"It was glorious, I loved every minute of it. I was hooked. I was Villa."

AVFC. The Obsession. More than just a banner adorning the Holte End. A way of life. A meaning and a release. A club and a culture. A community and a family. 

For over 150 years, millions of people have followed Aston Villa from near and far, packing into our iconic Villa Park home and sporting the famous claret and blue. This season, we're shining the spotlight on the Villa Faithful and their love for a truly historic club. 

Throughout the campaign will be memoirs and musings, reports and recollections, all from those with one thing in common: The Obssession for AVFC. 

Our first instalment comes from 52-year-old Jonathan Boult, who has been a Villan since 1981...

How did you become an Aston Villa fan?

I was six years old, sitting in front of the TV. It was 1981. A team name appeared on the Grandstand vidiprinter that really caught my attention and I thought: “That’s the team for me.”

I had made up my mind and marched into the kitchen to tell my dad all about it. “Dad,” I said, “I’m going to be a QPR fan.” “No, you’re not,” replied my dad.

A week later, to celebrate my seventh birthday, my dad took me to my first ever Villa match. After walking me up what seemed like an endless flight of steps, I took my seat in the upper tier of the North Stand and watched Villa beat Middlesbrough 3-0, earning us the points that ultimately won us the league. It was glorious, I loved every minute of it. I was hooked. I was Villa.

What’s your earliest Villa memory?

I was sitting in the North Stand with my dad whilst my brother Ian and cousin stood in the Holte End. My name was read out over the tannoy to wish me a happy birthday.

Gary Shaw scored in the first half in front of the North Stand then in the second half Peter Withe scored in front of the Holte End. The thing I remembered was this graceful, almost balletic player wearing No.10.

He should have been tackled several times, but no one could take the ball off him as he weaved in and out of the opposing players. He retained possession, ultimately laying off the ball to the player who crossed it in. Not only was I falling in love with Villa, but I also now had my favourite player: Gordon Cowans. The love affair was confirmed!

Who is your favourite Villa player?

Cowans is always my answer to that question. He was the first person I fell in love with. He could use both feet which meant that no opposing player could ever guess which way he was going. He wasn’t a winger but he could glide past people effortlessly.

But this was just one reason to love him. The other reason was his passing and his vision. He could spot a pass that others couldn’t and because he could use both feet, he could play the pass that he needed. Short, long, free play, dead ball, he could do it all.

I loved him for his football, but it turns out he was also a wonderful man. Nothing made me sadder than when we sold him, nothing made me happier than when he came back. His pass to David Platt versus Inter summed him up. Vision and precision in perfect harmony. That’s what Hissing Sid was all about.

What’s your favourite Villa match?

I’ve been watching Villa for 44 years and there are so many candidates. Recency bias tells me that Villa 3-2 PSG was the single most intense experience I have ever had at a football ground. The McGinn goal, followed quickly by Konsa’s and then the missed chances that followed had me screaming like never before.

On a similar vein, there was Villa 2-1 Atlético Madrid. That Collymore goal, the noise from the crowd, Stan waving his arms to gee up the fans and again the pain and pride as we fell agonisingly short.

Those games sum up the pride and heartache that often comes with supporting Villa, so for my favourite game I’m going to pick one where we actually did win. Villa 3-1 Tranmere.

We had lost the first leg 1-3, scored two early goals to get right back into it only to watch in horror as Aldridge scored a pen. It stayed 2-1 forever. We were going to fall short again. But then Atkinson wins a free-kick. It’s taken quickly to Tony Daley who whips in the perfect cross for Atkinson to power home his header. Cue pandemonium in the Holte. What a feeling!

But then Tranmere hit the bar, then extra-time, then penalties that went their way and then ultimately, decisively our way thanks to Bosnich. What a match. A year’s worth of drama packed into 120 minutes of craziness. And to cap it all off, we went and won the cup final against Manchester United. That has to be my winner.

I love Aston Villa because…

My dad did, and now my three sons do. It’s all about family. Either your real family or the family you pick up along the way. Every person I sit next to instantly becomes a brother for that 90 minutes, some you stay in touch with, some you don’t.

I’ve travelled to watch Villa abroad with people I have long since lost touch with, but for those heady days away they were family. The players who come and go, the managers we love and those we don’t, all seem like uncles. Some you want to spend more time with, and some you don’t. It’s all family. Part of the Pride sums it up nicely.

But it’s also the ground, the name, the team colours, the history, the Hall Grounds, the bells ringing, everything. Villa has it all, and with every passing season another swathe of memories gets added to an ever-expanding list. The love only ever grows deeper.

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