The Aston Villa Courier
Squad23 Aug 2038
A one-man rearguard from Sam Proctor
There were 7 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.
Match21 Aug 2038
The wait goes on for Aston Villa
6 without a win now, and the ground has developed the special quiet of a crowd that expects the worst. One scrappy 1-0 would cure most of it; that is the maddening part.
Squad23 Aug 2038
Boubacar Kamara in a row with a teammate
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Aston Villa this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad23 Aug 2038
Words at Aston Villa training over how hard people work
Somebody said out loud what several people had been thinking. Amadou Onana is at the centre of it, and the squad will now find out whether the standard rises or the pair of them simply stop speaking.
Boardroom23 Aug 2038
15 academy players handed senior numbers at Aston Villa
The morning the pathway stops being a brochure and becomes a team sheet. Most of them will not be here in three years; all of them have already done the hard part, which was getting to today.
Match21 Aug 2038
Aston Villa come up short against Sheffield
Sheffield left with the points after a 1‑2 defeat that will take some explaining on the terraces.
Market23 Aug 2038
One of our own: Mark Kelly joins the Aston Villa first team
Clubs spend fortunes looking for players and occasionally find one down the corridor. Mark Kelly is that, and the reception he gets on his first appearance will be different in kind from the one any signing receives.
Market23 Aug 2038
Aston Villa promote Thomas Clarke from within
The academy exists for exactly this morning. Thomas Clarke has come through every age group the club runs and has now been handed a senior number, and the people who coached him at twelve will be the proudest in the building.
Market23 Aug 2038
Michael Murphy steps up from the Aston Villa academy
There is no fee, no unveiling and no agent on the steps. Michael Murphy has been at this club since he was a boy and is now, formally, one of the first-team squad — which for a local readership beats any signing of any size.
In brief
- Market Matthew Robinson steps up from the Aston Villa academy
- Squad No hiding place for Ezri Konsa
- Boardroom A promise the Aston Villa board did not keep