, a 3-2 win (attendance c24k, which now seems extraordinary given England were world cup holders and football was meant to be popular). Anyway the whole afternoon was magical, on the train to Aston station, the walk to the ground, standing on the Holte an hour before 3pm, meeting strangers who then became good friends, and then the match - 13 years old and I was hooked. Although I have recently retired and live in Cornwall and therefore am unlikely to be a frequent attendee now, those match day rituals remain in my memory together with the very exceptional matches.
For those who know nothing of Villa but the premiership, please do not think relegation would be the end, it seems so initially, but my fondest memories are of the rise from the 3rd and those matches against Bournemouth and Notts County in particular (and of course the League Cup semi with United in 1971). It is only an opinion there have been few similar delights since the premier league started (well apart from beating the blues 5-1).
UTV.
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my Dad supported Villa , that was that
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You will agree that as a child grown in Italy in the 70's, I had not many chances to become a Villa fan, but I remember two reasons why I happened to be:
- Villa is an Italian name so it sounded to me more familiar than strange idioms like Ipswich (yes, in 1981 they did exist), West Bromwich Albion, United or others like that;
- the colours, the colours of wine and the sky, with that nice touch, so English, of the body of a different colour respect to the sleeves: I bought my first shirt at Soccer Scene in Carnaby street at the age of 13 and I could not ask for more!
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Mom's Family originally from Birmingham (Marston Green, Moseley etc.), My Grandad's dad had been taking him down in the 40s and 50s, himself a fan from the 1920s from his dad and so when I was old enough I was taken to see us by my grandad and been with them ever since. With playing in a band and having guitar lessons on a weekend I don't get to many games a season now but still enjoy going when I can. Had it not been due to my grandad's intervention probably could have been a Cov, Blues, Baggies, Wolves, Harrier's fan as many in the family support them.
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Dad's a lapsed (he never really got over their '57 semi performance) nose.
Stripeys on my mom's side.
My dad's dad moved to Brum from Wales in the 30s, looking for work. Loved his football, and he never formed an allegiance, he'd go the Villa one week, blose the next. The old man was born during the war, and, living in Small Heath, he stuck with his nearest team. But as a nipper, my grandad had loads of old memorabilia from both, and he loved his football history. Seven FA Cups got me hooked.
Guess that makes me an early 70s glory hunter.
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You will agree that as a child grown in Italy in the 70's, I had not many chances to become a Villa fan, but I remember two reasons why I happened to be:
- Villa is an Italian name so it sounded to me more familiar than strange idioms like Ipswich (yes, in 1981 they did exist), West Bromwich Albion, United or others like that;
- the colours, the colours of wine and the sky, with that nice touch, so English, of the body of a different colour respect to the sleeves: I bought my first shirt at Soccer Scene in Carnaby street at the age of 13 and I could not ask for more!
This, pretty much, is the ultimate for me from someone of totally neutral beginnings.
"the wine and the sky....first shirt in Carnaby Street"
FFS!
I have yet another Villa hero - Archie!!!
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You will agree that as a child grown in Italy in the 70's, I had not many chances to become a Villa fan, but I remember two reasons why I happened to be:
- Villa is an Italian name so it sounded to me more familiar than strange idioms like Ipswich (yes, in 1981 they did exist), West Bromwich Albion, United or others like that;
- the colours, the colours of wine and the sky, with that nice touch, so English, of the body of a different colour respect to the sleeves: I bought my first shirt at Soccer Scene in Carnaby street at the age of 13 and I could not ask for more!
This, pretty much, is the ultimate for me from someone of totally neutral beginnings.
"the wine and the sky....first shirt in Carnaby Street"
FFS!
I have yet another Villa hero - Archie!!!
Yeah, Archie's definitely a Villa hero.
