BlackCountryVilla News

The Return of the Great Unwashed

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 20:20:04 GMT

It's that time again that the Great Unwashed come across to the cultured side of the City, to visit the Club that they will always cast a shadow among them. The last visit saw Gary Cahill produce one of the great goals at Villa Park and condemned Blues towards the Premiership Trap Door. Tomorrows game also has significance. Villa looking for their 3rd win on the bounce and an outside chance of Europe, and Blues looking for not only some bragging rights, but 3 valid points to keep them out of the Bottom 3.

I feel fairly confident. I haven't felt like that against them really to be honest, but this time, if we lose we have only ourselves to blame. However, in a game like this, losing is just not an option.

The HunchBack of Notre Dame!! - Sopranos Scene

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:09:22 GMT

Tell you what, I have fell in love with The Sopranos. I have watched this religiously since September last year, after "acquiring" the DVD's. The writing and acting are first class. James Gandolfini was born to play the part of Tony Soprano. Along with the barbarity, there is humilty and some very dark comedy, as in the scene below.

I hope HBO can produce something like this in the future, because it will be hard to beat.

Bobby: Mom really went downhill after the World Trade Center... You know, Quasimodo predicted all this.
Tony: Who did what?
Bobby: All these problems. The Middle East, the end of the world.
Tony: Nostradamus! Quasimodo is the hunchback of Notre Dame.
Bobby: Oh, right. Notre Damus.
Tony: Nostradamus. And Notre Dame. It's two different things completely.
Bobby: It's interesting, though, they'd be so similar, isn't it? And I always thought...okay, hunchback in Notre Dame... And you also got your quarterback and your headback of Notre Dame.
Tony: One's a fucking cathedral!
Bobby: Obviously, I know. I'm just saying. It's interesting, the coincidences... What? You're gonna tell me you never pondered that, the back-thing with Notre Dame?
Tony: NO!

Lerner gives the foreign owners' club a lesson in love

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 08:35:13 GMT

From the Guardian

"When the North American billionaire Randy Lerner bought Aston Villa in the summer of 2006, the Villa fans' reception made a startling, sunny contrast to the one meted out to the Glazer family, who had blazed the US takeover trail at Manchester United. While Old Trafford had seethed with protest marches, hostile chants and "not for sale" graffiti, the Holte End rocked with optimism, star-spangled banners and celebratory chants of "USA! USA!""

And boy are we glad to have him. The times of the Dark Ages have now past and it seem that we have our Knight in shining Armour ( or should I say Armor). Randy's attention to detail and his genuine attachment to Villa, means that perhaps we are lucky in the fact that a when the club was up for sale, we could have had a multitude of "cowboys" who could have come in and asset stripped the club. The Anglophile approach of Randy and his Team means that our club is in safe hands. His legacy may be one of the brightest turning points in our illustrious history.

Doug Ellis was made a lot of decisions that were not popular. The sale of the Club to these bunch of Americans, may turn out to be his best one yet.

Villa Away Support, are they the Scum Of The EPL?

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 11:45:25 GMT

"My first thought as I went home after the game on Saturday, was "If I ever need to visit our second city again before the next millenium, it will be too soon". I admit that it is extreme to label a complete city an utter write off, but after the Martin Taylor episode at St Andrews, to come home to the Emirates and witness the callous and obscene chanting of this pathetic excuse for Villa supporters was even worse. When the Villa originally began to chant Eduardo's name, I listened intently expecting to follow this with applause in recognition of decent supporters who understood our pain. Then to hear them go on to mock the suffering of Eduardo and suggest that he was similar to the famous amputee soon to be ex wife of Sir Paul McCartney made me feel sick."

First of all EPL - now I hate that term of endearment of English Footballs' Premier Division. I can understand some of these Glory Hunters form Hong Kong and Thailand using that term, but when used by someone that is based in England and supports an English Team, ie the Arse, then his article starts to fall down for me straight away.

The Article is on Inside Arsenal Blog. Now I have no distaste for the Arse, they are one of the clubs in London that I always enjoyed going to, and have always thought that their fans were a balanced bunch. They have a proud history and have been one of the main competitors for Honours in our game over recent years. This has been largely down to Arsene Wenger, a man that who made the term "see no evil, hear no evil" his own, especially when it comes to one of his players commiting some rather large "faux pas". I don't like Wenger, but I respect what he has achieved there wholly.

