The Sod-Paul-Lambert-I-Love-Villa-Anyway thread

[Trotters]

Bugger that miserable, mumbling, clueless bastard. Let's have some joy and try to get a tiny bit of love going for Villa.

For me, I have to say I enjoyed the 140th video. It's incredible to think of all the football teams in the world, it was ours that started it all. Fills me with enormous pride.

Over to you...

[De Kuip]

So I'm 9 years old and had been going down "The Villa" with my dad for 4 or 5 years regularly. Dad says to me "right, there's a big match coming up and you can come as well, but it will be really packed so keep close to me at all times. You will see something special and be a part of Villa's history, you won't forget it".

He was right.

It was February 1972 and Santos were in town. Villa - then in the third division had gambled on the £18,000 required to get Santos to Villa Park, and it paid off, with 54,000 attending - many still queuing to get in after the game kicked off.

I remember it being a long walk to Villa as we'd left the car at my grandparents near Nechells Green. It was dark and cold, and Britain was in the grip of the three day week and industrial unrest. we walked past the toilets by Saltley viaduct where only a couple of week's earlier, Arthur Scargill had stood on the roof and addressed thousands of massed workers that had descended on the coke and gas works at Saltley to support the miners attempt to picket the gas works. The police saw with dismay the masses of Brummies approaching and bottled it - asking Scargill to address the pickets and asking them to depart peacefully, with the police agreeing to allow the blockade of coal lorries to take place. Scargill agreed, but asked could he borrow the police's loud hailer as his was busted! This became known as "The battle of Saltley Gate".

So it was to this backdrop of perceived - and real gloom; we were no stranger to the candle in those dark days - that we walked along Thimblemill lane, past the old cast iron loo and the red-brick frontage of the Radiation Ascot Social Club (cheap mild and a great snooker table), along Lichfield road and towards the Holte with that strange Aston cocktail odour in the air of the blended aromas of Ansells/M&B breweries and the tang of the HP sauce factory in our noses.

It was cold, and dark, and the game had been in some doubt due to the interrupted nature of the power supply, so Villa hired in a huge generator to power the floodlights. As we approached the Holte - the huge AV floodlights streaming down on us (although seeming a little duller than normal), we saw the crowds - and I mean crowds. Thousands queuing up at the turnstiles, beery breath and cigar smoke, long coats and woolen scarves, old blokes laughing & joking to each other across the queues.

And here I am, holding on to Dad's hand, waist height to most, snorkel jacket on and feet feeling frozen in my Gola trainers. we queued for an age, always with that slight rising panic that we wouldn't get in. But then we were in, programmes bought, lung full of hot pie and Bovril smell, working our way through the crush to a place where I could see a bit better.

Then dad leaned down to me and said "This is why you're a Villa fan, look about you and soak it up son - look at the crowd, look at how green the pitch looks, look at all the people in the trees in Aston Park just hoping for a glimpse of Pele, and you are here, inside the ground, no-one can take this away from you, you're Villa"

The game kicked off and there were almost gasps whenever Pele did anything, the pitch soon looked brown, not green as it cut up, but the football was magic, and unbelievably we won, how could that have happened? third division Villa, beating Santos - unheard of, but we did it!

I can't remember much about the walk home, but I remember the pride I had back at school the next day - I'd been there! Me, never ever was cool at school, except that day, then I was something else, someone else - I'd seen Pele, but more important I'd seen Villa beat Pele!

So that's just one of the reasons why I love Villa, it's in my DNA, in my blood, my veins really are claret & blue - so are yours - go on have a look.

Born a Villan, live a Villan, die a Villan.

http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/ASTON-VILLA-V-SANTOS/f9b5767a0f434280bef016cbf8a24e0a?query=%22pele%22¤t=1&orderBy=Relevance&hits=1&referrer=search&search=%2Fsearch%3Fquery%3D%2522pele%2522%26allFilters%3DTrue%3AIsDigitized%2CSports%2520media%3ASubject%2CBritish%2520Movietone%3ASource&allFilters=True%3AIsDigitized%2CSports+media%3ASubject%2CBritish+Movietone%3ASource&productType=IncludedProducts&page=1&b=a24e0a
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2618402,00.html

[FoxyAV]

Post of the year, De Kulp.

