Villa Park Pilgrimage

[MNVillan]

4 hours ago, sidcow said:

What does Mrs @MNVillan make of your (I assume quite odd for an American) obsession and did she enjoy the experience too or just really indulging you? 

She’s really grown fond of Villa as well over 3+ years we’ve been married. She works from home and since most matches are on during the work day over here, she’ll watch them by herself and text me updates (I’ll never forget the texts I was getting during 7-2 against Liverpool). 
 

To answer your question, she quite enjoyed it. She was singing and celebrated when Ollie scored. It wasn’t spiritual for her the same way it was for me, but the experience was definitely not completely lost on her.

[MNVillan]

2 hours ago, Wainy316 said:

I guess this has now been answered for you?

After going to VP it’s ridiculous how small Selhurst is, especially for a Premier League club

[avfc1982am]

58 minutes ago, MNVillan said:

After going to VP it’s ridiculous how small Selhurst is, especially for a Premier League club

Glad you had a great time. I've really enjoyed this thread. 

[sidcow]

1 hour ago, MNVillan said:

She’s really grown fond of Villa as well over 3+ years we’ve been married. She works from home and since most matches are on during the work day over here, she’ll watch them by herself and text me updates (I’ll never forget the texts I was getting during 7-2 against Liverpool). 
 

To answer your question, she quite enjoyed it. She was singing and celebrated when Ollie scored. It wasn’t spiritual for her the same way it was for me, but the experience was definitely not completely lost on her.

Not sure it's been touched on in here but how/when/why did this Villa thing start for you? 

[delboy54]

Good to meet you MNVillan, thought I would say hello when I saw you holding up your scarf on the Holte End.....not many people from Minnesota normally on the Holte End so I guessed it was you. 

Glad you enjoyed the experience and got home ok.

All the best

VTID

Derek

[The Fun Factory]

3 hours ago, MNVillan said:

After going to VP it’s ridiculous how small Selhurst is, especially for a Premier League club

Its probably one of the worst in fairness. There are plenty of championship clubs which are better.

[sidcow]

2 hours ago, The Fun Factory said:

Its probably one of the worst in fairness. There are plenty of championship clubs which are better.

Crikey, it's a bit of an outlier I know but you could literally fit 2 Selhurst Parks inside league 1 Sunderland Stadium of Light. 

How they haven't managed to get back to at least The Championship is a mystery. Their attendances alone must generate double the nearest competitors turnover. 

Edit - Blimey, forgot Sheffield Wednesday were down there too, Hillsborough is only a smidgeon smaller than Villa Park. 

Without looking up each stadium I'm not sure Selhurst Park would even be top 5 in League 1. Some of those grounds are a hell of a lot nicer as well. 

Edited December 3, 2021 by sidcow

[Wainy316]

Better though to experience a proper old grotty football ground than one of the newer soulless bowl stadiums situated next to an out of town retail park.

[MNVillan]

4 hours ago, sidcow said:

Not sure it's been touched on in here but how/when/why did this Villa thing start for you? 

2013 I knew nothing about football but my buddy is an Arsenal supporter. We watched the 3-1 victory together on opening day at the Emirates and I really enjoyed watching Villa. Started following them casually, and it just kept growing and growing until here we are today.

[sidcow]

12 minutes ago, MNVillan said:

2013 I knew nothing about football but my buddy is an Arsenal supporter. We watched the 3-1 victory together on opening day at the Emirates and I really enjoyed watching Villa. Started following them casually, and it just kept growing and growing until here we are today.

I had a corporate invite to that match but had to give it up because I was on holiday. 

Persuaded them to invite my mate from work instead.  They ended up running pissed up and down the executive corridors screaming when we scored. The hosts were told not to invite anyone from my company again and warned they might lose their box

[Wainy316]

19 minutes ago, MNVillan said:

2013 I knew nothing about football but my buddy is an Arsenal supporter. We watched the 3-1 victory together on opening day at the Emirates and I really enjoyed watching Villa. Started following them casually, and it just kept growing and growing until here we are today.

Did you go to this game...

 

[MNVillan]

15 minutes ago, Wainy316 said:

Did you go to this game...

 

I did, although it was a bittersweet day. Mrs MNVillan and I had tickets and the day before the match she started chemotherapy and couldn’t go. One of the reasons we made the trip to VP was we swore once she was healthy we’d go see Villa in person. She had her two year clean scans last month.

