Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine

Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: PeterWithesShin on November 09, 2025, 11:27:37 AM

Title: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithesShin on November 09, 2025, 11:27:37 AM
A thread for Villa stuff that maybe doesn't warrant it's own thread but also doesn't fit easily into an existing thread

Quote
A group of football supporters has raised £20,000 for a charity's flood relief work in Punjab.

Aston Villa fan group Punjabi Villans will present a cheque to Midland Langar Seva Society (MLSS) outside the Premier League's ground, Villa Park, on Sunday, ahead of the side's match against Bournemouth.

The chief executive officer of MLSS, Randhir Singh, who has been in the north Indian state distributing aid, offered a "heartfelt" thank you to the group for their support.

Monsoon rains have seen Punjab face its worst deluge since 1988, with hundreds of thousands of people affected by flooding.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2prn70y3yo
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithesShin on November 19, 2025, 04:16:18 PM
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: RamboandBruno on November 19, 2025, 10:57:43 PM
Pretty good watch that, thanks for posting. He gets us Villa fans, particularly the ‘it might all go to shit’ attitude. Fair play to him.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: cdbearsfan on November 19, 2025, 11:22:18 PM
He seems a decent sort.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithesShin on November 20, 2025, 10:19:12 AM
One of the best fan vlogs around imo. I first posted him on here ages ago when he was did a video about their ground.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Dave on November 20, 2025, 10:48:37 AM
Thanks for posting that, he's good.

Nothing to disagree with in any his criticisms either.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: UK Redsox on November 20, 2025, 11:37:10 AM
The bloke on the right sits a few rows in front of me in the LTR

The group was with Tayls by the statue pre-Bournemouth
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Somniloquism on November 20, 2025, 12:11:05 PM
The review starts with aerial shots of the city. All are recognisable to me apart from the first one with the hospital landing pad. Anyone shed light on it?
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: cdbearsfan on November 20, 2025, 12:56:48 PM
Thanks for posting that, he's good.

Nothing to disagree with in any his criticisms either.

Maybe the pubs. Feel like there are lots of clubs where away fans can't drink right next to the ground, and you wouldn't choose to if you could as the pub would be rammed and full of plastic cup throwing weirdos. Getting a taxi or train from town isn't that much of a hardship, it's not like Wolverhampton where the twats try to close down the entire city to anyone without webbed fingers on matchdays.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithe on November 20, 2025, 01:30:44 PM
The review starts with aerial shots of the city. All are recognisable to me apart from the first one with the hospital landing pad. Anyone shed light on it?

The first couple of shots are shooting toward 5 Ways island and then behind Broad St, Granville St, Tennant St kind of area.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: usav on November 20, 2025, 06:58:28 PM
Not sure if this was posted elsewhere, so apologies in advance.  Terrific interview with Deano - some great stories from the early-mid 90s!

Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Somniloquism on November 20, 2025, 09:22:24 PM
The review starts with aerial shots of the city. All are recognisable to me apart from the first one with the hospital landing pad. Anyone shed light on it?

The first couple of shots are shooting toward 5 Ways island and then behind Broad St, Granville St, Tennant St kind of area.

The second and third shots are 5 ways and from Broad Street and Brindley etc. But the very first shot with the chimneys and what looks like a hospital with a helicoptor landing pad I just can't place. There is no obvious Rotunda or even Octagon to place it either. Some of the buildings on the right look like the old Law-courts etc meaning the hostptal is the childrens one, but then the road layout doesn't seem correct.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithe on November 21, 2025, 09:32:38 AM
Ah gotcha now, I missed that shot.

I agree thats tough, I can only really recognise the Radisson Hotel, what you say is the law courts could be, maybe that hotel/doss house on Bradford or Moseley St? But then nothing else matches so I reckon either AI generated or not Brum.

But I'm probably wrong
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Somniloquism on November 21, 2025, 03:22:56 PM
https://shop.avfc.co.uk/?query=Christmas%20Jumper&_ref=p-CLP:m-SEARCH

Get your XMAS jumpers.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: paul_e on November 21, 2025, 04:18:44 PM
Ah gotcha now, I missed that shot.

I agree thats tough, I can only really recognise the Radisson Hotel, what you say is the law courts could be, maybe that hotel/doss house on Bradford or Moseley St? But then nothing else matches so I reckon either AI generated or not Brum.

But I'm probably wrong

I think the one with the crane on top might be the octogon (because I can't think what else it could be), which would mean it's from early 2024 (I think the crane came down in about september 24 from what I remember), so probably filmed when we played Bournemouth in April.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Somniloquism on November 21, 2025, 08:18:54 PM
Nah, it isn't his footage but from a stock one for Birmingham Skyline which was mislabeled. Coincidently it is actually Leeds.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: paul_e on November 21, 2025, 10:55:47 PM
Nah, it isn't his footage but from a stock one for Birmingham Skyline which was mislabeled. Coincidently it is actually Leeds.

Ahh, that's why so much of it didn't make sense, I spent ages trying to work out what the building with the crane could be, oh well.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: john e on November 22, 2025, 07:42:07 PM
Pat Murphy just did his last report for the Beeb today, think he’s retiring
51 years mainly midlands based
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Percy McCarthy on November 22, 2025, 08:07:38 PM
Pat Murphy just did his last report for the Beeb today, think he’s retiring
51 years mainly midlands based

He used to buy the fanzine. Often the sign of a decent bloke.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: john e on November 22, 2025, 08:18:11 PM
Pat Murphy just did his last report for the Beeb today, think he’s retiring
51 years mainly midlands based

He used to buy the fanzine. Often the sign of a decent bloke.

