Call yourselves supporters?

[Dr Butler]

I would just like to add my own experience of Tuesday night.

myself and two friends went to the game and parked in the city centre(£2.50 for 24 hours) we got there at 5.30pm and set off to look for a pub for a pint....we had taken a wrong turning and ended up away from the town so as we walked along a dimly light road we stopped at some offices and asked a couple of  local reps of the office to give us directions to the ground or a nice pub to have a beer in.
He said jump in the car and I will show you as it will take awhile for you to walk it.
He dropped us off right outside the pub and said just walk down there for 10 mins and the ground is on your left, we thanked him and continued into the pub (the Bolton Arms) which was abit run down but the beer was great and the locals very easy to get on with.

we then got to the ground and it was very moody to say the least and when we finally got to our seats it was really uncomfortably full.  we had a rather out of his skull fella about mid 40's shouting at us for not joining in with his "singing" and then having a go at us for leaving on the final whistle, he was shouting and generally acting a twat all the way through the game.

the toilets were left in a disgraceful condition at the end of the game and I was abit embarassed by the behaviour of some of our support.

I go to about 10 aways a year and generally our away support is fantastic, it is just a shame we have a small minority ready to trash the place and fight with other fellow fans....

PS: many thanks to the fella from Bradford for the lift as it was very much appreciated.
UTV
The Doc

[DBTW]

We had a mini bus with 16 on from my supporters club. We arrived at a pub called the Fighting Cock and as we entered we were look at nervouslly, which I soon discovered was because a few Villa fans had been making a right pain of themselves moments earlier.

Anyway, they had gone and we spent a few hours talking football, beer and general life with the Bradford Fans, who I have to say were some of the most welcoming people I have ever met.

The walk to the game, the game, and walking back after the game were awful.

A lot of our fans disgraced themselves, Bradford deserved their bit of happiness, they deserved to be able to beep their horns and wave their scarves, they had won a semi final. Anyone who would react to that with abuse or violence probably shouldnt go to a football match.

[villajk]

I also hate the snobbery of this “full of Villa” business.

It seems to rash a term. I know what you’re getting at, Stone Island wannabees or perhaps worse, the real loons and nutters. But a good pub, a load of Villa supporters and an enjoyable pre-match experience are not mutually exclusive.

Each to their own, Ads.  There's no snobbery involved as far as we're concerned.  We just like to meet up with friends, in a pub where we can get a seat, the chaps can enjoy their real ale and we can chat until our hearts are content.

Everyone can make their own decision on where they like to enjoy their pre and post match drink, after all, these days it's the only enjoyable part of the day.

[Dave Clark Five]

There's snobbery and inverse snobbery.
We made the snobbish decision to find a decent pub on the way to Bradford. A while later we arrived at the one we originally gave a miss to. Twenty seconds later all we can hear is the Tracy Andrews song. I reckon we were right first time. Each to his own.

[Dr Butler]

We had a mini bus with 16 on from my supporters club. We arrived at a pub called the Fighting Cock and as we entered we were look at nervouslly, which I soon discovered was because a few Villa fans had been making a right pain of themselves moments earlier.

Anyway, they had gone and we spent a few hours talking football, beer and general life with the Bradford Fans, who I have to say were some of the most welcoming people I have ever met.The walk to the game, the game, and walking back after the game were awful.

A lot of our fans disgraced themselves, Bradford deserved their bit of happiness, they deserved to be able to beep their horns and wave their scarves, they had won a semi final. Anyone who would react to that with abuse or violence probably shouldnt go to a football match.

indeed very helpful and welcoming.

UTV
The Doc

[Dave Clark Five]

Good post DBTW. If we had gone straight to Bradford, the Fighting Cock was on our agenda.
I remember that time when Crewe were beating us 2-0. Old blokes were throwing their caps in the air and I just thought they don't get much fun, let them enjoy it.

[Clampy]

Like i said earlier, Walkabout down at QPR is a good example of how a pub full of Villa can be a enjoyable experience.

There's also nothing better than pulling into a town 10 or 15 miles from a ground and having a quiet drink knowing you won't have to wait 10 minutes to get served.

On our way back to the car on Tuesday, we had to walk through crowds of their fans and bearing in mind one mate of mine had a Villa jacket on, we did'nt get any hassle. They were far too happy to give us any stick.