[villabromsgrove]

Exceptional post De Kuip. You only got one thing wrong .... I've just opened a vein and there's a big puddle of red on the floor, bugger I'm dizzy with the loss of blood and the realisation that I must be a closet Man U fan!

[De Kuip]

Exceptional post De Kuip.  You only got one thing wrong .... I've just opened a vein and there's a big puddle of red on the floor, bugger I'm dizzy with the loss of blood and the realisation that I must be a closet Man U fan!

Don't worry mate, just let it drain, you'll soon add the blue part.......................

[villabromsgrove]

Exceptional post De Kuip.  You only got one thing wrong .... I've just opened a vein and there's a big puddle of red on the floor, bugger I'm dizzy with the loss of blood and the realisation that I must be a closet Man U fan!

Don't worry mate, just let it drain, you'll soon add the blue part.......................

That would be the definition of a committed fan then!

[kimbo]

Great post De Kuip, it's been nice to see you back and that's as good a post as I've read.

It's funny, it's easy for me to be be envious at the age of 33 that being in the first year of my existence I have no memory of winning the league and European Cup (I can't begin to imagine how good life was for my Dad; amazingly, in the last 4 years Villa have overtaken me as the bigger disappointment in his life!), and by learning about Villa as a lad, people like Brian Little became heroes to me without me ever seeing them play in the flesh. I love that even our 3rd division existence has so many great stories.

But then on the other hand, I appreciate the fact that I'm not a youngster now, whose pinnacle as a Villa fan so far is Martin O'Neill's team, and know nothing beyond the Premier League era (I'm sure some people don't even know that Man U were often crap prior to 1992) and that they have never gone into a season with any hope that at the end of it, we'll be the champions of England.

One of the many reasons to be amused by our local rivals is their jibe of us being Historians FC, that we look at the past too much; but the fact is that we have a past that not many clubs on this planet can compare to - so why not be damn proud of it?

We could still get that shiny new takeover we thought we were getting in the summer, we could compete financially with Man City, win everything in sight and regain our status as the best club in the world like we was so many years ago - and I'll still be proud and boastful about all the things we have done, I'll still look fondly on being privileged to see Paul McGrath, Gordon Cowans, Dwight Yorke and so many more great players that have played for us, and I'll still find things to complain about, because us Brummies are ace at it!

Football isn't the game I grew up with and I have very little affection for it any more, but I can't walk away; because despite not liking them very much right now, I still love Aston Villa, and that's never going to change.

[De Kuip]

Cheers for liking my post all - I had a lump in my throat writing it I can tell you - my Dad is pretty ill  (a stroke changed him from a super-fit cyclist to a prisoner in his own body overnight) and I've been looking after him (plus baby DK is loving that night shift!) so things have kept me away from posting or anything much really, but things are a bit steadier now so more time to post.

Kimbo - you might not have been around for the highest highs mate, but look at what you have seen, as beautifully outlined in your post - 95% of football fans in this country never get to experience what you have, with regards to quality of player, what it is to be part of Villa and just the occasion that is a match day in the top tier of English football.
We'll get there again, but I really do believe all true Villa fans should raise their voices in unison and say "this is not acceptable, we're Villa, treat this club with the respect its history and its fans demand, clear off and leave us to a better fate than the dross we currently endure".
I wish I thought that would have an effect, I really do, but we know it doesn't seem to - we can't magic a buyer if there isn't one, but we can dream, oh yes, we can dream, after all, we're football supporters aren't we??!!

[gdav]

Some cracking posts today lads. My glory years were also coca cola cups, I really would love to be able to take my son to watch big european cup games when he's old enough but I fear we're at a cross roads, I think we could just as easily turn in to a forest type of club never getting close to Europe again.
I think the time for fans to be heard is now before it's to late.

[Trotters]

Fantastic post! Bloody marvelous. Thanks for taking the time to write it up. Loved every word.

[villabromsgrove]

Cheers for liking my post all - I had a lump in my throat writing it I can tell you - my Dad is pretty ill  (a stroke changed him from a super-fit cyclist to a prisoner in his own body overnight) and I've been looking after him (plus baby DK is loving that night shift!) so things have kept me away from posting or anything much really, but things are a bit steadier now so more time to post.

