Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Albion blog: Theatre of Dreams
Friday 17th October 2008, 9:01AM BST.
Theatre of Dreams? Well to me it is, writes blogger Jarrod Hill.
I began regularly attending games in 1984 and the very next season I witnessed our relegation and a sixteen year absence from the top tier of English football.
The 90-91 season tested every fans resolve. When we were relegated to the third division and having never seen any success since becoming a committed fan I started to question my families unmovable resolution that our family members were only allowed to be Albion fans (we suffered together).
Now on the eve of playing the Premier League and Champions League winners the memories of those days seem even more poignant.
My dad worked every other weekend, and so I used to rely on my uncle John to take me to games.
Travelling up to the Hawthorns in his Blue Austin Allegro and standing in the Brummie Road End became a weekend habit. Like all Baggie fans we have suffered the bad times, seen players pulling on our famous shirt who we all thought, “bloody hell I could do better than him” (what ever happened to Fabian De Freitas?).
Playing Woking and getting thumped, yet through it all I loved being an Albion fan and just hoped and prayed the glory days would return to my beloved club.
Maybe it was those formative years that have made me so pessimistic, but now I just feel immense satisfaction that all those years of pain have eventually bared fruit.
Tomorrow we go to Old Trafford with confidence we have a team that can compete with arguably the best team in the world, do not get me wrong I am not predicting a win or even a draw.
But the fact I am even contemplating us getting a result when facing Ronaldo, Tevez, Rooney, Ferdinand and Berbatov makes me happy.
Anyway onto the game, I think it is pointless looking at how you can stop a team like Manchester United. It will be interesting to see if Sir Alex decides to rest any of his stars who have been away on international duty, it may help us but part of me hopes he doesn’t.
We want to see them up against our boys, and if we do manage to get a result I don’t want any excuses.
I know what you are thinking, Jarrod/Bomber is sounding rather bullish today!!
Yes I am, tomorrows result will have little impact on our season as a whole, and win lose or draw the Baggies fans will be smiling, why?
Because it feels like the culmination of all those years of hurt, so wear that smile with pride my fellow baggies, sing your hearts out and enjoy every minute, and just think, October 9th 1991 we were playing Brentford away!! (Can anyone answer me this question, what is unique about Brentford’s ground??)
My Team for tomorrow:
Carson
Zuiverloon, Donk, Olsson, Robinson
Morrison, Greening, Valero, Koren
Bednar, Miller
Sponsored Links
Business Awards
Read the full story here
Full coverage of awards celebrating the region's best businesses.
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
LIVE traffic updates
Road, rail and airport - latest
Our new, live traffic and travel updates service - check before you set out.
OUR NEW APP
Get the new E&S app
Download the Express & Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
expressandstar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
How you can Miller in your starting line up is beyond me. His confidence is shattered, and he’s not up to this level even with confidence !!
I’d rather go 4-5-1 and hope that Brunty can get through the game, or at least an hour and then bring Cech on.
Report abuse
morning away too man u fans morning home to cov city fans aye boing boing donk
Report abuse
answer too your question,its got a pub on every corner of the ground aye boing boing donk
Report abuse
Great Blog, my freinds just couldnt understand why I splashed my whole of a pittance apprentiship wages on going to those 3rd tier matches. Me? Looking back, I’m sure there could have been better things to spend it on, but that’s just my 40 years talking. I had so much fun I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Brentford, have you had a pint in each one Jarrod?
Report abuse
I thought you would be able to answer that one tezza!!
Have any of the pubs got any steps though aye tezza, was it that night in the vine that gave you the idea for your new tag line?? boing boing donk!!!!
Report abuse
Telford Baggie
Unfortunately not, had the intention to but you know what its like, you get warm and comfy in one the beers start flowing and you cant be bothered moving. Plus i think when we went one of them was closed!!!
Report abuse
Bomber, it was good to meet up with you for a pint last night, an interesting new training method……..a beer before donning a pair of Beyonce Knowles shorts.
I digress.
