Pete Winters

What is your name and how old are you?
Peter Winters, 37

What do you do for a living?
Immigration Officer

What Stand do you sit in?
Holte Upper

How long have you been going to Villa Park?
Taken as a two-year old by my dad.

Can you describe some of your favourite goals?
I don't have them. As much of a cliche it is, all Villa goals are favourites. I just want to see us score.

Can you tell us about your favourite players?
Wear the shirt as if it means something to you and you'll do for me. However, I've always had a soft spot for Brian Little.

What are your favourite Villa-related moments?
Winning is always a favourite moment. But when I've been away for a while - I live and work overseas at the moment - walking past Aston Hall and then seeing Villa Park loom large is still my favourite part of the day.

What would be your best-ever eleven players (plus 5 subs) and why?
Rimmer, Swain, Staunton, McGrath, Evans, Mortimer, Cowans, Little, Withe, Yorke, Morley

(S) Spink, Gidman, Platt, Bremner, Young

The European lot speak for themselves. Staunton because he had a great range of passing, shooting and could defend. Little because he could have been right up there with the very best. Yorke over Shaw because he was nearly unplayable for a section of the 95-96 season. No Shaw on the bench as I'd need to give Morley some competition and I'm not old enough to remember a better winger already at Villa in my supporting years.

Why are you a Villa fan?
I'm from Aston as are my whole family. The Irish side, my mother's, settled in Lozells and my Dad's side were from Manchester St area which is near Newtown Shopping centre.

Can you tell us about some important moments in your Villa supporting life and where they were?
League Cup semi ‘76-‘77 at home to QPR. First game I remember. It triggered something in me and to this day I can remember the proceeding games that I went to and the following seasons’. Without that trigger I'm not sure what I'd be like to be with today. Probably better for the wife as I am inconsolably glum following a defeat.

Can you tell us anything about yourself in connection with Aston Villa?
My dad's club was approached by a Villa scout in his amateur days. Only to be told that my dad wasn't available. He wasn't told this until he was about 50. You can guess that he was far from impressed.

I was told to come back to Ron Saunders when I was 12 by the man himself after I told him I wanted to play for Villa. He resigned a few months before my 12th birthday. Around 3 years I'd been counting down the days.

I joined Stafford Rangers on the day Collymore left to sign for Crystal Palace. I was in the reserve squad and playing for the first team was Bremner.

What has been your worst ever Villa-related moment?
Swearing at Little after the 4-0 drubbing at home to Blackburn. To this day I have been thoroughly ashamed as he’s one of my heroes.

Why do you continue to support the club?
Born and bred. Although I'm no longer in the area they are still my club. I come from a still relatively small group where Villa were the local club - and not just closest - but truly local and we were always a big club growing up.

I have a bond with Villa that is too deep if I'm honest. They can make me laugh, cry, or just show any outbursts of emotion.

What changes would you make to any aspect of Aston Villa in order to improve the experience?
A winning team. And trophies.

Is there a defining moment in your life as a Villa fan?
That ‘76-‘77 game.

What memorable moments can you tell us about?
Winning the League Cup in ‘77. Great time for a young kid. Travelling with my dad, my uncle (mom's brother), granddad (mom's dad) on the train and then bus in Manchester. A real family day with 3 generations of Villa fans spread across 2 families. I had flowing long locks and a big rosette.

'How old is your little girl?' some old woman asked on the train...

Are there any family influences?
No-one in my entire family supports anyone but Villa. Any of my aunts will talk passionately about Villa and will discuss the team with enough analysis to know you are talking to a fan. We're all like it. A truly one club family.

Where did you grow up/do you live and has that influenced you?
Aston, six-ways.

What would you do to improve the overall Villa Park experience?
Just love being there.

How do you see the club progressing?
Very well. Need European football next-season to keep the restless fans at bay. Then we can buy the players we need to move on. It can be done and I think we have the right board and manager to do it.

How long have you supported Aston Villa?
All my life.

What teams in other sports do you support?
Warwickshire - Cricket

What hobbies and interests do you have outside of supporting Aston Villa?
Sports/politics

Do you go Home, Away, both or are you an armchair/pub supporter? Why?
I play football on Saturday's in the UK and so I no longer go to games unless it’s a midweek fixture in London. I also live down south- although overseas at the moment.

Is there an established family history following the Villa and what does the future hold?
There is. The next generation are being brought through with the same mindset.

What Villa-related pictures have meaning for you?
Withe scoring that goal, Little scoring his mid-air volley at Highbury, the badge, the ground, any old photos.

Have you ever been ‘inside’ the ground and if so, what impressed you the most?
I have. All of it. It’s Aston Villa. I'd love even the smallest growth of dirt.

What are your views on the past, present and future of Aston Villa?
Past - We were huge and haven't forgotten it. Even scanning over the poor years.

Present - Our belief in the name Aston Villa is coming back.

Future - Success.

Do you possess any memorabilia that is particularly special to you and could you explain its meaning?
Not one for memorabilia. but I love looking through my uncle's old programmes - from the 50s/60s onwards. And my 76-77 LC Final programme is particularly dear to me. No idea where it is mind...

Do you have any special emotional attachment to a part of the club?
The playing side.

What are the views of your friends and family to your supporting Aston Villa?
Friends think I'm a little bit too intense perhaps.

Has supporting Aston Villa affected your lifestyle? If so, how?
Not my lifestyle but my moods are dictated to depending on Aston Villa's results.

Do you feel that away games are for the fan or the family?
Either

What changes have you seen that are for the better/worse (prices, atmosphere, obscenities, TV, fans etc)?
Far too much money going into the game at the top level. means that the product's image is more important than the product. Otherwise the cash would filter down to those clubs in need.

If you use a pseudonym on the internet, what is the meaning/reason behind the name choice?
Not a pseudonym but peter w. Just easy and too lazy to use the full surname.

Do you have anything else to add?
I do love this club. I honestly wish I didn't love it as much as I do as my mood swings follow a pattern. I hate watching us on the TV because the fear of my Aston Villa losing means I am a nervous wreck until the final whistle is blown.

The Catalans have Barcelona as the central point of their community and I have Aston Villa. They really do represent a huge part of who I am. I'm happy with the pain for the brief glimpse of pay back in the form of success that they give me, however relative.

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