So peaceful on the water, but where? 

Where is this swan swimming? 

Where can this sweet shop be? 

Celebrity LTS

Today I saw another famous face (well if you can call an ex small heath alliance player as a celebrity) it was Ian Clarkson , the ex S.H.A. full back he was waiting for food (the fat b*****d) at the side of H.O.F.
***For religious reasons a picture cannot be shown***

Celebrity Lunch Time Spot

On monday lunch time I spotted Nick Owen from Midlands Today fame he was walking down Lower Temple Street looking round as if to say "does everyone recognise me" he was looking quite old compared to what he looks like on t.v, guess its all the make up they plaster on them !
Watch this space for more celebs spotted in Brum.

A Bit Of History

Formed in 1874, Aston Villa are the most successful of all of the West Midlands clubs - although a significant proportion of their silverware was claimed at the end of the nineteenth century.


FACTS

Villa Park has been the home of Aston Villa FC since 1897.

Villa have won both the League title and the FA Cup seven times, and the European Cup in 1982.

Villa Park has been the venue for World Cup, Euro 96 and England international matches.




Indeed five of their seven League Championships were won before the turn of the century, along with three of their seven FA Cup triumphs. In 1896/7 they also achieved the accolade of becoming the first side to do the League and Cup double. George Ramsay was the secretary-manager who led the club to their early glories during an amazing 42-year period before finally handing the baton to WJ Smith.


Villa captain Dennis Mortimer shows off the Football League trophy to the fans
Villa Park became the club's home in 1897 - and over more than a century it has become the regular site of FA Cup semi-finals, hosted games at the 1966 World Cup and the 1996 European Championships, and staged the last ever European Cup Winners' Cup Final between Lazio and Real Mallorca.


The 1930/1 season saw a pretty well invincible individual record set by the Villa striker Tom "Pongo" Waring who scored no fewer than 50 goals, 49 of which were scored in the First Division. He scored no fewer than four times in three separate game, at Manchester United, at home to West Ham and at home to Sunderland as well as registering a hat-trick when Blackpool visited Villa Park.

Villa went 37 years without a trophy between 1920 and 1957, before Eric Houghton guided them to victory in the FA Cup Final at Wembley, Peter McParland scoring twice to see off the challenge of Manchester United.


Tony Morley holds up the European Cup
League Cup successes in 1961, 1975 and 1977 proved to be the prelude to the greatest years in the history of Aston Villa Football Club, as the Football League title was regained in 1981, and followed up with an unprecedented lifting of the European Cup twelve months later.

Ron Saunders was at the helm for the League title, using only fourteen players all season. Despite defeat at Arsenal on the final day of the season, Villa saw their only rivals Ipswich fail to win their last fixture at Middlesbrough, leaving their charismatic captain Dennis Mortimer to lift the Championship Trophy. Peter Withe and local lad Gary Shaw were among the heroes - their strike partnership yielding 38 goals, helped by the wing supply from Tony Morley.

The following season saw the astonishing European run - one that survived the unexpected departure of Saunders, succeeded by his assistant Tony Barton. Rotterdam will forever hold a place in Villa hearts, for it was there that Withe miss-hit the winning goal off the post to defeat Bayern Munich in the final - the claret-and-blue club maintaining what had become English domination of the continent's premier competition.


Graham Taylor
It has proven impossible for Saunders and Barton's successors to live up to that extraordinary achievement, although Graham Taylor came close in his first spell at the club, leading a group of rising stars to the runners-up spot in the league in 1990. Further League Cups were garnered in 1994 as Ron Atkinson pulled off a tactical masterstroke against Manchester United, and 1997 when Savo Milosevic's stunning goal started a 3-0 rout of Leeds United.

Since then an insipid performance in the 2000 FA Cup Final against Chelsea has been the height of Villa's achievements - but the arrival of David O'Leary in the summer of 2003 could herald another upturn in the fortunes of a club with a trophy-laden past.

Where It All Started - A Trip Down Memory Lane

A church which gave birth to Aston Villa Football Club is to be demolished and rebuilt as part of a £4m project.
The New Testament Church of God, on Lozells Road, Birmingham, was originally called the Aston Villa Wesleyan Methodist Church.

The football club was formed in 1874 when four members of the Wesleyan congregation met under a gas lamp opposite the red brick building.

