Issue 8 - Tony Daley

CHRIS PRICE ON... TEAM MATES, HIS GOALS & HIS TIME AT VILLA PARK

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TONY DALEY

LEGEND

HISTORY

1989/90

Jason Connolly talks to the former England and Villa winger about his career, goals and his time at

VILLA PARK!

Adam Keeble, tells us about the unforgetable season of 1989/90...

HISTORY VILLA PARK

of Villa Legend

LEE HENDRIE’S best

VILLA!

Simon Goodyear looks at the history of Villa Park the home of

Goals for Aston Villa

L IB O R

VILLA’S NEW CZECH N TO AS AT K O LO A ES VILLA THIS SEASON JASON CONNOLLY TAK AT ’S G IN O G D AN G IN THE COM INTERNATIONAL AND

EXPERT ANALYSIS

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Editor Peter Brennan Designer Peter Brennan Web Development Peter Brennan Social Media Peter Brennan Thanks to Russell Jones, Aston Villa Football Club, Acorns, Joe Hunt, Brian Little, Tony Daley, Chris Price, Danny Dewery, Colin Abbott Contributors Simon Goodyear, Adam Keeble, Andy Evans, Adrian Nevett, James Leyfield, Jason Connelly Villa Times Photography Peter Lowe, Joe Merchant, Michael McCafferty, Aaron Haden Images Getty Images, Colour Sport Advertising E: ads@thevillatimes.com Subscription Go to www.thevillatimes.com E; info@thevillatimes.com The Villa Times Limited Company registration number; 08111746.

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The Villa Times is for the purpose of news and is a monthly/four nightly production.

Welcome

Here Comes 2014...

It has been a long and entertaining season so far on and off the pitch at Villa Park, with some exciting new faces at Villa with the arrival of Czech International Libor Kozak from Italy and the great news of Benteke eventually deciding to stay at Villa Park.

The latest edition contains more exclusive interviews in turn a full packed 72 page magazine with some great new features. We have former England and Villa Legend Tony Daley and interview his former teammate Chris Price all the way from Australia, Jason Connolly meet up with Musician, Songwriter and Villa Fan Vinny Peculiar , Ashley Preece and Kenny Oldham talks with Villa Lion Tony Eccles from Aussie.

We would also like to welcome Lee Hendrie to the writing team with his new monthly column and with a extra piece this month on his six best goals of his career.

Also Adam Keeble goes through runner up season of 1989/90 in the history feature as well as “The Season So Far” with Simon Goodyear and Adrian Nevett piece on Villa Mangers with David O’Leary this month.

I would also like to welcome Ashley Preece, Andrew Thurman, Brendan Stapleton and Mike Van Baar to the Villa Times Team.

Finally a sincere thanks to my team for ma k in g t h e V i ll a T im e s t he su c c ess fu l magazine that it is, in such a short space of time. Well done to all concerned!

TVT

Peter Brennan, Editor

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Main Feature

Tony Daley

The former Villa and England Legend tells The Villa Times of his love for Villa, the highs and lows of his career and his favourite

GOALS.....

PAGE 8

In This Month....

THE SEASON SO FAR

Villa author, Simon Goodyear gives us his views of the seaon so far.

PAGE 14

HISTORY Adam Keeble tells us about the successful 1989/90 season.

PAGE 46

VINNY PECULIAR

Jason Connolly meet with Villa fan and Musican Vinny Peculiar

PAGE 52 4 The Villa Times Magazine

Contents

KOZAK

CHRIS PRICE

PAGE 20

Interview with the flying rigt back PAGE 28

........

Club Legends Cup A tournament not to be missed

PAGE 44

6 Pictures of the Month 36 This month we have pictures from 70 Peter Lowe and Michael McCaffery.

42 James Leyfield

20 KOZAK

44 Club Legends Cup

Jason Connolly this month features on the new Cezch International at Villa Park.

22 Agent Villa

Brendan Stepleton tells us about the time when Villa had there own special agents.

32 Villa Park History

Simon Goodyear gives us the history of Villa Park and how Aston Villa came to Villa Park and were we started from.

The Villa Times showbiz writer gives us some Villa showbi gossip.

We take a look at the midlands Club Lengends Cup that is next July at the LG Arena 56 Villa World

Pictures sent from Villa fans not only from the UK but from across the world..

58 A Lion Interview

We interview Villa fan and Aussie based Tony Eccles about his best moment, match, player and love for the Villa.

Villa World PAGE 56

60 Shopping

We look at whats new to offer from the new Villa clothing range.

63 Travel

We take a look at the Arsenal and Chelsea matches ahead, the grounds and were to drink.

66 Featured Match

We take a look at the Southampton v Villa game.

69 News

We take a look at some news from the club.

and Much More The Villa Times Magazine 5

Picture of the Month

ASTON VILLA V TOTTENHAM

Home game: Aston Villa 0 - 2 Tottenham Hotspur

Picture of the Month by Michael McCafferty

INTERVIEW

TonyDaley

B

orn in Birmingham Tony Daley made the vast majority of his appearances for Aston Villa, known for his pace he played mainly as a winger.

Tony joined hometown club as an apprentice making his senior debut aged 17 on 20 April 1985 soon after signing. He played for Villa for over ten seasons, nine at the highest level finishing up as runner-up in both the 1989–90 and 1992–93 league championships and winning 1994 League Cup final defeating Manchester United at Wembley.

During 1991 and 1992, Tony was capped 7 times for England under former club manager Graham Taylor, making his debut as a substitute in a vital 1–1 draw in Poland in November 1991 that saw England qualify for 1992 European Championships in Sweden. He was subsequently chosen for the squad at the tournament and played in two of England's three games there.

He nearly got onto the scoresheet in the 1994 Football League Cup Final against Manchester United, but his shot hit the post and was rebounded by Dalian Atkinson, only for Andrei Kanchelskis to block it with a handball for which he was sent off. Dean Saunders converted the penalty and put Villa 3–1 ahead, a scoreline

8 The Villa Times Magazine

Jason Connolly meets up with the Aston Villa Legend, to talk about his time at Villa Park, teammates and legendary goals.

The Villa Times Magazine 9

INTERVIEW

A Holte End Hero

Tony was capped 7 times for England under former club manager Graham Taylor, making his debut as a substitute in a vital 1–1 draw in Poland in November 1991 that saw England qualify for 1992 European Championships in Sweden what would be the only major trophy of his career.

Tony linked up with Graham Taylor again as he finally left Aston Villa for Wolverhampton Wanderers in July 1994 for £1.25 million, but he was plagued with injuries and was only able to manage 21 appearances for the club in four seasons.

He was signed once more by Graham Taylor, now at Watford, in July 1998 on a free transfer. His injury woes continued through and he struggled to get fit, missing the final months as the club won promotion to the Premier League, Daley scoring once in the process against Birmingham City. He was given a free transfer to newly promoted Division 1 side Walsall in June 1999, and after a six-month spell there, he went on to finished his playing career with Conference side Forest Green Rovers, managed by former teammate Nigel Spink, before hanging up his boots in July 2002.

10 The Villa Times Magazine

Daley's perhaps best known goal for Villa fans came in a First Division game against Everton at Villa Park on 22 October 1988. A spectacular flying volley in a 2–0 win for Villa, the goal quickly became known as 'Daley's Dazzler' and is also remembered for full-back Chris Price, who supplied the cross, having a little celebration all of his own.

Upon finishing his career in professional football due to persistent injury, Daley completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports and Exercise Science at Coventry University. During this time, he also remained at Forest Green Rovers as their fitness coach and worked with youth players at Aston Villa's Academy.

Following his studies, he joined Sheffield United as a fitness and conditioning coach in June 2003 but later quit his post following a row over training methods with new manager Bryan Robson in August 2007. He was not out of work for long as he joined former

club Wolves in the same role the following month. In 1995 Daley was the subject of a half-hour documentary. The series 'Respect' was produced and directed by Pogus Caesar for Carlton TV, and featured the likes of Dwight Yorke, John Barnes and Ron Atkinson all paying tribute to the winger and his skinny legs. Daley completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports and Exercise Science at Coventry University. During this time, Villa Times writer talks to one of his boyhood hero’s about his career and his time at Villa Park: You played with some outstanding and world class players in your time, who was the most enjoyable player to play with?

The best at Villa, without a doubt, was Dwight Yorke – he had an abundance of skill, unbelievable to play with and was easily one of the best finishers I ever had as a team mate. Internationally, Paul Gascoigne, even

“Tony Dorigo was a top full back, he was quick – as pacey as me, which made things very difficult for me - I was glad when he came to Villa!”

though I was never actually played with him, you could pass him the ball in training then you would just watch him like a fan. He was just an awesome player.

Who was the hardest opponent you ever faced?

Tony Dorigo was a top full back, he was quick – as pacey as me, which made things very difficult for me - I was glad when he came to Villa! Earl Barrett when he played for Oldham was a top player and another who became a Villa team mate. Finally on a domestic level, Denis Irwin – I never had a good game against him, he was just an unbelievable player. Internationally, I played 45 minutes against a Brazilian player called Branco, he was quality – absolutely awesome.

To play for Villa – the club I supported as a kid and winning the Coca Cola Cup in ’94 against Manchester United at Wembley.

Who was the most influential coach / manager during your playing career?

Graham Taylor – 100%. He was the best man manager in the game at the time and knew when to put an arm around your shoulder or give you a kick up the bum! He was a massive influence on my career.

Where was the best away ground that you played on? (John Power) The San Siro. We played Inter there in the UEFA Cup. What do you think of the current squad and where do you think we’ll

“Graham Taylor was the best man manager in the game at the time” What was the most memorable game you played in and why?

The 1994 Coca Cola Cup Final, for sure.

My England debut was special too; we played Poland in Poznan and drew 1-1 in a European Championship qualifier which got us through to the finals.

You’ve scored some classic goals in your career, which sticks out in your mind as the best?

I’ve got two... One against Luton at Villa Park, I took the ball from inside my own half, beat a couple of players and dinked the ball past their goalkeeper from a tight angle. Secondly in an F.A. Cup tie with West Brom, we won the game 2-0. I picked the ball up on the halfway line from a Gordon Cowans pass, went past a couple of players and stuck it in the back of the net.

What was your most unforgettable moment as a player?

finish? (John Bapa Buttery) The current squad is young, vibrant and will have learned a lot from last year and to me, a mid-table finish this season would be a success. The Premier League is tougher now than it has ever been and everyone wants that top six finish which is becoming increasingly more difficult but I think in a couple of years – and with the right players being brought in – I think we’ll eventually get there.

Why did you always pick the bed closest to the window? (Chris Price – ex team mate) (Laughs) He was the senior man, not me, it was his choice!!!

Who was the most talented player you played with at Villa? (Patrick Shelley Moriarty) I’d definitely say Dwight Yorke as I mentioned earlier or Dalian Atkinson.

The Villa Times Magazine 11

INTERVIEW

tude, were relaxed before the game and went out and played with no fear and got the result. The atmosphere afterwards was awesome, just a party, I don’t think I got in til 10am the morning after!

How did you feel when you scored the winning penalty against Tranmere in the semi final that year? (Callum AVFC Maisey) It was the most nerve wracking thing I’ve ever done in my life! Bozzie (Mark Bosnich) was the real hero but to score the winner was a great feeling.

Which ex-Villa players would you like to see back? (Peter Erwin) I’d say Gareth Barry, you don’t rack up as many Premier League appearances as he has without being a top player and he’d add a wealth of experience and a calm head to our young midfield. As well as him, I’d say Ashley Young. Controversial it may be but he’s a quality player and would add that creative spark which we sometimes lack.

How did it feel coming so close to winning the first Premier League title in 1992/93 but ending disappointed?

(Richard Connolly) We’d been flying that year and just let it go near the end, extremely disappointing because we’d never had a better opportunity to win the title since... And the United goals just had to be in Fergie time didn’t it? That’s where it all started! (Laughs)

The Villa team before the Inter game at the San Siro, Back Row : Paul McGrath, Derek Mountfield Tony Cascarino, Kent Neilsen, , Nigel Spnik, Front Row: Tony Daley, Chris Pric e, David Platt, Stuart Gray, Gor don Cowans and the latePaul Birch

12 The Villa Times Magazine

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The Season So Far

SEASON

with Simon Goodyear October 5th, Hull City 0 Villa 0 There wasn’t much to shout about at The KC Stadium in front of 24,000 fans including a large proportion of Villa fans as they lost 2 hours of their lives watching a drab game.

Villa’s away displays have been by far better than their home form and Hull made it difficult for the visitors but if the same match had been played last season, this turgid affair would have typically turned into a Villa defeat so there was a positive. The defence, which now seems stronger and more resilient, would have crumbled at some stage last term; Lambert’s men are no longer vulnerable to the kind of defeat which they suffered so frequently last season. Furthermore, Paul Lambert was right when he said after the game that Villa never looked like winning the contest - but they were never in danger of losing it either. Even when they struggled to create anything going forward they have the quality to shut up shop and see out games. The way they attacked, or more accurately didn’t attack, left a lot to be desired. With the big Belgium striker out injured it has to be said Libor Kozak is no match for Christian Benteke. To be fair it’s early days for the £7million hitman but he’ll certainly have to up his game if he’s going to be a success at Villa Park. He wasn’t alone, though as Villa’s usual bright spark, Andi Weimann, had a seriously off-day, too. Everything he tried seemed to go wrong; he had no pace, no panache, although he did create Villa’s best chance of the game when he set up Gabby Agbonlahor who screwed his effort wide early in the second half.

Chances were few and far between for either sides as both defences dominated. Agbonlahor was denied by Allan McGregor in the first half with the only notable save of the match and he also missed the game’s best chance after the interval and that was about it in terms of any serious efforts on goal, in a game Match of the Day had no option but to relegate to the final game of the day.

October 20th, Villa 0 Tottenham Hotspur 2 Villa’s recent poor record against Spurs continued on a dismal Sunday afternoon at Villa Park in front of the Sky cameras. Conscious that their last two home games against Tottenham in the Premier League and the League Cup had ended in 4 - 0 defeats, Villa adopted an ‘in-yourface’ approach against AVB’s’ high flyers. Lambert felt the best way for them to close the quality gap between the teams was to close the gaps on the field and, led by Fabian Delph, the ‘Lions’ hunted in packs to deny Spurs space and refused to give the visitors time to settle into their stride.

