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Stan Petrov

LondonLax

By LondonLax
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srsmithusa
srsmithusa

I have Leukemia as well (different form).  Petrov and I compared symptoms in a brief chat once.  One thing I can assure you, his red blood count was dropping long before he had a diagnosis.  That mean

StanBalaban
StanBalaban

I really struggle to see the negatives here. In a world where the footballing mercenary is more prevalent than ever, we have a player that has done pretty much most things one could expect in the game

petrov19
petrov19

Come on you Bulgarian lion!     

GaztonVilla Newbie

GaztonVilla

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This is great news and I'm delighted to hear it.

Is it strange though, that this isn't a great surprise to me?

I never doubted Stan would beat it. For a variety of reasons, not the least of which is his determined personality and his access to top notch healthcare.

Not to take away from the what is very happy news.

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jimcohen Newbie

jimcohen

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Such good news for Stan and his family. Sorry if this has alredy been discussed, but I cant see it, but does anyone know the timelinef or recovery for somehting like this? I know there are no certainties, but I just keep thinking about Stan coming on in the last game of next season with 5 minutes to go and putting the armband back on and the fans going nuts! Is that in any way at all realistic?

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Moorski Newbie

Moorski

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I know there are no certainties, but I just keep thinking about Stan coming on in the last game of next season with 5 minutes to go and putting the armband back on and the fans going nuts! Is that in any way at all realistic?

No Due to the players/clubs Insurance

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BOF Grand Master

BOF

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Popular 'Petrov 19' tops shirt sales @ VP

:clap: Well done guys 'n gals.

Popular 'Petrov 19' tops shirt sales in Villa Park Stores

Even though he's unlikely to play for Villa in the near future, Stiliyan Petrov still commands enormous respect and affection among the claret and blue army.

That's sharply been brought into focus with the ace applause session by fans in the 19th minute of every game since his diagnosis with leukaemia.

But it's been topped off this week with news that 'Petrov 19' tops the sales figures when it comes to most name and numbers sold on home and away shirts so far this summer.

Merchandising head John Greenfield was thrilled when he found out the news after speaking to his number-crunchers in the shopping department.

He said: "It's just a lovely story isn't it. I am sure Villa fans will have a smile on their face when they hear about these figures.

"Stiliyan has had to go through a lot and I'm sure the support of the fans has been a big help as he's battled through his diagnosis with dignity and courage.

"I'll make sure he's aware of the figures here and hopefully that will give him another boost and show him exactly what the fans think of him.

"To have a player who hasn't played and isn't likely to figure in the near future top these charts is unheard of."

Karim El Ahmadi, Villa's new signing from Feyenoord, came in second in the poll.

Greenfield continued: "Karim has captured the imagination of our supporters with his elegant style in midfield. Paul Lambert said he expected Karim to do well in the Barclays Premier League after signing him and he certainly looks the real deal."

Ron Vlaar, who requested to meet supporters on the day of his unveiling, finished third, with Darren Bent and Gabby Agbonlahor in fourth and fifth respectively.

Greenfield added: "Ron's nickname is 'Concrete' and it's fair to say he's a firm fan favourite now.

"Darren is our iconic No.9 striker and a real, top-quality forward while Gabby, despite being injured, has provided excellent sales figures in the Villa Stores."

As Villa head into their opening game of the season at Upton Park ready to wear the lime green away kit, Greenfield spoke of the "absolutely fantastic" sales figures for the second strip.

Greenfield revealed numbers for the away kit are now "the best ever".

He added: "We always thought it would go well with our supporters but we certainly didn't expect this mammoth level of interest.

"The home kit, too, is providing good feedback with supporters. It's exceeding all expectations also. There's still great demand from all over the world."

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AVFCforever1991 Experienced

AVFCforever1991

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http://tinyurl.com/d539mt8

There's no question retaining the Barclays Premier League title with Manchester City is high on Gareth Barry's to-do list.

But Barry says there'd be "no better feeling" for him than shaking hands with Stiliyan Petrov, playing against him in midfield and giving him a massive hug on the final whistle after a titanic battle.

Barry knows that good mate Petrov's main priority is beating leukaemia once and for all.

But he says that's no reason why he can't dream of a reunion on the pitch in the coming years.

"My heart sank when I heard about Stan's leukaemia diagnosis," said Barry.

