Pre-match thread

[mjmooney]

Quote

Big Dave: I managed to fill Paul McGrath's boots

Exclusive by Paul Brown

Not many footballers can say they filled Paul McGrath's boots - but Albion hero Darren Moore did.

The former Baggies centre-back wore a pair of Macca's boots for a whole season after receiving them as a gift from 'God.'

He said: "When my career took off my brother David, who was at Villa Park as an apprentice, saw Paul in the gym one morning and told him: 'My brother absolutely loves you. He idolises you!'

"Paul asked what size boots I wore, found out I was the same, and said: 'Give your brother these.'

"He came home and gave them to me. I reckon he'd have kept them if they'd fit him but he wasn't a size 10!

"I'm not exaggerating when I say I wore them the following season until they fell off my feet. I taped them up and all sorts. They were brilliant.

"They had his initials on the bottom. I treasured them.

"Honestly, one game my feet were coming out of the sides. They were great memories."

Moore's appreciation for Villa's superb stopper came about some years earlier when the gentle giant, nicknamed Big Dave by Albion fans, watched the claret and blues in the early 1990s.

Moore preferred playing football to watching it but was persuaded to get down to Villa Park on a free weekend by his friends - and the rest is history.

He continued: "When I started playing for the county team, a lot of the boys were Villa fans.

"A weekend came free when we didn't have a game and one of the lads had a couple of tickets to go down Villa Park. They said 'Come on Daz, let's go and watch the Villa.'

"There was Tony Cascarino, Tony Daley, Paul McGrath and Sid Cowans. I thought 'Go on then. I'll have a bit of that.'

"I came down and I really enjoyed it but then my own career took off. If that hadn't happened, I was going to get myself a season ticket.

"Funny enough, that season I watched Villa at home but my dad wouldn't let me travel with the team away. So what I did was watch the Albion play those weeks.

"Playing for Albion at the time was Don Goodman, Colin West, Richard Sneekes, Paul Raven and Daryl Burgess.

"It was quite ironic when I was growing up that I went to watch both clubs. I had a full season of watching Villa and Albion.

"But Paul McGrath was my hero. I was a centre-half obviously and watching him really was a joy.

"He read the game so well and was total no-nonsense too. He had a deft touch but blimey, he was ferocious.

"I was able to hear him because I was pitchside in the Trinity Road. I heard the shouting, demanding, tackling, organising.

"Well-known strikers used to come down Villa Park looking for goals and he'd swat them like flies. What a player!

"I remember loving Macca in that era. He was just immense. I looked up to him.

"I bump into Sid now and again too and I still get goosebumps. What a player! And what a lovely guy too.

"I saw him three weeks ago and I was telling him how I used to watch him stroking the ball around Villa Park. He used to dictate the play.

"I am a professional footballer but I still get those moments when I meet my heroes just like fans do. You still get that knot in your stomach."

After spells at Torquay, Doncaster, Bradford and Portsmouth, Gary Megson signed the no-nonsense defender for the Baggies.

Moore proved to be a rock at the heart of the Albion defence as they earned promotion to the Premier League in 2001-02. He was also named in the PFA Division One team of the year.

What followed was a double header against Villa - a 0-0 at The Hawthorns and a famous 2-1 win at Villa Park, with Thomas Hitzlsperger bagging a late win for the home side.

Despite the disappointing result, Moore says that night match was the realisation of a dream.

He continued: "That for me was a dream come true. That was me living the dream, playing at Villa Park. That was my moment.

"I had to really sort my mind to keep my focus and push me on.

"From that age of wanting to play at Villa, it felt like I had fulfilled something special.

"It was a great memory and will always stick with me. They were close games with Albion. I envisage it being a close one too this weekend.

"My first allegiance was with the Villa. Because my time at the Albion was so successful, I have a soft spot for both of them now.

"But that era I followed the Villa, went to watch them and chose to support them.

"If you'd asked me as a lad who I wanted to play for, it was Villa. That was it.

"Now with my involvement and success at Albion and friends, my heart is at the Albion. I had wonderful times up there."

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[TrentVilla]

 

Villa fans in both dug outs on Friday then! UTV

Lets %$£&*^ have it boys, I'm absolutely buzzing about this game, just can't wait and you know why? Not because I expect to win but because I know we are going there to win.

We are rocking up saying "We are Aston Villa, you worry about us. We are coming to win". I love that about Smith.

Come on you Villa boys!!!

[kieranavfc]

Getting uncomfortably excited about this one. We've got the better coach, are in better form, have a fresher team, a win would be huge for the season. Interesting to hear how big Dave set up differently against Leeds and smashed them so should be a good tactical contest. Suspect we'll see at least 4 goals, and it could come down to simply who's more clinical on the night. Hopefully we can edge it 

[Jareth]

It's actually worth the money these days isn't it? 

[ferguson1]

Anyone else think the extra two days rest for us will make a difference here?  I’m never sure with these things, but surely in the second half we should be able to control the game and keep the ball more due to their tiredness?   Can see our forward players running them ragged. 

