I write on music, sport and travel. Tweets are mostly along the same lines; I delete most old stuff. Debut book out now - see 📌 pinned tweet!
#avfc
한국을 사랑해.
Pinned tweet: Where can I buy your book?
These links will, between them, get it to you wherever you are in the world...
If you can use independent stores where available, I'd appreciate that,
@StanchionBooks
and
@KennysBookshop
have been great. Thanks!
@GrantSana
I've lived in quite a few places and this is lost on me. Irish coffee is superb if you know where to go for it. Yeah, Insomnia for example is pretty dreadful but we have some excellent spots, too.
The "don't blame Olsen" brigade need to accept at this point that we're a shadow of our usual selves when he plays. The defence fall to bits every time, presumably due to lack of confidence in him. That's six conceded in about 110 minutes now. Not good enough.
#avfc
@tariqpanja
My Aston Villa almost certain to finish above two and a solid shot at finishing above three of the six superleague clubs, too. No one called that at the time!
Aside from last night's chaos - Villa did a montage of ppl who died in the past year at half time (former players, fans, etc). Nearly every Liverpool fan stood up and applauded start to finish. Love to see that. In any other environment it'd be a given but not football
#avfc
#lfc
@avfcbreaking
Nah, the fact that Newcastle fans are still annoyed about this a decade later is genuinely funny. They could use learning to take a bit of banter. It's one banner.
@Nancy_Gillen
@kirbyhazard
I paid £15 to watch my country win the Euros and anyone who thinks that's a bad thing has something wrong with them, frankly 🤣
1981/82 season: Villa win the European Cup.
1982/83 season: Villa are in the top level of European competition for the last time.
1984: I'm born.
2024: 😃😃😃😃🎉🎉🎉
Alexa, play that beautiful Champions League anthem. Absolutely unbelievable. UP THE VILLA!!!
#avfc
#utv
Gonna put that second half in the context of "7 points from Arsenal, Chelsea + Bournemouth is a fine return" and look forward to cheering on Arsenal tomorrow. Not the first time we've had a bad half, let's look at the bigger picture and move on. The team seem to be able to.
#avfc
@xGPhilosophy
Really? Accepting I don't fully understand the system, there's got to be easily a 10% chance of scoring in that position once he's on the ball. More, I reckon.
One of my current favourite ways to make myself socially unpopular is to refer to Aston Villa as the "fourth best team in the Premier League" in the company of fans of Man United and Chelsea and observe the disgust on their faces 🤣
#avfc
#leaguetabledoesntlie
@willr171
@avfcbreaking
Of course, famously what normally happens when a big premier league side is relegated is the opposition sympathise 🤣. Get over it, we've been there too, it's not personal and definitely doesn't justify a decade of resentment and a completely fake 'rivalry' 🤣
I've a great piece of history around unrepresented World Cups explored in my book (see pinned tweet) about what is widely regarded as the best tournament for unrepresented people to date. I hope this is every bit as good...
Two season-ending injuries to key players before the end of the first game, a 5-1 defeat.
15 consecutive home wins.
More than 50 games played, running on absolute empty for the last five.
Just sensational beyond belief.
#avfc
#utv
Aston Villa in the Premier League this season...
• Most points and wins since 1992/93
• Most goals since 1976/77
• Only team to beat Man City and Arsenal
@UnaiEmery_
has led them to the Champions League for the first time since 1983. 💜🇪🇸
#AVFC
My view would be this is probably it for CONIFA. Too consistently unreliable, I wouldn't be booking personal flights to a tournament anymore, let alone a whole team"s worth. It just shows how incredibly London (and other) events were. A huge shame, it was a great project.
@FootRankings
Oddly that's probably a disadvantage for the 5th CL place next year - as the points are averaged, it'd only take 2 or 3 clubs performing poorly to see them in trouble, and the average quality of a top 9 clubs is likely to be lower that this year's 7. Weird how that works!
@ChatShirt
Two teams are beefing about their shirts and the history of them. One is a slightly cultish club beloved by tru football fans wearing full-sleeve Kappa. The other is a dull new money club with a questionable past clad in season old Castore.
