Well, we had a good win at Norwich, and there are positive thoughts that the upcoming Brighton game will yield another much-needed win. And, hopefully, a win of the same sort of calibre as at Norwich.
And since then two favourites - McGinn and Mings - have been doing all the right things on the international front.
So, while all Villa fans should be in a positive state of mind right now, perhaps the time is ripe to raise an issue or two that surely need to be addressed.
While racism has taken up a lot of the headlines at the moment, a good friend and long-time Villa supporter recently wrote to me and expressed his unhappiness with what he termed vile chanting heard at Villa Park, which, he says, "not only contains foul language but is often personally abusive to people. What some players and managers have to put up with is also unacceptable. Some of the hand gestures towards opposing supporters, players, manager and referee are also highly offensive."
He adds that this scenario is made worse by the fact that women and children are present. And this concern reminds me of words uttered by the late great Phil Woosnam - once a master of ball play on the Villa Park turf - who looked forward to the day when football grounds could be places fit to receive families. But that was back in the 60s, just before rowdyism in football truly began. Nevertheless, after the 1968/69 takeover, there was a big attempt at making a Villa Park football match a family-orientated occasion, and I know that ideal is still very much present.
Clearly, however, there are some fans that don't agree with such ideals, and hence my friend's concern.
How can this matter be addressed? Well, to some extent I put such rough attitudes down to a sense of over-competitiveness on the part of those particular fans, who clearly do not have the civility that you find in the other football sport - Rugby Union. Why is it that what I consider to be a much rougher contact sport has almost no record of incidents that match my friend's complaint? I find that very odd, and always have.
The solution? Well, rugby followers - particularly the Welsh - are famed for their singing which, let's face it, unites people. You also hear England supporters singing the Queen's praises when soccer's all-whites are winning!
At Wembley, there used to be the pre-match community singing at Cup Finals and other matches, but this has sadly subsided into an opera-singer led rendition of "Abide With Me". Nevertheless, at least that is in place - a means of uniting all supporters in a very positive way.
What I suggest is that at Villa Park, and all football grounds in the major divisions for that matter, a form of community singing should be introduced in, say, the 10 minutes before the players come out onto the pitch to start the match. Personally, I feel that "Abide With Me" should be a mandatory item on that agenda, but perhaps there are suitable alternatives to generate a sense of unity and civility amongst all fans.
If this isn't a solution to "the problem", then what is?
UTV!
And since then two favourites - McGinn and Mings - have been doing all the right things on the international front.
So, while all Villa fans should be in a positive state of mind right now, perhaps the time is ripe to raise an issue or two that surely need to be addressed.
While racism has taken up a lot of the headlines at the moment, a good friend and long-time Villa supporter recently wrote to me and expressed his unhappiness with what he termed vile chanting heard at Villa Park, which, he says, "not only contains foul language but is often personally abusive to people. What some players and managers have to put up with is also unacceptable. Some of the hand gestures towards opposing supporters, players, manager and referee are also highly offensive."
He adds that this scenario is made worse by the fact that women and children are present. And this concern reminds me of words uttered by the late great Phil Woosnam - once a master of ball play on the Villa Park turf - who looked forward to the day when football grounds could be places fit to receive families. But that was back in the 60s, just before rowdyism in football truly began. Nevertheless, after the 1968/69 takeover, there was a big attempt at making a Villa Park football match a family-orientated occasion, and I know that ideal is still very much present.
Clearly, however, there are some fans that don't agree with such ideals, and hence my friend's concern.
How can this matter be addressed? Well, to some extent I put such rough attitudes down to a sense of over-competitiveness on the part of those particular fans, who clearly do not have the civility that you find in the other football sport - Rugby Union. Why is it that what I consider to be a much rougher contact sport has almost no record of incidents that match my friend's complaint? I find that very odd, and always have.
The solution? Well, rugby followers - particularly the Welsh - are famed for their singing which, let's face it, unites people. You also hear England supporters singing the Queen's praises when soccer's all-whites are winning!
At Wembley, there used to be the pre-match community singing at Cup Finals and other matches, but this has sadly subsided into an opera-singer led rendition of "Abide With Me". Nevertheless, at least that is in place - a means of uniting all supporters in a very positive way.
What I suggest is that at Villa Park, and all football grounds in the major divisions for that matter, a form of community singing should be introduced in, say, the 10 minutes before the players come out onto the pitch to start the match. Personally, I feel that "Abide With Me" should be a mandatory item on that agenda, but perhaps there are suitable alternatives to generate a sense of unity and civility amongst all fans.
If this isn't a solution to "the problem", then what is?
UTV!
2 comments:
Yes, sing spiritual songs like hymns.
Yes, mate - and Abide With Me is such. For me I would simply ask for any songs that help to unite people and induce the elimination of violent chanting.
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