LancsVillan

by blandy The next leg of our holiday treble of games sees us tootling off to the North West to play a Wigan team showing definite signs of revival following their change of manager. What should we expect, then? The weather - take a coat, the North West is a soggy place right now. And glue down your syrup, it's gonna be windy. The ground - it's a tidy ground, the JJB. Away fans gather in one end, holding about 5,400. The view is good, thanks to the fairly steep slope of the stand and a lack of pillars and posts. The JJB stadium holds around 25,000 when full and there should be a healthy crowd at the game, thanks in part to Wigan's enlightened ticket pricing policy. Wigan is a small town, with plenty of local, much bigger clubs drawing the casual supporter away towards Manchester or Liverpool. So Wigan compete on price, having decided that the TV revenue ought to be enough to keep them going. 15 quid for a ticket is a bargain, frankly. Newcastle sold out their end for the last game, and we've done the same. It should make for a cracking atmosphere. It's how it should be. The ground is however not the most easily accessed, being at a sort of dead end if you're going by car, and a bit of a walk if you're on the train. Comestibles. Well Wigan is the self styled pie capital of the world and as a result the visitor is faced with a selection of delicious pastry encrusted goodies on which to munch. Try one, they really are pretty excellent. Thirsty? - well there are pubs nearby the ground, and plenty more in the town centre, about 15-20 minutes walk from the ground. We'll be going into the town for our pre match sharpeners. Oh and one last thing I suppose I should mention - the football. I don't expect the team will be much different from the one that has played pretty well in the last few games. Curtis Davies will likely replace Zat Knight after Knight's appeal against his Chelsea red-card was rejected on Friday. Shaun Maloney would be very harshly treated having scored 2 on Boxing day, to be dropped for Stan Petrov. I guess we'll therefore be unchanged from the team that started at Chelsea, unless Freddie Bouma doesn't make it after seeming to hurt his ankle at the end of the Chelsea game - in which case maybe GB will drop to left back, and Stan Petrov will come in alongside NRC. Wigan have won their last 2 home games, albeit against sides not in the best of form, and they also drew at Fulham. Villa have been solid, score goals and are playing with spirit and skill. I expect a close game, probably spoilt a bit by a heavy pitch and wet and windy conditions. There's a decent ref, for once, too - Howard Webb is apparently going to be in charge. May the best team win, and we all know that's us. Enjoy.