Paul Lambert revealed in his pre-match interview that Villa would not make special plans to stop England’s new hope, Andros Townsend and he was kept relatively quiet before, rather fortuitously, breaking the deadlock on 31

14 The Villa Times Magazine

minutes when his swirling left-foot cross from the right completely fooled everyone including Brad Guzan in goal as it nestled into the bottom left corner of the net. That goal signalled an unfortunate incident involving a smoke bomb, which was lobbed from the away supporters sitting in the Doug Ellis Stand and it hit the linesman, David Bryan. Fortunately, he wasn’t injured and the perpetrators were escorted out of the ground and the game continued. On the pitch too, it was the visiting team who supplied the flair.

Villa’s brightest moment before the break came when Hugo Lloris beat away Westwood’s free-kick as it crept towards the left hand post, although his opposite number Guzan eclipsed that save by denying Townsend on the stroke of half-time. From early into the second half, the home fans called for Christian Benteke to be brought on and the Belgian striker received a rapturous reception as he warmed up on the touchline following his month long absence with a hip flexor problem. On the hour mark, Benteke replaced hard-working Kozak and with his name still being belted out by the stands he immediately boosted Villa’s attacking threat. It seemed the script had been written for him when he rose to meet Weimann’s cross from the left, but with Holte End poised to celebrate he nodded the ball over from six yards out. Benteke also headed over from Westwood’s corner, failed to direct an Agbonlahor’s ball towards goal and was unable to generate the power to trouble Lloris from an Antonio

Luna cross. However, they turned out to be Villa’s best spell of the second half and no sooner had that little flurry of pressure ended then Spurs stepped up their game, went down the other end an effectively ended the game with a slick second goal.

Villa couldn’t be faulted for effort with Weimann and substitute Alexander Tonev adopting a shoot-on-sight policy, but their radars were way off target and a come-back, Manchester City-style was never on the cards.

October 26th, Villa 0 Everton 2 Villa Park has become the fans’ least favour place in recent years and the run of poor results continued against an in-form Everton side managed by a one-time Villa target, Roberto Martínez. The facts are there in black and white (or claret & blue) - Villa have only taken 23 points from a possible 72 (six wins, five draws, 14 defeats from 25 matches) at Villa Park during Paul Lambert’s tenure.

Everton have always been equal to Villa but since the enigmatic Spaniard took over from the new Manchester United manager, David Moyes, they seem to have added a new gear to their armour.

However, it could have been different had Christian

Benteke’s seventh-minute penalty hadn’t have been superbly saved by Tim Howard and that was followed by one-on-one opportunities from Andi Weimann and Gabby Agbonlahor. Everton, who had threatened with Ross Barkley’s deflected first-half drive against the bar and a Lukaku header brilliantly stopped by Guzan, might have had a penalty themselves, but Ron Vlaar’s handball was ignored by the referee and the Toffeemen soon imposed their own punishment by adding a second goal. A consequence of Villa’s all-action style is that when they fail to capitalise upon dominant periods and when mental and physical fatigue sets in, they lack a player to put his foot on the ball and calm it down before they find their second wind. One such player, Gareth Barry, now plays for Everton. Barry received genuine applause from the Holte End faithful and it showed that Villa fans have come to appreciate the former favourite more and more since he left a gap in their hearts and their midfield.

It was all-square at half-time but the stalemate was broken in the 68th minute when Romelu Lukaku swept a slick opener past Brad Guzan as Villa’s Belgian striker and American keeper lost out to their international colleagues.

Russell Osman, who played a part in the first goal, by

The Villa Times Magazine 15

FEATURE

Benteke’s seventh-minute penalty hadn’t have been superbly saved by Tim Howard and that was followed by one-on-one opportunities from Andi Weimann and Gabby Agbonlahor. Everton, who had threatened with Ross Barkley’s deflected first-half drive against the bar and a Lukaku header brilliantly stopped by Guzan, might have had a penalty themselves, but Ron Vlaar’s handball was ignored by the referee and the Toffeemen soon imposed their own punishment by adding a second goal. A consequence of Villa’s all-action style is that when they fail to capitalise upon dominant periods and when mental and physical fatigue sets in, they lack a player to put his foot on the ball and calm it down before they find their second wind.

One such player, Gareth Barry, now plays for Everton. Barry received genuine applause from the Holte End faithful and it showed that Villa fans have come to appreciate the former favourite more and more since he left a gap in their hearts and their midfield.

It was all-square at half-time but the stalemate was broken in the 68th minute when Romelu Lukaku swept a slick opener past Brad Guzan as Villa’s Belgian striker and American keeper lost out to their international colleagues. Russell Osman, who played a part in the first goal, by helping Leighton Baines’ deft pass into Lukaku’s path, stylishly swept in a second on 81 minutes when Barry’s neat pass caught out the Villa defence leaving Villa goal-less in the last three games during October.

November 2nd, West Ham United 0 Villa 0 Villa went into the game in East London without scoring for the previous three games and it didn’t get any better after another 90 minutes of stalemate at Upton Park; however, Paul Lambert and his coaches deserve a lot of credit for tightening up a backline that undermined Villa’s attacking efforts last season, even if striker-less West Ham didn’t represent the toughest of tests.

For most of the match the Hammers were again missing a recognised centre forward, while Villa had a recognised centre forward who had gone missing himself. Christian Benteke added to his wasted

16 The Villa Times Magazine

header against Tottenham and saved penalty and spurned one-on-one against Everton with two more missed opportunities against a less than impressive West Ham side. There weren’t many chances to speak of in a dreary and uneventful game and, given that Villa rarely looked like scoring – except for two first half Andi Weimann breakaways – the Belgian’s misses proved costly. Firstly, Benteke rose high at the far post to meet Matt Lowton’s precise cross from the right from Villa’s best move with a powerful header, but it bounced back off the bar. Benteke might have atoned for that miss in the closing moments when he latched on to Vlaar’s raking long pass, only for a loose first touch to take him wide and for Jussi Jaaskelainen in the Hammers’ goal to pull off a similar save to Everton’s Tim Howard’s when the striker decided to fire an angled shot across the keeper. Although the big Belgium was Villa’s top scorer last season, it’s four games without hitting the back of the net.

If Villa are to prove they are more than just a counter-attacking team, they must start to keep the ball better to prompt prolonged periods of pressure and dominate games, particularly against the likes of West Ham. Even though they are more solid and resilient Villa can be ugly at times but away points can be useful but only if they are winning their fair share of home games, which at the moment is another story.

November 9th, Villa 2 Cardiff City 0 Two changes were made from the team who drew at West Ham with Libor Kozak starting in place of injured Andi Weimann and Alexandar Tonev replacing Matt Lowton, who dropped to the bench. As well as Weimann’s hamstring problem, Villa’s casualty list also included Fabian Delph, Gabby Agbonlahor, Antonio Luna and longer term absentees Joe Bennett, Gary Gardner, Jores Okore and Charles N’Zogbia. Villa lined up with an odd 4-1-2-1-2 formation with Ciaran Clark shifted to a left-back role and Ashley Westwood dropping deeper than usual to protect the back four.

Villa started brightly, but their early promise again faded in front of their own fans as they struggled to find a way past Cardiff keeper David Marshall. The homes side were the first to threaten when El Ahmadi’s shot from distance forced ‘keeper Marshall to parry and Steven Caulker scrambled clear with Benteke lurking. Benteke then ran at the visitors’ defence and when he was crowded out worked the ball to Yakubba Sylla, who rode a couple of challenges before firing weakly at Marshall. The Bluebirds’ stopper was involved again moments later, getting down well to turn away Benteke’s low shot after another forceful run from the Villa hit-man and then Tonev wasted a promising break on the stroke of half-time with a miscued shot high into the North Stand.

Although there had been mild boos among the 35,809 as the claret and blues left the field at the break, the jeers had turned to cheers by the time the final whistle sounded. Villa had a bright period early in the second half and might have opened the scoring when Kozak got his head to Bacuna’s ball, only for Marshall to push his effort away. The Holte End appealed for a penalty moments later when Kevin Theophile-Catherine challenged Westwood, but ref-

David Marshall stund by the Bacuna free kick The Villa Times Magazine 17

SEASON

derland side during another bore draw at Villa Park.

However boring the game was it did extend their mini unbeaten run to four games – three draws and a win - but were unable to provide much entertainment for the heir to the throne or the rest of the 33,036 crowd.

Paul Lambert showed he’s not afraid of making changes as he started the trio of substitutes who made all the difference at The Hawthorns – Andi Weimann, Agbonlahor and Fabian Delph – while Antonio Luna also returned at left-back after recovering from a hamstring problem. Nathan Baker, Yacouba Sylla, Alexandar Tonev and Libor Kozak dropped to the bench after failing to do themselves justice against their neighbours, with Villa switching to a familiar 4-3November 25th, WBA 2 Villa 2 3- formation. The game started well enough as AgThis was Monday night football at it’s very best – bonlahor glanced a header wide at the far post on and very worst for Villa. The least said about the first half the better other than to say it was a mirror image two minutes after jumping to reach an in-swinging of last season's fixture - where Albion came back from cross by Delph from the right and two minutes later the Brummie striker went close again, forcing Vito 2 - 0 down to draw the game; however, this time Mannone into a save after Weimann hurried Sungaround, the Baggies started brilliantly and it was Villa Yueng Ki into a mistake and burst forward. With Sunwho could have won the game in the end. Shane derland propping up the Premier League table it was Long smashed in two early goals, with Stephane Sessegnon guilty of missing two brilliant chances to kill hardly surprising that Gus Poyet’s team did not display off the game in the first half. Those failures to convert too much ambition with Steven Fletcher playing as a lone striker. Worryingly for Villa though, Christian a third in the first half were to ruin Albion's night.

Paul Lambert's decision to make three changes be- Benteke’s scoring drought continued when he curled a shot over the bar after Weimann and Karim El Ahfore the hour mark - Fabian Delph, Gabby Agbonlamadi worked the ball to him after Weimann posed hor and Andreas Weimann came on and all three brought renewed vigour and gusto to Villa’s play. The Sunderland problems down their right flank.

At the start of the second half Agbonlahor tried to impact was immediate. Weimann's shot struck Olsson get Villa going again, latching onto a ball from Benteke, to wrong-foot ex-Villa keeper, Boaz Myhill. The Alwho had dropped deep to gain possession. Agbonlabion goalkeeper committed himself to the right only hor still seeking his first goal of the season got there to see the ball heading the other way but Myhill just about got enough of his left leg to the ball to squeeze ahead of Dossena and burst towards goal, but his the ball out of play. A beautiful 64th minute move de- strike from a tight angle was beaten away by Mannone. Sunderland actually came closest to scoring a served more from Albion. Brunt spotted the darting winner with Villa old-boy Craig Gardner having a goal run of Amalfitano. Villa knocked the ball out for a throw, but Albion reclaimed the initiative with Amalfi- ruled out, Emanuele Giaccherini missing a sitter and tano charging into the box from the left and teeing up Fabio Borini powering a header against the crossbar.

Sessegnon but he smashed his shot high over the bar, There were frustrated boos from the home fans at wasting yet another chance. Villa's second half display the final whistle yet again and who could blame them.

It was enough to make the royal visitor say, “One is was a world away from their opening 45 minutes. not amused…”

The same could be said about Steve Clarke's side, who should have put the game beyond all doubt long before Villa's opener and his side faded as the game wore on.

Things got interesting in the 67th minute when Bacuna's cross from the right fell to Weimann and his header dropped to El Ahmadi, who steered a volley past Myhill. At this stage Albion were easing off but Villa were starting to crank up the pressure. Where once they played with pedestrian pace, now there was tempo to their movement. There was a hint of inevitably about what followed next. Agbonlahor's cross from the left was only half-cleared by Popov and Ashley Westwood took control of the ball on the edge of the box and drilled a superb curling strike past Myhill. It ended honours even in the West Midlands derby and it was about right on the balance of play. eree Martin Atkinson waved play on. Then on 76 minutes, Villa’s set-piece specialist, Leandro Bacuna broke the deadlock with a brilliant strike and that brought a spell of pressure onto the City goal before Libor Kozak made sure of the claret and blues’ second home league win of the season when the Czech striker nodded in from close range on 84 minutes.

Villa old-boy Peter Whittingham came close with a couple of off-target cross-shots and there was a slight late scare when Lowton’s clearance hit Ron Vlaar and bounced just wide, but eventually Villa were worthy winners, keeping their first home league clean sheet since last December.

November 30th, Villa 0 Sunderland 0 In front of the next King of England, Prince William saw his team struggle to break-down a resolute Sun18 The Villa Times Magazine

The Villa Times Magazine 19

FEATURE

Jason Connolly looks at the recent ÂŁ7 million signing and Czech International Libor Kozak 20 The Villa Times Magazine

A

lot of fans may have been forgiven for asking ‘who?’ when the big Czech striker arrived at Villa Park from Lazio on Deadline Day. Kozak hadn’t been a prolific figure during his Serie A tenure in Rome but Paul Lambert saw enough potential in his Europa League exploits last season, to shell out £7m for his services.

The 6’4 forward was born on 30 May 1989 in Opava, Czechoslovakia and joined up with his local club Slezský FC Opava in 2001 where he played in the youth set up until being added to the first team squad six years later, in 2007.

He became a proven goalscorer with the club, netting 11 goals in 26 league appearances including a first career hat trick in a 5-1 demolition of FC Zenit áslav.

This form prompted interest from Portsmouth who took Kozak on trial in January 2008 but he returned home. Instead, he accepted a 5 year contract offer from SS Lazio at the end of the season in July ’08 and a deal was agreed with the Romans paying Opava a rumoured 1.2m.

It took almost a year before Kozak made his Serie A debut for Lazio, coming off the bench as an 84th minute replacement for Argentine striker, Mauro Zarate on 2 May 2009 against Inter Milan at the San Siro - a game in which Lazio lost 2-0.

After a season at Lazio, he was loaned Serie B side Brescia for the 2009–10 season, to gain experience and regular playing time. On 26 September 2009, Kozák scored his first goal in Italy against Grosseto.

