You know, I'm getting fed up.

I'm not fed up with the team - they're going great guns. I'm not fed up with the manager - he's turning us around. And I'm not fed up with Lerner, FitzGerald and Krulak - every sign is that they believe in and are investing in the club.

No, I'm fed up with the fact that the four season tickets I have are only delivering about 85% of their value.

Why?

Because for the first six or seven minutes of every half Villa play and for the last six or seven minutes of every half Villa play I am obliged to watch someone else's backside. I'm sick of it, and I have to make a stand.

I manage to get my car parked, get to the ground, have a pie and a pint and be in my seat for the players coming out. I never fail to get myself a KitKat and a Bovril at half time without missing the half time whistle or the start of the second half. And I can also feed and water a family of four easily during the half time break without missing a kick. And we watch every bloody second.

So why is it that some of the tossers around me feel the need to routinely arrive six or seven minutes late for both the first and second halves, thus ruining my enjoyment of more than 10% of the game? And then, to add insult to injury, the same tossers get up and leave six or seven minutes before the end of the half or the end of the game, spoiling or even obliterating the view for me, my wife and my kids (who struggle to see at the best of times - my boys are just seven and five).

I'm sure these same tossers know the statistics - that at least 20% of goals are scored in the first and last five minutes of any half. But for them, only two things are important: getting to the pies first, and getting out of the car park first. Are these people football fans?

Are they Villa fans?

I need to give you an example. I won't tell you where I sit - this must remain anonymous. But there is a guy whose seat is across the aisle from us who routinely stands up on 39 or 84 minutes, starts to make his way out of the stand and then - infuriatingly - lingers on the aisle, blocking everyone's view of the game.

When I challenged him last game with "either sit down or f*%$ off", his response was "stand up then". Total tosser. I hope he reads this.

At the Arsenal game, he arrived back for the second half with eight minutes gone. I have to say, and without wishing to be rude, he should start laying off the pies anyway. If I knew his number, I'd text him Rosemary Conley's details.

But like him, if convenient parking and easy access to pies is your priority on a Premier League weekend, then there are many shopping centres in and around Birmingham that I can suggest.

However if your priority, like mine, is to watch the Villa playing top level football and giving it some, then I suggest you stay in your seat until the referee blows his whistle.

My young boys don't understand why the people around us leave their seats early.

Can you help them understand - and in doing so, if you're trying to justify your obsession with getting the first pie or getting out of the car park first, could you please explain why that is more important than watching Villa?

And could you also explain why my season-ticket-holding kids have to spend at least ten minutes each game watching your arse instead of their idols?

Sit down and watch the game. And if you really need to leave early, leave fast and - hopefully - don't come back.

And also have just a bit of respect for those around you who really do want to watch the game. That's what we paid our money for and, frankly, a view of your arse really doesn't cut it.

Comments (34)

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mackaavfc said:

Why not have a word with him or maybe a steward, instead of bitching on a website, be a man, show some b******s, and stop being a coward.

December 05, 2007

Jambi said:

Thats just confirmed my view that the mirror is the worst piece of trash not fit to wipe your arse on (though this is quoted from teamtalk, paper talk): "Aston Villa striker Darius Vassell is the number one target of Middlesbrough." Sad excuse for journalists, probably taking home 50,000 . I remember when they printed a stoy saying Man U's Anderson had been refused a work permit, only to have it granted that same day!! Not to mention all the absolute transfer rubbish they pluck out of thin air just to make money, and then I see people on here getting all hung up on something they've read this piece of crap!! please in future people ignore anything you read the mirror, buy a proper NEWSpaper. Right, rant over, you may have noticed im not a fan of the Mirror!!!

December 05, 2007

smylhr said:

i agree with your article. i have a season ticket and have been to every game this season. i dont quite understand why people pay money to come and watch football to then go and miss 15 minutes getting home early or satisfying their stomach. a season ticket holder behind loses his temper everytime people leave early, he shouts the same thing week in week out 'you'll be back next week, support the team'. just because the select few cant be bothered they shouldnt ruin it for others! utv

December 05, 2007

Gary said:

I witnessed people leaving 10 moinutes early from the Arsenal game, when we were giving them plenty and a goal was on the horizon. I always feel the need to jeer them cause they are missing the most exiting edge of your seat part of the game, whether we are hanging on or dominating. F**k the lot of em.