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No great family line for me. My Dad came to this country from Serbia after the second world war and settled in the Black Country, which is another story entirely. Before he came here the only football teams he had heard of were Aston Villa and Arsenal so it was obvious who he would follow living reasonably close to Villa Park. He also adopted the local tradition at the time of Villa one week then Albion the next. My first game was boxing day 1963 when we drew 3-3 against the Wolves although I have no recollection of the match. It must have been a night game because to pacify mother, I do remember we spent the afternoon at the Ideal Home Exhibition in Bingley Hall on Broad Street.
He never really forced me to follow the Villa and like many others on this site, it was the ground, specifically the Trinity Road stand, which sold it to me followed closely by the colours and strip. I suffered quite a few games at the Hawthorns and even though they were better than us at the time, such as winning the cup in 1968, I never had anything like the same feeling for them and eventually purchased my first season ticket 'sold' to me by super salesman Tommy Docherty. Maybe I was being a bit of a rebel as well going to a school dominated by Albion and Wolves.
Pleased to say both my son and daughter are Villa nuts, they had little choice to be honest, and I'm now working on my grand kids which is proving more of a battle because of in laws allegiance to Nottingham Forest.
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Good Luck Tommy!
You've got the best supporters in the World right behind you!.
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The direct male line in the family were all Villa going back to the 1890's, maybe even earlier, so me and my sister had no choice but to be Villa. Only time it bothers me not having had kids is that the line stops with me, which actually makes me feel a bit guilty, even more than the direct line of family name dying out does.
Similar reason here. My granddad and grandma were both Villa fans, and lived in Mere green although they were from Erdington originally. Somehow my uncle was a Wolves fan, and my dad wasn't really into football, so my granddad saw me as his last chance I think. We lived in Sutton until I was about 6, then moved to London. My nan used to get her hair cut at one of her friend's house, and they had a parrot that used to say "up the Villa" which I thought was the coolest thing ever.
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Thank you mates, I am so proud to belong to the Villa family!
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they had a parrot that used to say "up the Villa" which I thought was the coolest thing ever.
Legend!
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15.12.1976
My Dad and uncle and cousins were Villa fans. I hadn't been to a game and had liked watching Liverpool on match of the day.
I was 13 and Dad said he would take me to the Liverpool game.(but to see the Villa)
As I remember it, we parked up and started of towards the ground, I was amazed in no time we were surrounded by a huge crowd of people all heading the same way, with a real buzz in the air. As we headed under the Expressway and past the hot dog stalls I caught my first site of Villa Park and could hear the crowd, an amazing feeling. It felt special and as we queued at the Holte End on Witton Lane the atmosphere was building.
When we had paid and walked to the bottom of the Holte, at the bottom of the steps I remember looking up into a Black imposing mass before me and I was genuinely taken aback at the scale and atmosphere. (I wa,s I think a Villa fan at that point after seeing the Holte End in its full pomp).
we walked up to a spot by a barrier and settled in for the match.
at Half time Villa were 5-1 up against the league champions.
The speed of Villa and the style were amazing, I was hooked.
That team still holds many of my heroes: Alex Cropley, Brian Little, Frank Carrodas, Andy Gray,Dennis Mortimer.
All I can say is that my Dad couldn't have picked a better game to introduce me to the mighty Villa.
I left thinking all games would be like that!
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When I was 7 I asked my Dad (who hates football) which team I should support. I still remember the words that came out of his mouth: ' Aston Villa are the team most steeped in history and tradition and have won the FA cup more times than any other team'. I said right I'll follow them then.
That was 1972. My first game Jan 1973 I was hooked. My son born in Lancashire is Villa through and through!
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My Dad is a bluenose and only recently game up his season ticket due to ill health
Fortunately for me he lost a bit of interest in the early 70's because we were a bit skint and the next door neighbours were massive Villa fans. They got my hooked on the claret and blue and the rest is history
Sometimes I don't understand how my Dad let this happen but glad he did. My own son was only going to support one team
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My old man.
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Driving up to the Black Country from down south to visit my mom's family when I was a kid.
Gazing out the window of the car from the motorway, and seeing the stadium, and dreaming...
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They were the first team I saw properly. Got a 5-1 win against Middlesborough and I was 12 at the time. Also, the last time we won the top flight title was the season I was born so it does kind of make sense.