He bagged his first goal for the Biancocelesti on 18 September 2010, scoring the winner against Fiorentina. He went on to score the winner against Sampdoria on 16 January 2011. Two weeks later he registered his third and fourth goals for Lazio, against Fiorentina once again. He later won the attraction of Michal Bílek, manager of Czech Republic, as the latter made a special trip to Stadio Olimpico to watch his game against Bari.

In the 2012–13 season Kozák, under coach Vladimir Petkovi , had a very Jekyll and Hyde season as he failed to score in 19 league appearances in Serie A, but finished the season as the leading goal scorer in the Europa League with 8 goals. He scored his first club hat trick vs VFB Stuttgart in Rome on Thursday 14 March 2013, helping his team reach the Quarter Finals by an aggregate score of 5–1.

Upon embarking on his new journey to the Premier League, he left Italy with 4 goals in 30 league games for Brescia and 10 in 58 for Lazio alongside Coppa Italia winner’s medals in 2008/09 and 2012/13.

Kozak made his Villa debut against Newcastle United as a substitute but couldn’t prevent the Geordies running out 21 winners.

He scored his first goal for Villa on 21st September against Norwich City – seconds after coming on for the injured Christian Benteke – and his goal proved to be the winner for Paul Lambert against his former side.

Kozak has been involved in the Czech Republic international set up since 2007, where he has scored 3 goals in 9 games for the his nation’s U19’s and 3 in 14 for the U21’s.

He has 6 caps for the senior side, with 2 goals to his name, one coming in a friendly in Budapest against Hungary and the other in a 2-1 World Cup Qualifier defeat to Italy in Turin at the Juventus Stadium.

Villa fans will hope to see him add to his tally for the club and help relieve some of the goalscoring pressue on last season’s top scorer, Christian Benteke.

The Villa Times Magazine 21

FEATURE

Agent Villa!

Brendan Stapleton takes a look at reports that Aston Villa once employed a Private Detective to spy on the clubs Cup and league Winning stars !

22 The Villa Times Magazine

T

he Villa arguably one of the world’s oldest and illustrious clubs has understandably an amazing archive of stories to tell.

People today talk about what cheeky antics players can get up to but as they say "boys will be boys" but whatever century has anything really changed?

The all-conquering Villa sides at the end of the 19th Century swept all before them but were they soccer's first playboys and their cheeky behaviour merely intrinsic to successful sportsmen.

Their successful seven year period of dominance included five league titles and three FA cups similar to the Manchester United dominance in the last decade of the last century. Sir Alex Ferguson once cheekily turned up at a party to usher out very young Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and company because 'old vinegar face' himself did not approve of his charges behaviour.

However questions had emerged about the off-field behaviour of some of the members of those historic Aston Villa teams as far back as the said nineteenth century.

Newly-discovered is a report in the "Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette" dated March 17th 1900. This report cheekily claimed that Aston Villa had employed a Private Detective no less; to spy on the club's stars.

It suggests that this was a result of the team had suffered a run of bad results and this dip in form may be due to unruly behaviour on the part of some of the players. This certainly remarkably predates questionable antics of some of today’s footballing binders when the game was still in its infancy and how seriously a young professional game could be viewed by club officialdom.

"As a consequence of the indiscreetness of some of the players, the directors felt it necessary to find out how certain members of the team occupied their leisure," so the newspaper reports.

It goes on that accordingly they had instituted a system of espionage by engaging a man to act as a private detective.

This man’s function was to monitor the players and thus report on any misconduct.

It must be noted that this cheeky claim was made in the paper's Football Gossip section and although appears to be not without foundation it may have been an attempt to unsettle the Villa as Sunderland was their main protagonists for the First Division Title. Furthermore as the team in question went on to achieve 'cheeky blinding' success in retaining their First Division crown these reports did not have any real impact.

The story came to see the light of day after Liverpool FC researcher Kjell Hanssen posted the archaic report on the British Newspaper Archive website.

According to Aston Villa's matchday programme editor Mr

George Ramsey, most long servicing manager and club secretary

Robert Bishop this historical entanglement (or should we say hysterical) between Sunderland and the Villa is quite interesting.

In 1913 Villa and Sunderland were both in contention for a Football League and FA Cup double. A particular cheeky binder of a Sunderland Fan said if Villas Cup run was successful by beating Sunderland in the FA cup final he would rename his house "Aston Villa." Apparently there still is in Sunderland a house with 'Aston Villa 1913' emblazoned on it.

The Final The 1913 FA Cup Final between Aston Villa and Sunderland took place on the 19th April 1913 at London's Crystal Palace.

Playing as the home side in front of a grand total of 121,919 fans, Aston Villa won 1–0 on a goal by Tommy Barber on a crossed ball from Charlie Wallace. Wallace had earlier missed a penalty, something that would not occur again in FA Cup play until the 1988 final between Wimbledon and Liverpool.

It was Sunderland's first appearance in the FA Cup Final and the first time The Football League's top two finishers had vied for the trophy (even though the League would not be decided for another week). On their way to the match Sunderland had to replay their quarter-final twice and then their semi-final once after draws in those contests. Aston Villa was re-appearing in the final after an eight-year absence and their victory was their fifth, equalling the then-current record of the Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers.

During the match Sunderland's Charlie Thomson and Villa’s Harry Hampton almost immediately resumed a long-running feud that led to both players being suspended for a month at the start of the following season. The contest was noted for its rough play and led to the withdrawal of Sunderland's invitation to take part in the 1913 Charity Shield match. Referee Mr. A. Adams from Nottingham was also suspended, having allowed no less than 17 minutes for stoppage time.

The Villa Times Magazine 23

MANAGERS

O’Leary

David

Adrian Nevett looks at the 23rd manager of Aston Villa with the former Ireland and Arsenal Favourite

D

avid O'Leary was born in Stoke Newington in London on the 2nd May 1958 and moved to live in Dublin at an early age. He started his 20 year playing career at Arsenal as a Centre-half making 722 appearances for them which is still a club record. After retiring as a player he went on to manage Leeds United, Aston Villa and more recently AlAhli Dubai.

O'Leary signed for Arsenal as an apprentice in 1973 and soon progressed through the ranks at Highbury, playing in the reserves at the age of 16. His debut for Arsenal was against Burnley in 1975 at the age of 17, he went on to make 30 appearances that season. Afterwards became an everpresent in the Arsenal side. He won his first major honour with Arsenal when he played in their 3–2 win over Manchester United in the FA Cup Final in 1979. He also played in the 1978 (Ipswich) and 1980 (Spurs) Cup finals, and the 1980 Cup Winners Cup final

24 The Villa Times Magazine

(Valencia), all of which Arsenal lost. In 1982 O'Leary became club captain, but relinquished it to Graham Rix, eighteen months later. He won the 1988-89 First Division title thanks to a 2-0 win at Anfield on the final day of the season, and another League title in 1991 also a FA Cup and League Cup double (both against Sheffield Wednesday) in 1993, though by this time he was mainly used as a substitute. He holds Arsenal's alltime record for appearances, with 722 firstteam games, and over 1000 games at all levels in a twenty-year long association with the club. In a poll to compile the list of the club's Greatest Ever Players, O'Leary was voted 14th.

In 1993 after 19 years at Highbury, he joined Leeds United on a free transfer, and was a regular until an Achilles injury ruled him out for over a season. In the September of the 1995–96 season he gave in to his injury and announced his retirement from football at the age of 37.

O'Leary's played 68 times for his country making his debut as a teenager in a 1–1 draw with England in 1976. The highlight came in the 1990 World Cup in a penalty shootout with Romania. It was O'Leary who then stepped up to take the decisive final penalty to win the shootout 5–4. O'Leary only played 26 minutes in the tournament after replacing Steve Staunton in the Romania match.

Shortly after the World Cup O'Leary scored his only goal from open play for the Republic in a 5–0 win over Turkey in a Euro 1992 qualifier.

In September 1996, O'Leary was installed as an assistant manager to George Graham at Leeds United. He remained in this position for two years until Graham moved to Tottenham Hotspur. The Leeds board offered Martin O’Neill the manager's position, but the deal fell through and O'Leary was promoted to the hot seat.

He had successful seasons in his early years

with finishes of 4th and 3rd respectively and semifinal appearances in the UEFA Cup (Galatasaray) and Champions League (Valencia). Their Premier League form then dipped slightly and O'Leary's men had to settle for UEFA Cup places in the next two seasons.

By June 2002, O'Leary had spent almost £100 million on new players in less than four years for no reward in terms of trophies, but he had never finished outside the top six as a manager. Ridsdale sacked O'Leary as Leeds manager in the summer of 2002, replacing him with Terry Venables.

O'Leary's departure signaled a downhill spiral for the club.

But O'Leary remained out of work until June 2003 when he was appointed manager of Aston Villa.In his first season Villa managed 6th in the league, one place outside of European qualification.2004-05 saw us finish 10th and the following season 16th. Fans started to become disgruntled with results

and style of play.

On 19th July 2006, O'Leary's contract as Aston Villa manager was terminated by mutual consent. Chairman Doug Ellis sold the club within a few months to Randy Lerner, and Martin O’Neill was appointed as manager.

O'Leary returned to management on 4 July 2010 with United Arab Emirates club Al-Ahli Dubai, where his first decision was to install former Italian captain Fabio Cannavaro as the new skipper of the team. On 2 April 2011, O'Leary was relieved of his duties following a 5-1 defeat at the hands of Al Jazira.

On 22 April 2011, Al-Ahli officially announced its decision to sack O'Leary with his assistant coach Roy Aitken. When he was sacked, O'Leary had two years remaining on a three-year contract. In March 2012, he asked FIFA for help in getting compensation from Al-Ahli for the early termination of his contract. In May 2013, he won a hefty amount compensation. The dispute was set-

tled by Fifa's players' status committee. Al Ahli claimed O'Leary had abandoned his post, despite previously stating he had been dismissed. O'Leary had won just six of his 15 league games in charge.

David O’Leary is currently out of the game but his name is always linked with the top jobs going around.

The Villa Times Magazine 25

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We’re dedicated to beating this devastating disease.

Saving lives through research, information, awareness and policy thebraintumourcharity.org 01252 749043 Š The Brain Tumour Charity 2013. Registered Charity no. 1150054 (England and Wales) SC042096 (Scotland)

HENDRIE LE E [ Columist ]

West Midlands Football Deserves More Credit – Midlands 2 - Manchester 0

That was some weekend on 28th of September, I never thought that would happen. Aston Villa 3 – Manchester City 2 and Manchester United 1 – West Bromwich Albion 2! A great result for the West Midlands and as the wider world sees us… Birmingham.

Birmingham went head to head with Manchester and won hands down, both Villa and Albion put in brilliant performances and were the deserved winners.

Now obviously I am far more pleased about the Villa result but seeing the Albion succeed alongside the Villa on the same day, beating another city showed how unrecognised West Midlands football is. And this really annoys me.

All the talk was about the Manchester clubs, in fact it was almost like the media both newspapers and TV couldn’t be bothered to learn the names of the Villa and Albion players. Yeah, cos that would be too much work and far easier to talk about the Manchester clubs. Well that would be fine if Villa and Albion had only won because City and United were rubbish, but that wasn’t the case, both Villa and Albion were the better sides, Simple as that!

“Even Robbie Savage on 606 fell into the trap of overlooking the Villa and Albion to focus on the Manchester clubs” In Birmingham and the West Midlands we are constantly overlooked, always appearing towards the end of the Match of the Day, always talked about second. The focus is always on London, Manchester and a little bit of Liverpool, even Robbie Savage on 606 fell into the trap of overlooking the Villa and Albion to focus on the Manchester clubs.

This after, making a point that he and others should not do it. On Match of the Day 2 Extra on Sunday lunchtime, the panels

go to www.footiebugs.com for Lee’s Weekly Blog

Andi Weimann scoring the winner agaisnt Man City

This after, making a point that he and others should not do it. On Match of the Day 2 Extra on Sunday lunchtime, the panels excuse was ‘well it’s the Manchester clubs that are interesting’. Indeed, when forced to comment on Villa and the Albion I heard sighs of frustration and boredom from the panel of experts, this is really not good enough.

The Villa and the Albion combined probably have at least 350,000 fans, throw in Birmingham City, Walsall and Wolves and we are probably looking at well over half a million football fans that do not get the analysis, comments and profile their teams deserve.

The West Midlands is a proud football region and as much as I love the Villa I am also proud to come from Birmingham. I shall be standing up to get Midlands’s football the coverage it deserves and to make its voice heard. We conquered Manchester on Saturday and it felt good, next up London and Liverpool, I hope you will join me on our mission. Tell the press you’re not happy Midlands football fans. After all that’s what social media is for. I can’t wait for your comments. UTV......

The Villa Times Magazine 27

INTERVIEW

Chris Price Interview With

V

1988–1992

Villa Times writer Adam Keeble, talks to the lengdary right back to discuss his career, goals, teammates and his time at Villa Park

illa fans that fondly remember fullback Chris Price can join a long line of admirers.

The right back joined AVFC after manager Graham Taylor signed him for £150,000 in 1988 – but by then, Price had already become a fan favorite at Blackburn Rovers and his first club, Hereford United.

After a tragic accident in near his home in Queensland, Australia, Price was in the headlines again shocking his English fans.

Having moved to Australia in 2009, Price was caught by a wave in Brisbane in January 2011 and was rescued by lifeguards, only to catch pneumonia.

Reports in the aftermath said he could stand, but could not walk. He still lives in Australia and works as a dispatch manager for a multi-national firm and hasn’t been involved in football directly since leaving a job in Spain coaching young players for Charlton Athletic.

Price began playing for The Bulls in his hometown of Hereford aged just 17 and would go on to play for them 330 times

28 The Villa Times Magazine

the side infamous for causing cup upsets, including a famous equalizing goal against Arsenal in the FA Cup in 1985-86 (Villa fans will remember another goal against

Sold to Blackburn Rovers for just £25,000 after winning the Hereford United Player Of The Year award in 1986, Price would win the hearts of the Rovers fans

“Seeing thousands of claret and blue scarves would give us the motivation and encouragement to play at our very best.”

Arsenal a few years later…).

Another Hereford born favorite was a big part of Price’s development and eventual move up the divisions. John Newman, who played in central defense for Birmingham City in the 1950’s, was appointed manager of Hereford in 1983.

