Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: PeterWithesShin on December 19, 2019, 07:53:51 PM
-
-
One of your better posts
-
One of your better posts
And that is your usual low standard.
-
One of your better posts
And that is your usual low standard.
All I Can see is a blank.
Sense of humor failure.
-
Be careful or i'll quote Fawlty Towers at you.
-
Higher higher Villa! Lower lower Chelsea!😂
Brilliant
-
Higher higher Villa! Lower lower Chelsea!😂
Brilliant
It is - we should definitely adopt this.
-
The “I don’t go (to) chelsea” chant is great too
Maybe they are big Elvis Costello fans too.
-
That's brilliant PWS, thank you for posting this. They are great.
-
Thanks for posting. 'Tis a thing of beauty. My nephew has set up a Villa supporters club where he works in Kenya. He runs a flower growing business and invites the workers to his house when Villa are on tv. Let the Sky 6 fight over Asia. We'll take Africa! Lower Lower Chelsea Higher Higher Villa. Love it.
-
Love these fellow fans.
-
Excellent!!
-
GoFundMe. https://www.gofundme.com/f/ghana-lions-initiative
-
GoFundMe. https://www.gofundme.com/f/ghana-lions-initiative
I'm up for a donation in principle, but it's a bit vague what they're going to do with the money?
-
There's also the one I did in The Gambia but have lost all contact with them.
-
GoFundMe. https://www.gofundme.com/f/ghana-lions-initiative
I'm up for a donation in principle, but it's a bit vague what they're going to do with the money?
Yeah I had the same confusion.
-
Think this one is great, by the way. Love the YT video.
-
GoFundMe. https://www.gofundme.com/f/ghana-lions-initiative
I'm up for a donation in principle, but it's a bit vague what they're going to do with the money?
Yes it could do with a bit more info to reassure.
Unfortunately as I’m often reminded it’s horribly common funds are misused after being raised with good intentions. Accountability in my experience even through recognised institutions can be quite variable.
My brother in law who has done a few wonderful projects (school, bar/house band staffed by ex-street kids/sex workers etc) is opening (I think the first) health clinic in their home village out in the East of Uganda. Tempted to suggest it to be named the Aston Villa Health Centre or somesuch ;)
I recently discovered a guy I took out for dinner quite a few years ago in Kampala is now the General Manager (not Head Coach) of SC Villa who get mentioned here occasionally.
I hope to catch a game again when next out (and find somewhere to see the final
If we overcome Leicester, completely missed that possibility when planning dates).
I’d have to pay but I’ll find out how much SC Villa shirts would be to bring some home, they do play in blue though....
-
&feature=youtu.be
(https://i.ibb.co/4pkH1xN/ghana-lions.jpg)
Couldn't see this anywhere else .I hope you don't mind me posting . Any spare kits boots balls etc would be very welcome. Mods feel free to remove if it is posted anywhere else . Thanks
-
I've merged it with the orignal tread, it's great that the Foundation are involved.
They do some great stuff and are well worth a follow for those on Twitter https://twitter.com/avfcfoundation
-
Thanks for that. I did look but couldn't find the original thread
-
I don’t know where to post this so mods, please move if necessary.
These fans are incredible. It’s a shame they’ll probably never get to see the team they love in the flesh.
https://twitter.com/jonnygould/status/1235303313198977028?s=21
-
I don’t know where to post this so mods, please move if necessary.
These fans are incredible. It’s a shame they’ll probably never get to see the team they love in the flesh.
https://twitter.com/jonnygould/status/1235303313198977028?s=21
Maybe - when the ground's bigger, perhaps - the club owners will charter a plane and bring them all over for a game?1 Wouldn' that be brilliant; and what a PR success it would be!
-
That is just brilliant.
Thanks PWS!
Higher higher Villa!!!!!
-
More on this...
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9298653/Aston-Villa-one-mans-love-Paul-McGrath-led-entire-VILLAGE-Ghana-supporting-them.html
Eerily quiet matchdays have become the norm in England, but over 5,000 miles away supporters of one Premier League side are dancing in the streets... of Juaben.
A small town in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, the locals love their football and one team in particular. Not Manchester United, not Chelsea or Liverpool, but Aston Villa.
When the day their team plays comes around, much of the town wakes up at 5am, dons their claret and blue attire and begins marching, dancing and singing songs through the streets to passionately declare their love for the Midlands team.