by OutByEaster Gareth’s assault on Villa’s record books continues unabated, and all being well, his appearance against Chelsea will bring him to 373, matching the record of Joseph “Harry” Hampton and taking him to 14th on the list of Villa’s all time highest appearances record holders. Our current Captain continues to play with the high level of consistency we’ve come to expect from him, and we can only hope that it doesn’t go unnoticed by Mr Capello, who could well become the 5th England manager to pick Gareth. For Villa, he’s noticeably grown into the role of Captain and it’s good to see him being more vocal and extending his influence through the side. He’s also started to put together a decent tally of goals, and a haul of 38 (one more than Dean Saunders) is a great return for a player who has spent much of his career in a variety of positions across the back line. It’s a little short of the record of the man he’s overtaking in appearances mind you. _______________________________________________________________________ Joseph "Harry" Hampton Harry Hampton scored 242 goals for Villa in 373 appearances. Have a moment to take that in. He scored 215 goals in 339 league games. He scored 14 hat tricks and managed five goals in one game against Sheffield Wednesday in 1912. His stock in trade was the shoulder charge, and many of those goals featured the keeper as well as the ball in the back of the net, but he could also play a bit and was known for the accuracy of his long passing and a burst of pace. He arrived at Villa Park in May of 1904 having established himself playing for his local side; Wellington. The “Wellington Whirlwind” had scored 54 goals in two seasons in Shropshire, and was still only eighteen. He scored fifteen league goals in that first season, a total he would go on to better in nine of the next ten seasons. For consistency of scoring rate, he was untouchable. He saved some of his more memorable performances for Cup Finals though, and won two FA cup winners medals, the first in 1905 against Newcastle, and a second in 1913 against Sunderland. Both are memorable albeit for different reasons. The 1905 FA Cup Final vs. Newcastle. In 1905, Newcastle were everybody’s favourites to win the FA cup. They’d lost the final the previous year, and were generally thought of as being that bit better than Villa. They’d reckoned without Villa’s rampaging teenager though. It shouldn’t have come as any surprise when Harry opened the scoring after just three minutes; he had after all scored in every single round of the competition up until then. It was probably more of a surprise when he knocked the Newcastle keeper out cold with a shoulder charge then just for good measure finished his afternoon’s work with a well taken second goal with fifteen minutes left. The FA cup was the biggest game in the world at the time, and the teenager had won it almost single handedly in his first season at Villa Park. Fame followed, with the London press christening him "Appy Arry" a nickname that Villa fans adopted merrily and for years to come a Hampton goal would be greeted with mocking Cockney chanting of “Appy Arry Ampton.” I think we can safely say this makes him a little more popular than the last cockney Harry to have his name chanted at Villa Park. The 1913 FA Cup Final vs. Sunderland. The 1913 FA Cup final against Sunderland drew a record crowd of 120,000 fans. It’s fair to say they had more than their fair share of entertainment, although it probably wasn’t the best of games. Sunderland had a centre half by the name of Charlie Thomson, a Scotsman and renowned hard man; his battle with the (ahem) quite physical Hampton was one that was eagerly anticipated by fans of both sides. The battle began early on in the game, with neither player showing any desire not to live up to the pre-game hype. Thomson was booked for an aerial challenge on Hampton, although reports of the time suggest that both men were hurling themselves at each other with rare abandon. Hampton had the ball in the net, but his header was disallowed for offside, a decision that might well have been questionable. In the second half, things took a turn for the worse, with Thomson fouling Hampton so severely that the Villa man was down for several minutes. Hampton got his own back soon afterwards by kicking Thomson while he was on the ground. And so the game went, with the two main protagonists (ably supported by players of both sides) kicking lumps out of each other. Interrupted only by Tommy Barbers 76th minute winner for Villa. At the end, the pitch was said to resemble a field dressing hospital, with bodies everywhere. It proved too much for the referee that day. Mr. Adams from Nottingham must have lost control of things a little in the second half, playing 17 minutes of time added on. He was suspended by the FA and never refereed another game, retiring before his suspension was complete. Football was so appalled that both Hampton and Thomson were suspended until the end of October for the following season. (It didn’t stop Harry scoring 19 times that season.) I think it’s fair to say he was a fearsome opponent. As well as the two FA cups, Hampton also won the league with Villa in 1909-1910, scoring 26 goals in our Championship winning run, his best haul in a single season. He played four games for England and scored two goals. Those pesky Germans sadly curtailed Harry’s career, he was gassed during World War One, and though he recovered he would never be the same player. He was still good enough to help small heath to promotion though, scoring 16 goals in 34 games in 1920-21 at the age of 36. He returned to Wellington where he played on until 1924, before coaching at Preston for a year. After football he joined up with fellow Villa Legend John Devey to form the Winson Green Picture House Company, opening a 1500 seat Cinema in that area of Birmingham in 1915, before moving to Rhyl where he ran a seafront café. He died in March 1963, aged 77, a Villa legend. _______________________________________________________________________ I think it’s fair to say that Gareth is somewhat unlikely to challenge Happy Harry’s goal scoring feats, but each legend must find their own path, and Gareth is steaming on towards his four hundredth appearance. Who would have thought that of the young lad we once sang, “You’re the son of Paul McGrath.” to? (I haven’t imagined that have I?) First he’ll have to pass a small group of Villans on or around the 390-appearance mark, hopefully he’ll do that at the end of this season. We’ll catch up with him then.

Indeed it is Rob and it's good to see someone putting a positive outlook on such tough times, have a good one.

