The Grader scores against Man U.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

1974-75.

Note the last words of the commentary "...and thats Graydons 23rd goal of the season". 23rd !

[Dave Cooper please]

I was at that game, Holte End, Left side of course.

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Thanks for posting that.

The nucleus of the 76/77 League cup winning side, to me they were the best Villa side i've ever seen.

[Dr Butler]

What a kit, what a player and what great times as a 14 year old !!

Cheers Andy for posting that
UTV
The Doc

[JD]

Thanks for that Andy.

My first kit was a replica of that kit and that was my first season of going to Villa Park. Such happy days 

[The Left Side]

Great post, always lovely to see new found footage from that era!

[usav]

Question for the, ahem, older posters as I was in nappies when that game was played.

I notice that the United fans had the Witton End for that game, but I've also seen games from the 70's where there were Villa fans in that end - and a mixture of away fans.   So, when did actual segregation officially kick in at Villa was there a watershed moment, or did it depend on the away team and the amount of fans visiting?  I presume once North Stand was built, that sealed the deal, as it were.

[Chris Smith]

Most games were pay on the door, segregation was practically impossible so pretty sure that would still have been Villa in the Witton.

Some time in the 80s when they put the pens into the Lower North would be my guess for when it was first implemented for non all ticket games.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

As far as I remember fenced segregation at VP really started with the North stand, the away fans having all or part of the front terrace. I never remember there being any fencing on the old Witton terrace or it being officially given over to away fans only. Away fans would usually group together in their place of choice on the old witton terrace, maybe there would be a group of police nearby to make sure things didnt get out of hand.
Even  games against the dog shit in the late 60s with 40,000 plus would not be official segregation, local knuckle draggers would fill that end more than most visiting teams but the regular villa witton enders would still be amongst them with the usual favoured spot. 
I remember a game towards the end of 1968/69 at home to Derby, nearly 50,000 and the Witton lane terrace filled with the biggest away following I ever saw at VP.  An up and coming manager called Brian Clough taking them to promotion.

[Oscar Arce]

Great memories, I was there too, Holte End left side of course !
Has anyone used that footballdvdsdirect website ?
Are they games just taped off the telly ?
If so I've got hundreds of them.

[UsualSuspect]

Thanks for posting that.

The nucleus of the 76/77 League cup winning side, to me they were the best Villa side i've ever seen.

Amen to that

[E I Adio]

Bloody hell, seems like yesterday. Great times, great team and great to hear Hugh Johns again.

[Dave Clark Five]

Question for the, ahem, older posters as I was in nappies when that game was played.

I notice that the United fans had the Witton End for that game, but I've also seen games from the 70's where there were Villa fans in that end - and a mixture of away fans.   So, when did actual segregation officially kick in at Villa was there a watershed moment, or did it depend on the away team and the amount of fans visiting?  I presume once North Stand was built, that sealed the deal, as it were.

While there was still a Trinity Road Enclosure (great place to stand and watch a match from) it was possible to transfer from the Holte to the Enclosure for a small fee. You could then come out of the Enclosure into the Witton. This could have been perceived as making money out of hooliganism and stopped the need for people to cross the pitch or wait until the gates opened to infiltrate the opposition.

[darren woolley]

Cheers Andy it's nice to see clips of the Villa in action.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Question for the, ahem, older posters as I was in nappies when that game was played.

I notice that the United fans had the Witton End for that game, but I've also seen games from the 70's where there were Villa fans in that end - and a mixture of away fans.   So, when did actual segregation officially kick in at Villa was there a watershed moment, or did it depend on the away team and the amount of fans visiting?  I presume once North Stand was built, that sealed the deal, as it were.

I used to stand as a nipper in the Witton with my father right up until this Man Utd game. It was going off all over the Witton End that day, United fans hitting out and spitting on innocent Villa fans. We moved to the Holte after that but as already mentioned, the Witton was still mixed right up until they dug it up to build the North Stand.