Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: castlefields_villan on May 02, 2016, 10:53:41 AM
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Where have those 35 years gone ? Remember that day of mixed emotions as if it was yesterday - thank you Bosko Yankovich.
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I was lucky to be at the Clock End that afternoon. We gave one of our worst performances of the season that day, but thank you Bosko. To actually be there that day remembering where we had been nine years before is truly astonishing. Many thanks to the 14 players that gave 110% that season and of course Mr Ron Saunders, I certainly wouldn't bet against HIM
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Who remembers Pele coming on the pitch before the game and spending his time down the Arsenal end and never even waved at us in the Clock End?
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He Walked within about 20 feet of me outside the ground surrounded by the police
Remember going on the pitch at the end and taking some of the turf which I planted in our back garden
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Yes I too was at the front of the Clock End in the bottom left hand corner. A big fight broke out about 10 mins before kick off as Pele came out.
As usual we were horrible on the big day, they totally froze putting in a completely limp performance that was totally out of context with a superb season.
Great day, one I will never forget. Brilliant Year...seems like a lifetime ago because of course it is!
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what a day, what an emotional day my mate and i bought a couple of tickets of a tout for the clock end and was bricking it in case we got sussed,then on the pitch at the end bumping in lots of mates and old pals that i had'nt seen for years.then after we went to this pub in the west end and a load of chelsea knobs came in looking for aggro we didnt want trouble we were just so proud to be villa.then a huge mob of villa came in and it all kicked off,we moved on then and had a great night .happy days and now look where we are.
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I remember Pele, he walked past us before the game started when we were under the stand getting a drink....chants of 'Pele, Pele', and my mate does not remember it as he was too busy talking to a commissionaire and trying to buy him a drink....Great day, long day but what a day!
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Still got my ticket, I returned home with a chunk of Highbury turf, my brother went to the Boro v Ipswich to cheer Boro on for the only time in his life.
Happy Bosco Jankovic(RIP) day!
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Got down to London early that day and was in the Arsenal tavern before the game with all the gooners cause my Mate who was a market trader had got 3 tickets off he Arsenal mate so gave mine from my season ticket to my mate.
Then walked to the ground as the team coach was pulling up outside the entrance and was chatting to Colin Gibson and Gary shaw as my mate played cricket with them on a Sunday at moor green.
Never forget the scenes after not just on the pitch but on the a1 archway road going up past suicide bridge thousands of us everywhere on the roofs of cars up through the sunroofs.
It couldn't get any better could it
Oh yes it could. (26-05-82)
Two weeks ago I had to do a Gas connection to a pub only the Arsenal tavern just stood there looking at it smiling and the memories flooded back
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Something I've just remembered is that my ticket still hadn't arrived by the Friday so my ace Mum arranged with our local sorting office to go along at some ridiculous time in the morning to collect it as I was catching a train before the post arrived and had been promised it had been posted.
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The wife and I had seats near the Directors Box (goodness knows how) and had a great view of the worst performance of the season, sitting there glumly until we saw the Clock End go mental.
Such a shame the pitch invasion prevented the players celebrating, we stayed ages just in case.
That, and the following year, seems unreal now. But what heroes that lot were, and once in a lifetime is infinitely better than never.
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Never, ever, will I forget that day. I've posted about it on here a couple of times so, I won't bore anyone further.
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I call it - controlled delivery. I think we got away with it that season but it was a 110% effort. Some great performances notably Everton and Liverpool. Not as good as the 1976-1977 team but how can anyone match the likes of Andy Gray at his pure prime.
Felt physically sick at the match when we went behind it was now or never. The emotions at the end was well worth it.
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As I was just a kid our Dad only took us to the home games so we didn't go down to Highbury. We were on holidays at a caravan site in Shropshire along with our cousins, all Villa fanatics. We were listening on the radio and obviously the mood wasn't great.
At 2-0 our Dad and my Uncle (RIP) got so fed up we all had to go traipsing around some lake to take our minds of it, by the time were returned Boro were 2-1 up and we were about to be crowned champions. Strange to see 2 such authoritive, no nonsense characters dancing around like a couple of teenagers.
We ended up at some village church where our Dad updated their visitors book with the date and the day Aston Villa won the 1st Division Title. Great day even for those not there. I remember it still like it was yesterday.
Then I was so young i just assumed this sort of thing would now happen all the time. The innocence of youth.
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I was 23 at the time - so I'd seen the superb promotion and League Cup win of 1975 and that unforgettable season of 1976-77, however when we went 2-0 down and Ipswich were winning, I truly thought we'd blown it and I went into a complete negative frame of mind thinking that this would be our one and only chance. Knowing Middlesbrough ha equalised was good enough, but to know they'd gone ahead was unbelievable - it was such a strange occurrence - absolutely nothing happening on the pitch and 20,000 or so away supporters suddenly go delirious - must have been awkward for the players to actually concentrate on the job in hand.