Since the chanting that came form the Villa end, regarding the injury that was sustained by Eduardo, there seems to have been some friction during and after the game. However, there has been the biggest overblown reaction to a football chant originating from the Emirates (what a shit name for a stadium), since God knows when. You would have thought that this injury was akin to the death of Diana. I can honestly envisage, the Arsenal Fans throwing flowers in front of his car, the next time that he turns up to watch his team mates.

Now I wish Eduardo all the best. It was an horrific injury, and I do hope that he returns to playing, as know one would like to see any player have a career threatening injury. However, banter happens at football matches. The Arse have been known to bate the Spurs Fans with hissing noises. Not pleasant perhaps, but this happens on the terraces. By and large the Villa away following have been immense this year, but it seems that our new found "frontliner", Fabregas the King, just doesn't seem to get it.

There are quite a few Villa Fans that have responded to his Blog. Read for yourself.

Site Changes

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:18:41 GMT

I really need to home my HTML skills and the like with this Blog, so be prepared for some cockups. I've tried to add a bit more of a Villa "feel" to it, but as there is no "test" and "uat" setup, it's all done on the fly. I've taken a backup of the code, CSS and the HTML, but it only takes one little mistake to mess up.

Now, where is that HTML book

Silence - I Kill You!!!!!

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:11:54 GMT

The Football Supporters' Federation - NO TO GAM£ 39

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 08:39:50 GMT

The Premier League seems is never one to shy away from making a buck or three. The Custodians of top flight football in England have come up with another weird idea, to raise the profile of English football, but we all know that this is just another way of keeping the cash cow that it has become, rolling on. Scudamore, also tried to bribe the football public, saying that this would prevent the top flights big 4 from forming a break away into a Euro league.

If you, like me would like to oppose this and try and help what Soul is left in English Football, The Football Supporters Federation has raised a Petition to voice the opposition to this madness. Get your name down - the future of our game depends on this issue being kicked into touch.

Uefa spot fine for Villa - Taylor

Fri, 15 Feb 2008 10:01:23 GMT

From the BBC

Uefa spot fine for Villa - Taylor
Graham Taylor thinks Villa may be better off qualifying for the Uefa Cup (Getty) Former Aston Villa boss Graham Taylor thinks qualifying for the Champions League may not be in the best interests of his old club.Villa are currently sixth in the Premier League, but are just three points behind fourth-placed Everton.

But Taylor told BBC WM: "If they were to do it then the disappointment and expectancy might work against them."It might be better for the long term to get in the Uefa Cup and build for the future," he added.Martin's doing a fine job but we shouldn't get too expectant over the top four. Under Taylor's guidance, Villa finished second in the old First Division in 1990.

But he thinks they still have a bit of work to do to be genuine contenders to threaten the Premier League's elite."Martin O'Neill tends to be a builder." added Taylor. "He's doing a fine job but we shouldn't get too expectant over the top four. But it is going along very nicely at the moment."

Well that would do for starters. With promises today that Lerner is now willing to spend cash, then this Summer may not be as frustrating as the other 2 transfer windows.

A Chat with Ian Astbury.

Sun, 10 Feb 2008 22:49:31 GMT

Sourced from Bullz-eye

"I really felt connected with, like "War," "Ashes and Ghosts," and, I thought "Rise." Probably could have done without Nico," but it's essentially a good-written song. And "True Believers." But, again, it was all overproduced, you know. If we stripped it down and had done it more like this one Â¦but, you know, everyone is an expert in hindsight. When you're going through it, you make choices on the field, and it's, like, if we all knew that, we'd all be able to go bet on the winning horse. But the criteria really for us is not so much about the commercial success of the record, it's really about the quality of it. I mean that's how I judge our work. I thought the record we put out in '94, the Cult album, the self-titled album, was probably the best record that we made of that decade, and it's been pretty much overlooked."

I can't wait to see them again at the end of the month

Death by Tray

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:09:05 GMT

This is one of the funniest things on Youtube if you ask me

Happy 11th Birthday Becky

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:34:53 GMT

It's always a proud moment when it's one of your kids birthdays, and today my little Princess Becky (not so little and growing up far too fast for my liking) is Eleven. She has wanted more "grown up" stuff this year like jewellery and clothes. It's always difficult with her birthday not long after Christmas, but she hasn't done bad - yet again.