December 05, 2007

Dizzy Mugs said:

No such thing as a newspaper anymore Jambi. it's all tabloid rubbish. Pro-British, Anti-Everything cobblers. The Telegraph used to be news, that's becoming a bit more tabloid now. Nothing has real news, of course there are news stories, but it's buried in between Russell Brand's favourite sex acts and Kylie Minogues new fragrance.

December 05, 2007

Dizzy Mugs said:

I agree with what you're saying Doc, people should sit down for the whole game. But sometimes traffic gets so rough around here that people forget about the Villa and just want to avoid the rush. A bit stupid, saturday in Birmingham is full of traffic, football game or not.

December 05, 2007

Damian said:

mackaavfc it seems like you're in the minority on this one. in defence of Doc who sent this in last night - he did actually challenge him. i'd suggest you owe him an apology for calling him a coward and not reading his post before looking for any excuse to criticise him

December 05, 2007 | url

Villain of the North said:

The mirror also quoted someone in the prem as hoping to sign Feyenoord "forward" Royston Drenthe in the jan transfers. First off, he's not a forward, he's a defender or winger and signed for real madrid in the summer. muppets.

December 05, 2007

mackaavfc said:

Apologies Doc, i thought Damian had wrote it.

December 05, 2007

PaulE said:

It's definitely a problem and a very frustrating one. I agree with every word.

December 05, 2007

Damian said:

You'd not believe it unless it was written here would you. If I had written it I'd be a moaning b*****d but because Doc wrote it he gets an apology. So I'm a coward but Doc isn't. Lets see who has the boll0x then. mackaavfc, write down your name here and stop hiding behind a user name.

December 05, 2007 | url

Manilla Villa said:

I agree with your comments regarding gaining value for money Doc - but it's not really a good example to be setting your kids when you're telling someone in the aisle to "either sit down or f*%$ off". At five and seven the kids will hear enough bad language at a football ground anyway, withouht you adding insults to other Villa fans. Supporters pay there money to watch the match, there are no rules on how much of the match to watch. No doubt the guy in question will be a season ticket holder, therefore it's his decision on when he wants to leave the ground. Talk to the stewards if it's really bothering you. Every week people leave grounds early, it's not going to change so get over it.

December 05, 2007

mackaavfc said:

What do you want know my name for? Damian it was a joke, i take it you are still awaiting your sense of humour bypass?

December 05, 2007

Oscar said:

I think your moaning a little too much. Some people are late some people arent. maybe you should try for a ticket at the front at ground level.

December 05, 2007

Damian said:

mackaavfc I'm just using what you said in the very first comment to throw it back in your face. quoting you now instead of bitching on a website, be a man, show some b******s, and stop being a coward. Or is it that you have no boll0x and you are a coward? Maybe I should start a poll titled: Is mackaavfc a coward?

December 05, 2007 | url

mackaavfc said:

Answer the question Damo, why do you want my name? Start what polls you want mate, couldn't give a flyin fook.

December 05, 2007

Damian said:

You clearly don't understand mackaavfc. The point isn't about getting your name. Its that you will come on here - have a pop at someone after not even reading the post and call the man a coward and tell him to be a man. Then when someone has read all your comments and challenged you with exactly what it is you have said - you prove to everyone reading that you dont have any boll0x, that you're not a real man and you are a coward. Oh, the irony. Now, just so you know - only comments relating to the actual post will be published in future. If you have anything to say on this subject I'm afraid you'll have to wit until the poll results are out.

December 05, 2007 | url

I HATE BLUES said:

You absolute tit!have you ever thought ppl need to leave before the end of the half as most of the time it takes you 15 minutes to get served to a beverage.Alot of ppl travel for miles to watch the villa so if they travel 200 mile rnd trip their not real villa fans cos they leave 10 mins early to get a head start on their return journey home.As for younger children not being able to see their idols when i was a youngster going the Villa i could hardly see F**k all when it was all standing.

December 05, 2007

oldman villain said:

we travel from the isle of wight some times by car and some times by train and it all depends on hold ups and times we can get the trains/ferry back home, so some tmes we are late or have to leave early we hate it just as much anyone else but what can people do we travel miles to watch them play its great when we play pompy home game for us lol

December 05, 2007

essjaydee said:

This post although an interesting subject is short sighted for the fact that the guy being there, leaving early may be annoying for leaving for what reason we dont know, but this happens at every match in the premiership, not just at VP. But you cant question if he is a fan or not! He has spent alot of money for a ticket/season ticket instead of watching the match somewhere else, and in turn contributed his own cash to the club we all love. Damian, calm down mate, you've really taken this a tadd too far, the bloke offered his apology to you and you threw it back in his face? and then you have the (ironically quoted) b****x to ask him if hes got any b****x! grow up, and be a man.