Kimbo - you might not have been around for the highest highs mate, but look at what you have seen, as beautifully outlined in your post - 95% of football fans in this country never get to experience what you have, with regards to quality of player, what it is to be part of Villa and just the occasion that is a match day in the top tier of English football.
We'll get there again, but I really do believe all true Villa fans should raise their voices in unison and say "this is not acceptable, we're Villa, treat this club with the respect its history and its fans demand, clear off and leave us to a better fate than the dross we currently endure".
I wish I thought that would have an effect, I really do, but we know it doesn't seem to - we can't magic a buyer if there isn't one, but we can dream, oh yes, we can dream, after all, we're football supporters aren't we??!!

If Tom Fox is to be believed he shares your hopes and aspirations for putting Villa back where we belong. He's currently doing things behind the scenes to allow Villa to move forward.

It has to start now though, until Lambert is sacked and replaced by a proper manager and coach, Fox is not going to be able to implement a recovery plan for the famous AVFC.

[Trotters]

Yes yes. But SOD PAUL LAMBERT.

[NARLA24]

Yes yes. But SOD PAUL LAMBERT.

Paul who?

[villabromsgrove]

Aston Park, I've walked the length of it so many times, for so many years. Autumn days kicking up piles of golden leaves.  Crisp cold Winter nights in sparkling frost, wrapped up in a knee length managers coat and scarf, bobble hat and two pairs of socks on. Sunny Spring days walking on the greenest grass and pausing to admire the myriad colours in the densely packed flower borders.

I look to the left and see Aston Hall in all it's Jacobean splendour, and I look straight ahead at the best ground in England, my first sight of the Holte and Trinity with a sea of Claret and Blue milling around. Down the hill and through the turnstiles clutching my season ticket with my four sons filing in behind me.

I wonder whether Aston Park has missed me?

[Army villain]

Very good post by all, it's great to be a villa fan.

[De Kuip]

Aston Park, I've walked the length of it so many times, for so many years. Autumn days kicking up piles of golden leaves.  Crisp cold Winter nights in sparkling frost, wrapped up in a knee length managers coat and scarf, bobble hat and two pairs of socks on. Sunny Spring days walking on the greenest grass and pausing to admire the myriad colours in the densely packed flower borders.

I look to the left and see Aston Hall in all it's Jacobean splendour, and I look straight ahead at the best ground in England, my first sight of the Holte and Trinity with a sea of Claret and Blue milling around. Down the hill and through the turnstiles clutching my season ticket with my four sons filing in behind me.

I wonder whether Aston Park has missed me?

Top post VB I know that walk so well and that rising sense of anticipation as The Holte swings into view.

See what we have guys, see what we are - no one can take these memories away from us. In history-speak we are primary sources.No dusty documents in glass cases to tell our history, the heartbeat of villa is in all of us, it beats within us all - it's what makes us who we are and no satellite network, no corporate speak, no fifa and certainly no transient owner can take that away. We will be here long after all those parasites have moved on or our kids will. Maybe one day they will replace the North stand with an ash bank and railway sleepers, white fencing at the front, standing behind the goals, kids passed to the front and no replica shirts.
That'd do for me.
Bloody hell Trotters, what have you started??!!

[kimbo]

I just noticed I made my 999th post, so as this is number 1000, I figured I'd re-visit a thread that actually has a bit of positivity instead of me moaning all the time 

Current reasons to be cheerful...

1) The defence is much better
2) Benteke is going nowhere this window
3) On the subject of Benteke, his return since his injury has shown no signs of it hampering him
4) Okore looks like the player most of us thought he was, and is still young enough to keep improving
5) Sanchez is starting to look like a real proper player, odd moment of madness in possession aside
6) While what we're doing with possession isn't good enough yet, it's much better having the ball than chasing it

----

Now, as this thread began with a nostalgic feel, some of my favourite memories - in the interest of me not being here for hours, I'll keep it to half-a-dozen 'firsts'...

