Why Villa players really are one-club men

By 3pm

Published 22:57 12/09/10

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One group of Midlanders are watching the start of the Gerard Houllier era at Aston Villa with keener interest than most.

It's the bosses of nightclub Mechu, who might have needed to issue a profit warning once Martin O'Neill announced a ban on player visits last year, but for whom business has been booming since the shouty Irishman departed and stars began flooding back.

Even youngsters Marc Albrighton and Ciaran Clark have been quickly inducted into the team's unofficial HQ, with the former toasting in champagne his man-of-match display on opening day despite telling reporters he was "off for an early night and Match Of The Day".

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A rare moment of social comment at bargain shop Poundstretcher. The discount store is currently offering England Football Marshmallow figures - with the sticker "slightly imperfect" emblazoned on the front.

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PIES FOR CHANTS

Manchester United supporters went close at Everton with this staunch defence of their absent star: "Rooney, Rooney s****ed your grans". But out winners this week are QPR fans, who taunted Middlesbrough's Gordon Strachan with "Strawberry blonde, you're having a laugh". Email the funniest chant you've heard at football this week to steve.anglesey@mirror.co.uk together with your name, address and choice of potato & meat, chicken balti, chicken & mushroom, cheese & onion, steak & kidney or all-steak flavours.

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Steve Anglesey's 3PM Annual: The Stupidest Football Book Ever is available for preorder at http://amzn.to/bJoj4O

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