“As a young player at United I learned a lot from him,” says Price of his mentor for his last few years in Hereford. Newman had previously kept Derby County up after taking over as manager when Colin Addison was sacked in 1982.

over the next two seasons, making 83 appearances and scoring 11 goals. Rovers would make a tidy profit on their lower league gem when he came to Villa Park.

Price would return to Blackburn Rovers in 1992 and score key goals in the promotion push that took them into the Premier League.

Price soon took over as the regular right back at Villa under Graham Taylor with pressure on to keep his newly promoted team in the top flight. It would be a close thing, but the team would be successful.

“It always gave us a buzz attacking the Holte End,” says Price. “Seeing thousands of claret and blue scarves would give us the motivation and encouragement to play at our very best.”

The 1989-90 season was one of the most successful in Price’s career with many memorable battles and moments. After narrowly avoiding relegation, Villa would finish runners-up to Liverpool.

It’s hard for Price to name the most talented player he played alongside. “The squad had so many exceptional players it was very difficult to name just one,” says Price. “Paul McGrath was one – I can’t tell you any stories that can be put into print!

But he was a real character and an unbelievable player. Gordon Cowans and David Platt also stand out.” He also includes Alan Shearer from his time at Blackburn.

He adds: “That season was exciting, and

it always gave us a buzz attacking the Holte End,” says Price. “Seeing thousands of claret and blue scarves would give us the motivation and encouragement to play at our very best.”

The 1989-90 season was one of the most successful in Price’s career with many memorable battles and moments. After narrowly avoiding relegation, Villa would finish runners-up to Liverpool.

It’s hard for Price to name the most talented player he played alongside. “The squad had so many exceptional players it was very difficult to name just one,” says Price. “Paul McGrath was one – I can’t tell you any stories that can be put into print!

But he was a real character and an unbelievable player. Gordon Cowans and David Platt also stand out.” He also includes Alan Shearer from his time at Blackburn.

He adds: “That season was exciting, and provided some really good memories. But the biggest of all was the sense of achievement everyone shared – from the manager to every single player that appeared that season.”

A personal highlight came at Highbury with Villa neck-and-neck with Liverpool in the title chase, and Arsenal hot on their heels. He recalls his late winning strike as his favorite goal in his career. Shortly after scoring it, and leading a memorable celebration in front of the crazed Villa fans, he had narrowly missed with a header.

“It was the goal that knocked them out of the championship race,” says Price.

Price remembers battles with his nemesis – Liverpool winger John Barnes – as another highlight of that season. “Barnes will always stick out for me. He was definitely the trickiest player I ever had to defend. He could get a cross in at any angle and was so difficult to mark

the lifting of the ban on English clubs playing in Europe, Villa were back on the continent and provided more glory for Price. “It was my fondest memory of playing for the Villa,” says Price.

After shocking the footballing world with a 2-0 win over Inter Milan at Villa Park, the Italian giant (who were loaded with some of the cream of Europe: Walter Zenga, Lothar Matthaus, Andreas Brehme, Nicola Berti and Jurgen Klinsmann) won the return leg 3-0 to end Villa’s UEFA Cup dream. “The game at the San Siro against Inter Milan was the most memorable game I every played in,” says Price. “The atmosphere was incredible, even though the result went against us.”

A less glamourous memory, but a far funnier one, came at Saltergate, Chesterfield. “I was running so fast at an away game at Chesterfield, as I went to head the ball I tripped over the advertising board and fell head-first down into the terracing five feet below,” laughs Price. “My wife saw it on the evening TV news and said all she saw of me was my legs splayed in the air!”

Even from thousands of miles away, Price will always remember those years as a Villa favorite. “Being halfway around the world makes it difficult to keep track of the current squad members, but I believe Paul Lambert will do an exceptional job this season. Living so far away I don’t get to see any of my former team mates, but I do try and keep in touch via social networks.”

He adds: “Life is pretty amazing living in paradise. I see lots of Villa shirts around and sometimes I’m tempted to have a chat with those fans, but most of them are too young to even know who I am!”

The Villa Times Magazine 29

ASTON VILLA FPA GOLF DAY & DINNER Thursday March 20th | Great Barr Golf Club Chapel Lane Great Barr Birmingham B43 7BA

Join a host of former Aston Villa players and special guests for a day of golf and a fun-filled evening of excellent food, top-class comedy and musical entertainment.

11.30am – 12.45pm: Registration and lunch 1.30pm: Shotgun start (team & individual prizes and competitions)

7.30pm: 3-course Dinner & Entertainment Hosted by Paul Burrell (‘Voice of England’ at the Euros 2012 Football Championships & Wembley Stadium Olympic Games presenter 2012) Bar: Midnight (20% discount on all drinks)

Inclusive golf day & dinner ‘team’ entry – £290 inc vat

You can enter a team of 3 and an Aston Villa former player will complete your fourball, or enter your own fourball that does not include an Aston Villa former player

Dinner only guests – £25.00 incl vat

To book your places or for more information, please call Paul Burrell on 07855 378326 or email to – neil@avfpa.co.uk

Official Sponsers of the AVFPA Golf Day & Dinner

Welcome to the first of what will be a monthly news and information article about everything that is happening in the Aston Villa Former Players Association and with the legendary Aston Villa Old Stars football team now playing their 54th consecutive year of fundraising fixtures.

ASTON VILLA

MONTHLY NEWS & INFORMATION

FORMER PLAYERS ASSOCIATION Est. 1995

WHAT THE AVFPA IS ALL ABOUT! “Since its formation in 1995 the Aston Villa Former Players Association has developed into one of the best – if not the best – Association in professional football. How has this happened? Because it is led by people who care. Care for whom? Care for former players who are in difficulties, who are ill, who have family problems, who have lost family members, and for families who have lost their husband, dad, granddad who happened to be former Villa players. I am proud to be associated with such an organisation who not only does itself proud, but also continually improves not only its own image, but also that of the club itself.”

Graham Taylor OBE Aston Villa Manager 1987-1990 “A great football club is a mixture of past, present and future talents. Players from earlier vintages are key to setting the standards and inspiring the next generation. Aston Villa Former Players Association plays a crucial role in maintaining the involvement of former stars in the life of the Club.

Keeping the diaspora of former players in touch with each other and the Club, looking after their welfare when one or more of their number fall on hard times, and promoting good causes are at the heart of an essential part of Aston Villa Football Club.

Aston Villa Old Stars provide both entertainment and memories of former glories. The list of players who turn out for Aston Villa Old Stars brings back memories to me of over fifty years of special moments at Villa Park. And the players who turn out do so to help others. So long may the Aston Villa Old Stars and the Former Players Association thrive. They remind us of how privileged we were to see our heroes play.”

Sir Mervyn King, former Governor, Bank of England “At Wavenet, we believe in excellent personal service and have a team of real people who treat our customers as individuals. We also embrace a corporate responsibility to support charities and good causes.

We see these same qualities and ideals within the Aston Villa Former Players Association who have done a fantastic job over nearly 20 years of providing essential support for ex players who are in need of help and raised millions of pounds for a wide range of charities and good causes.

It is for these reasons and shared values that we are delighted to continue to support the Aston Villa Former Players Association as the main sponsor and business partner.”

Chris Jones, Director, Wavenet UK & Villa supporter

The AVFPA meet up with Cricket Star Ian Bell Lee Hendrie, Bobby Thomson and Neil Rioch represented the Aston Villa FPA in support of England cricket superstar Ian Bell’s charity golf day & dinner at The Warwickshire Golf & Country Club on 18th September. The evening dinner featured an excellent Q&A session with Ian Bell and England bowling Coach David Saker.

Petrov A Roaring Success Former players Gordon Smith and Scott McLaughlin were joined by Villa Times Editor Peter Brennan to represent the Aston Villa FPA in support of the recent tribute weekend for Stiliyan Petrov at Celtic Football Club. The superb sell-out dinner on the evening of Saturday 7th September was followed on the Sunday by an all-star football match at Celtic Park in front of a sell-out 60,000 crowd. Gordon and Scott are pictured at the dinner presenting the official Aston Villa FPA tie to former player Gareth Barry and also Habib Beye received his tie on the night.

Aston Villa Old Stars Still Going Strong!

Aston Villa Old Stars played against Shaftec Internationale on Sunday 6th October to raise money for the Cure Leukaemia charity. A strong team that included former Aston Villa players Mark Draper (2 goals), Mark Kinsella, Lee Hendrie (1 goal), Gareth Farrelly (2 goals), Martin Carruthers (4 goals), David Norton, Derek Dudley, Jon Pearson, Gavin Price, Scott McLaughlin (2 goals) and Ian Ward (1 goal) proved too talented for their opponents winning 12-4 despite going two goals behind. A good crowd supported a Fun Day for the family organised by Robert Jones, Director of Shaftec Automotive Components in Birmingham and the Aston Villa FPA has agreed to make this an annual fixture.

Matchday’s At Villa Park Former Aston Villa players have supported the clubs matchday hospitality programme at Villa Park for over 15 years. At the home pre-season friendly game versus Malaga on 10th August, Brian Little, Lee Hendrie and Mark Walters joined resident matchday host Charlie Aitken to meet & greet supporters and conduct pre and post match interviews.

At the League Cup 2nd round match against Rotherham United on 28th August, Harry Burrows, Peter McParland and Alan O’Neil attended as matchday guests; these were the three players who scored the goals in Aston Villa’s 3-0 victory against Rotherham United in the first-ever League Cup Final in 1961.

For the Newcastle United fixture on 14th September, former Villans Chris Nicholl, Kevin Gage, John Deehan, Mike Ferguson and Lee Hendrie were on duty, and for the match versus Tottenham Hotspur on 20th October; Charlie Aitken were joined by Jim Cumbes, Frank Carrodus, Tony Daley, Gordon Smith and Lee Hendrie.

Official sponsors of the Aston Villa Old Stars

The Villa Times Magazine 31

VILLA PARK

Villa Park

M

The History of

y first visit to Villa Park was in 1972 when I was a six year old. My dad and I sat in the ‘old’ Trinity Road stand and I thought at the time that the stand probably hadn’t changed for 100 years – it looked ‘old fashioned’ back then (in fact it was 49 years old) but as a six year old, everything and everyone looked old to me.

Since then, I’ve seen Villa Park change beyond all recognition; all the stands I once knew have been replaced and even now, the North Stand looks ancient and out of place (even though it was only built in 1977) compared to the Holte End and the new Trinity Road stand.

Over the course of this season, I will use this column to chronicle the progress of Villa Park from the opening of the first building in 1897 to the football stadium we all love in 2013 (and maybe a bit more in between).

The Early Years – Aston Lower Grounds.

Aston Lower Grounds, (Villa Park as we know it as now), was not the first ‘official’ home of Aston Villa F.C. The previous venue was in Perry Barr, a ground which faced increasing problems including a lack of access and exorbitant rents. As a result, in 1894, Villa's committee began negotiations with the owners of the Aston Lower Grounds, to build "the finest sports ground in the district” on a piece of land situated in the former grounds of Aston Hall, the Jacobean stately home we all still love to this day.

The Lower Grounds had been purchased in 1818 from the Holte family by a banking company from Warwick. Long before Villa moved to the current location the development of the Lower Grounds, an area covering 31 acres of flat land between Trinity Road and Witton Lane had begun in earnest. From then on (1864), Aston Lower Grounds became the most sophisticated sports and leisure complex outside London, with its car parks and associated buildings covering half of the land

32 The Villa Times Magazine

with Simon Goodyear

and sports grounds the other half. Apart from sports pitches, there was also a skating rink (added later), tennis courts and bowling greens. It’s hard to imagine what the area looked like all those years ago but according to the history books, the exact area where the Holte End now sits there was an ancient fishpond called Dovehouse Pool and roughly where the North Stand and car park are now there was a walled kitchen garden which dated back to the 1760s. How the Lower Grounds became as big as they did is another story but after 1871, ownership of the grounds had moved to a family of Stratford brewers (who would later lease the grounds out to Aston Villa FC).

The first record of a football game being played anywhere in Birmingham was not until 1873 and so football became a major part of the Lower Grounds and as we all know, Aston Villa were formed as a football club a year later.

Building work at the Lower Grounds continued in 1878 to add an Aquarium (which would be significant in later years), a mini zoo, an aviary and the Great Hall (which would be used for concerts, dances and all sorts of entertainment of the era). This was meant to be Birmingham’s entertainment venue of the future, with the aim of attracting visitors from all over the country – in modern terms, you could say it was the cross between Alton Towers and the Botanical Gardens. Between 1879 and 1880 there were apparently 900,000 visitors to the Lower Grounds.

On the footballing side, the Aston Villa team were beginning their rise to greatness. Before the days of The Football League and long before the opening of the Villa Park stadium (in 1897), Aston Villa played several important games at the Lower Grounds. These took place on ‘the Meadow’, a piece of ground which formed the main sports area at the Lower Grounds. This was, in fact a sig-

The Villa Times Magazine 33

VILLA PARK

nificant period in the clubs’ history as in 1880 Villa won their first trophy as a football club by winning the Birmingham Senior Cup at ‘the Meadow’. With this success, more games were played at ‘the Meadow’ and one Birmingham Senior Cup game in 1881 attracted over 12,000 spectators (plus many more perched on various viewing points). There was even an international trial match played there and Lower Grounds was, at the time, considered to be the sporting ‘mecca’ of Midlands. Even though thousands of people flocked to the Lower Grounds including the entertainment centre, the cost of its upkeep continued to rise and that saw several premium events being held at Lower Grounds including the F.A. Cup semi-finals of 1884 and 1886 and the bizarre Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Circus Show in boost the finances.

Now here’s a thought. What if in 1886 Warwickshire County Cricket Club had decided to opt for the Lower Grounds as their home instead of Edgbaston? The Villa Park as we know it today may not have been built on that site? Well, it was a possibility at that time and it provided food for thought for the WCCC committee members but fortunately, Lower Grounds was too close to the Staffordshire border for Warwickshire to play cricket (amongst other reasons).

In 1888, a significant development in the history of Aston Villa FC when William McGregor instigated the formation of the Football League but sceptics denounced it as a money making exercise to divide the elite clubs in England. Now that sounds familiar!

