Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: Handsworth Wood Villa on August 01, 2011, 06:52:09 PM
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What's the biggest Villa away following you've been apart of?
Obviously not including Cup finals at Wembley and the like...
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Has to be Highbury, 1981, dosent it?
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I think probably Man Utd in 1988.
They were expecting about 2k to turn up, it was more like 10k in the end.
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Not sure off the top of my head, maybe the Quarter final at Reading.
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I think probably Man Utd in 1988.
They were expecting about 2k to turn up, it was more like 10k in the end.
Same here. The night of the fog.
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Sheffield Wednesday when we were promoted under Saunders, about 20 thousand I reckon. Took over the home end just through weight of numbers. On a Wednesday night.
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I think probably Man Utd in 1988.
They were expecting about 2k to turn up, it was more like 10k in the end.
Same here. The night of the fog.
What was the score in that game? I ask as I remember visiting OT for a night game probably around that time and I think we went down 2-0 and Mark Robins got both goals.
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I think probably Man Utd in 1988.
They were expecting about 2k to turn up, it was more like 10k in the end.
Same here. The night of the fog.
What was the score in that game? I ask as I remember visiting OT for a night game probably around that time and I think we went down 2-0 and Mark Robins got both goals.
I thought the score was 1 each? Sid for us?
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Sheffield Wednesday when we were promoted under Saunders, about 20 thousand I reckon. Took over the home end just through weight of numbers. On a Wednesday night.
That was a magical night. Every car going up the A38 seemed to have Villa scarves out the windows.
I'd say Highbury 81 was the biggest and best for obvious reasons. Old Trafford in 88 was a scream.
Smallest Villa following I've seen was when we played Benfica here a few years ago in a pre-season friendly. I was there on my own in a crowd of 35,000. I later found out there were more Villa fans at the game and the police put them in the press box.
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Dont know if it was the biggest but the one that comes to mind was Notts County away 1971/72 in the 3rd division.
The crowd was 34,000, well over half were Villa. There was no M42 then, the route to Nottingham and indeed to a lot of games Yorkshire direction etc was the road through Tamworth, Measham, Ashby, Castle Donnington.
The traffic jams started around Tamworth, you knew it was all Villa because everybody always had the scarfs out the window.
Smallest was when I hitched to watch a couple of pre season games in Yugolsavia at Ljubijana and Rijecka in the mid 70s. As far as I could tell I was the only one. John Gidman saw me with my Villa scarf and said something along the lines of "What the f**k are you doing here ?".
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Not sure off the top of my head, maybe the Quarter final at Reading.
In 09/10?
How many did we take?
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Middlesborough in the league cup in 87.If there was 200 we were lucky.
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Middlesborough in the league cup in 87.If there was 200 we were lucky.
You're right. I was at that one as well, though only had to travel from Leeds.
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everton may 1990,last game under GT mark 1,easy 15k,2 stands full 3 3 draw in the sunshine
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everton may 1990,last game under GT mark 1,easy 15k,2 stands full 3 3 draw in the sunshine
That's my favourite ever away day and will be hard to beat.
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It was a giggle wasnt it ?
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Sheffield Wednesday when we were promoted under Saunders, about 20 thousand I reckon. Took over the home end just through weight of numbers. On a Wednesday night.
Didn't we take 20,000 to Blackpool?
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Sheffield Wednesday when we were promoted under Saunders, about 20 thousand I reckon. Took over the home end just through weight of numbers. On a Wednesday night.
Didn't we take 20,000 to Blackpool?
Crowd at Blackpool was 20,700. At Sheffield Wednesday 23,605.
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Highbury when we won the league,.I actually started the game in the North Bank,when a woman with a pram/pushchair asked a copper if she could through come the a gate which led to the standing area along the pitch as the North bank was overcrowded.Ran through the gate with brother and cousin, even though the stand was still Arsenal if felt much better watching the game in that stand-North Bank to the left,Clock end to the right.
