Why do YOU support Villa?

[Rob182]

When I was younger (we're talking 7 or 8), I used to love how Alan Shearer played. My parents aren't into sport, so I was never given any instructions as to who I should support. So I supported Newcastle (don't shoot me, it turns out okay in the end...)

After a few years I got bored of football, got into music. Then years later I got a bit bored of music and got back into football.

My two best mates (both VTers) are Villa fans, a number of family members are Villa fans so, to my WBA-supporting Grandad's anger, I became a Villan and have been a Holte-ender since

Also, a rare Rob182 fact for you... My first season ticket had the name Deborah on it. (It was my best mates ex-girlfriend's ticket, which she renewed before they broke up!)

[kevangrealish]

When I was younger (we're talking 7 or 8), I used to love how Alan Shearer played. My parents aren't into sport, so I was never given any instructions as to who I should support. So I supported Newcastle (don't shoot me, it turns out okay in the end...)

After a few years I got bored of football, got into music. Then years later I got a bit bored of music and got back into football.

My two best mates (both VTers) are Villa fans, a number of family members are Villa fans so, to my WBA-supporting Grandad's anger, I became a Villan and have been a Holte-ender since

Also, a rare Rob182 fact for you... My first season ticket had the name Deborah on it. (It was my best mates ex-girlfriend's ticket, which she renewed before they broke up!)

Something else you wanna tell us Rob ?

[villarule123]

We just got a new fan.

@AVFCLion2013 was a 'free agent fan' who wrote to all 20 PL clubs to see why he should follow them after falling out of love of the overly-political FC Barcelona (his wife's club). He chose Villa

Love this

[Ghost]

First football video game I played was FIFA '06.

Not really sure why but I chose Villa as my Manager Mode team. Just liked the sound of the name I suppose.

After that, I started paying attention to the real life exploits of the team. As I researched into the club and found out about its distinguished history and players, I knew this was the club for me.

 

It wasn't until much later that I realised the initials of the name 'Aston Villa' matched my own name.

 

It was destiny.

[Gillz]

My Grandad moved from Wales (where he'd only ever really paid attention to rugby) to live in Birmingham for a time.

 

He was and still is a big sports fan and so decided to check out a few of the local teams. For a few years he would go to various matches and various teams before after a few years settling on Villa as he preferred the atmosphere and style of football. Years later he tried his best to get both his daughters interested in football and Villa and to some extent they are but not serious fans so to speak.

 

When me and my brother cam along he vowed to make us villa fans and as soon as we had any concept of football or teams he whisked us away to a game and bought us villa kits. In this sense Villa to me has always held a greater significance than football as it is a link to my Grandad and to my family in general. Everytime i visit my Grandad we always discuss Villa, the team, transfers etc. I'm now 21 and i find it is me bringing him to games rather than the other way round which i take great joy in. 

 

Despite this my dad (who is a United fan) says it is his biggest regret that he allowed my Grandad to 'brainwash' us into being villa fans instead of united fans. Personally, i wouldn't have it any other way! 

[nevillain]

It's a bit convoluted but here goes. First game ever went to was at highfield road, cov v man ure, early 70's. i was about 8. I think the macs won 3-2. Anyway at half time my dad was announced over the tannoy, turned out my grandad had had a heart attack ( he died the next day). My nans maiden name was Aston, and she came from Perry Barr. A few days after his funeral she got out some old photos of my grandad and amongst them were photos of them both outside VP during their courting days. I started asking her about it, she started telling me about her brother who used to go to the match all the time. I was fascinated. After much nagging over many months my dad agreed to take me to VP. Didn't know it at the time but this would be the 3rd Div Championship season. Against Bristol Rovers, a 2-1 win, standing on a milk crate (oh yes) at the front of the Holte. The crowd, the noise, the win. It was as simple as that for me. 40+ years on, it still gives me a buzz. So nan and grandad it's all down to you. God bless you both

[bretonvilla]

Family all from Aston so it was never going to be anyother way luckily. Going to school in the early 70,s meant sticking up for Villa against Leeds fans who were the glory hunting saddo`s of that time, and Blues fans who were in Div 1 at the time.

                                                             First match was Michael Wrights testimonial in 75 against Stoke. Two things that struck me most was how beautiful the pitch under AV floodlights was, I`d never seen such a beautiful expanse of green turf in my life. But the other thing that struck me was the state of the back of the Witton End with scruffy grass and weeds growing everywhere. Plus, how many other clubs have a 16th century stately home next to the ground. My dad always said count myself lucky to be a Villa fan and he was right.

[dAVe80]

Well my father advised me that I should follow small heath, and I disagreed with him, and suggested that he resembled the female reproductive organs. I told him that I disliked small heath, and I was sure of it, and so where they. I told him that with players like Nigel Spink, Paul Birch and Alan McInally, we were on the right path, and that if he followed small heath, it was likely that his parents were unmarried when he was born, and that I no longer wished to associate with him.

[rjw63]

Why do I support Villa? Easy.

 

1. Moms family lived in and around Pugh Road, Aston. 5 mins from the ground. All Villans.

2. Dads family came from Kingstanding - all Villans.

3. I **** hate every other team.

[dont_do_it_doug.]