UB40 - tyler

Yes we welcome the excellent at home (yet poor against us) Man Citeh to Villa Park for some mince pies, cream and a good stuffing. Another cold week means the players will no doubt have all been training hard indoors, you only have to look at the tabloids to know the United players were training hard the other night. Pre-match Minds will be wandering to the festivities and what Santa will be providing by way of presents, for the Villa faithful the list will include three points on Saturday, good performances at Chelsea and Wigan and a 'proper' right back. Kick Off ? Kick off it seems is once more at the proper time at 3PM on a Saturday. Watch out for people with bags of shopping not being allowed in and a few turning up late as the ASton Expressway will no doubt be mobbed. What is the history between the two sides? We've won once at home in eleven attempts and that thanks to a Citeh player, the vastly underachieving Darius Vassell. Our only other win in the Premier League was the very enjoyable 3-1 win in the inaugural season, noted for Keith Curle's basketball and Citeh fans booing their goal as they (Citeh fans) wanted us to beat United to the title. Overall however, the league games are very close with Citeh edging it 52 - 49 with 36 games finishing level. What’s the team news? Villa may have the smallest squad but at least they are all in contention for this game. Time will tell if Petrov will be selected. Citeh look likely to be without the 400m World Record holder, Michael Johnson, though to be fair he is getting on a bit as it is. What’s the Prediction? Well I said on in midweek that they would come into this game on the back of a cup defeat and that was right so I'm going for the double with a home win, not only that but I'm returning back to our first Premier League win at VP for the scoreline as I think it'll be a 3-1 win too. Why Should We Beat Them? Quite simply because we are better than them, off the pitch and on it we're just far better. We have a Chairman and board that most would aspire to be like they have one that if you were like them you would be in a prison somewhere unless you could worm your way out of it. We have a manager that the FA and the press wanted; they've got the one the FA got rid of, though if I'm honest I think he is a very good manager. We've got a lot of prospects that we've heard of, they've got a load of players bought on the evidence of a video and scout reports, no doubt a couple will work but some won't. Those are the gambles I guess. We've got fans that will support the club through thick and thin - oh they have the same. We've won something since 1976 - they haven't. Why Should We Like Them? There was a time when it seemed that whichever of the sides needed the points got them, if one needed them to stave off relegation then c'est la vie.

7-7 looks a toughie alright

Been witing for that and was it worth the wait, excellent report Mr Bland, take a bow.

Who is next on our travels - yes a trip to the frozen North. In a week when it's not been nice for brass monkeys Villa set off to face a serious relegation candidate. This is a game that should we have true ambitions about reaching Europe next season we have to look for a full three points. Given our current records at home and away I think this should be achievable and might be good for the players. Pre-match All of the pre match talk will undoubtedly surround the appointment of Fabio Capello as England manager, whose appointment I celebrate as it means MO’N can finish what he has started and also because I think he is the best man for the job bar none. Kick Off ? Kick off is another of those rarities these days at 3PM on a Saturday. What is the history between the two sides? For two clubs so far apart, there is a fair amount of history wrapped up in both clubs. Sunderland, who despite not having a history quite as rich as ours are seen somewhat like the North East’s version of B-lose, always in the shadow of their nearest neighbour, pesky media. This is very harsh as at least Sunderland have won things and their fans seem quite a nice bunch (indeed my best man is a Mackem fan). We first played them in December 1890! And in the subsequent 150 league games we are ahead 63-50 on wins. Recent history shows us performing the double of them as they yo-yo in 2005/06, a good 3-1 win with all the goals coming in the second half, with goals from Phillips, Barry and Baros tying up the points before Whitehead got a consolation Pen in the last minute. What’s the team news? Villa have a only one fitness doubt, Petrov, he ha to remain a doubt as nothing has been heard of any progress on the injury. Sunderland have a few injuries from Carlos Edwards who joined Kieran Richardson and Nosworthy on the sidelines this week. Add in to this Miller is suspended and not the best quality squad looks very weak. What’s the Prediction? Just like the Boro game this is the sort of game that Villa simply have to win if we really are aiming for Europe. I shall go for a 2-1 win, with goals from Gareth Barry and Martin Laursen. With my hard earned going on the latter for 1st goal at 33/1, he owes us after those misses last week. Why Should We Beat Them? Thoughts of Sunderland bring to my mind two managers – Bob Stokoe and Keane – one one whom brings back childhood memories of 1973 and ‘little plucky’ Sunderland beating the ‘mighty’ Leeds, a gentleman. The other, one of those people who I dislike immensely not only for the Haaland challenge, but the way he used to intimidate refs. I find it very strange how so many people seem to revere him nowadays as some of excellent upcoming manager but if he gets the job at ManUre will become despised once more. For him being there I want them to go down, not their fans who are fine but simply because of him… ... and the badge kissing traitor that will no doubt play in midfield for them. oh and to be honest they're not very good are they! Why Should We Like Them? A former big club looking to revisit old glories; big fan base; Ambitious Irish manager what’s not to like especially as these days they are not competition to us.

