Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: Villafirst on December 15, 2010, 05:55:44 PM
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December 15th 1976 - Aston Villa 5 Liverpool 1....... What are your memories of that astonishing night?
I actually missed it! The only home game that season that I missed! Just wish that amateur footage of the goals that Sky showed a few years back would be shown again.
Do you guys realise that the club have in their possession 45 minutes of footage from the epic second leg of the semi final against Man Utd from Dec 23rd 1970 at VP when we beat them 2-1 to reach Wembley? I know for a this for a fact that they have the footage having helped the media dept with some rare goal footage from the Valur second leg in the European Cup campaign from '82.
They said over 12 months ago to me that they would edit and clean up the footage for DVD release - but so far......nothing! Perhaps the same department helped with the new home kit release!
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You could ask the General about it. I'm sure he'll find out what the story is.
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What I remember are the ironic cheers when they pulled a goal back. I thnk it was 4-0 at the time.
The second half with Emlyn Hughes playing like a maniac to stop us scoring a 6th.
Walking back along Witton lane afterwards - stopping to buy a bottle of cheap champagne to celebrate - it might have been Pomagne(?) couldn't afford much in those days.
But most of all - realising that we could beat anybody - including the European Champs - and we could do it ourselves!
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I was only 2 at the time so I have no recollection of it... but I remember someone mentioning on here that Central/ATV didn't have any footage of the game because they sent cameras to Derby for a 0-0 draw against some other crap team. Apparently that decision was made by a Mr. G. Newbon of Olton, but that could be just idle H&V gossip?
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I was only 2 at the time so I have no recollection of it... but I remember someone mentioning on here that Central/ATV didn't have any footage of the game because they sent cameras to Derby for a 0-0 draw against some other crap team. Apparently that decision was made by a Mr. G. Newbon of Olton, but that could be just idle H&V gossip?
Derby had their new British record signing Derek Hales making his debut and the game finished 0-0. In defence of Newbon, Derby were far from crap then and Hales was the big story of the day, so at the time he made the right decision.
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I was only 2 at the time so I have no recollection of it... but I remember someone mentioning on here that Central/ATV didn't have any footage of the game because they sent cameras to Derby for a 0-0 draw against some other crap team. Apparently that decision was made by a Mr. G. Newbon of Olton, but that could be just idle H&V gossip?
Derby had their new British record signing Derek Hales making his debut and the game finished 0-0. In defence of Newbon, Derby were far from crap then and Hales was the big story of the day, so at the time he made the right decision.
I guess hindsight is always crystal clear but in my run ins with Newbon he doesn't always cover himself in glory... who were Derby playing that night?
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I was there. It was magic !
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I WAS THERE 8)
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I remember standing in the Holte...
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Remember it well... and glad we stood on the Witton End that night with all the Villa goals being scored in front of us. I've got a couple of scrapbooks from that season (I was young and enthusiastic about football back then), with all the newspaper reports of every game. It really does make a fantastic read.
Here's one of the reports from the Liverpool game (Evening Mail I think).... typing quick so apologies for any mistakes.
"Forty five minutes of Aston Villa magnificence punctuated by five goals of breathtaking magic made Villa Park a soccer wonderland for supporters as Liverpool trembled to their heaviest defeat in ten years.
If only Villa had a cine film to market they would have a best-seller on their hands... because the only regret fans must have is that they cannot see the unforgettable 5-1 win again and again.
Such football would have been praiseworthy against any opposition. But tis was Liverpool, League champions, League leaders, the best away team in the country – dithering in defensive disarray as Villa ran them ragged.
The disbelief of it all was written there on the face of manager Bob paisley afterwards as he stammered out an unsuccessful attempt at explanation.
"I'm not detracting from those Villa boys. They did well, but my defence... I learned something about them tonight. I didn't think they could play so badly."
Why did they? The answer is simple enough.
Beacuse Villa went at them in such a mood of sprinting, fisrt-time passing perfection that even calm, experienced professionals such as Emlyn Hughes and Phil Thompson just didn't know where to look or turn.
While Villa were in this mood throughout the first spinetingling half their form reflected English-style football at somewhere near its peak.
When players keep running for as long as the ball is in play, strike passes quickly and take chances with stunning accuracy their game becomes simple but unstoppable.
Such was the first goal... and the four that followed.
It all began with a centre by John Robson, superb at left back.
The game was nine minutes old and his left-footed cross was hung up invitingly for one of Andy Gray's matchless headers to fizz past Ray Clemence.
Two minutes later a ground pass from Dennis Mortimer raked through the middle for John Deehan to chase and place just right. Upstairs, downstairs, Liverpool were lost.
