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Regular My Old Man Said columns
World Cup Villa Reflections – Konsa Scapegoating, Villa Injury Woe and Ex-Villa Hero
The Good, Bad and Ugly of World Cup 2026 So FarWhile Aston Villa fans are either enjoying a summer off or worrying about UEFA cost spreadsheets, there's a World Cup on. It's a good chance to remember what football was like before the Premier League made it a product, or is it?The GoodUp to the quarter-final point, it's been a surprisingly entertaining World Cup,...
What We Learnt From the Villa’s Immediate Post-Season
Aston Villa are Europa League winners, Champions League returnees, and already three weeks into the summer transfer rumour cycle. Here are the three observations that cut through.The Rogers Sell-on Clause Changes the ConversationThe transfer fee figure most commonly attached to Morgan Rogers in the press is £80 million. What the press consistently omits is the 20% sell-on clause Middlesbrough reportedly hold on any future...
Five Reasons to be Cheerful as Villans Ahead of Chelsea Six-Pointer
Five Reasons to be Cheerful as Villans Ahead of Chelsea Six-PointerIf Villa fans were offered third place with ten matches remaining after the dismal...
Five Reasons To Be Cheerful As Villans as Sharks Begin To Circle
Five Reasons to be Cheerful as Villa's League Buffer ShrinksWith the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea starting to string wins together, four points...
Five Reasons to be Cheerful as Villans Ahead of Cherries Trip
Five Reasons to be Cheerful as Villans as Pressure MountsAre Aston Villa in a blip? With two consecutive Premier League home losses and a...
Aston Villa’s Engine Misses Key Parts as the Cavalry Ride into Town
The Good, Bad and Ugly: Adversity Strikes the Villa Engine RoomWith Aston Villa poised perfectly to strike at the top of the table and...
Five Reasons To Be Cheerful as Villa Wreak Mischief on The Magpies
The defeat at home to Everton presented the perfect opportunity for the team to wilt. Losing Boubacar Kamara and John McGinn in the space...
Five Reasons to be Cheerful As Villans After Grealish Has Last Laugh
Despite an excellent win in the FA Cup last week, Villa’s stellar league form has come crashing down with only four points secured from...
Emery Backs Notion That Title Talk at Half-Way Point is Nonsense
Title Talk For EngagementFootball loves a narrative, and modern football media loves one even more. The problem is that narratives are now routinely manufactured...
Villa and Rogers Exceed Expectations to Sleigh Christmas Demons
The Good, Bad and Ugly Christmas SpecialI’m a superstitious sort. While many people have filled the column inches with all things Villa, I’ve sat...
Five Reasons to be Cheerful as Villans This Christmas
Five Reasons to be Cheerful as Villa Fans at Christmas‘Tis the season to be jolly, and my goodness, Villa fans can attest to that...
Five Reasons To Be Cheerful As Aston Villa Make Cherry Pie
Villa's goalless and rocky start to the season couldn't feel more distant after a triumphant home thumping of high-flying Bournemouth. With the season now...
Aston Villa Roll on as Summer Signings Make Headlines
The Good, Bad and Ugly as Aston Villa Get Up and RunningAfter the early-season worries, Aston Villa have found their groove in a very...
Five Reasons To Be Cheerful as Aston Villa Begin Takeoff
Five Reasons to be Cheerful as Villans - October International BreakAs with any rocket launch, the initial moments are slow and difficult to watch....