"I have known Stan for many years, I know his wife and his two children really well too. I was thinking of them all.

"It was really hard to accept and to take in. I found words hard to come by. When I'd meet up with Stan soon after, it was difficult to find the right things to say.

"But if anyone could beat it, it's Stan because of his incredible strength of character. It's started really well and I'm just praying now that he can take that on, fully recover and have a wonderful life with his fantastic family.

"Stan came over to my house on Wednesday and I went over to his place on Sunday to catch up with him and his family and watch the Newcastle v Villa game on MOTD.

"Every time I see him he's looking better. He looked good on the Wednesday and then even healthier on Sunday. I am hoping he can keep improving.

"It would be great to think we could shake hands on the pitch in the coming years and then have a right good battle in central midfield and then enjoy a big hug after the game.

"Stan isn't silly. He know he needs time to recover and get back to normal. But I also know how much Stan loves football too. And I know what it would mean for him to get back into football and on the pitch.

"There would be no better feeling for me than to have a good battle with him on the football pitch. Stan will take it a day at a time and see what happens."

The friendship of Barry and Petrov developed very early on, soon after the Bulgarian joined Villa in a £6.5m deal in August 2006. Barry had followed Petrov's career from afar in Scotland and been very impressed with his goalscoring heroics in green and white hoops. So he was delighted when Petrov signed on the dotted line. But he says nothing could have prepared him for Petrov's impact - both on and off the pitch.

"I was very excited when Villa signed Stan because his record in Scotland with Celtic was phenomenal. His winning mentality was there for all to see having been so successful north of the border and I was also aware of his incredible goalscoring abilities.

"As soon as he signed, you could tell in training what a great player he was and, in the dressing room, what a fantastic guy he was.

"He was a real team player, always looking out for the lads and he was also one of the nicest guys you could wish to meet.

"On the pitch, he was a fantastic professional. Playing with him was just brilliant, I really enjoyed it and I think we struck up a good partnership with Villa.

"I remember that first game he played at Upton Park really well. In terms of debuts, I don't think you'll see better.

"He settled in straight away and his performance against West Ham was just incredible, absolutely outstanding.

"He's kept that standard up for many, many years now in the Villa shirt and that just shows his consistently impressive form. He's been a fantastic player for Villa.

"He did have a time out of the team in that first season. Any time a player is out of the team you need to be mentally strong and there aren't many better with that than Stan. He has that in abundance.

"I remember him in training during that time. He never let his head drop and just kept plugging away, trying to get back into the team.

"It was only a matter of time before a player of Stan's quality found himself back in the side. It wasn't too long. Once he got back, he's rarely been out of the team again.

"Stan's strength is his composure on the ball, he never seems to panic, always seems to find the right pass. I enjoyed playing alongside him.

"I think we're similar players in that respect. We like the ball at our feet and play the same sort of passes. We bounced off each other and it was great to play with him.

"As a player he's brilliant. As a person he's exemplary. You speak to anyone in the game and it doesn't matter if you've met him once or a hundred times, people say great things about him. He is one of the most popular men in football, no doubt about it!

"He is so friendly, such a nice guy. He's got good banter in the dressing room but equally he knows when it's time to be serious and professional. You will only hear good stuff said about Stan.

"He's got a great mix in his character. He knows when it's time to have a laugh and a joke and his banter is excellent and appreciated in the dressing room. He can be a real joker.

"But when it's time for football, it's time for football. He knows the perfect time for joking, the right time for doing the right thing.

"To have Stan in the dressing room around younger players, he's just the perfect role model."

Naturally, Barry has been following the Pedal for Petrov challenge taken on by Andy Smith and Alex Butler.

The masseurs are biking from Celtic Park to Villa Park, arriving in B6 on Sunday before a tribute dinner for Petrov takes place in the Holte Suite.

Barry put his name down for a table of ten the moment he found out about the black-tie event and can't wait to welcome the lads back.

"I was delighted when I heard Smudge and Big Al were going to make this massive effort. To do this for Stan shows what he means at Bodymoor Heath among the backroom staff.

"To arrange something like this is amazing. I enjoyed the thought of the two of them putting some hard work in to get into shape for the challenge - they know how we feel now!

"It is important for me to be there on Sunday for Stan, obviously. As soon as I heard about it, I knew I had to be there. I'm really looking forward to it."

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