Villa league games abroad : well, Wales.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

This weekend Villa set foot on `foreign soil` for a league game for the first time since May 2nd 1983.

Yes, to paraphrase Chamberlain we will again be playing football in that far away country of people about whom we know nothing.

There must be memories out there of being chased away from Ninian Park, not understanding the lingo outside the Vetch, or just wondering how the rickety looking stands managed to remain upright at the Racecourse Ground. 

[andyaston]

Wrexham away in the League Cup about 4-5 years ago. Remeber do the 'ohh ohh ohh Nigel Reo Coker' with loads of Villa fans through a pub in the city centre.

We won 5-0, a bright future ahead we all thought, oh well it lasted a few years. Some Wrexham chavs tried it on but got nowhere.

[lennythekad]

You're right about being chased around Ninian Park Andy. 72/3 was a shocker, 2-0 win for us early in the season IIRC. We took a good load down there, and despite some minor skirmishes, made it to the ground in one piece. As we started to go through the turnstiles, the Cardiff mob kept charging at us, so we had to vault the turnstiles back into the street. This went on three or four times until the coppers formed a barrier just inside. This area soon became packed with Villa, so the coppers told us to run for the tunnel that went under their end and just keep going. This we did and as we ran, you could see their lot through the gaps in the railway sleepers that formed the terracing, running to try and intercept us at the other end of the tunnel. We charged out of the tunnel onto the large Bob bank, where they chased us through the ordinary fans down to the far corner where we had to run across the pitch into the Paddock on the far side to avoid a kicking. We somehow made it back to the station afterwards, where it really kicked off. Villa fans tipped a line of the blue parcel trucks onto the tracks, both sets of fans were hurling chunks of ballast at each other across the tracks, windows were being smashed, there was fighting in the entrance as the coppers tried to keep arriving fans away from each other and as all this was going on, some Villa fans were arriving on the platforms via the main line railway tracks that ran past the back of the ground, to avoid getting attacked coming back through the streets.
73/4 wasn't much better either. There were only about 120 or so on the special. When we got there, me and two mates decided to scuttle off up the road in front of the escort for safety, not noticing we'd been spotted by some of the welcoming committee across the road in the bus station. We got half way along Ninian Park Road, and noticed this little crew getting closer and closer. Panic was setting in, so I said to my mates, lets go into this small grocers shop and try and hold them off 'til the escort catches up, or leg it out of the back entrance. I turned into the shop and to my horror, my two mates carried on. I hid at the back of the shop as their crew went straight past, much to my relief. I ventured back to the door and peered out, only to see my two mates picking themselves up off the floor after getting a kicking. We made it to the ground and went onto the Bob Bank intending to watch in silence amongst the Cardiff normals, only to get spotted by the mob that had us earlier. We climbed over the turnstiles into the street and paid again into the Paddock we'd been in a year earlier. We were bricking it in anticipation of getting back to the station, so left the ground half way through the second half. When we got back, we found out there were about 20 or so others back there before us, all intent on avoiding a shoeing. I'm sure the special could almost have left at quarter to five as virtually everyone seemed to be back by the time the game ended.
Phew!. Sorry if I've droned on a bit, but even though its nearly forty years ago, its still sticks in my mind. 

[steamer]

I never had the pleasure of Ninian Park, although recall tales simillar to yours from mates who went there.

Without glorifying events,you have to some times remember what was happening around you and to put your experiences into context.
The late 60,s and 70,s could be scary times at football games and as a youngster full of gung ho you perhaps were not as sensible as you should have been.

Swansea away on 27th december, 71. won 2-1 Graydon and Aitken. 24000 Attendence.
Big Christmas turnout by every mad Taffy in Wales.

We also had big Christmas turnout.
On the way down a number of coaches stopped at service station (can not remember name) for a bit of late christmas shopping. I remember getting the Valiant annual and a large fruit and nut.
The problem was that we treated them as christmas presents and forgot to pay.
The upshot that Santas helpers in the form of the local constabulary stopped the coaches shortly after, this caused the abandoning of the presents, mostly though the inspection hatch in the middle of the coach.
My two enduring memories of the game were, not the goals.
A big brawl on the main terrace with Villa taking the top end of the ground.
Being starving as I had not eaten my Fruit and Nut, and discovering the only thing left for sale in the ground Kiosk was a ice cream wafer, in December !!!!

Wrexham
Same seson.
Three games, drew at home 2-2. second leg away drew 1-1 replay at the Albion won 4-3 after extra time.
I remember a great time at Wrexham where the Locals were in total contrast to those at a ramshackle desperate Vetch field.
Good luck to the tourists at the weekend

[willywombat]

I remember Cardiff 72/73 quite well. Fighting sporadically breaking out on the Bob bank all through the game. One thing I also remember is the Police confiscating the laces from the plethora of Dr Martens boots thereby having a negative effect on both fight and flight! There was also a fair old mob of Bristol City fans and a good few Swansea lads with us for a crack at the Cardiff boys. Ah, the terrifying old days  

[lennythekad]

Steamer,
The Harpers coach I used to go on, had every single window put through whilst it was parked up during that Swansea game!. The pictures of it were on the front of the Express and Star next day.
Happy days!