I can remember her little face as she was on the warning table, when she first looked about the room, back in the old Wordsley Maternity wing. The midwife hadn't got a little pink cap, only a blue one. She made up for her pink period much later.

This is a photo of Becky (or should I say Rebecca Claire), at the Walsall friendly back in August. This was the first Villa game that she attended.

Happy birthday Princess.

Villa boss on collision course

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 12:22:52 GMT

From the E&S

"Martin O'Neill arguably placed himself on collision course with Villa fans for the first time last week, writes Tim Nash. At first glance, the sale of Gary Cahill for Ã‚Â£5m at a time when Curtis Davies is at such a tender stage in his development brought O'Neill's decision under close scrutiny yesterday.Reformed "pub player" Davies admitted errors for both Fulham goals after probably the most disappointing Premier League display Villa have produced this season. But the defender's continued refreshingly honest appraisal of his performance won't stop fans' questioning the manager's lack of transfer market activity."

I think that "collision course" is a little over exagerated and perhaps a little sensationalist, but there are some questions that need to be asked by MON regards his last 2 transfer windows. The Summer , was a little disappointing, with onlt 2 of the 5 players now currently in the first team - admittedly Knight has played his part and so has Harewood, but all in all, Villa fans were looking for something a little more appetising. However, MON has done the deals and got us to a position that we are challenging for a Euro Spot. At this stage in proceedings, I and many others would be more than happy.

So why the discontent. Well there are some people out there that think that MON is beyond criticism and this is part of the big picture. Well, I would say that this window has been mighty poor. The Team is in desperate need of some real quality. The absence of a specialist Right Back for what will now be the whole of the season, is worrying. The sale of one of the Academy's youngest and brightest starlets, smacks of days gone buy and the need to balance the books. We have in fact made a tidy profit this window. If Ellis had done this, then a few of the usual suspects, ie those that are obsessed with Ellis - then and now, would have hung drawn and quartered.

This window would have been ideal for Villa to show that they mean business. The lack of players apart from Wayne Routledge, may in the end cost us a Euro spot. MON has promised that the "quality" that he tried for simply were not available. He has now set up this Summers expectations.

Over to you Martin.

Funeral of 'Great Escape' veteran

Sat, 02 Feb 2008 20:24:13 GMT

From the BBC

"The funeral of a veteran who took part in the prison breakout immortalised in the film The Great Escape has taken place in Shropshire.Sqn Ldr Bertram "Jimmy" James was one of 76 men who broke out of Stalag Luft Three, the supposedly escape-proof Nazi prisoner camp, in World War II.

His funeral was held on Thursday in St Peter's Roman Catholic Church, Ludlow, and was led by Father Jim Robinson. Sqn Ldr James, 92, died earlier this month at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

His coffin, draped with the Union Jack and military standards, stood at the front of the church."

What a great age this brave man lived too. Despite heavy odds during the War, he lived to the fine old age, and finally he left his life as a true hero. I'm glad that he had a full Military send off, as there is no one that can deny that he deserved it.

RIP Squadron leader.

"I'm leaving Villa on a high" - Olof Mellberg

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 15:32:01 GMT

"OLOF Mellberg insists he is leaving a club this summer who are on the up and up.The 30-year-old defender has agreed to join Juventus on a three-year contract in July, but leaves Villa Park with tinges of sadness after almost seven years when he was, at times, a rare shining light in a struggling team.

"It is sad to leave in many ways but I felt it was time for a new challenge," he said."The club has a great future. That's why it's important to start by securing a European place this season. "There's plenty of talented young players and several experienced ones, too.

"The club will always have a place in my heart. I have had my best football years here. I have enjoyed my football the most at Villa."

Olof has given Villa great service in an age that often sees players come and go at the drop of a hat. I will be sad to see him go, but understand that at the point that he is at now in his career, the chances of playing for Juve, don't come along very often. I'm sure that the Villa faithful will give him a great send off and will thank him for all his efforts.

All the best to the Big Viking.

The Tribe of Toon

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:45:13 GMT

There was a time that I liked Newcastle United. There was a time that I looked at their results. The reason for that when I was a kid, I used to spend a lot of time in the North East with Family and have very, very fond memories of my childhood there. I never had Football rammed down my throat there either. Most of the people that I came across were Newcastle Supporters, with the odd Mackems dotted around. Chester-le-Street was a wonderful place.

