"Lies, damned lies, and statistics".

The lies down at Portsmouth?

Well, probably the call I got from a hotel receptionist at 9.58pm - whilst the game was in its dying stages and played infront of a right racket- to say "sorry" because my room that had been booked months in advance was no longer available because of "water damage" that they had only just detected.

What he meant to say was: 'we've double booked your room'. But he went for the water damage.

I should have called his bluff and taken the room anyway.

The statistics at Portsmouth? The night was jammed packed full of 'em.

Oh the irony of spending an hour sat next to a very friendly Turkish lady, who actually had a swollen ankle - not that that bit is important, just thought it added extra detail.

There I was, minding my own business on a train between London Waterloo and Guildford. She sat down - long, black, curly flowing hair and a cream coat (more detail) and mentioned being a statistician by trade, though for a drugs company and not a football club.

Villa might one day soon be needing her services, such is the rate at which they are chucking out new figures.

I might need to take a calculator to games, along with all these history books and my laptop if Villa continue to win matches with such regularity.

Between February and April 1897 Villa beat Bury, Burnley, Nottingham Forest, Bolton and Preston at the end of one season and then beat Notts County at the start of the next.

Six successive away wins. Statistics.
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Ron Saunders' side would have only had 44 points at this stage in their golden year of 1980/81 had they been granted three points for a win. Not the 47 that Martin O'Neill's side now possess.

Few teams have managed six away wins on the spin in the history of the game.

Only eight times have teams managed it in the Premier League - three times by Chelsea, twice by Manchester United, and once apiece by Liverpool, Portsmouth and Arsenal.

Chelsea got eight on the spin in 2008/09, Portsmouth six in 2007/08, Chelsea nine in 2004/05 and they rattled off another six in 2003/04.

In 2001/02 Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United rattled off six straight away wins and United managed six in 1999/00.

In the decades preceding the Premiership six straight away wins had only been achieved on seven occasions: Liverpool managed six in 1981-82, Arsenal managed six in 1977-78, Tottenham romped to eight in 1960-61, West Brom recorded a straight six in 1953-54, Burnley managed six in 1919/20, Everton got six in 1908/09 and Preston got six in 1891/92.

Hope you are following all of this?

That is a mighty fine select group that Villa have joined.

The question now is can Villa go one better?

Blackburn stopped Villa making it a magic seven on the road 112 years ago. And by a quirk of fate they have a chance of doing likewise again at Ewood Park in 10 days.

Portsmouth was just another win on the road. God, this is getting monotonous.

And it is getting ridiculous.

And tonight, seeing Liverpool and Arsenal dropping more points. Surely Villa can't be in a title race, can they?!!!!