If you're expecting me to shut up about Aston Villa between now and May 19th, by the way, you're going to be sorely disappointed. There's a reasonable chance this is the best season we've had since the early 90s even if we lose every remaining game. It's sensational.
#avfc
#utv
This. Commentary was remarkably pro Chelsea throughout, too. One of the poorer Villa performances this season (outright awful second half), but that's a foul, end of discussion, surely?!
#avfc
The standard of Premier League reffing is bad. But TNT desperately trying to create a controversy around a very clear foul doesn't help them do their jobs, either.
@BUDJNRR
@AVFCOfficial
This is a post about someone saving someone else's life mate. Stop farming clicks and show some basic decency. Absolutely moron.
I'm gonna have the fear until it's absolutely over, obviously, but with goal difference, this Spurs team very likely needs to beat City even if Villa lose our remaining two. A title chasing City against *this* Spurs team. We're nearly there, surely?
#avfc
#utv
@Cultureroze
@foreverboleynBU
@danlb_1882
Not that I owe you an explanation, but here are dozens of blog posts from when I lived in Seoul (below), and the phonetic translation written out: 토트넘 홋스퍼. Some people have done things with their life other than act like an ass on Twitter. Cheers.
If he played for anyone else, I'd probably think Emi Martinez was a tool. Villa haven't traditionally had many shithouse type players, and I haven't generally liked them, but my god do I love that man. He's unreal.
#avfc
#utv
@UltraTV90
@DeadlineDayLive
Even if we're in the Champions League, while we're managed by a hugely respected manager and clearly have a great dressing room with a rep for improving players? I think you might be surprised. We've already got several players on his level.
Villa fans, if any one of Chelsea, Newcastle or Man Utd lose (or in Chelsea's case, draw) tonight, we mathematically qualify for Europe. What a season!
#avfc
#utv
I had the two year old with me, too (as well as my wife and 10 year old son). Normally that would be a recipe for disaster but she was outstanding. Couldn't have dealt with it all better. So proud of her!
In an hour, St Pauli play away at HSV (cracking German derby), and if they win, they get promoted to the Bundesliga and all but consign HSV to another year in the Bundesliga II. What a scenario!
#FCSP
I thought Big 6 Premier League bias on Sky was funny, but Kenny Miller has absolutely disgraced himself on Old Firm commentary. Arguing against the absolute reddest of red cards short of a punch 🤣. Another level stuff.
I think on current form with a depleted squad, tonight is a step too far for the Villa and I can't see it happening. It it does, it'll be the cherry on top of an incredible season. Whatever the outcome is, I'm beyond happy with this team.
#avfc
#utv
I'm not sure yet if I'm going to
@BeyondThePaleIE
this year, but I'd highly recommend it. Great varied music, lovely crowd, just an all-around really nice experience.
A throwback interview from around 18 months back - the superb
@jamesstarsailor
on his solo career and how it fits alongside the band's latest explorations as well as his love of Carole King...
The full video of this is seriously moving (possibly only if you're a Villa fan). About 15 mins in when we're 5-0 down and the away end is going absolutely mental singing that Champions League song... decades of watching Villa and I've seen nothing like it.
#avfc
#utv
That's fifth minimum guaranteed, right? Newcastle and Man United both need 13 points from a possible 18 to go above us, even if we lose every single remaining game. We'll definitely get more points. Ecstatic with that.
#avfc
#utv
.
I don't think it'll be today on balance, but Aston Villa could qualify for the Champions League today, which is truly breathtaking. Alongside the playoff final win, if it ultimately happens, it'll be the most significant moment for the club in my lifetime, I think.
#avfc
#utv
Looking at the new format, I genuinely think Villa could get a knock-out tie in the Champions League (requires finishing at least 24th out of 36 in the new league format). What a time to be alive 🤣
#avfc
I'm having another "frustrated by lack of interest in local media" day. Dublin Gazette has a bigger per issue circulation than the Irish Times. I don't expect to be treated like I write features for the Irish Times, but *some* PR treat features as worthless.
This game is madness. I think most of us Villa fans feared for the Defence without Martinez, who is key to how we play in possession. Olsen is a reasonable shot stopper but our whole defensive strategy struggles without the pass back option. At least we're in it again.