However, a few years ago, I changed my opinion of the "Toon", at the advent of The Premiership and the subsequent rise of the Geordie Nation in football terms. never has a club that have never actually achieved a fat lot, had so much praise bestowed on them. This week has been hell switching on the TV and the Radio, you would have thought that Jesus Christ himself had come to lead the Geordites into the Promised Land.

Where have Newcastle been known to be a team that flowed with Total Football. Admittedly, they were interesting to watch in the '90's when Kevin the Clown was there in the first instance as Manager, but I don't remember in my years that they have been known for having a certain expectation to play with flair. That is until Sky Sports insist on me believing it.

It will all end in tears. They will have a Roller-coaster ride for the rest of the season, may even buy some players, but their track record is there for all to see. Give me Martin O'Neill anyday.

The Fiver has this take for today - I think that this is quality:

Tribe Of Toon

Barney Ronay and Paul Doyle - 18 January 2008

HE IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD AND HE IS LORD

Oh happy day - for he is risen! And risen around about the same time the Fiver also managed to rouse itself from beneath an ad hoc duvet
of Dr Thirsty's Lemon and Orange Punch cartons and the Littlewoods Plus Size and Senior Ladies apparel catalogue.

Bouncing into St James' Park's fanciest grey-carpeted media suite for a post-lunch confab, and pausing only to cure the occasional case of
boils, ciggie-stink and red-face among the attendant press corps, Kevin - for it is He - Keegan spake some old fashioned common sense
unto the multitudes. And so the prospect arose of not just one Geordie messiah doing the double-fisted waves at the crowd, but two.

"If there's a role Alan Shearer wants and it's right I'd love to have him," grandstanded the anointed one, holding up his boot-blacking box
and winking. And what news, then, of dressing room pit-bull Michael Owen and his snarling 200-page anti-Kev rant My Autobiography (sample
ringing endorsement: "I used to go into games believing the opposition was scared of me. That belief evaporated when I played
under Keegan")?

"He's entitled to his opinion," roared the zebra-striped redeemer, adopting the "Calm down! Calm down!" pose first taught to him many
years ago by Terry "I do the raffle" McDermott. "I'm looking forward to working with him and laughing when he falls over having a
barely-coordinated swing with his left foot," he added, mostly inside his head.

And finally, how about Big Sam and his 30-strong team of Tai Chi Danceaerobics Instructors? Any final v-signs, straight-arms and
sarcastic waves? "The people want to be entertained here. What they don't want is for us to go out and play drably and win 1-0," frothed
He who is the way, "when we could be losing 7-4 with six jinking wingers, monkey rush goalie and a little chap in a zip-up nylon
jacket doing back flips for the cameras."

It's tempting to wonder what next for the newly-mobilised Tribe of Toon and their silver fox King of Kings. The Fiver has its dusty jar
full of 10 franc pieces on a lot of hugging, fondling and general crowd-surfing at home to Bolton tomorrow. Followed by a series of
shock big-money swoops for David Beckham, Adriano, Roy Race and Spiderman. All topped off by a game of hacky-sack with David Cameron.
Get that helicopter warmed up.

Lions Across The Prairies

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 17:24:10 GMT

"Mr Hanks is in very good company as a Villa fan. HRH Prince William of Wales; 'HRH' Ozzy Osbourne - Prince of Darkness, not to mention Bubba, Flaybag, Beer-Monster, Atty, Smurf, Daz, Duck, Bappa et al from Black Country Villa. Welcome to B6 Tom, hope to see you soon?"

It seems that Big Dek stil loves his Blogging, it seems that the Old Crew are still getting a mention. Check out his Lions Across the Prairies - do you think that he is missing us already :Ã‚Â¬)

Congrats to Rog and Marg too - I wonder if they have 100 balloons to blow up yet!!!!

Hanks reveals Villa support

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 17:03:57 GMT

"Tom Hanks attended the premiere of his new movie -- and declared himself an Aston Villa football fan.Hanks, aged 51, was on the red carpet last night wrapped up in the colours of the Birmingham club.He had earlier said he liked the "quaint" name of Aston Villa.

So the club sent him the scarf -- and Hanks announced himself as its latest celebrity fan.Villa, which already boasts Prince William as a fan, is now likely to invite the Hollywood star to attend a match. Hanks stars alongside Julie Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman in Charlie Wilson's War, based on a true story of "the most successful covert operation in history".The Forrest Gump actor plays playboy congressman Wilson, who secretly assisted rebels in Afghanistan in their war with the soviets.

