Villa-related family (or non-family) memories

[fbriai]

I've just been reading through the 'A memorial' thread and it got me thinking. I don't know whether my great-grandfather, mentioned in that thread, was a Villa fan, but his only daughter definitely was, as was her husband, and, thanks to them, generations of Villa fans have been born. While contemplating that, I remembered how Gran would sit in her old armchair of a Sunday afternoon, knitting away, and, if the Villa were on the telly, would always pay particular attention when 'our kid', Kevin Richardson, was playing, Richardson being her maiden name.

There must be loads of people who have similar kinds of little memories of people. So, what other Villa-related family, or non-family for that matter, memories do you have?

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

My Dad started going down VP in the 1930s and would often talk about the record crowd in 1946 against Derby and the 4-6 defeat to Man U in 1948. My Mom  was also a big Villa fan and as a child she lived in Electric Avenue and she could remember the crowds on match days which would have been back in the 1920s.
Back in the 3rd division days, we used to take along the elderly father-in-law of someone my Dad worked with. I can remember we would pick him up on the way from where he lived just over Gravelly Hill. Without fail he would always be at the window ready and waiting with his claret and blue scarf on. He had been to the FA Cup Final in 1905 when we beat Newcastle 2-0 and came along with us to the 1971 LC final.   

[Risso]

My nan and grandad were both Villa fans and lived in Mere Green.  My nan used to have her hair cut by somebody called [Aunty] Pauline, who had a parrot that used to say "Up the Villa!"

[Bad English]

There's a whole bloody forum of Villa Memories on here! ;-)

[fbriai]

Very true, BBE!

[Rip Van We Go Again]

My Grand mother lived in Aston, I lived there for quite a few of my early years and I could see the Holte End from my bedroom window.
That and her regaling me with stories of how brilliant Villa used to be (this was the early 70's) ensured that i'd be a Villa supporter for life.

[Deano's Mullet]

My mum - not being a football fan - used to get Dalian Atkinson and Tony Daley mixed up. To her it would be Tony Dalian or Daley Atkinson, Tony Atkinson and Dalian Daley. Used to have me in stitches.

My dad was a WBA fan in the early 70s but got into Villa when i did.

My missus being a southern lass was an Arsenal fan but now has the Villa bug and finally got to her first match at Villa Park for the FA Cup tie with Blackburn this season. I knew i'd converted her when she agreed to have one of those mini kits - last seasons Acorns kit - in the back of her car.

[ez]

My partner believes she is the decendant of one of the original founders of Aston Villa.

[PeterWithesShin]

I remember as a kid being told about being part of a long line of Villa fans. The direct male line in our family went back to the 1890s, if not earlier. Typically as a kid I didn't really pay much attention to what grandad was saying etc, and by the time I was old enough to be really interested both he and my dad were in the Holte in the sky and there was no one left to tell me more. Being the last of the direct line and having no kids, it's always bothered me that the family name goes with me, but maybe more importantly, more than a century of Villa support goes.

But on a brighter note, here is an old pic of my dad with the FA Cup in 1957. He's the youngster on the right, and the chap with his hand on his shoulder is his dad. The lad on the left was his best mate Bob, a Wolves fan. I reckon the photo was probably taken at a pub in Cradley.

I've probably bored you all to death now, so here is the photo of a rather battered photo.

[pauliewalnuts]

I did my family tree recently, and uncovered a fair amount of stuff.

My entire family on both sides, moved from various bits of the countryside around Brum in the middle 19th century, and moved to the Aston area. My great great grandfather worked at the mineral water company which was located on the Aston Lower grounds prior to Villa moving to Villa Park, and supported the club week in week out.

His son, my gt grandfather, was "a bit of a character" and would never miss a home game. My gran, who is 95 now, talks of how, when we'd lost, he'd come home when the pubs shut, pissed as a fart, and smash the house up while my gran and her sister hid.

My other great grandfather did quite well for himself, from being brought up in a back to back to penniless parents, became a builder and had his own company, and had his season ticket, and used to buy them for all the grandkids, as well as for some of his employees.