At the heart of it is 21-year-old Owusu Boakye Amando, founder of the Ghana Lions, who estimates there are now over 1,000 Villa supporters in the town. And that number is growing after he convinced supporters of the big names to move towards the team in claret and blue.
Owusu told Sportsmail: ‘Every Sunday morning it is our routine. We have to be fit and more active so that we can chant, so we do exercises and after that, we will chant and chant and go on for more than three hours.
‘When we come back we start the chants using the names of the footballers who play for Aston Villa, and we chant against the opponents we come to play against. We do some chants and we all watch them play together.
‘Most people were Chelsea fans, Man United fans, Barcelona fans. They are all joining us as Aston Villa fans now! Because what we are doing is amazing.’
So just how exactly did a town so far away become such avid supporters of a side who have not won a major trophy since 1996 and have spent recent years in the Championship? Owusu explains it is down to his grandfather and one Villa icon in particular.
‘My love for Aston Villa started when we were kids. My grandfather used to talk about lots of players, but there was a certain player he used to talk about most. He always talked about “God, God, God”.
‘So one day, I asked him, "Grandpa, who is this God you always talk about?" He said "there is only one God, but there is also a God in football and his name is Paul McGrath".'
The supporters group’s carnival-like videos have proved popular on social media with domestic fans. Former Villa player and current youth coach George Boateng visited the village last year and wants to host them for a trip to Villa Park when they are able to. A petition was also set up by fans last year to get them to a game, with stars Jack Grealish and Tyrone Mings donating to try to make it happen.
It proved not possible at the time, with the Aston Villa Foundation sending masses of shirts instead, but Owusu has not given up his dream of getting to the stadium one day.
‘It is our dream to go and see Villa Park. We want to see a game. All of my friends at the Ghana Lions say that.
‘When we finally get a chance to go to Villa Park, we are not going to sleep in any hotel, we are going to sleep in the Holte End because that is our home, that will be our room!’
Villa have a strong African connection these days. Egyptian co-owner Nassef Sawiris was considered the fourth-richest African in 2019, Ahmed Elmohammady and Trezeguet hail from the same country while midfielder Marvelous Nakamba and Bertrand Traore are the first Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso internationals respectively to play for the club.
It is the Ghana Lions' dream to one day visit Villa Park and they plan to sleep in the famous Holte End rather than a hotel
+16
It is the Ghana Lions' dream to one day visit Villa Park and they plan to sleep in the famous Holte End rather than a hotel
Supporters go head to toe in claret and blue to show their support for the Birmingham-based side on matchdays
+16
Supporters go head to toe in claret and blue to show their support for the Birmingham-based side on matchdays
Their videos of self-written chants have proved a sensation on social media with Villa fans all over the world
+16
Their videos of self-written chants have proved a sensation on social media with Villa fans all over the world
For Owusu and his Villa-supporting friends, seeing players representing the club from backgrounds similar to them makes them burst with pride, while seeing a Villa star from their own country would be the icing on the cake.
‘If you are from Africa and you are playing for Aston Villa we feel honoured, to be honest. Whenever we see Trezeguet or Elmohammady or Nakamba playing, we feel proud because they are one of our own.
‘So we feel happy that they can represent us. What we really want is a Ghanaian to join Villa.’
The reaction to their videos has not always been positive, though, with the Ghana Lions also falling victim to the horrific abuse that can take place on social media. But overall, Owusu is feeling the love from the Villa fanbase.
‘Most people are saying that we are doing a great job here, but maybe two months ago, we received some racial comments.
‘Some people said “you don’t deserve to be Villa fans because of the colour of your skin”. But we are never going to let that distract us from what we are doing. We love Villa. Villa is more than anything to us.
‘It’s all about the Aston Villa fans. They love us. It makes us feel that Villa is more than a family. Irrespective of where you are from. The way fans treat us, it’s awesome, it’s awesome! They always encourage us to stay strong and keep doing what we are doing.’
But amidst all the positivity they spread to fans all over the world, there is a sad truth. The football-loving people of Juaben haven’t been able to kick a ball for seven months because they don’t have a pitch good enough to play on.
‘We have a lot of talented footballers here but they are finding it difficult to show their talent because of the part of the world we live, and the financial difficulties we face,’ Owusu revealed.