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Driving up to the Black Country from down south to visit my mom's family when I was a kid.
Gazing out the window of the car from the motorway, and seeing the stadium, and dreaming...
A couple of decades later and you could have supported Coventry.
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You will agree that as a child grown in Italy in the 70's, I had not many chances to become a Villa fan, but I remember two reasons why I happened to be:
- Villa is an Italian name so it sounded to me more familiar than strange idioms like Ipswich (yes, in 1981 they did exist), West Bromwich Albion, United or others like that;
- the colours, the colours of wine and the sky, with that nice touch, so English, of the body of a different colour respect to the sleeves: I bought my first shirt at Soccer Scene in Carnaby street at the age of 13 and I could not ask for more!
This, pretty much, is the ultimate for me from someone of totally neutral beginnings.
"the wine and the sky....first shirt in Carnaby Street"
FFS!
I have yet another Villa hero - Archie!!!
Quality post Archie.
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My Dad was from Tamworth and my Mum from Southampton. Southampton won out as to where I would I grow up, but the Midlands won the footy battle. Although I had been taken to the Dell on a number of occasions by my family, my first Villa game was the famous B'mouth game in 1972. I was hooked. I usually saw one game a season, when we visited the relatives and we would always travel on one of the supporters coach from Tamworth. I was the only Villa fan at my school and just didn't meet any other Villa fans at all.
On leaving school in '79 and having money from my first job, I started traveling up on the train from Southampton (£7 return!) It was amazing to start traveling regularly to games, but for me it was also incredible to meet other southern based Villa fans, who all shared the same passion for our great club. I have traveled all over the country and feel so lucky to have shared in some of the best days this club has seen: Highbury 81, Roterdam 82, Wembley 94 & 96
I was a season ticket holder for many years and my son started traveling up to games from the age of 3. He was also a season ticket holder and is still Villa mad. We finally gave up the season tickets a couple of years ago, because my son was playing footy Sat/Sun. We still come up to nearly half the home games and a few away, although it does feel quite part time! He is 16 now and still wears his Villa kit with pride. Lets hope he gets to share some Villa success in the not to distant future!
Up the Villa !!
PS: My son at a young age thought Percy was Percy the Park keeper
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Driving up to the Black Country from down south to visit my mom's family when I was a kid.
Gazing out the window of the car from the motorway, and seeing the stadium, and dreaming...
A couple of decades later and you could have supported Coventry.
I just did a bit of sick in my mouth. Cheers, Dave.
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I think we should now change our colours from claret & blue to wine & the sky.
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My whole family supported Blues. My Dad (I love him to bits but there is 1% of him that I think lost it many many years ago!) took me to many Blues games at the Sty when I was a wee lad. Then, in 1978 I saw Villa beat them 1-0 with Andy Gray scoring - I was mesmerized by the atmosphere and for some reason, decided Villa was me. My Dad was disgusted, but to his credit (would you turn a wailing 11 year old down!), he took me to a game at Villa Park and that was that. Ever since, have looked on the Blues as well what they are - baggage class!
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I'd be gutted if my son was a Nose. or any other team other Villa. (And number 2 but as he's only 2 that's another 'fight ahead of me). I'll be doing everything possible, including emotional blackmail to make sure they're both Villa fans. Nothing else is acceptable. I'd be distraught if they were anything else. And as they are 5 and 2 that is the huge psychological weapon in my arsenal and I'm not adverse to using it. terrible I know. Still as parents we brainwash a lot of our values onto our children so i don't feel that bad. The missus gets the religion I get the football.
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Bought up on College Road Kingstanding and late relations buried in Witton Cemetery. Never in question really. All family on my mothers side are all noses though.
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I lived on College Road too. From 1970 until I got married in 1975. I lived by the roundabout at the junction with Dovedale Road.
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I lived there until 77, between the roundabout by Dovedale and the College arms. 632 IIRC
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FFS, 595 was our house, long since demolished. We lived next-door-but-one to the entrance to the Council Depot/Offices. Small world innit?