Grant whilst I understand yours and others frustrations a quick search back through this thread shows the General saying: Which I would still take to mean that he, The General, will not be party to the details required to answer your query and to be honest I'm happy for that to remain the case.

Whoever drove last night in the long challenge last night is no taller than May and seemed to me to be quite slight, especially when you see him in the car as that gives a comparison with the others.

by drat01 OK just in case the good lady is reading this or the kids, I do actually want more and you know where I have left my list for all to see. Getting that out of the way with Christmas comes a time for the club where a couple of very important things are happening. A whole series of matches that will go a very long way in determining if this is to be a successful season, one just of rebuilding or a damp squib. We have to make do though with the squad we have and that what brings me to my Christmas wish list (Villa vsn.). Let's get the obvious statements out of the way first to avoid any confusion. MON is a very good manager who has got us looking like we are a club going in the right direction. MON's record to date in the transfer market has been frustrating, IMO, and it's been the one area that I can find real fault with him. By his own admission the squad is too small and has been for some time. The signings to date, again IMO, have been a mixture of good and pretty poor. Ashley Young is like your main present, the Nintendo Wii. OK you pay over the odds for something that is pretty new to the scene. You know it should be good because it cost a lot of money, it;s new and offers something that we haven't had for a long time. Let's hope the novelty doesn't wear off though, but for the moment it's a great present. Harewood and Knight have been like one of those Buy one get one free deals that you often see at this time and you usually get as a gift from the Aunty that you only see at this time of year usually accompanied by a glass of Advocaat. OK it makes the number of presents look bigger and we got them from the equivalent of BHS and Wilkinson's, but are they really what we wanted or what we actually needed? Reo-Coker, has all the things on the packaging that suggest that it could be a great present. But at the moment we are struggling to get it to work as we expect and there is a real danger that the novelty will wear off pretty quickly and will be banished to the cupboard. Petrov, the gift that was apparently all the rage, well it was in other countries. At first it looks like it has everything but then you notice it needs a special UK adaptor to work correctly. Carew, is like the table football game. Old style in so many ways, frustrating sometimes, not a lot of subtlety to it but when you are in the mood is great fun. Maloney, another present from the relatives. You wind it up and let it run around, highly entertaining for small amounts of time but you can never see it being the first one out of the toy cupboard. Still it didn't cost a lot so you can't really grumble Add to that a couple of one's that you have paid a deposit on and you have told the shopkeeper you will buy assuming they offer good credit terms. So for this Christmas MON and Randy Claus what I would like is the following - Stuff from the bigger shops, even some from abroad. - Please don't wait until the end of time sales as the goods on offer aren't always the best - Some gifts that come with great reviews and will make the other kids that bit jealous of what we have got - 4 or 5 would be fantastic That's all not a lot to ask really. We have all been good boys and girls and we promise to keep turning up to watch the new presents. Come on MON make this a good 'un you know you want to.