Old school but decent bloke as you say
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: dave.woodhall on November 22, 2025, 08:24:28 PM
A consumate professional, an inspiration and a great help to many and a gent. There are few of them left.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Exeter 77 on November 22, 2025, 08:34:00 PM
A consumate professional, an inspiration and a great help to many and a gent. There are few of them left.
He was. Even if I once once had a go at him off in H&V for being so negative about Paul Lambert era Villa.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Lizz on November 22, 2025, 08:34:37 PM
Heard Pat Murphy's last comment on air to Mark Chapman on R5 earlier, can't for the life of me remember it exactly or even remotely, other than the gist of it was something along the lines of it's always best to leave before being asked to leave.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Drummond on November 22, 2025, 08:42:07 PM
I hadn't realised it was his last one today. Heard him earlier in the day and thought he was sounding old. I've always enjoyed listening to his reporting though.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Lizz on November 22, 2025, 09:31:28 PM
Just read this on Twitter: https://x.com/patmurphybbc/status/1992293819006763511
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: adrenachrome on November 23, 2025, 02:49:19 AM
A consumate professional, an inspiration and a great help to many and a gent. There are few of them left.

Often bumped into him at Edgbaston back when I used to go.

He was always very gracious seemed to have an an encylopeidic knowledge of sports in the West Midlands.

Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Steve67 on November 23, 2025, 12:41:59 PM
Just read this on Twitter: https://x.com/patmurphybbc/status/1992293819006763511

Friend of a friend, Pat prefers cricket but goes where he's told. Good luck to him.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Brazilian Villain on November 23, 2025, 12:45:50 PM
Just read this on Twitter: https://x.com/patmurphybbc/status/1992293819006763511

Friend of a friend, Pat prefers cricket but goes where he's told. Good luck to him.

The praise from his fellow commentators/journalists/pundits says it all.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Hopadop on November 24, 2025, 09:44:07 AM
Heard Pat Murphy's last comment on air to Mark Chapman on R5 earlier, can't for the life of me remember it exactly or even remotely, other than the gist of it was something along the lines of it's always best to leave before being asked to leave.

True, but I'd hope he would never have been asked to leave.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Hopadop on November 24, 2025, 09:46:50 AM
Well played the London Lions (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c9wv9vyww94o)

Anyone turn out for them?
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: simon ward 50 on November 24, 2025, 03:20:05 PM
Well played the London Lions (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c9wv9vyww94o)

Anyone turn out for them?

Just read this!
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: LeeB on November 24, 2025, 03:34:27 PM
Typical BBC, all about the Geordies when it was us that won
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Rudy Can't Fail on November 24, 2025, 03:39:33 PM
We have the most beautiful name in football and they abbreviate it down to AVFC. Bloody southerners!
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithesShin on November 25, 2025, 02:07:42 PM
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Brazilian Villain on November 25, 2025, 02:23:54 PM
Wonderful stuff, nicely done!🌲
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: exigo on November 25, 2025, 02:26:17 PM
Well played the London Lions (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c9wv9vyww94o)

Anyone turn out for them?

Not personally, I'm past that age. But know the guys who've built it up and keep it going.
They won the league a few years back, and have started well this season.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: usav on November 25, 2025, 04:03:20 PM


The media team really upping their game recently.  Good stuff.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Somniloquism on November 25, 2025, 04:09:00 PM
I'm probably going to be ripped for this but was the Grandad at the end an ex-legend?
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: pauliewalnuts on November 25, 2025, 04:36:44 PM
I'm probably going to be ripped for this but was the Grandad at the end an ex-legend?

That's Pongo Waring.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: shipscat on November 25, 2025, 06:10:20 PM
Well played the London Lions (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c9wv9vyww94o)

Anyone turn out for them?

Ace. My son does! He is almost in the picture, the ref's blocking him. He's chuffed there's no match report as apparently he missed 2 decent chances, but also hit the post from well out. He's played for about 18 months and resides in Tooting/Streatham. I met the coaching staff when we were in Rotterdam who were footballing/tactical obsessives. They've had a couple of heavy defeats as apparently the Italian's are very decent. I need to go and see a game ..I've seen him play once since he went to Uni six years ago, after spending the previous 12 years or so on the touchline nearly every weekend. Funny how things alter
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: SaddVillan on November 25, 2025, 07:44:35 PM
Given the number of Plastic Mancs, surprising that Redscum haven't got a team, or Liverpool for that matter.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Nev on November 25, 2025, 07:51:56 PM
Pat Murphy just did his last report for the Beeb today, think he’s retiring
51 years mainly midlands based

Lives in Fairfield I believe.

Brilliant summariser and journalist who famously who, when thrown to for a half time report said "Stoke nil, West Brom nil, rubbish!". I think it was WB anyway.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: SaddVillan on November 26, 2025, 10:56:59 AM
Pat Murphy just did his last report for the Beeb today, think he’s retiring
51 years mainly midlands based

Lives in Fairfield I believe.

Brilliant summariser and journalist who famously who, when thrown to for a half time report said "Stoke nil, West Brom nil, rubbish!". I think it was WB anyway.

He only had eyes for Cloughie, very much an East Midlands man.