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for me it has to be blues away in 1974 i think. maybe not he biggest but certainly the best tilton full to the rafters villa on the roof of the tilton hanging from the floodlights to large mob underneath the scoreboard and took over the top tier of the railway end. simply the best
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It was a giggle wasnt it ?
Can still remember the chants of Graham Taylors claret and blue army to this day.
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Local derbies aside, the most we've taken has to be either Hillsborough or Highbury, with around 20k. Honourable mentions to Stoke on Boxing Day 1975 and Coventry the Saturday after we won the League Cup in 1977. Old Trafford 1988 was about 7k (it was always easy to work out their away following because there were so many small pens with their own capacities - the bits we were given totalled 7.5k and they weren't quite all full) and Everton 1990 about 8k.
Don't know the smallest but we had a couple in 1985-86, Southampton and Newcastle, which couldn't have been more than 200 and the 300-ish at Manchester City that season was embarrassing for a Saturday game such a short distance away. There were eight of us at a friendly in Fiorentina in 1993. We ended up in the directors' box.
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for me it has to be blues away in 1974 i think. maybe not he biggest but certainly the best tilton full to the rafters villa on the roof of the tilton hanging from the floodlights to large mob underneath the scoreboard and took over the top tier of the railway end. simply the best
I think you mean 1976. They really used to cram us in there. Fun times, once you eventually got in there.
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I think probably Man Utd in 1988.
They were expecting about 2k to turn up, it was more like 10k in the end.
Same here. The night of the fog.
What was the score in that game? I ask as I remember visiting OT for a night game probably around that time and I think we went down 2-0 and Mark Robins got both goals.
I thought the score was 1 each? Sid for us?
Could anyone shed any light on what year this game was then?
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1989-90.
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Mark bastard Robins broke my heart that night.
Man Utd in the cup in O'Neill's first season for me. Huge away following and quite a few of us dotted around the home ends from what I seem to remember. A pal of mine is a ST holder up there and he asked me on the Friday if I wanted his spare.
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Thanks Dave.
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Everton in 1990 - sun was shining, great game, unbelievable Villa support.
Will live long in the memory.
Honourable mention also to the opening day at Sheffield Wednesday for BFR's first game.
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Sheffield Wednesday when we were promoted under Saunders, about 20 thousand I reckon. Took over the home end just through weight of numbers. On a Wednesday night.
This has to be up there.
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Of course, none of these come close to the estimated quarter of a million Everton brought to Villa in 1987.
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Hillsboro 91:- we may have only taken about 5,000 but you felt like you were in an army of 50,000!
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Hillsborough and Blackpool in 75 were huge followings as mentioned but I'd say that Arsenal in 81 has to be the biggest away support we've ever had for a league game in modern (to me) times. That was 20,000 plus.
The other biggest followings outside a final or semi would have been at a couple of early round League Cup replays on neutral grounds -
1971 1st rnd v Wrexham at The Hawthorns - attendance 20,697 and virtually everyone seemed to be Villa that night.
1978 3rd rnd v Palace at Coventry - att 25,455 and all Villa on 3 and a half sides with about 1,500 Palace in one pen of the open end.
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1978 3rd rnd v Palace at Coventry - att 25,455 and all Villa on 3 and a half sides with about 1,500 Palace in one pen of the open end.
Godd call. I can't believe it was just a third round cup tie. Saying that, what a team we were. I can still see Andy Gray scoring a real Roy of the Rovers scorcher that night. Great times.
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1978 3rd rnd v Palace at Coventry - att 25,455 and all Villa on 3 and a half sides with about 1,500 Palace in one pen of the open end.
Godd call. I can't believe it was just a third round cup tie. Saying that, what a team we were. I can still see Andy Gray scoring a real Roy of the Rovers scorcher that night. Great times.
Yes, good call gents. One unusual fact from that night was that the 25k crowd was actually higher than Coventry's average home gate for that season. Andy Gray was indeed on top form that evening - one of his last great displays for us - and I also remember Burridge getting pelters from the Villa fans. This was also the days of fencing and although we were jammed right behind the goal in the home end I literally couldn't see play down the right side of the pitch because of the heavy duty barriers Coventry had (maybe also because as a pimply youth I was shorter than most people around me).
