Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: russon on May 18, 2013, 04:17:10 PM
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Moved by Stan's appearance at the Chelsea game, I'm attempting to write a book to support his foundation. It'll be light-hearted random stuff about following the Villa and I thought a chapter on Villa myths would be fun. Could any of you provide examples please? I've remembered one - Ince buying a house in Lichfield, but beyond that have gone blank. Any contributions gratefully received thank you.
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John Carew.
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Steve Bull being smuggled to various summer tours.
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Gazza signing for 4 mill.
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Doug Ellis spends his own money
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Doug Ellis inventing the bicycle kick
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Juninho, Gazza, Bergkamp and Les Ferdinand all signing for Villa the same summer 0f 95.
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Another Doug one. He had Roberto Carlos lined up to buy after Brazil had played at Villa Park. But Brian Little preferred Alan Wright instead!
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The homeless man living under the Holte End.
Stephen Ireland being a professional footballer.
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Patrick Kluivert will be arriving any day now.
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(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y173/Franco50/carlton_palmer.jpg)
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Doug Ellis inventing the bicycle kick
He asked for myths not facts.
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BFR wanting Shearer and Roy Keane, ending up with Whittingham and Townsend.
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Shoot magazine did a feature on David Platt possibly returning to Villa in the summer of 1995. Imagine how excited I was as a 18 year old who'd been incredibly depressed when he left.
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Hans Krankl to Villa.
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Henrik Larsson to Villa circa 1992...did we have him on trial or was it someone else?
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Henrik Larsson to Villa circa 1992...did we have him on trial or was it someone else?
He was a midfielder, with different spelling.
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Henrik Larsson to Villa circa 1992...did we have him on trial or was it someone else?
IIRC it was a different one, a Danish fella?
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alex sperr, kurt bakholt as we join the teams with top foreign players.
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The distance from which Chris Nicholl scored
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The distance from which Chris Nicholl scored
And ditto the Deano goal vs Ipswich.
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That norbert salano was anything more than a one-trick pony.
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Henrik Larsson to Villa circa 1992...did we have him on trial or was it someone else?
IIRC it was a different one, a Danish fella?
This was 'our' Henrik Larsen:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrik_Larsen
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Henrik Larsson to Villa circa 1992...did we have him on trial or was it someone else?
IIRC it was a different one, a Danish fella?
This was 'our' Henrik Larsen:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrik_Larsen
I thought this bloke was earlier than that and we had trouble with his work permit. This Wikipedia suggests he just couldn' get into the team. Who am I thinking of? Possibly late 80s. Alex Larsen?
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Shoot magazine did a feature on David Platt possibly returning to Villa in the summer of 1995. Imagine how excited I was as a 18 year old who'd been incredibly depressed when he left.
It was in April '95 - an April Fool's Day prank. Imagine giving a front cover to that! I was so excited when I read it and couldn't believe they'd been so cruel.
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A couple of stories spring to mind that I haven't a clue as to whether they are truth or myth. A swap deal with Forest in the summer of '81 involving Gary Shaw and Trevor Francis. Also, SGT quitting in 2003 due to discussions with Doug about signing David Dunn which a few hours later Deadly denied any memory of. SGT thought he was either lying or had gone doolally. Which reminds me, Sir Graham has been talking of writing an autobiography for a few years now.
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Talking of Shaw, Doug trying to flog him to Barcelona behind Barton's back circa 1983. No idea if it's true or not.
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The distance from which Chris Nicholl scored
And ditto the Deano goal vs Ipswich.
Absolutely, I always refer to that Deano goal as being from the halfway line when in fact he wasn't that far outside the penalty box.
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SGT resigning on the morning of our game against QPR, or Derby, I think.
Bent not playing because we'd have to give money to Sunderland because of a playing clause in his contract.
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Film of the 5-1 win over Liverpool.
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all the bricks being used for the North Stand
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Film of the 5-1 win over Liverpool.
