Should we rename the club to include Birmingham in our name?

[SashasGrandad]

This silly idea was brought up recently by the Birmingham chamber of commerce who suggested Birchfield Harriers (an others i.e the Villa) should include Birmingham in their name. They were trying to get in on the Olympic bandwagon.

As H&V's unofficial athletics correspondent I can report that they have been politely told NO WAY! Birchfield hope to have 12 for 12 (athletes qualifying for next summer) in addition to several officials already selected, including myself.

The council and the chamber of commerce want to be associated with us (both) to raise their image after the bad publicity last summer. We are the good news stories in the city and should be proud of that.

Birchfield are proud to come from Birmingham just as the Villa are but we don't need that in our name.  Aston Villa is a name well known throughout the world of football. Most intelligent football fans know we come from Birmingham.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

In the words of Capt Mainwaring, "Stupid boy".

A catchphrase which he invariably directed at someone wearing an Aston Villa scarf.

[Darlo Dave]

How about getting the City of Birmingham to change it's name to the City of Aston Villa?

[Damo70]

How about getting the City of Birmingham to change it's name to the City of Aston Villa?

Like it. I think at the very least everyone who works, drinks or mixes in any way with bluenoses should throw that into the conversation to gauge opinion.

[cdbearsfan]

Why would we want something that we have already given away. when small heath changed there name they had to get our permission to use the name of the city.
Thank fuck we allowed them and kept our most beautiful name

I've never heard that before... have you got a link? Quite enjoy learning things like that to annoy noses with.

[Dave Cooper please]

I'd rather eat Walmley_Villa's c*ck.

[pauliewalnuts]

Why would we want something that we have already given away. when small heath changed there name they had to get our permission to use the name of the city.
Thank fuck we allowed them and kept our most beautiful name

I've never heard that before... have you got a link? Quite enjoy learning things like that to annoy noses with.

I'd be surprised if that were true.

Aston itself didn't even become part of Birmingham until 1911, but Small Heath became "Birmingham" in 1905 (and Birmingham City in 1943).

[cdbearsfan]

Even if, technically, Aston wasn't part of Birmingham then, I think it was generally considered to be part of Birmingham. I remember reading that the Football League operated on a one-club-per-city rule when they first started which meant Birmingham St George's couldn't join as well as Villa. Had they joined, chances are Small Heath would have died out due to the competition of two existing league clubs in the city.

[Des Little]

Maybe change the kit to royal blue as well?  Put the cooking sherry away, old chap

[The Laughing Policeman]

I may be wrong but I'm sure that when we played Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Cup, the posters advertising the match at their place had us billed as 'Birmingham'!!!!

[cdbearsfan]

I'm struggling to think of a single succesful club that has changed its name, unless they were forced to.

[bertlambshank]

I may be wrong but I'm sure that when we played Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Cup, the posters advertising the match at their place had us billed as 'Birmingham'!!!!

It was Aston Birmingham if I remembered right.

[TopDeck113]

I'm struggling to think of a single succesful club that has changed its name, unless they were forced to.

Newton Heath LYR FC?

[itbrvilla]

Definite no but am happy to have pride of Birmingham or something on the shirt collar or somewhere.

[cdbearsfan]

I'm struggling to think of a single succesful club that has changed its name, unless they were forced to.

Newton Heath LYR FC?

They had no success whatsoever under that name, so they could change it easily enough. What I meant was no team that had already been succesful (thus establishing their name Worldwide like we have) would consider changing their name.