3-3 1990, Graham Taylors Claret and Blue Army

[eric woolban woolban]

For those at both? Did the Arsenal away (they're going up, they're going down / fancy dress day) get close to this?

[dave.woodhall]

For those at both? Did the Arsenal away (they're going up, they're going down / fancy dress day) get close to this?

No comparison whatsoever. It was the best away trip of all time.

[saunders_heroes]

I was only telling the kids at work (alright, apprentices) about this the other day.

Sheffield Wednesday about fifteen months later (Big Fat Ron's first in charge for us) was great but doesn't come close to that Everton game.

I went to both and I must admit the Sheff Wed game had everything too, Trouble before which spiced things up, Big Ron going back, being 2-0 at half time and 6000+ in the away end singing BFR claret and Blue army only for us to win 2-3. We did get set upon whilst trying to drive away from a car park at the Kop end wearing Villa shirts..we were only 17. The Everton game tops it though.

Didnt go to Everton but did make Sheff Wed. Great day in the sun. Staunton scored the winner i think.  Just dont get atmosphere like that now although i Rarely travel away

All 3 Villa scorers (Atkinson, Regis and Staunton) scored on their debuts. Bet that hasn't happened before or since.
What a great day in the sun that was!

[pauliewalnuts]

I was only telling the kids at work (alright, apprentices) about this the other day.

Sheffield Wednesday about fifteen months later (Big Fat Ron's first in charge for us) was great but doesn't come close to that Everton game.

I went to both and I must admit the Sheff Wed game had everything too, Trouble before which spiced things up, Big Ron going back, being 2-0 at half time and 6000+ in the away end singing BFR claret and Blue army only for us to win 2-3. We did get set upon whilst trying to drive away from a car park at the Kop end wearing Villa shirts..we were only 17. The Everton game tops it though.

Didnt go to Everton but did make Sheff Wed. Great day in the sun. Staunton scored the winner i think.  Just dont get atmosphere like that now although i Rarely travel away

All 3 Villa scorers (Atkinson, Regis and Staunton) scored on their debuts. Bet that hasn't happened before or since.
What a great day in the sun that was!

It was a marvellous day.

I remember when I was 10 or so, and used to watch us in the late 70s, the thing I always remember is that we had a certain swagger about us. It's hard to describe, but I heard Lee Child interviewed recently and he said he started supporting us when he went to see us play at Albion, with someone trying to indoctrinate him as a Baggie, but it was all about Villa, as we were like a bunch of swashbuckling pirates.

That's exactly what i used to think as a kid back then. Not so much (oddly) when we won the league, but more so before. Although that Mortimer goal at home to Liverpool in the title year is one of my favourite Villa goals ever because it has such a big chunk of swagger about it.

Anyway, I digress, that first match under Atkinson at Hillsborough, I had the same feeling, and as the season went on, we showed that quite a lot. I loved that side, and that was the perfect away match.

[Damo70]

A game that sticks in my mind from the early BFR days is in the cup at Grimsby. I think we sang BFR's claret and blue army all the way through half time. Which seemed to unsettle the local police for some reason.

[exiled on the wirral!]

Didnt do Everton or Sheffield Wednesday but did do QPR on the last day of 92/93
...again fantastic support that day singing BFR claret and blue army all through the game including half time.Unfortunately we broke the cross bar after the game. It was a great time to be a travelling Villa fan.

[Pete3206]

A game that sticks in my mind from the early BFR days is in the cup at Grimsby. I think we sang BFR's claret and blue army all the way through half time. Which seemed to unsettle the local police for some reason.

The Grimsby fans weren't too pleased at the end either, judging by their aggressive pitch invasion at the end.

Two pointless observations of that day
1) Saw George Gavin on the seafront, eating fish & chips
2) It's closest I've ever been to being seriously injured at a football match. Ray Houghton's early goal prompted a massive surge down the terraces causing a clash at the front where fans were still arriving. It was a good job that Grimsby left the terrace gates open. 

[Damo70]

A game that sticks in my mind from the early BFR days is in the cup at Grimsby. I think we sang BFR's claret and blue army all the way through half time. Which seemed to unsettle the local police for some reason.

The Grimsby fans weren't too pleased at the end either, judging by their aggressive pitch invasion at the end.

Two pointless observations of that day
1) Saw George Gavin on the seafront, eating fish & chips
2) It's closest I've ever been to being seriously injured at a football match. Ray Houghton's early goal prompted a massive surge down the terraces causing a clash at the front where fans were still arriving. It was a good job that Grimsby left the terrace gates open.

