My season -
Beating Rotherham 3-0 in a game that felt like we were European Champions. It had been that long since we'd won, Dr Tone was on the pitch before kick off and suddenly people were smiling again. Moor Street Station afterwards was just full of smiling Villa fans who couldn't believe they'd seen a win. And Rudy Gestede looked Alan Shearer deadly with a kick ass celebration to boot.
Fulham 1-0 at home, a game where we barely touched the ball but once we figured out how to pressure their back line and goalie we scored right away with a goal that I didn't realize was that good until I saw it again on tv about 6 hours later. Took a Fulham fan up with me and he fell in love with Villa Park despite losing. And top banter with a Brummie Mank Utd fan on the train back to London afterwards. He actually knew what he was talking about and unpatronising which is rare for them.
Cardiff 3-1 Very similar feeling to Rotherham, we were getting in the habit of winning games by now and it was an effective performance if not exactly Brazil-esque. And Albert Adomah played like Johan Cruyff for large portions of the game. Seemed a lot of trouble outside the away end at the end of the match. Great banter during it though and on the Witton- New Street afterwards as we applauded possibly the worlds tallest Villa fan. He was huge.
Wigan 1-0. Terrible game, we won with an absolute belter in the dying minutes. Loads of depressed Wigan fans on the Witton-New Street afterwards looking I imagine like we must have done last season, just resigned to relegation even as early as December. Birmingham City Centre was nice to roam around after too as the German Christmas Market was there. Felt very festive.
Ipswich 0-1. A poorer game than against Wigan, we actually could have had a few goals first half, I seem to recall Hogan had 2-3 saved.
Derby 1-0. Scrappy scrappy 1-0 that was highlighted as a prime example of an ugly 1-0 in an edition of H and V a few weeks later. Derby had much more of the ball and lots of chances but we got the points. Serves them right for claiming they get bigger attendances on a Tuesday night when our attendance was announced. Sorry I don't seem to recall their attendances being higher than ours.
Norwich 2-0. Hilarious really as on the New Street-Witton a Norwich fan - clearly a Billy No Mates who had had travelled up alone and would speak to anyone he could - was adamant at the top of his voice and in front of lots of Villa - that the Canaries would piss it 2-0. Would loved to have seen him at the end. Any way, fairly similar to Derby except that we managed to score twice despite lots of possession from Norwich. And Jonathan Kodjia just couldn't stop scoring.
Brighton 1-1. Great performance and atmosphere and loved denying them the title at the end, it felt like we'd actually achieved something. Played them off the park and most of their supporters in Perry Barr Travel Lodge and the Church Tavern were pretty positive about us at the end which was nice.
That was my season. I was pretty lucky to have seen six wins out of eight. I loved the train journeys up and back, I loved the buzz around Villa Park before and after the game and my time in the city centre afterwards whilst waiting for the train home. For the first time in about 6 years I actually enjoyed my football again and cant wait for more of the same next season but obviously my expectations are a lot higher now going into season two of the championship.