BWS offers a very familar Christmas story;
There was a mean-spirited, miserly old man named Ebenezer Lerner (AKA Scrooge) he sits in at Villa Park on a frigid Christmas Eve. His clerk, Paul Phatchit shivers in the changing room because Scrooge refuses to spend money on heating coals for a fire (or decent quality players, or wages or a top notch Manager).
Scrooge’s nephew, Fred, pays his uncle a visit and invites him to his annual Christmas party. Two portly gentlemen also drop by and ask Scrooge for a contribution to their charity. Scrooge reacts to the holiday visitors with bitterness and venom, spitting out an angry “Bah! Humbug!” in response to his nephew’s “Merry Christmas!”
Later that evening, after returning to his dark, cold apartment, Scrooge receives a chilling visitation from the ghost of former owner Deadly, Deadly looking haggard and pallid, relates his unfortunate story. As punishment for his greedy and self-serving life his spirit has been condemned to wander the lower divisions weighted down with a heavy Man Utd scarf. Deadly hopes to save Scrooge from sharing the same fate. Deadly informs Scrooge that three spirits will visit him during each of the next three nights. After the wraith disappears Scrooge collapses into a deep sleep.
He wakes moments before the arrival of the Ghost of Christmas Past, a strange childlike phantom with a brightly glowing head. The spirit escorts Scrooge on a journey into the past to previous seasons from the curmudgeon’s earlier years. Invisible to those he watches, Scrooge revisits his Martin O’neils days, his apprenticeship with a jolly secretary named Steve Stride, and his engagement to Karen Brady a woman who leaves Scrooge because his lust for money eclipses his ability to love another. Scrooge, deeply moved, sheds tears of regret before the phantom returns him to his bed.
The Ghost of Christmas Present, a majestic giant clad in a Claret and Blue fur robe, takes Scrooge through Birmingham to unveil Christmas as it will happen that year. Scrooge watches the Paul Phatchit’s coaches prepare a sub standard team for Villa’s home game. He discovers Paul Phatchit’s injured player, Gary Gardner, a courageous boy whose kindness and humility warms Scrooge’s heart. The spectre then zips Scrooge to his nephew’s to witness the Christmas party. Scrooge finds the jovial gathering delightful and pleads with the spirit to stay until the very end of the festivities. As the day passes, the spirit ages, becoming noticeably older. Toward the end of the day, he shows Scrooge two crap football teams, Birmingham City and Wolverhampton Wanders living under his coat. He vanishes instantly as Scrooge notices a dark, hooded figure coming toward him.
The Ghost of seasons Yet to Come leads Scrooge through a sequence of mysterious scenes relating to an unnamed man’s recent death. Scrooge sees businessmen discussing the dead man’s riches, some vagabonds trading his personal effects for cash, and a couple of season ticket holders expressing relief at the death of their unforgiving chairman. Scrooge, anxious to learn the lesson of his latest visitor, begs to know the name of the dead man. After pleading with the ghost, Scrooge finds himself in a churchyard, the spirit pointing to a grave. Scrooge looks at the headstone and is shocked to read his own name. He desperately implores the spirit to alter his fate, promising to renounce his insensitive, avaricious ways and to honour Villa with all his heart. Whoosh! He suddenly finds himself safely tucked in his bed.
Overwhelmed with joy by the chance to redeem himself and grateful that he has been returned to Villa Park, Scrooge rushes out onto the Trinity road hoping to share his newfound Villa spirit. He sends a gift wrapped Cristiano Ronaldo to the Phatchit house and attends Fred’s party, to the stifled surprise of the other guests. As the years go by, he holds true to his promise and honours Villa with all his heart: he treats Gary Gardner as if he were his own child, provides lavish signings for the Manager, and treats his fellow Villans with kindness, generosity, and warmth.
BWS, this is a piece of literary genius my friend. Sadly, you know what the future holds for us under Ebeneezer. It’s the ghost of a 20 year transition followed by more mediocrity.
BWS simply top drawer mate.nice one.
Excellent BWS Xmas wrapped ronaldo brilliant.
And the Phatchit would probably play his Ronaldo as a LB!
MON would play him at right back though lol
God bless you Lerner you don’t want the claret n blue posse n crew after you cuz you are in the mire Lerner with your cakky biznizz plan failin.I love my Villa we have tradition Lerner you owe us…….love you all claret n blue Arrrrrrrmeyyyyy.SOTC.”..UTV
A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!
God bless you xxx
Aston villa clatet n blue aarrrmey
I note that you haven’t written lamberk’s claret and blue army. Very telling.
Sir EARL Merry Christmas and we who saw the light when the LEMMINGS got their man should we feel sorry for them bloody no hope that 2014 is the year their little world crashes around them.
And you mate. Have a good one. Get ready for a lemming invasion when we beat palace and Lamberk becomes a hero!!!
Good one the club is being ran into relegation clubs that get sucked in over a period of three or more years will eventually go down Southampton(of old), Coventry, Wigan this is the calibre of Aston Villa FC under this chairman if you think other wise you need to ease up on the mulled wine and smell the roses.
Randy has in no way taken this club forward and our inevitable destiny of relegation awaits, probably sooner rather than later. LAMBERT OUT
BWS, just got back from Birmingham and had the chance to read the Birmingham rag, hey mate Lerner said he understands and has spoken to Lambert and will see what he can do. The prick. We are just 1 point more now from this time last year, and yes nice ditty for Christmas.
BWS good one mate but with all the comments so far does this mean at last the LEMMINGS are turning into Wolves.Cos we will be playing Wolves next season.Merry Christmas i won;t say happy new year as it seems like it;s going to be worse than this one LAMBERK OUT LAMBERK OUT LAMBERK OUT.
A very good assessment of the current state here;
http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/astonvilla/id/1248?cc=5739
Great article, sums things ip in one comment “poor recruitment”
You’re right badgers it does sum it all up mate the manager talks shite & the team are shite.says it all really.palace next shite.
Morning all, Merry Christmas to you, I’m determined to cheer up till Boxing day and god help Lambert if the wrong result comes our way , as I’ve said Lambert and Lerner according to the BIRMINGHAM RAG have spoken about problems and Lerner his sympathetic and see what he can do in the New year, Yer pigs will fly, well at least Abonglahor on the pitch a man that cares and of cause Albrighton to me that’s it. Its a must win game for the club, if not the worm will turn.
Many thanks for all your kind comments Merry Christmas to all, have a good one!
Merry christmas to all fellow villans.hopefully in footballing terms it is.
With regards to footballing terms Giddy the following seems apt –
Hallelujah Noel be it heaven or hell
The Christmas you get you deserve.
Merry Christmas Randy.
.
Very apt indeed mate.nice one
Merry XMAS to fellow Villans, wherever you are in the world.
We will NOT be relegated ….but we are still utter shite!
Fuck off Lerner, the Villa is OURS!
Hark now hear, the Holte End sing, Randy is a twat
So fuck off back to the USA, and give us our Villa back!
Good Morning well if it;s midday kick off only 26hrs &50 minuets to go before we fiind out where we can see our season going up or down.Question how many Lemming skins to make a fur coat.Yo Oh Oh.
Lol
That’s a cliffhanger mate.
Worked with a fella named Howard that had terrible stutter and he sent one of girls a Christmas card which he had signed Merry Xmas, Ho Ho Ho Howard to which one of the lads said” f**k me, he even writes with a stutter!”
Lol mate keep em coming having a shite day at work,just found out im on call 2moz no merriment for me bah humbug.