1) My first home game, beating Everton 2-0 in 1988, the goals from Tony Daley and David Platt were both crackers
2) Alan McInally - my first Villa hero
3) My first away game, at the Hawthorns, beating the Albion 2-0 in the FA Cup, Derek Mountfield and Daley grabbing the goals - and me and my Dad could be seen on MOTD after the Daley goal 
4) My first season ticket, 89/90 when we finished second (the first of two times I've seen that), it was Paul McGrath's first season, the combination of Cowans and Platt is still one of the best partnerships I've seen (and Platt still credits Sid as the best player he's ever played with, which is a hell of a compliment when you consider he played in Serie A at pretty much its peak, as well as a good Arsenal team), a young Dwight Yorke arrived... I'm still convinced had McInally stayed we'd have won the league!
5) My first trip to Bodymoor, I still have photos of me with Cowans, Platt, Daley, Nigel Spink, Kent Nielsen, Ian Ormondroyd, Stuart Gray and Ian Olney. I even got to see my Dad play a one-two with Sid when the ball came and landed by him  It was a great day!
6) Finally, my first corporate experience - it was against Ajax when we won 2-1, and the reason it was so memorable was that apart from being a great night in terms of the match, there were a few other cracking things:
a. Brilliantly, it was only one day out from exactly 20 years since that game against Everton;
b. I got to meet John Carew, who was in the box next to us (he lied about his back injury but that was okay)
c. I finished work early, got pissed up, headed to VP, and the booze was free, so got even more pissed up
d. We had a curry buffet type thing in the box, it was bloody beautiful
e. Me and my mate headed to town after, and despite being smashed and stinking of curry, we managed to pull!

Ah happy days... Right then, enough of that, back to moaning for post 1001 

[villabromsgrove]

I just noticed I made my 999th post, so as this is number 1000, I figured I'd re-visit a thread that actually has a bit of positivity instead of me moaning all the time 

Current reasons to be cheerful...

1) The defence is much better
2) Benteke is going nowhere this window
3) On the subject of Benteke, his return since his injury has shown no signs of it hampering him
4) Okore looks like the player most of us thought he was, and is still young enough to keep improving
5) Sanchez is starting to look like a real proper player, odd moment of madness in possession aside
6) While what we're doing with possession isn't good enough yet, it's much better having the ball than chasing it

----

Now, as this thread began with a nostalgic feel, some of my favourite memories - in the interest of me not being here for hours, I'll keep it to half-a-dozen 'firsts'...

1) My first home game, beating Everton 2-0 in 1988, the goals from Tony Daley and David Platt were both crackers
2) Alan McInally - my first Villa hero
3) My first away game, at the Hawthorns, beating the Albion 2-0 in the FA Cup, Derek Mountfield and Daley grabbing the goals - and me and my Dad could be seen on MOTD after the Daley goal 
4) My first season ticket, 89/90 when we finished second (the first of two times I've seen that), it was Paul McGrath's first season, the combination of Cowans and Platt is still one of the best partnerships I've seen (and Platt still credits Sid as the best player he's ever played with, which is a hell of a compliment when you consider he played in Serie A at pretty much its peak, as well as a good Arsenal team), a young Dwight Yorke arrived... I'm still convinced had McInally stayed we'd have won the league!
5) My first trip to Bodymoor, I still have photos of me with Cowans, Platt, Daley, Nigel Spink, Kent Nielsen, Ian Ormondroyd, Stuart Gray and Ian Olney. I even got to see my Dad play a one-two with Sid when the ball came and landed by him  It was a great day!
6) Finally, my first corporate experience - it was against Ajax when we won 2-1, and the reason it was so memorable was that apart from being a great night in terms of the match, there were a few other cracking things:
a. Brilliantly, it was only one day out from exactly 20 years since that game against Everton;
b. I got to meet John Carew, who was in the box next to us (he lied about his back injury but that was okay)
c. I finished work early, got pissed up, headed to VP, and the booze was free, so got even more pissed up
d. We had a curry buffet type thing in the box, it was bloody beautiful
e. Me and my mate headed to town after, and despite being smashed and stinking of curry, we managed to pull!

Ah happy days... Right then, enough of that, back to moaning for post 1001 

Top post .... 1000!

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