Soon Deehan was in position again, on the left side this time, to accept a mis-placed pass by Ian Callaghan, move in and measure another past the cruelly tormented England goalkeeper (21 minutes).
Superb goals, but there was better to come. In the 31st minute Brian Little, positioned well to the right of the goal, eyed a packed penalty area in front of him and then curled a left-footed swurving shot past everyone into the dar top corner. A masterstroke.
A defensive error let Ray Kennedy in to make it 4-1 (41 mins) before, in the last minute of the first half, Gray struck again by heading in Mortimer's free-kick.
"Follow that" somebody said. In truth few teams could. Displays like that continue for 90 minutes only in fiction.
Villa, with Alex Cropley struggling from a recurrence of his groin injury and replaced subsequently by young Mike Buttress, played professionally enough to draw the second half 0-0.
Villa: Findlay, Gidman, Robson, Phillips, Young, Mortimer, Deehan, Little, Gray, Cropley, Carrodus. Sub: Buttress.
Lpool: Clemence, Neal, Jones, Thompson, Kennedy, Hughes, Keegan, McDermott, Heighway, Johnson, Callaghan. Sub: case.
Att: 42,851.
Another report mentions that in the 2nd half Deehan missed a golden opportunity for his hat-trick when setup by Brian Little and Clemence was lucky to see the ball come back of the bar when he got a hand to Mortimer's centre.
For me, 76-77 was THE best season of football ever as a Villa fan. Finished 4th, won league cup in thrilling style throughout from opening round win over Man City, and unluckily lost in FAC qtr final at Man U at the end of a week in which which we'd played Everton in LCF at Wembley and then again in replay at Sheff Wed.
A flick through these scrapbooks reminds me of some other league wins - 5-1 v Arsenal, 5-2 v Ipswich, 4-0 v Wst Ham, 4-0 v Albion, 4-1 Derby, 4-1 Sunderland.
Only team to win at Viila were Small Heath - in fact they beat us home and away, but who cares when you had a season like we did.
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This was probably the greatest performance I have witnessed in my 38 years watching Villa.
I remember Alex Cropley completely running the game. Charlie Young made his debut at centre half and Jake Findley was in goal.
What always will stick in my mind was my Dad coming out afterwards and moaning that we didn't finish them off!!
To put this in to perspective it would be like beating Man U or Chelsea 5-1 these days. Liverpool were the best team in Europe.
Derek Hales made his Derby County debut against Arsenal. It wasn't like nowadays Sky cameras everywhere but ATV certainly got it wrong that night.
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I guess hindsight is always crystal clear but in my run ins with Newbon he doesn't always cover himself in glory... who were Derby playing that night?
Arsenal, but the big story was Derek Hales. I suppose Newbon would argue that Liverpool playd in the Midlands half a dozen times a season back then, whereas record signings were a lot rarer.
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As Villafirst said i just hope they put a DVD of it out ASAP i for one would buy it.
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I WAS THERE 8)
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I was there also. I remember walking to the ground and I had this feeling that it was going to be a special night. I was about 15 at the time and every game felt different to how it does today because I never thought we could loose.
Pongo
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One of my favourite games ever from my favourite season... Mind you 80/81 and 81/82 weren't too bad either.
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i was there and didnt remember the goals in detail, i was stood in The Holte End, I remember Villa just tearing them apart wave after wave of attack. It was a sureal feeling watching that Liverpool team going through the motions but just couldnt get near us, i remember Mortimer having a great game picking the ball up and running at them from deep and then passing the ball. It was as the report said about movement and quick acurate passing. We carried on for about 15 minutes into the second half but we could not reach the heights of the first half, certainly the most comprehensive Villa win in terms of playing style I have ever seen. I also remember switching on ATV to watch the sports section and being told that we didnt go to the Villa game but went to see Derek Hales make his debut for Derby.
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It was the day I fell in love with Brian Little.
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A nine year old me was there.
It's a standing joke in our family, that Jake Findlay being in goal for us and Ray Kennedy scoring for them, were the only details I could remember when asked about it, in the days after the game.
I think I had Post Euphoria shock syndrome :).
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It was the day I fell in love with Brian Little.
He was a stud in fairness. Those long flowing locks, great cheekbones....oh right, yeah.
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Great night,they were a fantastic team to watch for sure
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For those of us there just one question; will it ever get better than that? since that night there have been some great teams in the old first division and the subsequent premier league but that night of football by Villa remains the best I've ever had the privelage to witness. Dare I venture to suggest that that team of '77/'78 was better than the one that eventually returned the holy grail back to Villa Park.
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Dare I venture to suggest that that team of '77/'78 was better than the one that eventually returned the holy grail back to Villa Park.