‘To be honest, we have not been playing football for the last seven months because we don’t have a football pitch to train on. I’ve
Owusu claimed it is a much more relaxing experience to watch Villa play with the side having their best season in years
‘Football can make us unite. Our dream and goal is to get some of the Ghana Lions to play for Aston Villa and the Ghana National team.
‘My parents are poor so they couldn’t pay for my education. I don’t want the kids to be like me. I can see something great in the children, so I’m trying my best to help my village but I need some support to help that dream come true.’
Their difficult surroundings won’t waver their support for the Villa, though, with Dean Smith’s side this season bringing more joy than they had come to expect in previous years, a feeling that is certainly shared with Villa’s supporters back in England.
‘This is one of my best seasons and one of the Ghana Lions best seasons to support Villa. At times, when we were going to watch Villa games you would be nervous, you would be trembling. But now when we are going to play, I have confidence,’ said Owusu.
Fans sing, dance and chant for over three hours before they sit down together to watch the team play
When we played Arsenal, I told my friends don’t worry. Go to sleep and relax. Tomorrow we will beat Arsenal. And it happened exactly. So now I have confidence in the team, I feel relaxed watching Aston Villa. ‘
If by the end of the interview there was any doubt over the Ghana Lions’ love for Vila, Owusu declared ‘Aston Villa is everything to us’ before singing a three-minute long chant involving every Villa player from Emiliano Martinez to ‘Super’ John McGinn.
-
I actually find this rather humbling, but also fantastic.........would be amazing if they could one day visit Villa Park for a game. I would love to meet them.
-
Can you imagine the fun they would bring to Villa Park?
Cant wait for it to happen.
-
Sleeping on the Holte End. That would take some setting up
-
Aston Hall might be more comfortable. Hot and cold running ghosts.
-
Can you imagine the fun they would bring to Villa Park?
Cant wait for it to happen.
I went to a friendly between Ghana and South Korea. It was like an awesome party.
-
Fair play to them. Hope they make it across for a match. I’d sleep on the Holte if they left McGregors unlocked and un-staffed! 🍺🍺🍺
-
GoFundMe. https://www.gofundme.com/f/ghana-lions-initiative
I'm up for a donation in principle, but it's a bit vague what they're going to do with the money?
Balti pies and Bovril.
what a video ..love it
-
Donations are paused anyway it seems.
-
More on this...
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9298653/Aston-Villa-one-mans-love-Paul-McGrath-led-entire-VILLAGE-Ghana-supporting-them.html
Eerily quiet matchdays have become the norm in England, but over 5,000 miles away supporters of one Premier League side are dancing in the streets... of Juaben.
A small town in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, the locals love their football and one team in particular. Not Manchester United, not Chelsea or Liverpool, but Aston Villa.
When the day their team plays comes around, much of the town wakes up at 5am, dons their claret and blue attire and begins marching, dancing and singing songs through the streets to passionately declare their love for the Midlands team.
At the heart of it is 21-year-old Owusu Boakye Amando, founder of the Ghana Lions, who estimates there are now over 1,000 Villa supporters in the town. And that number is growing after he convinced supporters of the big names to move towards the team in claret and blue.
Owusu told Sportsmail: ‘Every Sunday morning it is our routine. We have to be fit and more active so that we can chant, so we do exercises and after that, we will chant and chant and go on for more than three hours.
‘When we come back we start the chants using the names of the footballers who play for Aston Villa, and we chant against the opponents we come to play against. We do some chants and we all watch them play together.
‘Most people were Chelsea fans, Man United fans, Barcelona fans. They are all joining us as Aston Villa fans now! Because what we are doing is amazing.’
So just how exactly did a town so far away become such avid supporters of a side who have not won a major trophy since 1996 and have spent recent years in the Championship? Owusu explains it is down to his grandfather and one Villa icon in particular.
‘My love for Aston Villa started when we were kids. My grandfather used to talk about lots of players, but there was a certain player he used to talk about most. He always talked about “God, God, God”.
‘So one day, I asked him, "Grandpa, who is this God you always talk about?" He said "there is only one God, but there is also a God in football and his name is Paul McGrath".'
The supporters group’s carnival-like videos have proved popular on social media with domestic fans. Former Villa player and current youth coach George Boateng visited the village last year and wants to host them for a trip to Villa Park when they are able to. A petition was also set up by fans last year to get them to a game, with stars Jack Grealish and Tyrone Mings donating to try to make it happen.
