Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: steamer on November 10, 2015, 10:24:48 PM
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1st time I ever open a thread ( hope there is not one already open)
On the back of the Ray Graydon thread I looked through youtube for inspiration.
That year !!!
Have a look and listen.
Everton were up for it, shaded the first half and that Bluenosed bastard Latchford scored.
2nd half mainly Villa, go 2-1 up and they scored at the death.
Extra time, I saw the movie live and still jumped out of my chair when I thought we would score on youtube.
Mortimer, Little, Nicholl , baby faced Gordon, Gidman, the cross from brown , legends !!
I have to show my son the clips of Brian Little, the winner is imprinted in my brain.
Villa fans singing, Saunders, Saunders, Saunders Some one in Brum please get the ball rolling for a statue. Every one singing that night has my memories and I am sure a number of us are able to chip in a contribution. enough to get the Club to consider it.
It must be Ron telling Bond ( or the ITV presenter ) if they wanted to bet against us or Ron in his leather coat watching the result.
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Was 12 and playing at Sutton Town Coles Lane that night. Remember vividly the commentary on BRMB
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A trememdous night - after going to the bore-draw at Wembley and missing the first replay a load of us went on a coach from Cradley Heath. We were on the lower terrace at the side nearest the Everton end but I recall that they were in seats above us and there was some "banter" at half time involving pies.
The match went by in a flash but the weird thing is I never saw Sir Brian's goal until I bought the video about a decade later as I was on the floor with a heap of others after Nicholl's 200-yard screamer.
Coming out we mingled with the scousers who were very friendly as we had heard Utd were coming down to cause trouble (never happened of course) - that OK relationship went on for years afterwards and I have never been sure why it changed about 10 years ago - they seem to really dislike us now.
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I was at all 3 games. Almost unbelievable to think it's more than 38 years ago now, and I was an excited 19 year old at the time - I'd seen us go down in 1967 and 3 years later to the 3rd Division - everybody thought it would kick start a few years of Villa dominance, certainly domestically at least.
I can barely remember anything about the first game, just about the most uninteresting match I've ever seen "Pass the Ball Back Evvvvveeerrrrton". The first replay wasn't much better and for some reason I never felt comfortable at my one and only visit to Hillsborough. Possibly because my mate's car overheated on the outskirts of Sheffield and we had to leave it and walk, following the crowds about 4 miles to the ground, of course the inevitable happened and we lost our way coming out and were walking around Sheffield well into the early hours (with no idea of where we were for a while) until miraculously the block of flats and the pub where we'd abandoned the car hours earlier just appeared in front of us.
I got mumps a few days later (extremely painful and serious for a 19 year lad !!) - the day we lost 2-1 at Man Utd in the FA Cup and was seriously panicking about not being to go to the 2nd replay, which was still yet to be arranged - thankfully, it was not arranged until about three and a half weeks later, by which time I'd recovered.
That 2nd replay was a classic game - and my lasting memory is the 3 goals in about 4 minutes and both sets of supporters singing "we shall not be moved", pretty much in tune with each other - Like everyone else, I thought we'd be seeing the first ever domestic penalty shoot out, but of course Brian Little got on the end of Smudger Smith's (RIP) cross and tapped home the winner in the last minute.
I'd been at Wembley two years earlier and that (apart from the 3rd Division championship/Youth Cup in 1972) was the first thing I'd seen us win, but for me the 1977 League Cup win is second only to Rotterdam/Highbury (and I'd place them both joint first in terms of what it meant).
An unforgettable time to be a Villa supporter.
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Great times but thank goodness we don't have all those replays these days.
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Great times but thank goodness we don't have all those replays these days.
Yes or we may be having kick offs at 8.00am on Sunday mornings to accommodate TV.
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I'd been at Wembley two years earlier and that (apart from the 3rd Division championship/Youth Cup in 1972) was the first thing I'd seen us win, but for me the 1977 League Cup win is second only to Rotterdam/Highbury (and I'd place them both joint first in terms of what it meant).
An unforgettable time to be a Villa supporter.
