100% SC Villa (aka the Big Cockerel)

[Ivo Stas]

Anyone heard of our Ugandan alter-egos 'Sports Club Villa'? Apparently they are named after us: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SC_Villa.

The manager is called Mike Mutebi (http://www.supersport.com/football/uganda/news/120521/Villa_coach_tips_URA), perhaps Randy might send Aston Villa One down to Uganda to collect him for an interview..?

It seems that SC Villa have been having protests this season too: http://allafrica.com/stories/201205111110.html and http://www.supersport.com/football/uganda/news/120504/USL_hails_Villa_move_on_hooliganism.

You can see their logo (cockerel included) here: http://www.weltfussballarchiv.com/Vereinsprofilnew.php?ID=14575.

[ADVILLAFAN]

I think they're one of the most successful teams in Uganda.

[robbo1874]

Their ground holds more than villa park!

[purpletrousers]

Erm just found this stored on my phone, Internet signal was variable, so...imagine I posted this one in 2012!!!

(Written errrr a long time ago...)

Folks, am out in Ug for a month at the moment, mainly with work (mental health projects).

I was first out there in 2008 and still owe a big (overdue :/ ) thank you to the fellow  London Villa fans who donated shirts I took out, I left two sets of mixed vintage kit (one home and one away) at the Butabika national mental health referral hospital. Maybe one day I can get someone to blur out faces in the documentary of that trip to maintain the patients confidentiality. Back then we organised a good game with the patients, also went on the national Saturday radio sports show for football banter promoting the beautiful game as a way to maintain mental health. I also gave kids size shirts to a homeless street kids project in Kampala...

FYI, even though I know a local fan who refers to it as Soccer Club (as per a previous thread title) it is Sports Club villa according to their website.

Villa park I have some 2008 pics of, is the *very* low key training ground by a railway track from memory.

The home stadium is Nakivubo, where I saw other teams play in 2008.

Despite managing to be at the wrong stadium and missing the first half - just before I flew out all TV games were moved to the magnificently monikored Wankulukuku Stadium (home of Express FC) - I managed to finally see the team named after ours in the flesh. And they won! Cue various jokes of how far you have to travel to see Villa get 3pts etc.

http://mobi.supersport.com/football/uganda/news/120122/Villa_thump_Utoda_for_four

*And* later in the day I managed to catch most of AVFC beating Wolves in a cafe too, thanks to Robbie Keane .

I generally find it alarming a lot of African fans are willing to pay to watch the premier league in a bar a lot sooner than go watch Ugandan footy, but the national team 'the Cranes' do get everybody going big time.

'Spot the most obscure shirt'/keeping a running count of how many of which team you see, is quite a good hobby when moving around a country like Uganda. Also wearing our colours a great way to meet people! It took a good minute or two to try and understand what one chap was saying, when finally I realised he was trying to pronounce,  'Agbonlahor'.

Wankulukuku Stadium (home of Express FC) comes complete with massive Marabou Storks flying overhead. (tip if you don't want to annoy local Kampala Footy fans as a 'Muzungu', don't get preoccupied taking pics of them instead of the action)

[purpletrousers]

When i saw
kcc-sc-villa-to-play-finals
I thought about starting a new thread
"Can both my Villas bring home the cup on 30/5/15"
But just found the date in Ug has been changed, to June.
They've missed out on the League title, but very glad they are back up there challenging at least. They won the league I think 16 out of 23 years 1982-2004, since which it's been lean times. It also sounds like they are drawing crowds back again which is great.

Anyway still a nice 'both Villas in the cup final' symmetry.
If you are into retweeting such things you can here...
Tweet tweet

[purpletrousers]

Time to resurrect this thread. It could have been the African Car Reverser thread as my driver today turned out to be an ex-pro midfielder Nyanzi Herbert, who it made sense to invite to the game. The former top flight midfielder who’s bro played for SCV turned out to be very competent in forward and reverse...
He was less of a photographer but we did ok in the end as below.

So after my last SC Villa game in 2012 at the fabulously named Wankulukuku Stadium, today I finally got to go to the Uganda’s Mandela National / Namboole Stadium, though alas still not to see the Cranes (national Team).

https://youtu.be/qG7nQ5tRPUY gives a bit of flavour to the atmosphere, it was great to see the boys come from behind to win 2-1, keeping 3rd place in the table with their 4th win in the last 5.

Monday I’ll meet with the general manager and CEO to try to start to prep a proposal to make to AVFC in the community to link up do mental health promotion / anti-stigma work.

Really hope we’ll get a similar result Sunday, will be watching out here, make some noise for me!

[JD]

Great photos Purpletrousers.

[Jon Crofts]

There appears to be a midget stood on the roof of the dugout in one of your great photos.

[purpletrousers]

There appears to be a midget stood on the roof of the dugout in one of your great photos.

Ah yes the witchcraft to belittle Bright Stars had gone a little askew.

[Axl Rose]

Fantastic photos and video, purpletrousers. Thank you for sharing!

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Mazrim prefers the term 'small person'.

[eamonn]

What about MazrimsBruv ?!

[purpletrousers]

So I’ve kept an eye on Uganda’s occasional finest SC Villa since my first trip there in 2008, and finally after a 20yr gap they are today champions again. Good to see all Villa’s thriving, 
https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/sports/soccer/sc-villa-clinch-record-extending-17th-league-title-4627288

Ok not quite all, another thread like this mentioned Estonian Eston Villa, not doing great in their 5th division

They are referenced in a lovely news story from a couple of years ago https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61808907.amp

Curiously there does seem to be another Eston Villa Midlesborough way https://fulltime.thefa.com/displayTeam.html?id=331546356

[ADVILLAFAN]

What a Season for Villa.

[Drummond]

The mighty Jogoo!