How history repeats itself? At this time, Villa’s home was still in Perry Barr and at the start of the first 1888/1889 season, the popularity of League football wasn’t great and didn’t whet the appetite of the locals, with one game at Perry Barr only attracting 600. Then in 1889, a second cycle track and pitch opened on the site of the ornamental lake (Dovehouse Pool) and it was duly nick-named ‘The New Meadow’, and it was on the exact site of the modern day stadium. However, it wasn’t until 1896 that Villa took over the lease and actually moved into ‘The New Meadow’, even though it was reported that they played several games at the ground during that period.

The 1890s were an unparalleled success for Aston Villa FC. Unbelievably, Villa were the Manchester United of the era – the giants of English football. Villa were well known in the game for their stylish play and commitment to fair play and from the late 1890s the recorded attendances were the highest in the land.

In 1889, William McGregor proposed that the club should be converted to a limited liability company.

Our noisy neighbours in Small Heath had already taken this step (and most other clubs were to follow suit in the years that followed). However, the members rejected the idea and what that meant was that Villa would have to remain at the Perry Barr ground.

Not only that, there was evidence that the club wasn’t being run properly and their affairs were at “sixes and sevens” and this supposedly led to indiscipline on and off the field.

34 The Villa Times Magazine

The early 1890s would see a change of board members, spearheaded by Joseph Ansell, son of the founder of Ansell’s brewery. They wanted to turn the club into a limited company and wanted to sign a lease for the Lower Grounds. Even though plans had been drawn up for the Lower Grounds it proved very difficult for Ansell to push his plans through. By the mid-1890s Villa were one of only a few clubs who hadn’t secured their own ground, even though they were deemed to be doing very well through the gate receipts at Perry Barr. Even back then, gate receipts accounted for around 40% of income (comparable to 100 years later in 1995/96 when gate receipts accounted for 43%).

Expenditure was also on the rise also with players and staff wages accounting for the majority (no change there). Something had to be done to ease the trend.

At last, in 1895 the Villa members agreed to the club becoming a limited company and wanted to pursue the expansion of the club. A plan was set out so that the new company could buy the whole of the Lower Grounds and to build a new base there. That was only after a number of options were drawn up and considered by the board members but the one which was favoured was for the redevelopment of the Lower Grounds from a (mainly) cycling and athletics venue into a football ground.

The move to Lower Grounds went through some twists and turns before the final agreement to move there was made in January 1896 and the ‘new’ club was formed (called Aston Villa Football Club Limited). It had been agreed with the Lower Grounds owner, Edger Flower that the club would rent the land for £300 per year with a 21-year lease. An architect was immediately appointed to save time and

by March 1896 the first set of plans had been drawn up and agreed. The plans included a track around the pitch and the main stand being on the east side (the Witton Lane side). On the Trinity Road side, there would only be a simple cover over the banking and there would be banking all-round the pitch and a capacity of 50,000 spectators.

By the May of 1896, Villa had won their second League Championship but still hadn’t secured a proper home, although the building work was progressing to the Lower Grounds. By the winter of 1896 the board asked for more funds to sanction the final phase of the development which would see Villa have the finest football ground in the country. It was hoped that the ground would be ready for midMarch 1897 when Villa were to entertain Liverpool but this date was too soon. It had also been hoped that the new ground would stage an England international fixture in April 1897 but the FA refused this on the grounds that it was too new and had never been used before.

The move from Perry Barr was slow but on March 22nd 1897, Perry Barr staged its last ever League match between Villa and Bolton Wonderers. Only 8,000 bothered to turn up to a game which had little significance because Villa were almost certain to win the title again. The game ended in victory for Villa by 6 – 2 (and Villa went onto win the double). The tim-

ing of the new ground was impeccable – just when Villa were to embark on securing the double.

Strictly speaking, the Lower Grounds sports venue wasn’t being opened - rather it was being re-opened as it had previously being used for cycling, athletics and football events between the years of 1889 and 1896. The opening game was played on the Easter Monday April 19th as Villa entertained Wolves on a fine but windy day where anything between 30,000 and 40,000 fans paid the same turn-style price of one shilling to watch the final League game of the season.

Until the ‘re-opening’ of Lower Grounds, Aston Villa were playing in a nice little cosy meadow in Perry Barr with a handful of wooden stands. Now they were about to take possession of one of the most advanced sporting theatres in Britain if not the world.

Aston Villa were to become and institution and a ‘super-club’.

The Villa Times Magazine 35

Picture of the Month

THE HOLTE END FLAG Picture of the Month by Michael McCafferty

Supporters Trust

Independent Supporters' Organisation Representing Villa Supporters

It is an exciting time to be part of the Aston Villa Supporters Trust as we welcome a new board, fresh faces and new ideas. It is the beginning of a new era for the Trust, which has continued to represent supporters on the issues which matter to you, the Aston Villa fans. We value the importance of being part of the decision-making process of the club we love and with the help of our loyal volunteers we believe we can make a huge difference on and off the field during the coming years. To assist our forward-thinking approach, the Trust is on the look-out for new members and you can join us for as little as £5 per year or you can become a free non-voting member by visiting http://www.villatrust.org.uk.

We are keen to build on the excellent relationship we already enjoy with the board of Aston Villa Football Club and members can join us at Villa Park for the Trust AGM on Thursday 24th October, which will include a Q&A session with Aston Villa CEO Paul Faulkner and CFO Robin Russell. The Aston Villa Supporters Trust will continue to build on the excellent work it has already carried out and we believe that with your help we can become a key part of the future of our beloved Villains…

The Past…

We pride ourselves on making a difference and one of our biggest achievements to date is our involvement in the permanent commemoration of William McGregor. The statue of the Founder of the Football League stands proudly outside of Villa Park and was sculpted thanks to generous donations from our members, supporters and the club. McGregor, a former Aston Villa Director, was the man who came up with the idea of an organised football league back on 2nd March 1888 and we felt it was only right that the man who gave us the Football League (and something to do on our Saturday afternoons!) be honoured accordingly.

McGregor once remarked, “I really believe that the game would have received a very severe check, and its popularity would have been paralysed once and for all, if the League had not been founded. I am not saying that football would have died, because football will never die. Even if the time should come when it ceases to be the highly organised sport it is today, it will still be the pastime of the juveniles, because it is not easy to conceive the introduction of a game which will prove its superior.” It was McGregor’s ambitious idea that made football what it is today and we believe it is important to carry on moving the sport, and Aston Villa Football Club, forward.

The Present…

The Supporters Trust is an independent organisation but we pride ourselves on our excellent professional

38 The Villa Times Magazine

relationships with the clubs, while we are affiliated to the Football Supporters Federation and Supporters Direct to ensure that fans are represented at a club and national level. It is our commitment to represent the views of supporters that stands us apart and we value the input of our members, new and old, on all Aston Villa related issues.

Furthermore, we believe that supporting local grass roots football is vital to ensure that the future generation of Aston Villa fans, and possibly even players who could go on to grace the hallowed turf of Villa Park, are given the opportunity to flourish.

The Future Our aim now is to drive the Supporters Trust and Aston Villa Football Club forward. We want to be involved in addressing Villa supporters’ issues, as well national campaigns involving Supporters Direct and the Football Supporters Federation, while also finding sponsorship for local kids’ football teams.

To achieve our goals and to ensure we can continue to represent Aston Villa fans we need volunteers to help with projects and the day-to-day running of the Trust.

In the long-term we hope to have some degree of fan shareholding again and a democratically elected supporter on the Aston Villa Club Board. With the help of Aston Villa fans, we believe we can make a difference by carrying on the forward-thinking work of the great William McGregor.

LEE HENDRIE’S

OF MY BEST GOALS

“I am proud of all I achieved in my career and looking back on those six moments is weird.

I can still remember them so clearly”

I was fortunate enough in my career to play for my boyhood club Aston Villa. It is every boys dream and I lived it. I was and am lucky. I have created this Ebook especially for those people who want to understand what it is like to score goals at the highest level. When writing it, I was amazed at how clearly I remember the goals, right down to the goal keeper I beat.

I am now on a mission to inspire 140,000 children to be physically and emotionally active every week. This is the mission behind my FootieBugs business.

At FootieBugs I have developed coaching techniques that combine traditional methods, with story-telling, adventure and modern techniques to help develop children both on and off the football field. It is my biggest hope that through reaching as many children as possible, I shall be able to help shape the stars of tomorrow and make sure they always know how to make the right decision both on and off the pitch.

I know that 6 is an odd number for a list like this one, but I was rebel in my playing days and I am a rebel now I am in business. So here goes...

The Villa Times Magazine 39

6 COVENTRY CITY 5 LEEDS UNITED 4 BOLTON W’DERS 1997–98

2006-07

2003-04

I am mostly associated with Villa but I had some good times with other clubs such as Blackpool, Sheffield United and Derby.

But I really enjoyed my time at Stoke City and I had great relationship with fans.

The Potters fans are some of the loudest I have ever played in front of. It was a free kick about 20 yards out. Sometimes you just know it is going to go for you. I stepped up and bent the ball over the wall. Tony Warner in goal had no chance. The ball spun into the top corner exactly where I had wanted to go. To be honest it was one of those games. We won 4-0. Elland Road is never an easy place to go so this was a great personal bonus for me on what was a good day anyway.

This is one of the first goals I ever scored and it was in front of the Holte End at Villa Park. We were playing Coventry and the atmosphere was electric as at the time this was our only local derby in the Premier League. As a young kid I was desperate to impress and I wanted to the fans to love me. The ball came to me on the edge of the box and using my left foot I pushed the ball forward, then faked to shoot with my left. I then cut inside and I was eye to eye with Ogrizovic the Coventry Keeper. Bear in mind that this was a guy nearly twice my age and a much respected keeper. But this was my moment. I kept my nerve, gave him the eyes and whipped the ball across him and into the net. There seemed to be a slight pause before the explosion of noise hit me. The fans were going wild. I didn’t know what to do. So I just ran towards them. I can remember thinking ‘ don’t jump into them, you’re not allowed to jump into them’. From that point in time I knew I had arrived. The feeling was just so pure.

40 The Villa Times Magazine

I chose this next one because it was just such a nice finish. This was a game against Bolton at the Reebok. The ball was cleared from defence and Gareth (Barry) brought the ball under control.

Gareth then played a high through ball right through the middle of the Bolton back line. I somehow had found myself further forward than I would usually be so I made a run. I beat the offside trap and the ball landed in front of me. Jaaskelainen came rushing out to me. I checked his position and realised I had a real opportunity. As the ball bounced I simply used the bounce to lift the ball over the keeper from about 25 yards out. The look on his face was really funny. It was a really cheeky goal and perhaps a slightly different finish from my usual type of goal.

3 IPSWICH TOWN 2 EVERTON 2000-01

2004-05

It’s always great to score past a keeper you know personally. And I used to love scoring against Richard Wright. I had played with Richard in Under 21s and he was a great keeper. I guess that having played with him and seeing how good he was first hand means I always valued the goals I scored past him. That’s why he appears twice in the list. It was at the start of the season and it was a baking hot day.

I always loved playing the sun. The crowds were always livelier. I remember Merse (Paul Merson) started the move. It came to me, I took one touch and crashed in to the far top right hand corner. It got us off to a really good start that season.

It’s my old mate Richard Wright again.

But this time he was playing for Everton. I was going through a bit of run of scoring and this was one of those days again when I just knew it was going to drop for me. There was some great build up play by two superb players; Nobby Solano and Juan Pablo Angel. Juan, got the ball and laid it off to me. I took a slight touch and palced the ball once again into the top right hand corner. The ball seemed to hang in the air before dropping. It was almost a lob. You would have thought that Richard might have seen it coming really.

1 CRYSTAL PALACE 2004-05

This was simply the best strike of my life.

We were playing Crystal Palace at Villa Park. This goal put us one nil up. I nutmegged Ben Watson. There is nothing more satisfying than doing this to an member of the other team. Having slipped the ball through his legs, I collected it and from about 30 yards out wrapped my foot around the ball. From the moment the ball left my foot the keeper was beaten. He had no chance.

The ball flew through the air bent over the keeper and crashed into the top corner. Seeing that ball nestle in the top corner was a massive buzz. It was just an amazing strike and the best of my career.

The Villa Times Magazine 41

J Leyfield ames

Villa Showbiz News

Mad Villa fan James is TV Editor at showbiz news agency BANG Showbiz, who he joined as showbiz reporter in 2011. His diverse music taste – ranging from Slipknot to Taylor Swift, with a bit of N-Dubz thrown in – is the envy of his colleagues.

When he's not stalking Caroline Flack, he's reading about what Tulisa and Taylor have been up to and longing for the day NDubz and B*Witched get back together. Follow him on Twitter @JamesJourn

Wills put through his paces by Owen

Bell watches Villa to inspire Ashes assault

After announcing he is quitting the military to become a fulltime royal, Villa fan Prince William has been showing off his football skills once again.

The 31-year-old royal wore a pair of Wayne Rooney's orange boots to have a kickabout with Royal Household staff before a football match was staged at Buckingham Palace in October.

He was put through his paces

by Michael Owen – hopefully the former England star didn't mention the 2010 League Cup final – and I would like to think he donned his Villa shorts for the occasion, but perhaps not if he didn't want to be reminded of the Wembley occasion.

I'm happy to report Phil Dowd was not the referee for the game at the Palace, but Wills did advise the players not to bust any windows because Queen Elizabeth would not be best pleased. Oooo ER. 42 The Villa Times Magazine

It was great to see Ian Bell showing off our famous claret and blue colours after England's latest Ashes win. The cricketer wasted no time in grabbing his new Villa shirt to wear in a picture with the famous urn after England had taken the Aussies apart with ease in a 3-0 series win this summer.

Bell's column in the official matchday programme may not be something that lives long in the memory, but his expert batting which helped England to Ashes victory - he scored the most runs (562), had the highest batting average (62.4), scored the most centuries (three) and hit the most fours (75) - certainly will. As will the iconic image of him parading a cricket trophy every Englishman associated with the game would love to get their hands on at some point in their career.

Bell's brilliance throughout the Ashes was no doubt inspired by Villa's victorious escape from the relegation trap door at the end of last season.

While Australia didn't put up too much of a fight, it will be a different story in the next series Down Under next month, but Bell will no doubt be in fine form again as he has been getting in the mood for the challenge by watching our famous European Cup win in 1982 against Bayern Munich over and over again.

