Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Legion on December 22, 2013, 09:42:18 AM
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Friends of Irish man who died in hit-and-run campaign for minute silence at Aston Villa (http://www.thejournal.ie/jody-oreilly-aston-villa-1235108-Dec2013/)
Recently a young Villa fan was killed in Birmingham. His friends are trying to get a lifelong dream of his “A minutes silence at Villa Park when my time is up” to become a reality. Could you all please post the following so that Twitter followers can make this thing happen. All his friends are asking is that at 9pm on the 22nd of December people tweet #minutesilenceforJody in some way. We as supporters are a team and it would be fantastic to think that we could make this happen for this young Villa fan. UTV and thank you.
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I wonder if anyone has contacted the club.
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This shouldn't happen for lots of reasons.
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Absolutely right Drummond
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The thing with something like this is where do you draw the line ?
Very sad news and condolences to family and friends of Jody.
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Very very sad news however no. There are about 300000 people in this city who are Villa "fans" as in they dont all go to matches but like the club and possibly another 100000 round the world I suggest we don't open up the minute's silence based on popular demand.
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While my sympathies lie with his friends and family, yep this does seem a bit of a strange one.
I'm sure a more fitting tribute would be to get him a memorial paving stone by the Trinity or something or have his name read out over the tannoy over half time.
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I would tend to agree with that. Or possibly a message on the big screen.
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The club always do a condolence tribute to people who've died and connected with the club for the final home game now. Depends if his friends can wait that long I guess.
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It's a tragedy and I feel for his family but a Facebook campaign? It smacks of emotional blackmail and I can see the inevitable "Heartless club snubs fan" story unfolding.
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FB group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/344144282394629/) is here. I find it odd that they are asking for email addresses and telephone numbers.
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Very very sad news however no. There are about 300000 people in this city who are Villa "fans" as in they dont all go to matches but like the club and possibly another 100000 round the world I suggest we don't open up the minute's silence based on popular demand.
Fair point
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It's a tragedy and I feel for his family but a Facebook campaign? It smacks of emotional blackmail and I can see the inevitable "Heartless club snubs fan" story unfolding.
Also noticed both Petrov and Ian Taylor have retweeted this today so seems to be doing the twitter rounds too.
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It's a terrible tragedy and condolences to family and friends but a 'lifelong dream for a minutes silence' comes across as emotional blackmail. There would be a minutes silence before every single football match if clubs started doing it each time a supporter dies.
The paver suggestion is a great way of having some kind of lasting tribute to a fellow Villan.
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It's a terrible tragedy and condolences to family and friends but a 'lifelong dream for a minutes silence' comes across as emotional blackmail. There would be a minutes silence before every single football match if clubs started doing it each time a supporter dies.
I just think the idea of a 22 year old having a 'lifelong dream for a minutes silence' is beyond believable. Has anyone ever met anyone of that age who's said anything of the like?
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It's a terrible tragedy and condolences to family and friends but a 'lifelong dream for a minutes silence' comes across as emotional blackmail. There would be a minutes silence before every single football match if clubs started doing it each time a supporter dies.
I just think the idea of a 22 year old having a 'lifelong dream for a minutes silence' is beyond believable. Has anyone ever met anyone of that age who's said anything of the like?
Condolences agreed, but no, it is not a life long dream of mine (24).
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It's a terrible tragedy and condolences to family and friends but a 'lifelong dream for a minutes silence' comes across as emotional blackmail. There would be a minutes silence before every single football match if clubs started doing it each time a supporter dies.
I just think the idea of a 22 year old having a 'lifelong dream for a minutes silence' is beyond believable. Has anyone ever met anyone of that age who's said anything of the like?
Condolences agreed, but no, it is not a life long dream of mine (24).
It reminds me of when people discuss a person's funeral and say it's what he/she would have wanted. Do many people actually discuss their funerals in advance? I have, and have written a will. Maybe more do than I realise, but suspect when you're younger death is viewed as something that only happens to other people.
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I don't want to sound flippant in any way but when I was 22 I still had a dream of playing at Villa Park, not having a minute's silence there. It does strike me as a way of piling the pressure up another notch.