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Of course, none of these come close to the estimated quarter of a million Everton brought to Villa in 1987.
God, you're right Dave. The number of Everton fans I have met over the years who have told me they were in the 20k+ following that came that day probably exceeds, well, 20k....
IIRC it was a sunny Easter Saturday and Everton did have a massive following - but probably around 10k. I think the gate was 31k and they were going for the title whilst we were waiting for the hangman's noose. We played ok but just didn't have anything up front, but we certainly looked vaguely competent compared to the debacle 48 hours later at Charlton.
I think all football fans have a tendency to hype up big away followings, but aside from derbies I bet there aren't too many occasions since the 3rd division where we have had more than 10k at an away game. One I would add to the above list would be Liverpool away in 1976-77 where we had around 10k.
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There was a West Brom cup tie away in the 80's that was quite busy. Mortimer got the winner, I think Clive Thomas was the ref and sent some dirty albion player off while he being stretchered off. It was proper packed in the Sme Rick end that night.
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I always thought Old Trafford in '88 was the biggest I'd been in, I thought we took about 10,000. I didn't realise it was less than that and Everton the following season topped it. Off the top of my head I would guess Huddersfield in '87 was the smallest away crowd I've been part of for a competitive game. (The game with the red sauce and the paper mache programme if Nev's reading this).
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The time we played Leicester at Filbert Street and the usual corner they gave us (held about 3k?) was overflowing by 2PM so we moved to their end with the help of the constabulary to stop anybody getting hurt.
You all know what happened next.
Coventry after the League Cup win was a larger than usual following with Villa in all stands as was Stoke on Easter Monday during the League championship season...
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There was a West Brom cup tie away in the 80's that was quite busy. Mortimer got the winner, I think Clive Thomas was the ref and sent some dirty albion player off while he being stretchered off. It was proper packed in the Sme Rick end that night.
From memory it was 1984 we had all of it and loads of Villa in the seats
I think Walters scored early on at the Brummie road end and then regis equalised in front of us.
Got very dirty 2nd half and think Gary owen was sent off the Mortimer lashed one in in front of us - cue mayhem. The maddest goal celebration ive ever been in
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Middlesborough in the league cup in 87.If there was 200 we were lucky.
You're right. I was at that one as well, though only had to travel from Leeds.
I was at that on the official coaches. I did ask someone official looking and they said around 150 of us.
Largest away following has to be the ManUre game for me.
I believe that was the one where they were aiming fireworks at us from the terracing to our right.
Police were kicking VIlla out for raring up, but leaving the Mancs to continue firing at us.
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It was a giggle wasnt it ?
Can still remember the chants of Graham Taylors claret and blue army to this day.
Yep,two stands all the way through half time,then sgt came out at full time to say goodbye,happiest day of my villa supporting life,though i thought we would finish in top 4 every season after that...
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Blackpool and Hillsborough in 1975 are the ones that stick in my mind too.
The Sheff Weds game for obvious reasons. I remember my fifth or sixth Nan of the season died that day :'( so I could leave work about 3.pm and get to VP for the Travellers Club coaches. Apart from the match and the resulting scenes of ecstasy one thing that sticks in my mind is going along the A38 through Derby on the way to the game and the coach pulling up in a long queue of coaches by a park with a public loo that we could use and the locals who lived opposite coming out of their houses and staring in amazement at the Villa Hordes on their way to a midweek away match. Happy days!
The Blackpool game sticks in the memory for lots of different reasons ( I'll start a thread about it in the next couple of days, unless someone cares to beat me to it) suffice to say it was one of those 'Oh What Fun We Had' days.
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The time we played Leicester at Filbert Street and the usual corner they gave us (held about 3k?) was overflowing by 2PM so we moved to their end with the help of the constabulary to stop anybody getting hurt.
You all know what happened next.
Filbert Street was one of those grounds that we used to just take over every season. I seem to remember us having three corners of the ground.