[Dave Clark Five]

Cardiff away 72-73. I went with two mates; one of which had difficulty walking through a disability. We must have got separated from the mob at the station. As we walked along that long road to the ground we had Cardiff approaching from in front and behind. I picked my mate up and ran with him down a side road. A couple were standing at their gate. They saw our predicament and invited us in for a cup of tea and cakes until the nutters had gone. It was murder in the ground and also getting back to the station. The next season was as bad although I think we did the journey back to the station by bus which helped a bit.

Back at the station, the first time, there was a train full of Cardiff heading back to the valleys. I remember seeing the bars on the windows. Some were on the tracks and there was a lot of ballast going back and forth. A Cardiff mob tried to get up the stairs onto our platform but were repelled, As the Special pulled out of the station, a  load of the old green BR cups and saucers were returned to the refreshment rooms via the windows!
I am sure the Special got bricked a little into the journey. It often did.

Went back there for a testimonial a few years ago and the ground was mainly the same but without that evil atmosphere.

As for the Swansea visit on 27 December 71, the turnstiles were kicked down and loads of Villa got in for nothing. We stood on the side for that game but on other visits were in that grim end that was overlooked by the prison.     

We have had a few visits to Wrexham but the only time I remember much trouble was when England played there.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

I actually managed to avoid trouble at Ninian Park, probably something to do with going there in the old mans car and being in the seats.

I did go to a Wales v England home international at Ninian Park in the 1970s though. I was standing up then and kept a low profile.
Ken Bailey, Englands self appointed mascot who used to turn up at what seemed like every international sporting event dressed as John Bull marched round the pitch at half time. Those who remember will recall he used have a big cardboard shield with the cross of St George on it. He was pelted with huindreds of beer cans and other assorted objects on all sides, and just carried on round holding his shield in the air and maintaining that gormless grin that he had.
As I say, the eccentric old sod seemed to be at everything, that unfortunately included the Erica Roe rugby match.

[The Left Side]

I actually managed to avoid trouble at Ninian Park, probably something to do with going there in the old mans car and being in the seats.

I did go to a Wales v England home international at Ninian Park in the 1970s though. I was standing up then and kept a low profile.
Ken Bailey, Englands self appointed mascot who used to turn up at what seemed like every international sporting event dressed as John Bull marched round the pitch at half time. Those who remember will recall he used have a big cardboard shield with the cross of St George on it. He was pelted with huindreds of beer cans and other assorted objects on all sides, and just carried on round holding his shield in the air and maintaining that gormless grin that he had.
As I say, the eccentric old sod seemed to be at everything, that unfortunately included the Erica Roe rugby match.

I sat for 5 minutes hoping that would be a looped video of Erica Roe's claim to fame, i'll never get that time back!

[Pat McMahon]

IIRC Erika Roe appeared in the Villa programme modeling the kit at some point shortly after her 5 minutes of fame.

Re Swansea on Boxing Day in 1971, I went to Cambridge away on the special in the FA Cup in 1980. Somehow this journey took 4 hours each way but the return trip shot by as an older bloke (I was 17 so he was probably only about 25) regaled us with stories of the old days on the terraces in the 3rd division.  He mentioned that in the early 70s a few teams had a mob of female skinheads and that at Vetch Field the Villa girls had laid into the Swansea girls near the ground, much to the delight of the travelling hordes. Hardly seems believable now.

[steamer]

Pat
Indeed so, the "ladies" did not wear Docs but preferred a lighter foot wear called Monkey boots.
Most of the girls were just along for the fashion trip and were harmless.
But there was also a smattering of tough cookies who you would not want to mess with.
One in particular was a delightful young lady called Lill
Out of earshot the word poxy was used as a intro.

I think that had some thing to do with her amorous activities on the train back from Shrewsbury.
I can not remember the season, but it was a night game so obviously the moonlight and wine  (cans of ?)had some thing to do with it.
Quite a queue in the corridor. fortunatly at the time I was the shy retiring type.

The last I remember of lill was standing on the old witton end against Preston. why we were on the Witton is beyond me as I do not remember them bringing many fans.
Anyway, Lill had a grudge against one of her old paramours who had done her wrong.
In what I guess was an age old tradtion she stabbed him in the stomach.
Quite a shock, obviously for him and also for us leaning on the old red stanchions next to him.
Enter St Johns Ambulance Brigade with a stretcher, Exit Lill down the back of the Witton.
Not being totaly unknown to Mr Plod she did not evade the long arm of the law for very long.
She recieved a custodial sentence of 18 months.
Despite her Barrister portraying her as a cross between Joan of Arc and Gladys Aylward.

Her previous Paramour survived the attack. The last time I was back for a game he was in the Holte Suite.
Strangely, he did not mention the incident.

It seems looking back at the fixture lists for those years that almost every game had a story.

Strange days indeed !!!!!!!!!!!

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

IIRC Erika Roe appeared in the Villa programme modeling the kit at some point shortly after her 5 minutes of fame.

The Trinity Road Stand - A photographic appreciation of finely built structures.

[Dave Cooper please]

Nice turrets.

[The Left Side]

Blimey charlie, so I think it says "Davenports"!