Aston Villa and Acorns, your ideas please and football cold turkey
Saturday, 07 March 09, 05:16 AM · Comments (86)
For some reason I can't even listen to the radio this morning as my Squeezebox Boom is playing silly buggers and while I know there are loads of other ways, this is how I do it on a Saturday and it's not working.
It's almost as if the Boom has been tampered with by the wife as she knows this should be quality time with the family seeing as there is no football, but you lot know me better. Just because there is no football to watch doesn't mean there isn't football to talk about.
The players will likely be on the golf course right about now as they're four hours ahead and I've watched nearly all of the first season of the West Wing again and only have six more to go, but for a couple of hours I'm going to search the internet looking for some juicy gossip or bits of news relating to our Aston Villa Football Club.
But to the real point of this post, before I go off into man time, is the news that we'll have Acorns on our shirt for next season. I like the fact that Randy Lerner has put a price on sponsoring us and he's sticking by it and with the current economic climate hitting most of us quite hard, it's understandable that nobody has come forward, but Lerner could have waited.
He could have waited until the end of the season because if we had secured a Champions League place there are sure to be a few companies that would happily pay quite large sums of cash to to associated with us, but on the flip side, these economic times are also going to be hitting the likes of Acorns, so this is when they needed the support of the club and it was given.
We can also do our bit too. I emailed Aston Villa's head of community, Duncan Riddle this week and offered up our help and he emailed back asking for suggestions. We get a lot of people visiting this site and we have several things in common, the first is we're supporters of Aston Villa and one of the other things is, most of us do actually care and if we were to all give a fiver or tenner to Acorns it would be a tidy sum.
The thing is, I'm not going to ask you for any money, just your time and one of the other things we all have in common is, we have a bit of time on our hands - quite a lot more than the kids Acorns look after too.
So, rather than you all just give me a fiver or a tenner, I want you to come up with some ideas on how we can raise money. No idea is too stupid or too big. Think along the lines of a sponsored event; this way, it's not about you giving a fiver or tenner but maybe getting five or ten other people to give a fiver or a tenner.
Also think about things that don't have to be done all in the same place. Sure, the majority of the visitors to this site come from the UK, but a good proportion don't and I'm sure they'd like to get involved too.
Bottom line - you don't have to spend a few minutes thinking, you can go on your way, but even if we get 1% of the visitors to this site coming up with one suggestion we'll get a few suggestions and if one of those can be implemented and we then get 5% of the visitors involved and they all get 10 sponsors then we should raise a fair bit of cash and well, it will make us all feel good.
Now, you're thinking why should you bother? Well, bottom line you don't have to. You can just ignore this plea and pretend like you never read it and you know what, it's actually okay and you shouldn't feel guilty or bad, because well, you shouldn't.
I get fed up with the amount of letters I get asking for money, of all the things on TV and all those people on every High Street badgering you for money about causes sometimes I've never even heard of and I don't feel guilty and again, I shouldn't either. I give my little bit when I can and that is enough for me.
But, I am in a position to give a little time this weekend. It might be 30 minutes, it might be two hours and while it might not sound like a lot, put it all together over a period of a month then multiply it by the 200 other people doing the same thing and it really starts to add up.
But, I'm not asking for any of that now. All I'm asking of you today is to spend a little time thinking about how we could raise a bit of cash.
It doesn't have to be as a site or community, it can be though, but as an event that you think might get people interested and might get people to part with some cash and like I said, don't think anything is too bit or too stupid - good ideas have to come from somewhere. But at the same time, think about the small things, every penny counts.
So, I'm going to go bugger off now but over the next half hour I'm going to come up with at least one idea and I'm going to post it below this weekend. If you can do the same and we can put all these ideas forward to the club - who knows, one might get picked up and maybe, if it does, a few of us will like to get involved with it too. Hell, who knows, it might actually be fun.
I shouldn't do this next bit but I'm going to. I'm going to apologise for those that think this is too serious or shouldn't be something that comes into the blog and if you are one of those, I understand and apologise.
