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Carlsberg don't run football clubs...


LancsVillan

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by Paddy

I'm not sure I've ever seen such a one sided loss in favour of the losing team in all my visits to see Villa, I also struggle to recall a better performance from a goalkeeper, no not Gabor "Pyjamas" Kiraly. But despite all this yesterday has to have been one of my most enjoyable experiences as a Villa fan, and certainly a day that made me so proud to be a fan of such a great club with a fantastic team running it. I wasn't expecting to be at yesterdays game, I recently went down with a serious illness and since the treatment has started my immune system is particularly weak and I'm at a high risk of infection, so no crowded places for me, no going to the pub over Christmas, and certainly no going to Villa Park... or so I thought. As a fan of almost any club in England I imagine I would have been restricted to watching my team on television, at least until February but probably for the majority of the rest of the season. As much as I didn't enjoy my trips to places like Doncaster last season, it's an addiction and I was gutted to think I'd be missing out just when things were starting to come right.

But this isn't "any other club in England", this is Aston Villa, Randy Lerner's Aston Villa. And although him and his team are far too modest to say so, this is a club unlike any other. Through visiting this site some high up people at Villa found out about my condition and the fact that I was unable to attend games. A few emails and phone calls from former US Marines later and I was feeling better than any drugs could possibly have made me feel, despite all the things that need sorting at this great club of ours, they found time to contact me, find out about my condition, ask how they could help, and within a day had sorted for me to be a guest of the club in the Witton Lane stand, knowing I couldn't be around too many people and not out in the cold for too long they arranged for a private box so I could watch the game in comfort and at almost zero risk of infection. Having been welcomed by Russ Appleton, the new "Head of Infrastructure" at Villa Park, he showed us to the box where he presented me with my new prized possession, a shirt signed by the entire squad. Unsurprisingly I was absolutely lost for words. Here I am, a 20 year old Villa fan, one of so many, one who's been through so much as a Villa fan, being about as proud as I could ever feel to be part of this famous club. With everything that needs doing at this club, the fact that they could take so much time and effort to make me feel welcome was just incredible, and very humbling.

I know they don't do it for publicity, and if I asked them whether to thank them publicly I'm sure they'd say no, because that's how they are, but I don't think a gesture like this should pass under the radar.

So thanks to Randy, The General, Russ Appleton and everyone else at Villa Park who made my stay so enjoyable.

Carlsberg don't run football clubs...

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I have to say, I've resisted joining in some of the brown nosing that's gone on so far in 'The Generals' thread as I'm finding it hard to believe it's all going to be as rosy as everybody thinks and whilst it is fantastic PR for the General to sign up to these forums I still believe they are businessmen and I needed to see more to jump on the bandwagon of belief.

As they say talk is cheap I want to us(Villa) progressing before I really believed that the new owners are as fantastic as they are are selling themselves.

I just read this post with a tear in my eye.

Well done Randy/ The General and Aston Villa you've just gained a new believer.

( Now go out and spend a fortune in January and take us to Europe! :) )

Paddy I don't know you but I'm very glad you had a great day, all the best and thanks for letting us know about this fantastic gesture!

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Top story mate, it signifies how different things are under Randy. It's annoyed me recently how in the stories about foreign owners buying football clubs, Randy has been placed in the same sentence as Glazer. Yeah they're both american, but Randy has done so much for this club. The fact he's foreign means jack shit.

Oh and hope you get better soon mate.

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**** ace!

It's funny how I stumbled onto the Villa, the gods and goddesses have had to have a lot to do with it, for the way I support clubs here in the states there could be no other club more perfect for me to suffer and celebrate with. Thanks for the post, Paddy, get well...and thank you Villa for being a fantastic part of my life. I'll be at Villa Park someday.

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That is just fantastic and the real beauty of it? If you hadn't of made the post nobody would have known it happened.

This shows the pure class of our new ownership.

Most other clubs and I'm sure our previous owner included would have made a big deal of it, having the press taking photo's announcing it in the match program and gererally stealing the persons dignity to boost their ego. But Randy and co are different I can see many fantastic gestures in the future which none of us will know anything about except for the person who their kindness has touched and that my friends isn't just class, it's pure magic!

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Actually I've been mulling this one over.

The General is new to England and running a football club.

He gets contacted by/on belhalf of a man claiming to have a long term injury but who really wants to come to Villa Park.

He digs a little and finds a picture.

"**** me" thinks the General...."little Michael Owen is desperate to sign for the Villa".....

No wonder they were so generous in accomodating you Paddy. I hope you asked for 80 grand a week mate ;)

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Actually I've been mulling this one over.

The General is new to England and running a football club.

He gets contacted by/on belhalf of a man claiming to have a long term injury but who really wants to come to Villa Park.

He digs a little and finds a picture.

"**** me" thinks the General...."little Michael Owen is desperate to sign for the Villa".....

No wonder they were so generous in accomodating you Paddy. I hope you asked for 80 grand a week mate ;)

:lol:

Haven't seen Owen in a while so not sure how much I look like him anymore, lost about a stone in all this and look quite different now, steroids are making me pile it back on though. But yeah, 80k a week would be nice!

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It's only taken 38 years but the REAL Aston Villa Club and Fan base is back!

Aston Villa must have done something right in it's 132 year or so history to have attracted a billionaire owner who every day looks more like a philantrophist than a capitalist.

Let there be no doubt that Randy Lerner has empowered some of the very best managers and executives to lead Aston Villa into the 21st century and back to the pride that our grandfathers had before us in the Real Aston Villa.

Paddy, I am delighted that AVFC looked after you so well. Get well as soon as possible and keep that Villa Feelgood Factor strong.

On another note I am very pleased that some of what we post on these message boards has been attended to. Like many I read the General's thread regularly and get a huge smile seeing the General get to work to make things happen.

Have a good Christmas Paddy. Aston Villa has gone a long way to show that it cares about it's supporters. The contrast between this season so far and the previous 38 years is so vast it doesn't even stand further comment.

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