Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: Richie on December 15, 2011, 05:27:02 PM
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I know this has been done to death but..........................
Wednesday 15 December 1976
Aston Villa 5 Liverpool 1
What are the chances of a repeat on Sunday ?
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Five-goal Villa stun Liverpool (http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2548744,00.html)
It was 25 years ago today that Villa produced a "championship-class" display to beat Liverpool 5-1.
The Daily Mail called it a "savaging" while The Birmingham Post described it as a "humiliation" and there's no question it was an amazing result for the men in claret and blue.
Two goals from Andy Gray, two more from John Deehan and another by Brian Little left the champions and league leaders stunned, with all six goals scored before half-time.
The remarkable result emphasised that Villa's challenge for the title was very, very real.
Ian Willars of the Birmingham Post said the game "would be remembered and talked about by the claret and blue faithful for years to come."
No surprise Ian, nicknamed The Duke in journalist circles, was so overflowing in his praise.
It was, after all, Liverpool's heaviest league defeat since 1963 when they went down 7-2 to Tottenham.
The Daily Mail described the performance in praiseworthy prose, insisting: "Villa's swift, stabbing moves and accurate passing bewildered Liverpool from the start."
The Birmingham Post added: "Liverpool were taken apart by the speed, skill and determination of the entire Villa side."
Only 10 minutes had gone when Gray headed his 19th goal of the season after a spectacular link-up between Alex Cropley, John Robson and Deehan.
Then Deehan hustled on to a short pass from Dennis Mortimer and steered the ball between the legs of England goalkeeper Ray Clemence for a second goal.
Deehan, who had pulled out of the U21 international between England and Wales to play for his club, certainly made his presence felt.
Liverpool had paid the penalty for assuming that he was offside for that goal.
Nine minutes later they protested again that he was offside again when scoring his second and his side's third goal.
But he seemed to have been played on by Ian Callaghan after Phil Thompson and Gray had collided.
The visitors surrounded the referee but their protests were to no avail.
The fourth goal came after half-an-hour when Little drove in a cross-shot from the right.
Three minutes before the interval Ray Kennedy hit back for Liverpool but there was still time between that goal and the break for Gray to score Villa's fifth with another spectacular header.
Willars was thoroughly shocked by the savagery of the performance.
He wrote in the Post: "The 42,851 crowd gave the players a standing ovation - the likes of which I have never heard before - both at half-time and at the start of the second half."
Liverpool could have been worse off but for courageous saves by Clemence from Cropley and Mortimer at the death.
The result saw Villa move into third in the old First Division table, just four points behind the Reds with a game with hand.
Manager Ron Saunders told the Birmingham Post of his delight but also sounded a note of warning.
He said: "We must not go over the moon about this victory. We gave a highly professional performance, not just in the first half but throughout.
"We have been creating a lot of chances throughout this season and like most managers I am extremely pleased that we have been able to show our true class against a side of Liverpool's calibre.
"The First Division title? There is still a long way to go but obviously I am hoping we shall be able to continue our challenge."
As it was, Villa failed to build sufficiently on the remarkable result and Liverpool ended up taking the title, with Saunders's men finishing fourth, six points behind the eventual champions.
It was a different story five years later!
Villa: Findlay, Gidman, Robson, Phillips, Young, Mortimer, Deehan, Little, Gray, Cropley, Carrodus. Sub: Buttress [for Cropley, 54].
Liverpool: Clemence, Neal, Jones, Thompson, Kennedy, Hughes, Keegan, McDermott, Heighway, Johnson, Callaghan. Sub: Case.
(http://www.avfc.co.uk/javaImages/77/24/0,,10265~10298487,00.jpg)
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The day I found definite man-love for Brian Little.
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I was there
one of my ultimate memories of football at Villa Park, I was at college and as Christmas was close I think we had broke up and spent the afternoon in the pub opposite of Garrets Green.
My mate had a red Capri and we were off to Villa Park.
As per the match report it was 5.1 at half time, around the bars at the back of the Holte we were predicting 10.
