Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: steamer on March 09, 2012, 09:45:51 PM
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After a number of beers on a Friday night I decided to forget the doom and gloom inspired from our current position and read through some of my old programes and Villa Books.
If anyone can put their hands on it, The First 100 years by Peter Morris is classic.
If you can bear with this read what he has to say in his, "Epilogue to a century"
[iThe door to the lavishly appointed guest room at Villa Park was open and in the corridor the little boys ,dodging the commisionaire ,were calling for Brian Little and John Gidman.
Quite rightly, they took no notice of myself and the elderly bald-headed man ,bespectacled,stooping a little,who was finishing his tea.
He looked at them for a moment, a whimsical look.
He moved to the long windows overlooking the now desreted pitch.
" every time you come here it must bring back memoties Pongo" I said.
He stared out for a long while . I thought he had forgotten I was there.
"Aye" he suddenly said,aye, they are a great club...... the greatest"
I stood and looked with him,this old mand whose Goals had set the Villa crowds roaring so many years ago.
It was not quite dusk on that March afternoon and I saw them too... they were out again,the old ghosts..,Jack Hughes,scorer of Aston Villa,s first goal...George Ramsay....The Hunter brothers...Willie McGregor...Denny Hodgetts...Legion upon Legion of them on parade now,filling the feild with Claret and Blue...the century with pride.
Enough to put a tear in your eye.
Fuck The Ginger one the Tradition will continue.
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Agree that book is a brilliant read. I got hold of one when taken round the north stand when it was being built by bloke who is like an older brother to me who was working on it. We have a great history and should be proud of that. When I first left school, used to go up to the library in town and look at old fiches and get reports on all the old Villa games. Made a big dossier on games going back to the 1940's, loved reading about how the fans were amongst the most fanatical around and so we were when i first started watching in 1970
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Well Steamer I ,ve read that bit many times & your right , it does get you
If you get the chance , check out ;
"Villa in the Blood" by Bernard Bale, To be read when in need of inspiration
Ok , so I ,m chillin watchin Bill Withers on BBC4, & the only thing I,m lookin forward to tomorrow is gettin my lads
Renault fixed in time so I can have a few with me Mates in The Bartons, however at the end of the day,
(insert further cliches where applicable)
We are the Villa ,
PS Had a few Jaipur now , so sorry about the typing!
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Jaipur!
Lovely!
Got a few in the fridge but saving them to celebrate tomorrow's win over Fulham!
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Stop Press
Jaipur , on draught just gone !
Moving on to Mad Goose !
Keep The Faith ,
It Could be worse,
We could be supporters of Wishy Washy Laundry FC !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Mad Goose - good choice.
You obviously like the same hoppy stuff as me!
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First hero was Bruce Rioch, always remember my first Villa shirt, yellow away shirt with blue collar, had number 4 on its back. Had left foot as well, but not with the power Bruce had. Some great great memories. Having a guiness to celebrate the likes of Paul McGrath, Sammy Morgan and Chris Nicholl (I know he was English though lol)
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Bruce Rioch had the hardest shot in football , back in the day
My 1st midweek game v Carlisle, He played with a brace on his wrist & scored a screamer from 25 yds
My 1 st low point as a Villa Fan was when he was sold to Derby for £200,000 !!!
Sadly, there were many others to follow,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
PS I Still have the No 4 ,well they were sew on then you know, pps i,m 52 now ffs !!!!!!!
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big 1st serve, think that was my first low point as well when Rioch left. Yes there were many more to follow, but at least we can always fall back on the old times. Atmosphere was brilliant in those days and especially so in the evening games
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Those days before we were relegated to Division Three were when the ground had an incredible atmosphere. We were all there, no matter what, and did we enjoy the years to follow or what?
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I certainly enjoyed nearly every minute from when I first started going. My first season ticket was 74/75 season, what a lucky git eh
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There were so many elements that made an evening game special, the AV floodlights, we were Special
No body else could do that!