If only....
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Rubble from St Andrews being used in the construction of the Holte in 1994, part of the Birmingham gypsy curse.
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Brian Clough spent most of his managerial career desperate to get the Villa job.
Tom Hanks and Prince William regularly attend games at Villa Park (in disguise).
Nearly every Villa fans Dad, Grandad on both sides and all their Uncles were at Villa Park for the Derby County game in 1946.
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That Gandolf from the Lord of the Rings was named after legendary Villa centre forward from the thirties -Alf Gand - who didn't exist. Is there evidence that Tolkien was a Villa fan as it is claimed?
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That Gandolf from the Lord of the Rings was named after legendary Villa centre forward from the thirties -Alf Gand - who didn't exist. Is there evidence that Tolkien was a Villa fan as it is claimed?
I bet it was. As was Arthur Conan Doyle when he lived in Aston for a while.
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that Stephen Ireland was voted fans PotY 2011-2012....nooooo, it was the prawn sandwich munchers not the fans
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all the bricks being used for the North Stand
They were all used, just not at Villa Park.
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40,000 there at THAT GAME against Southampton.
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Andrew Greaves was part of the Villa squad in the early 80s.
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Steve Bull being smuggled to various summer tours.
I am still genuinely half expecting us to sign Steve Bull, so permanent did that rumour seem back in the day.
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all the bricks being used for the North Stand
They were all used, just not at Villa Park.
The concrete too. My since departed father in Law was a ready mixed concrete deliverer at the time of the North Stand Construction. His words, "Best Mantovani job ever that was".
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Our colours have no connection with wine, clear skies, the McGregors' favourite teams nor the interior decoration of the Barton's Arms.
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some great stuff for me to be going on with here, thanks everyone. I too am waiting for Steve Bull to sign on the dotted.
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some great stuff for me to be going on with here, thanks everyone. I too am waiting for Steve Bull to sign on the dotted.
Has he signed then? First in the window?
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Steve Bull, Carlton Palmer, Paul Ince and, going back a bit further, Manchester United's Andy Ritchie, Fulham's Tony Gale and Sunderland's Shaun Elliott all signed for Villa more than once. They also all own several properties in the Sutton Coldfield area according to every estate agent who is related to or friends with a Villa fan.
On the other side of the coin, Diego Maradona bought Alberto Tarantini's old house in Dorridge a few years back.
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When I saw the thread title I immediately thought of Savo spitting the fans and a defence consisting of Wright, Aitken, Brown ....
Other good ones - The underground river that runs alongside Witton Lane that has prevented proper expansion of that side of the ground and the state of the pitch in the 1980's was a consequence of the ground being built on what was once a lake.
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We had a midfield of Brown, Arce and Hole.
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MO'N saved us (was the myth at the time).
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Franz Beckenbauer for Aston Villa's manager
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We had a midfield of Brown, Arce and Hole.
I don't think they ever together for the first team.
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I remember getting ready for work and one of the Breakfast programmes was announcing we'd signed Bergkamp. He ended up at Arsenal.
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MON turning down Falcao in favour of Heskey?
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Charlie Athersmith, scampering up and down the wing, holding an umbrella
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Franz Beckenbauer for Aston Villa's manager
That must have been true it was on the back of the Meaning Evil?
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Surely the only time in history when Franz Beckenbauer, Gerry Francis and Joe Jordan were the three favourites for the same managerial job.
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If your Dad was a Villa fan and you're not, then your mom must have played away
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We had a midfield of Brown, Arce and Hole.
I don't think they ever together for the first team.
Sorry - I meant that was a myth and never actually happened in a game.
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We had a midfield of Brown, Arce and Hole.
I don't think they ever together for the first team.
Sorry - I meant that was a myth and never actually happened in a game.
When I was first told a version of that story years ago it was a forward line of Little Arce Hole.
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We had a midfield of Brown, Arce and Hole.