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I can completely understand why his family & friends would want this, and I have every sympathy with them. However I also take the view that we have a number of supporters who have died in tragic circumstances, and sadly, over time, there will be many more.
I remember the whole Villa family who died in an awful fireball car crash under a lorry on their way back from a Portsmouth game a couple of years ago. One of the children was buried in a Villa coffin. It was beyond awful. We didn't have a minutes silence then.
On the other hand, just a few weeks ago we joined Everton fans in half time applause for an Everton supporting child who had been killed in a car accident. Of course I joined in, I would never disrespect such a gesture, and I know that our support of the applause was appreciated. These aren't bad things but I couldn't help thinking he wasn't the only Everton or Villa supporting child to have died so tragically.
We see pictures all the time of Villa players visiting kids in Villa shirts in the Acorns Hospice. We are touched by these children's stories, but we let them go without any exceptional tribute.
if we are not careful we are heading towards a reading out of fans/players/people from the club who've died each week, with a routine minute of silence/applause, that means nothing to anyone but their nearest & dearest anyway. It ends up sitting at the level of a birthday request.
It's hard to decide who is & isn't worthy of a minutes silence. Dying in a car accident at 22 is a tragedy. How tragic is it at 37? 42? Still pretty tragic really. If we do this, I don't know where we stop.
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I think we should put a mention of this sad loss in the next programme and a mention at the last home game of those Villa fans/players/officials who have passed away in the last year.
Pauline and myself have stopped at the place in Broad Street where flowers / messages have been left. All very, very sad.
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I think we should put a mention of this sad loss in the next programme and a mention at the last home game of those Villa fans/players/officials who have passed away in the last year.
Pauline and myself have stopped at the place in Broad Street where flowers / messages have been left. All very, very sad.
Agreed.
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It's a terrible tragedy and condolences to family and friends but a 'lifelong dream for a minutes silence' comes across as emotional blackmail. There would be a minutes silence before every single football match if clubs started doing it each time a supporter dies.
I just think the idea of a 22 year old having a 'lifelong dream for a minutes silence' is beyond believable. Has anyone ever met anyone of that age who's said anything of the like?
Condolences agreed, but no, it is not a life long dream of mine (24).
It reminds me of when people discuss a person's funeral and say it's what he/she would have wanted. Do many people actually discuss their funerals in advance? I have, and have written a will. Maybe more do than I realise, but suspect when you're younger death is viewed as something that only happens to other people.
My only wish is to be sprayed gold and shot into space. The rest I'm not bothered about.
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Very sad...but I have to agree with much of what has already been said. It seems that almost every game these days is preceded by a minutes silence/applause/laughter...so much so that it is almost renedering the whole thing meaningless.
A minutes silence has the power to be extremely moving and at times cathartic but not when it's done every week.
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Very sad...but I have to agree with much of what has already been said. It seems that almost every game these days is preceded by a minutes silence/applause/laughter...so much so that it is almost renedering the whole thing meaningless.
A minutes silence has the power to be extremely moving and at times cathartic but not when it's done every week.
It also tends to belittle the people who have been supporting Villa for many years but quietly pass away with those who sat around them wondering where they had got to. I always think of Ruby who sat in front of us in the Trinity Road Stand. She was in her 90s and managed to get to Villa Park from Yardley. Eventually, she went to live with her sister in Shropshire and we didn't see her again. I hope she is still alive and managing to keep in touch with what is going on. Lovely people like Frank and Edie Beach who worked so hard for the club and were regulars on the old Travellers Club coaches were another example. They slipped away but the club remembered them with an appropriate gesture.
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It's a tragedy and I feel for his family but a Facebook campaign? It smacks of emotional blackmail and I can see the inevitable "Heartless club snubs fan" story unfolding.
I imagine WM will do a special and the Mercury will have their editor salivating.
It's sad but the club will open itself up to just about every other Villa fan asking for something similar. How about the bloke who has been going for 60 years? What would he be entitled to?
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Seems the press are covering this in several media
@MatKendrick: Aston Villa fans calling for a Boxing Day tribute in memory of #avfc supporter Jody O'Reilly http://t.co/4Gg1ANERuM
By Matt Lloyd | 22/12/13
Friends of an Aston Villa fanatic killed in a road smash have called on the club to pay silent tribute to the superfan at its Boxing Day fixture.
