Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine

Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: castlefields_villan on December 10, 2016, 12:50:18 PM

Title: 39 Years ago today
Post by: castlefields_villan on December 10, 2016, 12:50:18 PM
Villa 3, West Brom 0

The score only told a fraction of the story - anyone else remember being there ?
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: dave.woodhall on December 10, 2016, 01:00:01 PM
Villa 3, West Brom 0

The score only told a fraction of the story - anyone else remember being there ?

Er, it rings a vague bell. Did much happen?
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: dave shelley on December 10, 2016, 01:37:56 PM
I can still hear it now.  I found This (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2008/jan/06/features.sport20) interesting piece a while back when looking up something about Alex.  There's a lot of reading but, the first part of the article is about Alex.  Strangely, I don't remember the song about him that the author quotes, but then again, I can't remember what I had for my breakfast this morning.  Apologies if this has been posted before.
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: wittonwarrior on December 10, 2016, 07:21:21 PM
“Five Foot Eight, Not Much Weight, Alex Cropley's Fucking Great".

Difficult I know to draw comparisons about players but in my all time Villa 11 if I had  to pick  between Sid and Cropley the latter would claim my vote.

Even back then the opposition were bitter horrible people. 

Been said before on the pitch this was the Derby - Blues always should beat them took us a few years to work that one out but that's for a different thread.

The thing with their team, they knew they were not the same class as the Villa and had one or two animals such as Wilde at the back.  A lot of bull about their wonderful football style. 
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: Morleys left boot on December 10, 2016, 07:30:42 PM
Wasn't this the game when they broke sids leg
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: PeterWithesShin on December 10, 2016, 07:33:45 PM
I thought this was going to about the time the bitters won 5-3 away to the side that finished 9th and still have anniversary dinners to celebrate it.
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: wittonwarrior on December 10, 2016, 07:57:43 PM
All  that 5-3 game  showed  was that they were better than the mancs on snow.

Never the pure entertainers as their "admirers" would have you believe.

Could never fatham out why they attract so many semi entertainers and that prat Adrian Chiles.
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: villan from luton on December 10, 2016, 11:00:19 PM
Alex was a superb player and will never forget that tackle, disgraceful. Don't agree with the earlier comment about having him ahead of Sid, but he had the lot. Now a taxi driver in Edinburgh and someone I met on holiday a couple of years back is the same and knows him and remembers him at Hibs. Hated Ron Saunders
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: castlefields_villan on December 11, 2016, 12:08:56 AM
As my memory goes, both games against the albion the previous season were tasty affairs (we drew 1-1 at the hawthorns and beat them 4-0 at home - in what I think was the last game of the 1976-77 season).

But this match was something else, ironically I remember the "tackle" that finished Alex Cropley's career wasn't anywhere near as bad as other stuff dished out that day.  I'm sure we played the second half with 10 men (of course only one sub in those days) - was it Andy Gray who also went off injured - anyone remember ?
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: dave.woodhall on December 11, 2016, 12:16:47 AM
As my memory goes, both games against the albion the previous season were tasty affairs (we drew 1-1 at the hawthorns and beat them 4-0 at home - in what I think was the last game of the 1976-77 season).

But this match was something else, ironically I remember the "tackle" that finished Alex Cropley's career wasn't anywhere near as bad as other stuff dished out that day.  I'm sure we played the second half with 10 men (of course only one sub in those days) - was it Andy Gray who also went off injured - anyone remember ?

Ken McNaught early on.
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: Pat McMahon on December 11, 2016, 12:18:48 AM
I remember this being unduly physical in an era where there was far more tolerance of spiteful tackles.

The BBC commentary had Barry Davies saying he felt the ref should blow early for half time just before we scored our second. I also recall Jimmy Hill singling out Brian Little for praise as he offered a consoling arm to Alistair Brown after the tackle.
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: castlefields_villan on December 11, 2016, 12:21:36 AM
As my memory goes, both games against the albion the previous season were tasty affairs (we drew 1-1 at the hawthorns and beat them 4-0 at home - in what I think was the last game of the 1976-77 season).