I am a tad older than yourself, so consequently i do remember the better days we had before our decline, in recent history only the Villa of our local clubs have not suffered,
and they have been close a couple of times.
I look upon tommorows game similarly to yourself, honestly not expecting anything, but hope springs eternal.
One thing is certain win lose or draw, under the stewardship of TM the team will apply themselves in a manner to TRY and win the game and compete as equals, as opposed to the appalling tactics employed by Robson, and regardless of tommorows result, the way we play the game will stand us in good stead for the rest of the season.
Report abuse
we must try and keep rooney,ronaldo,trevez,berbatov quite,while over at the custard bowl they must try and keep fox,tabb,simpson,mckenzie quite and watch that eastwood dont pop up with a goal,aye boing boing donk
Report abuse
hey jarrod i used too have an allegro crossed with a rover i called it alegover aye boing boing donk
Report abuse
we had some great times in the late 80s n early 90s following albion too places such as,darlington,hartlepool,stockport,bury,w/e in torquay it was there cup final playing us,and our away following was as good in div 2 as it is now,but visiting the likes of anfield,old trafford,emirates,st james park with your beloved albion well theres simply nothing like it,aye boing boing donk
Report abuse
matt82
The idea of playing two up front was to occupy their maurading full backs particularly Evra. If we play two up front is was a choice between Moore and Miller, and at least Miller has been getting into the positions to score. Just an opinion, it was also partly based on the fact Brunty has been injured and not sure whether he is fit to play.
Report abuse
Terry – Quadrant 12:30pm.
I’ll be the very tired looking (got to take Ma n Pa to the Airport at 5am tomorrow morning) drunk man with the Captains’ armband on standing next to Rocky Balboa and his Albino brother!!
Great blog Bomber, it made me realise how far we’ve come since my 1st trip to the Hawthorns to watch a 0 – 0 draw with Wigan Athletic in the old 3rd Division.
Who’d have thought 17 years later I’d be preparing to go to Old Trafford and watch the best team in the world take on Man United!! :-)
I love the Albion I do, I really do!!
Mowbray’s boys pinching a point in style….oooooh yes!!!
Report abuse
I will give you a million pounds if we start with 2 upfront tomorrow.
Report abuse
chocs away nedball,i might find it a little difficult too be in there at 12:30 as the coach dont leave till 1:30 unless you pick me up on route too airport being as your in there that early pint of boddingtons save me quein aye boing boing donk
Report abuse
Watching the 5-3 victory from all those years ago reminds me of my childhood, i didnt go to the game but have been brought up on videos of such games.
Oh and how cool was that strip??!!!
Report abuse
Hope you all have a great day. Despite the fact that like most people I can’t stand the Mancs, it’s games like this that are the reward for all the hard work last season. Turn it into the Theatre of Nightmares. Up the Midlands!
Report abuse
7,forever how ya duin mate,i tek it bomber aint got a mankini then,aye boing boing donk
Report abuse
Tezza me and hilltop baggie took the mankinis back to the shop after they wouldnt let us into Wembley wearing em!!
Report abuse
18,im not suprised they wudent let you in the way you 2 are built down below, aye boing boing donk
Report abuse
Well tezza i hadnt got any pockets and i like a banana at half time!!
I think hilltop prefers a button mushroom for his halftime snack!!!
Report abuse
hi malvern,thanks mate im sure we will have a great day would you like me too bring you a programme back,aye boing boing donk
Report abuse
20,ive heard happy likes a cucumber at half time is there any truth in it,boing boing donk
Report abuse
Its days like these that almost buries the ghost of a 12 year old lad dressed in toga at Twerton Park,1991.
Ive always been proud of my club but never more so than how we shape up today
Cant make OT tomorrow so Sedative TV will have to make do.
In terms of the side, with Brunt fit id like to see him in the side again in a 4-5-1, if not id go with Moore uptop with Roman
The lad needs a start at some point and why not when there isnt as much pressure on us to get a result
My prediction 1-1
Report abuse
Tezza i have also heard the happy baggie rumour, when i told him that the rumour was going around he said “i know i started it”.