I'm 99.9% sure the game at Grimsby was 0-0. I have vague memories of walking past a chip shop on the way back to the car after the game where it was 'going off'. It seemed everyone in the shop was fighting. Although it was quite a small shop so in reality it was probably only about a dozen fans.

[Pete3206]

A game that sticks in my mind from the early BFR days is in the cup at Grimsby. I think we sang BFR's claret and blue army all the way through half time. Which seemed to unsettle the local police for some reason.

The Grimsby fans weren't too pleased at the end either, judging by their aggressive pitch invasion at the end.

Two pointless observations of that day
1) Saw George Gavin on the seafront, eating fish & chips
2) It's closest I've ever been to being seriously injured at a football match. Ray Houghton's early goal prompted a massive surge down the terraces causing a clash at the front where fans were still arriving. It was a good job that Grimsby left the terrace gates open.

I'm 99.9% sure the game at Grimsby was 0-0. I have vague memories of walking past a chip shop on the way back to the car after the game where it was 'going off'. It seemed everyone in the shop was fighting. Although it was quite a small shop so in reality it was probably only about a dozen fans.

Was that a League Cup tie? I think we lost the 2nd leg didn't we?

I was referring to an FA Cup match, think it might have been 3rd round. We won 2-1, with Dwight Yorke scoring the winner.

[Damo70]

A game that sticks in my mind from the early BFR days is in the cup at Grimsby. I think we sang BFR's claret and blue army all the way through half time. Which seemed to unsettle the local police for some reason.

The Grimsby fans weren't too pleased at the end either, judging by their aggressive pitch invasion at the end.

Two pointless observations of that day
1) Saw George Gavin on the seafront, eating fish & chips
2) It's closest I've ever been to being seriously injured at a football match. Ray Houghton's early goal prompted a massive surge down the terraces causing a clash at the front where fans were still arriving. It was a good job that Grimsby left the terrace gates open.

I'm 99.9% sure the game at Grimsby was 0-0. I have vague memories of walking past a chip shop on the way back to the car after the game where it was 'going off'. It seemed everyone in the shop was fighting. Although it was quite a small shop so in reality it was probably only about a dozen fans.

Was that a League Cup tie? I think we lost the 2nd leg didn't we?

I was referring to an FA Cup match, think it might have been 3rd round. We won 2-1, with Dwight Yorke scoring the winner.

Yes, League Cup in the 'early doors' of Big Ron's reign. We drew 1-1 at home and went out on away goals thanks to a great goalkeeping performance from Steve Sherwood (seriously) who may have been knocking on fifty by then.

[Pat McMahon]

For those at both? Did the Arsenal away (they're going up, they're going down / fancy dress day) get close to this?

No comparison whatsoever. It was the best away trip of all time.

I have been racking my brains and I reckon Anderlecht was mine. Unbelievable support, a fantastic performance and three days of glorious fun.  And it was my first European away jaunt.

[peter w]

Great staying long after the game had finished chanting for Taylor. I do remember the scousers outside singing one season wonders to us.

Didn't hear that. But, to be fair, we were enjoying ourselves too much to care about anything everton may have been singing. we ignored them scoring so what else could there be?

[kippaxvilla2]

I was only telling the kids at work (alright, apprentices) about this the other day.

Sheffield Wednesday about fifteen months later (Big Fat Ron's first in charge for us) was great but doesn't come close to that Everton game.

I went to both and I must admit the Sheff Wed game had everything too, Trouble before which spiced things up, Big Ron going back, being 2-0 at half time and 6000+ in the away end singing BFR claret and Blue army only for us to win 2-3. We did get set upon whilst trying to drive away from a car park at the Kop end wearing Villa shirts..we were only 17. The Everton game tops it though.

Just one point of order Sir viz a vie the Sheff Wed game, I seem to remember Cyrille putting us back in it just before Half Time - 2-1 was it?

[kippaxvilla2]

And the Everton game goes into the annals of genuinely great sporting memories.  Getting to our car afterwards in Stanley Park a full half hour after the game had finished I still had a tingle of pride as we stuck the scarves out of the windows again all the way back home.  And then to finish off a magnificent steak pie and pint at the Red Lion in Earlswood.

[kippaxvilla2]

I remember being in the Queens Drive pub before the game and some bloke was looking up Birmingham/Midlands bands on the juke box and kept filling up the machine and requesting those songs.  The Wonder Stuff got a right good airing that day.