Aw come on surely your eyes aren't that bad after years of cider and porn ... oh hold on ;-)

How did I know you'd be first to reply??? Cos he loves the self proclaimed saviour of Radio 1 it seems ;-)

Because it's a front page article. I look forward to seeing the headlines in the papers tomorrow "Villa fans say it wasn't a mistake after all!" Depends if they want to pick it up. Did the tabloids reverse their claims?

Steve McLaren was the best man for the job, the FA will tell you they verified that too ;-)

How so?

I think it's close. One thing I didn't like at the promo today was the cold sore on Hatton's lip, I always thought they were a sign of you being rundown a little.

Well as he was at Blackburn I'm thinking he will be there tomorrow too. he landed early on Wednesday and went to the game.

On listening again to the speeding up of Martin O'Neill's CnB Army as it is sung I have to say I prefer it when we put the A V F C in between as it slows the whole song down and you can actually understand it. The fact it reminds me every time of Wembley 96 is a bonus.

Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.3

damiam = am looking to take some portraits of all of the kids in our family in B&W for a Xmas pressie for their nan - any tips. Bicks - how do I get this camera to shoot B&W? Haven't got PS to swap it after the pic...

Well last night saw Aston and I on our annual pilgrimage all of 20 miles across the county to Ewood Park. Once more we were delighted to leave a few hours later with a win and three points in the bag for the Villa. When we parked in the car park - which it has to be said is probably the most organised football car park we ever see - it was noticeable that most of those around us seemed to be Villa fans. Ewood it seems is turning into one of those away trips that everyone wants to get to and rightly so. We walked down the hill noticing Claret n Blue in the pubs, the Fernhurst was packed as per usual, HEITS resounded out of the open windows. Normally I would go in, but the no U18s rule was in place, as per April and Aston at 11 cannot really get away with it. So it was down to the ground to pick up the tickets, passing some tramp asking for spare change on the way and then into the ground. Immediately seeing that we had the whole of the Lower Darwen and that is was filling up nicely. Aston and his mate, Jack (a united fan, so it's a start on the path to righteousness), went out and exchanged words with Scott Carson and Stuart Taylor who were warming up, made their night before the game even started. The fans were singing as always and the players came out, the ref did one of a very few things he did right all night and kicked off. Villa got the ball down and seemed to be taking up where we left off on Saturday, we pressed them into conceding a couple of quick corners from which nothing came. I could imagine Rob and Ryu on the match thread 'We're ace at corners'... Blackburn as expected started to play themselves, they seemed at least our equal and were pressing, not as expected down our right, but mostly down our left. Emerton and Ooijer were linking very well and Ashley was needed to support Bouma. Three shots well saved by Scott Carson and a very tight offside goal ruled out later and we had weathered the storm of 20 mins. Then it was once more our turn to get the ball down with some nice passing moves without creating too much. A rash challenge by some fat bloke on Ashley saw the aggrieved player swing in a cross, Samba left John Carew and Friedel came into no-mans land, only going to be one winner there. 1-0 Villa and although on the balance of play a little harsh on t'Rovers we were not arguing. Half-time came and went with the lads reporting to me just how idiotic some Villa 'fans' can be, more details of which are on the main forum. The second half started and as expected t'Rovers pushed on a little more. We were under pressure, but nothing that a couple of well timed challenges and clearances from the defence could not see off. We broke and the ball was in the box, Gabby was adjusting his feet to blast in the second when he was firstly tugged back and almost simultaneously saw his standing foot knocked. Some will say he made the most of it and went down easily, but for me he was going to score, no doubt about it, so the pen and the Red Card were the right decision. Gareth Barry slotted in the pen to make amends for missing in the same game last year. 2-0 Villa and the Villa faithful were having a party making it like a home game, though I've not heard us like that at VP for years barring the derby of 2006. From there on in Villa played the ball around, Blackburn huffed and puffed played some nice stuff and had one good chance, this saw an absolute rocket shot get headed away by Freddie Bouma, I though at first it simply hit him but on the replay you could see him move to the ball, something he regretted for the rest of the match as he could be seen shaking off what will be one hell of a headache until the final whistle. The third goal came from an excellent, skilful run from Olaf Mellberg, yes that's right MELLBERG was maruading down the right, slipped the ball to NRC who in turn found , Gabby. His cut back, meant I think for JC to be fair, found Ashley who cut in past his marker and hit a swerving dipping shot passed the outstretched hand of Friedel to send us all into raptures. 