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The biggest away following i've been part of has to be Hillsborough at the start of the 91/92 season, was a fantastic day, only the 2nd away game i'd been to. I think there were around 7,000 vila there
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Blackpool & Hillsborough in 75 stick in my memory too and of course Highbury in 81. Slightly more recently, Hillsborough again for BFR's debut match as mentioned by Lucky Eddie earlier in the thread, I think there were around 7,000 of us but it sounded like 3 times that many!
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One night that springs to mind was the league cup quarter final at spurs in 1993-94. We had the whole end upstairs and downstairs and the atmoshere was the best one ive experienced. They must have been at least 7000 and it was a night match.
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One night that springs to mind was the league cup quarter final at spurs in 1993-94. We had the whole end upstairs and downstairs and the atmoshere was the best one ive experienced. They must have been at least 7000 and it was a night match.
Yes and annoyingly, I was one row in front of where the roof ended, so I got absolutely drenched during the second-half down pour.
It all kicked off afterwards as well for good measure.
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Blackpool and Hillsborough in 1975 are the ones that stick in my mind too.
The Sheff Weds game for obvious reasons. I remember my fifth or sixth Nan of the season died that day :'( so I could leave work about 3.pm and get to VP for the Travellers Club coaches. Apart from the match and the resulting scenes of ecstasy one thing that sticks in my mind is going along the A38 through Derby on the way to the game and the coach pulling up in a long queue of coaches by a park with a public loo that we could use and the locals who lived opposite coming out of their houses and staring in amazement at the Villa Hordes on their way to a midweek away match. Happy days!
The Blackpool game sticks in the memory for lots of different reasons ( I'll start a thread about it in the next couple of days, unless someone cares to beat me to it) suffice to say it was one of those 'Oh What Fun We Had' days.
When we finally left Hillsborough after invading the pitch /main stand for our celebrations, we ended up in the Hillfoot Working Mens Club where they decided to put us into the function room. The function room was otherwise empty. There were tables all around the perimeter upon which we did a drunken lap of honour, round and round the room. We hardly believed what villa had achieved, especially so soon after the great days of the Third Division.
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With restricted all ticket away allocations we won't get any of these again but the largest I was part of was probabaly 6000 of us turning up at the Dell for an away game in I think early 91-92 and the coppers couldn't believe how many of us there were, the whole end behind the goal and a fair few seats on the left hand side. It was fucking hot as well probably 80-85 degrees.
The smallest away following I've been part of was Leeds away in the same 91/92 season, there can't have been more than 500 of us. From recollection there was a bloke in front of us with the worst smelling farts ever............
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I reckon the game you were on about at the Dell was a 1-1 draw, Shearer for them, possibly Richardson for us. Flowers should've been sent off but wasn't. I remember being bloody hot but don't remember how many we took there.
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I reckon the game you were on about at the Dell was a 1-1 draw, Shearer for them, possibly Richardson for us. Flowers should've been sent off but wasn't. I remember being bloody hot but don't remember how many we took there.
Yep thats the one, Richardson in the first minute, Shearer about 10 minutes later and the rest of the game was completely boring. We did have the whole end though as the copper stood next to us said the West Mids Police had told them to expect about 1500 to 2000 and he told us that end used to hold 5000 or so.
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The Manu Utd game people are talking about where we took a massive following was Nov 5th 1988. It was actually Man Utd's biggest crowd of the season I believe. 1-1 - Sid for us and Quasimodo Potato Head for them. Anyone remember we were locked in afterwards and entertained by Tarzan? Whatever happened to him and who was he?
The Mark Robbins 2-0 Fog game was the following year I believe and nowhere near as many Villa attended.
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One not mentioned so far was Stoke in the second division in 1987/88 (?) we had one side of the ground and it was memorable in that the standing section was so packed I only saw the ball three times not counting when it was in the air.
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The Manu Utd game people are talking about where we took a massive following was Nov 5th 1988. It was actually Man Utd's biggest crowd of the season I believe. 1-1 - Sid for us and Quasimodo Potato Head for them. Anyone remember we were locked in afterwards and entertained by Tarzan? Whatever happened to him and who was he?