[Wainy316]

Sorry to hear that mate but also glad to hear how it's turned out.

I imagine that made this trip even more significant and emotional!  UTV

[The Fun Factory]

1 hour ago, sidcow said:

Crikey, it's a bit of an outlier I know but you could literally fit 2 Selhurst Parks inside league 1 Sunderland Stadium of Light. 

How they haven't managed to get back to at least The Championship is a mystery. Their attendances alone must generate double the nearest competitors turnover. 

Edit - Blimey, forgot Sheffield Wednesday were down there too, Hillsborough is only a smidgeon smaller than Villa Park. 

Without looking up each stadium I'm not sure Selhurst Park would even be top 5 in League 1. Some of those grounds are a hell of a lot nicer as well. 

Going a bit off topic here but Hillsborough is a rotting carcass of a stadium. It need millions to be half decent again and unfortunately will be forever associated with that terrible day in April 1989. Bolton is surprisingly good.

Basically Villa Park is great and everything else is pants.

Edited December 3, 2021 by The Fun Factory

[MNVillan]

1 hour ago, Wainy316 said:

Better though to experience a proper old grotty football ground than one of the newer soulless bowl stadiums situated next to an out of town retail park.

I agree with you and I’m glad I went there. Next trip over I’d probably try to see Spurs or Arsenal away to see the stadium though.

I’d really love to see Old Trafford but it’s just too much of a pain to get to Manchester without paying a premium.

[Wainy316]

5 minutes ago, MNVillan said:

I agree with you and I’m glad I went there. Next trip over I’d probably try to see Spurs or Arsenal away to see the stadium though.

I’d really love to see Old Trafford but it’s just too much of a pain to get to Manchester without paying a premium.

Well although newer, Spurs and Arsenal are very good, well located football stadiums and would definitely be worthy of a visit.  

The crap ones I referred to were grounds like Southampton, Derby, Reading, Stoke.

Assuming you'd have to travel via London due to flights, you can in fact get cheap single train fares between London and Manchester if booked far enough in advance.

[The Fun Factory]

Craven Cottage would be a good one to visit. 

[MNVillan]

6 hours ago, delboy54 said:

Good to meet you MNVillan, thought I would say hello when I saw you holding up your scarf on the Holte End.....not many people from Minnesota normally on the Holte End so I guessed it was you. 

Glad you enjoyed the experience and got home ok.

All the best

VTID

Derek

Thanks for saying hi!

[Eliseav]

I would defo say Fulham would be a good one to get too proper old school. 
Not sure Arsenal is any different to any other bowls really. I’ve been there(Arsenal seats)  nowt special spurs looks more interesting , anfield still old school as is Everton.
  I’ve only just seen this thread hope you had a blast seems like you did.

I honestly think you’ve heard villa park at its loudest ( such passion at someone who should have known better)(press and other fans think all think we were singing it cause he’s villa till he dies He knows why we were singing it. 

Hopefully you may be able to help me I’m really interested in the nfl and have heart heartedly looked at getting tickets for that and also getting on sites similar to villa talk but they always seem to be difficult to get onto  

any info with regards to that would be great.

im 49ers so hopefully your not a Viking but hey Ho  if so

 

[MNVillan]

34 minutes ago, Eliseav said:

I would defo say Fulham would be a good one to get too proper old school. 
Not sure Arsenal is any different to any other bowls really. I’ve been there(Arsenal seats)  nowt special spurs looks more interesting , anfield still old school as is Everton.
  I’ve only just seen this thread hope you had a blast seems like you did.

I honestly think you’ve heard villa park at its loudest ( such passion at someone who should have known better)(press and other fans think all think we were singing it cause he’s villa till he dies He knows why we were singing it. 

Hopefully you may be able to help me I’m really interested in the nfl and have heart heartedly looked at getting tickets for that and also getting on sites similar to villa talk but they always seem to be difficult to get onto  

any info with regards to that would be great.

im 49ers so hopefully your not a Viking but hey Ho  if so

 

I’m a Vikings fan, born into it. My Dad told me as a kid if I ever cheered for the Packers I had to sleep in the garage. Not too much help with the NFL so I apologize, all I can say is you’ll be able to find tickets without much of a problem but you’ll pay an arm and a leg for them.

My opinion is NFL games are better on TV than in person. All of that down time where you’re listening to analysts or commercials give you the chance to grab a beer in the fridge? Yeah, in person you’re just sitting in your seats and twiddling your thumbs.