1976/1977 The Greatest Villa Team in my lifetime (so far) Part 2

[wittonwarrior]

So without Andy Gray we struggled to score at the Victoria  Ground  and were then left with a week's break (probably for internationals I cannot honestly remember), so we then invite  a certain Scottish Team  to Villa Park and  all hell breaks out.  My dad  being a footballing man wouldn't let me go a million miles near the game  and  I spent the afternoon at my Grans.  All I know is that we beat them before the referee interjected and abandoned  the game.

Then on to our second away win in the 1st Division many thanks to me missing the game, it was  just too far to travel for a 15 year old from London to Sunderland but our new signing Alex Cropley sorted the matter out and there were celebrations that lasted  well over an hour in my home, where I sang the full Villa reputare as if I had witnessed  it first hand.  Have never seen footage of the game, one of the big plus points of modern day footage if you weren't there then generally you can catch  up on it somehow.

My school caretaker Mr Drake was a massive Arsenal fan (who was  quite famous at the time - he and his wife were the ones with the massive  union jack at the front of the North Bank and  he had a good selection of badges) - well anyway they took me to Villa Park for evening game where we simply destroyed a good Arsenal team including the likes of Rimmer and Alan Ball 5-1.  We were beginning to look as if were hitting proper form.  The general  play over 90 minutes was superb, I even remember Mortimer scoring.  He only seemed to do this against the better teams.

Bristol City were up next at Villa Park and we dispatched them not without some early scares and with two defenders scoring Gidman  and Chris  Nicholl. 

Thanks to my friend Tony Tonks from Northfield  I came up and stayed  over for the Wrexham  game, a massive  crowd arrived at Villa Park for the match which was like a cup final for the welsh people.  One moment of brilliance was by Little  on the touchline when he brought a long cross  ball down on his chest from Gidman.  We again scored  5 goals and  this was the first time I had  ever heard the new song on the Holte "oh Andy your  the Greatest the Holte End say"

The following  Saturday was my first visit to Merseyside and guess what we lost.  Certainly no place for a  15 year old travelling fan  to go in those days, it was when I look back on it scary although at the time I was buzzing.  My thoughts were it was a dump and simply could not believe how small the Kop was.  Anyway  the long  and short of it I and the 100 plus train supporters all made it back to  Lime Street.  Have hated Liverpool FC  ever since.

At that time Liverpool followed by Man Ure - you couldn't get bigger games side by side.  United  brought a massive support to Villa Park probably due to an excessive  break out by Brummie Reds.  In front of the cameras we beat them in what was a tight game 3-2.  This  was a more exciting cup tie than most later rounds FA cup games. 

So  apart from Anfield  we were beginning to buzz.  Could we keep it up?    The following week we were away to in an all ticket game at a certain  West Bromich  Albion.  I never liked them as they portrayed themselves as some kind of super team, although they had as many thugs  in the team  as the likes of Birmingham City did at the time. Cantello, Ally Brown, John pig  shit Wile etc.  In a  game of  not too much  action we come away with a score draw.

The following week a home game against Coventry City surely we would beat them.  I remember the Sun newspaper giving out giant posters to supporters of both teams outside and  both  sets of supporters then doing  walk ons with the posters aloft at both ends of  the ground.  We were rubbish  if I remember but snatched a 2 all draw with Gidman once again scoring.  Imagine how many he might have scored if he played as a forward.

Norwich City away was next up and as always it was like visiting a foreign land, a destination which appeared to be so far removed from the bigger grounds and cities around the Country.  Norwich used to put you in a pen in the side of the home end separated by  netting which stopped you having  a decent view of the game.  Despite walking  on water scoring we failed to properly break  them down and came  away with a disappointing 1-1 draw.  This was the first time I really noticed a certain Mr Brown who would only have been about 14 at the time.  Anyone else remember that one pub by the ground really small. 

We then had  some relief and a home victory in the league cup against Milwall.  Not being a school holiday meant me missing the event. To be truthful I would not have wanted to be on a  late evening  train anyway back to London  after that game.  Anyway we continued  our run in the cup winning  2-0 and so  to Leeds away.  Guess  what we won and I didn't attend.  I had been badgered  into playing  for the school again.  I probably did the right thing missing Elland Road  as it was a similar experience to Merseyside in the mid  70's.  Andy and Alex  Cropley scoring  our 3 goals.  Leeds were still kind of decent on the pitch at this time so it was no mean result.

Then  onto Liverpool at Villa Park and probably the biggest game I had missed since our promotion.  We won in 45 minutes  5-1, again  I have only seen  a brief snatch  of the goals.  I was still on a high, as you didn't beat the red scouse by 5 goals.

Newcastle at Villa Park on what I remember was a snowy weekend followed.  They brought a massive support, I think we  may have been 3rd and them 4th or 5th at the time. John  Deehan scored both our goals and I think  Tommy Craig scored for them  a future Villa player.

I was at my nan's  in Manchester for the last game of  1976 where we lost to Middlesborough.  How we lost and I wasnt there makes no sense but it did happen going  down 3-2 with a young David  Hughes still older than  me  mind scoring.

So on reflection 1976 had  been a good year for the Villa.  Establishing ourselves back in the top league, a few away wins and a lot of hope moving forward. 

Next  time after a dubbing at Old Trafford  we upped it again reaching another cup final in 2 years.   Weary legs and injuries would though start to show through.

[Big Dick Edwards]

It was certainly the most exciting Villa side I've seen. Gray, Little and Deehan were a prolific strike trio, and the fact we put five goals past both Liverpool and Arsenal that season speaks volumes for out attacking prowess.

[West Derby Villan]

It was certainly the most exciting Villa side I've seen. Gray, Little and Deehan were a prolific strike trio, and the fact we put five goals past both Liverpool and Arsenal that season speaks volumes for out attacking prowess.

110% with this

[cdbearsfan]

Never noticed that Arsenal score before. I assume this is another Villa classic that Central TV couldn't be arsed to send a camera crew too?

[peter w]

Was it the end of the season one? Or was that a little later? I remember we played two in two seasons - teams in the FA Cup who played weakened teams and we spanked them. I think Arsenal was the opening (ish) of the North Stand. Ipswich I think was 6-1 in 78.

[pbavfckuwait]

Did we not beat Ipswich 5-1 that season??

[peter w]

Arsenal 5-1 Ipswich 5-2 - just checked; and the 4 against Albion, West Ham, Sunderland, Derby.

[Big Dick Edwards]

Ipswich had a good young side that season that was developing into the one that ultimately finished as runners-up to us in 1980/81. They played pretty well at Villa Park but were blown away by Andy Gray. He really was an unstoppable force at his peak.

[dcdavecollett]

Yes. Ipswich played really well in this game but Gray was the difference.

[SirSteveUK]

Undoubtedly the best strike force since Hitchens, McParland & Thomson in 1959/60 in Div 2