Of Villa Christmases Past and Future

We think fondly of the class of '82,
the year Europe was papered claret and blue,
and wonder what has happened since then;
some say the lion has been in his den.

It's been decades since the Villa cream
were thought of as winners supreme,
and, though many a magical moment's since been sewn,
it's been too long since Villa were champions known.

It was a Celt, of course, that really sowed the seed;
the acorn from which a grand oak was to feed
many years of splendorous teams,
whose feats many tried to copy, it seems.

And now, perhaps Merlin's spirit is here once more,
renewing the passion to push ajar that door
(that we thought had hung on calcified hinges)
and so defying the critics' whinges!

This Christmas, let every leaf of holly and mistletoe
remind us of our first Celtic hero
and pray that the man called O'Neill
will triumphantly stamp his seal!

So let there be inscribed upon the bark
of this great oak, no longer in the dark,
that here lies a big, big club ...
Aston Villa; prepared, and always at the hub.

Merry Christmas!

John Lerwill

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