Student Jody O’Reilly was hit by a car just hours before he was due to see his beloved Villa play Manchester United last Sunday. Originally from Ireland, the 22-year-old enrolled at Wolverhampton University in 2010 - just to be closer to the club.
And days before his death, Jody spoke on Talksport Radio to pundit, and former Villa star, Stan Collymore.
Jody discussed his team and said how much he was looking forward to Christmas.
But his life was cut short in the early hours of December 15 when he was hit by a car on Broad Street. Despite the efforts of medics, he died at Birmingham’s City Hospital
Last night friends dubbed the popular sport and exercise science student “one in a billion” and urged Villa to stage a minute’s silence.
Best mate Ritchie Cartwright Ball has launched an on-line campaign to honour his friend at the game with Crystal Palace on Thursday.
He said: “Jody was always at the forefront of everything that went on, he was one in a billion. He was the life and soul of the party.
“Jody was everyone’s friend. You wouldn’t meet anybody who didn’t know him and like him.
“There were people at the uni who came from India and had never been in the country before. Jody helped them to learn English and interact.
“He changed the lives of so many people.”
Over 10,000 have backed the Facebook campaign since it was launched on Friday.
And while strict Premier League rules make a minute’s silence unlikely, it is hoped some kind of tribute can be paid.
Villa players past and present, including Brad Guzan and Stiliyan Petrov, have retweeted the appeal on Twitter.
Ritchie said: “Jody was a Villa fan his whole life, his whole family are Irish Villa fans. That’s why he came to Wolverhampton so he could be close to Villa, that was his main motivation.”
The tribute page on Facebook, which includes a video from former Villa player Barry Bannan, has been inundated with calls for the club to honour Jody.
The defender, now at Crystal Palace, said: “This is to the family of Jody O’Reilly. I heard the sad news and to want to offer my commiserations for what’s happened and say my thoughts are with you.”
A meeting is set to take place today between campaigners and the club, while a tribute in the Boxing Day match programme has also been planned.
Ritchie added: “I’ve been blown away by the support, it’s so surreal. Jody would be in his element as the centre of attention.
“He’d be loving it.”
*A 21-year-old man was arrested by police on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving hours after Jody’s death.
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Somebody ought to say it so I will. Tributes and silences at football matches are getting out of hand. The end result is that the tribute becomes devalued.
It is without any question whatsoever a terrible tragedy for the family and the loved ones of the young man who lost his life but the truest and most valuable thing we could do for him as a society is to bring to justice those who killed him.
All I know is that if I lost a son or a grandson in this tragic way the pursuit of justice would be more important to me than sympathy.
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I think there are premier league guidelines regarding minutes silences as well , it is without doubt a tragedy and the club have put a piece in the Boxing Day programme - I think that is a good gesture in itself and a minutes silence should not be held as where do draw the line with these requests!
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I am with you on that, Brian.
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Let the Sunday Mercury do their worst. The club cannot be faulted in their response to fans' bereavements. When my brother died in July of this year, a lifelong home and away fan who saw his first Villa game in 1938, the club sent a floral tribute, a very moving condolences card and a letter to his widow. His funeral was in Manchester and the manc fans of both hues were well gobsmacked at our club's response.
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Let the Sunday Mercury do their worst. The club cannot be faulted in their response to fans' bereavements. When my brother died in July of this year, a lifelong home and away fan who saw his first Villa game in 1938, the club sent a floral tribute, a very moving condolences card and a letter to his widow. His funeral was in Manchester and the manc fans of both hues were well gobsmacked at our club's response.
Sorry to hear about your brother Brian but how nice of the club to show their respects in that manner - heartwarming.
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I think there are premier league guidelines regarding minutes silences as well
I hope there are as that will hopefully stop the local rags trying the 'Heartless club, blah, blah, blah' nonsense.
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Seems the press are covering this in several media
By Matt Lloyd | 22/12/13
The tribute page on Facebook, which includes a video from former Villa player Barry Bannan, has been inundated with calls for the club to honour Jody.