It hurt when Rioch went, however can u imagine the spin dockters of to day working with::::
3rd Div Champs to Champs of Europe in 10 Years ,
Happy Harry would have a field day with that, oh & David Gold would probably name a marital aid after that,
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What was your favourite season in that 10 year span then big 1st serve
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76-77
for me. I know we actually acheived more later , but we were The Business in 76-77
We won a number of games that season 5-1 at home ,
Remember turning to a mate on the Holte before we played KKK fC ,
" I dont think we,ll win 5-1 tonight "
PS This has to be taken into context as I saw Boris Becker win the World Juniors in 1985 & FAILED to put £5 on him to win Wimbeldon that year @ 100-1!!!!!!!!!!!
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A few hours behind the rest of you and few beers worse for wear, but the sentiment is the same- We are Aston Villa.
Thousands of miles away and I can't wait for tomorrows game, win, lose or draw we are Villa.
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After posting this and feeling, "Villanous" I went on to you tube for some inspiration.
1971 league cup final.
plays for about 30 mins, we were the epitome of all my memories, great kit, fantastic support.
What great football, if you can skip the last 10 mins.
Lochead, Anderson, Hamilton. Rioch.
I had forgotten how well Aiken could play.
Captain Godfrey... R.I.P
I also forgot that the National anthem was played after the game, the Villa players on the pich with their losers mugs, band playing " God save the queen" ground singing, " Villa.Villa, Villa"
Jimmy Hill interveiwing Chico and that big nosed Cockney bastard Chivers after the game.
Bill Nicholson being quite lavish in his praise, a bit more class than the current wide boy in charge.
We are Aston Vila
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Yup, one of my proudest days of being Villa. We - were - back!
Wembley rocked to "Villa - Villa" and we were still shouting it when Spurs picked up the jug.
Lose or not it was a proud day. And but for Andy Lochhead's "shot" and goal line clearence or Chico's on the bar. well, just imagine. We deserved it and were the better team on the day as we were in those semi's. The Country saw it. Lotta pride and we just have to get that back.
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Yup, one of my proudest days of being Villa. We - were - back!
Wembley rocked to "Villa - Villa" and we were still shouting it when Spurs picked up the jug.
Lose or not it was a proud day. And but for Andy Lochhead's "shot" and goal line clearence or Chico's on the bar. well, just imagine. We deserved it and were the better team on the day as we were in those semi's. The Country saw it. Lotta pride and we just have to get that back.
Sends a tingle down my spine remembering that game.
The one thing that sticks in my mind was we were out singing Spurs as they were collecting the cup and we were still in the ground singing when nearly all the Spurs lot had gone.
I remember the semi final at Villa Park, in the away end with the United lot and a couple of thousand Villa too.
62,000, ahh, those were the days :)
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I remember Bruce Rioch scoring a trademark 30 yard screamer at St Andrews just before we got relegated to the Third Division. Pat McMahon got a tap in for the other in a 2 nil win if my memory is correct. I remember the game well and we played in the Yellow / Blue away kit that has already been mentioned here. I was about 12 and was stood in the Spion Kop with another Villa fan. We must have been mad. We played Oxford at home a few days later and drew nil nil I think - although we may have lost 1 nil. I remember Andy Lochhead had a great headed chance on their line and somehow cleared it rather than scoring lol. Pretty sure Ron Atkinson played for Oxford that day. Hope my memory is correct on all of the above.
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ClarrieBlue, your memories of the match at the Sty seem about right to me, the Rioch screamer is immortalised in song....
".... Dave Latchford's a silly get
A 25-yarder's in the net"
My memory lets me down on the Oxford match- I believe though we played Sheffield United at home before the end of that season in a night game and won 1-0; I've a feeling that if we'd have lost that night we'd have been mathematically doomed to relegation there & then, I'm sure someone will put me right on that! What I am certain of, it was a cracking atmosphere, and that spirit stayed with us for the 2 Division Three years and more.
By the way I think the Spion Kop was the away end anyway then, the Tilton was still their end?
