Monday 30 May 2022

aston villa 1 v 1 burnley

 



Our last home game against Burnley, a team desperately fighting the dark clouds of relegation. We draw one all. A few days later Burnley go down.
 
Our last away game against Manchester City, a team poised to take the Premiership title. We're two nil up but come the final quarter we lose. It sums up the season.
 
But this post is not about results, it's about story. And the story is people joined together in a community of football.

I have a learning disabled son. I took him to his first match at Villa Park (Crystal Palace - a one nil win) when he was eight. He struggled to walk or talk, but he was hooked. As was I. A safe place where we could be father and son, enjoying time together.

He's thirty six now and he still loves to go. I'm just so thankful for all the lovely people we've met along the way. People who have accepted us as we are. It's not been like that in all the places I've gone with my son.

Villa looks after its special fans so well. And we're blessed to be part of the Villa family.
 
 

 
 
 


 
 










 








Wednesday 25 May 2022

rinse repeat

 
 
 
 
draw from sand
raise
colour and melt
blow
ragamuffin
blow
 
form
and flow
 
drink
deep
then
spin me
round
and
round
and
go

bass
boom
clash 

smash me
crash me
crush me
break me


empty
die
bury
dig
raise
 
 rinse
repeat

 







 

Tuesday 24 May 2022

two hundred years

 



two hundred years tilling this soil
my stiff knees
the last to bend
 
two hundred years of buried treasure
raised to the light
 
two hundred years in this garden
as night falls
again
 
 









 

Friday 20 May 2022

aston villa 1 v 1 crystal palace

 
 
 
 
We celebrate the fortieth anniversary of hoisting high the European Cup. It's great to see so many members of the winning team parade the trophy round Villa Park.

A time for great joy, yet also a time for great challenge. Can Villa ever rise to these giddy heights again?