But I've got a podium to do this from and this year, when I say no to someone on the street or I throw away another letter, I want to know that it's not just my fiver in an anonymous box that allows me to do this, but that I did something that meant something.
So, ideas please and up the Villa!
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86 Comments · Add yours
how about a sponsored avfc blog 5 aside tourney the pitches near villa park (powerleague pitches)
1 st aswell bonus ,by the way it wud be cool to meet all the bloggers to if they could get
villapep
Great idea! Add to that maybe the club let the semis and final be played on the pitch at Villa Park? They can only say no ..
My Dad does charity work and he will be presenting a cheque for seven thousand pounds to acorns tonight at a function. I helped raise some of the money so I will be feeling less guilty when I meet some of the parents of the children that Acorns help. It gets to you though how hard some of these kids have it.
On a lighter note, Arsenal website have a vote for goal of the month. They have only scored 4 in February and one of those was a penalty!
Martin Laursen stepping up his training next week and expected back at beginning of April. Fingers crossed.
Think the 5 aside tournament would be a great idea, could maybe do it on a saturday or sunday in the summer when the season is over. If there are problems with using powerleague pitches may it could be held at villa training ground? Surely the club would agree to that
i would come down from newcastle to play that 5 a sode avfc blog torny like lol. anything for acorns.
Also how about a sponsored VP run, up and down every set of steps at VP? you up for that Damo, say noly 1 or 2 people do it and we all rase money.
With the 5 a side thing, you could also charge every player a fiver to play, that'll raise loads, im sure you'll get over 100 people wanting to play
How about 5 a side torny, winner of the final plays the reserve team
i will travel from milton keynes to also play and wouldnt mind paying either. this tourny is a great idea esp if i can show off my skills againgst the reserves.
up the villa!
5 a side tourney sounds the way forward could stage it as a mini league with a knock out stage over a couple of weekends as when ever torneys come up the intrest is usally huge especially with the cause it would be for.
GET SOME SHIRTS PRINTED.
ASTON VILLA BLOGGERS FC.
V
ASTON VILLA
what a match lol 11 on 11 on VP! haa
Well in 2010 me and 15 other people from my local church plan to go to Cape Town in South Africa and go to see some of the little villages/towns and help them build a school or something like this. Anyway, we have to raise around £1.5k-£2k by May next year, so we're going to be doing a lot of fundraising events by that time. I have a decent amount of money in my bank account, so i could probably get by if i gave say... 1/3 of the money i make to Acorns. That's my idea anyway. As for ways for US to get involved as a group, 5 a side tournaments, shirts, badges, stickers, that sort of merchandise with the proceeds going to Acorns. Probably the best bet.
Dizzy_Mugs
email me about your south africa thing - i will be able to help if you need some; my first name @worldcup2010southafrica.com
cheers
Here lads, The joys of having a quiet day at work,
The All New AVFC Blog Strip
LINK
Hope you like it
i also think that maybe an Aston Villa bloggers XI vs a Vital Villa XI (if you could get them on board, maybe the clube would let it be played at villa park
the 5 a side thing sound great as well
Reply to Pat_AVFC_17:
yes well theres plenty people that would do it lol we would have say 30 people on the bench
how would we select a team? play a 5 a side torny best players go into a hat first 11 plays the vital villa lol
OMG! greatest though ever.
)
will never happen like. AVFC get on board decide what the ha play the 1st team, and us beat that 2-0 haa!
that would be so good (also bad if anyone found out
id play in the 5 a side league, i could get a team together like that * aswell, we play 5 a side anyway lol
i love the idea, i think the club would agree to it
we should open another window so people can put the fav places to play down,
Mines RB but i can play LB and RM
On a lot of the flights i take, they collect any loose change the passengers have. I'm sure a few people travelling back from Dubai may have a few spare Dirrums
It seems like a five-a-side tournament would get interest - but we need to have more than one idea ... any others?
