Does that mean William Gallas is Sloth?

Barry and Gallas exchange pre-game niceities

A couple of years ago my then-girlfriend, now fiancee, wondered why out of all the clubs in the world I had to support Aston Villa.

"They're my club," I answered.

"But they don't do anything," she said, probably after some dismal away draw to some Lancashire side during the O'Dreary years. This was the era of Hiltzsperger, Mellberg and Juan Pablo Angel, when Villa were a midtable side from a part of England not rich or interesting enough to sport a powerhouse club but not rough-and-tumble enough to produce a hardy, populist underdog.

In other words, Villa weren't from London or Manchester or Liverpool but Birmingham, a midlands town perfect for a middle-of-the-road club.

We know what happened next. An unassuming American with his billions, a jumpy nerd from Norn Iron, two beautifully fast forwards named Ashley and Gabby capable of dancing the ball off the feet of the most pernicious defenders, a sought-after mid-field general named Gareth, rejects from other mid-table clubs like Milner, Luke Young, Stilian Petrov, Nigel Reo-Coker, Zat Effing Knight, all banded together, a pack of misfits in search of lost treasure in order to help save their dreary town.

In other words, Aston Villa became the Premiership's equivalent of the Goonies.

We didn't beat Arsenal today, it's true. But in some sense coming back to equalize after conceding two very flattering goals, especially with those Big Four title-rights weighing heavily on Villa's back, is a better result.

"Remember Goodison Park!" the Holte End might have shouted after Barry's penalty (I know I did), "Remember Stamford Bridge!" It seems one boyhood fan of that unfancied side from an unfancied town, on a sitter in the box at the ninety-first minute, did remember. And hopefully the Setanta announcers, gasping and gobsmacked as stat after stat proved Villa were hosting UEFA Cup hopefuls and not potential Premier League champions, might remember it too.

We wish you a Merry Christmas Zat Knight, and for Villa -- well, I hope for Villa anyway -- a Happy New Year.

And that goes to you too, AMSL readers.