Favourite Things: My Passport (Villa Park (Aston Villa FC))

Member Name: marandina

Product:	Villa Park (Aston Villa FC)
Date:	11/07/02 (215 review reads)
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A favourite thing? Hmmmm...so many to choose from. I’ve been to my kids’ sports day for the first time today. I’ve never really thought about it before and it’s hard to decide what’s my favourite thing. I kinda pondered what makes folks happy which sent me spiralling into all sorts of creative thoughts. For some reason I always look up to the sky first with thoughts of what the weather’s doing and how I can write about it differently to anyone else. Then I think about what happiness truly is. For many it’s like trailing after some mist that keeps disappearing around the next corner. I mean, even if you catch it you may not be able to define it.

However, you want my favourite thing, not a reflection on life and happiness or some inspired lines about weather. My favourite thing is probably my passport. Not the one that takes me abroad..oh,no. That one has a horrible piccie of me from 10 years ago. All bleached, blonde hair and gawky expression. My life revolves around my job and my family but, like just about everyone else in the world, I need to get away from it all sometimes. I’m sure life’s getting faster every day. My job seems to ask more and more (like a flipping unnecessary further qualification that will hound me over Summer), my kids seem to join a new group of some kind every week and my wife...oh..erm...better leave her out of this.

I tried to listen to hypnotic tapes once. I’m a terrible sleeper you see, so I had Paul McKenna’s soothing tones ushering me into trance. Part of the spiel was to imagine yourself in your favourite place. I suppose for many, this would be a park or a beach or something equally calming. Sad git that I am it was...DRUM ROLL...Villa Park. Oh, how shallow art thou?

Thing is, before people start throwing brick bats and half-drunk bottles of advocat (I know Keith’s out there somewhere) I’ve loved footie since I was an iccle boy. I
was obsessed in fact. Any days out or trips to the park would invariably involve me taking my football. Every present anyone ever bought me was always footie related. One of my fondest memories was of my dad taking me to my first match aged 7. It was to watch Birmingham City and they lost to a goal in the first minute. A couple of weeks later, my uncle took me to watch Villa play Fulham. Everything was so different. The atmosphere, the excitement, the glamour. From then on I was a Villa fan for life.

I’ve had some wonderful moments in my time watching footie but the beauty is that it’s my time. No work, no kids, just me at the place I love. My daughter did come with me once when she was 4 but I made the mistake of going in January. I felt so guilty as she slowly froze and wanted to go to the loo frequently. As it turned out, the game finished 0-0 as she asked me "Was the winner the one with the most points?"

I sometimes think I’ll happily expire one day (when I’m a good deal older I hope) watching footie. Needless to say, I love my family but sometimes, just sometimes you need time on your own (or in my case, with 3 other lager drinking, swearing, footie animals).

Oh, gosh darn it ~ I thought these favourite things ops would have their own cat. Ho hum..interesting facts about Villa Park, then...

Approximate capacity:43000
Main stand: The Holte End
Away End: Witton Lane
Newest stand: The redeveloped Aston Rd side
Facilities: Pretty good. Recently added food bars, drinks available i.e. bitter & lager at approx £2.20. Turf accountants on site.
Some free parking available in adjacent roads. Limited parking available at the ground. Plenty of parking available for between £3 - £5.
Tickets: 0121 327 5353
Stadium Tours: 0121327 2299

Record attendance 76588 v Derby Co. FA Cup 1946


Villa Park is off Junction 6, M1 and follow the signs from the A38.
Tr
ain station is local Witton Rd.
Buses available on match day from the Town Centre.

Villa Park is a thoroughly updated stadium for the 21st Century which regularly holds the FA Cup semi-final and the occasional England U-21 International. It was a stadium used in the 1966 World Cup Finals & the 1996 European Championships. It has a pride and heritage to match the very best stadiums in the land.

God bless her (and Villa Park).

"Jill Murphy asked me to write about one of my favourite things to help her celebrate her fourth anniversary of cancer-free living and to remind ourselves of all the nice things in the world. It takes more muscles to make a frown than a smile you know. If you'd like to join in, whether you've only just joined Dooyoo, or you've been here ages, you're more than welcome. Just write about one of YOUR favourite things, make your title "A Favourite Thing: [your choice]" and include this paragraph at the foot of your opinion. And post before Friday, 9th August

Thanks for reading and I would just add that Jill’s one of the nicest people I know.

Take care, darling.

Marandina xx

p.s. Is this typical repartee on Tooyoo?

Quote: Auldmac "Mornin all, I've just found out that the lovely Lamorna's favourite thing is a three day long going over by the Vicious added Tax Inspectors ewwwww, and,, wait for it,,,,
Marandina's favourite thing is 8 inches long and 4 inches wide and its all bent over cos he keeps it in his coat pocket and only brings it out once a fortnight,, ewwww"

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