Ian Bourne

What is your name?
Ian Bourne

How old are you?
37

What is your gender?
M

What do you do for a living?
My brother and I run the family business.

What is your level of education?
‘A’ Level & Professional.

Do you hold any religious beliefs?
Christianity

Do you wish for your entry to be anonymous or under a pseudonym?
I am me.

What Stand do you sit in?
My wife, daughter and I have season tickets in the Witton Lower, but have been sitting in the Trinity Road for the UEFA cup matches, which I’m delighted to say we’ve been able to bring my Dad and step-mom (and other close family aswell) along to.

How long have you been going to Villa Park?
Mom and Dad took my brother and I along sometime in the mid-seventies, I have a memory of standing at the bottom of the old Witton End with Mom, Dad and Mark, and an old man sharing his flask and sandwiches with us – it stuck with me as Mom and Dad were very poor at the time, with Dad working around the clock to get his business off the ground. However, I was lucky enough to have a Season Ticket in the old Witton Lane, right on the halfway lane, right at the front (we used to talk to Tony Morley) from 1980-1981 onwards – what a first season, I thought every season was going to be like that! I’ve never really sat anywhere else since, bar a brief flirtation in 87-88 with the Holte End, when we were riding the crest of Sir Graham’s wave.

Can you describe some of your favourite goals?
Dennis Mortimer bursting through to score against Liverplop in the Championship season was magical – that was the moment when we really believed we could win the League. Any Andy Gray diving header! Peter Withe’s shin, of course! One against Spurs in the League Cup when we were in the 2nd Division – the place was rocking that night. Warren Aspinall at the baggies, when we started to turn our 2nd Division campaign around, after a hangover from the relegation season. Aspinall used to infuriate me – he’d be hopeless for 3-4 games then go and get a (usually meaningless) goal to keep in the team! This night at the Yawnthorns was memorable though – not least for me and my mates getting legged for miles afterwards! Kent Nielsen’s pile driver against Inter, we were right behind that, brilliant night. Dean Saunders against Ipswich – every time I hear ‘The Life of Riley’ (then the MOTD goals round-up theme) it takes me back to Deano and his own Goal of the Season competition. Dalian Atkinson’s goal to take us into extra time against Tranmere – probably the most brilliant split-second of being a Villa fan. I saw grown men cry with joy that day, and an old man of what must have been 80, singing ‘Big Fat Ron’s Claret and Blue Army’! Savo at Wembley – we all knew he had that in him. Finally (I could have been at this all day) I’ll add Paul Merson against Leeds in the cup, heroic effort, left him bruised, bloodied and out cold. To see a modern day player doing the same as you and I would – shed blood for the Villa.

Can you tell us about your favourite players?
Tony Morley by miles. I used to idolise him. I spent hours kicking a ball with my left foot so I could become a left winger like him. I met him last year, and was completely overawed. Second favourite would have to someone I’ve never seen (at least, in my memory) play, but is a wonderful person and ambassador for the Villa, Charlie Aitken. A true Villa legend.

What are your favourite Villa-related moments?
Having a ‘Claret & Blue Wedding’ on the day of the 25th Anniversary of the European Cup win - we had set up a Wedding Blog and were very pleasantly surprised to receive warm wishes from fellow Villa supporters the world over. We even named the tables after the team from Rotterdam – with the top table being Rotterdam! My wife also had a tiny bit of claret and blue in her beautiful wedding dress! If I just said “You Beauty!!” I think most Villa fans of my era would know what I meant. That was a great moment. Tranmere (again) and knowing we were finally going to Wembley. Getting to Wembley again in 2000 for the semi-final, and having tears in my eyes as the final whistle went. Taking my wife and daughter to their first Villa matches, and the pride that gave me, to know in my wife’s case that she’d be Villa forever, and that I was passing the tradition on, in my daughter’s case. More up-to-date it would have to be Liverpool at home this season, when my sister-in-law, who is very poorly, was a special guest, and we met The General and Mr. Lerner himself. The club have been absolutely first class with us, without going into too much detail.