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Tiny. I think that was right opposite ours too. The Council depot thing rings some bells.
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I did not choose the Villa. Villa chose me in 1947 like it chose my mother in 1907 and my grandfather in (about) 1885. As one of the posters who knows just how pissed off I am these days said, it is in my DNA.
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My family are all Villa ergo I m Villa. I too was chosen to be Villa. Thank fuck for family. I love my family.
AVFC doing things right since 1874 x
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Bruvver took me down in April 1965 v Spurs. 1-0 win, cracking 25-yard goal by Alan Baker.
And that was that...
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You will agree that as a child grown in Italy in the 70's, I had not many chances to become a Villa fan, but I remember two reasons why I happened to be:
- Villa is an Italian name so it sounded to me more familiar than strange idioms like Ipswich (yes, in 1981 they did exist), West Bromwich Albion, United or others like that;
- the colours, the colours of wine and the sky, with that nice touch, so English, of the body of a different colour respect to the sleeves: I bought my first shirt at Soccer Scene in Carnaby street at the age of 13 and I could not ask for more!
This, pretty much, is the ultimate for me from someone of totally neutral beginnings.
"the wine and the sky....first shirt in Carnaby Street"
FFS!
I have yet another Villa hero - Archie!!!
I get where Archie is coming from - in French our colours are translated as Bordeaux and sky blue
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Was there an alternative?
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First game i ever went to was........ (Gulps nervously, fingers hover hesitantly over keyboard for a moment, then begins to type again).......... WEST BROM v Chelsea!!!. my school friends were baggies fans and i kind of got temporarily brainwashed, i even had the hat and my hero was .........JEFF ASTLE, enter my cousin Steven who was Villa Daft, he took me as an easily led 10 year old to Villa Park, it was as if someone had switched on a light!!. I committed the cardinal sin and switched clubs (at that age, just, JUST about forgivable, but, bearing in mind, at the time The baggies were in the 1st Division and Villa were in the 3rd, no-one could accuse me of being a glory-hunter). i think there`s something very subliminal going on, but, trust me, you do not want to be sitting next to me when we play them.
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I told my daughter many years ago that she could do with her life whatever she wanted as long as it made her happy and I would not interfere. However I told her she had absolutely no choice about what football team she followed. Must have worked because I can't keep her away from villa park these days.
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It's my local team, he nearest ground to where I live.
I was also at Highbury when we won the league
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Old man used to watch Dundalk. When he came over to Brum there was a certain player at Villa who'd been brought over from Dundalk so Dad started going down cos he knew he was worth watching. There was also the strong Irish influence with Martin, Blanchflower and slightly later Saward. Not to mention Villa were still the most famous club in the world before the Johnny-come-lately types of Manchester, Madrid, Milan and Munich started their annoying rise.
He passed it on to me and my brothers.
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I have really enjoyed reading all these stories and i don't mind admitting it has brought a few tears to my eyes.
As a born and bred brummie, it was just a case of would i be a villain or a nose. My father was one of the football fans back in the early 60s who used to go Villa one week ,Blues the next.He was maybe 60-40 in favour of the Villa.Me though, i hated going to St Andrews ,just hated the atmosphere and the ground itself.However, i just just loved going to Villa Park and stainding high up the Holte.I soon made my mind up Villa were for me
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The direct male line in the family were all Villa going back to the 1890's, maybe even earlier,
Same here. I know we go back into late Victorian times on both sides. So genetics come into it!
I've recently bought my elder son's son his first Villa kit at age 4 - I know it's a bit late but he is thrilled and runs around the house in a demented fashion wearing it.
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When finnish tv-channel started showing premier league in the early 90s, I saw Big Fat Ron's Villa play and that was it. I think it was combination of seeing BFR on the sidelines, the colours and Dean Saunders scoring goals what did it for me.
I can't remember was it the first season though, as I was 12 at the time.
I have to say that even though my dad is Everton fan, he never tried to talk me out of being Villan, so big props for that.