#avfc
I'd imagine most people who remember themselves at the age of 10 would agree with this.
I wouldn't say "I identify as a courgette" now because it risks being taken as mocking someone, and I don't want to do that, but as a 10 year old I'd have found it full on hilarious.
As someone who works with children, I promise that adults thinking they ‘identify as pasta’ is hilarious to them. IF, and that’s a big if, a child has ever said that, they are 100% taking the piss to see how far they can push right wing adults into embarrassing themselves.
@LoveMcGrathpod
Me too. Villa are my club, I grew up watching them, and I've flown out for today's game, but I (now) live in Ireland and it's not doable week by week. So I watch a lot of League of Ireland, several teams. In fact, I pointedly don't pick one:
@stphnfllws
@danbardell
I would, and I 1000% mean this, pay the ticket price to watch us lose this 5 or 6 nil and have a party in the sun. I'm sure they're fine.
For what it's worth, I'd like Arsenal to win the title. But not at the expense of my club, happy to take SIX POINTS off them all day long. Bring on the next round of Arsenal fans commenting on Unai, one of the themes of our season (we love him, not sure why they care!)
#avfc
#utv
@VulcanVilla
@Lucky13Pierre
I also didn't hear a poverty chant. And I was in North Stand, near the away fans. I'll hold my hand up if I'm wrong, and I hate that stuff, but I didn't hear it.
Got myself and the little lad tickets for the Liverpool game. They seem to be flying out, suspect they'll be sold out today, hardly any pairs together. Had to take what we could get at the bottom corner of the North Stand (opposite side to the away fans, thankfully!)
#avfc
#utv
Olivia Rodrigo's €20 tickets for people who can't afford full prices go on sale soon for Dublin (I don't have details but her website will). Quality thing to do.
Villa were relegated this season and I still consider it the best season of my lifetime. Absolutely unreal achievement against massive odds, if only it happened more often.
It's been incredible watching the Villa fanbase come to life these last 18 months. Incredible passion behind Emery's team, it's superb to see. 11 days until I'm over, three crucial games before then. Come on, lads!!!
#avfc
It's never gonna be perfect every week, of course, and I'm incredibly happy with progress overall, but this is so poor from Villa. Horrible to watch tonight, I'll be shocked if we get through this.
#avfc
That's about the toughest possible outcome, I think, but I'd prefer the full experience. Other extreme would be something like...
Inter, Leipzig, Shaktar, Club Brugge, Maccabi, Slavia, Sturm Graz, AEK
Which I'd be disappointed with. Give me a massive home tie, please!
🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Unai Emery commits future to Aston Villa by extending contract as boss until 2027. Spaniard happy at
#AVFC
+ club intend to sit down in summer to prolong deal further. Owners see 52yo becoming their version of Sir Alex Ferguson
@TheAthleticFC
@GrantSana
Yep. I live in a town of 10,000 and there are quite literally four places here I wouldn't be embarrassed to bring an Italian (and a couple I would, to be fair!). Smug nonsense, for sure.
We've actually played extremely well tonight. Incredible season, but I think this is gone. It is what it is. I can't bring myself to get upset, I remember 18 months ago too clearly.
#avfc
I think there's a genuine question to be asked about playing Gauci on Sunday tbh. Probably switching Konsa back out wide and putting Carlos/ Torres (if he's fit)/ both back in, too. Defensively, this isn't working in a massive, massive way.
#avfc
@DonaldClarke63
I tell them I don't have a vote because I'm English. They usually try to explain about local elections etc (I know this already and I am a citizen now - accent can be very helpful!), but it stops them trying to win me over, usually haha. Not a widely useful strategy, admittedly.
I don't begrudge anyone enjoying that huge pop stars new music that came out on Friday (careful wording here), and I'm absolutely in favour of 'let people enjoy things', but it's not stand out sensational, is it? I feel confused (/probably old) by the hype... it's... fine?
That was manic. Exhausting to watch, sometimes you see someone performing like they mean it to the very core of their being, and this was one of those times. Not sure it'd go in my top 10 gigs ever but I'd squeeze it in the top 20. It'll be a stadium next time
@oliviarodrigo