Never ever that positive about the West Midlands' clubs -  Villa, Baggies Small Heath, or Wolves.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: AV82EC on November 26, 2025, 12:58:08 PM
Pat Murphy just did his last report for the Beeb today, think he’s retiring
51 years mainly midlands based

Lives in Fairfield I believe.

Brilliant summariser and journalist who famously who, when thrown to for a half time report said "Stoke nil, West Brom nil, rubbish!". I think it was WB anyway.

He only had eyes for Cloughie, very much an East Midlands man.

Never ever that positive about the West Midlands' clubs -  Villa, Baggies Small Heath, or Wolves.

I think there is some truth to the Clough love in though when Pat was the Midlands main man on 5Live, the West Midlands clubs were hardly giving him a reason to big them up. He rightly praised us under Big Ron/Little but I think like the rest of us he got fed up with flattering to deceive Villa from that point onwards.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Somniloquism on November 26, 2025, 10:11:01 PM
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce8nxx35j2vo
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithesShin on November 26, 2025, 10:14:22 PM
I could never go to an animal rescue place as i'd want to bring every animal there back.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: cdbearsfan on November 26, 2025, 10:15:49 PM
They're useless. I phoned them up to report a fire and they just said woof. Rescue animals my arse.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: andyh on November 26, 2025, 10:17:59 PM
They're useless. I phoned them up to report a fire and they just said woof. Rescue animals my arse.
Jimmy Tarbuck thanks you for bringing his material back to life………just.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: paul_e on November 26, 2025, 10:18:36 PM
They're useless. I phoned them up to report a fire and they just said woof. Rescue animals my arse.

You've clearly never watched paw patrol, an truly exceptional documentary about the hard work these pooches put in to protect people.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: pauliewalnuts on November 26, 2025, 11:33:28 PM
Watching this, i had forgotten just how many chances we had to knock these cocksuckers out.

Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Mellin on November 27, 2025, 12:39:46 AM
I can reel each one off in chronological order ffs. Tielemans, Asensio and Konsa the real opportunities. I'll always be proud of that comeback, but with half hour to go, all those chances and the fact PSG's minds were swimming through Birmingham canals...I think we should've done it.

We'd have beaten Inter. Villa vs Arsenal is pretty much a 50/50 these days. Could've happened. Didn't happen.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithesShin on November 27, 2025, 12:45:34 AM
If they hadn't blocked Ian's shot it would have rivaled Dalian and Tranmere. Keeper had no chance but that defender...
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: dave.woodhall on November 27, 2025, 01:00:38 AM
If they hadn't blocked Ian's shot it would have rivaled Dalian and Tranmere. Keeper had no chance but that defender...

Given that Tranmere were in division three and PSG became European champions I think it would have had no equal.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithesShin on November 27, 2025, 01:26:38 AM
They were div 2. I'm talking about the instant explosion of going mental. I've seen us score hundreds of goals, but the moment Dalian's header went in to send it to extra time lives with me the most. I reckon Ian's would have been the same for those there.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: RamboandBruno on November 27, 2025, 08:04:35 AM
I’ll never forget being on the platform at Aston station after the PSG game. My lad is 15 and at that age wheres he’s not the most expressive. But he/we were both just saying to each other how proud we were of that team….but..but we could of done it. Watching back that video brings back some of those feelings, it really was on and you know Emery would of outwitted Arteta over two legs
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: paul_e on November 27, 2025, 08:42:14 AM
The konsa chance is the one for me, If he connects with that header we'd have gone through I reckon.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Sexual Ealing on November 27, 2025, 09:00:18 PM
I know there are badge threads but, y'know.

Considering the principal reason we've redesigned the badge so many times since the dawn of the internet is that whatever the current one was didn't look good on the internet, our latest badge looks absolutely shit compared to every single other club's on the internet.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/europa-league/table
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Somniloquism on November 27, 2025, 09:04:58 PM
Looks better then Genk, Brann, Basel, GOE and Utrecht with their identikit styles.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Sexual Ealing on November 27, 2025, 09:22:43 PM
But you can vaguely tell what theirs look like.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: cdbearsfan on November 27, 2025, 09:27:16 PM
Feyenoord and Roma the best ones. Ours is shit but still better than Betis, Dinamo Zagreb or The Initials Formerly Known As Steaua.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: paul_e on November 27, 2025, 10:08:21 PM
But you can vaguely tell what theirs look like.

I agree, this is why I wanted to simplify the badge when the recent iterations were going on.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: SaddVillan on November 29, 2025, 08:09:14 PM
My lad lives in Bucharest and has just come across a Young Boys sticker on a mirror in a club

Yellow and black, with "Young Boys Bern - the Swiss Cowboys" surrounding a cowboy.

He wants some Villa stickers that he can 'distribute' strategically to spread the message.

Any ideas where I can get hold of some?

Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: lennythekad on November 29, 2025, 08:31:46 PM
My lad lives in Bucharest and has just come across a Young Boys sticker on a mirror in a club

Yellow and black, with "Young Boys Bern - the Swiss Cowboys" surrounding a cowboy.

He wants some Villa stickers that he can 'distribute' strategically to spread the message.

Any ideas where I can get hold of some?



Put Aston Villa Ultras stickers into Google search. You should find what you’re looking for
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithesShin on November 29, 2025, 08:34:37 PM
(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/IOkAAOSwwvFh~XWe/s-l400.jpg)
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithesShin on November 30, 2025, 11:40:09 AM
Quote
A man has been jailed for two months for assaulting a police officer at the Aston Villa v BSC Young Boys game.