I assume you meant 76-77?
I said earlier in the thread that I thought that season was the best for football (most exciting games), but although I'd agree the 76-77 team was the most exciting to watch - the best TEAM we've had in my memory was the 80-81 side that won the league. Still good to watch, but certainly much better defensively, a winning team.
Don't forget that although 76-77 side was brilliant at home they didn't do so well on their travels in the league.
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I was only 5. I'd love to see footage of it.
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I was there also, unusually for me in the trinity Upper with my Dad and Big Bro.
Deehan's goals were carbon copies of each other, Liverpool actually made a fist of it in the second half, but in the first half they were well and truly battered.
Probably the best Villa performance I can ever remember and I'd love to see footage of it, but i thought there wasa'nt even a camera at the game ?
Bloody Derek Hales the bearded git....
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I was there with my dad, 3 days after my birthday, standing on the left side of the old (non segregated) Witton where we always used to stand at that time. Like others above it was the greatest performance I have ever witnessed by a Villa team in what was the finest footballing season that Villa have produced in my lifetime.
I remember the grudge against Newbon et al the day after on Central TV as I was desperate to see the trouncing again on the box. A further, minor gripe, was that our next home fixture was cancelled due to snow (I think it was against Derby) so the Terry Weir photos of the goals were in the cancelled matchday programme which I never saw. I always thought Villa should have carried them over to our next edition.
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I was only 5. I'd love to see footage of it.
I stand erected!
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Dare I venture to suggest that that team of '77/'78 was better than the one that eventually returned the holy grail back to Villa Park.
I assume you meant 76-77?
I said earlier in the thread that I thought that season was the best for football (most exciting games), but although I'd agree the 76-77 team was the most exciting to watch - the best TEAM we've had in my memory was the 80-81 side that won the league. Still good to watch, but certainly much better defensively, a winning team.
Don't forget that although 76-77 side was brilliant at home they didn't do so well on their travels in the league.
Sorry quoted on wrong post. Complete dimwit! me that is
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34 years. Fucking hell.
I was at Warwick University at the time, and went to the game a load of mates who I had known at Bourneville College a couple of years before, so it must have been some sort of reunion. Several of them weren't even Villa fans, and one was a Nose from Solihull who had been in the same class as John Deehan.
We were particularly good at playing through a high defensive line using the offside trap at that time, and it was poetry in motion watching us tear them apart in the first half.
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December 15th 1976 - Aston Villa 5 Liverpool 1....... What are your memories of that astonishing night?
I actually missed it! The only home game that season that I missed! Just wish that amateur footage of the goals that Sky showed a few years back would be shown again.
Do you guys realise that the club have in their possession 45 minutes of footage from the epic second leg of the semi final against Man Utd from Dec 23rd 1970 at VP when we beat them 2-1 to reach Wembley? I know for a this for a fact that they have the footage having helped the media dept with some rare goal footage from the Valur second leg in the European Cup campaign from '82.
They said over 12 months ago to me that they would edit and clean up the footage for DVD release - but so far......nothing! Perhaps the same department helped with the new home kit release!
I was there and reckon they paid us off at half time to ease off them a bit.
Regarding the 23 Dec 1970 epic, that is nearly forty years ago and is still a vivid memory. Trouble is, I am boring myself talking about it now. Get me that video.
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I spoke to my brother about this game after my earlier post, and he reminded me how brilliant Brian Little was that night.
What a fucking great player.
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I started going to Villa Park in the 50's and this is my favourite memory: goal after goal against the league champions in a quite incredible first half. My only regret is that I was at the Holte End and didn't see the goals more clearly, but the crowd reaction is unforgettable.
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My abiding memory was the crowd as the players left the pitch at half time 5-1 up.
Not cheering, but applause.
Applause from all sides of the ground which didnt die away until the last man in claret and blue had disappeared down the tunnel.
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I am compiling a major book about fans memories of all things Villa. I hope to include celebs and current and ex-players, as well as us the fans.
Would anyone mind if I use their postings in the book? If you have any more good stories please contact me at simongoodyear@soccerbiographies.com
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Pleased to be able to say i was at this game and was in the Witton End of the ground and so had a great view of all the goals.The goal that stood out for me was Brian Littles. He had the ball on the edge of the penalty area on the Witton Lane side of the ground, looked up,saw Clemence off his line and curled a beautiful shot into the top corner of the net.The other thing i clearly remember was Clemence,Hughes and Thompson having a big arguement and blaming each other as they walked off at half time while Villa had a standing ovation. Must admit i had forgotten that Jake Findlay and Charlie Young played in that game,both were reserve team players so that our win even more remarkable.