New-born Villa buff Hanks can't compete with Newbon variety

TV VIEW:WHEN IT comes to this football-supporting lark Tom Hanks, you have to believe, has the right idea. He's an Aston Villa fan, but judging by his comments on Friday Night with Jonathan Rossyou just can't picture him locking himself in a darkened room for a month if his team has a bad day, which Villa often do, or apoplectically ringing You're on Sky Sportsto complain about a dodgy refereeing decision (or eight).

True, some might argue that Tom is less than committed to the cause, based on his responses to Jonathan’s questions . . .

“Who is the manager of Aston Villa?”

“I have no idea. Sparky O’Rourke?”

“What is the name of their ground?”

“The Villa Dome?” . . . . But who are we to question his dedication?

He admits that when he first heard of Villa, on his London hotel television (“I think Blacksworth Upon Twixby beat them by 4-0”), he thought they were from Rome, but he’s now a fan and intends going to one of their matches “as soon as I can figure out where Aston Villa is”.

We mention Tom only because his easygoing approach to supportership contrasted somewhat with the callers to You're on Sky Sportslast week, many of whom insisted that Tom Henning Ovrebo had actually destroyed their lives.

Mr Henning Ovrebo, of course, is the referee who waved away Chelsea’s “six or seven penalty claims”, as John Terry put it (the story growin’ in the tellin’). And let’s be honest about it: it was so abject a refereeing performance it enraged all fair-minded football supporters. Well, it would have done if the victims weren’t Chelsea.

Most of the callers were hoarse from – and we’re guessing here – questioning Mr Henning Ovrebo’s parentage on Wednesday night, so our host, Gary Newbon, let guest expert John Beresford do most of the talking.

John, too, was vexed by the officiating, wondering out loud what a Norwegian was doing refereeing such a big game in the first place.

He, need it be said, meant no disrespect to Norway, but “the games there ain’t gonna be to that standard.”

Barri in Grantham agreed.

So did Darren in Carlisle.

“I do believe there’s a case now for television evidence and technology,” John continued, “that’s the way to go, for me, to actually take it in to the 20th century.”

This struck us as a bit poignant. John retired from football at the turn of the century so maybe there’s part of him that refuses to believe the 1900s are done and dusted. Whatever, we have visions of him posting Betamax video cassettes – or maybe even Pathe Newsreels – to Uefa, in the hope they’ll look again at Chelsea’s six or seven penalty claims.

Mind you, not every You’re on Sky Sports caller was preoccupied with Mr Henning Ovrebo, some of them had their own troubles. Like Greg from Burnley.

Now, you’d want to have had both your ears plugged with wine corks not to have noticed that Greg from Burnley was, well, a bit under the weather.

Not least when he started commenting on the sending off of a Reading player against Burnley in the promotion play-off semi-final.

“Tshere’s a lot of shtuff about the Burnshley game, ablout the red card . . .”

“Yeah, what about it?” asked Gary, which – call it a premonition – we felt was a bad move on his part.

“It’s jshust, eh, it’s a bit of a ****, you’re a *****.” “Ah, thank you very much,” said Gary, “I apologise . . . what can you do? Idiot.”

The big, BIG mistake, though, was for Gary to say: “There’s always one.” Sometimes, alas, there are two.

“Alex from Lincoln? You’re on Sky Sports.” “I’m on Sky Sports, am I?” “Yes.” “******.”

Gary apologised again, “it must be the weather”, he sighed, while John looked like a man who’d just taken a wander in Antarctica dressed in nothing more than his Speedos. Frozen to the spot.

“Reece from Hartlepool,” Gary said, nervously.

“I just wanted to say I think that Sam Allardyce has did well for Bolton. I mean Blackburn. And if Newcastle go down I think Alan Shearer will get them back up ’cos he’s a really good manager, like.”

“Thank you Reece,” said Gary.

Martin from Bewdley. We think he made a point about the unfairness of players being allowed to score from the rebounds off penalty saves, but we’re not sure because he appeared to have his phone inserted in his mouth, or else he was under water when he made the call. But Gary, who, like ourselves, couldn’t understand a word he was saying, thanked him nonetheless, largely because he didn’t call him a ****.

Well, not that he could make out anyway.

Passions ran high, then, in an emotional week, Gary bearing the brunt. You're on Sky Sports, you could say, is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you're gonna get.

“John (Beresford), too, was vexed by the officiating, wondering out loud what a Norwegian was doing refereeing such a big game in the first place.

He, need it be said, meant no disrespect to Norway, but ‘the games there ain’t gonna be to that standard’. Barri in Grantham agreed.

So did Darren in Carlisle