It proved not possible at the time, with the Aston Villa Foundation sending masses of shirts instead, but Owusu has not given up his dream of getting to the stadium one day.
‘It is our dream to go and see Villa Park. We want to see a game. All of my friends at the Ghana Lions say that.
‘When we finally get a chance to go to Villa Park, we are not going to sleep in any hotel, we are going to sleep in the Holte End because that is our home, that will be our room!’
Villa have a strong African connection these days. Egyptian co-owner Nassef Sawiris was considered the fourth-richest African in 2019, Ahmed Elmohammady and Trezeguet hail from the same country while midfielder Marvelous Nakamba and Bertrand Traore are the first Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso internationals respectively to play for the club.
It is the Ghana Lions' dream to one day visit Villa Park and they plan to sleep in the famous Holte End rather than a hotel
+16
It is the Ghana Lions' dream to one day visit Villa Park and they plan to sleep in the famous Holte End rather than a hotel
Supporters go head to toe in claret and blue to show their support for the Birmingham-based side on matchdays
+16
Supporters go head to toe in claret and blue to show their support for the Birmingham-based side on matchdays
Their videos of self-written chants have proved a sensation on social media with Villa fans all over the world
+16
Their videos of self-written chants have proved a sensation on social media with Villa fans all over the world
For Owusu and his Villa-supporting friends, seeing players representing the club from backgrounds similar to them makes them burst with pride, while seeing a Villa star from their own country would be the icing on the cake.
‘If you are from Africa and you are playing for Aston Villa we feel honoured, to be honest. Whenever we see Trezeguet or Elmohammady or Nakamba playing, we feel proud because they are one of our own.
‘So we feel happy that they can represent us. What we really want is a Ghanaian to join Villa.’
The reaction to their videos has not always been positive, though, with the Ghana Lions also falling victim to the horrific abuse that can take place on social media. But overall, Owusu is feeling the love from the Villa fanbase.
‘Most people are saying that we are doing a great job here, but maybe two months ago, we received some racial comments.
‘Some people said “you don’t deserve to be Villa fans because of the colour of your skin”. But we are never going to let that distract us from what we are doing. We love Villa. Villa is more than anything to us.
‘It’s all about the Aston Villa fans. They love us. It makes us feel that Villa is more than a family. Irrespective of where you are from. The way fans treat us, it’s awesome, it’s awesome! They always encourage us to stay strong and keep doing what we are doing.’
But amidst all the positivity they spread to fans all over the world, there is a sad truth. The football-loving people of Juaben haven’t been able to kick a ball for seven months because they don’t have a pitch good enough to play on.
‘We have a lot of talented footballers here but they are finding it difficult to show their talent because of the part of the world we live, and the financial difficulties we face,’ Owusu revealed.
‘To be honest, we have not been playing football for the last seven months because we don’t have a football pitch to train on. I’ve
Owusu claimed it is a much more relaxing experience to watch Villa play with the side having their best season in years
‘Football can make us unite. Our dream and goal is to get some of the Ghana Lions to play for Aston Villa and the Ghana National team.
‘My parents are poor so they couldn’t pay for my education. I don’t want the kids to be like me. I can see something great in the children, so I’m trying my best to help my village but I need some support to help that dream come true.’
Their difficult surroundings won’t waver their support for the Villa, though, with Dean Smith’s side this season bringing more joy than they had come to expect in previous years, a feeling that is certainly shared with Villa’s supporters back in England.
‘This is one of my best seasons and one of the Ghana Lions best seasons to support Villa. At times, when we were going to watch Villa games you would be nervous, you would be trembling. But now when we are going to play, I have confidence,’ said Owusu.
Fans sing, dance and chant for over three hours before they sit down together to watch the team play
When we played Arsenal, I told my friends don’t worry. Go to sleep and relax. Tomorrow we will beat Arsenal. And it happened exactly. So now I have confidence in the team, I feel relaxed watching Aston Villa. ‘
If by the end of the interview there was any doubt over the Ghana Lions’ love for Vila, Owusu declared ‘Aston Villa is everything to us’ before singing a three-minute long chant involving every Villa player from Emiliano Martinez to ‘Super’ John McGinn.
Article written by a Villa fan.