ON THE DL
Meet a regular Dubai Lion each month in this new series. First up – THE GENERAL
Welcome to ON THE DL where we meet a new Dubai Lion each month. Through this series, you will get to know us better and for those thinking of joining us on a matchday, you can see that we’re (mainly) just normal folk with an abnormal love for all things ASTON VILLA. First up, we meet Carl Forrester, AKA - THE GENERAL.
Carl, originally from Kingstanding, is a more senior member of our fraternity and currently resides in Redditch but has close links to Dubai and the Dubai Lions and forms an important part of the Dubai Lions Committee. The ‘Uncle’ of all Dubai Lions, he assumed the moniker of ‘The General’ merely through the respect the group have for him. Somehow, it just suits him. Here, he tells us all about his favourite Villa moments, his forming of the hugely popular Dubai Lions Soccer Suicide and his pick for ‘Favourite Dubai Lion’.
HOW DID YOU START FOLLOWING ASTON VILLA?
I used to actually support another Midlands team (more on that later), but when I visited Villa Park, something felt right and I found myself more interested in Villa than the other club.
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST VILLA GAME - HOME OR AWAY?
I can’t really remember who we were playing. I had gone as a guest of a friend and Villa lost. Lew Chatterley was Centre Half.
WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE EVER VILLA PLAYER?
Rudi Gested…(joking). It has to be Paul McGrath. He used to run to where the ball was going to be kicked to before they had even kicked it. Fantastic player.
WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE MANAGER?
Obviously, because of the results he achieved and the team he created - Ron Saunders would take some beating. I liked Big Ron a lot also. Hoping Dean Smith overtakes them all.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE VILLA KIT?
A hard choice, but I elected for the one we wore when beating Leeds. The one Savo used to wear with AST as sponsors.
WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO/CONNECTS YOU WITH DUBAI?
My eldest son has lived out in Dubai for quite a few years now. I first visited in 2010 and fell in love with the place. I have been very fortunate to visit a number of times since.
HOW DID YOU DISCOVER DUBAI LIONS?
My eldest son just happens to be Mark Forrester who founded the Dubai Lions and is the current Chairman, and who I am very proud of as a consequence.
WHAT IS YOUR ROLE WITH DUBAI LIONS?
I run the Soccer Suicide. I would love to take the credit for having invented the game, but can’t. A guy in my local golf club was running a similar game that I joined. I happened to mention it to Chairman Mark on one of his visits and, after doing some alterations and changes to the format, we decided to introduce it to the Dubai Lions at the beginning of the 2017-18 season. Originally eight of us had a practice game and then we started it for real. We then had 11 players in the first real game and 15 in the second. It has grown and proven to be an amazing success with 49 players currently taking part, and from 5 different nations. I think because I do not allow anyone to bend the rules, I collected the nickname ‘The General’
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE AND LEAST FAVOURITE DUBAI LIONS MOMENTS?
My favourite has to be winning promotion to the Premier League whilst in the Upper Tier. I haven’t got a least favourite.
WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE DUBAI LION?
Obviously I have to say my son and Chairman Mark. However, there are so many others I could mention that I enjoy seeing and who make me laugh that I know if I tried to list them I would miss someone off that I would have wanted to include. I’ll sum it up by saying that I can’t believe such a great group of people has met and combined to form the Dubai Lions. We are all very lucky to be able to call each other friends.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ASTON VILLA MEMORY?
There is so many. Beating Norwich 1-0 in 1975 or beating Leeds 3-0 in the League Cup Finals at Wembley or beating Celta Vigo at Villa Park.
AND FINALLY…HAVE YOU EVER SUPPORTED A TEAM OTHER THAN ASTON VILLA?
This is the question I was dreading, and before I answer I need to give a little bit of history. As a child, not one of my mates where I lived was the slightest bit interested in football. My father wasn’t interested in football and, despite one of my uncles playing for The Scum (Ken Green), football didn’t enter my life until I started work. A workmate was a fan of West Bromwich Albion and talked me into going to a few games with him. This was at the time when Astle, Brown, Hope, Kay, etc. were playing for them, and they ended up playing in and winning the FA Cup. But not long after that another workmate invited me to attend Villa Park. It felt right and I didn’t attend another game with The Baggies. I’ve been Villa Till I Die, ever since.
We forgive you, General!