4th Sept 2008:

“Kevin Keegan has resigned as manager of Newcastle United after just eight months in charge…

… Keegan was furious to discover members of his already slim squad had been offered for sale during the final hours before the window closed, after he had reluctantly accepted James Milner’s £12m departure to Aston Villa.”

[See post to listen to audio]

» Busker – Thank You Kevin

At the end of the 2008-2009 season they were relegated.

9th Aug 2010:

“Martin O’Neill has resigned as Aston Villa manager with immediate effect…

…(Aston Villa owner) Randy Lerner had backed O’Neill in the transfer market during that spell but it became clear this summer that similar investment would not be forthcoming.

Lerner insisted that Villa would have to adopt a sell-to-buy policy and O’Neill was resigned to losing the services of midfielder James Milner to Manchester City.”

[Nobody at Villa sang about him, but when he was at Celtic]

[See post to listen to audio]

Derek Warfield-Ballad of Martin O’Neill

At the end of the 2010-2011 season… ???

I know, I know. They season hasn’t started. They haven’t kicked a ball yet. Plus the transfer window is still open and the prospect of managing a Premier League club, even if it’s now a selling one is very tasty for any candidate. Additionally they have a very decent squad – they’ve got Shorey …err… Heskey and um… that other swapsie from City from last season…

Aston Villa are a decent club who will probably finish mid-table now ? I mean… Stop me if you've heard this one... they are too big to go down.

James Milner. Tied in with both resignations.

But he wasn’t a part of the trouble with the Newcastle > Aston Villa transfer.

Oh wait he was:

“…Aston Villa have announced the signing of James Milner from Newcastle United – the England U-21 international has penned a four-year deal at Villa after passing a medical at Villa Park.

Villa have been after Milner for a couple of years now – and the youngster finally forced the issue by handing in a transfer request earlier this month.

But lightning doesn’t strike in the same place twice.

Oh wait. It does:

“I had a conversation with James before the World Cup and he intimated that he’d like to go,” said O’Neill.

“I’d imagine things will be resolved in foreseeable future.”

“City made an offer but it did not meet our valuation.”

“I’m sure matters will be resolved soon.”

As a long suffering (yes I know I’m not allowed to say that anymore) Man City supporter I’m very conflicted.

On the one hand I welcome the prospect of seeing Milner playing over at Eastlands, but on the other hand I question as to why Bob Mankini (and the liability that is Garry Cooke) are stockpiling all these players. With this restriction on a 25 named squad for this season you have to wonder if half of them will be sitting with Robinho up in the stands. Maybe a few will go out on loan, but many of these (very overpaid) prima donnas will immediately start to sulk and demand a move. Shay Given has already started threatening.

Plus when they do get on the pitch it’s not going to be a set line-up. Again with some of these “firebrand” personalities, some of them…most of them like to kick out and have seen a few yellows and reds last season.

With this embarrassment of riches comes the extra trouble and pressure for Mr Mancini and I wouldn’t be surprised if he isn’t the next to follow O’Neill if the club isn’t topping the league.

As I said I’m very conflicted. It used to be when I mentioned that I was a Man City supporter I got a nod of sympathy from the other party. But now it’s the Mercenary XI and a sneer at their wealth.

I’ll let previous Citeh boss, previously mentioned, to play us out.

Because…

… being a City fan right now. No seriously. Stop laughing. It really isn’t.

“Watching Man City miss out on the Champers league today I couldn’t help humming this little ditty from Rialto. Their cross town buddies must have been chortling all through the last 10 min, “not yet, you don’t”.

Or does it apply to Villa, perennial also-rans, likely looking at 6th place for the 3rd year in a row ?”

» Rialto – The Underdogs

Lyrics:

The Underdogs keep running after shining motorbikes,
trying to keep up while they look back and laugh,
oh we’re so tired of dragging our hearts.
It’s the chrome and steel,
and all the power that we want to feel,
so when we catch them we will rip them apart,
cos it’s no more than they did to us.
* We’ve been waiting so long,
we know just what we want,
we will cheat and we’ll rob,
cos we are The Underdogs,
we are The Underdogs.
The Underdogs, and we’ve had too
much shit kicked out of us,
to stop us howling at the moon through the night,
and if it keeps them up, well that’s alright.
To be bitter and alone is such a dirty little job.
We’re jaded to our brittle bones,
cos we are The Underdogs,
yes we are The Underdogs.