Same here. My top 3 games ever were those three. I've mentioned before when discussing this game but I'll never forget my father turning round to me before the game as we walked up to the ground, "don't be too disappointed if we lose". It was the first time also I'd ever had a hamburger before a game. We had a few key players out including Andy Gray but it turned out to be a Brian Little special combined with the 110% from the lads that finally decided the game. We also did our bit.
It was a magical night and AVFC were indeed magic. We also chanted 'Everton' at the end but the night belonged to Saunders. He really was our king and as Steamer said the Villa fans singing, 'Saunders, Saunders, Saunders' echoing around Old Trafford was a religious experience, something I'll never forget.
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It was a magical night and AVFC were indeed magic.
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I remember on holiday in Tenby later that year getting a t-shirt printed with that famous, slow chant -----A V F C; Aston Villa are magic
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Went to two semis against QPR but couldn't afford the Highbury one. Then went to two finals but again couldn't afford the Old Trafford one. But hey ho a truly wonderful season and probably the best attacking Villa team I have ever witnessed
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Went to two semis against QPR but couldn't afford the Highbury one. Then went to two finals but again couldn't afford the Old Trafford one. But hey ho a truly wonderful season and probably the best attacking Villa team I have ever witnessed
That whole LC campaign was fantastic - two of us wagged college for the SF replay at Highbury - we had the train fare and little else - we begged change from the line at the turnstiles to get in. If you gave two long-haired oiks a 10p that night just know you made it even more special. We had made a flag (you can see it being waved at the clock end near the front when we score on the grainy video) but the paint wouldn't dry so when a fellow Villan buried his face in it to kiss the Lion he spent the train journey home wondering why everyone was smirking at him.
God I loved that time...
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same ground, same year, different cup, my first ever away game
we lost but I was hooked
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Best night of my life! The atmosphere was red hot. We battered them but were one down for the majority of normal time. Nichol forget the goal was superb, Graydon unplayable and Little for all his lazy play always stepped up for the bigger games.
The night was made for Villa - "we all agree Aston Villa are magic are magic are magic".
For the younger ones you wouldn't believe it as the team were making their lap of honour at the end the fans were all singing "Your never walk alone" imagine that now!
And then the Victory parade which was Coventry away when we took over the ground.
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I'm just too young for 77, but I remember You'll Never Walk Alone being sung whole heartedly by the Holte in the 80s. How times have changed.
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I was at all three games too.
The Wembley game was the worst final ever, there are some brief highlights on You Tube somewhere, which included mainly backpasses!
The Hillsborough game was better, but we threw it away near the end, totally gutted.
The Old Trafford game swung this way and that, until Brian capitalised on Terry Darracott's blunder (he heard a shout)!
Remember Chris Nicholl getting the Cup I was right next to him, and Saunders' long leather jacket.
A lovely ride home and a celebratory meal with my Dad and Brother.
We signed Ken McNaught on the strength of his performances in those three matches.
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I know Andy Gray didn't play in the second replay as has been previously mentioned, but Ken McNaught was one of very few people who could nullify him in that 76-77 season (and we would have played Everton 4 other times that season) and I remember he was signed mainly on the basis of that.
Played Everton 5 times in one season !!! - no wonder that statistic always crops up !!
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Went to all three as well first one was shite all I can remember was Duncan Mckenzie's little chip come shot that landed on roof of our net.
Hillsborough was awesome in my eyes just for the amount of villa there.
Then old Trafford was magical was right in the line of big Chris Nichols equaliser.
Still got 3 un-used tickets from it the result of 3mates letting me down.
Saunders Saunders Saunders echoing around is still in my head even now.
18 years of age young free and single and followed the villa everwhere
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Apologies if I have posted this before but, the two most exciting things about that first match a t Wembley was:
1) Villa supporters knocking all sort of shit out of each other prior to the kick off. No one knew why but it ended in a bunch of us; including the two protagonists all scrambling around in a crowd of near 100,000 looking for one of the pugilist's contact lenses.
2) The second half kick-off being delayed due to one of the Guards Bandsmen's ornamental spurs coming off his boot and getting lost. They had as much trouble locating it as we did with Scrapper's contact lens.
The Hillsborough match was almost as bad, compounded by prior to, and after the game being treated like shit by British Railways and Sheffield's finest boys in blue. That's how it was back in those days.