When asked what his favourite ever Villa game is, he told The Sun newspaper: "It’s got to be the 1982 European Cup final, though I was only born that year, so was obviously too young to go to it. However, I’ve watched it many, many times since and it doesn’t get much better

than that. Oh how I’d love those days back at Villa!"

While Bell can certainly be considered one of the mature players in the England cricket squad nowadays, the future is looking good not just for England but for our young lions as well. Like many of us, he is happy with Lambert and prepared to wait for success just like he had to do when he first broke into the England squad.

Speaking about Villa, he said: "We seem to be building a young squad with heaps of potential. Paul Lambert has got us moving in the right direction and I genuinely think if we keep building like this, the future will look very bright."

Potential looks to be the key and Bell knows only too well how important it is to keep faith in players who might not be doing it every week - he is a prime example. It's fair to say he has not always fired on all cylinders for England, but just like Villa have to do with some of the players who aren't performing to their best week in week out this season - Matt Lowton and Ashley Westwood spring to mind - if they are nurtured along then we could end up with a football version of Ian Bell.

Like Bell, someone who may not have hit the ground running but who can steer us to success at the highest level as the Warwickshire star did against the Aussies recently. And like Bell, a skilful player in the middle order who is more than capable when playing an offensive or defensive way.

Step onto the pitch Fabian Delph, it's your turn to bat us to success.

The Villa Times Magazine 43

FEATURE

O

n Saturday July 12th 2014, the day before the FIFA World Cup Final, the prestigious LG Arena will host the inaugural Club Legends Cup in support of Cure Leukaemia.

Legendary players and managers of yesteryear from Aston Villa, Birmingham City, West Bromwich Albion, Coventry City, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Walsall along with two more mystery teams will lock horns in a unique indoor football tournament. It's unique because fans all over the Midlands will have the chance to become legends for the day.

Fans will have the opportunity to bid for five places in each squad along with the manager’s position giving them the chance to line up next to or coach their heroes for a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. The money raised from the auctions will go directly to Cure Leukaemia. Tickets are now on sale via Ticket Factory with adult tickets priced at £10 and under-16s at £2 plus booking fees.

Former Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper and tournament ambassador Matt Murray said: “I am very excited about being involved in

44 The Villa Times Magazine

can do better so this is perfect opportunity for them to show us in person! I think it will be a memorable tournament for everyone involved and hopefully we will raise a huge amount of money for a great charity in the process. I look forward to lining up with some of my old teammates as well and you can be sure that we will want to win!”

Previous former player football tournaments have proved hugely successful over

their own penalty shoot out in front of a packed arena.

Former Aston Villa midfielder and tournament ambassador Lee Hendrie said: “I can’t wait for this tournament, to put the Claret & Blue shirt back on and take on our local rivals at an arena like the LG will be very special. The fans are the lifeblood of any football club and to have them playing such an integral part in the day will be a

“The fans are the lifeblood of any football club and to have them playing such an integral part in the day will be a great reward for their loyal support over the years” the last decade but at this event the fans will be participants as well as spectators. One fan from each team will have to be on the pitch at all times joining the likes of Matt Murray, Lee Hendrie, Darren Purse, Darren Moore, Michael Johnson and many more legends of Midlands football. Also, after each match the fan members of each team will then have

great reward for their loyal support over the years. It's bringing the Midlands together and so what better charity to support than Cure Leukaemia who help save lives all over the region.”

Lucky children will also have the chance to play in the LG Arena in ‘The Little Legends Cup’ supported by Footie Bugs that will take

Villa fans given the chance to become a legend for the day

place earlier in the day. In addition, we will hold a ‘Ladies Legends’ match as a precursor to the Club Legends Cup. More details will follow nearer the time.

Former Birmingham City Captain and tournament ambassador Darren Purse said: “I’ve been behind this event from the start, I know it is going to be a memorable day supporting a great cause. The buzz you get from Derby matches is very special to both players and fans. To experience those rivalries once more playing with the fans we once played for will be such a special experience and one I am really looking forward to.”

It will be an event for the whole family with a host of fun activities all around the venue and all money raised from the day will be in aid of Cure Leukaemia.

Football and leukaemia have sadly been closely linked in recent years with former Wolves and England Midfielder Geoff Thomas and former Aston Villa Captain Stiliyan Petrov contracting the disease. Both men were treated by Professor Charlie Craddock at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham so holding a football event in aid of the charity that supports him made per-

fect sense.

Free Radio will be media partners for the showpiece event and the draw for the tournament will take place on Tom Ross’ Free Radio 80s Goalzone show on Monday December 9th. The tournament ambassador said: “Myself and Free Radio are thrilled to be a part of this event. I hear the passion of the fans around this region every day and for them to have this opportunity to represent the club they love with the players they have idolised is surely an experience not to be missed! This is their chance to show what

they can do when the chips are down and the pressure is well and truly on!”

Chief executive of Cure Leukaemia James McLaughlin said: “We’ve been blown away by the support and enthusiasm shown by the players when we approached them about this idea. It will be an event that is totally unique and hopefully one to treasure for the lucky fans that have the opportunity to play. Cure Leukaemia are a Midlands charity so it made perfect sense to hold an event that will bring all ages and the whole region together.”

The Villa Times Magazine 45

HISTORY

46 The Villa Times Magazine

Season

Close A

So

By Adam Keeble

Adam Keeble looks back at a season of highs and lows of Villa’s 1989 90 season in which Villa came close to winning the title.

Aston Villa started the 1989-90 season knowing changes would have to be made.

Graham Taylor has secured promotion in his first season at the Villa helm, but only managed to keep his team out of the bottom three by one point on the final day of the season with a 1-1 draw against Coventry.

Given that form, there would be low expectations nationwide for AVFC as the new season got underway but those who doubted GT would be proved very wrong indeed.

Funds were raised for the new campaign with the sale of Alan MacInally, last season’s top scorer, for £1.1m to Bayern Munich.

Defender Martin Keown also departed right before the start of the new season to Everton for £750,000.

Among the new recruits were Paul McGrath – a steal from Manchester United at £400,000. McGrath had fallen out with Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford over his personal problems and his reoccurring injured knees.

Despite an enquiry from Ron Atkinson, his former boss at MUFC and then manager at Sheffield Wednesday, he joined Villa along with Danish defender Kent Neilson, who

joined from Brøndby for £500,000. Former Everton striker Adrian Heath returned to England when he joined Villa from Espanol, but would only make nine appearances and fail to score a league goal. He would leave for Manchester City in January.

After a nervy finish to the previous season, it would be an equally anxious start to the new campaign. The first game of the season was at Nottingham Forest where despite going ahead through Derek Mountfield, Garry Parker (a player who would join AVFC in the years ahead) equalised with a long shot. A home game against Liverpool in front of nearly 37,000 saw the Reds go ahead when John Barnes tormented new Villa signing Andy Comyn to score a curling shot. Comyn was a former Manchester United junior and had joined Villa in the summer from Alvechurch for a token fee.

David Platt opened his account for the season with a well-taken equalizer.

Ian Olney helped win a point at home to Charlton with the goal in a 1-1 draw before a trip to The Dell. Southampton would miss a chance to score when former Villa striker Paul Rideout flubbed a penalty, but despite Platt scoring, the Saints would take all the

points – the winning goal to make it 2-1 was a trademark screamer from Jimmy Case.

The first win of the season came at home to Spurs with Ian Olney scoring both goals in a 2-0 win. But a trip to Hillsborough, and a goal from Sheffield Wednesday striker Dalian Atkinson (another player who would eventually become a crowd favorite for Villa) saw GT’s team leave empty handed.

A first-leg win over Wolves in the League Cup was a nice distraction before a terrible game at Villa Park against QPR. David Platt put Villa ahead, but player-manager and former Birmingham City star Trevor Francis scored a long shot, a header and a volley to register a hat-trick and win the game 3-1.

He was 35 years old at the time.

But this was followed by a good run of form and some hard-earned results culminating in the biggest win of the season – and a result that turned many heads to a resurgent Aston Villa.

A fortunate 1-0 win over Derby County (where future Villa favorite Dean Saunders would go close for the Rams but fail to score) started a climb up the table. A 1-1 tie in the League Cup return leg at Wolves was enough to see Villa into the next round The Villa Times Magazine 47

HISTORY

ahead of a win at Luton Town thanks to Derek Mountfield.

A win at Manchester City with goals from Tony Daley and Ian Olney showed great improvement. A midweek 0-0 tie in the League Cup with West Ham would need a replay.

Crystal Palace came to Villa Park spearheaded by their infamous Mark Bright and Ian Wright forward line, but would be beaten 2-1. David Platt scored both Villa goals while Alan Pardew scored the Palace consolation goal.

But it was the 6-2 demolition of Everton in a live televised game that brought Villa and especially David Platt into the public eye.

Cowans opened the scoring with a right foot shot, Olney added one then Platt scored a beautiful glanced header to give the team a 3-0 win at half-time. Platt teased former team mate Martin Keown to make it 4-0 before Olney added his second and Kent Nielson scored his first in a Villa shirt to make in 6-0. Gordon Cowans was at his peak, switching the ball across the field and unlikely winger Ian Ormondroyd tore up the left wing. It was Everton’s biggest league defeat in 12 years and it’s no coincidence Dave Platt was called up to the England squad in

48 The Villa Times Magazine

the wake of this win.

A disappointing 2-0 defeat to Norwich was followed by a 4-1 win over local rivals Coventry. Ian Ormondroyd scored two, Trevor Peake scored an own goal and Platt scored a powerful penalty to wrap up the points.

A 2-0 win over Wimbledon saw Tony Daley terrorize the Londoners. His cross to David Platt opened the scoring and he netted a fine solo effort for the second. The win took Villa up to second place in the league.

Forest were beaten 2-1 with goals from Olney and Platt in the league, but after beating Hull City in the Zenith Data Systems Cup, Forest would knock Villa out in the next round.

Villa took the game to Liverpool at Anfield, and Olney scored after John Barnes was carried off with another hamstring injury flareup. The game finished 1-1.

Tony Cascarino (more on him later…) would open the scoring for Millwall at The Den in a 2-0 defeat for Villa before a run of games against Manchester United, defending champions Arsenal and Chelsea.

In front of 41, 000 fans at Villa Park on Boxing Day, Villa beat Manchester United 3-

0 with second-half goals from Olney, Platt and Kevin Gage. That was followed by a great display against Arsenal. David Platt, in top form, twisted Gunners defender David O’Leary (a Villa manager in-waiting) in knots before opening the scoring. Derek Mountfield added a powerful header after springing the famous Arsenal offside trap to make it 20 before Tony Adams pulled one back.

The 3-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge could have been worse for the Blues.

Kevin Gage scored a deflected opener before Tony Daley blew by former Villa player Tony Dorigo to add a spectacular second before Platt scored a header. Ian Ormondroyd missed a sitter that would have been the icing on the cake. Villa had climbed back to second in the league, two points behind leaders Liverpool.

The FA Cup 3rd Round saw Villa draw at Blackburn Rovers 2-2 (Olney, Ormondroyd) before winning the replay 3-1 at Villa Park (Ormondroyd, Daley, David May og). They would beat Port Vale 6-0 in the fourth round. The ZDS campaign rolled on with a 2-0 win over Leeds (Gray, Platt) but Villa lost to Middlesbrough over two legs in the next round.

All of which was secondary to what was

turning into an incredible league campaign.

Charlton were beaten 2-0 with the opener from Derek Mountfield coming inside three minutes. Tony Daley created the second when he powerful shot was deflected in by a defender. A crowd of more than 33,000 were at Villa Park to see Villa take on Southampton. Ian Ormondroyd, in arguably his best form in a claret and blue shirt, hit the bar and another shot was cleared off the line but Gage and Daley made sure Villa took all three points in a 2-1 win. Villa finished the game top of the league with a game in hand, joint on points with Liverpool.

Another home game followed against Sheffield Wednesday, and while Dalian Atkinson had an early chance to score and David Hirst was a constant threat, David Platt netted the winner from a Tony Daley cross. Trevor Francis came on as a substitute for Wednesday having moved from QPR but couldn’t repeat his heroics from earlier in the season. The Villa fans, predictably enough, booed his every touch.

Tony Daley wrapped up a 2-0 win with a late winner in the FA Cup at the Hawthorns before a huge game at White Hart Lane.

Spurs were on the back foot all game and when the ball dropped to Ormondroyd at

the edge of the box he crushed it to put Villa ahead. A Gary Mabbutt foul (and a rare sight: David Platt, who was tripped, appealing to the referee NOT to book the Spurs’ defender) led to the second goal that secured the win. Villa had won seven league games in a row, were top of the league outright and still had their game in hand.

But another Villa-player-to-be, John Fashanu, took the wind out of their sails.

Fashanu, who would join Villa in 1994, scored both goals for Wimbledon at Villa Park to win 2-0. Platt saw an early penalty saved by Hans Segers.

More misery would follow with a 2-0 defeat to Coventry. Nigel Spink kept the Coventry strikers David Speedie and Cyrille Regis (who would join Villa under Ron Atkinson) at bay, but two second half goals in just 90 seconds would wrap up the points and send Villa back home to face Luton Town.

Tony Daley scored a memorable goal demonstrating all his pace and technique from the halfway line to shake off any doubts and Platt added a second to get Villa back to winning ways against the Hatters. After an FA Cup exit at Oldham, Villa would head to Derby County still on top of the league by two points, but their precious game in hand

had gone.

They would be joined at Derby by a new £1.1m record signing: Tony Cascarino. The striker had scored 11 goals for Millwall and he put in a promising performance. Only a fine save from Peter Shilton, and a blatant handball from Mark Wright, kept him from scoring on his debut. In the end it was Ian Ormondroyd who netted the winner from a Daley cross and took Villa five points clear.

But a poor run of form would shake Villa’s belief. A 1-1 draw at QPR was salvaged by a Kent Nielson equalizer after Andy Sinton and Roy Wegerle had threatened all game.

More bad luck in London followed when Garry Thompson, who moved to Crystal Palace from Villa via Watford, scored the winner at Selhurst Park.

Back at Villa Park, the visit of struggling Manchester City offered no respite. Platt danced in the area before setting up a Gordon Cowans strike to take the lead but City hit back and Peter Reid gave City a 2-1 win and all three points.

