First game my old chap took me to see, we were in the old third division. 20 years later we were champions of Europe. then I watched them slide back and up again and so on. I dont "support" them much now a days as I dont go to every match as I used to, I dont buy every shirt or have Aston Villa wall paper and bed sheets any more. But I am a fan and I am fanatic. I tried to explain to Mrs T about how we Villa fans feel. Its not just about football, I would pick out a Jockey in our colours, I get just as excited going past VP on the motorway, they could be playing tiddley winks and I would be motivated to watch and cheer.
To me being a Villa fan is like a form of religion a sect if you want to call it that. When Villa fans meet on holiday I believe we are closer and friendlier than when other fans meet.
I hope for the return of the good times, but so do Nottingham Forrest supporters, Its not a given right that good times will return, the team has to earn them. This current team and Manager do not even earn my respect.
Yet we have our friends in Ozz and elsewhere that will still get up in the middle of the night to watch, and we all take the chance of being sacked at work by checking the scores when we should be working. Once you become a Villa fan you cant lose passion, the passion just changes but it never goes away. My old man who passed away last year at 92 said he stopped caring years ago. But you would find him sat by his radio on a Saturday afternoon