IT is Ding Dong Derby time at the Villa this weekend as we entertain our nearest neighbours West Bromwich Albion.

In the Race for Seventh and local bragging rights this is about as big as it gets this season.

With no Blues (I for one miss them as they were two big games each season) this Number 11 derby takes on extra significance as it will be one of the only games where there will be a decent atmosphere.

Except of course when the Top Teams come along and there is a bit of excitement for the first 10 minutes before they trounce us.

Albion are coming off a big win against their other rivals, The Wolves, and we are coming off a mauling by the Manchester Oilmen, who we had zero chance of beating.

I do hope you all followed my advice last week and put a ‘blow-softener’ bet on Balotelli to score first, I ran down the bookies when I saw him on the team sheet!

But after the unseemly spectacle of being forced to play against one of the title contenders we can get on with our mid-table battle ground.

I reckon it will be tight tomorrow. Perhaps this could be the game that The Zog splutters into life but I’ll be slapping some cash on Gabby to score first as the boy is on fire. Perhaps he is on a score bonus so every goal helps him pay off his huge child maintainence bills. Whatever the reason it’s good to see a local boy amongst the goals and he more than anyone realise what a local derby is about.

Frodo Bannan should be in the starting line up after last week’s absence and hopefully his eye for a killer pass will give our Goal Machine a chance to add to his tally before he buggers off in January.

I’m sure Rooney’s absence from the group stages will make him determined to fire his way into the England first team and if he isn’t getting the amunition then he might look elsewhere.

Dont forget one of the reasons he signed, besides the wonga, was because he couldn’t wait to get supplied by Young and Downing. Oh the irony.

And the boy Delph is perfect for a derby, he hasn’t been sent off for a while which is a delight, tomorrow’s game should be one he should be looking to get Man of the Match if he wants to kick on and be the next player we sell to Man City.

The Albion have not won in the league at Villa Park since 1979 and hopefully that record is not going be broken this weekend.

Let’s hope there is no trouble at the game as there is history of it, in fact the so the story goes the first ever instance of football hoolinagism in the world was outside the Calthorpe Arms in the late 19th Century! And then of course there was the offal throwing antics of Albion fans in Perry Barr about eight years ago.

However, tomorrow’s game, which shouldn’t have any of that nonsense, wonderfully kicks off at 3pm, will be a tight affair and who ever scores first is likely to win, probably 2-1 going by the last four games.

Let’s just hope it is our lot who scramble the ball over the line first.

Come on me Villa babbies!

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Readers who submit articles must agree to our terms of use. The content is the sole responsibility of the contributor and is unmoderated. But we will react if anything that breaks the rules comes to our attention. If you wish to complain about this article, contact us here