Arsenal, who were in third, hammered Villa at Highbury in a must-win game, but the Gunners couldn’t find the back of the net. Alan Smith could have had a hat-trick but Villa won with a goal from an unlikely The Villa Times Magazine 49

HISTORY

hero. After heading over a little earlier, Chris Price was sprung from right back by a beautiful Cascarino reverse pass, beat the keeper and led the celebrations in front of the Villa fans with just five minutes to go.

Cascarino was involved in the win over Chelsea that followed. His left foot shot was parried and fell to Cowans who bundled it in for a 1-0 win. But Liverpool had hit form.

Ahead of the game that was billed as the title decider, the Reds were a point clear of Villa with a game in hand – and AVFC’s next game was at Manchester United, who had also found some form.

Les Sealey (who would play for Villa in 1991) denied Villa in the United goal and Mark Robins scored two spectacular goals to win the game and all but end Villa’s championship charge.

The remainder of the season saw seven goals, but only one win. Platt netted the winner against Millwall (managed by former

50 The Villa Times Magazine

against Everton. Cascarino opened the game with two goals: one for Villa and an own goal for the Toffees. Mike Newell put Everton ahead before a spectacular Cowans free kick and a Daley run and shot made it 3-2 to Villa. However, Kevin Sheedy would net a penalty and level the score.

Villa might have fallen short of the championship, but David Platt’s 24 goals (19 in the league) saw him voted PFA player of the year and manager Graham Taylor was appointed as the England manager after the Villa favorite Bruce Rioch) but two messy games ended the year with a feeling of anti- 1990 World Cup – a tournament that would further enhance David Platt’s career. climax.

Villa were 3-1 up against Norwich with 10 Though they struggled in the immediate minutes to go, thanks to Paul McGrath, Cas- wake of Taylor’s departure, and in some of the years that followed over the next 20 carino’s first goal in a Villa shirt and a third years, it was Graham Taylor who took Villa from Platt. But in a four minute burst, Mountfield scored an own goal while trying back into the top flight, restored their confito deny Tim Sherwood and Robert Rosario dence and reminded the football league that the top division is where Aston Villa Football made it 3-3 at the death.

Club belong.

Bizarrely enough, another 3-3 followed

David Platt’s 24 goals saw him voted PFA player of the year and called up for 1990 World Cup – a tournament that would further enhance Platt’s career

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INTERVIEW

52 The Villa Times Magazine

Vinny Peculiar

A Lion at heart

V

Interview By Jason Connolly

inny Peculiar aka Alan Wilkes is a Manchester based singer-songwriter and poet. He’s released nine albums of lyrical art-pop music to considerable critical acclaim, created SOUP ART with Bill Drummond [KLF, The 17], collaborated with Luke Haines [The Auteurs] and opened for Edwyn Collins, British Sea Power and The Killers. His various bands have included ex members of The Smiths, The Fall, Aztec Camera & OASIS. His recent project Parlour Flames is collaboration with ex OASIS guitarist Bonehead, their eponymously titled Cherry Red debut album was released in May 2013.

Parlour Flames is a musical collaboration between former OASIS rhythm guitarist Bonehead [aka Paul Arthurs] and the Manchester based singer songwriter & poet Vinny Peculiar [aka Alan Wilkes].

Since leaving OASIS in 1999 Bonehead has worked on projects with Andy Rourke & Mike Joyce [The Smiths], he’s also toured with Thailand’s Sek Loso and spent a spell co-hosting the Manchester Music Show on BBC Radio Manchester. Bonehead played bass in Vinny’s band on a string of European shows in 2007 and

The Villa Times Magazine 53

INTERVIEW

band on a string of European shows in 2007 and guitar on the Vinny Peculiar album Other People Like Me [2011].

Vinny continues to write & perform as a solo artist collaborating with Luke Haines [the Auteurs], Bill Drummond [SOUP ART, The 17] and Smiths rhythm section Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke who joined his band in 2004 - 2007 releasing nine albums of semi confessional outsider art-pop music.

Vinny and Bonehead have co-written & produced all the songs on PARLOUR FLAMES, playing the guitars, basses, pianos and keyboards, with vocals and lyrics by Vinny. The record features Che Beresford [Badly Drawn Boy] on drums and percussion, Semay Woo on cellos, Anna Zweck [Samson & Delilah] on flute and backing vocals, Bob Marsh [Badly Drawn Boy, I Am Kloot] on trumpets & fugal horn. Ollie Collins [Cherry Ghost] also played bass on a couple of tracks. The record was engineered by Dave Fyfe, and produced by Parlour Flames in Boneheads home studio.

Who was your favourite player to ever don the Claret & Blue?

I would say Chico Hamilton, a midfielder from the 70’s... Probably before your time!! He just looked other wordly, a very creative player.

What is your most memorable Villa game?

My dad started taking me to home games from I was about 7 years old but I’d say the 1971 League Cup final against Tottenham at Wembley.

We took a coach down to London from the Midlands and it’s always stood out in my mind, the only unfortunate thing was the result - we lost 20.

Who would you say is your favourite Villa manager?

I’ll say John Gregory - I loved that he was a bit eccentric! I was doing a gig in London recently and he was there but I was too nervous to speak to him! 3 days later, he tweeted me and I was absolutely over the moon! In recent times, Martin O’Neill is close second. I also really liked Tommy Doherty because he was a bit eccentric like John!!

How do you think the club can improve and push on for the future?

I’d say hang on to the young players that we have - especially Christian Benteke. I’m not convinced on big spending being the way forward - I like Paul Lambert’s management style and ethos, bringing in hungry youngsters and developing them. The spirit this season from players like Delph has been fantastic, the fans have really bought in to it and are extremely positive about what the manager is trying to do.

What positions need strengthened in January?

I’d have loved to have got Gareth Barry back in the summer before he went to Everton, we’re still missing an anchorman type player in midfield.

We haven’t had a midfield general so to speak since we lost Stan.

Of the current squad, who has impressed you the most?

I really like Nathan Baker, he epitomizes the Paul Lambert’s Villa, he’s fearless and has great spirit and a brilliant hairstyle! I also think very highly of Leandro Bacuna, he’s a very interesting player and extremely skillful and as he’s shown against Manchester City and Cardiff, he can take a cracking free kick!

Moving away from football, your band, The Parlour Flames, filmed a music video at Villa Park, what was that like?

It was a glorious day! I’m the only Villa fan in the band and had never taken the stadium tour, so to film pitch side, beside the Holte End and in the changing rooms was amazing - I was beside Benteke and Petrov shirts, so that was brilliant. The song itself is about ‘The Holy Trinity Of Hurt’ and is titled ‘Pop Music, Football & Girls.’

How would you describe your music to someone who doesn’t know of the band?

Psychedelic, very English. There is a lot of rock elements with guitars, our guitarist is Bonehead who was formerly in Oasis. The songs are stories of events, narratives of being on the road, altercations, Sunday afternoons in the 70’s, etc.

What’s next for the band, any tours, new albums upcoming?

We did all the big festivals - Glastonbury, Isle of Wight, so we’re taking a break from touring and are going to focus on writing new songs. There’s also a new Vinny Peculiar album coming out in March 2014 called ‘The Root Mull Affect’ which is being released by Cherry Red Records who were also behind The Parlour Flames album.

54 The Villa Times Magazine

Finally, what would represent a good season for Villa?

Mid table would be good but I’d love to finish in the top half or even higher, that would be a massive improvement on last season.

‘Vinny Peculiar is all about the words.

Looking and singing a bit like Elvis Costello in wig and baseball cap, it’s hard to work out what’s more entertaining the story-cum-songs or the preceding self-deprecating monologues. Clutching his guitar, he gyrates and jack-knifes round the stage like a busker desperate for 20p to get into the tube station toilets. Endearing and irreverent’.

MEN LIVE reviews

The Villa Times Magazine 55

The Bromsgrove Lions on tour at the Birmingham Xmas German Market

Kenny Oldham and Martin Binks with his copy of the Villa Times

Freddie Ennis and his beloved Villa Toilet, from Australia

Matty Lavell with his copy of the Villa Times

Mick Fulford with Dan Wa Martin Chambers f

V illa W o rld....

Irish Lions on tour at the Sacred Heart Aston

56 The Villa Times Magazine

Phil Gray and James Leyfield with there copy of the Villa Times

Chris McHugh with his twin boys Neil Rioch and John Power from the Waterford Lions James & Alfie at there first Villa game

Sue Day with baby son Alfie

ayland from Essex and from Glasgow

John Billinger with his new Book

Steve Collins, Paddy O’Reilly and Billy Power at the Sacred Heart

Villa Supporters Team in Australia

Our Dave Lawely with Benteke

Spot Noddy, Gordon Smith, Scott McLoughlin and Noddy - Eugene O’Rielly

Send us your pictures to be in next months magazine and be in the chance to WIN great prizes

The Villa Times Magazine 57

INTERVIEW

There’s just something about going down the Villa!

By Ashley Preece

From B6 to Brisbane, life-long Villa fan Troy Eccles shares his memories, his heroes and his views on the current set-up exclusively to the Villa Times.

It is exactly 10,276 miles from Brisbane to Villa Park, although Troy still feels very much at home with his beloved claret and blues.

“Even today I can’t get a whiff of a cigar without thinking about the Witton Lane stand – it stank of them,” said Troy.

The former Witton Laner was born in Sydney after his Mother’s family came over on a slow boat from the UK. In 1978, aged just six, he followed his Mum back to the UK and it was at that time he was faced with the all-important question from his adopted Father: “Who should we support?”

Troy said: “Imagine a six year old from Sydney coming over in the mid-70s. My knowledge of football was very limited.

From memory I cycled through the Liverpool's and Man United's but my Dad told me they were too far away.

“My Dad suggested picking someone in Birmingham. How’s Aston Villa, I asked.”

“That’s a great choice, Troy” said his Dad, “Villa it is. Well done!”

Little did Troy know but his Dad actually played for Villa’s youth team and famously

58 The Villa Times Magazine

Little did Troy know but his Dad actually played for Villa’s youth team and famously struck a hat-trick past rivals West Brom. What a legend!

struck a hat-trick past rivals West Brom.

What a legend!

“What? WHAT?! So that whole ‘who should we support’ thing was a sham? Well played, Dad. Well played,” said Troy.

While some things were meant to be, Troy’s stay in the UK wasn’t. Aged 14 he moved back to Sydney and hasn’t been back to Villa Park since Villa’s emphatic 4-1 victory over Tottenham on Boxing Day in 1997.

(Mark Draper and Stan Collymore with two goals each) In the eight years he was living in Birmingham, Troy and his Dad were frequent visitors to the hallowed ground. Troy loved everything about the day and the aura surrounding going down the Villa.

Troy, father of two boys called Spencer Villan Eccles and Mason McGregor Eccles,

passionately shares his memories in an indepth interview. Enjoy.

“It was all about the atmosphere. Parking in Electric Avenue and walking to the ground. Seeing Tony Morley bomb down that wing, my Mum yelling ‘Come on Tone’.

It was just a day, you know – from start to finish.

“My Nan used to knit me all manner of jumpers and beanies and I had people coming up to the folks asking where they could buy it from. I had Villa everything. I really was a bit mad for the Villa.”

Despite sitting in the Witton Lane most of the time, Troy once sat behind a certain Kate Bush in the Trinity stand. “I remember that because as a kid I used to do the ‘woah, woah, woah’ bit from Wuthering Heights in a burp and really wanted to show her,” Troy

recalled.

He was also popular at school after bribing the cameraman at Villa Park with a sweet during a game. Troy said: “One year – I think against Man United or Liverpool – the cameraman in front of us said if I gave him a black fruit pastel he’d put me on TV! And he did. Every kid at school saw that.”

Troy also revealed how his Mum never went the Villa again after an ill-tempered affair with neighbours Wolves. “The worst game was against the Wolves,” Troy explained. “There was massive trouble afterwards with house bricks flying everywhere.

What a nightmare! My Mum never went again.”

Here we asked Troy some quick-fire questions about his memories of his Villa…

Who has stood out for you in all the years of following the mighty Villa?

Troy: “Quite a few but mostly old school, you know? I really have a hard time admiring the multi-millionaires of today because there's little loyalty, they make way too much money and they’re all younger than me – making me finally realise that, at 41, my time to make it in the top flight it running out!

Players that stood out for me were Sid Cowans of course. Sir Brian. Gary Shaw.

Tony Morley was ace – my God, what a player!

Absolute favourite though? That's tough.

Gordon Cowans, I'd say. Oh, I almost forgot about God himself, Paul McGrath, though I think my appreciation for him only came at a

later age when I moved from midfield to being a defender. Ask me tomorrow and I'll tell you something different.”

Have you any plans to return to Villa Park one day?

Troy: “It was always my life plan to come back to the UK regularly. Not just for the Villa though. I've still got two older brothers there and friends. But kids tend to throw a spanner into the works. A good spanner, don't get me wrong, but a spanner nonetheless.

The plan, as I said, is for me to bring the lads in a couple of years. Villa just has 'something’, you know? Maybe all teams do. I suspect that the Glory Hunting element and the Top 4 rubbish might dilute that effect for those teams but there's just something about going down the Villa. Even today, when the commentary is about to start and the camera pans around the ground, the sound on the TV gets cranked way up for that special moment. And it always makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

"Hello and welcome to Villa Park..."

God, I love that!

Well, my feeling is that when you go to Villa Park you get the sense of history and the knowledge that we are all a part of a team in history who gave league football to the world. We pioneered a lot of things. We were there from the start. It's truly wonderful.”

When you were a kid and you were having a game with your friends or at school was there a particular player you tried to model

yourself on?

I played in goal a bit in primary school and was always Jimmy Rimmer. Sir Brian of Little would have been my inspiration but even as a kid I knew his hair style was truly awful. That would never have gone well with Nan's jumpers!

What do you make of Paul Lambert’s current Villa set-up?

Torn – that’s probably the word that sums it up best. Randy has the cash (especially now he's sold his American Football team) so he could push the boat out to reinforce the team somewhat.

But (and there's always a 'but'), I do like that Lambert is trying to spot raw, inexpensive talent. I think this is what real football is about. Find a young kid, bring him in and see what he's all about.

Mix that with a bit of local talent from the youth team and then add that bit of quality that costs a bit more. That's a club that's intriguing and sustainable.