I would say it applies more to the Villa. But there’s consolation prizes all round with City, Villa and (thanks to Pompey) Liverpool who are all in the Europa next season.

Might as well throw in an additional track from this average sounding band who no-one misses:
Another track with “un”, this time it is Untouchable – which could be related to…?

Thanks Eric. Keep them coming.

A couple of weeks ago they bent over and asked; “Please sir may I have one more…?”

And this coming Saturday they will be at Wembley to face Chelsea once again, but this time obviously it will not be the same scoreline.

At least that’s what the Villa fans are hoping…

But no. Lightning cannot strike twice like this, there’s not going to be another rout. It is possible for the Villa to take it, I mean when they met last October in the league it was a 2-1 home win.

My reckoning though is that they will come away disappointed. I’m hoping for a close game (so are ITV1 !) and maybe even some extra time with the Villa going down to some cruel luck right at the last.

But please don’t take my word for it, my predictions are about as accurate as Mystic Meg’s.

That’s enough filler, now for the music.

I did find this ebay auction, but apart from that I don’t have any info on today’s Aston Villa singing supporter. These songs were recorded in 1979 – when both Andy Gray and Brian Little were still running around in shorts. They are both mentioned in the first track which is helpful to anyone who has trouble spelling the name of the club.

[See post to listen to audio] » Dave Ismay & the Holte End – A.S.T.O.N. V.I.L.L.A [See post to listen to audio] » Dave Ismay & the Holte End – We’re The Holte End

As to why Dave Ismay decided to sing about them (when there was (in ’79) nothing much to sing about) is a bit of a mystery. If there are any Aston Villa supporters out there who could expand, thanks.

Here’s a reminder from Half Man Half Biscuit with the Referee’s Alphabet:

[See post to listen to audio]
» Half Man Half Biscuit – The Referee’s Alphabet

Visual alphabet:

» Link to video

EXTRA TIME:

A ditty about a wedding reception in which a certain Aston Villa ‘keeper was a fellow attendee:

[See post to listen to audio] » HMHB – I Went To A Wedding “…So you’re Brad Friedel ? I’m mildly impressed…”

* The idea for this entry was blatantly nicked from a couple / of posts originally done by Fredorrarci who can be found tweeting the night away and also at Sport Is A TV Show.

EXTRA EXTRA TIME:

Ah go on then, have a repost:

[See post to listen to audio] » HMHB – I Was A Teenage Armchair Honved Fan

* Alternative post titles: “Do You Know What You Are Doing ?” / You Don’t Know What You’re Doing.

I’ll resume that line of thinking after the festive period. For now since the annual celebration of the birth of that fictional character is approaching it’s time to look at some Xmas songs.

Prepare yourself for an even bigger horror than footie with music – Football and Christmas Music.

- To start us on this dark interlude here’s a couple from a club that doesn’t get much of a mention here. The reason for that is simply because I don’t have anything from or about them. So if there are any fans out there who wander past this entry – send us something will you ? Your team is very under represented on F&M.

The one…sorry two things I found are both seasonal sounds, both as bad as each other.

Item the first is a rewritten lyric version of “Come All You Faithful” which when I hear it, actually sounds more like a pisstake rather than a tribute.
That’s my opin anyway – you decide for yourself:

[See post to listen to audio]
» The Loyal Fans – Come On All You Villa

–
Item the second comes via this Aston Villa/Vital Football posting of a YouTube clip associated with Doug O’Brien. (Pictured below in the Villa themed Santa suit):

Doug wrote a book a few years ago: “Armageddon in Dreamland – The Secret Side of Santa” (currently unavailable, however a bit more info can be found here).

I don’t know who, maybe Doug himself, wrote the following song and appears on this music video which was filmed in and around Villa Park.

[See post to listen to audio]
» Father Christmas Is A Villa Fan