I don't think they ever together for the first team.
Sorry - I meant that was a myth and never actually happened in a game.
When I was first told a version of that story years ago it was a forward line of Little Arce Hole.
Wright Arce Hole
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Wright Aitken Brown Arce Hole was the ultimate mythical line-up of the time.
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Godfrey's Aitken Arce Hole was doing the rounds in my time.
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In a big push to finish in the top four MON signs Emile Heskey........Oh he did didn't he the bloody twit.
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If your Dad was a Villa fan and you're not, then your mom must have played away
Oh dear. My old man was a doghead. Does that mean that my mom............?
Fair play mom. Couldn't stand being a doghead.
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We had a midfield of Brown, Arce and Hole.
I don't think they ever together for the first team.
Sorry - I meant that was a myth and never actually happened in a game.
Doh (ray) me!
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Ancelotti, Klinsmann, Benitez, Mark Hughes and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer all appointed as next manager.
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We were running away with the league when we signed Tony Cascarino.
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Christian Vieri about to sign for villa in the summer of 1998.
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We were running away with the league when we signed Tony Cascarino.
We were twenty points clear.
Just like Manchester City in the seventies until they signed Rodney Marsh and Newcastle in the nineties before they signed Tino Asprilla.
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Christian Vieri about to sign for villa in the summer of 1998.
And the chance to get a few games for Warwickshire seconds had been thrown in as a sweetener.
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The gents agreement with The Rags about not using the name Birmingham.
Signing Benni McCarthy every Summer for about 7 years.
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The Vieri story was hilarious. He had moved clubs for massive money the year before, had a great world cup, and apparently we were going to buy him for about half of what he cost twelve months previously.
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Christian Vieri about to sign for villa in the summer of 1998.
He was going to be Dwight Yorke's replacement if I remember.
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If I remember correctly, he grew up and went to school in Australia until he moved back to Italy with his Italian parents as a teenager. I'm sure I saw him interviewed once and he spoke perfect English with an accent Alf Stewart would have been proud of. I don't remember him calling anyone a 'flaming gallah' though.
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Christian Vieri about to sign for villa in the summer of 1998.
He was going to be Dwight Yorke's replacement if I remember.
I remember it being on teletext as a rumour and in one of the papers. I remember calling 'clubtalk' or whatever it was called and it was there too.
Was the rumour based on the fact he had played against us in the Uefa Cup?
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The North Stand redevelopment
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Christian Vieri about to sign for villa in the summer of 1998.
And Johan Micoud from Parma.
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That Villa fans sing "Veela - Veela" in squeaky voices
The Wolves never shut up about it.
On the Championship video you hear us singing at Molineux just like anyone else - why do they keep on about it?
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I never understood that chant. Then when they brought out the history DVD about twenty years ago with the footage of the Bournemouth game on it, I understood. Lots of youngsters in the Witton End. So basically Blues and Wolves are taking the piss out of a percentage of our forty thousand plus crowds whilst in the third division. Maybe they don't get irony.
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I never understood that chant. Then when they brought out the history DVD about twenty years ago with the footage of the Bournemouth game on it, I understood. Lots of youngsters in the Witton End. So basically Blues and Wolves are taking the piss out of a percentage of our forty thousand plus crowds whilst in the third division. Maybe they don't get irony.
I'm not sure they 'get' anything.
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I never understood that chant. Then when they brought out the history DVD about twenty years ago with the footage of the Bournemouth game on it, I understood. Lots of youngsters in the Witton End. So basically Blues and Wolves are taking the piss out of a percentage of our forty thousand plus crowds whilst in the third division. Maybe they don't get irony.
I'm not sure they 'get' anything.
Clearly an incorrect statement. We know what they get.
Relegated.
Regularly.
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How about that Woodhall gets the first round in, on the last game of each season, for contributors and sellers alike?
The last time be bought me something it was a late night night email demanding a hasty rewrite...