Remember it very well. Also remember the Man United fans celebrating Nov 5th by firing rockets into the Villa end. We went to the Hacienda aftewards and bumped into Bernard from New Order. Still got the photo of me and him.
A massive Villa following.
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The Manu Utd game people are talking about where we took a massive following was Nov 5th 1988. It was actually Man Utd's biggest crowd of the season I believe. 1-1 - Sid for us and Quasimodo Potato Head for them. Anyone remember we were locked in afterwards and entertained by Tarzan? Whatever happened to him and who was he?
Remember it very well. Also remember the Man United fans celebrating Nov 5th by firing rockets into the Villa end. We went to the Hacienda aftewards and bumped into Bernard from New Order. Still got the photo of me and him.
A massive Villa following.
It was Chico. I remember the initial crush that was happening until the coppers started opening more sections behind the goal and eventually on the side of the pitch too - they even moved Utd fans up a section which must have been bizarre.
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Has to be Highbury 81? I know plenty of Villa fans who were dotted all round the ground that day and we certainly filled the Clock End!
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One not mentioned so far was Stoke in the second division in 1987/88 (?) we had one side of the ground and it was memorable in that the standing section was so packed I only saw the ball three times not counting when it was in the air.
I remember that one well. The paddock had no barriers and 50% appeared to be below pitch level. Add to that the sun shining directly in our eyes and the crowd seemed to be in perpetual motion. I couldn't see a fuckin' thing.
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Dont know if it was the biggest but the one that comes to mind was Notts County away 1971/72 in the 3rd division.
The crowd was 34,000, well over half were Villa. There was no M42 then, the route to Nottingham and indeed to a lot of games Yorkshire direction etc was the road through Tamworth, Measham, Ashby, Castle Donnington.
The traffic jams started around Tamworth, you knew it was all Villa because everybody always had the scarfs out the window.
I was about to mention that game. It was Villa owned!
I believe that the wooden stand was vibrating with Villans stamping.
Wonderful times.
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One not mentioned so far was Stoke in the second division in 1987/88 (?) we had one side of the ground and it was memorable in that the standing section was so packed I only saw the ball three times not counting when it was in the air.
I was there - 0-0 wasn't it? One of Shaw's last ever (if not last ever?) games. I didn't see a thing either.
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One night that springs to mind was the league cup quarter final at spurs in 1993-94. We had the whole end upstairs and downstairs and the atmoshere was the best one ive experienced. They must have been at least 7000 and it was a night match.
I remember that one, Houghton's shot squirming under Thorsvedt (sp?), it was pissing down and we must have been about 3 rows from the front.
I reckon we may have took more there went we went top there in 1990 though, it was still standing and there were Villa everywhere outside.
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One not mentioned so far was Stoke in the second division in 1987/88 (?) we had one side of the ground and it was memorable in that the standing section was so packed I only saw the ball three times not counting when it was in the air.
I was there - 0-0 wasn't it? One of Shaw's last ever (if not last ever?) games. I didn't see a thing either.
I remember him playing against Ipswich at home earlier in the season.
Everton in 1990 was a classic away day, never felt so pround shame it was Sir Graham's Part 1 last game.
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not the biggest but the most memorable for me as a young lad was Mansfield away in the old 3rd div,
i lived in Mansfield at the time, and all i can remember is every side of the ground full with Villa fans, it was a night match as well, the noise and atmosphere was incredible,
i think it was an important game to clinch promotion, which we didnt do that night as i think the it was a drawn game.
this also was my first ever Villa game, i'm sure every away day in div 3 was the same back then, but it was the one i remember most, when the chant of 'Villa Villa' went round the ground it was unbelievable
Also Anderlecht away caught every one by supprise,
especially there police force who couldnt cope, dont know how many they were expecting but eveyone was spilling out into all areas of the ground,
i was in a side stand in what i imagine was the official away section, but it was pretty packed behind the goal as well and no end of mither which carried on throuout the whole match