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Regular My Old Man Said columns
Five Reasons to Be Cheerful as Aston Villa’s Preseason Begins
Five Reasons to be Cheerful as Villans - Preseason BeginsAfter arguably the best season Aston Villa have enjoyed in a generation, Unai Emery's squad has returned to Bodymoor Heath after a well-earned summer break. They've barely had time to unpack the sun cream before the squad has already undergone some serious surgery, and there's every chance more arrivals and departures are still to come.With...
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,...
Five Reasons To Be Cheerful As Preseason Begins in Earnest in the USA
Five Reasons to be Cheerful as Preseason Warms UpAston Villa's exciting 2024/25 season ended not with a bang but with something of a whimper,...
Aston Villa’s Spine Melts Again to Leave Summer of Uncertainty
The Good, Bad and Ugly - The Dust Settles after Old Trafford HumiliationA rollercoaster Aston Villa season is finally over. The final destination was...
Five Reasons To Be Cheerful After Disappointing Season Finale
Unlike last season, Unai Emery's men managed to hit some decent form in the final months of the season. Despite juggling three competitions to...
Aston Villa Keep Season Alive but Talk is Cheap Off the Pitch
The Good, Bad and Ugly – Full Force NeededAs the season reaches its final bend, Aston Villa are still clinging on. There's only one...
Fizzling Out or Fighting Back? The Defining Weeks for Villa and Watkins
The Good, Bad and Ugly – Fizzling Out or Fighting Back?Sometimes football is about feelings more than analysis, so the Good, Bad and Ugly...
Five Reasons To Be Cheerful As Villans on Route to Wembley
After a rollercoaster week that witnessed the highs and lows of Paris St. Germain followed by the demolition of Newcastle and a late gut-punch...
Five Reasons to Be Cheerful After the Winning Run Ground to a Halt in Paris
With three competitions still in play, the final six weeks of the campaign should provide fans with more than enough entertainment (and a an...
Five Reasons to Be Cheerful: Villa’s European Dream & Season-Defining Fixtures
Five Reasons to be Cheerful as Villa Survey the Season's Business EndIt has been a long and demanding season for Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, with an expanded...
Aston Villa’s Season: Glory or Gamble? The Good, Bad & Ugly So Far
The Good Bad and Ugly - Quarter Finals CallingIf ever a season was summed up with Good, Bad and Ugly, it's been 2024/25. Now...
Five Reasons to Be Cheerful as Villans After a Week of Mixed Fortunes
Five Reasons to be Cheerful as VillansA late winner from Marco Asensio secured a crucial victory over Chelsea, following on from a hard-fought draw against Liverpool in midweek. ...
Five Reasons to Be Cheerful After Villans Enjoy Sunday Roast
Five Reasons to be Cheerful as Villans After FA Cup ProgressThe FA Cup fifth round and Aston Villa haven’t often gone hand in hand in recent decades. Despite winning...
The Good, the Bad & the Ugly of Aston Villa’s Transfer Business
The Good, Bad and Ugly of the Transfer Window and BeyondNow that the dust has settled on the January transfer window and Aston Villa...