AstonVillaFan84 Posted May 27, 2019 Share Posted May 27, 2019 Been supporting the Villa since around 1991, A family member knew Steve Staunton and I got an autograph and a key ring. Well that was enough to get the 7 year old me hooked on the Villa. A glory team in the waiting, league challenging players! Move onto just 3 years and experiences that would never let my allegiance to the villa waver. The great pride of 1994, the Villa Lions beat Man Utd 3-1 to lift the league cup, done with 4 Irish McGrath, Staunton and Townsend playing and the senior Houghton aged 32 on the bench. To add icing on the cake just a few weeks later Republic of Ireland in the World cup and just short of half the Irish starting 11 against the fancied Italy playing for Aston my club Villa, not only that but Houghton scored the games only goal. Yep, 1994 was a brilliant time to be an Irish Villa fan, and there are good solid 3 or 4 Villa fans in every town in Ireland born in the early to mid 80's because of that era. Normally you will find Irish fans to be Liverpool, Manchester United, Celtic or Arsneal....well pre Abramovich and Oil money anyhow Big successful teams that got the spreads on the shoot and match magazines and the more games and extended highlights on Match of the day, in a pre-Ryanair era, but there was us too. In the last few weeks the jerseys have been showing up again chests out in a crowd of ''glory hunters'' our villa back in the big time, the hope showing the beat down pride still there. Not even the lack of an actual bank holiday in the Republic could not dampen that hopeful excitement. And now we are back! League founders, League Cup Winners, F.A Cup winners, League title winners, European Champions we are true giant of the English game.... back on our perch. Great to be back in the big time! Its been many years since a trophy of real importance was won and today was very very sweet. Link to comment
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