Noe Burri, aged 36, was jailed for eight weeks for his part in disorder at the game on Thursday night.

He was one of four men, all BSC Young Boys fans, from Switzerland, who were charged and remanded to appear at Birmingham Magistrates Court today (Sat) for a first hearing.

Burri admitted assaulting a police officer and was also ordered to pay £200 compensation.

Michael Hausler, aged 38, Kevin Heiniger, aged 24 and Nevio Dappen, aged 18, were all charged with using threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause fear of or provoke unlawful violence.

They were due to appear before the court this afternoon.

Disorder had broken out inside the stadium during the first half of the Europa League Cup tie, held on Thursday.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Brazilian Villain on November 30, 2025, 01:46:22 PM
On a more positive note, I don't recall seeing this before. https://x.com/avfcbreaking/status/1994834325200933099
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Somniloquism on November 30, 2025, 07:47:34 PM
After StolenLoo decided to hint at it in his match report, he has now done a full article on us scoring from outside the box.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cwygdgkg1yno

As one of the top commentators put it, if it was Manure, Liverpool or Arse, the story would be how their excellent players are really good at shooting, as it is Villa it comes across as a putdown article. I hinted previously how the Arse cornality scoring is being held up as tremendous from Arteta, with articles about that not stating it isn't something they should rely on.

Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: rooboy316 on December 01, 2025, 10:41:04 AM
(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/IOkAAOSwwvFh~XWe/s-l400.jpg)

Sponsored by Cuckbooks. Sounds about right.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: LeeB on December 01, 2025, 11:41:36 AM
After StolenLoo decided to hint at it in his match report, he has now done a full article on us scoring from outside the box.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cwygdgkg1yno

As one of the top commentators put it, if it was Manure, Liverpool or Arse, the story would be how their excellent players are really good at shooting, as it is Villa it comes across as a putdown article. I hinted previously how the Arse cornality scoring is being held up as tremendous from Arteta, with articles about that not stating it isn't something they should rely on.



Same old, same old.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Garyth on December 02, 2025, 04:46:37 AM
After StolenLoo decided to hint at it in his match report, he has now done a full article on us scoring from outside the box.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cwygdgkg1yno




I think these lines from Emery are informative:

"We need to add goals in different ways."

"They are practising a lot every training session and shooting like that."

I'd suggest that Emery is smart enough to have identified several ways the team can respond to opposition deep/condensed setups - practicing shots from outside the box (as space will likely open up), or free kicks (teams fouling as we run with ball towards the box) seem fairly logical next steps.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Somniloquism on December 02, 2025, 08:49:10 AM
Return of the stinky minefield around Villa Park.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cre3qwrrw4no
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Brend'Watkins on December 03, 2025, 11:46:52 AM
This may have been discussed elsewhere but there’s an awful lot of TV advertising for Villa hospitality currently. Christmas present ideas no doubt.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Somniloquism on December 03, 2025, 11:59:15 AM
Dropping it here as our Morgz is mentioned towards the bottom with the examples.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c4g98zkx518o

Vile abuse logged for one weekend.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Garyth on December 08, 2025, 02:06:37 AM
First segment of the Totally Football Show was more enjoyable than usual this week. (from 2:12)



Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithesShin on December 09, 2025, 03:16:36 PM
Tony Daley

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=716425221089518
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Pat Mustard on December 10, 2025, 10:50:45 AM
I didn't realise we were part inspiration for Bournemouth's badge (according to The Guardian anyway):

AFC Bournemouth: “I was surprised to discover that the face on Bournemouth’s badge is actually that of Dickie Dowsett, who played for the club between 1957 & 1962,” writes Pete Tomlin. “In his five seasons at Bournemouth he finished top scorer three times and apparently scored a brilliant diving header against Aston Villa which is the inspiration for the badge.”
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithesShin on December 16, 2025, 10:07:18 PM
(https://scontent-lhr6-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/598038397_1370732645069104_2326504124367999169_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s640x640_tt6&_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=R0qWm7cUsLgQ7kNvwGs7IFw&_nc_oc=AdmkXGjOz9XZc8WCTNf_NwSW2ZNTtQu778nqe8ekXa_rwMd_chgxii4EmVBXX6qQ85o&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr6-2.xx&_nc_gid=j8dBGjEhIipn2VDY1ocrNg&oh=00_AfkecY03w4OgdgEkDmCkS1_dvRcTjceJC_6tW5tnjjiECA&oe=6947ABE7)
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: cdbearsfan on December 16, 2025, 10:14:40 PM
Ffs, Ollie. If he hadn't scored so early at Brighton we could be top three in that chart.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: andyh on December 16, 2025, 10:36:30 PM
What exactly is the point of that chart ?
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Somniloquism on December 16, 2025, 10:41:29 PM
Just showing that sometimes teams winning at half-time never lose. And forget about the two outliers (and Manure need to be thankful Brooks aimed at the gk twice), we are towards the top of those teams.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Bent Neilsens Screamer on December 16, 2025, 11:21:51 PM
327 games is pretty incredible really.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithesShin on December 16, 2025, 11:27:02 PM
1984 is the last time ManU lost a league game at home after leading at HT which is a bonkers record.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Percy McCarthy on December 17, 2025, 12:05:45 AM
Great fun:

https://x.com/marcusmarkou/status/2001074100517654943?s=46&t=GdM6cpVxe5IloByNCRheWA
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: aj2k77 on December 17, 2025, 12:34:51 AM
To be honest the top 2 have been heavily aided and abetted by dodgy refs for decades now.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Chip Butty 111 on December 17, 2025, 12:38:09 AM
What exactly is the point of that chart ?
it illustrates how officials are intimidated by Anfield and Old Trafford...Liverpool hadn't won the league for ages before Turkey Teeth rocked up, and Utd have been nothing special since Fergie packed it in...
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithesShin on December 17, 2025, 08:46:18 PM
Nice to see so many of the players at Birmingham Children's Hospital.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Chip Butty 111 on December 17, 2025, 10:15:23 PM
I wonder what Mr Starmer will have to say now Maccabi Tel Aviv have a one match away fan ban, for their behaviour at Stuttgart on 11th Dec in the Europa League?...nothing I'd imagine..
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: eamonn on December 17, 2025, 10:16:35 PM
Nice to see so many of the players at Birmingham Children's Hospital.

Harvey earning his dough?
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: dcdavecollett on December 18, 2025, 01:57:54 AM
Clearly, Chip Butty, this proves beyond doubt that UEFA are anti-semitic.

To be consistent, genocide-enabler Starmer will now call for all British clubs to pull out of European competitions, there by conforming to the PM's stellar moral standards.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: andyh on December 18, 2025, 05:36:06 AM
Just bantz from the Tel Aviv boys, I would guess.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Meanwood Villa on December 18, 2025, 06:27:47 AM
I didn't realise we were part inspiration for Bournemouth's badge (according to The Guardian anyway):

AFC Bournemouth: “I was surprised to discover that the face on Bournemouth’s badge is actually that of Dickie Dowsett, who played for the club between 1957 & 1962,” writes Pete Tomlin. “In his five seasons at Bournemouth he finished top scorer three times and apparently scored a brilliant diving header against Aston Villa which is the inspiration for the badge.”

I think they're mixing him up with Ted Macdougall re the diving header. Also, how strange that there were two post war players called Dickie Dowsett and Dicky Dorsett.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Dave on December 18, 2025, 07:19:59 AM
I wonder what Mr Starmer will have to say now Maccabi Tel Aviv have a one match away fan ban, for their behaviour at Stuttgart on 11th Dec in the Europa League?...nothing I'd imagine..

Looking forward to that Eliot character popping back to tell us that it's all because there are too many Muslims in Stuttgart and it's actually all their fault.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Chris Harte on December 19, 2025, 05:10:32 PM
I wonder what Mr Starmer will have to say now Maccabi Tel Aviv have a one match away fan ban, for their behaviour at Stuttgart on 11th Dec in the Europa League?...nothing I'd imagine..
Starmer's done more for a bunch of Israeli football fans than he's done for some of his own electorate. Worth remembering next time you visit a ballot box.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: dcdavecollett on December 20, 2025, 02:26:19 AM
Yes, I'm a bit picky about supporting genocide, along with other crimes, so I think I'll give Keir Stalin a miss.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: paul_e on December 20, 2025, 09:08:44 AM
Without wanting to detail the thread into politics, if you do take support of MTA fans and abuse of WMP for the ban as a guide for voting don't forget that Badenoch, Farage and Davey were all on the same side of that argument as Starmer.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: cdbearsfan on December 20, 2025, 01:55:00 PM
And the decision to ban Palestine Action while groups like the EDL remain un-proscribed. Labour hate Muslims.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: dcdavecollett on December 20, 2025, 08:52:19 PM
Just to put Paul_e's mind at rest, I don't intend to vote for any of the Muslim-hating parties, now or in the future.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Chris Harte on December 20, 2025, 09:07:12 PM
Without wanting to detail the thread into politics, if you do take support of MTA fans and abuse of WMP for the ban as a guide for voting don't forget that Badenoch, Farage and Davey were all on the same side of that argument as Starmer.
Yes, you're right. To be honest, I see them all as opposing cheeks of the same arsehole.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithesShin on December 24, 2025, 09:59:55 AM
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: mamuu on December 24, 2025, 01:49:05 PM


well that's just brilliant, isn't it ? thanks for posting.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: SoccerHQ on December 24, 2025, 11:39:29 PM
Listened to the DS Podcast tonight.

Just a brilliant guy isn't he? Recounts all these great memories and games we had in championship and prem with a smile.

Exactly the manager we needed at the time to instil a culture and vision into our DNA. He summed it up by saying when he went to the interview with Suso and Purslow there didn't seem much plan bar sign loads of players, get promoted to the prem and then think what we then wanted to do in the long run.

Emi M, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Luiz, Grealish, Watkins. We owe him so much and he got decent form out of the likes of Hourihane in first 12 months to get us established.

I really enjoyed the 20/21 season. We should've finished higher and covid really messed us up mid season, interesting what he says about the Man. United portacabins....

