'Ow long ya bin gorn?

On Tuesday morning 30th June 2009, John Burke sent out his lackey, Gary, to give us two extra green and two extra blue boxes... Whoopee, as we now have 4 of each on site. Imagine my shock/horror/surprise when on Thursday night 2nd July 2009, I returned from a evening out at my frail parents house, to see that two of my green bins (the ones I hadn't yet marked) had disappeared!!! In fairness to the old Burke, he did say that having more than a couple of bins might attract the same attention as having a wheelie bin!

DTW 3/7/2009

O'Dreary and Deadly Doug Revisited...

Forrest Gump is a Villa Fan

(because the sound 'Quaint') Villa First Team Squad 2008 to 2009

(Some players on there have moved on or retired)

Is it me? Or are Villa going through an O'Leary moment? Lots of noise in the end of season about 'funds' being available for transfers, and then as the pre-season approaches. A deafening SILENCE from all quarters!

Remember the DARKER DAYS when Deadly Doug was in charge of the purse, and the only expenditure was to 'finance companies' and other 'contractors' who were allegedly indirect paymasters for... Douglas Herbert Ellis? And on the transfer scene, we couldn't even sign a 5th rate African Cup quarter finalist squad player... well at least we were being linked with 5th rate African Cup quarter finalist squad players in the press.

Martin O'Neill is a fine manager and is known for conducting all of his transfers in secret, not wishing to give other clubs awareness of his own agenda or plans. That helps keep the prices down. Remember Randy Lerner is one of the wealthiest owners of a premiership club, and although not in the same financial league as Chelsea and both the Manchester Clubs, but any mention of Aston Villa still adds a hefty percentage to a price.

So why aren't Villa being being at least mentioned by the rumour mills? Last season, in January we were 3rd/4th in the league, and with a very small squad, ran out of puff, and ended up being barely in 6th and were blown out of the UEFA Cup by deliberately selecting under par teams by O'Neill (For which he had to appease travellors to Moscow, by giving them some hospitallity at a later date) and blown out of the FA Cup through being tired. We have lost Gareth Barry to Man City, and Martin Laursen to injury. The only position where we have a relative strength is at Goalkeeper, where the two yanks have it covered (Although Friedel is in the twighlight of his career) Its now 6 or 7 weeks from the start of the premier season. and 2 or 3 weeks away from the start of our Europa (Uefa) cup campaign, and all we have signed is a 16 year old prospect from Northampton.

Over in Small Heath, it seems players are queuing up to sign for our second rate rivals...

It doesnt make sense at all.

DTW 3/7/2009

In memory of 'Aunty Fran'

Frances Hadlon 1918 to 2009

Four Generations of Hadlon at Jonathan and Samantha's wedding reception December 19th 2008.
Is Jane doing a Larry Grayson?

I started going out with Annette in 1975, aged 15. So I've know Fran since then too, as she or husband John were always visiting Betty and Albert, or we were passing and popping in to her lovely house in York Road, Hall Green, right on the corner of Russell Road, opposite Yorkmead School. Fran was charming and tiny. I can remember, once, being the bodyguard and escorting her home after she'd been visiting Betty and Albert and darkness had set in, just up Tetley Road and down Reddings Lane to York Road. (She was so tough, that she probably would have ended up protecting me) With her familiar East Midlands "Hello me duck" and "Taraa Duck" she could endlessly talk about anything with a surprising depth of knowledge. As time went on, we all found ouselves having to shout at her as her hearing deteriorated... In fact, apart from her fragility, her deafness was the only thing that did affect her in later life.

Today I sadly attended her funeral at Robin Hood Crematorium. The funeral program is here. Jane, Sue and Pete were all there, along wih their own families. I was there to represent Annette and of course, Betty and Albert, who along with John enjoyed many a night out at The Home Guard Club in Hall Green. (One Sunday a month when Annette and I could be guaranteed to NOT be disturbed...)

It was a moving service, and I choked in the 4th or 5th verse of "Abide with me" and then luckily I had my sunglasses as Eva Cassidy's 'Over the rainbow' had me in floods. When I hugged Jane afterwards, my snotty nose was directly because of that and not to down to the swine 'flu doing the rounds in Solihull and Birmingham.

Here's to you Fran, born 17th January 1918, died 18th June 2009, Aged 91, God bless you, and rest in peace. XXX

Post Script: Gifts in memory of Fran (and John) to SSAFA (c/o Braggs, 562 Stratford Road, B90 4AY)

DTW 1/7/2009