[eastie]

Good post DBTW. If we had gone straight to Bradford, the Fighting Cock was on our agenda.
I remember that time when Crewe were beating us 2-0. Old blokes were throwing their caps in the air and I just thought they don't get much fun, let them enjoy it.

Was that when we came back to win 3-2 under graham?
Remember how low I felt at half time and the relief of the 2 nd half.

[Dave Clark Five]

Good post DBTW. If we had gone straight to Bradford, the Fighting Cock was on our agenda.
I remember that time when Crewe were beating us 2-0. Old blokes were throwing their caps in the air and I just thought they don't get much fun, let them enjoy it.

Was that when we came back to win 3-2 under graham?
Remember how low I felt at half time and the relief of the 2 nd half.

It was that game. We only had about 200 seats, the rest standing, so we were in the middle of them. Without these lower league clubs there would be no football as we know it. To take it out on them by smashing the place up is a disgrace.

[eastie]

Good post DBTW. If we had gone straight to Bradford, the Fighting Cock was on our agenda.
I remember that time when Crewe were beating us 2-0. Old blokes were throwing their caps in the air and I just thought they don't get much fun, let them enjoy it.

Was that when we came back to win 3-2 under graham?
Remember how low I felt at half time and the relief of the 2 nd half.

It was that game. We only had about 200 seats, the rest standing, so we were in the middle of them. Without these lower league clubs there would be no football as we know it. To take it out on them by smashing the place up is a disgrace.

Exactly, clubs at that level struggle to pay the bills and many make a loss , to smash their toilets , seats etc is really small time and sad , the story of someone taunting bradford fans with a lighter was shocking , I rarely travel away these days - I used to enjoy the whole day out and had meant great times under graham, and Ron especially but to be honest I don't miss it nowadays , the game is not what it once was .

[Meanwood Villa]

I think the expectation level adds to the atmosphere. We were all expecting to win on Tuesday and as such it didn't take long for the crowd to get on the players' backs. A lot of away games we're the underdog so there's more of a siege mentality which lends itself to unconditional support. The atmosphere on Tuesday had got so poisonous that it seemed like we didn't know how to celebrate when the goal went in.

[Dr Butler]

I think the expectation level adds to the atmosphere. We were all expecting to win on Tuesday and as such it didn't take long for the crowd to get on the players' backs. A lot of away games we're the underdog so there's more of a siege mentality which lends itself to unconditional support. The atmosphere on Tuesday had got so poisonous that it seemed like we didn't know how to celebrate when the goal went in.

absolutely Meanwood Villa

[villan1975]

I'd say a lot of the idiotic behaviour is down to drink and cheap widely available cocaine.

Thats a very fair assumption. Certainly seemed the case at Norwich away, my last away game. Beer doesn't make you behave like the fellas in the row in front of me, no matter how much you've had

It isn't the beer or drugs. It is their personality and what they deem to be acceptable behaviour. Millions of people drink and do drugs every weekend and don't behave like that.

[dave.woodhall]

Good post DBTW. If we had gone straight to Bradford, the Fighting Cock was on our agenda.
I remember that time when Crewe were beating us 2-0. Old blokes were throwing their caps in the air and I just thought they don't get much fun, let them enjoy it.

I was in the Fighting Cock earlier in the afternoon. I'm amazed anyone could find it and that the sort of twats who enjoy playing up would want to be in there.

[Brend'Watkins]

Good post DBTW. If we had gone straight to Bradford, the Fighting Cock was on our agenda.
I remember that time when Crewe were beating us 2-0. Old blokes were throwing their caps in the air and I just thought they don't get much fun, let them enjoy it.

Was that when we came back to win 3-2 under graham?
Remember how low I felt at half time and the relief of the 2 nd half.

It was that game. We only had about 200 seats, the rest standing, so we were in the middle of them. Without these lower league clubs there would be no football as we know it. To take it out on them by smashing the place up is a disgrace.

Exactly, clubs at that level struggle to pay the bills and many make a loss , to smash their toilets , seats etc is really small time and sad , the story of someone taunting bradford fans with a lighter was shocking , I rarely travel away these days - I used to enjoy the whole day out and had meant great times under graham, and Ron especially but to be honest I don't miss it nowadays , the game is not what it once was .

You make it sound like it was whiter than white back in the day when it definitely wasn't.  An idiot today is the same as an idiot back in the day singing to Cardiff supporters about what happened at Aberfan or Ipswich in the 70's singing to us about the IRA.