The Takeover Thread - Recon Group - NOW WITH NEW POLL

[Bad English]

In that Guraidan 'alt-culture in Birmingham' article where Percy and a one or two of us have left comments, someone came on to 'point out' that Aston Villa 'were co-founders' . When told/reminded of McGregor's role in instigating the meeting the reply was 'but the first meeting was in London though'. A perfect example of people trying to steer the narrative away from its rightful focus.

[Billy Walker]

Mr Winter should know we are not merely one of the founders of the football league, and we didn't just help to found the football league. We are the founders. We founded it. I think when our Tony's finished more people will be aware of that fact. I like his plans, I like him.

I noticed that too. What must have been his motivation to inset 'help' found the league?

Ignorance and laziness?

It's all about narratives. Liverpool, Man Utd or any London club would, if they had done what we had done, have certainly been the founders of the Football League, with all the romance, acknowledgement and gratitude associated with such an achievement. It couldn't possibly have started with Aston Villa from Birmingham, even if it really did.

Nobody's going to make the case on our behalf. The club should have done much more down the years on this issue.

The thing is, there is no case to be made.  It's so clear who came up with the idea and initiated league football that I can only put the reluctance of the media to recognise it down to some form of begrudgery. It's a unique story and priceless history.  In the right hands, McGregor could be turned into a massive part of the Club's brand and value  and I really do believe the prospect of this unsettles folk  (journalists especially) with affinities to other clubs.  I really do hope Tony gets top marketing people in to make a huge deal of this aspect of Villa's - and football's - history.

[Jimbo]

File alongside lawn tennis being invented in Birmingham. That's one you never, ever hear about when they're blathering on about the traditions of tennis during Wimbledon.

See also: Shakespeare wasn't really Shakespeare, because he couldn't have been, because he wasn't from London.

[Sexual Ealing]

File alongside lawn tennis being invented in Birmingham. That's one you never, ever hear about when they're blathering on about the traditions of tennis during Wimbledon.

See also: Shakespeare wasn't really Shakespeare, because he couldn't have been, because he wasn't from London.

Haha! That's right. That's definitely how the rest of the world thinks.

[OCD]

Mr Winter should know we are not merely one of the founders of the football league, and we didn't just help to found the football league. We are the founders. We founded it. I think when our Tony's finished more people will be aware of that fact. I like his plans, I like him.

I noticed that too. What must have been his motivation to inset 'help' found the league?

Ignorance and laziness?

It's all about narratives. Liverpool, Man Utd or any London club would, if they had done what we had done, have certainly been the founders of the Football League, with all the romance, acknowledgement and gratitude associated with such an achievement. It couldn't possibly have started with Aston Villa from Birmingham, even if it really did.

Nobody's going to make the case on our behalf. The club should have done much more down the years on this issue.

The thing is, there is no case to be made.  It's so clear who came up with the idea and initiated league football that I can only put the reluctance of the media to recognise it down to some form of begrudgery. It's a unique story and priceless history.  In the right hands, McGregor could be turned into a massive part of the Club's brand and value  and I really do believe the prospect of this unsettles folk  (journalists especially) with affinities to other clubs.  I really do hope Tony gets top marketing people in to make a huge deal of this aspect of Villa's - and football's - history.

If his plans of revamping the area to include a museum live up to their potential, we may do that at some point.

[brian green]

These days people only believe something if they see it on television.  I have two sons, a real one who is on television and a virtual one who is not. So we need to have a documentary made called The Birth of the Beautiful Game with William McGregor played by Timothy Spall in Mr Turner dress but with whiskers.   Then they will believe us.

[LeeB]

These days people only believe something if they see it on television.  I have two sons, a real one who is on television and a virtual one who is not. So we need to have a documentary made called The Birth of the Beautiful Game with William McGregor played by Timothy Spall in Mr Turner dress but with whiskers.   Then they will believe us.

Oh not Spall, he'd have McGregor sporting a shite yam-yamish accent.

[SoccerHQ]

And whoosh...over your head it goes.

I think Mr.Lerner deserves a good deal of credit for the recent fortunes of AVFC Dave. Read into that what you will.

Which was my point in the op Tayls.  Wern't there asset strippers/shysters knocking on the door that he could have sold to but didn't?  Anyway, on we go.

Hollis?

[Jimbo]

McGregor was a Scot, so how about Idris Elba?

[brian green]

Oh, alright, Sean Connery with his Rangers tattoo excised. 

[mr underhill]

The first game of lawn tennis was played in Leamington Spa on the site of the old Manor Hotel

[peter w]

It was played first in Edgbaston but moved to Leamington.

[cdbearsfan]

The Birmingham League is the World's oldest cricket league, while we're at it.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

It was played first in Edgbaston but moved to Leamington.

8 Ampton Road in Edgbaston by Harry Gem and Augurio Perera. Even back then in 1859 Birmingham was multi-cultural.

[LeeB]

It was played first in Edgbaston but moved to Leamington.

We quickly realised it was played and watched by gimps, so moved it to Leamington where it's more at home.