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absolutely nothing happening on the pitch and 20,000 or so away supporters suddenly go delirious - must have been awkward for the players to actually concentrate on the job in hand.
Hearing Bryon Butler's immortal words still gives me goosebumps.
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Remember it like yesterday, went into the railway men's club before the game and was in clock end bottom right. Pele came out to us to wave at half time but did not get a great reception as he should have. maybe it was due to wearing an Arsenal scarf
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absolutely nothing happening on the pitch and 20,000 or so away supporters suddenly go delirious - must have been awkward for the players to actually concentrate on the job in hand.
Hearing Bryon Butler's immortal words still gives me goosebumps.
"Let's be the first to congratulate Aston Villa on their title as it must be theirs now."
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absolutely nothing happening on the pitch and 20,000 or so away supporters suddenly go delirious - must have been awkward for the players to actually concentrate on the job in hand.
Hearing Bryon Butler's immortal words still gives me goosebumps.
"Let's be the first to congratulate Aston Villa on their title as it must be theirs now."
The congratulations didn't exactly go on for very long though did they ? After all it was Ipswich who lost the title!
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absolutely nothing happening on the pitch and 20,000 or so away supporters suddenly go delirious - must have been awkward for the players to actually concentrate on the job in hand.
Hearing Bryon Butler's immortal words still gives me goosebumps.
"Let's be the first to congratulate Aston Villa on their title as it must be theirs now."
I think I heard as far as "Let's be the first to congratulate Ast.." before all types of mayhem broke out in the Clock End.
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absolutely nothing happening on the pitch and 20,000 or so away supporters suddenly go delirious - must have been awkward for the players to actually concentrate on the job in hand.
Hearing Bryon Butler's immortal words still gives me goosebumps.
"Let's be the first to congratulate Aston Villa on their title as it must be theirs now."
The congratulations didn't exactly go on for very long though did they ? After all it was Ipswich who lost the title!
Final table shows us 4 points clear of Ipswich, so hadn't we already got the title sewn up before the final game?
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absolutely nothing happening on the pitch and 20,000 or so away supporters suddenly go delirious - must have been awkward for the players to actually concentrate on the job in hand.
Hearing Bryon Butler's immortal words still gives me goosebumps.
"Let's be the first to congratulate Aston Villa on their title as it must be theirs now."
I think I heard as far as "Let's be the first to congratulate Ast.." before all types of mayhem broke out in the Clock End.
I just remember breaking some lads fingers and then vomiting over him.
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I was 10, listening to it on the radio through headphones at my granny and granddad's house in Small Heath (sorry), getting excited as Bosko came up trumps for us. What a day. Even if we never win anything again days like that can never be taken away from us.
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Final table shows us 4 points clear of Ipswich, so hadn't we already got the title sewn up before the final game?
No, Ipswich had a game in hand, to be played after the Middlesborough game and also after the first leg of their UEFA Cup Final, so if they had beaten Middlesborough and then Southampton in their last league game they would have won the title.
But they lost them both the useless bottlers.
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I just remember breaking some lads fingers and then vomiting over him.
Anyone not following me on Twitter won't understand this.
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Final table shows us 4 points clear of Ipswich, so hadn't we already got the title sewn up before the final game?
No, Ipswich had a game in hand, to be played after the Middlesborough game and also after the first leg of their UEFA Cup Final, so if they had beaten Middlesborough and then Southampton in their last league game they would have won the title.
But they lost them both the useless bottlers.
With 3 points for a win we would have been 7 points clear.
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I just remember breaking some lads fingers and then vomiting over him.
Anyone not following me on Twitter won't understand this.
It's how we met.
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Final table shows us 4 points clear of Ipswich, so hadn't we already got the title sewn up before the final game?
No, Ipswich had a game in hand, to be played after the Middlesborough game and also after the first leg of their UEFA Cup Final, so if they had beaten Middlesborough and then Southampton in their last league game they would have won the title.
But they lost them both the useless bottlers.
Final table shows us 4 points clear of Ipswich, so hadn't we already got the title sewn up before the final game?
No, Ipswich had a game in hand, to be played after the Middlesborough game and also after the first leg of their UEFA Cup Final, so if they had beaten Middlesborough and then Southampton in their last league game they would have won the title.
But they lost them both the useless bottlers.
With 3 points for a win we would have been 7 points clear.
A lot of people forget that if 3 points for a win had been in place a year earlier, we would've won it comfortably - we won 26 games - more than anyone else by a distance.
