Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: wittonwarrior on November 12, 2012, 10:21:40 PM
-
Blackpool or Sheff Wed 75
-
I was at both games and both unsurprisingly drew a massive Villa following. Blackpool on the Saturday was exhilarating as we were on an unstoppable roll towards promotion and just brushed them aside 4-1 in the sunshine. Wednesday was the icing on the cake and an emotional evening, again we were unstoppable on the pitch in a 4-0 victory. There was a huge celebratory pitch invasion after the final whistle, I think we finally left the ground about 45 after the final whistle. What I also remember was that we actually sent Wednesday down to Div 3 that night and sadly it was reported later that a young Wednesday supporter had topped himself in despair
-
I was at both games but particularly remember the Sheffield one. I was first on the pitch at the end. I had made it to the edge of the penalty area when I realised that it hadn't been the final whistle. Thousands came on the pitch at the end for a massive celebration. Wwe went in Hillfoot Working Mans Club after the game. They put us in the concert room. A few of us did a lap of honour around the room on top of the tables.
-
I was 12 years old living in Cambridge so did not make the games but the Blackpool game I believe was on my birthday (19th April) and I waited eagerly with my old Dad for the result which was rung through by his brother from a phone box in Blackpool.
they were great times as a kid following the Villa.
UTV
The Doc
-
I too was at both. The Sheff Wed however sticks in my mind more. I remember seeing those awful tower blocks connected by walkways just as you enter Sheffield. And for some reason I also remember their meat pies the best I have ever eaten at a football ground.
My mate had brought a tennis ball with him and when we all invaded the pitch at the end he smashed it into the net from about 20yards which is more than he ever managed in our Sunday morning league!
-
I only made the Sheffield game as I was getting married soon and had the house we had just bought to do up but, nothing was going to keep me away from the ultimate conclusion to our long road back. Four of us left work at about two that afternoon and I recall the volume of traffic was huge. When the game finaly got going my most vivid memory of it was the first goal even though I can't remember who got it, was it Ian Ross or Keith Leonard? To me; it just seemed to take an age to cross the line. Up until that time I'd had my doubts that it would all go belly up as it was the Villa and anything could happen. After that first goal went in Wednaday were blitzed away, given a real football lesson.
I remember after the match trying to get home. Trying to get out of Sheffield that night was hopeless, we gave up and went into the pub hoping it would clear. IIRC it was still a log jam at half eleven. Got home in the early hours as happy as a clam.
-
I was at Blackpool (3-0, not 4-1 by the way). Sir Brian's goal was a classic, outstripping the defence and leaving them chasing as he ran half the length of the pitch (or so it seemed) to score
-
a great win over the stripey filth and the Blackpool game is about a minute into it .
enjoy...
-
I went to both games. Great times.
We took Wednesday's Kop, though I was stood near a hardcore of about 100 of theirs who remained in the middle throughout. Contrary to what the OP said, Wednesday had already been relegated well before this game.
-
Was at both too. I was one of the first over the fence at the end at Blackpool, and sprinted down to the far end, where several of us danced on the roof of the players tunnel which was behind the goal. Big mob of us on the beach afterwards, having a knees up in the water. Saw a mob farther down the beach, which we thought was Blackpool. Everybody charged towards them, only to realise it was another Villa mob, so we all ended up having an even bigger knees up!. Stopped the night, and IIRC there was quite a bit of bother with Newcastle fans returning from somewhere (Stoke?).
Wednesday, I remember knocking on someones door in Derby for a kettle of water, as my mates car had overheated in the northbound traffic jam of Villa fans. Luckily for us, he had lived in Sheffield for a while, so took us in from north of the city, and the same on the way back, which meant were able to stop at a boozer with very few in it.
Brilliant times!
-
I too was at both. The Sheff Wed however sticks in my mind more. I remember seeing those awful tower blocks connected by walkways just as you enter Sheffield. And for some reason I also remember their meat pies the best I have ever eaten at a football ground.
My mate had brought a tennis ball with him and when we all invaded the pitch at the end he smashed it into the net from about 20yards which is more than he ever managed in our Sunday morning league!
Ron,
I lived in Sheffield for a while and those tower blocks were called Hyde Park and were the roughest part of Sheffield. On that estate were yellow lines painted on the ground warning pedestrians not to walk inside as falling debris was an issue. Allegedly a woman was killed by a TV set being flung out of the window in the late 70s.
Wednesday and United fans told me how we took over the city that night in 1975. A United fan had also been at Rotherham when we played in Division 3 and said it was unlike any other away support he had known in the area. He did say thatUnited were having a similar time of it themselves as they were in Division 4 at the time, and were dwarfing home support at many games.
Some fans graffitied " Villa"outside the Penny Black pub in Sheffield city centre on that promotion night. When I left in 1985 it was still there.
-
We packed the kop end that evening in Sheffield and like many here I too invaded the pitch and helped myself to some turf. A garden in Erdington will forever have a part of Hilsborough.
-
By the way, Wednesday fans told me there was no fighting that night.
Their take on it was that a lot of Villa fans were on the Kop but they didn't exactly take it as it was a case of fans standing next to each other. The Wednesday fans freely admitted they were outnumbered and would have been on the back foot if anything had happened that night.
-
Think I told the story before, so will try not to be too boring.
My 18th Birthday was on April the 16th we played Blackpool on the 19th celebrations and party were held over to the 19th.
What a day, Between a couple of us we took 4 coaches of fans to the game (the infamous Sealandair specials) my profit was equivilent then to about a months wages, (possibly more) when we made it back to New Street at about 2.00 in the morning, I had to borrow the price of a night service bus ticket.
Ahh where did it all go wrong.
For me S.Wed was a far more sedate affair as I went with some guys from work.
I was probably still recovering from Alcoholic poisoning.
-
I was at Blackpool (3-0, not 4-1 by the way)
Yes, you're right of course. I'm obviously getting old !