I remember when my grandfather was dying, he'd been in hospital for a few days and I'd been stoically tough about it, determined not to cry or get upset when visiting him, but the last time he spoke to me, he clenched my hand and said "up the villa", and i absolutely lost it, floods of tears.

It could have all gone badly wrong for me, as my Dad is a nose, but as my mother had two Villa mental brothers, and i was the first child in the family, they took it upon themselves to make sure I followed the path of the righteous, took me to my first games, etc etc. They, and their wives, kids and kids' partners, still go. I see them every home game, sitting below us and to the right a bit in the Middle Trinity, a dozen or so of them

That's the thing, i guess, we all moan and get pissed off about the Villa, but the club just gets so engrained, it's hard to fully shake it off, even if you wanted to.

[SarkGrime]

During the 1935-6 season my Dad was a single man of 22 years of age. He worked Saturday mornings and one Saturday a workmate said "Going down the Villa this afternoon, Ray?" "Yeah," said my old man, "Well come to think of it no, sod em. I don't think I can take any more of that crap." It was a desperate season and the more Villa spent on new players the worse they got, the season eventually culminating in relegation for the first time in their history.

And so he stayed at home.

To his dying day he was never quite sure whether it had been a good decision or a bad one. He was happy he hadn't seen the Villa getting absolutely murdered by the Arsenal but also felt he'd missed being able to say for the rest of his life "I saw Ted Drake score seven."

[Dave Cooper please]

I was, and remain, the only Villa fan in my immediate family. Don't think there are any amongst the not-so immediate family either.

[curiousorange]

I've mentioned on here before that my love of the Villa stems from my maternal grandfather, so here are a few random Villa memories I have of our bond together:

- He and my Uncle George were season ticket holders and were lucky enough to support the club from probably the late 30's to 2007, which was when my grandad passed away. They saw all the trophies won in that period being won, as well as relegations, boardroom upheaval, the works. So they were both at Rotterdam, but my grandad told me he didn't enjoy it much. I asked him why, astounded. On the way to get their coach, my grandad managed to trip over a low wall and hurt himself, and consequently watched Villa's finest hour with three broken ribs and in utter agony. I now carry his EC supporter's club card with me to every match, so he's always with me.

- He used to drink in the Hardwick Arms, Streetly, and the Irish Harp in Little Aston. Whenever Paul Merson popped in of a lunchtime, he would always buy him a pint, seemingly unware the man was a recovering alcoholic.

- In the first 1977 LC Final, he and my nan somehow found themselves seated in a knot of Everton fans. My nan was proud of the fact they shared their tuna sandwiches with the Scousers and had nothing else to report about the game.

- He was on friendly terms with Sir Graham, and before a house fire I had his autograph on about six random objects, including a financial end of year report from the club because it was the only theing either of them had to hand.

- He delivered flowers to player's wives on matchday mornings, so every summer he would drive me round the posh parts of the Midlands pointing out where all the players lived. I have also met Ron Atkinson's missus, who was dressed in a nightie when she answered the door.

- After dropping me off after every match, he would get a bunch of flowers out of the boot of his car, telling me to give them to my mum as thanks for letting me go to the football.

- I came home from uni especially to watch the 2000 FA Cup Final on telly with him. I promised him when I got to go to Wembley, he'd be with me. When I went down last April for the semi-final, it wasn't until I went through all my photos from the day that I realised the seat next to me had been unoccupied.

- Our first match together was on 20th April 1989, a 0-0 against Manchester United. The last game we saw together was the 3-0 pre-season friendly against Inter Milan. He died in the early hours of the morning following a 3-1 home win over Reading. I was with him all through the game, telling him what was happening. Hopefully, he could hear me.

Like I say, just a few memories.

[the-farmer]

my Grandad was a friend of Eric Houghton, he was also my Aunties Godfather
he lived at Whittington, near Lichfield at the time
An old boy I know, now in his early 70s recently told me that Grandad said knock on the big green doors (in the 50s) at Villa Park & tell them that Charlie Mann sent you. The doors would open & he was told "in you come kid" in for free

[hipkiss92]

Recently found out that my Nan lived next door to Alan Deakin during the War and in the immediate post-war years.