faces in the crowd

 

 

I'm an inveterate people-watcher and I love to see the expressions and gestures supporters make at football matches. The glorious game provides an excuse to let go and celebrate joyously ... or not, depending on the result.

 

It's a privilege to be part of the crowd and many of the supporters I photograph I've stood beside for many years. That doesn't stop me enjoying each new game though, there's always another picture to be taken.

 

 

 

 

it's not just a game ...

 

  

'Always different, always the same', as the late, great John Peel used to say of his heroes, 'The Fall'.  Football's like that in so many ways. 

 

It's a ritual. The trip to the ground, buying a programme, sampling the rich greasy food and slurping down over-priced watery lager.  It's always the same, yet always different.

 

Watching the game on TV has none of the magic, none of the hopes and dreams as kick-off time approaches, none of the shared experience wedged in a constantly moving throng of people.

 

The whistle blows and we're off on yet another adventure together ...

 

 

 

aston villa 2 v everton 1

 

 

 

 

The first home game of the season and it's a blisteringly hot day. Our match up against Everton pits two pointless teams against each other. 

 

A Villa victory is secured by two great goals, the first by Danny Ing who takes a touch and unleashes a blistering shot, the second by Emi Buendia following a surging run and a one-two with Ollie Watkins.

 

It's tight at the end though as Lucas Digne concedes an own-goal and Villa fans sit on their hands for what seems an eternity of added time.

 

 

 

amongst the wildflowers

 

 

 

 

 

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.