On the other hand - if the worst had happened and Bosko didn't make himself a Villa legend - who knows what would've happened in that last Ipswich game against Southampton - that was what was concerning the Clock End inhabitants at between about quarter past three and quarter past four on that unforgettable afternoon.
"And the Villa fans at the clock end are celebrating again"
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absolutely nothing happening on the pitch and 20,000 or so away supporters suddenly go delirious - must have been awkward for the players to actually concentrate on the job in hand.
Hearing Bryon Butler's immortal words still gives me goosebumps.
"Let's be the first to congratulate Aston Villa on their title as it must be theirs now."
The congratulations didn't exactly go on for very long though did they ? After all it was Ipswich who lost the title!
Sorry, and I understand the tone of your post but, Ipswich didn't lose it, we won it. The league table will forever say so.
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absolutely nothing happening on the pitch and 20,000 or so away supporters suddenly go delirious - must have been awkward for the players to actually concentrate on the job in hand.
Hearing Bryon Butler's immortal words still gives me goosebumps.
"Let's be the first to congratulate Aston Villa on their title as it must be theirs now."
The congratulations didn't exactly go on for very long though did they ? After all it was Ipswich who lost the title!
Sorry, and I understand the tone of your post but, Ipswich didn't lose it, we won it. The league table will forever say so.
We won it, and we won it fair and square - the point I was trying to make is that even now (and even in comparison to Leicester today) I feel we barely got any recognition for winning either the league OR the European Cup a year later.
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Felt physically sick at the match when we went behind it was now or never. The emotions at the end was well worth it.
Same here. The two biggest games in my Villa supporting history, Highbury and Rotterdam and I hated almost every minute, like you, feeling physically sick throughout. At least in Rotterdam we scored but even then the threat of extra time and losing were still top of my mind. I still get really nervous watching the 82 final all these years later.
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absolutely nothing happening on the pitch and 20,000 or so away supporters suddenly go delirious - must have been awkward for the players to actually concentrate on the job in hand.
Hearing Bryon Butler's immortal words still gives me goosebumps.
"Let's be the first to congratulate Aston Villa on their title as it must be theirs now."
The congratulations didn't exactly go on for very long though did they ? After all it was Ipswich who lost the title!
Sorry, and I understand the tone of your post but, Ipswich didn't lose it, we won it. The league table will forever say so.
We won it, and we won it fair and square - the point I was trying to make is that even now (and even in comparison to Leicester today) I feel we barely got any recognition for winning either the league OR the European Cup a year later.
As the great Bill Shankley said the league is won over the season not a couple of matches. Agree with Castlefields, we never got the credit we deserved. We won it Ipswich didn't win it, end of!
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I think we proved it previously that simply playing nice football would not win you the league cue Villa 77 and QPR believe it or not the season before.
Nevermind Villa not getting the recognition, Sir Ron Saunders was a masterclass at knowing at exactly what time Villa needed a particular type of player.
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I think we proved it previously that simply playing nice football would not win you the league cue Villa 77 and QPR believe it or not the season before.
Nevermind Villa not getting the recognition, Sir Ron Saunders was a masterclass at knowing at exactly what time Villa needed a particular type of player.
absolutely nothing happening on the pitch and 20,000 or so away supporters suddenly go delirious - must have been awkward for the players to actually concentrate on the job in hand.
Hearing Bryon Butler's immortal words still gives me goosebumps.
"Let's be the first to congratulate Aston Villa on their title as it must be theirs now."
The congratulations didn't exactly go on for very long though did they ? After all it was Ipswich who lost the title!
Sorry, and I understand the tone of your post but, Ipswich didn't lose it, we won it. The league table will forever say so.
We won it, and we won it fair and square - the point I was trying to make is that even now (and even in comparison to Leicester today) I feel we barely got any recognition for winning either the league OR the European Cup a year later.
As the great Bill Shankley said the league is won over the season not a couple of matches. Agree with Castlefields, we never got the credit we deserved. We won it Ipswich didn't win it, end of!
I think we proved it previously that simply playing nice football would not win you the league cue Villa 77 and QPR believe it or not the season before.
Nevermind Villa not getting the recognition, Sir Ron Saunders was a masterclass at knowing at exactly what time Villa needed a particular type of player.
Apparently Bill Shankley spoke to Ron Saunders the following day and told him to ignore whatever public opinion was saying - 26 League wins in a season spoke for itself. I always admired Bobby Robson but even back in 1981 he was obviously being lined up for the England job and from point of view, Ipswich were a bit of a "blue eyed boy team"
That's an excellent point about us in 1976-77 and QPR (who finished second in 1975-76) about exciting football not necessarily being the way to winning the title). Both us and QPR would've been worthy champions - although for us it was a just a couple of years too early.