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40,000 there at THAT GAME against Southampton.
I was!! You could have played footy in the Holte.
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Gazza signing for 4 mill.
Was that summer of 95? Was in Oz at the time and they said it was a done deal on BBC Worldservice (days before internet and cheap overseas calls) I was a tad pissed off when they said the next day Doug wouldn't pay the extra £4k a week he wanted,
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Tommy Doc was our saviour and from 1969/70 we were going onwards and upwards.
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That when Nilis signed we were also hoping to sign Van Nistelhorse as they enjoyed playing together at PSV.
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EVERYONE is going to all the pre-season friendlies, especially those who are allegedly desperate for tickets.
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......the state of the pitch in the 1980's was a consequence of the ground being built on what was once a lake.
State of the pitch - not so much - but lake ? - no myth (actually ornamental pond)
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40,000 there at THAT GAME against Southampton.
I was!! You could have played footy in the Holte.
Which Southampton game was that ?
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I wasn't at that Saints game, can't for the life of me remember why not. I was at that Bradford Simod Cup though.
Was a nightmare journey by public transport on my todd from where I lived in Bromsgrove, cost me over a weeks dole money, took hours each way including a walk of feck knows how many miles to and from Bromsgrove station and my house (for anyone who knows the area, I lived near the Park Gate pub on the Kiddy Road, now work out how far Bromsgrove fucking train station is from there) only to see us get twatted 5-0 in front of 4,500 people. I fucking hated the Villa that night as I was still walking home in the early hours knowing I had no money for over a week.
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I had a year off from the Holte End in '85-'86 and had a season ticket in the Trinity with my mate and his dad. I remember at that Southampton game us looking with shock at the lack of people in The Holte as it got closer and closer to kick off. I was at the Bradford game as well. I seem to remember Ormondroyd causing our defence a lot of problems. Possibly why we signed him and I think that was the first thing that spang into my mind when he joined. Although after all these years, someone with a better memory than me might tell me my mind is playing tricks, Ormondroyd didn't play and I am thinking of one of the Futcher brothers!
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......the state of the pitch in the 1980's was a consequence of the ground being built on what was once a lake.
State of the pitch - not so much - but lake ? - no myth (actually ornamental pond)
That was the myth - the reasons for the state of the pitch. A man made pool would have no adverse effect on drainage.
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It was no myth that the closure of Ansell's led to the water table rising in Aston.
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Christian Vieri about to sign for villa in the summer of 1998.
He was going to be Dwight Yorke's replacement if I remember.
I remember it being on teletext as a rumour and in one of the papers. I remember calling 'clubtalk' or whatever it was called and it was there too.
Was the rumour based on the fact he had played against us in the Uefa Cup?
I heard he was so impressed with the atmosphere at Villa Park for the Atletico match he was desperate to come, even paying for Gregory to go and watch him at the world cup.
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The Park Gate? I wouldn't walk there from mine. I do know it however and it is a jolly nice pub. Foods alright un all.
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Doug giving his card to a Sporting Lisbon executive at a England v Portugal junior game circa 2003 after watching Cristiano Ronaldo.
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The new trinity road stand incorporating the gable from the old one.
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Dion Dublin and Michael Oakes being impressive in the showers.
Didn't we reject Oliver Bierhoff at one point, back in BFR's days?
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That Villa fans sing "Veela - Veela" in squeaky voices
The Wolves never shut up about it.
On the Championship video you hear us singing at Molineux just like anyone else - why do they keep on about it?
I worked with a Bluenose once and he used to sing that to wind me up. Apparently he reckoned the sing it at the Sty when we're there sometimes.
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Remember hearing on the radio that Gregory was close to getting a deal done for Alan Shearer at the time we were doing quite well, and he was having a tiff with Ruud Gullit. I it may have been while we were top. Ruud of course didn't last much longer than that and we sadly never get Shearer. I doubt there was ever anything to it though.