The thing with a five-a-side tournament, if it were to be popular, would be the logistics involved. I'd happily get involved and dedicate some resources from work, in terms of organising .. but it would need numbers and couldn't really be 'badged' as an AVFC Blog tournament - but would have to be more focused on the club and Acorns.
But more ideas please ... this is good!
how about the race around Villa park. Sponsor someone or a few to race around VP up all the stairs on the stands.
Or maybe.... £3 to enter in to win a free new strip ?
or something signed (simple but would work)
or £10 each for the chance to win a place walking out onto the pitch with the team one match
hey, why don't the players donate 1% of their earnings, or whatever they were going to gamble, or spend on prostitutes, or drugs or beer for one week, i bet that would be a tidy sum
Reply to keefvilla:
My compliments to you and your Dad. May the LORD make his face shine upon you.
Reply to keefvilla:
Keef, touched. A soft heart beats under that tough exterior
how about a marathon around villa park? surely a lot of people will love to do that. it would be great!
just an idea...
What about a sponsored 5K run around the Villa park pitch in fancy dress?
You have to raise at least £100 in order to do it?
But I would be way more interested in a 5 a side tournament!!!
Would be mint!
Reply to _saz_:
great minds think alike hey saz
Alright lads, what do you think of this:
The team are one of the closest bunch in the Premiership, yeah? Well why don't AVFCBlog organise a sponsored head shave for fans and players? I think it'd do moralle a huge booste to see the team all deck out in skinhead, and it'd be seen as an enourmous gesture to the ACORNS kids - most of whom have little to no hair anyway as a result of their illness or treatment.
Just a thought!
Reply to B_Robinson:
Thats quality!
Even get MON on board!!!!
Reply to maindog:
Hahah! If MON did it, the rest of the team would HAVE TO!!
Reply to B_Robinson:
awsome. seeing them all skin heads would be the boost the fans need haa!.
Marathon/5aside are the most fav so far like.
maybe arm wrestleing comp with the players,
Reply to Mlockey89:
hahaha...Bagsey NOT arm wrestling Harewood!...I think he would rip my arm off!
what about a sponsored tapp up contest or skills contest, i'm sure that there are loads of villa fans that think they can hold their own with the best of them and it would be a good laugh, what do you think Damian?
up the villa
Wouldn't add up to much, but maybe Randy would let me have a lemonade stand in the family section at Cleveland Browns Stadium at the first home game in September (lemonade stands are big over here) with Acorn (AND VILLA) signs around, to show everyone here his commitment to the community in England.
how about we all run 10 miles naked! with just the villa badge on are front and acorns on are bott lol!
through aston
Reply to Mlockey89:
it for kids scrap that. how about a sponsored team match AVFC BLOG V Villa Reserves or acadamy.
You can't expect the club to use VP for a great deal - large numbers running around the pitch will = large numbers running ON it. Running up and down stairs doesn't sound especially safe in numbers.
Bodymoor Heath might be a good venue though - astro turf for the 5-a-side tourney, room for a mini-marathon, chuck in a bouncy castle or two and the facilities only have to be used for one day in the summer, when the players are on holiday. Acorns could treat it as a drop in for old CDs, books, etc, that they usually look for.
Otherwise, I think we could sponsor Villa goals between now and the end of the season!
every goal for villa = £1000 Every goal; against £5000
Reply to Mlockey89:
I like that idea
but its unlikely to feature any players too risky for injury
Reply to Mlockey89:
I guess I was thinking I'm happy to give a few quid when we score/win, rather than I want to throw my house away if we have a terrible run
Me and my mate are looking in to a 5 day cycle ride across Ireland. His idea was to do it for the Glue Kids in Africa and I suggested getting Acorns involved too so maybe an AVFC Blog cycle ride across Ireland could be an option?
Why do people rate gabby so highly???????????