The defender, now at Crystal Palace, said: “This is to the family of Jody O’Reilly. I heard the sad news and to want to offer my commiserations for what’s happened and say my thoughts are with you.”
Hmm, I hope Benteke is up against Barry Banana on Boxing Day.
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I think he's been ruled out.
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In a massive coincidence I'm sure, I was involved in a hit and run on Broad street only a few hours earlier the very same night. The other end just outside Gatecrasher. Thankfully, I'm still here.
I didn't really need a reminder of how lucky I was to escape it, but I really feel for that young lads family.
My wife was in hysterics and there was a lot of worry for a very brief few moments.
As has been said, requesting minutes silence for every fan who dies tragically or indeed at all is possibly not something that needs to be done every week.
A special mention in the last program of the season with a minutes applause/silence at the last game for everyone seems a more fitting way to remember for me.
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Very glad you are still with us Glasses!
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Thanks PWS.
I don't want to go into too much detail on here as the chappy has been caught and the police are dealing with it. I will be following it up through the relevant channels, but I'm not versed in all of the legal stuff.
Don't mean to hijack this thread, but if any legal bods see this and fancy sending me a PM I may need some help/advice soon.
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If the club does anything they should make it a broader celebration of the lives of all Villa fans who have left us and not one person. It has to be really hard to lose anyone, and especially close to Christmas so I have immense sympathy for anyone who has gone through that. If the club had a minutes applause for every one of those then it would be a great tribute.
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If the club does anything they should make it a broader celebration of the lives of all Villa fans who have left us and not one person. It has to be really hard to lose anyone, and especially close to Christmas so I have immense sympathy for anyone who has gone through that. If the club had a minutes applause for every one of those then it would be a great tribute.
Good idea.
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seems like it may be happening
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/aston-villa-planning-jody-oreilly-6442570
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A mention in the programme is a better idea, it's there forever. A minute's silence is going a bit far really. Such a terrible thing to happen this time of year though.
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Something similar is done at the last home game of the season.
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Minutes applause before Palace game
http://mobile.avfc.co.uk/default.aspx?s=news-display&aid=3589337
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Minutes applause before Palace game
http://mobile.avfc.co.uk/default.aspx?s=news-display&aid=3589337
I must admit I'm quite surprised by this and not sure where they draw the line after this ?
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I cant help feeling that there is an element of 'emotional blackmail' here.
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I cant help feeling that there is an element of 'emotional blackmail' here.
I agree, did we have a minutes applause for the lad killed after the blues game - I can't remember?
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I cant help feeling that there is an element of 'emotional blackmail' here.
Same here. I would like us to emulate Liverpool on the pitch but not off it!
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A young kid who get's remembered in the same way as Nelson Mandela is a bit odd.
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A young kid who get's remembered in the same way as Nelson Mandela is a bit odd.
Good point. It does sound very over the top doesn't it? If the club does this they will open themselves up to all kinds of requests so I would hope they will have considered the implications of their actions beyond this event.
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A young kid who get's remembered in the same way as Nelson Mandela is a bit odd.
Good point. It does sound very over the top doesn't it? If the club does this they will open themselves up to all kinds of requests so I would hope they will have considered the implications of their actions beyond this event.
Its a tragic loss of a young life but I feel the club have made a mistake here granting a minutes applause .
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A daft decision. Every Tom, Dick and Harry will be after the same thing now.
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Sorry to hear of there loss, but don't get it and wrong decisionhttp://
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A daft decision. Every Tom, Dick and Harry will be after the same thing now.
I want the players to hold candles when I go as well as the appluase. I also want to see tears
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A daft decision. Every Tom, Dick and Harry will be after the same thing now.
I want the players to hold candles when I go as well as the appluase. I also want to see tears
Exactly. I'm expecting a full religious service in the centre circle, lead by the Pope, before my ashes are scattered on the pitch in advance of a league match against Man Utd where if we're losing after 90 minutes they carry on playing until we win.
What a silly decision. Someone's panicked in the club and made an error of judgement through fear of the local rags running a silly story.
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Oh, and doesn't this now just become a massive slap in the face to the families of people who've died in the past who might arguably have been owed a lot more by the club (ie long serving employees, etc).