I was hoarse for days after, ny enduring memory is of Dennis Mortimer surging majesticaly through the middle of the park with the entire Liverpool team backing off.
We had arrived !!!!!
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This was the 2-0 in 1981, though.
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all i can remember is Emlyn Hughes almost in tears.5-0 at half time i believe. On a totally unrelated note, anyone remember Villa vs Santos. Fred Turnbull marking Pele i think :)
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On a totally unrelated note, anyone remember Villa vs Santos. Fred Turnbull marking Pele i think :)
Don't remember it as I was only a few months old but the goals are here.
http://youtu.be/SxVUGIz9v6M
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all i can remember is Emlyn Hughes almost in tears.5-0 at half time i believe. On a totally unrelated note, anyone remember Villa vs Santos. Fred Turnbull marking Pele i think :)
In the second half Hughes was excellent - he was desperate for the score not to get any worse, and he did everything he could to stop Villa scoring again. Those of us on the Holte End that night wanted another 5 at our end in the second half but none arrived.
It may sound a bit sad these days but my mates and I stopped at an off-licence in Witton Lane on the way home and bought a cheap bottle of champagne to toast the result. Not much between 4 of us and most of the bin-dippers fans had buggered off home long before the final whistle, so we couldn't do much gloating.
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I remember it well!
It was the only home game I missed all season. I was at my very first Staff Christmas do - all shirt fronts, bow-ties and fancy frocks - and sitting at the same table as 2 Reds supporters. Couldn't stand not knowing so phoned VP for an update. No-one would believe me when I said we were winning 3-0. When the final 5-1 result came through the Reds guys bought me beer for the rest of the night. Not too much though, cos I was already pissed and very, very happy!
Repeat on Sunday? No chance, but maybe a point or three!?
(Just loading my sniper's rifle for Mr S Downing!)
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all i can remember is Emlyn Hughes almost in tears.5-0 at half time i believe. On a totally unrelated note, anyone remember Villa vs Santos. Fred Turnbull marking Pele i think :)
I remember the Santos game too!
And yes, Fred did mark Pele, and did a bloody good job.
Now that's something for Fred to tell the grandkids about!
Perhaps he could pass on a few tips to Hutton and Collins!?
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I went up on my own from Stourbridge because it was midweek match.
Others have summed up the match but I got home and went straight to my glory-hunting red-supporting non-scouse neighbour, knocked his door and when he opened it danced on his front lawn while pointing and laughing...
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I went up on my own from Stourbridge because it was midweek match.
Others have summed up the match but I got home and went straight to my glory-hunting red-supporting non-scouse neighbour, knocked his door and when he opened it danced on his front lawn while pointing and laughing...
Magic!
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It was just one of those immortal electric nights. I was just 15 - up the Witton end - scoucers everywhere & hell of a lot leaving at half time. Five goals up the Witton end and Just watching the crowded Holte End explode.
Make no mistakes we put our reserve defence out that day. Findlay replacing Burridge and a (young) Young for Nicholl - It was only Deehan's 3 appearance of the season after Graydon was injured by Cantello at Albion.
Proof where needed that attack is the best form of defence....................
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No TV footage of this.
It was a midweek game and in those days Central TV would send cameras to just one game in the region. This would have been the Villa game, but Derby had just signed Derek Hales from Charlton for £300k. Hales couldnt stop scoring in Division Two and was seen as the man to bring back the glory days they had enjoyed under Brian Clough. Hales scored a total of four goals in his entire Derby career - one less than we managed in those 45 minutes against Liverpool.
The man who made the decision to take the cameras to Derby instead of Villa Park that night ? Gary bloody Newbon ! Utter bloody twat !
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I only managed to get to three or four games that season, and this was one of them.
My favourite memory of it is sitting in the bar on New St station waiting for my overnight train journey back to Grimsby feeling quite pleased with life. A man and woman came and sat next to me and the bloke asked "What was the score?"
Me. 5-1.
Him. Who scored?
Me. Gray 2, Deehan 2, Little.