He's scored 10 or so in all competitions 3 of those were in the same match so 7 goals in uefa, league cup, fa cup, league when you actually think about it its not great for someone who starts every game he needs dropping to show the white lambo driver he isn't the don one of aston villa? all pace no skill or brain sorry but it needs to be said
Next season is cruch time or he will be out the door like moore, trust
**his dad is having a big party next saturday so don't expect anything at home to spuds the following day from him
*crunch time
Reply to Goldie7:
50
how about a half time penalty shoot out for, say, 10 lucky people who visit this site. could be like £5 to enter and then 10 get drawn out of a hat
Reply to Pat_AVFC_17:
then do it at the newcastle match at half time !!!!
that'd be good lol
Reply to Mlockey89:
last game of season. in front the hot end!!!
Reply to maindog:
yeah looks like it lol!
do bcfhave an equivalent to this blog? cos im thinking one big sponsered 11 a side between the two blogs. that way not only is that a whole new group of people to donate, but the show of unity for a greater good would be a brilliant gesture
the 2nd word was bcfc
Not quite as energetic as a footy match, but what about a 24 hour blogging marathon? The charity blog is started and every user has to blog for 24 hours. They have to make a post at least every 30 minutes to count. This would get all involved from all over the world. The money raised in sponsorship by the invividuals can be tranferred to the account of a treasurer. The participant transfers the funds, but keeps the sum total of what they collect equalling the amount transfered.
)
Simple, but would anyone want to stay up 24 hours, (without cheating
I did a sponsored 24 hours Atari Asteroids game when I was in my teens (I'm sure with the game we played some will be able to work out I'm well above my teens now!). I'm sure if I could play continuos on that it should be easy to do a post every 30 mins!
Isn't The West Wing just a really boring version of 24?
worst new england shirt ive seen.
soory link LINK
Reply to AVFC-Anthony:
thats shit!
Reply to AVFCBlog:
i think the 5 a side tourney wud be gr8 at bodymoor heath how about the players as refs or even 1 on each team.I think it should only be open to villa bloggers so we dont get any ringers who take it to serious it should be a fun thing for charity.To make it fair you could get a list of the poeple who want to play give them a number and draw them out into teams fa cup style.Good idea for each player to pay entry fee aswell.
I've got the best idea to raise the most money without having any super 5 a sides matches badges stickers or whatever any person on the blog comes up with, we need at least 100 people(i'm in so thats 99) or as many people as pos that are up for doing some good?????
All we have to do is get as much people to stand outside the turnstiles at VP (hopefully after a HOME WIN) each with a big bucket and afew pictures or maybe in some sort of costume something really funny are you getting the drift and as the 40000 fans poor out remember we can do this before the match aswell but the HOME WIN is crucial to get more cash????
Villa fans are so happy after a home win so when they come pouring out the ground we'll be there ready to pounce and rake the cash in
If every one gave 50p thats 20000 raised not bad hey'' 25 peeps at each part of the ground then we can all go home afterward without going to no hope with a broken leg or a worse
**But how many people on here actually live in birmingham/uk i can go into my back room look out the window and see villa park in the distance great when all the lights on on a dark night
You know thats good right all the matches i've been to this season no one has asked me for a nickle so they may be something in it
How about a petition to organise a charity match against Barcelona, assuming they're still sponsored by Unicef. Either at the Camp Nou or Villa Park, both sides sponsored by charities; and it will build a relationship between the clubs which can only be a good thing for us. It may sound a little far-fetched but the money and support it would generate would be immense.
Radical enough?
Reply to Mlockey89:
nice
I would fly over from Eire for the 5 a side but it would have to happen over one or two days, sounds like a good idea.
that england shirt best be a fake cuz that is fucking SHITE
Love the idea of a charity 5 a side of a half marathon round the park. I would def get involved - SteveJ we can share lifts! I thought I was the only Villa fan in Bucks!!
what if we could convince the club to add 10p to the ticket price of a home game, it'd mean 4k a game. im sure it is complicated but it could be done
Raise money? Easy. Forget Dubai, stick the pampered little fuckers on a coach to Bogner Regis for the day and give the money saved to Acorns. Somebody estimated about £150K. Then take them down a salt mine on 15 hour shifts to keep their fitness levels up till the next game.
