Aston Villa Book of the 70s

[Big Dick Edwards]

Is the guy between Curtis and Vowden, goalkeeper John Phillips?

[dcdavecollett]

Phillips had left by then.

[MorrisNielson]

Without checking I could name most, not sure on one at the back being Graydon/Dave Gibson (Photo too small to judge).
Also second right unsure, is it Martin?. Its not my era so I could be wrong.
I thought the player between Curtis and Vowden might be Neil Rioch or Lew Chatterley, didn’t one or both of them grow their hair at one Point?

[dave shelley]

My guess was the one between Vowden and Curtis was Neil Rioch.

[Steve R]

The guy between Curtis and Vowden is definitely Tommy Hughes. Interesting that there is no Chris Nicholl. He and Ian Ross joined the club within a matter of weeks  of each other. The chap between Willie and Keith Bradley looks very much like Barry Lynch.

I always thought Geoff Vowden looked a bit like John Cleese.

[Dave Pountney]

Go on. Without any checking. Somebody name all 17.

Rioch, Turnbull, Aitken, Hamilton, Curtis, Findlay, Vowden, Cumbes, Graydon, Lochead, Tyler, Brown, Evans, Anderson, Rudge, Bradley. - not 100% sure about Findlay and Rudge

Good effort but you've missed Ian Ross and  mistaken Harry Gregory for Jimmy Brown, and I'm pretty sure that  Jake Findlay isn't in the photo, although I've no idea who that guy is.

Like most people here, the difficult one is the player between Curtis and Vowden and, while he doesn't look much like how I remember him, I think it must be Neil Rioch. I'm getting there more by process of elimination rather than anything else, but he came to the club with his brother Bruce, and Chico and Pat MacMahon, in the summer before the Tommy Doc/Vic Crowe relegation  season of 1970/71. I reckon this photo is taken before the 1972/73 promotion season and this means before people like Ian Ross and Chris Nicholl joined the Villa. I think they joined us mid-season and my hunch, therefore, is that the fellow who looks like Ross is in fact Alun Evans; but I could be wrong. I agree on all the others though!

[dave.woodhall]

It's not Neil Rioch, and that looks like Ian Ross not Alun Evans, who joined in the summer of 1972, after we'd won promotion.

[Pat McMahon]

I bought something from the club shop Saturday and was given a postcard with this on the front and info on the back about the book so the club must be supporting it.

That photo looks like I could have been there standing right at the top of the Witton. Mind you it would have to have been 1961-65.

That's Jim Cumbes in goal.

I would guess 71 or 72. I can't remember when the Vice Presidents' lounge under the Trinity was replaced by boxes, but it no earlier than the 71-2 season and probably no later. I'm not sure whether the lower trinity is seated, the aisles don't look well enough defined. It's a big crowd, maybe the second 0-0 against Walsall. I cant remember if they wore their red shorts or not, or of the evenings had enough light at that time of year.

Is it Jimmy Brown or Harry Gregory? I'd go for about the same time for the players photograph.

I think it is Cumbes in goal too. I reckon the Trinity enclosure is definitely seated - can't recall when thins happened but I don't think it happened while we were in decision 3, probably 1973?

[Pat McMahon]

Forgot Pat Mac 4th down

Infidel!

[robbo1874]

Does anybody have a spare copy of COTR, they'd care to sell to me? I've read Chico's copy, but never got round to buying my own. I understand it's out of print now? Please Pm me if you can help out. cheers.

[nick harper]

Wasn't the Trinity enclosure made all seater for the World Cup in 1966? I can't remember it being standing and I first went in 1971.

[Chico Hamilton III]

Wasn't the Trinity enclosure made all seater for the World Cup in 1966? I can't remember it being standing and I first went in 1971.

Seating was fitted in summer 1971, according to Inglis

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Wasn't the Trinity enclosure made all seater for the World Cup in 1966? I can't remember it being standing and I first went in 1971.

No. I started going in 66/7 and it was still standing and stayed that way at least until end of 69/70 and maybe a little longer. When the seats were first put in, were they blue from the start ? We didn't used to call it the Lower Trinity, you said the blue seats. 
Upper Trinity, solid wooden painted black. Witton stand, wooden slatted seats in a medium oak colour. Lower Trinity, blue plastic.     

[adrenachrome]

Wasn't the Trinity enclosure made all seater for the World Cup in 1966? I can't remember it being standing and I first went in 1971.

Seating was fitted in summer 1971, according to Inglis

Yes, my first visit to VP was December 66 and I stood in Lower Trinity.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

This was Villa Park ready for the 1966 World Cup. Witton Lane stand had been rebuilt all seater, temporary bench seating was installed at the Witton End just for the three games played. 





Confirmation that the Trinity enclosure was still terraced for the World Cup.



7/6 to watch a World Cup match, that 37 1/2p kids.