McGregor remembered
Our new kit for 2018/19 will feature a “visible nod” to William McGregor.
The concept of league football all started with McGregor.
It was in 1888 – exactly 130 years ago - when Villa took their place as founder members of the Football League, thanks to his vision.
McGregor, a draper with premises near Aston Park, set about gaining support for a competition which would offer clubs regular competitive matches.
He wrote to the clubs, inviting them to a meeting to discuss the concept, and the Football League was created with 12 founder teams.
A points system was agreed and McGregor was elected the first chairman of the Football League.
Since then, league football has been a success all around the world.
Classic claret
Luke Roper referenced the “famous colours of claret and blue” as he agreed our innovative kit partnership – and we’ll be looking to deliver them with the 2018/19 home shirt.
Fans have discussed the shade of claret featured on previous tops, as they referenced tones that range from pink to purple on message boards and social media.
This has been noted by club officials and we’ve moved to look into the issue, alongside Roper and Fanatics.
We believe, having already done some initial and detailed exploratory work, that the new kit will feature a darker shade – and one seen by our fanbase as a more genuine claret colour.
In the book
Conor Hourihane and Scott Hogan are set to join the long list of Aston Villa characters to feature in Lee Child’s hugely-popular Jack Reacher novels.
The midfielder and striker have both been selected for small roles in Past Tense, the 23rd Reacher thriller, which will be published in hardback in November 2018.
Child’s books have sold over 100 million copies worldwide, and the Villa-supporting author regularly includes characters with claret-and-blue connections.
Shaun Teale was the first, our former central defender assuming the role of Mayor Teale in Child’s debut novel Killing Floor in 1998.
Since then, numerous Villa players’ and managers’ names have appeared, including McGrath, Milosevic, Yorke, Taylor, Angel, Withe, Shaw, Vassell, Gregory, Sorensen and Westwood.
Child’s play
One player who will never feature in a Jack Reacher story is Gordon Cowans.
That’s because Sid is Lee’s all-time favourite player, and he says the character would need to be even bigger than Reacher!
But at least Lee has had the opportunity to write about the midfield maestro as a footballer after providing the foreword to Euros & Villans, the forthcoming book about Villa’s years in UEFA competitions.
Describing our 2-0 UEFA Cup home victory over Inter Milan in 1990, Child writes: “Kent Nielsen scored early, with the longest, hardest shot the Holte had seen in a hundred years. The place went insane.
“Then in the second half Sid Cowans dropped the most perfect pass the world has ever known, right onto David Platt’s laces, and it was 2-0. The place went insane again. I will never forget the feeling.”
Villa supporters can follow the progress of Euros & Villans by checking out author Rob Bishop’s Facebook page @eurovillabook.
Safe Standing poll
We are fully supporting the campaign to allow clubs in the Premier League and Championship to introduce safe standing.
There is a petition you are able to sign on the matter.
Have your say.
You can do so by taking part in the survey above.
Sleeping Shaun
Defensive legend Shaun Teale will be swapping the pitch for the concourse as he takes part in our Big Villa Sleep Out.
Taking place in the Trinity Stand on 18th May, we’re inviting fans to take part to raise money in support of Birmingham’s homeless community.
All funds raised will be used to buy essential items such as food, drinks and toiletries, which will then be packaged and distributed by some of the city’s homeless charities.
Teale, who joined us in 1991 as part of Big Ron’s revolution and went on to play 181 times for the claret and blue, will join the cause alongside wife Carol as we provide continued support to Birmingham’s homeless community.
He told us: “Carol and I decided to join the Sleep Out as we both believe strongly that far too many people have far too little and when sleeping rough every night is their only option they need every little bit of help we can give them.”
The event follows on from the club’s food donation in March, when the postponement of Aston Villa v QPR led to Head of Foundation Guy Rippon overseeing the distribution of 700 packed lunches to a number of the city’s homeless charities.
The Sleep Out is free to take part in but participants will need to raise a minimum of £100 in sponsorship and be registered with the Foundation beforehand.
Cardboard mats will be provided for every participant but we recommend you bring a sleeping bag and warm clothes.
The event will begin at 9pm and ends at 7am the following morning, with the club providing breakfast and hot drinks for all participants.
To register your interest and sign up to take part in the BIG Villa Sleep Out, email: foundation@avfc.co.uk.
