Why are you Villa?

[tommy smart]

No great family line for me. My Dad came to this country from Serbia after the second world war and settled in the Black Country, which is another story entirely. Before he came here the only football teams he had heard of were Aston Villa and Arsenal so it was obvious who he would follow living reasonably close to Villa Park. He also adopted the local tradition at the time of Villa one week then Albion the next. My first game was boxing day 1963 when we drew 3-3 against the Wolves although I have no recollection of the match. It must have been a night game because to pacify mother, I do remember we spent the afternoon at the Ideal Home Exhibition in Bingley Hall on Broad Street.
He never really forced me to follow the Villa and like many others on this site, it was the ground, specifically the Trinity Road stand, which sold it to me followed closely by the colours and strip. I suffered quite a few games at the Hawthorns and even though they were better than us at the time, such as winning the cup in 1968, I never had anything like the same feeling for them and eventually purchased my first season ticket 'sold' to me by super salesman Tommy Docherty. Maybe I was being a bit of a rebel as well going to a school dominated by Albion and Wolves.
Pleased to say both my son and daughter are Villa nuts, they had little choice to be honest, and I'm now working on my grand kids which is proving more of a battle because of in laws allegiance to Nottingham Forest.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Good Luck Tommy!
You've got the best supporters in the World right behind you!.

[Risso]

The direct male line in the family were all Villa going back to the 1890's, maybe even earlier, so me and my sister had no choice but to be Villa. Only time it bothers me not having had kids is that the line stops with me, which actually makes me feel a bit guilty, even more than the direct line of family name dying out does.

Similar reason here.  My granddad and grandma were both Villa fans, and lived in Mere green although they were from Erdington originally.  Somehow my uncle was a Wolves fan, and my dad wasn't really into football, so my granddad saw me as his last chance I think.  We lived in Sutton until I was about 6, then moved to London.  My nan used to get her hair cut at one of her friend's house, and they had a parrot that used to say "up the Villa" which I thought was the coolest thing ever.

[Archie]

Thank you mates, I am so proud to belong to the Villa family!

[Archie]

they had a parrot that used to say "up the Villa" which I thought was the coolest thing ever.

Legend!

[Stu82]

15.12.1976

My Dad and uncle and cousins were Villa fans. I hadn't been to a game and had liked watching Liverpool on match of the day.
I was 13 and Dad said he would take me to the Liverpool game.(but to see the Villa)
As I  remember it, we parked up and started of towards the ground, I was amazed in no time we were surrounded by a huge crowd of people all heading the same way, with a real buzz in the air. As we headed under the Expressway and past the hot dog stalls I caught my first site of Villa Park and could hear the crowd, an amazing feeling. It felt special and as we queued at the Holte End on Witton Lane the atmosphere was building.
When we had paid and walked to the bottom of the Holte, at the bottom of the steps I remember looking up into a Black imposing mass before me and I was genuinely taken aback at the scale  and atmosphere. (I wa,s I think a Villa fan at that point after seeing the Holte End in its full pomp).
we walked up to a spot by a barrier and settled in for the match.
at Half time Villa were 5-1 up against the league champions.
The speed of Villa and the style were amazing, I was hooked.
That team still holds many of my heroes: Alex Cropley, Brian Little, Frank Carrodas, Andy Gray,Dennis Mortimer.

All I can say is that my Dad couldn't have picked a better game to introduce me to the mighty Villa.
I left thinking all games would be like that!

[preston28]

When I was 7 I asked my Dad (who hates football) which team I should support. I still remember the words that came out of his mouth: ' Aston Villa are the team most steeped in history and tradition and have won the FA cup more times than any other team'. I said right I'll follow them then.
That was 1972. My first game Jan 1973 I was hooked. My son born in Lancashire is Villa through and through!

[Rudy65]

My Dad is a bluenose and only recently game up his season ticket due to ill health

Fortunately for me he lost a bit of interest in the early 70's because we were a bit skint and the next door neighbours were massive Villa fans. They got my hooked on the claret and blue and the rest is history

Sometimes I don't understand how my Dad let this happen but glad he did. My own son was only going to support one team

[Mortimer's Bear]

My old man.

[SamTheMouse]

Driving up to the Black Country from down south to visit my mom's family when I was a kid.

Gazing out the window of the car from the motorway, and seeing the stadium, and dreaming...

[Gregorys Boy]

They were the first team I saw properly.  Got a 5-1 win against Middlesborough and I was 12 at the time.  Also, the last time we won the top flight title was the season I was born so it does kind of make sense.

[dave.woodhall]

Driving up to the Black Country from down south to visit my mom's family when I was a kid.

Gazing out the window of the car from the motorway, and seeing the stadium, and dreaming...

A couple of decades later and you could have supported Coventry.

[Ian.]

You will agree that as a child grown in Italy in the 70's, I had not many chances to become a Villa fan, but I remember two reasons why I happened to be:
- Villa is an Italian name so it sounded to me more familiar than strange idioms like Ipswich (yes, in 1981 they did exist), West Bromwich Albion, United or others like that;
- the colours, the colours of wine and the sky, with that nice touch, so English, of the body of a different colour respect to the sleeves: I bought my first shirt at Soccer Scene in Carnaby street at the age of 13 and I could not ask for more!

This, pretty much, is the ultimate for me from someone of totally neutral beginnings.
"the wine and the sky....first shirt in Carnaby Street"
FFS!
I have yet another Villa hero - Archie!!!

Quality post Archie.

[dorsetvillian]

My Dad was from Tamworth and my Mum from Southampton. Southampton won out as to where I would I grow up, but the Midlands won the footy battle. Although I had been taken to the Dell on a number of occasions by my family, my first Villa game was the famous B'mouth game in 1972. I was hooked. I usually saw one game a season, when we visited the relatives and we would always travel on one of the supporters coach from Tamworth. I was the only Villa fan at my school and just didn't meet any other Villa fans at all.   

On leaving school in '79 and having money from my first job, I started traveling up on the train from Southampton (£7 return!) It was amazing to start traveling regularly to games, but for me it was also incredible to meet other southern based Villa fans, who all shared the same passion for our great club. I  have traveled all over the country and feel so lucky to have shared in some of the best days this club has seen: Highbury 81, Roterdam 82, Wembley 94 & 96

I was a season ticket holder for many years and my son started traveling up to games from the age of 3. He was also a season ticket holder and is still Villa mad. We finally gave up the season tickets a couple of years ago, because my son was playing footy Sat/Sun. We still come up to nearly half the home games and a few away, although it does feel quite part time! He is 16 now and still wears his Villa kit with pride. Lets hope he gets to share some Villa success in the not to distant future!

Up the Villa !!

PS: My son at a young age thought Percy was Percy the Park keeper 

 

[SamTheMouse]

Driving up to the Black Country from down south to visit my mom's family when I was a kid.

Gazing out the window of the car from the motorway, and seeing the stadium, and dreaming...

A couple of decades later and you could have supported Coventry.

I just did a bit of sick in my mouth. Cheers, Dave.