When I began writing this column, I was looking for a name that signified my newness in this whole world of soccer. That was twenty weeks ago. In that ~1/3 of a year, we've been through the highest of highs (the opening match, the Man United match) and the lowest of lows (MON, Blackpool, injury after stinking injury). And in between, we've seen some of the most annoying soccer ever played. Every week seemed to be a thrilling soap opera: "The Villans are up by two goals now, but stay tuned for the next episode to find out how many points they can drop! Will it be two, or will they give up all three? Who knows?!"
So I think it's time to go the name of this column. Sure, it's the dead of winter, but the idea of e Vernal Villan isn't just one for spring. No matter how bad things are, they will eventually get better. The club's run of bad luck has been talked about to eath around here, but it's still easy to forget that, logically, it can't continue. Eventually we can put out a starting XI with which we are unconditionally happy.
And there is bound to be change this month, as there is in every vernal cycle. The old and useless may dipper and be replaced by something different, and (hopefully) less useless. If we really take the philosophy of the Vernal Villan to heart we may be able to embrace this change and look ahead to the new.
I know this may sound a little to kumbaya for some of us, but I like thinking that with the New Year comes a new beginning. The team has already shown so me resiliency that we didn't know they had against Chelsea. We took a point from. The editing champs at Stamford! That's amazing! So if the teamm can fell it, why can't we? Here's to a new year, and perhaps some newly Vernal Villans.