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Went to all three games (and the Highbury semi final) - a magical era. Third division to European champions in ten years - if it was any of the media luvvie clubs like West Ham or Spurs they'd make a film about it.
My most vivid memory of the Hillsbrough game was how packed the Everton end looked with constant surging and swaying throughout the game - dreadful to think what happened there a few years later.
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I think I mentioned on here the other day about getting lost as my mate's car overheated just outside Sheffield on the way to the first replay and we had to follow the crowds to the game. It came earlier today - the full story - I said to my mate "how will we remember the way back - it's miles away yet" to which my mate re-assured me by saying "no sweat - I've got a good sense of direction".
Well as I said after getting away the game we somehow took a wrong turn and ended with no idea of where we were and continued to walk around for about an hour before we realised exactly how lost we were (by then we had absolutely no idea of where we were and it must have getting towards midnight) we continued walking randomly and all of a sudden we became conscious that in the (almost) deserted streets two biggesh men were following us - may have been completely innocent but every time we crossed a road so did they - every time we took a left or a right so did they - after 10 - 15 minutes or so we were getting more than a little panicky (if I was someone else - I wouldn't exactly be scared of me) - so I said quietly "when we get round this next corner - RUN" - I used to play Sunday League and my mate was an amateur distance runner - so we felt this would be our safest option - we ran like the clappers for 5 minutes - down this road, into that street etc etc and eventually paused and the 2 guys following us were nowhere to be seen.
I then said well at least that's that out of the way - now what shall we do about finding the car and my mate said (and I've never forgotten this) "we just need to tell someone what's happened and my car is parked outside a block of flats and opposite a pub !!" So I replied "that's going to be helpful".
Amazingly, as we continued to walk (not having the foggiest idea where we were) as we turned into a main road - there was a familiar looking pub and block of flats - and would you believe it - there was my mate's car - - that is as true as I'm sitting here typing.
We refilled the radiator with some water we'd left in the car - and I remembered my mum and dad had also gone to the game, so after finding a service station I gave them a ring and they'd already got home - so I just said we'd had problems with my mate's car, but hopefully we'd get home ok (and we did) it was years later before I told my mum the full story.
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For the cup final we had gone down on Friday lunch time, youngsters +/- 18- 24 with a few old stagers, I guess we thought we were the real thing.
Where we stayed is a bit of a blur all these years later , I remember us all being in a pub close to the ground, Everton Fans walking past clapping each other ,
no problems.
My only memory of the game was the National Anthem. I think I collapsed on the floor and was hauled up by my mates as we headed of back to central London.
some of the lads had booked into a hotel called the London Central. Their occupancy that night was probably more than double than that of the bookings as everyone piled in and found a place to sleep.
I was so pissed, I never went out for the night and slept through on the floor until Sunday.
Sunday morning, Euston station. Like Napoleons retreat from Moscow.
Some very sorry looking Villa fans going home.
We booked seats in the buffet section, I was feeling pretty chirpy after a good 10 hours sleep. I needed food and a beer.
We settle down and the bar does not open.
The staff had not got on the train and the bar was closed.
The general consensus was that this was not acceptable, we had an expectation and were thirsty.
We declared the bar open and dispensed the stock along the train.
By the time we reached New Street the train was rocking, My memory was of the barman from the Hole in the wall (tip) a Sunderland fan walking out with two cases of cans on his head, My girlfriend (now wife) was surprised when I came through the barriers with all my clothes wrapped up in the news of the world and my sports bag dragging me down with the weight of all the beers in it. I told her that I had been unable to drink them all on the train. I do not think she believed me.
Those beers went into my moms fridge and were shared on the car trip to Hillsborough.
Happy days
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i hitch-hiked it to wembley for the 1st leg ,,,,in the greyhound for 11 ,,,,bunged the turnstile bloke to get in and jumped the train home
i was on the steamers coach from the red lion/ hole in the wall for the 2nd leg in sheffield with my old man and blue nose brother
and never went the 3rd leg cos i had no money ,,,,,,,listened to BRMB in the bath ,extra time and the water went cold ,,,,,i
i then went in the living room and my old man told me not to tell him the score ,,,although he must have heard me shouting in the bathroom
then we watched the highlights on sportsnight with coleman
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OT was just unreal, you just knew we would not lose. We slaughtered them after conceding the early goal. One turning point for me was at the end of extra time the Villa players were all on their feet, the Everton team all down on the ground. I went the game with my mates family from Northfield. The looks I got when I started swearing.
