Cultural references of Aston Villa

[markeeeebeeee2005]

I thought it could be interesting to have a thread with cultural references to Villa/ Villa Park where you might or might not expect them. The one I’ll kick off with is MCMXIV written in 1964 by Philip Larkin. It’s just a small mention but I immediately punched the air when I heard it read out on a podcast.

The Roman numerals translate to 1914, which gives a good hint to what he is talking about, here it is:

Those long uneven lines
Standing as patiently
As if they were stretched outside
The Oval or Villa Park,
The crowns of hats, the sun
On moustached archaic faces
Grinning as if it were all
An August Bank Holiday lark;

And the shut shops, the bleached
Established names on the sunblinds,
The farthings and sovereigns,
And dark-clothed children at play
Called after kings and queens,
The tin advertisements
For cocoa and twist, and the pubs
Wide open all day;

And the countryside not caring:
The place-names all hazed over
With flowering grasses, and fields
Shadowing Domesday lines
Under wheat’s restless silence;
The differently-dressed servants
With tiny rooms in huge houses,
The dust behind limousines;

Never such innocence,
Never before or since,
As changed itself to past
Without a word – the men
Leaving the gardens tidy,
The thousands of marriages,
Lasting a little while longer:
Never such innocence again.

[dr.chekov]

Henry Green’s novel ‘Living’ written in the 1920s and set in Birmingham. Includes a great scene when one of the characters goes to Villa Park to watch “the greatest team in the world.” Also, Green’s autobiography, Pack My Bag, written in 1939. In it he describes his average Saturday, which includes going to watch Villa.

[Chris Smith]

Harold Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter contains the following:

Ben: Didn't touch him! What are you talking about? He laid him out flat!
Gus: Not the Villa. The Villa don't play that sort of game.

[Chico Hamilton III]

A poem from the Wipers Times:

THE BURNING QUESTION

Three Tommies sat in a trench one day,
Discussing the war in the usual way,
They talked of the mud and they talked of the Hun,
Of what was to do and what had been done,
They talked about rum, and-tis hard to believe,
They even found time to speak about leave,
But the point which they argued from post back to pillar,
Was whether Notts County could beat Aston villa,

The night sped away and zero drew nigh,
Equipment made ready all lips getting dry,
And watches consulted with each passing minute
Till five more to go then twould find them all in it,
The word came along the line to get ready!
The sergeant admonishing all to keep steady,
But out rang a voice getting shriller and shriller,
I tell yer Notts County can beat Aston Villa!

The earth shook and swayed and the barrage was on
As they leapt o'er the top with a rush, and were gone
Away into Hun land through mud and though wire
Stabbing and dragging themselves though the mire
No time to heed those who are following en route
Till stopped by a strong point they lay down to shoot,
Then through the din came a voice " Say Jack Miller! "
"I tell yer Notts County can beat Aston Villa"

The strong point has gone, and forward they press
Towards their objective in number grown less
They reach it at last and prepare to resist
The counter_attack, which will come through the mist
Of the rain falling steadily, dig and hang on
The word for support back to H.Q has gone
The air charged with moment grows stiller and stiller---
" Notts County's no earthly against Aston Villa "

Two " Blighties ", a struggle through mud to get back
To the old A.D.S down a rough duck board track
A hasty field dressing a ride in a car
A wait in a C.C.S., then there they are
Packed side by side in a clean Red Cross train,
Happy in hopes to see Blighty again,
Still, through the bandages, muffled "Jack Miller,
I bet you Notts County can beat Aston Villa! "

[eamonn]

We've been on episodes of Porridge and Crossroads (obvs). Corrie never want anything to do with us but Suranne Jones' kid was a full-kit Villa fan in Dr Foster.

[dr.chekov]

Mickie Made the Most by Go Kart Mozart includes the verse:

What happened to young Gary Shaw?
He played for the Villa, he don't play for them no more
And the crowds on the terraces shout for Gary Shaw
And the crowds on the terraces shout for Gary Shaw
And the Holte End kids shout out for Gary Shaw
Ah that blonde haired Brummie kid he sure could score

[Nev]

Leonard Jeffrey Osbourne (Oz) off of Auf Wiedersehen Pet claimed that someone pissed down his leg at Villa Park.

[Chris Smith]

More well known there’s Spizzenergi:

You made the sun shine brighter
You made the blues go away
We've gotta believe
We're gonna win the league

Woh-oh Aston villa
Gra-ver-ley hill riviera
Holte Enders live forever
The sun never sets on Aston Villa

In every town tonight
There is a wonderful sight
A believer like me and you
Wearing the claret and blue

[AlexAlexCropley]

[pauliewalnuts]

Comedy characters supporting us:

Jim Hacker (Yes, Minister)
Lennie Godber (Porridge)
Greg Davies in that odd sit com, Cuckoo (think it is called that)

[Allan C]

We've been on episodes of Porridge and Crossroads (obvs). Corrie never want anything to do with us but Suranne Jones' kid was a full-kit Villa fan in Dr Foster.

I was just thinking of the Porridge mention  was it a score ??

[eamonn]

Yeah, I think against Rovverram.

I don't think Winehouse was Villa, just her messed-up partner.

[dr.chekov]

From John Lennon’s “poem” Deaf Ted, Danoota, (And Me)…

Thorg Billy grows and Burnley ten,
And Aston Villa three
We clobber ever gallup
Deaf Ted, Danoota, and me.

[Risso]

Comedy characters supporting us:

Jim Hacker (Yes, Minister)
Lennie Godber (Porridge)
Greg Davies in that odd sit com, Cuckoo (think it is called that)

The Welsh one in Gavin and Stacey wears a Villa top.

All of the Villa players names in the (dire) Jack Reacher books.

[Border villan]

Comedy characters supporting us:

Jim Hacker (Yes, Minister)
Lennie Godber (Porridge)
Greg Davies in that odd sit com, Cuckoo (think it is called that)
[/quoteo
The Welsh one in Gavin and Stacey wears a Villa top.

All of the Villa players names in the (dire) Jack Reacher books.

All except Sid as he is Lee Childs favourite player.