Undesirable

Can I expect to see you facing the crowd with a megaphone not watching the game in future then? Our crowds are better because it isn't regimented. Go the pub have a few then sing like it's an away game. Job done.

I've missed large parts of games doing just that but minus a megaphone, it's not as if you're going to miss anything on the pitch.

We sing various songs, classics like "in 1982", "Nigel Spink rolls the ball", "Come to Birmingham and you will see",then a couple of others that weve made up. We don't expect everything to catch on immediately and in the Holte it can be hard to get some songs to spread, especially in the current climate at the club. I think the english support traditionally been better but has died on it's arse in nearly all home grounds in the premier league in recent years, that's down to many things from all seater stadium, over the top stewarding and ticket pricing, all parts of the modern game I personally disagree with.

The blurred faces are for various reasons P3te, a) people might not want their mugs plastered all over the internet without permisson in the past we've had a bit of grief from stewards and even police for persistent standing c) some members might not want their employer to know their association with the group, the "ultra" tag has quite negative connotations for some who's only udnerstanding of the scene comes from the tabloid press and i don't think people would want to have to have the conversation with their boss about what being part of such a group in the uk means.

Certainly not a firm in any way, shape or form. If you're a firm then you wouldn't want to stand out by bringing flags, banners and displays into a ground.

Brigada 1874 highlights from the 2013/14 season. Hopefully be more of the same next season.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYYGsnYkKME

I am a Villa Fan

It's the way i'm made

I am a Villa fan

The way i'll always stay

Standing on the Holte End

We are always there

Aston Villa FC

My one and only care

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usYgf8cVfvU

For the game against Spurs on boxing day we've organised a streamer and confetti display to cover the back half of L8 and L7. On your seat you will find either a streamer or a bag of confetti. As the players run towards the Holte End look for the large flag being waved at the middle section of L7, by the concourse. When it waves remove the confetti from the bag and throw the confetti in the air. If you have a streamer, unravel a metre or so off the end before throwing it. To make the biggest visual impact it's important that the streamers and confetti are thrown at the same time. We really appreciate everyones help in making this display work.

UTV. Brigada 1874.

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Could Holman counter Carzorla's nous though?

He would run for the whole game though definitely

We don't have anyone on the pitch who reads a game like Carzola but like you say he'd follow his every move, if not pre-empt it.

I'd be tempted to stick a man on Carzola to try and take him out of the game. He's Arsenal's main threat and pulls the strings. I know that we should play to our own strengths but i just wonder if sticking someone like Holman on him who will follow his every move and neutralise him may be a good idea.

Doesn't matter.

If it's the fans of a club, that cl;ub should be punished.

English clubs were banned from Europe because of Heysel. And it seemed to work.

I'd ban Lazio fans from their next European game(s)

If it happens again, ban the club from Europe.

If it happens again ban the country from Europe.

If it happens again... nuke Italy

The two men arrested are Roma fans.

They're being charged with attempted murder, which is unusual in Italy since part of the reason fans are slashed across the buttocks is that generally people aren't charged with attempted murder if they attack someone with a weapon below waist height.

This happens every time an English team plays in Rome, but it also happens to other Italian teams supporters in Rome. The use of knives by Italian hooligans isn't common but does happen in both Rome and Naples.

Interestingly police are saying they suspect at least one Roma fan to be involved in the attack so it seems like members of Lazio and Roma firms teamed up. It has also been suggested that anti-semitic shouts were heard during the attack so it's quite likely that this was far-right fans from both Rome clubs.

The police in Italy generally do **** all to combat hooliganism, they have a similar mentalaity to many of the hooligans, they'll give fans a kicking, crack a few skulls but rarely bring charges against anyone involved unless they target the police themselves.

From the Brigada 1874 forums

As the match against Everton will be our first game as a group in L8 we've decided to take the unusual step to publish our plans so that people in the section who aren't group members know what's going on.

For the game on Saturday we've go...t a display planned that will take up the back part of L8, from around row MM backwards.

The display will include a static surfer and a number of small tifo flags either side of the surfer. These flags will be taped to the seats as you arrive.

As the players come out we'll raise the surfer and if you've got a flag on your seat then get it flying. The surfer is to remain static so if it's not over you don't try and grab it.

Once the game kicks off we'll drop the surfer.

At the end of the game a member of the group will come round to collect the flags, this isn't because we're stingy bastards it's because one day we want enough of these to cover large swathes of the Holte.

All going well this should be a nice little display to get the season at VP started, we appreciate your cooperation in making it work.

UTV

I predict this to be a damp squib. There doesn't seem to be any logic behind the protest nor any idea how this will actually help the team.

Everyone knew this season was going to be difficult having lost our two most creative players and gained a new boss and while things aren't going great that's just football.