But this match was something else, ironically I remember the "tackle" that finished Alex Cropley's career wasn't anywhere near as bad as other stuff dished out that day.  I'm sure we played the second half with 10 men (of course only one sub in those days) - was it Andy Gray who also went off injured - anyone remember ?

Ken McNaught early on.

So Ken McNaught was substituted early on - and then obviously when Alex Cropley had to be taken off (which I seem to remember was also in the first half), so we beat them 3-0 with 10 men - for what the best part of 55 - 60 minutes ?
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: dave.woodhall on December 11, 2016, 12:29:51 AM
As my memory goes, both games against the albion the previous season were tasty affairs (we drew 1-1 at the hawthorns and beat them 4-0 at home - in what I think was the last game of the 1976-77 season).

But this match was something else, ironically I remember the "tackle" that finished Alex Cropley's career wasn't anywhere near as bad as other stuff dished out that day.  I'm sure we played the second half with 10 men (of course only one sub in those days) - was it Andy Gray who also went off injured - anyone remember ?

Ken McNaught early on.

So Ken McNaught was substituted early on - and then obviously when Alex Cropley had to be taken off (which I seem to remember was also in the first half), so we beat them 3-0 with 10 men - for what the best part of 55 - 60 minutes ?

We did indeed.
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: castlefields_villan on December 11, 2016, 12:33:52 AM
Cheers Dave, I seem to remember we beat them by the same score at their place three or four months later.
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: peter w on December 11, 2016, 01:20:01 PM
I think this is the game for many people of that generation that explains their absolute hatred of the Albion.
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: Nelson Lodge on December 11, 2016, 06:28:20 PM
Always hated that lot since 1959 and Ronnie Allen's goal with the gloating that followed from their horrible "fans".
Still detest them to this day. However, working in West Brom during the early 80s had its happy banter days.
For the match in question I was there with my dad and this could have been the last game he saw at VP.
Did the BBC show the "tackle" on MOTD that night? They seemed to clean up the highlights of  the many fouls committed by them. Wonder if the tape still exists at the BBC? Or has it mysteriously been either wiped or lost.
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: villan from luton on December 11, 2016, 08:21:44 PM
I think this is the game for many people of that generation that explains their absolute hatred of the Albion.

Certainly did for me, fecking wankers
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: dave shelley on December 11, 2016, 09:05:16 PM
I'm with Nelson.
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: wittonwarrior on December 12, 2016, 12:35:47 AM
Always hated that lot since 1959 and Ronnie Allen's goal with the gloating that followed from their horrible "fans".
Still detest them to this day. However, working in West Brom during the early 80s had its happy banter days.
For the match in question I was there with my dad and this could have been the last game he saw at VP.
Did the BBC show the "tackle" on MOTD that night? They seemed to clean up the highlights of  the many fouls committed by them. Wonder if the tape still exists at the BBC? Or has it mysteriously been either wiped or lost.

Match of the day had form for distorting games around that time, I remember an away v spurs just before Christmas we won easily, mass contact from villa fans and the most after was mentioned the week after.
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: Flamingo Lane on December 12, 2016, 09:42:25 PM
I was at this game, which was part of a sequence of matches against Albion (75-81) when the Villa played them off the park despite their brutal tactics (from the likes of Wile, Robertson, Brown and Cantello). 
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: dave.woodhall on December 12, 2016, 09:45:57 PM
I was at this game, which was part of a sequence of matches against Albion (1875-2081) when the Villa played them off the park despite their brutal tactics (from the likes of Wile, Robertson, Brown and Cantello). 

Fixed.
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: frankmosswasmyuncle on December 12, 2016, 09:54:20 PM
I think this is the game for many people of that generation that explains their absolute hatred of the Albion.

Certainly did for me, fecking wankers
And me.

FTF!
Title: Re: 39 Years ago today
Post by: JD on December 13, 2016, 08:06:03 AM
I was at this game, which was part of a sequence of matches against Albion (1875-2081) when the Villa played them off the park despite their brutal tactics (from the likes of Wile, Robertson, Brown and Cantello). 

Fixed.

Bravo Dave. I think you've all spelt Cun*ello wrong though.
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