As we saw on Sunday he'll always be welcomed back to this club very fondly, Unai certainly respects what he inherited.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: The Left Side on December 25, 2025, 12:55:27 AM
Yes a great listen, he reminds me of Vic Crowe building the foundation for Ron Saunders. Dean Smith has done the same for Unai.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: dave.woodhall on December 25, 2025, 01:28:40 AM
The fact that he's still welcome at Villa Park shows what a great manager Unai is and how content he is to be here. I can't remember Ron Saunders saying anything about Vic Crowe, I can't imagine John Gregory or Martin O'Neill being so friendly with their predecessors.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Crown Hill on December 25, 2025, 01:40:35 AM
The fact that he's still welcome at Villa Park shows what a great manager Unai is and how content he is to be here. I can't remember Ron Saunders saying anything about Vic Crowe, I can't imagine John Gregory or Martin O'Neill being so friendly with their predecessors.

Indeed and they have a close relationship. They had dinner together during Villa’s preseason tour in US. So I expect there’s professional trust and shared knowledge there.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: cdbearsfan on December 25, 2025, 01:50:59 AM
Not exactly the same thing, but IIRC when we beat Liverpool in Gregory's first game he dedicated it to Little in his post-match interview, which I thought was a nice touch at the time.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Toronto Villa on December 26, 2025, 03:02:28 PM
Not exactly the same thing, but IIRC when we beat Liverpool in Gregory's first game he dedicated it to Little in his post-match interview, which I thought was a nice touch at the time.

They also knew each other from their time at Leicester and had that Villa playing connection.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithesShin on December 26, 2025, 04:25:47 PM
More fact Gregory was Brian's assistant at Villa.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Ian. on December 26, 2025, 04:46:30 PM
Is it fact or it my ageing memory in that when Gregory left our form under Little started to deteriorate?
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: curiousorange on December 26, 2025, 05:42:22 PM
Is it fact or it my ageing memory in that when Gregory left our form under Little started to deteriorate?

Yes, it did seem to be a factor.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: algy on December 26, 2025, 06:31:15 PM
Is it fact or it my ageing memory in that when Gregory left our form under Little started to deteriorate?
Yeah, I’ve often wondered if the Little/Gregory partnership had remained what we’d have achieved. More than either could’ve done on their own imo.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithesShin on January 02, 2026, 02:48:10 PM
Which one of you was it?

Quote
An Aston Villa fan was taken off an EasyJet flight by Spanish police amid claims from passengers that he was "drinking cans of Stella while shouting about Birmingham".

An onlooker said he was seen drinking cans of beer during check-in and “chanting” on the plane bound for Bristol from Arrecife Airport.

The passenger was removed from the packed plane at 16.55 by five Spanish police officers on December 28, tourists said.

A video filmed onboard the plane showed the unnamed man - wearing an Aston Villa T-shirt - arguing with officers and cabin crew before he stood up and shouted '****!' at airline staff.

He could then be heard yelling: 'What's the problem?', before being dragged off the plane by police as he continued to swear.

One fellow traveller could be heard shouting 'Up the Villa!' as the man was escorted off the flight.

Another passenger yelled: 'Villa are ****', as tourists broke into laughter.

Speaking about the incident onboard the EasyJet flight, a witness said: "When we were queuing to check in where you show your passport and all that, the guy in the video with the Aston Villa shirt on was doing some kind of football chants and kept running around with cans of Stella in his hand just shouting things about Birmingham.

"When we got on the plane, we could hear chanting about wanting to go back to Birmingham, and the stewardesses were running about on the telephones.

A spokesperson for EasyJet told the Daily Mail: "A passenger on flight EZY6648 from Lanzarote to Birmingham on 28th December was escorted off the aircraft prior to departure as a result of disruptive behaviour. The flight then continued to Birmingham.

"Our cabin crew are trained to assess all situations and to act quickly and appropriately, to ensure that safety is not compromised at any time. We take these incidents seriously and do not tolerate disruptive behaviour onboard.

"The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is always easyJet's highest priority."

“When we were queuing to check in where you show your passport and all that, the guy in the video with the Aston Villa shirt on was doing some kind of football chants and kept running around with cans of Stella in his hand just shouting things about Birmingham.

“When we got on the plane we could hear chanting about wanting to go back to Birmingham and the stewardesses were running about on the telephones.

“We were sat on the plane for a bit and five of the Spanish Guardia police came on and were having a chat with the air hostesses.

“I heard a bit of swearing and some sort of stuff.

“We were delayed an hour after all of this messing about whilst they got his case off, and then his wife decided to leave as well”.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1199087142326155
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: cdbearsfan on January 02, 2026, 02:51:32 PM
He seems like a character.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Somniloquism on January 02, 2026, 03:21:59 PM
Which one of you was it?

Quote
An Aston Villa fan was taken off an EasyJet flight by Spanish police amid claims from passengers that he was "drinking cans of Stella while shouting about Birmingham".

An onlooker said he was seen drinking cans of beer during check-in and “chanting” on the plane bound for Bristol from Arrecife Airport.


Not far from the Forest I believe.....
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Bent Neilsens Screamer on January 02, 2026, 03:57:17 PM
I might say UTV to a bloke on the street, I’m not sure I would to a bloke being escorted off a plane!
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Nev on January 03, 2026, 09:09:42 AM
It was an errant 'Nose trying to discredit the club.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: andyh on January 03, 2026, 09:20:11 AM
Is he was ‘shouting about Birmingham’ I would if he was shouting about whether it was listening ?
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: rooboy316 on January 03, 2026, 11:07:35 AM
Was it danlanza?
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithesShin on January 03, 2026, 02:03:40 PM
Dean Smith is walking 50 miles in Jan in aid of Dementia if anyone wants to chuck a few quid to a great cause, a cause obviously very close to him.

https://fundraise.dementiauk.org/fundraisers/deansmith
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithesShin on January 03, 2026, 02:19:09 PM
Wrong thread
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Chris Harte on January 03, 2026, 06:12:35 PM
Right thread.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Somniloquism on January 09, 2026, 05:40:24 PM
Chelsea charged by the FA for the water bottle thrown at our bench at the end of the match.

