Well blow me down

"We haven't had a hurricane for 23 years," said a local.

"You'll be fine in Aruba, it's the rest of Caribbean you have to watch," said the travel agent some 10 months earlier as my bride-in-waiting and I booked our honeymoon.

September 2, 2007. I'm watching Villa beat Chelsea 2-0 on Fox Sports in front of what looks like a full Villa Park. Worse still, not only am I sharing my honeymoon with O'Neill and co but the sun's out in Birmingham.

We're in Aruba. My new, beautiful wife is getting our little girl dressed. We're hoping we'll be able to leave the hotel at some point tonight. Just to survey the damage, if nothing else.

Someone called Hurricane Felix has been lashing our five-star complex, shaking us, blowing us and threatening to soak our room. Villa win 2-0. Knight and Agbonlahor.

The winds die down, the sun comes out. On with the honeymoon. Thankfully no damage. Apart from the Villa win.

Yet, it remains the strangest place I've watched a football match of any sort.

Albion match? A bizarre venue, next to the coast in Denmark when Albion entertained FC Midtjylland in what was effectively an international friendly fixture, played out on a pitch which would have made Dartmouth Park proud. The press box was inside an area cordoned off by a piece of rope. The directors' box was even worse. Jeremy Peace didn't seem to mind though. He was probably too busy wondering why Jason Roberts was being played as a right-sided midfielder.

Not my inspiration, I admit. I've just logged onto WBAFansonline, where fans have been busy telling their stories.

I take off my hat to the fan who mentioned Bloxwich. Try Walsall Wood my friend...dear oh dear.

For the other 'strange venues', check out the thread about strangest places you've followed Albion games from on

http://fansonline.net/westbromwichalbion/mb/index.php