Getting used to the set up of a Premier League club

While Eddie Howe insists that AFCB is a long way from being a Premier League club it was great to see the kind of infrastructure that a club like Aston Villa has and the way they run their match day experience. It was my first time to Villa Park and I was impressed with just about everything I saw from the programme sellers who were happy to chat to the stewards and organisation of such a large number of supporters.

AFCB players looked quite at home on the Villa pitch.

I hope that AFCB fans can witness more days like this FA Cup Fourth Round tie in the years to come as it really was a day to take it all in and see just how a Premier League club operates. Going to the big stadiums should be part of every clubs development, because you can see things that are done differently and can take the good points home with you. AFCB may not go up this season but to be closer then the club has ever been before is already something to be proud of.

Not quite like Dean Court I suppose. Each to their own.

The most pleasing thing for me though was that everyone I spoke to was very welcoming and pleased to see AFCB fans enjoying the moment. It may have been seen as a simply a big day out by some, but it would have been quite something to be winners on the day and the cup exits of the big Premier League teams on the previous day probably did not help AFCB's cause too much.

While I think AFCB's media department can still teach Aston Villa a good thing or two about creating an award-winning MatchDay programme, the influence of the day was very much on enjoyment and it came across loud and clear. It is important that AFCB have something to aim for and I believe visiting grounds like Villa Park are just the incentive they need to really press on now in their Championship campaign this season.

Villa and AFCB joint scarfs were much in evidence.

Let's hope the balloons are out again at the end of the season.