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Sure Ipswich game in hand on us was played the following Monday night and Southampton beat them 0-3
Can't be bothered to google it but if you ring in to talk sport between 6-10 am I am sure Alan Brazil will tell you
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May I respectfully suggest that any of you that were there that day, and have a (clean, inoffensive) story to tell about the day and match, then you post them here (http://www.sportingmemoriesnetwork.com/). For those of you who may not know, this is a charity in which Chris Jameson of this parish's brother is heavily involved. I'm sure your contributions to this worthwhile site would be welcome.
Obviously you should still continue to post your stories here too. I love reading them.
I have taken the liberty of posting this without first contacting Chris. If I am out of order then Mod's please remove.
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Sure Ipswich game in hand on us was played the following Monday night and Southampton beat them 0-3
Can't be bothered to google it but if you ring in to talk sport between 6-10 am I am sure Alan Brazil will tell you
Yes, he still considers it an injustice that we got 60 points that season and they only got 56.
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May I respectfully suggest that any of you that were there that day, and have a (clean, inoffensive) story to tell about the day and match, then you post them here (http://www.sportingmemoriesnetwork.com/). For those of you who may not know, this is a charity in which Chris Jameson of this parish's brother is heavily involved. I'm sure your contributions to this worthwhile site would be welcome.
Obviously you should still continue to post your stories here too. I love reading them.
I have taken the liberty of posting this without first contacting Chris. If I am out of order then Mod's please remove.
Thanks Dave, they don't have to be clean either!
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So tonight (5th May) is the 35th Anniversary of Joe Gallagher's testimonial at St Andrews. The match had been arranged months beforhand. One mad night , absolutely packed out with Villa fans. Tony Butler playing in a prematch celeb game and a night long celebration of the league championship.We won by a mile , what a great way to round off the season.
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So tonight (5th May) is the 35th Anniversary of Joe Gallagher's testimonial at St Andrews. One mad night , absolutely packed out with Villa fans. Tony Butler playing in a prematch celeb game and a night long celebration of the league championship.We won by a mile , what a great way to round off the season.
Tony Butler from Big Country?
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May I respectfully suggest that any of you that were there that day, and have a (clean, inoffensive) story to tell about the day and match, then you post them here (http://www.sportingmemoriesnetwork.com/). For those of you who may not know, this is a charity in which Chris Jameson of this parish's brother is heavily involved. I'm sure your contributions to this worthwhile site would be welcome.
Obviously you should still continue to post your stories here too. I love reading them.
I have taken the liberty of posting this without first contacting Chris. If I am out of order then Mod's please remove.
I've just read your entry on that site Dave and it's a great story. For what it's worth mine from that day is far more mundane. I listened to the Radio 2 coverage of the games that day in my grandmother's flat and they talking about how Villa needed to win while ignoring the fact that if Ipswich lost it would be all over, something that wasn't lost on me even though I was only 9. I remember finding that I was wiping away tears after Byron Butler delivered his classic line - the first time I remember crying involuntarily . I'm glad I understood the enormity of what Villa had achieved despite being so young. Strangely 55 weeks later I was jumping around like an idiot. Maybe I reached the pinnacle if my own maturity that May day in 1981!
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Thanks Exeter, it's still as fresh in my memory now as if it was yesterday. Regarding your story, you may think it's mundane but believe me it isn't. It's a story of the day and just the type of thing that would be welcome on that site. No matter how mundane you may think it is, it may just evoke memories of times gone by for any poor soul suffering the dreadful debility of memory that is dementia.
BTW, for any of you that are reading this, you may like to pass on to your friends that don't post on H&V a link to the site. All contributions welcome, it's a great cause.
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So tonight (5th May) is the 35th Anniversary of Joe Gallagher's testimonial at St Andrews. One mad night , absolutely packed out with Villa fans. Tony Butler playing in a prematch celeb game and a night long celebration of the league championship.We won by a mile , what a great way to round off the season.
Tony Butler from Big Country?
Nah Comrade.This one was the one from BRMB radio. Claims to have invented the football phone in, his theme tune was'Theme from an unmade silent movie' and coiner of the phrase 'Get your prayer mats out '. He was of his time and received abuse from every part of the ground.
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Casstlefields is right. The press had anointed Ipswich months before the end of the season when it became clear that Liverpool were off the pace. Villa winning it really annoyed them and their expert judgements were brought into question.
The objective national press also felt that Town should have won it as they were far more likely to do well in the EC in 81/82.
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Ipswich also had the football world's favorite Bobby Robson who was always, it appeared favored over Ron Saunders when the media were looking for quote or story