It's one of those things where we're going well but it seemed like we needed a couple of good signings to really cement our place and it never came. Where Dougy was concerned, if he did put his money in his pocket, it usually felt 6-12 months after we really needed it.
Likewise we'll all wonder whether signing Benty a year or two earlier might have seen us finish 4th or higher.
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That Villa fans sing "Veela - Veela" in squeaky voices
The Wolves never shut up about it.
On the Championship video you hear us singing at Molineux just like anyone else - why do they keep on about it?
I worked with a Bluenose once and he used to sing that to wind me up. Apparently he reckoned the sing it at the Sty when we're there sometimes.
We won't be there again for a long time.
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Does anyone remember 'the list' in the Mercury? Remember Batistuta name poking out from behind a hand.
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Shoot magazine did a feature on David Platt possibly returning to Villa in the summer of 1995. Imagine how excited I was as a 18 year old who'd been incredibly depressed when he left.
I remember that. The article was him having already signed, had pictures of him in the shirt. Then the back page of the magazine revealed it was all an April Fool's joke.
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Remember hearing on the radio that Gregory was close to getting a deal done for Alan Shearer at the time we were doing quite well, and he was having a tiff with Ruud Gullit. I it may have been while we were top. Ruud of course didn't last much longer than that and we sadly never get Shearer. I doubt there was ever anything to it though.
It's one of those things where we're going well but it seemed like we needed a couple of good signings to really cement our place and it never came. Where Dougy was concerned, if he did put his money in his pocket, it usually felt 6-12 months after we really needed it.
Likewise we'll all wonder whether signing Benty a year or two earlier might have seen us finish 4th or higher.
not quite a myth iirc, Gregory enquired about Shearer Newcastle rebuffed it straight away and sent Gullit packing.
It was never close to being done though.
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Shoot magazine did a feature on David Platt possibly returning to Villa in the summer of 1995. Imagine how excited I was as a 18 year old who'd been incredibly depressed when he left.
It was in April '95 - an April Fool's Day prank. Imagine giving a front cover to that! I was so excited when I read it and couldn't believe they'd been so cruel.
I remember in the 80's they did an Ian Rush to Everton front page story
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It was no myth that the closure of Ansell's led to the water table rising in Aston.
I always pack my Wellingtons in case the Ansells Tsunami gets me.
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The gasometers at Saltly are painted claret and blue because the manger of the site is a Villa fan...
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Alex, I will happily copy-edit for you again if you would like.
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Alex, I will happily copy-edit for you again if you would like.
deal, thanks very much
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My pleasure. Just let me know when you're ready. The sooner the better for me. Hard copy would be preferred (double-spaced).
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That Ugo Ehiogu had a nightmare debut against Norwich.
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Alex, will it be ready for me to do in August before I go back to work? I could devote time to it then. Once September kicks in it would have to be done on an as and when basis.
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Alex, will it be ready for me to do in August before I go back to work? I could devote time to it then. Once September kicks in it would have to be done on an as and when basis.
it'll be end of the year before it's done i reckon Lee. I'm 20,000 words in and expect it to be 50 or so
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Sound.
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So, Lee, russon, your'e just pretending, right?
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I know it has been discussed many times on here before, but I've heard a number of stories about that infamous pre-season game against Rangers in the 70s.
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Shoot magazine did a feature on David Platt possibly returning to Villa in the summer of 1995. Imagine how excited I was as a 18 year old who'd been incredibly depressed when he left.
Shoot did another one in April, possibly 1997 - with Platt's head photoshopped on out kits. Turned out to be their idea of an April fool wankers.
The People linked us with Roberto Baggio in 1998.
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I know it has been discussed many times on here before, but I've heard a number of stories about that infamous pre-season game against Rangers in the 70s.
Yes. It was that bad. They were rolling in the gutters in the city centre etc etc.