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76-77
for me. I know we actually acheived more later , but we were The Business in 76-77
We won a number of games that season 5-1 at home ,
Remember turning to a mate on the Holte before we played KKK fC ,
" I dont think we,ll win 5-1 tonight "
PS This has to be taken into context as I saw Boris Becker win the World Juniors in 1985 & FAILED to put £5 on him to win Wimbeldon that year @ 100-1!!!!!!!!!!!
Totally agree with you re 76/77 season, the football was superb, Andy Gray was immense, but Alex Cropley was my favourite player, shame that baggie twat ruined his career the following season
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I remember Bruce Rioch scoring a trademark 30 yard screamer at St Andrews just before we got relegated to the Third Division. Pat McMahon got a tap in for the other in a 2 nil win if my memory is correct. I remember the game well and we played in the Yellow / Blue away kit that has already been mentioned here. I was about 12 and was stood in the Spion Kop with another Villa fan. We must have been mad. We played Oxford at home a few days later and drew nil nil I think - although we may have lost 1 nil. I remember Andy Lochhead had a great headed chance on their line and somehow cleared it rather than scoring lol. Pretty sure Ron Atkinson played for Oxford that day. Hope my memory is correct on all of the above.
I thought Rioch joined us when we were in the 3rd division.
Didn't Vic Crowe buy him?
It was Docherty took us down.
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5ft 8, tackles late , Alex Cropleys f*****g Great!!
I think hes now a taxi driver in Jocko Land.
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I remember Bruce Rioch scoring a trademark 30 yard screamer at St Andrews just before we got relegated to the Third Division. Pat McMahon got a tap in for the other in a 2 nil win if my memory is correct. I remember the game well and we played in the Yellow / Blue away kit that has already been mentioned here. I was about 12 and was stood in the Spion Kop with another Villa fan. We must have been mad. We played Oxford at home a few days later and drew nil nil I think - although we may have lost 1 nil. I remember Andy Lochhead had a great headed chance on their line and somehow cleared it rather than scoring lol. Pretty sure Ron Atkinson played for Oxford that day. Hope my memory is correct on all of the above.
I thought Rioch joined us when we were in the 3rd division.
Didn't Vic Crowe buy him?
It was Docherty took us down.
No he joined when in 2nd division before we were relegated
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I remember Bruce Rioch scoring a trademark 30 yard screamer at St Andrews just before we got relegated to the Third Division. Pat McMahon got a tap in for the other in a 2 nil win if my memory is correct. I remember the game well and we played in the Yellow / Blue away kit that has already been mentioned here. I was about 12 and was stood in the Spion Kop with another Villa fan. We must have been mad. We played Oxford at home a few days later and drew nil nil I think - although we may have lost 1 nil. I remember Andy Lochhead had a great headed chance on their line and somehow cleared it rather than scoring lol. Pretty sure Ron Atkinson played for Oxford that day. Hope my memory is correct on all of the above.
I thought Rioch joined us when we were in the 3rd division.
Didn't Vic Crowe buy him?
It was Docherty took us down.
No he joined when in 2nd division before we were relegated
Cheers mate
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ClarrieBlue, your memories of the match at the Sty seem about right to me, the Rioch screamer is immortalised in song....
".... Dave Latchford's a silly get
A 25-yarder's in the net"
Not to mention:
"We'll keep the Villa flag flying high
Flying high up in the sky
The City fans they will not mock
When they remember Bruce Rioch"
and
"We'll keep the Villa flag flying high
Flying high up in the sky
The City fans will not forget
That 30-yarder in the net."
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Also was at Wembley for the Norwich Ray Grayon penalty- final (and '94 Man U) but that Spurs game will always be the best. Just the atmosphere and the will to become great again.
Might be a stretch but I think the Man U Semi's and that 71 final were the beginning of new confidence in the Club and ultimately led to'81 - '82.
Tx for those chants. Remember them well and BR is STILL my favourite Villa player.