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My parents were from Wales, my dad spent his teen years traveling to watch Manchester Utd during the Best/Charlton era, but in the late 70's he and my mum moved up to the Midlands, where I was born. Probably around the age of /56 I started taking a interest in football, and Villa being local had taken a liking to them (a friend supported them so that could have had an influence) but I think what cemented me supporting Villa was David Platt scoring for England during World Cup 90, him being a Villa player and scoring in a World Cup, wow, and that was it for me! That's 25 years ago this year, so a quarter of a century supporting the Villa!
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My parents were on holiday in Malta in 81 and got friendly with a brummie couple. They stayed in touch and i was sent a Villa kit for xmas that year (i was 6) I started supporting the Villa from that moment. It's turned out be a rollercoaster 34 years!!
UTV
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My Dad supports the Villa and his father, my Grandfather did also. My Grandfather, even when he had his stroke and was unable to talk, would sit and await my return to his house in Tamworth after home matches and together we would look through the programme and the Argus. I would tell him about what had gone on. My Grandmother used to fancy Trevor Ford when she was younger and always used to wind my Grandfather up about this.
My first game was an away game at West Ham in March 1982 at the ripe old age of 6 , (2-2, my all time Villa hero Peter Withe scored). Dad was on leave from the army. The following week was my first trip to Villa park where we beat the Wolves 3-1. Couldn't understand why my new hero Peter Withe wasn't playing. Dad told me it was because he was "suspended", a constant theme as it turned out!
I'll be forty later this year and the Villa are with out a shadow of a doubt my one true love. We've been through so much together and I'll always love this famous club of ours. It's in my blood.
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I like suffering.
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My old man was a villain, and so are two of his sons. The third little treacherous bastard chose Celtic because of king kenny, then liverpool. Dad hardly spoke to him for one year and stopped taking him to the football, till he could pay his own way.
I'm afraid my two wee lasses aren't into football although there is time, but if they do they will become arabs, due to the missus, and hopefully have a soft spot for the villa
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No football supporting history in the family. Villa were rubbish in the mid 60's when I started but they were my area's club and nearest to where we lived so I picked them at age 7. I made my younger brother support the noses - to be fair to him he still does.
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Nearly ended up a Chelsea fan living in London, until my brother-in-law took me to the Villa.
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When I started following football, there were a good few irish players playing for the villa, which piqued my interest. We were more than a little decent then too. Then my neighbour, who was good friends with the late, great eamonn deacy, told him that the kid next door was starting to follow the club. Deacy gave my neighbour a load of claret and blue mags and match programmes for me to read through. I was hooked from that moment on.
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Born in the Channel Islands , moved to Birmingham (Moseley) 1967 all my new School mates were Blues and Leeds , my Dad was a Leeds fan , watched match of the day Villa were playing Portsmouth they were losing , but came back to equalize , asked my Dad who was who , and what were the kits ...... he explained one was Aston Villa a famous old club that is in a terrible decline and they played in Claret and Blue , the other team was Portsmouth where he did teacher training and they played in Blue and White ....... Villa lost , I cried and Villa fan I became ...... everyone laughed at School when the following Monday I turned up with a Claret and Blue scarf , and even more when we were relegated ........ since then for the most part the laugh has been on them ........ I was 20 when we won the league ......... my kids are mad Villa , their American partners, parade around in Villa shirts and we have converts from Dewsbury to Amsterdam and beyond
On a more depressing note , I came back for the Liverpool game , all my Pals had kids later than me , when I left to go abroad there was probably 15 siblings going the match every match , season ticket holders from 5-15 ....... most of the lads are season ticket holders , some don't go down and now stay in the pub , out of those 15 kids , only 2 go down anymore .
on a positive note my Lad is flying back for the Albion game , I cannot due to work commitments ,........but I worry we have a lost generation or more
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Amazing stories.