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I know it has been discussed many times on here before, but I've heard a number of stories about that infamous pre-season game against Rangers in the 70s.
Yes. It was that bad. They were rolling in the gutters in the city centre etc etc.
It wasn't pre-season.
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I know it has been discussed many times on here before, but I've heard a number of stories about that infamous pre-season game against Rangers in the 70s.
A Police Dog being killed (glassing) by Rangers fans in the Holte.
I didn't go , so I am not claiming this to be true.
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I know it has been discussed many times on here before, but I've heard a number of stories about that infamous pre-season game against Rangers in the 70s.
Yes. It was that bad. They were rolling in the gutters in the city centre etc etc.
It wasn't pre-season.
No it wasn't. Is that a myth? First I saw them that day was in the Aston Social. I was sitting in trap one when about a dozen of them appeared. The sounds of breaking bottles coming out of the Holte as I walked by were something I had never heard at a football ground before or since. I saw a Rangers fan lying in the road outside the Mulberry Bush. Considering the fact that I got back there at a time when the second half should have been in play, he had obviously not even been to the ground.
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I was always under the impression it was pre season. Does that make it a myth or just make me wrong? Probably both to be fair.
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I think it was in the October.
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I think it was in the October.
It was definitely during the season. We didn't have a game because Alex Cropley was in the Scotland squad and back then there were no international weekends but you could have your game called off if you had players called up.
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I think it was in the October.
It was definitely during the season. We didn't have a game because Alex Cropley was in the Scotland squad and back then there were no international weekends but you could have your game called off if you had players called up.
Was the rule changed to you being able to call off your game if you had more than one player called up? I think it happens in League One and Two now with all the different nationalities if clubs have players called up. I seem to remember a situation at Villa involving Steve Hodge, England and a cup replay at Millwall.
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I think it was in the October.
It was definitely during the season. We didn't have a game because Alex Cropley was in the Scotland squad and back then there were no international weekends but you could have your game called off if you had players called up.
I believe it was October 9th, that month we also played Stoke, Sunderland & Liverpool, all away. As I remember it we went to the Liverpool match more confident of getting a result there than for many years and took thousands but, anti-climactically, lost 3-0. It was also a bit hairy in the Anfield Road end.
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I think it was in the October.
It was definitely in the October DCF - I remember that both because it was my sisters' birthday party that Saturday and it was the first time my dad had physically stopped me from going to a game (not hard really, he just deprived the 13 year old me of money) as he knew what would happen. As a Dubliner he was going nowhere near Villa Park that day.
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[/quote] I believe it was October 9th, that month we also played Stoke, Sunderland & Liverpool, all away. As I remember it we went to the Liverpool match more confident of getting a result there than for many years and took thousands but, anti-climactically, lost 3-0. It was also a bit hairy in the Anfield Road end.
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Bernie,
I have always thought that the unfairness of that 3-0 scoreline was one of the motivators for the team destroying Liverpool 5-1 a couple of months later.
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It was the 9th October.
Complete myth about any trouble. Here is the programme for the game, the atmsophere was just like in this picture from a previous game. Rangers fans travelling down with their families, lots of happy faces and kids from Glasgow and Birmingham played with party balloons.
(http://www.footballzone.co.uk/images/i-3000/03235.jpg)
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Wow, Football Zone were way ahead of the game when it came to having a website. They must have felt pretty smug when tinternet was invented.
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I had the misfortune to work at the Mercat Cross at that time, we used to open at 6am for the market traders. The gaffer and I spent 2 hours standing at the top of the steps by the front door with a baseball bat close at hand politely advising hoards of already pissed weegies falling off coaches at Digbeth that they would be much better served heading into town
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My mate was a factory electrician and used to go in there when he finished on the night shift. He worked in Kitts Green and lived in Acocks Green but at that time of morning he didn't have many alternatives.
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I seem to remember a bench of Spink, Cox, Small. I may have made that up though.
