I met Stu in 2010 in the run-up to the Carling Cup Final in London.
The German Villans made it possible for me to attend the game at the time and gave me one of the two tickets.
Frank put me in touch with Stu, who met me at the hotel the day before the final.
And as if it was the most normal thing in the world for an unknown German to be accepted into this drinking-loving group, Stu and Anthony (Ellis) took me under their wing and I became part of the Villa family.
Over the years, we would meet up when I travelled to Brum for home games.
Stu was a quirky, cynical, funny, interested and well-informed observer and analyst of the goings-on around Aston Villa and football in general.
He was warm and inquisitive in his reserved way.
I fondly remember him suddenly phoning me in the run-up to an international match between England and Germany because he thought it would be a good opportunity to have a chat.
I'll also never forget our beer-fuelled evenings at Swiss Cottage in London before and after Villa's games at Wembley (FA Cup semi-final and play-off final), where, despite all the euphoria about Villa's successes, he always sought a personal chat.
I'll miss him when I'm in Birmingham again.