The league cup that year seemed to last an eternity with the QPR postponed games then the replay in the semi and the finals.
People will laugh but cost us the league - that and Burridge in goal.
Best games of the league cup that season the replay at Highbury and Wrexham at home. We would have destroyed Real Madrid and Barcelona together during that 90 minutes. These were the days when we did see off lower opposition.
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Great times but thank goodness we don't have all those replays these days.
We don't bother with replays these days. We just get stuffed in the 90 minutes.
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The following season saw the Crystal Palace 2nd replay at Highfield Road, after only taking a few to Selhurst for the first replay, Coventry was chocka with Villains for the replay nearly 20,000 of us.
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Went to all three games (and the Highbury semi final) - a magical era. Third division to European champions in ten years - if it was any of the media luvvie clubs like West Ham or Spurs they'd make a film about it.
My most vivid memory of the Hillsbrough game was how packed the Everton end looked with constant surging and swaying throughout the game - dreadful to think what happened there a few years later.
yeah that would have been the leppings lane end ,,,,, i
we were in the large uncovered kop opposite
must have been before they put a roof on
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If the Everton end looked packed I bet there was a few scousers saying "ay mate Luke at those Fukiin villa on the kop it's heaving"
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The following season saw the Crystal Palace 2nd replay at Highfield Road, after only taking a few to Selhurst for the first replay, Coventry was chocka with Villains for the replay nearly 20,000 of us.
I went to Crystal Palace at Coventry - however I thought this was 1978-79 - or is my memory not what it was ?
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Think there were more Villa fans there that night than Coventry got for their home games.
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I always used to quite enjoy the annual trip to Highfield Road - am I right in thinking they'd never beaten is until about 20 years ago ?
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I always used to quite enjoy the annual trip to Highfield Road - am I right in thinking they'd never beaten is until about 20 years ago ?
i used to until that lunchtime boxing day under big ron
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We all agree Aston Villa are magic,
We all agree Everton are tragic !!
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Best night of my life! The atmosphere was red hot. We battered them but were one down for the majority of normal time. Nichol forget the goal was superb, Graydon unplayable and Little for all his lazy play always stepped up for the bigger games.
The night was made for Villa - "we all agree Aston Villa are magic are magic are magic".
For the younger ones you wouldn't believe it as the team were making their lap of honour at the end the fans were all singing "Your never walk alone" imagine that now!
And then the Victory parade which was Coventry away when we took over the ground.
I went to the Coventry game in their end. Didnt we win 3-2?
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Best night of my life! The atmosphere was red hot. We battered them but were one down for the majority of normal time. Nichol forget the goal was superb, Graydon unplayable and Little for all his lazy play always stepped up for the bigger games.
The night was made for Villa - "we all agree Aston Villa are magic are magic are magic".
For the younger ones you wouldn't believe it as the team were making their lap of honour at the end the fans were all singing "Your never walk alone" imagine that now!
And then the Victory parade which was Coventry away when we took over the ground.
I went to the Coventry game in their end. Didnt we win 3-2?
Iirc yes we did - and they gave us a guard of honour when the team came onto the pitch.
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We all agree Aston Villa are magic,
We all agree Everton are tragic !!
pass the ball back ,,,,,,pass the ball back ,,,,,,,,pass the baaaaall back Everton
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We all agree Aston Villa are magic,
We all agree Everton are tragic !!
pass the ball back ,,,,,,pass the ball back ,,,,,,,,pass the baaaaall back Everton
Just about the only thing I remember about the Wembley game.
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Great times but thank goodness we don't have all those replays these days.
Used to love replays, and 2nd replays could be even better.
Under the old system we had this fantastic 2nd replay at Old Trafford, Sir Brians superb hat trick at Highbury in the 3rd Semi against QPR, 1971 three great league cup games with Wrexham culminating in a 4-3 victory at The Hawthorns, and 1978 beating Palace 3-0 at Highfield Road.