What would be your best-ever eleven players (plus 5 subs) and why? Jimmy Rimmer – best Villa goalie I’ve ever seen. Very, very few errors. Kenny Swain – I used to love his over-lapping runs. Charlie Aitken – because he’s a Villa Legend, like I said earlier! Paul McGrath – to most Villa fans, he is simply ‘God’. The best player I have ever seen in claret and blue, and that includes George Best. Chris Nicholl – at my tender age, I could not understand why we sold such a great player. Gordon Cowans – Sid Sid Sid! So skilful, but used to scare us to death (and make my granddad moan!) when he used to dribble the ball in OUR area! David Platt – scored so many goals, pity he’s hardly had a good word to say about us since. Ashley Young – a star has been born, but for this team’s he’s on the right wing! Peter Withe – how could I not pick him? Gary Shaw – Gary who? They’d be saying about Line-acre © Mick Channon, if Shaw hadn’t been so unfortunate with injuries. Was set to become the best of a generation. Tony Morley – greatest winger ever! Subs: Nigel Spink –well he wasn’t such a bad sub in Rotterdam! Gary Charles – vastly underrated right back – only knew how good he was once he was injured. Des Bremner – never stopped working for the team. George Best – even though he was getting on and had long since retired, the night he wore the claret and blue against the baggies, for the Bradford disaster appeal, he ran rings around them. Ok, this is a bit of a cheeky entry, forgive me. Andy Gray – but only the first time around, before he left us three times (how could he do that?)

Why are you a Villa fan?
Family tradition, my dad and granddad and brother all took the lead and showed me the light.

Can you tell us about some important moments in your Villa supporting life and where they were?
Going to the first Villa match after my granddad passed away during the 80-81 season, and realising just what it meant to him and my dad. Being on the pitch after we’d been relegated, and wondering how on earth we’d got into such a mess. Gathering by the old Trinity Road entrance to protest against old Doug, with about two dozen others after that same match. Going up at Swindon – I fully expected Middlesbrough to go up. Talking of ‘Boro, seeing us annihilate them 3-0 when we could have scored 20, last home game of the Championship season, and the word going round that we had won the League that afternoon – and realising that we hadn’t! Also, ‘Boro brought about 6 fans down. They became my second favourite team a week later though! RIP Bosco. Being at the Sty the night of that game. Being pelted with missiles (again) by their lunatic supporters whilst their stewards stood and laughed. Finally I have to say, yet again, Tranmere at home – I took my two step-brothers that day, and they’ve been Villa through and through ever since.

What incidents have you been present at (on/off field)?
ManUre fans lobbing bricks over our car when I was about 8, scaring the life out of me. They’ve never really got any better have they? Too many B-lose matches that have descended into pitched battles – 030303 has to be the worst. The atmosphere was evil that night; it was a powder keg waiting to go off, and go off it did – all around us, in every stand. So disappointing that we lost the moral high ground over them that night. Santa falling from the Trinity roof – I usually went into the concourse area at half time, but that day decided not to, and really wished I had. I honestly thought the poor guy was dead. Luc Nillis at Ipswich, and their fans singing ‘let him die’ as he lay in agony with his leg in pieces. Got a parking ticket that day aswell! A long and lonely run back to Leicester station after I’d got separated from my mates, in our promotion season, with the infamous Baby Squad seemingly everywhere! Mark Bosnich re-arranging diving Klinsmann’s face for him – never shirked a challenge, Bossie! The infamous Ellis Out ‘march’ – total damp squib. As was his right, Doug left when he wanted, and on his terms.

Can you tell us any interesting/little known fact about yourself in connection with Aston Villa?
I won the hackysack keepie-uppie competition at half time of Villa v Australia, on the pitch, in 1984! Beat that! Gary Shelton played on the field at Lazy Hill with me and my brother when he was in the first team – he lived up the road from us and was great, although I’m sure he must have got sick of us kids knocking his door. That Ally Brown certainly did – he lived up the road aswell, and he would ignore us! Miserable baggie.

What has been your worst ever Villa-related moment?
So many to choose from. I’d have to say 030303 though, for the whole debacle of the night.

Why do you continue to support the club?
It’s in the blood, same as the rest of our family.

What changes would you make to any aspect of Aston Villa in order to improve the experience?
Make the ground bigger, to a 50,000 capacity. Build it and they will come! Encourage more locals to get closer to the club.

Is there a defining moment in your life as a Villa fan?
Getting my first ever Villa kit as a lad – complete with Andy Gray’s number 9 on the back – my mom had it added somehow, I was over the moon with it, and hardly ever took it off. Tranmere over two legs gave us everything that encapsulates being a Villa fan. Hope, ‘here we go again’, despair, tiny glimmer of hope, ‘we won’t do it’, sheer elation of the equaliser at the end, nail-biting drama of the penalty kicks, then out and out exhilaration.

Where did you grow up/do you live and has that influenced you?
I’ve lived all of my life within half an hour of Villa Park, north of the city. There wasn’t a single Blose fan at my junior school, they were all Villa with the odd glory hunter. In the mini-market in Aldridge, where I lived as a young lad, the sports shop in there had only Villa (usually home made bobble hats and scarves) stuff for sale, oh and badges – there were hundreds of little round badges.

What have been the influence of clubs/fans (if any) in those areas?
I suppose there were more Wolves fans I knew as a kid than anything else, save for a few hardy Saddlers, and there was never any animosity. Speedway was popular aswell then, albeit nothing like as popular as it must have been in the post-war years, but it still drew some support from the kids that were rubbish at football!

