Relegation 57 years today

[Villa Lew]

In my 59 years of supporting the Villa, I experienced relegation for the first time in the 58/59 season.

In the final match of the season on the 29th April 1959, we needed a victory at the Hawthorns to keep us up. We took the lead in the 65th minute with a goal from the late GREAT Gerry Hitchens, only for Ronnie Allen to equalise for the Albion 2 minutes from time to send us down, for only the 2nd time in our history. The good news was we made an immediate return to the top flight the next season.

In those days only 2 clubs were relegated and we went down with Portsmouth, who finished bottom. The next 3 clubs above us, were the clubs today occupying the top 3 places in the Premier League, in ascending order Man City, Leicester and Spurs. Wolves were champions, United runners up, the next 3 were Arsenal, Bolton and Albion, with Blues finishing 9th.

[SteveN]

I was at that game right down at the front behind the goal where Allen scored. One devastated 7 year old.

The odd thing was that Allen lived in an Albion club house round the corner from one of my aunts. He was always good to us kids playing football outside his house.  I think his son, Russell ?, used to play with us.

[Richard E]

Is this the game where the home attendance was 300,000 judging by all the Bitters who claim to have been there?

[Witton Warrior]

The year I was born - by the time I was 1 we were back in the First Division!

[dave.woodhall]

The most incredible thing is that our manager left before the end. Imagine the shitstorm if that happened now?

[pooligan]

I was at the game with my father but do not recall it as i was only 5 years old.My father still remembers it though as if it was only yesterday and has never forgiven Allen for celebrating the goal  knowing full well he had just relegated us

[Villa Lew]

Is this the game where the home attendance was 300,000 judging by all the Bitters who claim to have been there?

48,000

[tomd2103]

The most incredible thing is that our manager left before the end. Imagine the shitstorm if that happened now?

I don't know Dave.  I'd be quite happy to see Black shuffling off early down the tunnel.

[dave shelley]

My first experience of the Villa breaking my heart.  I can still recall the misery on the bus rides home with my dad.  He always hated the Albion and this did nothing to change that.

[Pat McMahon]

I have posted before but my granddad came home in tears that night. My nan used to tell the story of granddad being distraught outside the ground and some Albion fans mocked him. As was the custom in those days he took off his jacket before landing a couple of pissbawlers. He stowed away from Cork as a teenager but my nan's brothers made sure he was a Villa man through and through.

I lost most of my memorabilia years ago when mom had to downsize a few times whilst I lived abroad but I thought in the Peter Morris book that he claimed Allen was actually upset himself when he realised that his goal had relegated us. Can anybody confirm this?

[andrew08]

This match caused my old man to hate Albion with a passion all his life. Apparently they lit celebration bonfires throughout the Black Country that night.

He didn't even acknowledge Blose as even worthy of his attention.... I miss him.

[scott arms]

I'm sure we had big follow there,  I can imagine huge numbers of villa walking up the Sandwell Road,  and those who got off the number 11A at rookery Road and walk, down holyhead Road.pubs like the royal oak, grove,  uplands must have been full with Villa.

[Dr Butler]

This match caused my old man to hate Albion with a passion all his life. Apparently they lit celebration bonfires throughout the Black Country that night.

He didn't even acknowledge Blose as even worthy of his attention.... I miss him.

same as my dear old Dad, his family hated the stripey filth and like me they still do...noses don't register on our radar

UTV
The Doc

[andrew08]

This match caused my old man to hate Albion with a passion all his life. Apparently they lit celebration bonfires throughout the Black Country that night.

He didn't even acknowledge Blose as even worthy of his attention.... I miss him.

This match caused my old man to hate Albion with a passion all his life. Apparently they lit celebration bonfires throughout the Black Country that night.

He didn't even acknowledge Blose as even worthy of his attention.... I miss him.

same as my dear old Dad, his family hated the stripey filth and like me they still do...noses don't register on our radar

UTV
The Doc

same as my dear old Dad, his family hated the stripey filth and like me they still do...noses don't register on our radar

UTV
The Doc

I don't know how I feel about it these says. We live in such an utter shite region for footy that Albion fans taking the piss out of our current plight just seems as irrelevant as Blose fans doing so.

This is the shame and disgrace of the Billionaire that is Randy Lerner's reign: I never thought we'd play the Blose again and I never thought we'd ever finish below Albion in my lifetime.

Now to fans of those clubs that may sound arrogant but our crowds used to be those two's  combined a couple of seasons ago and owned by a Philanthropic Billionaire.... It must be one of professional footballs biggest fxxk ups.

[scott arms]

What bout villa supporters from north west brum,  travelling In a north west direction to the whorethorns, plenty of boozers on route.