If some fans spent as much energy getting behind the team as they do protesting and whinging we'd have a cracking atmosphere for this game.

The thing that really disappointed me last night were the 'fans' who booed Warnock after he scored the OG, every time he got the ball for the rest of the first half. For the record he worked his socks off in the second half. How does booing him help FFS?

I agree with this, it was a shocking OG but it's not as if Warnock did it on purpose. I've never booed a villa player and never will and the actions of some fans booing their own players while they're playing is plain moronic. I think some fans find it easier to boo and criticise the team than actually get behind them.

The word going round is that the police and security services let the Al Masry fans attack the Al Ahly fans and players. Apparently the al ahly ultras have been heavily involved in the protests against Mubarak and the military government and this may have been the police giving them their commupance as they see it.

There was also a fire started at a game in Cairo possibly as a show of protest at what was happening at the al masry v al ahly game.

Great to hear that the club are backing this. Another lad and I raised this at one of the past supporter consultation meetings and it's something the fans have wanted for some time.

It'd be absolutely fantastic to have terracing back at VP, seats are a proven liability to your legs whenever we score, safe standing is surely going to involve a lot less pain!

Great day out in cider country.

It was a pleasure to finally see Villa from the terraces, something i thought i'd never get to see. The banter between the villa fans in the terraces on the side and the tent behind the goal was good even if the sound didn't travel too well with there being now roof on the terraced end!

Thought Guzan played very assuredly, came and claimed crosses that you wouldn't see Given going for. While i think that Given is a class shot stopper i don't think he should be walking back into the team with Guzan in such good form.

Gabby was a breath of fresh air when he came on, he always offers that spark that seems lacking without him and his goal was well taken.

Would love a trip to Notts County, Forest or even Wrexham in the next round.

When I took my seat, I thought Villa had a chance as City had rested their top forwards.

The first 15 minutes was OK, but after that it was men against boys. Match of the Day chose to concentrate their analysis on Balotelli. They could have covered several passages of play in the 2nd half when City just passed the ball around us at walking pace.

I've seen Villa lose by more than 3 before, but I don't think I have ever seen a more comprehensive defeat.

If City don't win the title this season, they will surely do so soon. Very impressed. I have to work with them as I am based in Manchester now so this is a big game for me.

Villa crowd was poor, and the away section didn't look quite full either.

I agree with the last part of your analysis. The crowd were unusually quiet and i haven't known a villa away crowd be so tame over the last 3 years. I'm pretty sure at one point the Man City fans were chanting Richard Dunne's name louder than we were!

The problem is that people are skint. The cost of living has spiralled upwards while wages have stagnated and people have lost their jobs. In this kind of climate it's hard to justify the cost of a £38 ticket and travel up to the game. I'll be going up but most people i know simply can't afford it. Bad times.

I wouldnt want us to sell him at any price...simple as.

He's one of us.

Amen to that.

I'm absolutely gutted to be out the League Cup this early and from what i hear there is little positive that can be taken from on the pitch today. I must say i didn't see most the game as i was in L1 but what i will say is that the crowd in L1 and L2, especially those who came over that way in the 2nd half, were absolutely fantastic. It's going to be a hard season and i haven't seen too much on the pitch so far that is going to set hearts racing but one positive is that the support in the right side of the lower holte is louder than it has been for a long time. UTV!

From the Brigada 1874 forums

We've made a little tribute to the late Bernie Gallacher which will be unveiled just before the start of the game against Newcaslte this Saturday.

We'll be unveiling the papermill at the front of the Lower Holte in L2. Because of the size of it we'll need those people in the 2nd row of L2 to hold up the first part of the papermill while we'll be holding up the second part of it infront of the first row of seats.

We'd really appreciate the help of the fans who sit in those rows of the Lower Holte so we can give the man a good send off.

The papermill simply reads; "Bernie Gallacher-Holte Ender in the Sky".

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Great idea, should be £5 for everyone though to really get the place rocking.

I'm not sure how they're doing this. There's a few people in my house so presumably i could get 6 tickets under each of their names? Or are they just doing 6 tickets per house? Either way they'll definately shift all of these tickets in no time.

The club are offering residents of B6 the opportunity to grab tickets to this match in some areas of the lower Holte for just £5. I can't find anything on the OS at the moment but the deal is definately being done via the ticket line.

This should be a decent impetus to get more locals into the match and with a bit of luck get that area of the ground rocking.

Absolutely awful time for a kick off, it pretty much means calling it a night at 4am on Saturday and it's a bloody bank holiday weekend!

I'd imagine Hockley/Jewellry Quarter would be the best place for a few pre-match pints. Though i must admit I don't know any of the boozers around that way. Alternatively there's always the option to drink in town and get a train or tram to the Hawthorns.