December 05, 2007

syavfc said:

its up 2 u when u arrive its up 2 u when u leave. i think ur moanin abit

December 05, 2007

SuperSeanUK said:

I agree that I don't like it when people leave early, and maybe I'm missing the point here because I don't go to as many Villa games as most of you (have sympathy, I'm a penniless student living in Leicester atm), but why does someone leaving early cause you, your wife and kids to miss 10 whole minutes? Whenever someone leaves early when I'm at the Villa, I miss the one second of the game it takes for him to walk past me, then he's on the steps and gone. Maybe I've missed the point or I'm picturing it wrong. You can tell I'm a student, can't you.

December 05, 2007

avfc-anthony said:

i agree fully with people leaving early but i go every week im there from when the whistle is blown start half time and finish. but sometimes at half time the ques are that long with some people pi**in around tryin to decide what they eat that its hard to get back for the second half ontime. this happens to me regulary and one time it took a man 10 minutes to order a pak of crisps and beer.

December 05, 2007

Woodinho said:

This is a really stupid article... how this is Villa news or even remotely interesting I dont know. I'm off to read the Harewood article!

December 05, 2007

Gwyllum18 said:

At least you're there! I'm 7000km away in a cold house (its currently -22C outside, cools the inside a bit) watching the Villa.

December 05, 2007

I HATE BLUES said:

More of a forum article

December 05, 2007

Thegreatdando said:

Valid opinion to be honest, but don't think it really warrants a complete article to it's own, surely there is better news/information to be reporting?

December 05, 2007

Leroy said:

If you pay your money, you pay for the seat, not standing in front of me. I was at a Lauryn Hill concert (i know, missus birthday) and two idiots were in the seated section standing dancing etc, i told them where the standing section was and to sit the F**K down. Admitttably one of the girls boyfriends wasnt happy, but he respected the fact that i had paid my money (too much ofcourse). So i would say get some balls and talk to the person or people.............Is this Doctor Phil or something?

December 06, 2007

i love villa said:

haahhah i think your a bit grumpy, although maybe annoying as it is the fan has the same right as you to get up and go whenever he likes. if it bothers you so much have a polite word in his ear. dont forget hes a villa fan too. sometimes i think your on a very high horse......

December 06, 2007

Dizzy Mugs said:

Damian and Mackaavfc, off to The Ghetto NOW!

December 06, 2007

BigAnd said:

Would you go to the Cinema and leave 10 minutes before the film finished? I guess not as it would be a waste of money; so why miss the end of a football match just to miss 10 mnutes in the traffic? Yes it is annoying when people leave their seats then stand in the aisle blocking other peoples view and yes id Doc wants to moan about it then good on him. Those who mention travelling 200 miles etc; when we travel away we don't leave early so t miss the traffic - the whole purpose of going t the football is the game so why miss it?

December 06, 2007

taglor said:

I'm going to start arriving late and leaving early just to annoy people like you who think they can decide what other human beings who pay the same amount do with their own lives. Victor Meldrew

December 06, 2007

villa82 said:

I'm a season ticket holder in the Holte end but last week there was a spare seat going with somebody i knew in the doug so i gave my seat up to a mate and took up the invite to sit with somebody else so my mate could go the match instead of watching in the local. I was bloody shocked when with about 6 or 7 minutes plus injury time left to play and villa putting Arsenal to the sword i dont think a naked Rachel Stevens could have dragged me from my seat. I was totally embarassed! it hasn't really bothered me before because there are old people etc that have good reason to leave a little early to avoid the squeeze out but then if i was 80 and struggling i'd probably stay in my seat for 5 minutes and wait for the traffic to die down. I dont think i'll be sitting with them again!

December 07, 2007

Neil M said:

Just a small point - Villa have many large screens around the stadium concourse areas, showing every minute of the match. It takes a long time to get served at the bar at half time, so understandably some people leave before half time to que up whilst still watching the match on the screens. It's not ideal, but still seeing the action. Why do you think the bars open 15 mins before half time? If these people didn't go down early, there would be far more congestion during the actual break. Also, at the end of games it's not uncommon for people - especially when we winning comfortably and the game is petering out, to go down to the concourse to watch the last few mins on the screens. Plus, not everyone goes by car, some like to get to witton/aston stations before the que stretches 200 yards, or get on a bus before the traffic builds up.

December 08, 2007

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