3-0 Villa and with pace being the trick it was a case of how many we would get as chances were spurned by the excellent JC, Gabby and Young again, though to be fair he was pushed and it should have been Pen no.2. Gabby went down just as JC was readying himself to come off and so it was that the much maligned Marlon Harewood was to see himself restored to the first team fray. (Something I mentioned as being a good idea in a txt prior to the game to Bickster who was otherwise engaged along with Blandy for the night; when I say engaged they were with Interpol, not betrothed to one another) To my surprise there were some boos mingled with the cheers, how anyone could boo a Villa player when we are three up away from home! The guy behind me and I had some playful banter. Marlon made a nuisance of himself, he always does. Could have been found by JC on one break; hit a shot in that was blocked on another and then he did it - he scored - JC was through again and his shot was saved but big Marlon was there to chest the ball down and volley in from fully 30, ok 8 yards. 4-0 and even Harewood scored.... Cue the guy behind me laughing all over his face at our abuse and him running off to the front to celebrate with his hero. The game ended, the players came over to thank us four our constant singing and support, a good night for all and home by 11. Excellent Ratings: Carson - 8 for ten minutes hge kept us in the game with three excellent saves. Always in the right place at the right time Mellberg - 7 Superb, kept Bentley (subbed) quiet and his run for the third goal was excellent. Laursen - 6 strangely under par but it could simply be the expectation levels I have of him now. Found the Rovers front two a handful all night Knight - 8. Simply superb from him last night. I though he was our best defender helping out ML when he was caught out twice and carefully deflected one shot wide. Bouma - 7 so wants to get forward when we are winning. Good in defence even if Emerton was a their MotM I thought, especially 1st half. Petrov - 8 Out of positions - or is he - covered loads of ground. One run of his was sublime beating three Rovers players with close control and pure skill before an excellent cross. NRC - 6 Sorry but until we went a man ahead I could not see what he was adding to the MF. GB and Petrov were doing more scrapping. After that though he was a lot better in the space allowed to him. GB - 7 Better from GB and again his mark could reflect the expectation placed on him, he may have been better. Young - 7 Ashley when your own player is up against two you need to get back a bit quicker. Far better in the second half and nice celebration. BUT gloves!! it wasn't even cold Gabby - 6 Ran, harassed won a penalty. First touch let him down a few times I though he wasn't quite there tonight. JC - 8 MotM. Awesome a real handful all night created two and was involved in most of our good moves. His one on one with the Rovers DF (Reid?) towards the end showed how close he is to being the complete striker. Subs: Gardner and Harewood did what you expect of professionals coming on in that position not long enough to mark. MO'N: 8 We have a way of playing. Pace is the key; it works we win. Superb to see him rollocking a player one second and waving to the masses the next. FANS: 10 singing from start to finish it really was an honour to be there. Oh yes back to the title. Standing up to be counted. 1. The Villa fans, not for one second did we sit down and not once was their an issue with it, the police and stewards seemed to accept it. It can done and it can be safe. 2. Scott Carson - abused by their fans from start to finish, stood up to it with another clean sheet. 3. Gareth Barry - similar abuse put in the type of performance that got him into the England set up. 4. Of course it has to be.... ....Marlon Harewood - regardless of the timing of his appearance he was up for it in warmup; during half-time and whilst on the pitch. Nice one. Til Wigan....

he wiill definatly beat last seasons goal tally because he is only 3 goals away now

take that-rule the world

Some of them are fine if taken in small doses, there are too many but you don't have to watch them so if you don't like them don't it's quite simple. Denigrating those that do is for the braindead ;-)