What with your magnetism, happies physique, hilltops bad boy looks, worcesters banter, cyrils knowledge, nedballs jokes, wbaforevers money, ryanwbas million quid, and my mankini we must be irresistible to all those babes at footy matches. Its a shmae for em aye it tezza, like shooting fish in a barrel!!!!
Report abuse
me n worcester sing this song BEDNAR IS OUR KING BEDNAR IS OUR KING BEDNAR IS OUR KING me n worcester sing this song BEDNAR IS OUR KING aye boing boing donk
Report abuse
hi tel, bomber ,nedball,malvern,hilltop and everyone else blue and white…..wont be there tomorrow tel i got to make do with satana and a sherbutt or two,,do us proud and bring some points back.a nice 3-5 will do eh,,the good old days are coming back enjoy it to the max,,see ya hull game in sc for some sherbutts….MOWBRAYS DUTCHIE BOYS DOING THE BIZZ,,THE WALL IS SOLID..OOOOOOOOOOH YES..
Report abuse
BRENTFORD AWAY TIME HAS FLOWN SINCE THEN
1 IN EACH ONE
I HAD ABOUT 3 IN EACH ONE THAT DAY LOL
BOING BOING
Report abuse
Thanks for the offer Terry, very kind of you but don’t worry I’ll get one myself next season, assuming United stay up of course.
Report abuse
Good luck at Old Trafford tomorrow, where most of the home fans have probably travelled further than those in stripes.
Totally agree, visiting places like Utd where you are rank outsiders is a great occassion and will have little bearing on where you finish come the shake up at the end of the season.
I did the whole corporate thing in our one and only visit to the Billionaire’s playground. Although slightly detached from the paying away punter it was still brilliant.
All the best.
Report abuse
Hi Guys – thanks for circulating that rumour a little further….
I can remember us beating man Utd 4-0 with John Giles leading the play and i remember beating them in the cup in a night game in extra time.. they used to be scared of us – home and away.
Things are a little different these days – but TM has got us playing the sort of football last seen in 78/79 – lets hope we can get something from the match tomorrow.
To all those going – have a great day – sing ya hearts out – and whatever the result – it great to be a baggie !!
Report abuse
Scott Carson
Gianni Zuiverloon
Ryan Donk
Jonas Olsson
Paul Robinson
Luke Moore
Jonathan Greening
Borja Valero
Robert Koren
Ishmael Miller
Roman Bednar.
Report abuse
Valero 31 – I know we have become used to ToMo playing attacking football – but Moore, Bednar, Miller in the same starting line up ????
I’m just suprised you think we need a keeper !!!
Report abuse
Its only really a 4-4-2 with Luke Moore coming
in for James Morrison.
Against the top teams you to need the pressure
released and be a lot more direct like Bolton
were,and look how well they played.
If Mowbray plays Brunt in a five man midfeild
then I garantee we will loose 3 or 4 nill.
Report abuse
Been a busy day unfortunately.
Worcester, I’ll do you proud mate, and I’m sure our team will do as well!!
Come on me babbies!!
Quadrant here we come!!
Report abuse
How can Moore be in the team against M-u when he has never produced any thing when he has come on as sub in other games.This is not the time to play him when he has not scored a goal and lacks in confidence
Report abuse
Best of luck tomorrow you BAGGIES do he BLACK COUNTRY PROUD
Report abuse
Come on Man utd, I expect at least four past a very poor side, that is punching way above their weight. SOTA
Report abuse
It sounds like Mowbray might go with Marek Cech
which is a good move,most Albion fans slag him
off but I rate him very much,he has pace and skill
which is what you need in the prem.
I havnt got Santana so I`ll listen to Tom Dross!
Report abuse
37.
It was refreshing to see a good natured friendly conversation going on here and then some moron comes on.
Tell you what 1877, the next time your sitting at home on your own why don’t you dig your grubby little mits down the back of the sofa and see if you can pull out a life eh?
Report abuse