The 155-year-old church will be flattened due to the cost of repairs.

The club was set up to provide winter sport for the church cricket team.

The building, which was bought by the New Testament Church of God in 1962, has since become a focal point for the local black community.


It is hoped the new building will reflect the old
Planning permission to demolish the church has been approved and it is hoped work on the development will begin as soon as possible.

The church's Senior Pastor Bishop Derek Webley said they were keen to maintain links with the football club.

"It's important in terms of history that something in the new building reflects the old. We're not sure what that will be yet but we feel there should be some kind of link."

Aston Villa's development and association with the church helped establish league football.

Scottish businessman and Methodist William McGregor was a leading light at the club.

His organisational skills and ambition helped found the first league of 12 clubs in 1888 - the first such competition in the world.

Pre Season Friendly 14-0 !!

Villa got off to a flying start to their pre season games with an empahtic win over Gallstads, final score Gallstads 0 Aston Villa 14 (yes 14)!!!

David O'Leary saw Villa hammer Galstads FK 14-0 on the opeing game of the Swedish tour and reflected: "This was a useful training session."
Luke Moore (6), Juan Pablo Angel (2) Kevin Phillips (2), Nobby Solano (2), Lee Hendrie and Liam Ridgewell grabbed the goals in a one-sided encounter.
And O'Leary told www.avfc.co.uk: "We won't get carried away with the scoreline, but that was a useful exercise.
"We trained them very hard this morning and this was the equivalent of en evening training session.
"It helps to break up the pre-season training if you come out to play a small village side and just gives an added edge for the players.
"The strikers will be happy, because any goal is welcomed by a striker and we did some good things out there tonight.
"The games will get harder as the pre-season progresses and I'm pleased with the way thins are going so far."

Midlands Masters Champions

Went to the Midlands Soccer Masters on saturday what a brilliant time it was to see the "old players" still showing off their skills, or lack of them in some cases! The teams playing were Villa, Blues, West Brom, Wolves. Some of the players taking part were Shaun Teale, Paul birch, Garry Parker for the Villa and the likes of Steve Bull, Richard Sneekes, Don Goodman etc for the rest.

All the games were very close and the action was end to end, of course there was only going to be one winner, the mighty Villa took the title with a really exctitng final against West Brom , final score 3-2 to Villa.

I also was interviewd by BBC Radio WM !! the local reporter was doing interviews in the car park before the tournament and who did she pick, yes me !! The first question was "and who do you support" ? taking into account I was standing in my new Villa shirt bough on the day of the game I replied "blues"!!! well it was trying to state the bleeding obvious wasnt it ?

Small Heath Reject

This just sums it up

Fire At Small Heath

******Newsflash******

There are reports of a fire at St Andrews the following conversation was logged at the time of the call.

Fire Chief - "Mr Bruce I have to inform you of a fire at St Andrews , it started 10 mins ago"

Steve Bruce " oh no, is there much damage"

Fire Chief " Its in order and under control"

Steve Bruce " But what about the cups"

Fire Chief " Its ok Mr Bruce the fire hasnt reached the canteen yet"

Meaning of Names

Just checked on the website and the meaning of the word Darryl is:

Little dear, beloved one : French

Creative, versatile and imaginative you appreciate beauty in all forms. You have great inner strength and courage and have the ability to accept large responsibilities or challenging situations with patience and humility. Others admire these qualities and follow your lead. You are honest, discerning and self-disciplined and need to have a peaceful environment. Putting others before self your talents are used to make life better for everyone.

Also
Although the name Darryl creates the urge to be creative and original, we emphasize that it causes a superior, interfering expression whose favorite expression is "I know." This name, when combined with the last name, can frustrate happiness, contentment, and success, as well as cause health weaknesses or accidents to the head, worry and mental tension.
Your first name of Darryl creates a serious, thoughtful nature, shrewd, efficient, and business-minded. You are one to make your own decisions, and not be influenced by others. You desire independence and freedom from the authority and interference of others. You are not overly ambitious, preferring instead to seek stable, settled conditions which are adequate to meet your responsibilities. You like to be your own boss and you are capable of handling responsibilities for others.

Bird table in the garden 

A summers day pic in the garden 

My New Mountain Bike