Quote
"It is alleged that the club failed to ensure its players and/or other relevant personnel positioned around the technical area after the final whistle did not behave in an improper and/or provocative and/or abusive way," an FA statement read.

Surprisingly Chelsea's investigation announced straight after the match didn't manage to turn up who the culprit was.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: DB on January 09, 2026, 06:05:01 PM
I was watching highlights of us beating Liverpool 1-2 in 1993 at Anfield (goals from Parker & Saunders), and could hear the Villa fans singing ‘the bells are ringing’. Shame that has died out (the song, not the forum), I always like that song.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: thick_mike on January 10, 2026, 09:35:30 AM
Me too. The original version was a favourite song of mine as a toddler. Dad had it on an LP of old show tunes.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Percy McCarthy on January 10, 2026, 09:48:35 PM
I was watching highlights of us beating Liverpool 1-2 in 1993 at Anfield (goals from Parker & Saunders), and could hear the Villa fans singing ‘the bells are ringing’. Shame that has died out (the song, not the forum), I always like that song.

There’s never been anything like it when belted out by a big away end. Nobody who was at the Norwich League Cup quarter-final will ever forget it.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithesShin on January 11, 2026, 03:54:41 AM
Quote
Former Premier League goalkeeper Shay Given has "unreservedly" apologised for describing Wilfried Nancy's short time as Celtic manager as an "absolute Holocaust" live on BBC show Final Score.

Given, 49, was asked to give his thoughts on Nancy's sacking after just 33 days and eight games in charge of the Scottish champions.

The ex-Republic of Ireland international said the tenure "was terrible from start to finish", before using insensitive language to describe 48-year-old Nancy's first week in the role.

Posting on X,, external Given said he used a word he "didn't fully understand the meaning of, and certainly won't ever use again".

He added: "We all have areas of ignorance in our knowledge, and I hope to use this as an opportunity to become better educated going forward.

"I am genuinely mortified and apologise unreservedly to everyone offended, and will be donating my fee from today's show to the Holocaust Educational Trust."

Final Score presenter Jason Mohammad apologised later in the show for the "inappropriate language" used.

Frenchman Nancy was sacked last week following Celtic's 3-1 defeat by Rangers - his sixth loss as manager in just eight games.

His 33-day stint as Celtic boss was the shortest reign in the club's history.

The Holocaust, carried out by Nazi Germany during World War Two, claimed the lives of an estimated six million Jews.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithesShin on January 14, 2026, 05:58:39 PM
Quote
Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa have been charged with misconduct by the Football Association following a melee at the conclusion of their FA Cup match on Saturday.

Players from both sides were involved in a confrontation shortly after Villa's 2-1 win in the third round at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The clubs are accused of having "failed to ensure their players and/or officials did not behave in an improper and/or provocative way after the final whistle".

Both have until Friday to respond.

Goals from Emiliano Buendia and Morgan Rogers put Villa into a 2-0 lead at half-time. Although Wilson Odobert replied for Spurs after the break, Thomas Frank's side were unable to avoid an early exit.

Villa, who sit third in the Premier League, will host fellow top-flight side Newcastle United in round four.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: AGRIPPA on January 14, 2026, 06:19:00 PM
Deleted
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Brend'Watkins on January 14, 2026, 07:34:19 PM
At least it will give the club the opportunity to inform the FA that it’s all the fault of the referee for not punishing their players for dirty play throughout the game. Had he reffed the game properly Palinha wouldn’t have finished the game and as a result no confrontation would have taken place.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Dave on January 27, 2026, 10:56:29 PM
Here seemed as appropriate as any.

That xG silliness. I know, paul and others that it is a useful metric for data analysis that stupid people use badly to make points that they don't understand etc.

But to demonstrate how silly it is when used badly:

Newcastle apparently had 2.5 xG on Sunday. 1.3 of those expected goals were that cross from Trippier which two of their players got a slight touch to, but it wasn't a good enough cross for either of them to score from.

So because player (a) would have scored from that position in the six yard box 70% of the time and player (b) would have scored 60% of the time, for these internet dickbags, that's 1.3 goals that Newcastle *should* have scored from two chances 0.01 seconds apart.

Had the 70% chance been converted, it's pretty easy to work out how many goals would have come from the remaining 0.3 of that 1.3 xG.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: cdbearsfan on January 27, 2026, 11:15:02 PM
Yeah, that's silly. I had wondered before how it works when you get multiple chances in same attack, now I know. In a foolish manner, is the answer.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Toronto Villa on January 28, 2026, 12:02:09 AM
I’m all for statistics to help understand or improve performance. But there comes a point where it doesn’t. Or has diminishing returns. It tries to provide sophistication and KPIs where none needs to exist. It’s a little like VAR being so specific to a hairs width. It’s counter productive and doesn’t actually provide what it’s designed to deliver. Does xg consider who the chance falls to for example? No. Because if it’s Harry Kane or Mbappe then I would argue the xg is higher than if it falls to Francis Jeffers in exactly the same spot. But that’s not considered. And specific to us our xg for long range shots should be higher than for other clubs but xg is xg and we treated the same that its a low % opportunity. So the science doesn’t quite tell the actual story and some cases it just doesn’t add up.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: paul_e on January 28, 2026, 12:08:33 AM
Yeah, that's exactly why it's pointless to use as "higher xG means you should've won" and also why it's never going to tell you everything. Again though, over the course of a season it can be a useful way to determine how many decent chances you're creating, how well your players are getting on the end of things, etc.