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There are two big myths for me at the moment
1/ We are in transition
2/ Things can only get better
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There are two big myths for me at the moment
1/ We are in transition
2/ Things can only get better
Indeed.
Sadly, something every other manager in the league will now be coming to Villa Park drilling into his team 'this lot have always been shit at home'. We need to start turning that into a myth and fast.
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It was the 9th October.
Complete myth about any trouble. Here is the programme for the game, the atmsophere was just like in this picture from a previous game. Rangers fans travelling down with their families, lots of happy faces and kids from Glasgow and Birmingham played with party balloons.
(http://www.footballzone.co.uk/images/i-3000/03235.jpg)
I think thats a modern programme with a bunch of kids in 1970s fancy dress. Or it's the real thing, and Rob Bishop is a Villa version of back to the future confusing the programme buyers of 1977 with some strange futuristic grammar.
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I think it was in the October.
It was definitely during the season. We didn't have a game because Alex Cropley was in the Scotland squad and back then there were no international weekends but you could have your game called off if you had players called up.
I believe it was October 9th, that month we also played Stoke, Sunderland & Liverpool, all away. As I remember it we went to the Liverpool match more confident of getting a result there than for many years and took thousands but, anti-climactically, lost 3-0. It was also a bit hairy in the Anfield Road end.
Me and you both in the Anfield Rd Bernie.
As you remember we took thousands.
No segregation
Liverpool fans already in the ground waiting for us.
Crap/non existent policing.
Only the force of numbers allowed us to surge up into the stand with fighting at the top of the stairs to allow us in. In hindsight an absolute disaster potential.
The Police eventually forced and manned a gap between the fans, all standing then, and constant surging and baiting between the fans.
My undying memory (conveniently forgot the score) was some senior cop (Inspector) with a flat cap, unlike the wooden tops who were pushing the fans back into line, walking in the gap and lashing out on the head of any miscreant who took his fancy with his silver topped cane.
Ahh for the days of positive, politically incorrect policing !!!
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The senior coppers in Liverpool always seemed to have those big long wooden stick things.
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I think it was in the October.
It was definitely during the season. We didn't have a game because Alex Cropley was in the Scotland squad and back then there were no international weekends but you could have your game called off if you had players called up.
I believe it was October 9th, that month we also played Stoke, Sunderland & Liverpool, all away. As I remember it we went to the Liverpool match more confident of getting a result there than for many years and took thousands but, anti-climactically, lost 3-0. It was also a bit hairy in the Anfield Road end.
Me and you both in the Anfield Rd Bernie.
As you remember we took thousands.
No segregation
Liverpool fans already in the ground waiting for us.
Crap/non existent policing.
Only the force of numbers allowed us to surge up into the stand with fighting at the top of the stairs to allow us in. In hindsight an absolute disaster potential.
The Police eventually forced and manned a gap between the fans, all standing then, and constant surging and baiting between the fans.
My undying memory (conveniently forgot the score) was some senior cop (Inspector) with a flat cap, unlike the wooden tops who were pushing the fans back into line, walking in the gap and lashing out on the head of any miscreant who took his fancy with his silver topped cane.
Ahh for the days of positive, politically incorrect policing !!!
Remember being there on Saturday Nov 5th when we beat them 2-1 - same start fighting onto the Annie Road - then fireworks thrown throughout - pickpocketing kids - coppers laughing that we shouldn't have come - having to be kept in afterwards - arming ourselves with staves as we ran past the pools offices to chase off the scouse mobs only to find coach windows smashed for the return home. Folks wonder why I have no time for their "humour"...
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Always made me laugh when people used to crap on about how funny and friendly mickey mousers were. I remember trips to Anfield being rough as a bears arse. Cowards too, didn't want to know unless they outnumbered us 3-1
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They are a bunch of cowards. I remember bumping into and getting a kicking from Red Scouse after I had been to see Villa at QPR. There were about 20 of them and two of us (and we were 15 years old).
