The Stan game November 18th

[Chris Stares]

Nice photos, Chris.  Thanks for sharing.

Thanks.  No problem.  Now that I've moved back from New Zealand, I'm happy to make an active contribution to the Heroes and Villains community!

Good to have you back chris, shame it's at such a troubled time for our club but lets hope you are a lucky charm!

Thanks eastie.  I've been watching the Villa avidly from afar ever since I went to Aus in 1999 and then NZ in 2005.  H&V was my main link with all things Villa ever since I left these shores, so I'm a long time lurker and very infrequent poster.  Maybe that will change going forward now that I'm back and in the thick of things again.  And, yes, I hope that you're right about me being a lucky charm!  I've been down the Villa a few times this season and have already met Lee selling H&V (which I bought of course) outside VP at the ManUre game.  Hopefully I'll get to meet a few more folks from here in the future.  Thanks to all for the welcome home!

[Phil from the upper holte]

Good day enjoyed the game, glad to see so many turn out

[Villafirst]

Ken McNaught doesn't look any different to 30 years ago!

[richard moore]

Thanks Chris, great photos and welcome back. As has been said, Ken McNaught looks hardly ever different. Wonder if he still runs in that slightly pigeon toe'd way he had for such a big man. Great photo of Ian Taylor on the pitch in just the kind of pose I used to remember him having too

[Chris Stares]

Thanks Chris, great photos and welcome back. As has been said, Ken McNaught looks hardly ever different. Wonder if he still runs in that slightly pigeon toe'd way he had for such a big man. Great photo of Ian Taylor on the pitch in just the kind of pose I used to remember him having too

Thanks Richard.  From a distance, you're right, Ken doesn't look any different (except perhaps for being a bit thicker around the middle!  Aren't we all?)  And yes, he does still run in a similar way to what he used to.  Tayls was composed and always available for a pass and has great touch for such a gangly-looking bloke.  Sid was surprisingly sprightly and ran his 'nads off for 70-odd minutes until he was subbed.  Not surprisingly, Lee Hendrie, as the "youngster" of the team, provided the "legs" for the Lions and Legends and was box-to-box for virtually the entire game.  He was supposed to play a half for each team, but since the Lions and Legends were 4-1 down at half time, having him change sides would have made it stupidly one-sided in terms of youth and energy, so Lee stayed with the Lions.  Clearly the level was a lot lower than the prem, but his performance had more than a few people saying "we could do with some of that in the Villa midfield right now"!  His second goal was a peach - outside of the right foot into the top corner.  Martin Carruthers (I think) lead the line really well, chased down defenders, worked really hard and made great runs that were picked out by both Lee and Sid.  Gareth Farrelly (at least I think it was him) in midfield was also very composed and a good outlet under pressure.  Steve Staunton showed the odd flash of that sublime left foot, Pat Heard was solid and no-nonsense at left back and Mark Walters had a couple of nice touches but kept slipping over - obviously had the wrong footwear on!  Maybe someone else can help me out here, but was that Phil King who came on for Ken McNaught in the second half?

[Simon Ward]

Days like today make me so incredibly proud to be a Villa fan.

Absolutely

[richard moore]

Thanks Chris, great photos and welcome back. As has been said, Ken McNaught looks hardly ever different. Wonder if he still runs in that slightly pigeon toe'd way he had for such a big man. Great photo of Ian Taylor on the pitch in just the kind of pose I used to remember him having too

Thanks Richard.  From a distance, you're right, Ken doesn't look any different (except perhaps for being a bit thicker around the middle!  Aren't we all?)  And yes, he does still run in a similar way to what he used to.  Tayls was composed and always available for a pass and has great touch for such a gangly-looking bloke.  Sid was surprisingly sprightly and ran his 'nads off for 70-odd minutes until he was subbed.  Not surprisingly, Lee Hendrie, as the "youngster" of the team, provided the "legs" for the Lions and Legends and was box-to-box for virtually the entire game.  He was supposed to play a half for each team, but since the Lions and Legends were 4-1 down at half time, having him change sides would have made it stupidly one-sided in terms of youth and energy, so Lee stayed with the Lions.  Clearly the level was a lot lower than the prem, but his performance had more than a few people saying "we could do with some of that in the Villa midfield right now"!  His second goal was a peach - outside of the right foot into the top corner.  Martin Carruthers (I think) lead the line really well, chased down defenders, worked really hard and made great runs that were picked out by both Lee and Sid.  Gareth Farrelly (at least I think it was him) in midfield was also very composed and a good outlet under pressure.  Steve Staunton showed the odd flash of that sublime left foot, Pat Heard was solid and no-nonsense at left back and Mark Walters had a couple of nice touches but kept slipping over - obviously had the wrong footwear on!  Maybe someone else can help me out here, but was that Phil King who came on for Ken McNaught in the second half?

Ah Chris, the memories. Martin Carruthers eh, he was going to be the next Gary Shaw along with so many others. Just needed Tony Daley, Deano, John Gidman, Frankie Carrodus and Dixie Deehan and you would have completed a walk through my teenage (and a bit later) years of following the Villa

[Chris Stares]

Ah Chris, the memories. Martin Carruthers eh, he was going to be the next Gary Shaw along with so many others. Just needed Tony Daley, Deano, John Gidman, Frankie Carrodus and Dixie Deehan and you would have completed a walk through my teenage (and a bit later) years of following the Villa

Pretty much the same as me Richard!

[Chris Smith]

Glad it was a success. I had intended to go but my old nan passed away on Friday which meant other priorities took over. You could see from the TV pictures that the treatment is beginning to take it's toll on Stan but I'm sure that the support he received will have given him another timely boost.

[villajk]

Glad it was a success. I had intended to go but my old nan passed away on Friday which meant other priorities took over. You could see from the TV pictures that the treatment is beginning to take it's toll on Stan but I'm sure that the support he received will have given him another timely boost.

Sorry to hear about your Nan, Chris.

[The Left Side]

Great pics, thanks for posting

[PaulTheVillan]

What was the attendance?

[dave.woodhall]

What was the attendance?

Just over 2,000 I believe.

[Chris Stares]

Great pics, thanks for posting

That's my pleasure.  Glad you enjoyed them.

[hilts_coolerking]

Thanks for posting your photos Chris.  Excellent.