Agbonlahor does not have a winner's metality.
what about just getting the players and coaching staff to donate a signed shirt or a tour of villa park or something and then you raffle it off damian, simple i know, but it might be worth a shot. even if its not just that idea we stick with and we play the 5 a side/run the marathon etc etc and raffle it off to people who participate with all proceeds going to acorns. a double whammy so to speak
how about auctions on here, like ebay we sell something and when aution is over seller sends his item to buyer but the buyer pays into some account set up or post payment damian
All good ideas, I'm in for any of 'em, especially the 5 a side or marathon. I don't fancy a marathon just around VP though, change of scenery is important.How about from bodymoor heath to VP to bodymoor heath and back to VP to finish, that'd be about 26 miles.
a little off topic i know but i just filled all of the remaining scores on the bbc sport premier league predictor (being as fair as possible), these was how the top of the table turned out
1st Manchester United (91 pts)
2nd Chelsea (88 pts)
3rd ASTON VILLA (77 pts)
4th Liverpool (76 pts)
5th Arsenal (65 pts)
p.s. i put us down to lose at old trafford and nick a point at anfield, pretty fair i'd say.
Couple things.
or maybe just something simple like the bucket out side the turnstiles idea.
1) Engand shirt looks shit!
2) 5aSide im there no matter.
3)ebay thing also a good idea, clear junk and raise money!
4)marathon prob wouldnt be aloud in VP unless it was only 2/3 people to much safety hazards.
5) the signed shirt idea would be great. or even a free new home strip when its out.
6) how about a meal with the players for the person who raises themost £££ ?
7) a crazy one. group a 5to10 walk to every EPL stadium and have there photo taken out side in the villa strip. (or hitch hike)
crazy??
Either way they have loads ideas already from us.
10p on a tickt idea also good.
start a LOTTERY a pound or more to enter, sell the aston villa- acorns lottery tickets at 5 home games in a row and each winner each week gets to dine in the players lounge after a match with an all expenses knees up provided by the club and loads of club merchandise etc, all proceeds go to acorns, if you made 25,000- per match = 125 thousand for acorns,wouldnt be hard to organise very easy and great publicity and a great cause, and 5 very happy villa fans!!!
Reply to AVFCBlog:
You're onto something here. It's just the kind of thing RL will go for, it will raise loads for a good cause and will be a good laugh as well. I'll chip in.
Dizzy_Mugs: hats off to you
As a villa fan now living overseas i'm proud to have our club linked to Acorns, this is the 1st villa shirt u can buy in Beijing and i'm glad we to be giving some of my money to acorns.
just a quick question.
How easy will it be to buy a ticket for the Liverpool away game? i fly into England a few days before the game and really want to see us play, last game i saw was the 3-2 chelsea game in 2003 any advice please?
UTV
an online raffle or charity auction , signed jersey's etc.... surley the club would help out , a good way to get cash in , you could have an auction a week on this site for acorns all next season , people bid in their comments and the highest bidder inside the weeks deadline gets the prize??? or weekly raffle
SEASON TICKET LOTTERY a pound per game added onto the price of every season ticket and a random draw at half time with the winner gettin a bit of fre merchandise hanging around the villa village store room.obviously optional with all the extra income going straight to ACCORNS. seat number shown on the big screens i.e Holte End row A seat 123
Reply to beijingvilla:
im sure sm 1 could get you the ticket and meet you b4 the game
Something like a raffle or auction, the winner or highest bidder gets to sit in the dressing room while warm up (pre) half time finish etc for a Villa game also maybe a bench seat?
83
84
85 The End.....
Taking the Auction idea further. A lot of us have got a lot of Villa memorabilia. Why don't we set up a kind of Villa Ebay and all donate a few items. I have got a ticket from the 1981 Highbury game or the souvenir pink paper from League Cup 1975.
We could raise some serious money