I've recently met up with a second cousin at a family funeral - I've moved recently and found I am living 3 miles away from her - she is a Moss and the grand-daughter of my Uncle Frank. Her dad DID NOT play for The Villa (his brothers Frank Jnr and Amos did!) but did play for Worcester City with MY dad!
We met up yesterday and talked non-stop for 3 hours about family and Villa and have already arranged to meet again soon 'cos there's so much stuff to talk about!
She knows so much about Uncle Frank, but so much more about my cousins/her uncles Frank Jnr and Amos that I didn't...It's fascinating!
Edited highlights may follow! ;-)
UTV!
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I used to enjoy watching the Premier League highlights show on the ABC here in the early-mid 90s. English grounds and accents on commentary, and particularly the roar that met each goal, were attractive. I started supporting Aston Villa because the club had an interesting English-sounding name, but mostly because Bosnich was keeper.
Somehow that evolved into staying up until 4am first listening to the BBC commentary, then watching Sky Sports online score ticker, and finally stuttering streams. A little less of that in recent years with a two-year old, but still log onto the match thread on the morning after each match to read how it unfolded.
I've only made it to Villa Park once, when I was last in England in 2003. Villa 2 (Alpay, Samuel) - Charlton 1.
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Percy and his neighbours, Jim and Phil (schoolmates of mine) got me going down. First game was home to Spurs, if my memory serves me well.
My dad and a couple of uncles are, ahem, fans of the rags in Small Heath and made me watch Kenny Burns, Bob Latchford, Beelzebub and all that lot during the Freddie Goodwin era. Then I had all the LFC Chelmsley Wood Reds in my year at school (1st Year = 1977 and you know who were Champions of Europe then...).
The Villa DNA was too strong though: I was born in Heathfield Road Maternity in 1966 and I lived in Compton Road Handsworth until Armstrong walked on the moon and Chelmsley Wood was built.
I can never thank Percy, Jim and Phil enough for saving me.
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Was a glory hunter of the early 90s.
Brother is an Everton fan and we thrashed them 6-2 on the telly, so first started supporting them just to wind him up.
Had a great team with Platt, McGrath and my hero growing up Daley.
Saunders, Atkinson and Yorke cemented it for me.
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Good parenting. Dad born in and lived in Nelson Road - the first road behind the Witton End. Met mom who lived in Lodge Road, off Trinity Road. They moved to Aldridge in the late 1940s, where our family GP was Dr Victor Milne, centre half in the 1924 Villa Cup Final team.
Dad got him to autograph the Peter Morris book, Aston Villa the story of a great football club 1874 to 1960. Still have it.
Mom and dad, brother and I, my 3 sons all Villa. My grandsons will be and are already going down to VP. Back to my first words, it is down to good parenting. All those glory hunting plastic fans you see in the West Midlands are by and large down to bad parenting imo. Stuff that nonsense about letting children make their own choice. You bring them up from soon as they can speak and walk to support your team!
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Seen a fortune teller back in 87, she told me that Aston Villa would win the 2015 FA Cup, jumped on the bandwagon.
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just heard about them when I was really young in primary school and been hooked ever since!
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No Choice, born into it,
NO Villa = no life
Ive got a life
LOVE THE VILLA
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It's in the blood I suppose - Villa fans back as far as anyone can remember, and the family's local since well before the founding - and I remember shedding a tear when we lost the final against Chelsea. My first game, however, was what really cemented it. It was next season, I think. Some of you might remember it - Aston Villa 3 Coventry City 2.
Let's hope tomorrow's final makes up for that terrible day fifteen years ago. And let's hope, if there are kids crying at the end it'll be in joy not in sadness - and that they'll have just been given all the reason they need to be Villa for the rest of their lives.
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Hopefully in years to come this thread will be resurrected and there will be a post saying "I started supporting them in 2015 when I watched them win the Fa Cup on TV".
Then they will be accused of being gloryhunters by us cynical old bastards and they will sign up for a website offering a warm welcome, exclusive news on who the new owner will be (Lerner, aged 82 has still not sold) and the best conspiracy theories on the net as well as a pool cleaning service with 10% discount for all site members.