The other huge weakness of it is that if you have a good cross in but no gets a toe to it it's completely ignored because nothing gets calculated until there's a 'shot'. Every fan who's watched a reasonable amount of football knows what a good cross looks like but yet that Trippier one scores 1.3 and one that angles across the 6 yard box and just needs any touch is nothing. I think the main reason people don't like xG is that in games like that it doesn't represent the match they watched but they get told by people who read the stats and watched MotD that we were lucky to get the win.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: eamonn on January 28, 2026, 01:22:11 AM
I also feel that an attacking team getting in behind a defence but not getting a shot away is under-valued - it is a sign of effective attacking play. In games where you "didn't work their keeper" but actually breach their defence only for a last-gasp challenge or mislaid pass, it's got to have some merit in these metrics.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: paul_e on January 28, 2026, 08:24:24 AM
I also feel that an attacking team getting in behind a defence but not getting a shot away is under-valued - it is a sign of effective attacking play. In games where you "didn't work their keeper" but actually breach their defence only for a last-gasp challenge or mislaid pass, it's got to have some merit in these metrics.

Yep, absolutely, blocked shots get 'valued' but a lot of other things don't which, again, makes it highly unreliable to use as "they had 1.3 higher xG therefore should have won" and yet far too many people use it like that all the time.

Of course the egregious misuse is when absolute bullshit peddlers re score every game and then take the averages and predict future results to produce an xG table that is completely pointless.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: PeterWithesShin on January 29, 2026, 12:13:50 PM
Another Steal MyToilet article

Quote
Do Villa have the legs to end their 30-year trophy drought?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cly3p24nnp2o
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: letsshakehands on January 29, 2026, 12:40:21 PM
Leaving aside the wider issue of what xG is actually useful for, with those Newcastle stats who the hell thought they were worth 0.6 and 0.7? Almost as good a chance as a penalty, really? That's the sort of thing they should be able to get right with modelling.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Somniloquism on January 29, 2026, 12:47:15 PM
Surely noticing that 70% of the time the ball is played into the attacker right in front of goal and it becoming a goal is why the hell they thought it should be a 0.7.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: letsshakehands on January 29, 2026, 12:59:23 PM
Surely noticing that 70% of the time the ball is played into the attacker right in front of goal and it becoming a goal is why the hell they thought it should be a 0.7.

I understand what 0.7 means, thanks. I disagree that those chances, given the pace of the cross and the fact the attackers were stretching to even reach them, were worth anything like the values given to them. As I understand it xG is supposed to factor in those sort of contextual considerations, if that's not the case...it's even less meaningful than some try to pretend it is.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Skipper_The_Eyechild on January 29, 2026, 01:05:39 PM
I'm absolutely fine with it, a ball whipped in like that with people that close in the box is a really good chance. The problematic part is including it as two chances.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Scratchins on January 29, 2026, 01:09:58 PM
I was watching highlights of us beating Liverpool 1-2 in 1993 at Anfield (goals from Parker & Saunders), and could hear the Villa fans singing ‘the bells are ringing’. Shame that has died out (the song, not the forum), I always like that song.

There’s never been anything like it when belted out by a big away end. Nobody who was at the Norwich League Cup quarter-final will ever forget it.

 The Bells Are Ringing is an old Villa song, no swearing or mentioning other teams and one that everyone can sing.
Some years ago I went to a fan’s recording. We stood on the steps of the Holte, the atmosphere was great and it sounded good. I was buzzing when I went to the next match when it was to be played. What a let-down!  The editing was awful, it started with a bell ringing, OK you may think but this sounded like a funeral bell tolling and killed the atmosphere. The words weren’t allowed to flow and the whole thing was a massive let down. Done properly I would love it to come back.
Another favourite is:-
When you’re smiling
When you’re smiling
The Holte End smiles with you.
When you’re laughing
When you’re laughing
The sun comes shining through.
But when you’re crying
You bring on the rain
So stop your crying
Be happy again
When you’re smiling
When you’re smiling
The Holte End smiles with you.
La la la lala
The Holte End smiles with you.

Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: AlexAlexCropley on January 29, 2026, 01:13:04 PM
Just heard The (Sacred) Heart is shut. Looks like for good.
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: Somniloquism on January 29, 2026, 01:44:39 PM
Quote
As most of you are now aware, I have now retired after amazing 7 years at the Club meeting amazing people and friends for life. I have truly lovely getting to know you all and appreciate all of your custom and appreciate all of the incredible staff I have had the pleasure to work with and help build the club up. Love to you all and hope to see you on match days wherever that will be!
Love Always June  xx

https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Heart/100057519726449/
Title: Re: Other Villa stuff
Post by: andyh on January 29, 2026, 01:45:41 PM
We have been fined £125k for the melee at the end of the Spurs game.

Of course, absolutely no comeback on the useless fucking referee whose incompetence led to frayed tempers and us losing one of our most important players for the season.
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