Remember my big Brother (a Yiddo) was livid and when he went up to Anfield later in the season with his Spurzz crew he brought me back a souvenir (a blood stained red and white scarf). Never approved but he thought that was his way of looking after me.
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Two I choose to believe:
Frank Barson 'going in heavy' (armed) to contract negotiations;
Pongo Waring regularly getting nicked and The Villa telling the OB 'Keep him locked up, feed him on steak and eggs, let him go on Saturday before the game and send us the bill'.
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getting nicked for what though?
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getting nicked for what though?
Wife beating mainly.
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getting nicked for what though?
Wife beating mainly.
He used to beat Frank Barson's daughter? Did he have a death wish?
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That Villa fans sing "Veela - Veela" in squeaky voices
The Wolves never shut up about it.
On the Championship video you hear us singing at Molineux just like anyone else - why do they keep on about it?
The evidence in this video would at least create a case for the prosecution I fear.....
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John Gregory signing Robbie Keane.
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Reading Matt Kendrick's piece about the best uncapped Villa players I realised I had imagined my own little Villa myth. I always thought Gary Shaw got a cap on the Australian tour in 1983 when Nigel Spink got his. Obviously not.
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getting nicked for what though?
Wife beating mainly.
He used to beat Frank Barson's daughter? Did he have a death wish?
I didn't know he was a wife beater or that he married Frank Barson's daughter. Takes the gloss off his achievements somewhat. Things I've heard about him were that the name Pongo was because of his poor personal hygiene and he used to keep chickens in the front room of his house (possibly on Witton Lane even?)
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John Gregory signing Robbie Keane.
I was on holiday and reading the delayed British papers it was a done deal. Came home and he still hadn't signed. Ended up going to bloody Coventry. I wonder what difference he'd have made? Gregory probably would've coached the excitement out of him.
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getting nicked for what though?
Wife beating mainly.
He used to beat Frank Barson's daughter? Did he have a death wish?
I didn't know he was a wife beater or that he married Frank Barson's daughter. Takes the gloss off his achievements somewhat. Things I've heard about him were that the name Pongo was because of his poor personal hygiene and he used to keep chickens in the front room of his house (possibly on Witton Lane even?)
Nobody knows why he got the nickname - the state of his teeth, his hygiene, after a cartoon character of the time and I believe it was Percy who said because he turned up for an England tour with a toothbrush and no spare clothes.
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A good article on Pongo from Richard Whitehead. No help in solving the nickname mystery though:
http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2805585,00.html
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Interview with Pongo Waring in 1974.
(May have to click on the image to make larger)
(http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b518/Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air/Pongospeaks_zpsb3a1e66c.jpg) (http://s1289.photobucket.com/user/Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air/media/Pongospeaks_zpsb3a1e66c.jpg.html)
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"Every time you come here it must bring back memories Pongo..."
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John Gregory signing Robbie Keane.
I was on holiday and reading the delayed British papers it was a done deal. Came home and he still hadn't signed. Ended up going to bloody Coventry. I wonder what difference he'd have made? Gregory probably would've coached the excitement out of him.
Mrs Pablo was 37 weeks gone when we got a 'jolly' in the works box at Wolves to watch them play Herta Berlin in a pre-seaon freindly. JG was in the next box, & we all knew who he was watching.
Wolves were shit, & Keane shitter still. He didn't come out for the 2nd half, & JG soon disppeared.
We all knew what happened next. The match was so shit (4-1 Berlin I recall), the next morning Mrs Pablo was rushed in & my darling daugther was born early. I blame Wolves.
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The gasometers at Saltly are painted claret and blue because the manger of the site is a Villa fan...
Not actually a myth, one of the guys who had a say in the painting of the holders is a Villa fan called Pete Jones. Don't know how much longer they will be there because all the holders that NG own in the country have been mothballed and won't be used again.
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We are in a period of transition.