Vital Villa Summer Interview: chocolate teapot
chocolate teapot steps up for the Vital Villa members interviews.
Q: When did you become a Villa fan and why?
I became a Villa fan in 1960 when I moved to Birmingham, aged 12. My uncle took me to St Andrews but luckily a mate from school, Johnny Jones, took me to VP. Stood on the Witton End until my Mum thought I was old enough to be with the ‘rough boys’ on the Holte.
Q: The season just gone, good bad or ugly? What did you think of it?
I cannot understand why there is any debate. Excellent season. Better points total than last, in the hunt for fourth until two games from the end, two trips to Wembley. I loved it. When you’ve watched the Villa as long as I have you get to appreciate the successes. They don’t come that often.
Q: Best and worst moment of last season?
Best moment – in a ‘Villa’ bar in Vancouver last September as we watched a recording of the Blooze Villa game. (Recorded because watching it live would have meant getting up at 4 a.m.) Everyone had ‘sworn’ that they would not check the score before watching the game and from the roar that went up as Gabby scored I really think they had kept to it. Ordinary drinkers in the bar looked worried that they had stumbled into a lunatic asylum.
Worst moment – hearing about the 7 – 1 thrashing at Chelsea. I was out of the UK again for that game.
Q: James Milner… is he off do you think? If so, what price (realistically) should Villa hold out for? If off to Man City, which – if any – of their players would you want in exchange?
James Milner’s name is James Milner, not Aston Villa. If he leaves, so be it. The team will still be there. Get a good price and a decent replacement. If he stays – good. The only Citeh player (that they might sell) I would consider is Ireland.
Q: What signings (type of player or specific name/s if you wish) would you like to see Villa buy this summer?
If I were the manager, which, thank God, I am not, I would look at bringing a more creative midfielder in.
Q: Where do you stand on Martin O’Neill (I don’t mean literally, that would be assault) ?
I like MON’s style of management. He puts his heart and soul into it; gets the best out of his players (90% of the time); rarely comments on rumours; and, of course, he went to the same school as I did (although I left to come to Birmingham before he arrived)
Q: Your opinion of Randy and the board?
I really feel that some of the posters on Vital Villa do not understand the owner/manager relationship. It is the job of the owner to appoint a manager and then to leave him to manage. If he thinks the manager is doing a good job he keeps him. If he thinks the manager is no good the owner gets rid of him. The point being that neither one tries to do the other’s job. Randy performs that role perfectly. Would you really prefer an owner like one of those at West Ham?
Q: Favourite current player and favourite all time player/s
I like Stan Petrov. He goes about his job without fuss, breaking up opponents attacks and organising the team. So many players from the past stick in my mind. Charlie Aitken, Paul McGrath, Andy Lochead, Bruce Rioch, Gerry Hitchens etc. I cannot pick a favourite.
Q: Do you expect progress next season, difficult to answer before the transfer window closes I know?
Depends what you mean by progress. I expect to get more points than last season but that may not mean an improved finishing position. I look for us to be there or thereabouts. Winning a cup would be good and is well within our grasp.
Q: Right, lets lower the tone… which celebrity would you most like to bang and which (male I would think) celeb would you most like to thump!?!
I shall have to pass on this question as my wife would have something serious to say. Apart from anything else I am not very au fait with what are laughingly called celebrities these days. They seem to mostly be famous for being famous. Wouldn’t mind a beer with Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger though. As for thumping someone, I’d probably end up getting a bloody good hiding so I’ll pass on that too.
With thanks to chocolate teapot
For how to submit yours see: Click Here
Other summer interviews:
Benham
Lee Barnett
Kasad Ali
BeardMasterFlex
randy.stand
I am a Villan
Simon Bird
ExpatVillaShirt
Stephen Jay Hawkings
Oscararc
Stig
Parkez17
claretandbluearmy
Young Jonah
Kainga
James06
Trekker
odowdk5
clhbelbin
Callum_ws
Joe Whitticase
Cheshire Villan
MASON_PARKER
jaceavfc
SirDennis
Munk AVFC
Nimmo
Deanovilla
Villan Of The North
coeur_de_lion
Adbo9
Mattyslost
Mike Field
Danceoftheshamen
leerj0
Holte Manic
Previous interviews: Click Here
