aston villa 1 v manchester city 1

 

 

 

It seems an age ago already. A late Saturday afternoon at summer's end. We're up against the might of Manchester City, a team packed full of the world's best talent and coached by one, if not the best, coach ever.

 

They have a prodigious striker, Erling Haaland, set to light up the Premier League like none before. He scores. But still we fight on. And against the odds, Leon Bailey scores!!!!

Is this real? Have we taken a point?  The whistle blows and the crowd erupts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

aston villa 0 v west ham 1

 

It's a scorching hot summer afternoon at Villa Park. Everyone's up for the game, buoyed by victory against Everton in our last home outing.

Our opponents today are West Ham, languishing toward the bottom of the table and yet to score a goal. The sun is shining and what can possible go wrong?

It happens in the 74th minute. A deflected shot from Pablo Fornals and the ball nestles in the back of the Villa goal.

Oh dear! It shouldn't have ended this way at all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.