How and why did you come to support Aston Villa?
My dad, granddad and brother all encouraged me along. My brother was mad about the 76-77 team, and still says they were better than the 80-81 team. I was too young to compare them. When I think of the sacrifices my parents made for us to get to Villa games as kids, at a time when every single penny counted.

What is your first memory of the club?
See my comments about the old man sharing his flask and sandwiches with us. That, and afterwards the North Stand going up, and how windy it was up there until the Perspex panels were installed.

What would you do to improve the overall Villa Park experience?
Better car parking, better food and drink, better traffic management – but let’s not be too critical, it’s very early days of Mr. Lerner modernising the infrastructure, and we can have few complaints thus far. Get rid of the awful music that the team come out to altogether, and just play ‘Ghost Riders in the Sky’ at an appropriate time – but then I am edging towards 40, and what bothers me wouldn’t be bothering the next generation of supporter.

Do you have a Villa-related claim to fame?
Hmm, maybe my hackysack comment should go here?

How do you see the club progressing?
We’ve made great strides thanks to the takeover, and I must also say thanks to the relatively debt-free club they inherited from Doug, both on and off the field. Dare we dream about winning the FA Cup again one day soon? That would be enough for me!

How long have you supported Aston Villa?
I think I was chosen to be a Villa fan from the moment mom felt a kick inside!

Do you ‘follow’ any other clubs?
Whoever Brian Little (walks on water) happens to be manager of, and since spending the match at the Madejski Stadium in the company of some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met, Reading are my ‘second’ team. We were with the Club Secretary’s mom and dad, and her dad had scouted for Martin O’Neill years back, and was enthralling company. It was the only time in my life that I wasn’t sure if I wanted us to win or not (Reading were battling the noses for relegation at the time).

What teams in other sports do you support?
McLaren F1 team – I can’t be doing with this Ferrari business, they’re the ManUre of the motor racing world!

What hobbies and interests do you have outside of supporting Aston Villa?
I enjoy gardening, having never dreamt even ten years ago that one day I would, maintaining our wedding website when I get the chance, reading – I am an avid reader of books, and to keep my wife happy, weekends away!

Do you go Home, Away, both or are you an armchair/pub supporter? Why?
All homes, some aways, although I do get annoyed with the obsession with some of our away fans of getting as drunk as possible being part of the match day experience, only to spoil it for others/families. If there’s a game I can’t get to, I watch it over the internet, never in the pub.

Is there an established family history following the Villa and what does the future hold?
All of my generation in the Bourne family support the Villa and so do our children.

What Villa-related pictures have meaning for you?
Peter Withe as he scores the winning goal in Rotterdam is hung above our bed! Also, my wife and I were fortunate enough to have some post-wedding pictures taken at Villa Park, and we’ve had some of them framed and blown up, and they are fantastic – we had an unforgettable time, again thanks must go to General Krulak.

Have you ever been ‘inside’ the ground and if so, what impressed you the most?
Yes many times. The refurbished Trinity is very impressive (not the stand, the interior!)but the best thing about the ground for me is the aura of the place – the ghosts of Villa Park are as vivid as ever, and are stirring again.

What are your views on the past, present and future of Aston Villa?
Heritage that other clubs can only dream of, great opportunity, and an FA Cup win!

Do you possess any memorabilia that is particularly special to you and could you explain its meaning?
I am very proud to have a great deal of memorabilia, including a load of stuff that my dad has passed down to me, which I would never part with. Every single item holds a memory, and is special to me and my life and family.

Do you have any special emotional attachment to a part of the club?
It had started to wane, but yes, thanks to the new broom sweeping through, and their efforts to listen to the fans, I do feel that bond again.

What are the views of your friends and family to your supporting Aston Villa?
They’re all Villa fans anyway!

Has supporting Aston Villa affected your lifestyle? If so, how?
Not so much these days, as you get older you realise the things that really matter in your life – what comes first and that will always be my family for me.

Have you ever supported/followed another club? If so, what made you change your allegiance?
I couldn’t do that, no.

What changes have you seen that are for the better/worse (prices, atmosphere, obscenities, TV, fans etc)?
The whole Sky thing is a total turn-off, the 24 hour rolling football news, the obsession with celebrity footballers, the Engerland set-up from top to bottom totally alienates me. On the plus side, at least we can watch almost every goal these days! They say that the atmosphere isn’t as good as it was in the 80s – they’re right, it’s better now! Crowds of 12,000 odd did not for a good atmosphere make!

If you use a pseudonym on the internet, what is the meaning/reason behind the name choice?
Have a guess, but it starts with Ian!

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