Proper football. Not this ‘let's go and loan £500m from the bank and continually re-finance’ football.

And finally, if you could bring back one player from any era to play again in this Villa side today, who would you pick?

My first thought was Cowans to feed the forward line but I do think that we have enough quality in midfield, just not the intelligence up front. So I'll go for Brian Little. He'd drag us out of this!

The Villa Times Magazine 59

SHOPPING

www.shop.avfc.co.uk

WEAR

FASHION

1

The new Aston Villa fashion range is out now and we have picked a few favourites.

Avaliable in both adlut and kids sizes, the new range can be purchased online at www.shop.avfc.co.uk and any official AVFC club store

NEW LOOKS FOR 2013/14

4

5

3

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1 Aston Villa Parka Jacket £50 Faux fur lined hood, Draw string belt for improved fit, Two front box pockets, One chest pocket andShowerproof An essential for the colder months the Aston Villa Parka Jacket lets you walk the streets showing your pride for the club with its subtle lion embroidery.

4 Aston Villa 1874 Vintage TShirt £12 As part of the Aston Villa Vintage range this classic looking 1874 t-shirt can be proudly worn by any supporter at home or around Villa Park.

5 Women's Polo Shirt £21 The all occasions classic our Aston Villa women's polo shirt is ideal for everyday 2 Pinstripe Polo Shirt £25 The all occasions classic, our Aston Villa wear. pinstripe polo shirt uses a white pinstripe design to complete the everyday 6 Padded Gilet £40 look Designed to keep your arms 3 Women's Essential Fleece free whilst Hoodie £28 The all occasions classic our Aston Villa staying warm with our padded women's essential hoodie in blue is ideal for the everyday casual wardrobe. gilet

6

All featured products are available in official club stores and online at www.shop.avfc.co.uk 60 The Villa Times Magazine

INTERVIEW

Paul Whitecross Villa Times Subscriber

Boss at the Britannia Arms, USA

Subscriber and Villa fan, Paul Whitecross is a publican in the US and is getting his Villa fix from the Villa Times. Paul has taken the time to answer a few questions

Paul was born in Birmingham and lived in King's Heath. His dad took him to his first Villa game when he was eight years old, which was John Robson International 11 v.

Aston Villa in 1978, a game that ended up being 6-6. Paul went on to move to the United States in 1992 after four years career in the Royal Engineers.

Paul went on to buy The Britannia Arms, or The Brit as the locals call it, in Monterey opening in 1999. It's as close as you can get to a traditional pub. I've got 24 beers on tap, and serve a full English breakfast 7 days a week. Paul most favorite customer and Villa celeb, without doubt, was Peter Withe. :) He was in Monterey for a few days and even literally gave him the shirt off his back (which happened to be a Villa one.

The Brit has Villa memorabilia all over the pub. There are a fair few Villa fans in the area, and we get together and watch the games at the pub as often as we can. Paul remembers when you used to have to travel miles away to watch just one game live over here, now football is exploding here in America, and the premier league is by far the most popular. NBC has just signed the rights to the premier league this season, and are airing ALL 380 premier league games LIVE for free. Brilliant!

Favourite all time Villa Playet?

Fave player....Peter Withe, and visted my pub Best Villa Match?

Game.....Came over just for this game well worth it.The 5-1 dismantling of blues.

Fav Villa Manager Manager...Big Ron Fondest Villa Memory?

Memory....Dennis Mortimer's testimonial, managing to get on the pitch and doing a lap of honour while he was carried by the Villa faithful. And watching my mate fill his pockets with turf from the goal mouth the same night...classic

The Villa Times Magazine 61

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Travel

Harbour View, a pub with coastal views

Wednesday 1st Janaury Kick Off 15:00

The Club moved to the stadium of light in 1997, after leaving their former home of Roker Park where they had played for 99 years. The stadium is of a good size, is totally enclosed and on the whole is quite impressive. It is composed of two three tiered stands (at the North end and the West side of the pitch), whilst the others are two tiered. The West Stand on one side also has a row of executive boxes, that are situated just below the top tier. Currently, with half the stadium being larger than the other, it looks a little imbalanced, when looking from the away section in the South Stand. However, if at some point the Club were to add an additional tier to the two remaining sides, then an even more remarkable stadium would emerge. There is also a large electronic scoreboard perched upon the roof at either end.

Outside the stadium there is a statue of former FA Cup winning manager Bob Stokoe, as well as some reminders of the former Wearmouth Colliery, on the site of which the stadium was built.

Behind the West Stand there is a large red wheel, an emblem of the lifts that used to take the miners down to the mines. Also outside one corner of the stadium is a large miners lamp. If you feel a little mischievous, then ask the nearest Sunderland fan whether it is a Geordie Lamp.

Away fans are now housed in the Upper Tier of the North Stand at one end of the stadium, where around 3,000 fans can be housed. Although the facilities are fine in this area, you do have to climb a large number of flights of stairs to reach this top

tier. It almost feels if this area has been 'tucked in' under the stadium roof, as it comes down over this section. It means that if you are sitting towards the back of the tier, then although you can see the pitch, you get a limited view of the majority of the rest of the stadium, giving the feeling of being a bit cut off from it all.

When people ask me which grounds are 'the best' to visit, then Sunderland inevitably comes out as one of my top five recommendations. On its day the place can be rocking, the PA system deafening and the Sunderland supporters exceptionally friendly But bear in mind you are not allowed to swear inside the stadium, so if you persist you may find yourself being ejected from the ground!

For cup games where there is a larger allocation of tickets available then away fans will revert back to being housed in the South Stand for those matches.

Where to Drink!

If you have a bit of time of your hands, then you may like to try the Harbour View on the sea front, which is around a 15-20 minute walk away. Go along Roker Avenue until you reach the seafront. Turn left along the front and you will see the pub up on the left. The pub which is listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide, serves good beer, reasonably priced food and has a large screen television. As the name of the pub suggests you get some good views along the coast from its location.

The Villa Times Magazine 63

Travel

Apart from the Park Stand, the rest of the ground looks tired Looking from the outside, Goodison Park, with its tall stands seems huge. The crowds filling the narrow streets around the ground on matchday, make you feel that you are going back in time, to when the outside of every football ground appeared like this. However, that's Goodison's problem. Apart from the modern Park Stand, the rest of the ground looks tired. The ground is still large, but it needs modernising. For example there are lots of supporting pillars and the ground just looks as if it has seen better days. Nevertheless unlike some new grounds, Goodison oozes character and the three tiered Main Stand, which was opened in 1971, is still an impressive sight. There are two large video screens at opposite corners of the ground. If you are a home/neutral fan who is not scared of heights then try and get a ticket for the top balcony of the Main Stand. Not only do you get a 'birds eye' view of the game, but also views across Stanley Park, with Anfield in the distance.

A unique feature of the stadium is a church called St Lukes which sits just beyond one corner of the ground. If you have time before the game look out for the statue behind the Park Stand; a tribute to the legend that was Dixie Dean. After all these years, the Everton team still come out to the theme tune of the old police series, Z-cars.

Away fans are located in one corner of the two tiered, Bullens Road Stand, which is at the side of the pitch, where just over 3,000 away fans can be accommodated. If a small following is expected, then only the lower tier is allocated, which holds 1,700. For larger followings the upper tier is also

64 The Villa Times Magazine

made available. If you can, try to avoid getting get tickets for the rear sections of both the upper and lower tiers, as the view can be quite poor. For example, in the rear of the lower tier there are a number of supporting pillars that can hinder your view, the seating is of the old wooden type and the gap between rows is tight. The front of the lower tier is a lot better having newer seats and no supporting pillars to contend with.

The facilities within the stand are basic and it is really showing its age (it was first opened in 1926).

However, away fans can generate some noise from this area, making for a great atmosphere. The catering from the small concourse area, Where to Drink!

About a 15 minute walk away from the visiting supporters entrance, is the Thomas Frost pub on Walton Road. Otherwise you can walk along Priory Road or across Stanley Park, going away from Goodison over towards Anfield. The Arkles pub, the usual haunt of away fans visiting Anfield is also popular with away fans going to Goodison. It is about a 10-15 minute walk. At the end of Priory Road, turn right into Arkles Lane and the pub is up on the left. It also shows Sky Sports.

There is a Wetherspoons across the road from Lime Street Station, plus at the station itself, is the Head of Steam, which is listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide and also has a large screen showing sporting events. Also, the nearby Crown pub also recommended to me. Alcohol is served in the away section of the ground, including beer from the Club's sponsors Chang.

Saturday 1st Febuary Kick Off 3pm

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per month ffo orr 12 months pays fo forr all the mat ate erria iallss fo forr 4 arts and crafts workshops For every pound you give, 88p is spent on providing vital care care and support services. We use the remaining 12p to raise the next pound.

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MATCH

.........2

.........3 Jay Rodriguez 48 Daniel Osvaldo 69

Gabriel Agbonlahor 15 Libor Kozak 64 Fabian Delph 80

Barclays Prem | 04 Dec 2013 | KO 19:45 | Ground: St. Mary's Stadium

This looked like a ‘backs to the wall” game early on as Southampton came out all guns blazing.

Vlaar made a timely block, as Lallana was about to shoot, Lallana was even closer shortly after when his cross shot was deflected onto the top of the bar by Baker with Guzan rooted to the spot.

Guzan looked to have carried the ball outside the area after collecting a through ball, but replays showed that he released the ball before leaving the area.

He was soon to be tested when Rodriguez hit a stinging drive from outside the area, which Guzan unconvincingly pushed onto the post With Bacuna completing the clearance.

Against the run of play we took the lead with Agbonlahor latching on to a slide rule pass from Delph near the halfway line racing into the box He dinked the ball over the keeper with Kozák in support.

Southampton then came back at us with Guzan saving Rodriguez powerful header low to his right from a Clyne’s right wing cross he quickly got up and saved the rebound with his feet.

Lovren headed a cross against Rodrigez who later sliced a volley wide after a cross by Lovren.

Clark prevented Lallana from having a clear shot at goal by diverting the ball out for a corner.

Shaw then fired a shot straight at Guzan from the resulting corner.

Shortly before half time Agbonlahor was wrongly penalized for handball after winning an areal dual with Clyne, he would have been clean through on goal.

66 The Villa Times Magazine

Guzan punched Lambert’s cross clear with Osvaldo closing in.

Osvaldo then strayed offside when trying to latch onto a pass.

The second half began with us on the attack El Ahmadi fired a shot wide from an acute angle after Agbonlahor slid the ball across.

Southampton then went up the other end and equalized when Rodriguez headed Clyne’s cross into Guzan’s bottom right corner.

Straight from the kick off Kozák was close to restoring the lead when sliding in at the near post Delph’s low cross from the right was just too far in front of the striker.

Lowton was lucky not to concede a penalty as he attempted to nick the ball off Osvaldo, it looked a good challenge in real time but replays showed he missed the ball.

The lead was restored when Kozák headed in El Ahmadi’s right wing cross via a deflection. There was no doubt it was his goal as the header was on target.

Benteke then charged into the box but pushed the ball too far in front of him.

Rodriguez then cut the ball back for Osvaldo whose shot was comfortably saved by Guzan, low to his right.

Benteke volleyed over from Guzan’s clearance.

Fonte crossed from the right to the back post where Lambert headed the ball back across goal for Rodriguez to head past Guzan. But we were not to be denied when Agbonlahor collected a clearance played the ball across to Delph who charged forward and hit a screamer into the keeper’s top right corner.

“I thought we were lethal in front of goal. I thought Agbonlahor’s goal was world class. When he’s like that with the speed and the power, not many people catch him “ Paul Lambert The Villa Times Magazine 67

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News

New charity Villa in the Community

Chase Inn under 35’s 1 v 2 Chase Inn over 35’s The event was to commemorate Marc “Sutt” Sutton who died earlier this year, a group of his friends decided to hold a football match in his memory and donate the proceeds to The Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance.

Months of planning went into the event with “Boomer” organising the venue and teams, “Robo” drafted in Jamie Hobb and began planning the entertainment which was to be held at the Chase Inn, Chapel End Nuneaton.

The teams taking part were to be under 25’s verses over 35’s and Bob Mooring overheard the young lads bragging they’d run the old lads ragged! So after some thought he telephoned Ken McNaught to see if he could bring some Villa players over.

The match took place at Hartshill “Rec” and the over 35’s had European Cup 82 Legends: Ken, Tony Morley, Colin Gibson and

Nigel Spink in their team as well as Gary Shaw and Peter Withe coaching from the side lines! Well the young players got a lesson in football the “Oldies” won 2 -1 watched by a crowd of about 300 and even had a goal dis-allowed.

After the game the event moved to the Chase Inn where there was a bouncy castle, face painting, burger stall, the Villa lads happily chatted to customers and gave autographs.

The evening saw entertainment from local bands and D.J’s. and an Auction of Sporting Memorabilia plus a Raffle.

The following day Will and Andrea of The Chase Inn said “that was the best day we’ve ever had since taking over here 17 years ago.”

At this present time money is still to come in and is expected to reach around £2500, special thanks to everyone who helped make this possible.

Aston Villa has launched Villa in the Community, a new charity and the banner under which all of the club's social responsibility and community work will fall.

Villa in the Community will cover five broad areas: football and sports participation, education, health, youth, cohesion and inclusion and environment, and will work with several partners, including the Premier League, on a variety of different community programmes.

"We are very proud to be launching Villa in the Community in order to further our existing work in Birmingham and the surrounding areas," said Villa CEO Paul Faulkner. "As a club we take our role in the local community very seriously and the sense of engagement and involvement with the community runs right through the heart of the club. Everyone associated with the club is passionate about this work and they are passionate because they believe that it is the right thing to do.

"Villa in the Community is the umbrella under which all of our projects and initiatives will fall and it will allow us to fund more projects in the future.

That means that we can do even more in the future to affect what goes on around us.

I'm very proud of the work we have done and continue to do and I'm proud of what we can do in the future with Villa in the Community."

In becoming a charity, Villa in the Community aims to expand on the excellent work already undertaken by the club by seeking new funding opportunities and opportunities to work with new partners who share the aim and passion to make a difference in the local community.

For more information on Villa in the Community, please visit www.avfc.co.uk/community.

The Villa Times Magazine 69

TWINS Picture By Michael McCafferty

70 The Villa Times Magazine

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