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A very special Christmas present

Christmas photos are always magical because they carry special memories, but the photos above are even more magical for my family.  Let me explain ...

The young man dressed in the Santa suit is my son. He's twenty eight years old and learning disabled.  Twenty years ago I took him to his very first football match at Villa Park.  At the time he had a concentration span barely thirty seconds long, but he was absolutely enthralled!!  I took him to a few more matches that season and before very long we became season-ticket holders.

My son has learned so much from his regular Saturday outings. When we first started going to the Villa we parked about a mile away and often it would take me thirty minutes or more to steer him safely to the ground. The walks did him so much good, though. They helped strengthen his legs and correct his sense of balance, so much so that now I can barely keep up with him.  My son learned too the value of money. Much of his savings over the last two decades have been spent in the Villa shop!

And my son has learned something else as well ... the passion of sharing a football match in the presence of so many friends we've made at Villa Park.  You see, when he goes to the game he's just part of the crowd in the Trinity Road stand, cheering along with the rest like any other supporter.

This Christmas our son had a very special present. Villa kicked off their season at Stoke and came away one nil winners thanks to another blistering goal from Andreas Weimann.  A few days later I entered the weekly draw on the AVTV site and blow me down when I discovered I had won the very shirt Andreas had worn that day!

I don't suppose Aston Villa players are regular visitors to this somewhat meandering blog, but if any of them ever do please pass on this message ...

Thank you so much Andreas for your shirt - it made a very special gift for a very special young man this Christmas and when you come out to play at Villa Park just know he will be cheering your name!!