Why do I support Villa? Easy.

1. Moms family lived in and around Pugh Road, Aston. 5 mins from the ground. All Villans.

2. Dads family came from Kingstanding - all Villans.

3. I **** hate every other team.

3. Which ones do you hate the most and why?

[AndyBM]

My first game at Villa Park was the following season against Newcastle, taken down by my Villa-supporting older cousin, but we lost 0-2!!

 

 

that was my first game as well that i attended, my ticket cost £5.50 and the scorers were andy cole and ... lee i think (cant remember his first name)

[PerryBarrPet]

My dad was a Villa fan

His dad was a Villa fan

So my choice was obvious!

I am 65 and was present at my first game when I was about 4 years old so don't ask me about it!

My grandad remembered the seeing the Villa in 1900.

You really can say it's in the blood!

[Rodders]

at school I bizarrely remember a maths class when we were about 8. it was something basic like tallying so the teacher got us all to find out which football team everyone supported and to tally them up. One kid I didn't like chose Man united. Another who was a friend, said Villa. I said villa as I didn't have a clue about footy then. Then a little later on was the league cup final with United in 94. My dad said to support United - as he hailed from those part ( yes he was a united fan from manchester fan ) but I didn't. I think it still came down to kids at school who I liked were Villa fans so I wanted to be like them. Then I got hooked after that 

[NoelVilla]

When I was 7 years old, we only had 4 different tv channels. 3 of them was german.... It was back in 1982. An May night, my father gave me permission to see a football match in the tv. As you proberbly allready have guessed, it was the European cup final. I had never heard of Aston Villa, my dad had told me about the Giants from Germany. So munich had an advantage to begin with, but the longer the match went on, the more sympathy I got for Villa. First of all, Aston kinda sounded like my first name in my little 7 years old ears (Allan). The I totally lost my heart to the fighting, never surrending attitude the whole Villa team had that night. My fascination of Aston Villa Football Club started that night with the first football match i remember

From a Danish Villan

That is so similar to why I support Villa that I almost thought I wrote it. I was 9 and that final is the first game I remember watching. My dad, sister and me cheering for the underdog and they won

 

Swedish Villan

[dont_do_it_doug.]

 

My first game at Villa Park was the following season against Newcastle, taken down by my Villa-supporting older cousin, but we lost 0-2!!

 

 

that was my first game as well that i attended, my ticket cost £5.50 and the scorers were andy cole and ... lee i think (cant remember his first name)

 

 

Would be Rob Lee. 

[PaulC]

My dad took me down when I was 8 and I've been a fan ever since.

[JamieZ]

I'm an American, and grew up playing football, but mostly followed the international game (I think you'll find American fans are decidedly "country before club" as a rule), supporting the United States and cheering for Germany after the U.S. exited whichever tournament early, if they even qualified. After a while, I began to follow English league football as a neutral. I tried a few teams on, so to speak—teams like Everton and Fulham, whom I still generally like to see do well—but I started to follow Aston Villa during the Mellberg/Laursen-era and it stuck. I knew they were my team when they were positively miserable and there was absolutely nothing to cheer for and I supported them anyway. So that's that.

Edited June 16, 2013 by JamieZ

[MagicMushroom]

When it comes to a choice between us and a pile of used tampons from Small Heath, or a bunch of Neanderthal pretend brummies running around in Tesco bags. then unless your insane you pick us

[479Villan]

I watched US soccer since 1994 and finally the Premier League was on regularly enough here in 2007 that I could see it regularly. Villa played a style that I like, but I also liked other teams at that time. Went over to England in summer 2008 with my wife after I graduated law school and had a bunch of kit requests from friends that had other teams/grew up in England and wanted new ones. Saw that AVFC was giving their shirt sponsor to a children's hospital in the area; as an Arkansan, Arkansas Children's Hospital is a big deal in this state and so I liked that a team would sponsor a children's hospital and I felt that was enough of a connection to overcome the popularity of other teams in this country. Beyond that, I loved the look of the kit in 2008 and the team that was going to be put out there.

 

I bought the 2008 Nike Acorns home shirt, have watched every game and never looked back. Never had a chance to go to Villa Park (a trip back to England in 2010 didn't line up with Villa being anywhere near me on Christmas as Heathrow was shut down and my trip was delayed by a day and a half) but it's on the bucket list.  Now I have a child on the way and a Villa infant kit and a onesie on order. Wife is going to be away next week and I'm getting a Subbuteo table that I'm going to build up, and then spend the rest of the week drinking and painting up a couple teams with a home and away strip.

 

I guess all that's left is a rampant lion tattoo, which might happen if I get drunk enough next week and finish my Subbuteo team ahead of time.... God help me.

[AVTuco]

As a young boy in Finland football was everything to me and my friends. During the winter, when we couldn't play football outside, our consolation was to watch Division 1 every Saturday @ 16.55 on TV2. My best friends chose Arsenal and West Ham as their favorites, and for some reason that I can't remember at all, I chose Villa. Not a bad choice, since this was in the beginning of the 1980-1981 season.

So, that's how I became a Villain.