The actor said of Villa: "I like the team. The club sent me this scarf and I decided to wear it tonight"

Welcome Tom to a life of turmoil supporting THE world's most Historic Football club.

Belated New Year

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 16:57:39 GMT

Belated New Year to all Villans out there.

I've not done much again with the Blog, you can even see that we have a new Italian Manager for the National side since the debarcle that became the Croatia game. I'm not too fussed to be honest, I feel that we need the best man for the job, and in Capello, we have the man with the most impressive CV. Lets hope that he ignores the Press and does it, like his fellow Italian Sinatra - His Way. At least the dosh that I was using for the Austro-Swiss Expedition can be utilised elsewhere - even though I didn't have it in the first place.

On the Villa front, after a pretty shite December, by Novembers' standards anyway, the Villa are applying themselves quite well. I'm sure that when we draw Manure in the FAC3 next year, we should be in a position to finally beat the most obnoxious bunch of arseholes that you could ever come across.

The dreaded lurgy set in for me at the start of the Year. My Doc reckons another 2 weeks to get back to being "normal". But on a side note, there has been a couple of deaths in the family - one expected and one not. Unbelievably, they were Husband and Wife and with in 2 days of each other. This seems to have placed a bit of a cloud of the start of 2008. I suppose that things can only get better.

McClaren expects to Qualify

Sun, 18 Nov 2007 12:40:54 GMT

From the Sporting Life

"Steve McClaren is convinced England will not spurn the unexpected Euro 2008 lifeline thrown to them from Tel Aviv tonight.As it has transpired, a Russian victory over Israel would have left England requiring a minimum two-goal win against Croatia on Wednesday to reach next summer's European Championship finals.Yet McClaren did not know that as he went through purgatory at England's team hotel in Watford watching events unfold at the Ramat Gan Stadium.

As far as McClaren was concerned, a Russian win would have sent England out and probably cost him his job. So it must have been with shredded fingernails that he watched Dmitri Sychev hit a post with a last-minute shot that would have put Russia in front before Israel broke down to the other end and bagged a winner through Dorel Golan.

The nerve-racking conclusion means England now only need a point on Wednesday, against a Croatia side already through despite tonight's unexpected loss in Macedonia."

Tell you what Steve, I expected to qualify too, many moons ago at the start of the campaign. those that know me, will also know that I'm not convinced by McClarens tenure as the English National Team Manager. I have no doubt that he is a good coach, you're not assistant to Alex Ferguson, if you haven't got a bit about you, but his qualifications in the end, were to be the Assistant Manager to Ericksson and the Manager of Middlesborough - yes that mighty bastion of the English Football Elite. Whilst 'Boro Manager, he won their first trophy ever. That might sound like an achievement, but look at the money that Gibson gave him and that they beat those giants of Lancashire Football Bolton - yes Bolton.

McClaren is a lucky manager this morning. I'm sure that the required result will be achieved on Wednesday, and I also know that he will stay on and take us into the Finals next Summer. England have no chance of success if he remains at the helm, I'm convinced of that. I hope that he proves me wrong.

SHA 1-2 Aston Villa

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 17:49:23 GMT

From the BBC

"Gabriel Agbonlahor's late header gave Aston Villa a dramatic victory over city rivals Birmingham.Villa had taken the lead when Stilian Petrov's low cross hit Blues' defender Liam Ridgewell's knee and bounced in.Birmingham levelled when Daniel De Ridder crossed for Mikael Forssell to head home from close range. Agbonlahor cleared a Ridgewell header off the line before meeting Ashley Young's cross at the other end and nodding past Blues keeper Maik Taylor."

Well would you believe it eh, a third victory amongst the "Great Unwashed" in the Premiership on the bounce. I personally, never used to be bothered about the Blues really. They hated us, I had just indifference to them, until they discovered that football started in the Premiership, once they had got promoted. Undefeated in 4, we finally set the record straight and assisted in their relegation, after "Zico" Cahills' effort. This went some way, along with Kevin Phillips' winner in their relegation season, in bringing balance back to life.

However, that Ridgewell own goal (wish that I had put some money on that now!!) seems to have finally rested the "Ghost of Enckleman" past, and now normality has returned to the Force. Double Agent Ridgewell, thank you for your loyal efforts. You can now retire a happy man.

Fantastic result boys, your passion and commitment were well rewarded and appreciated by the Villa Faithful.