These are my links for 26 th January from 10:50 to 10:50
"They were there when it all began and are still blazing a claret and blue trail 134 years later. Richard Whitehead selects 50 men and moments in the life story of Aston Villa " Beautiful article about the Villa, that even bluenoses should read.
Marketing Birmingham have signed an advertising deal with Blues and Villa to promote visitbirmingham.com on advertising hoardings and the like. That’s a sensible move, scenes from Villa Park and St Andrews must be the most often televised nationally (and internationally in Villa’s case) from Brum (plus there’s always the chance of something really newsworthy happening in front of one of the boards — remember the parachuting santa?). Of course there’s always the “visit Birmingham for three easy points” thing, but at least the message is out there. The Evening Mail’s coverage was somewhat bizarre however: “FOOTBALL clubs Aston Villa and Blues have put their rivalries to one side for the sake of the city to sign a joint £1.4 million sponsorship deal to give Birmingham a massive global boost.” Leaving aside that they felt the need to explain that Villa and Blues were football clubs, in what way could the two companies be said to be “put their rivalries to one side”?. By accepting advertising deals from the same company? “The Sun and The Mirror put their rivalries to one side and both ran adverts for Dixons.” Nonsense.
New Villa blog from the Post & Mail, with fans as well as journos. Apparently there's Blues, Albion and so forth versions on the way.
everyone jump into field after game, originally uploaded by 511823. First this lovely picture from a nice tourist “everyone jump into field after game, crazy football game” — who has a hard time understanding the Football Offences Act of 1991, (an offence to trespass onto the pitch or its surround) . Then the bizarre story of Blues midfielder Oliver Kapo giving the apprentice that cleans his boots his car as a tip. Nice, but doesn’t indicate that he thinks he’s coming back to Brum after his holidays.
The Blues are, rather foolishly in my book, asking people to sign a petition on the government petitions website to try and help get a new stadium. Some hope of that. How did I find out about that? From this lovely article on a villa blog. Tell you what, those clowns of the Small Heath Alliance over the South side of the City have been on the funny juice again. Not happy with their Meccano ground as it is, they are asking Joe Public to sign a petition to the Government, to support a new stadium in the Birmingham City boundaries, so that they can have a nice new ground to play football in. Good to see all right thinking sports fans are thinking rightly about the project.
Blues get a civic reception (BCFC website needs registration) on Monday (7th May) at 5pm, they’ll be on the Council House Balcony.
