Football: That was the weekend that was: Manics singing claret and blues for Gregory

THOUGH NOT quite in Chelsea's league, Aston Villa are not short of celebrity supporters, the pseudo-punk violinist Nigel Kennedy arguably the most famous among the them. On Saturday, they welcomed some more into their midst in the form of the Welsh rock band Manic Street Preachers.

James Dean Bradfield, the singer and guitar-player, is a committed follower of the claret and blue and he and the other members of the trio were delighted to enjoy an audience with the Villa manager, John Gregory, who took time out from his troubles to pose for photographs.

Given the current climate, the rock music loving Gregory may hope that chairman Doug Ellis is not drawn out of grandfatherly curiosity into wondering what it is that makes the Manics so popular.

Should he start to peruse their album collection he might notice that their best-known song is called "Everything must go" while another goes under the title of "If you can tolerate this, your children will be next" and that "Tsunami" sounds like the chant that was coming from the Newcastle end on Saturday.

If you can tolerate this? Everything must go? Hmm... it may be time for Mr Ellis and Mr Gregory to have that little chat.