Think we’ll win this.  2-1 or 3-1.  UTV 

[TrentVilla]

They’ve a lot of old legs in their side, I think the two days could be a factor.

[villalad21]

21 minutes ago, ferguson1 said:

Anyone else think the extra two days rest for us will make a difference here?  I’m never sure with these things, but surely in the second half we should be able to control the game and keep the ball more due to their tiredness?   Can see our forward players running them ragged. 

Think we’ll win this.  2-1 or 3-1.  UTV 

Fatigue is overrated. These are professional footballers, they are fit to play alot of games.

The fatigue thing is only used by some managers as an excuse.

[TrentVilla]

34 minutes ago, villalad21 said:

Fatigue is overrated. These are professional footballers, they are fit to play alot of games.

The fatigue thing is only used by some managers as an excuse.

No it’s just dismissed by fans who don’t like the idea of players getting tired or jaded.

Players stats are measured, players tire, they sprint less, cover less distances. It’s not just an excuse from managers although at times it can be, it’s a real factor in the game however much some want to believe it isn’t.

[VILLAMARV]

10 years since we won at the Hawthorns apparently.

Sounds like it's about time then to me  

[The Fun Factory]

On 03/12/2018 at 23:36, TrentVilla said:

Sorry to expand.

Villa and Blues are city rivals, its the derby match. So while I'd rather we didn't sing about them, its understandable that both sets of fans sing about each other.

Villa aren't WBA's city rivals, we generally aren't arsed about them much more than we would be any side we play. They don't hold any special importance for us so we don't sing about them.

Wolves are WBA's derby rivals so it would make more sense that they sing about them but they sing about us, which is just a little odd.

 

Yes but back in the day this was the derby, with blues the second one. This one goes back to even before the Football League was founded, by Villa of course.  Wolves- Stoke I think used to be bigger when both were seen as Staffordshire clubs. 

[ciggiesnbeer]

Pretty confident this is going to be a cracking game regardless of the result. 

[Demitri_C]

2 hours ago, TrentVilla said:

They’ve a lot of old legs in their side, I think the two days could be a factor.

I am suprised they made them ply Monday and friday. If that was me if be pissed about that 

[Villarocker]

11 hours ago, TrentVilla said:

No it’s just dismissed by fans who don’t like the idea of players getting tired or jaded.

Players stats are measured, players tire, they sprint less, cover less distances. It’s not just an excuse from managers although at times it can be, it’s a real factor in the game however much some want to believe it isn’t.

That's true, Trent - even Forrest Gump stopped running eventually! 

A Tesco bag supporting colleague at work reckons we'll trounce them tonight. He says that they'll be without Robson-Kanu and will somehow shoehorn Gayle into a front two because he can't play out wide. He reckons they will go there at the back and whenever they do that they get outplayed so fears our attack ripping them apart. 

[chappy]

I can’t remember the last time I looked forward to a game so much all week, cheers Dean!

[Vive_La_Villa]

Interesting to see Leeds had 72% possession in the 4-2 defeat. Albion had 6 attempts on goal so were pretty clinical. 

I think we could boss the game in a similar way tonight but can’t be too open. They have a lot of goals in their team. 

[Vive_La_Villa]

14 hours ago, TrentVilla said:

They’ve a lot of old legs in their side, I think the two days could be a factor.

Agree. We play with a lot of intensity and attacking intent and looking at their goals scored I suspect they do too.  I haven’t seen them this season though so not sure how they play. 

But I think we could have the edge.

[TrentVilla]

2 hours ago, villarocker said:

That's true, Trent - even Forrest Gump stopped running eventually! 

A Tesco bag supporting colleague at work reckons we'll trounce them tonight. He says that they'll be without Robson-Kanu and will somehow shoehorn Gayle into a front two because he can't play out wide. He reckons they will go there at the back and whenever they do that they get outplayed so fears our attack ripping them apart. 

They’ve a lot of old legs in midfield and the 2 days could be a factor because we’ve a lot of pace. I think we could control a lot of the possession tonight but they are a threat particularly through Gayle.

[Villarocker]

I think we will be ok as long as we keep both Barnes and Phillips quiet. Stop them two from playing and we will nullify them as a team IMO. 

I can't believe that Villa won't score at least two goals tonight, so keep three out and we should get at least one point from the game. 

[rjw63]

3 hours ago, chappy said:

I can’t remember the last time I looked forward to a game so much all week, cheers Dean!

Kiss of death is that...

[alreadyexists]

So... I think we should line up:

                         Nyland

Elmo    Tuanzebe     Chester     Taylor

El Ghazi   Hourihane   McGinn   Bolasie

           Grealish       

                               Tammy

 

I think that’s a strong side, with a couple of comments; Elmo wasn’t great against Boro but I think deserves to keep his place at RB even with Hutton returning from suspension, Hourihane also wasn’t great for large spells,  but again he’s shown enough quality before to keep his place, and Nyland... well, we’re stuck with him until Jan.