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When I go I'd like 90 minutes of silence. A League Cup 5th round home game against Watford should do the trick, hopefully many years from now.
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Whoever made this decision needs sacking.
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Someone has responded on Twitter pointing out that it's a bit disrespectful to those who've died in the past and has been met with an unbelievable amount of vitriol.
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Whoever made this decision needs sacking.
It's not their fault. They were put in an impossible position by someone who should have stopped and thought for a minute.
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Would it be too much to ask for a t-shirt printed with my face to be worn by all fans? I'd like to select a Petrov style time during the game also for my applause.
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It is my lifelong wish to be buried under the penalty spot in front of The Holte before a game. After I snuff it I should add. Although i'm coming back as a zombie so i'll rise when the oppo have a one on one.
I know the above is trivialising things, but every fan is now going to want a tribute for a family member who supports Villa. The Villa have been put into an impossible position here and I can't fault them as whatever they did would be deemed by some as the wrong choice.
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A mention in the matchday programme, a Trinity Road paver or a message on the big screen at HT would have been more than sufficient.
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Whoever made this decision needs sacking.
It's not their fault. They were put in an impossible position by someone who should have stopped and thought for a minute.
Surely a piece in the programme would suffice ?
It may have been acceptable to hold a minutes applause for all associated with villa fans included who have passed away this year, similar to as they do on the last home game of the season but I think for one person it is not the correct decision and the club could surely have been free from criticism ?
As others have said there have been long serving staff and fans some who have been regulars for 50 or more years and never granted such a privilege , I really think it would have been understandable had they refused .
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Whoever made this decision needs sacking.
It's not their fault. They were put in an impossible position by someone who should have stopped and thought for a minute.
It may have been acceptable to hold a minutes applause for all associated with villa fans included who have passed away this year but I think for one person it is not the correct decision and the club could surely have been free from criticism ?
What a fucking horrible, mawkish idea.
A piece in the programme and a message at half time on the screen is appropriate; this sets a dodgy precedent for the club.
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Although i'm coming back as a zombie so i'll rise when the oppo have a one on one.
What do you mean "coming back"?
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A daft decision. Every Tom, Dick and Harry will be after the same thing now.
And Abdul and Raj!
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Although i'm coming back as a zombie so i'll rise when the oppo have a one on one.
What do you mean "coming back"?
Hush! No one else knows!
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A mention in the matchday programme, a Trinity Road paver or a message on the big screen at HT would have been more than sufficient.
Yep, there no need for a silence/applause for any individual fan.
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Ron Toss is congratulating the club for the decision on his FB page now. Not touching that thread with a bargepole!
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OK - I think we now have to just out aside the idea that we may be heading for a weekly minute's applause, and just pay tribute to Jody.
Those of us that don't think it's such a great idea have to get over it. A whole little internet war over whether he deserved a Villa Park tribute was definitely not this young lad's lifelong ambition and it has the potential to end up quite petty and nasty if we don't drop it. I don't agree with it, but carrying on not agreeing with it now won't be a good look.
It's happening - so lets do him proud, and remeber a young lad who loved The Villa like we all do and lost his life too soon............& leave crossing those other bridges for later.
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Jim'll Fix It presented by Alan Partridge.
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OK - I think we now have to just out aside the idea that we may be heading for a weekly minute's applause, and just pay tribute to Jody.
Those of us that don't think it's such a great idea have to get over it. A whole little internet war over whether he deserved a Villa Park tribute was definitely not this young lad's lifelong ambition and it has the potential to end up quite petty and nasty if we don't drop it. I don't agree with it, but carrying on not agreeing with it now won't be a good look.
It's happening - so lets do him proud, and remeber a young lad who loved The Villa like we all do and lost his life too soon............& leave crossing those other bridges for later.
Wise words.
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Whoever made this decision needs sacking.
It's not their fault. They were put in an impossible position by someone who should have stopped and thought for a minute.
They should of said 'sorry but no'.Its what they are paid to do.
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What an idea! Buried pre match in the Holte penalty area, coffin carried by four of my favourite former players. The ceremony rounded off by Woodhall presenting a huge, Comic Relief type cheque to the wife for a cool million for services to H+V whilst smiling broadly at his new found, philanthropic ways.