Him. (laughing) What was the real score?
Me. (pointing to two red & white scarved scousers) Do they look as happy as me?.
I called the scousers over and asked them to tell the man what the score was and the look on his face when they told him was a treat.
Fair play to all three, they each bought me a pint.
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No TV footage of this.
It was a midweek game and in those days Central TV would send cameras to just one game in the region. This would have been the Villa game, but Derby had just signed Derek Hales from Charlton for £300k. Hales couldnt stop scoring in Division Two and was seen as the man to bring back the glory days they had enjoyed under Brian Clough. Hales scored a total of four goals in his entire Derby career - one less than we managed in those 45 minutes against Liverpool.
The man who made the decision to take the cameras to Derby instead of Villa Park that night ? Gary bloody Newbon ! Utter bloody twat !
Andy, everything you've posted is true and correct except if I recall correctly the head of ITV sport at that time was one Trevor East who, ironically was a big Derby fan and I think it was his decision to cover the Derby game instead of the visit of the league champions to V.P. I also recall that Gary Newbon the following evening when giving the sports report looking very sheepish after showing the footage of the goalless draw at the Baseball Ground and saying that no footage was available from V.P. I may be wrong but that has stuck with me for all these years. BTW didn't Denis Mortimer hit the bar in the second half?
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Let's hope for the same score on Sunday.
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I was probably at the game but was only 6 so have zero recollection of it but we rarely missed a home game so assume I was at it
And wasn't Newbon at VP for that game and supposedly said that he was sat there with a pie and a pint and a sinking feeling inside as the goals kept going in?
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I was probably at the game but was only 6 so have zero recollection of it but we rarely missed a home game so assume I was at it
And wasn't Newbon at VP for that game and supposedly said that he was sat there with a pie and a pint and a sinking feeling inside as the goals kept going in?
I think it's in Children of the Revolution. He was a guest in the M&B box, or some other brewery.
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I was probably at the game but was only 6 so have zero recollection of it but we rarely missed a home game so assume I was at it
And wasn't Newbon at VP for that game and supposedly said that he was sat there with a pie and a pint and a sinking feeling inside as the goals kept going in?
I think it's in Children of the Revolution. He was a guest in the M&B box, or some other brewery.
That's it! As soon as you said that I remembered where I'd read it.
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No TV footage of this.
It was a midweek game and in those days Central TV would send cameras to just one game in the region. This would have been the Villa game, but Derby had just signed Derek Hales from Charlton for £300k. Hales couldnt stop scoring in Division Two and was seen as the man to bring back the glory days they had enjoyed under Brian Clough. Hales scored a total of four goals in his entire Derby career - one less than we managed in those 45 minutes against Liverpool.
The man who made the decision to take the cameras to Derby instead of Villa Park that night ? Gary bloody Newbon ! Utter bloody twat !
Andy, everything you've posted is true and correct except if I recall correctly the head of ITV sport at that time was one Trevor East who, ironically was a big Derby fan and I think it was his decision to cover the Derby game instead of the visit of the league champions to V.P. I also recall that Gary Newbon the following evening when giving the sports report looking very sheepish after showing the footage of the goalless draw at the Baseball Ground and saying that no footage was available from V.P. I may be wrong but that has stuck with me for all these years. BTW didn't Denis Mortimer hit the bar in the second half?
There is footage of the Liverpool 5-1 - but only 8mm super 8 most likely. It was shown on a sky compilation programme around 5-6 years ago. I've tried my utmost to track it down but to no avail thus far. Another guy who posts on here will back me up. Even Andy Gray himself has confirmed it's existence. It's grainy image but I bet many on here would love to see it! God only knows what's happened to the footage - but it's a long time ago, so to track it down becomes more difficult year on year - just got to keep hoping with Youtube etc.
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Would love to see it.
As my earlier post, it was the only home game I missed that season!
Bugger!
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Best performance I have ever seen from a Villa team against a world class side. The Hales story is correct, ATV central only could view one game and they chose Hales debut for Derby in a no score draw v Arsenal