Vår man på Holte End
Michael ger sin syn på det senaste derbyt mot de onämnbara, de efterföljande kravallerna och framtiden för Claret & Blue.
Once again, Villa fans are let down by the club. No doubt everybody saw the pile of crap dished up by the team on Monday night. I really thought that after September, things could not get any worse, then this happens.
There is no real point in mentioning the football because there was'nt any, instead there was a game of disorganised kick and rush instigated by Small Heath and which we blindly followed. Villa were total garbage, no brains, no honour, no idea. Probably the worst night at Villa Park since relegation.
The build up to the match consisted of local media appealing for the fans to behave themselves (and not drag the good name of the City of Birmingham through the mud), the Police saying they were prepared if there was trouble and rumours of Small Heath fans having tickets for the Villa end. Depending on who is to be believed, there were between 400 and 800 Police on duty.
Most Villa fans were predicting a Villa win and avenging the humiliation at the temple of doom earlier in the season. Small Heath were without Cisse and Purse, two influential players and while we had Delaney out, most thought there wouldnt be any problems in giving them a sound thrashing.
Coming out of a pub near to the University at around 7.15 pm, the first indication of problems that I saw was the Police helicopter shining the search light onto the streets at the North Stand end of the ground and a mass of blue lights. As we got near to Aston Hall, we were lucky enough (just), to dodge a big mob of Scum rampaging along the streets. This is an area that Villa fans pass through on the way to the ground and there was no reason at all why bluenoses should be there. This is typical Scum behaviour, a hundred inbreds attacking small groups of lads simply going to the ground. This same mob, then had a pitched battle with the Police on the park overlooking Trinity Road. They made a pathetic attempt to get to the Villa fans on Trinity Road, but stopped about 50 metres away.
Meanwhile there were running battles along Witton Lane and around Aston and Witton train stations. Inside the ground, the atmosphere was pretty electric everybody was really up for the game and this was the time that the team would put the record straight !
The atmosphere got worse as the game progressed and was becoming increasingly unpleasant. By the time Dublin got sent off and we realised that there was going to be no chance of winning the game, it was obvious that there was going to be trouble in the ground. The singing and chanting stopped and it really was just a matter of time. When the first goal went in, fighting started in the Trinity and Witton Lane stands and that continued, on and off, for the remainder of the game.
The worst of the trouble was in the Witton Lane stand, with several fights going on and a couple of attempted pitch invasions, when Villa fans tried to rush the bluenoses. A few lads (doing their terrorist Tommy impressions) ran onto the pitch, one going straight up to Mr Popular (Savage). This particular lad was stopped and held onto by Enks (This was the only thing that Enks managed to hold onto all game). The lad was then arrested, this caused a lot of resentment by the Villa fans, who began to boo the keeper.
After the second goal, nobody in the crowd seemed to be paying much attention to the game as the stands decended into general mayhem. Some fans simply left to get home safetly, some left to wait for the bluenoses to leave, some continued to try to get to the bluenoses inside the ground and some began to fight each other (There were several fights between Villa fans in the Holte, mainly caused by either booing or not booing Enks).
As the game finished Villa fans charged down Witton Lane towards the away fans exit where there was some fighting with the Police who charged them back. Serious trouble between the fans continued along the backstreets around the train stations and down towards Spaghetti junction, where mobs of both sets of fans fought with each other and the Police.
Its difficult to give much of an opinion on what has happened and quite a few fans have differing views on it. It is rare that there is any trouble at Villa Park and this was clearly the worst that has been seen there since football violence was fashionable in the late 70's early 80's. It is certain that Villa will be in trouble with the FA because of it. There were even 'Villa Youth' chants. (Villa Youth was the hooligan firm from 20 years ago).
Whilst there has been more serious trouble at other games in the lower divisions during the last few years, I think the difference with this was the length of time it went on for (both inside and outside the ground), the fact that it was live on television and the large number of people involved. Villa v Small Heath games always result in trouble. The scale of this was the fact that it was a home defeat and the manner of the defeat. Home defeats in local derby's will always result in increased problems. The fact that Villa have had a poor couple of seasons has increased frustration amongst the fans and this boiled over on Monday. Whilst the trouble in the ground was caused by the Villa fans, both sets of supporters were responsible before and after the game.
The anti Ellis feeling is high at the moment, as is a certain amount of anti Taylor feelings. Luckily there is a 2 week gap until the next game (home to Man Utd) which will give some time for everyone to calm down. If we were playing sooner than that, then it would be very uncomfortable for Ellis, GT and the players.
Most fans are still shell shocked by what has happened and nobody really knows what will happen next game. I think fans will be split between the majority that want to protest and those wanting to support the team, that may result in more trouble. Certainly, if Villa have a bad result there, then it will get very dodgy. Enks, in particular may continue to be unpopular for helping to stop the Villa lad on the pitch (The lad was a prat, but most fans were unhappy with what happened to him).
The punishment that Villa will recieve will be sorted out over the next week or so, it is likely that players from both sides will be in trouble with the FA and maybe the Police. Hopefully this wont totally ruin the good reputation that Villa fans had. We will now be thought of as the same as Bluenoses who have always had a piss poor reputation.
The toerags who run Small Heath have been bleating on, Bruce saying he was hit by coins, Gold saying how well the scum behaved (he obviously didnt see what I saw) and Brady doing her usual 'we are the working class hero's' bit. Its long odds, but keep praying, they may still go down. The only problem is, if we continue to play like that, we may go with them.