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Thanks to Bernie for the Spion Kop / Tilton correction. We probably were on the Tilton - I just recall being totally surrounded by BlueNoses. As I recall, Tommy Docherty kept us up in his first season (68/69) after we looked pretty doomed under Tommy Cummings. One of his first signings was Brian Tiler. In his first close season, he signed Bruce and Neil Rioch, Pat McMahon, Chico Hamilton and possibly the keeper from Shrewsbury - John Phillips. I had a season ticket which cost me 8 guineas and we went into the season (69/70) as favourites for promotion to the First Division. Needless to say The Doc was sacked just after Christmas and we ended up in the Third Division.
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Well Steamer I ,ve read that bit many times & your right , it does get you
If you get the chance , check out ;
"Villa in the Blood" by Bernard Bale, To be read when in need of inspiration
Ok , so I ,m chillin watchin Bill Withers on BBC4, & the only thing I,m lookin forward to tomorrow is gettin my lads
Renault fixed in time so I can have a few with me Mates in The Bartons, however at the end of the day,
(insert further cliches where applicable)
We are the Villa ,
PS Had a few Jaipur now , so sorry about the typing!
I've read a lot of books about The Villa, that has to be the worst written one. Very amateurish.
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By the way I think the Spion Kop was the away end anyway then, the Tilton was still their end?
If memory serves, from my time in the '60's when my Bluenose mate and I alternated weekends between Villa Park & the Sty, the Spion Kop was a side stand, not one of the ends. You had to be careful where you chose to stand if it was raining, since you were likely to get a free power shower if you stood under one of the holes in the corrugated iron roof.
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I stood on the Spion Kop in the 69-70 match. There was a rumble behind us and a bloke that I was with pushed me under the barrier as fists and boots came flying in. We played them in a testimonial at the start of the next season, I think, at Villa Park. The Villa stood to one side as the noses came in the Holte, then surrounded them and gave them a good kicking. That was the way it was then with everyone trying to 'take' away ends. You had a bit of thinking to do. Do I go with the mob or stay away? Either way, it was a decision that could send you home with a split lip. Am I on the right thread by the way?
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I remember that pre season testimonial Jon. I think it was 71/2. I remember it all going off half way down the Holte on the right hand side, and several Blues getting a good hiding.
Re. memorable seasons, 71 - 77 were the best for me for memories, although that's not to say I didn't enjoy the early eighties!
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By the way I think the Spion Kop was the away end anyway then, the Tilton was still their end?
If memory serves, from my time in the '60's when my Bluenose mate and I alternated weekends between Villa Park & the Sty, the Spion Kop was a side stand, not one of the ends. You had to be careful where you chose to stand if it was raining, since you were likely to get a free power shower if you stood under one of the holes in the corrugated iron roof.
You're right, E I, the Kop was the side stand to the left of the Tilton. The state of the roof was also in a song "It's got air-conditioning we know that's the truth, 'cause we've been and we've seen the holes in the roof"
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I went in the Tilton late 70's when I couldn't get a ticket for our end.
The Blues sussed me in seconds (they could smell the soap) and I legged it over to the right-hand side (was there a caged walkway for the Police?) and politely requested a transfer before I got my head kicked in. The officer tutted and then ushered me through. I was considered foolhardy and lucky by my peers.
Went in with the Wolves at Molineux as well and that was terrifying as I watched pockets of Villa get picked off. We won 1-0 as well (Withe?) and one of their players was seriously injured so the atmosphere was deadly.
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I went in the Tilton late 70's when I couldn't get a ticket for our end.
The Blues sussed me in seconds (they could smell the soap) and I legged it over to the right-hand side (was there a caged walkway for the Police?) and politely requested a transfer before I got my head kicked in. The officer tutted and then ushered me through. I was considered foolhardy and lucky by my peers.
Went in with the Wolves at Molineux as well and that was terrifying as I watched pockets of Villa get picked off. We won 1-0 as well (Withe?) and one of their players was seriously injured so the atmosphere was deadly.
Was that Peter Daniel, injured in a tackle with Tony Morley? Tony got severe grief from the Wolves fans the next few times we played them after that.