RR+: Did I ever expect Aston Villa, Bayern Munich and Tolkien to be named in the same sentence?

It is one of these days when I am combing through hundreds of posts on the internet that claim or seem to have a connection to J.R.R. Tolkien’s life and works that I get a lovely surprise. (see other RR+ news (Öffnet in neuem Fenster))

Now, you do not need to be a football fan to appreciate this, I believe, just a fan with a twinkle in your eye 🤩

The Roving Ranger Plus (RR+) is a service for my supporters here with Steady, often sharing fun news items to the wider community.

Anyway, today is the Champions League game between Aston Villa and Bayern Munich, it will be played in Villa Park (Öffnet in neuem Fenster), 8pm, local time.

When fans travel to the game of their favourite team they often have their fan clubs organise a get together before and/ or after the game.

If you like ‘The Return of the King’ just as much as European football royalty, then Middle Earth – sorry, Birmingham – is the place for you.

Paul of the Bayern Munich UK fan club (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) [Facebook] wrote an article on what people might like to do in Birmingham - and this is the map that is part of this post (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).

So, yes, you need to know where B’ham’s main station is - New Street (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) -, where the stadium is, the pub - Post Office Vaults (Öffnet in neuem Fenster), a cellar bar, directly across from the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) -, and another pub - the Vine (Öffnet in neuem Fenster).

I am mentioning this for two reasons: one, the Sarehole Mill Museum (Öffnet in neuem Fenster) can actually claim a close connection to Tolkien (unlike some other B’ham places), and two, the first and only Tolkien-inspired football fan club in the world is here with me in Jena and I am part of it, of course - Jenas Tirith!

I am a happy member of the FC Carl Zeiss Jena (Öffnet in neuem Fenster), the eternal #1 of the all-time DDR Oberliga (Öffnet in neuem Fenster), just for transparency’s sake 😄

Have a lovely day and keep in mind: #ReadMoreTolkien 🤩

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