I'll stop now.
I do think it sets an unfortunate percedent mind where somewhere down the line the club are in for a shoeing.
Oh well.
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Hope Man Utd's marketing team don't pick up on it. They'll be flogging a minute's silence for £500 per home game.
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It's going to get a tad confusing- surely Crystal Palace will want a minutes silence for Ron Noades?
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My cousin is doing that half time competition thing where you have to kick the ball into that big circle on Boxing Day. I'll be holding a minute silence for him after the ball lands in the dug out.
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My cousin is doing that half time competition thing where you have to kick the ball into that big circle on Boxing Day. I'll be holding a minute silence for him after the ball lands in the dug out.
He'll be more accurate than Tonev.
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It's going to get a tad confusing- surely Crystal Palace will want a minutes silence for Ron Noades?
It's a way out of the clubs stupid decision.
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It's going to get a tad confusing- surely Crystal Palace will want a minutes silence for Ron Noades?
Is this commonplace, though?
Wouldn't they just wait until their next home game?
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It's going to get a tad confusing- surely Crystal Palace will want a minutes silence for Ron Noades?
Is this commonplace, though?
Wouldn't they just wait until their next home game?
I'd expect they pay tribute to both men on Boxing Day - Noades was a huge part of palace in recent decades.
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It's going to get a tad confusing- surely Crystal Palace will want a minutes silence for Ron Noades?
Is this commonplace, though?
Wouldn't they just wait until their next home game?
I'd expect they pay tribute to both men on Boxing Day - Noades was a huge part of palace in recent decades.
I'd agree with the second part of what you say. Be interesting to see how/if they incorporate both.
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It's going to get a tad confusing- surely Crystal Palace will want a minutes silence for Ron Noades?
I'd imagine they'll honour him at their next game at Selhurst Park. When Doug passes away and if our next match is away I reckon we'd wait to do the tribute at Villa Park. And I'd hope given quite a few years have pasted it will be more respectful than say 5 years ago. But that's a different tangent....
I disagree with this but who am I to lecture bereaved relatives/family on how they want to remember their son?
Just thinking about when my time is up (it has been a morbid Xmas day!) how I'd like Villa to honour me. I think them playing well for 90 minutes and winning a home game would be a fitting tribute as they're rarer than minutes tributes!
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Glad that the club mentioned and also dedicated the applause to all villa fans who have passed away this year -along with the mention of Jody they also mentioned ron Noades so fair play.
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My cousin is doing that half time competition thing where you have to kick the ball into that big circle on Boxing Day. I'll be holding a minute silence for him after the ball lands in the dug out.
One of the two competitors very nearly won the season ticket.
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My cousin is doing that half time competition thing where you have to kick the ball into that big circle on Boxing Day. I'll be holding a minute silence for him after the ball lands in the dug out.
One of the two competitors very nearly won the season ticket.
Was that the booby prize ;)
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They have changed the rules of the competition. Now if you get the ball in the circle you get to play the second half in our midfield.
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Glad that the club mentioned and also dedicated the applause to all villa fans who have passed away this year -along with the mention of Jody they also mentioned ron Noades so fair play.
100% agree, good work from whoever did that
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My cousin is doing that half time competition thing where you have to kick the ball into that big circle on Boxing Day. I'll be holding a minute silence for him after the ball lands in the dug out.
One of the two competitors very nearly won the season ticket.
My cousin went first and made a bit of mess of his effort. His footy skills runs in the family.
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That effort was woeful. Was closer to witton lane than the target! There is no truth in the rumour that lambert is placing a bid when th window opens.
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My cousin is doing that half time competition thing where you have to kick the ball into that big circle on Boxing Day. I'll be holding a minute silence for him after the ball lands in the dug out.
One of the two competitors very nearly won the season ticket.
My cousin went first and made a bit of mess of his effort. His footy skills runs in the family.
His effort made me laugh - did he have a bacon slicer transplant?
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They have changed the rules of the competition. Now if you get the ball in the circle you get to play the second half in our midfield.
Why? We have enough midfielders who can pass the ball around in the centre circle already.