Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: Dr Butler on May 29, 2014, 01:28:31 PM
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had a look round these pages and could not see this.
Leeds 1 - 3 Aston Villa Cropley, Gray (2) what a great side the Villa were then....UTV
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Always nice to beat Dirty Leeds. Will watch this when I can get a quiet sneaky 3 minutes at work, ta.
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Alex Cropley & John Deehan, 2 of my all time Villa favourites, loved watching them play.
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I was getting ready to make my big entrance the following day, and this was the game before we smashed the scouse 5-1.
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Best Villa side ever.
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My favourite too. What wouldn't I give to see a number 10 like that on the current Villa side, let alone the rest of them. Gray, Little, Gidman, Mortimer were all special, but Alex was very very special.
*sniff*
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Alex Cropley my favourite ever villa player what a team that was it made the hairs on the back of ya neck stand up when it was in full flow. The 80/81/82 team was class but for pure exhilaration this team was the dogs bollocks.
Try to put into one feeling what ya felt like when you had your first kiss,told you had passed your driving test, your first pint and your first shag and for me that was what this team was like.
Can still remember that Boxing Day game when we beat west ham I think 4-1 with thousands of balloons covering the Holte.
Please someone take me back to those days
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We were on fire. Won at Leeds 3-1 on the Saturday, came back to VP and beat Liverpool 5-1 on the Wednesday night, then beat Newcastle at home 2-1 on the Saturday.
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Brilliant times - i was at the AV Liverpool game four days later; my favourite team of all time.
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after Everton and Sunderland only our 3rd away win in a season and half back in the top division. Telling all of you we would have won the league that season with a decent keeper.
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Cropley goal was superb, great finish
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Andy Gray may be a bit of a knob these days but he was a superb centre forward
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Andy Gray may be a bit of a knob these days but he was a superb centre forward
You can't say that you nutter, that's his lad posting above you!
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Andy Gray may be a bit of a knob these days but he was a superb centre forward
You can't say that you nutter, that's his lad posting above you!
I've heard worse......
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Andy Gray may be a bit of a knob these days but he was a superb centre forward
You can't say that you nutter, that's his lad posting above you!
I've heard worse......
Must be a strange thing to deal with, hearing/reading people giving your dad stick when they've never met him. If it was my dad, I'd join in.
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Andy Gray may be a bit of a knob these days but he was a superb centre forward
You can't say that you nutter, that's his lad posting above you!
I've heard worse......
Must be a strange thing to deal with, hearing/reading people giving your dad stick when they've never met him. If it was my dad, I'd join in.
Yep, can't say it's something I've ever really got used to & some comments are harder to take than others, but I suppose you have to take the good with the bad. It's easy to judge people with a media presence, but the portrayed image is rarely the reality. As you say, people who've never even met him pass judgement as if holier than thou. As his son I'm obviously naturally defensive, but I figured out a long time ago it's best just to bite my tongue.
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Jg- people can say ha dad was a knob but I tell you he wS the best knob I've seen pull on a villa number 9 shirt.
Wish we had 11 knobs like him running out every game
One gripe I have to ask, was it his idea thT on the opening night of his night club holy city zoo anyone who turned up in striped pyjamas got in free ???
Have a guess which knob and his mate was the only people in striped pyjamas in the queue
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Jg- people can say ha dad was a knob but I tell you he wS the best knob I've seen pull on a villa number 9 shirt.
Wish we had 11 knobs like him running out every game
One gripe I have to ask, was it his idea thT on the opening night of his night club holy city zoo anyone who turned up in striped pyjamas got in free ???
Have a guess which knob and his mate was the only people in striped pyjamas in the queue
Cheers pal. None of us are perfect, I'd never claim my Dad is, but he's a good man & people shouldn't believe everything they read in the papers.
No idea about the pyjamas, I'm speaking to him tomorrow, I'll be sure to ask & get back to you
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Your right some of the shit that is written in the media is terrible, there is always two sides to everything and a lot of people only want to hear the one side.
By the way me and my mate did get in free and got some free drinks from people who wS laughing at us so much
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Wasn't that second goal from Andy Gray used as part of the intro every week on Star Soccer or am I confusing it with another as it was such a typical Gray goal?
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I have a great framed picture taken at a Q&A in Sutton Coldfield in 1988 for Nigel Spink's testimonial, taken by (and very kindly sent to me by) Terry Weir. Me with Andy Gray, Spink, Allan Evans and SGT.
Oh, and Nev ;).
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I have a great framed picture taken at a Q&A in Sutton Coldfield in 1988 for Nigel Spink's testimonial, taken by (and very kindly sent to me by) Terry Weir. Me with Andy Gray, Spink, Allan Evans and SGT.
Oh, and Nev ;).
Share please, if only for us to laugh at the inevitable mullets.
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I have a great framed picture taken at a Q&A in Sutton Coldfield in 1988 for Nigel Spink's testimonial, taken by (and very kindly sent to me by) Terry Weir. Me with Andy Gray, Spink, Allan Evans and SGT.
Oh, and Nev ;).
Share please, if only for us to laugh at the inevitable mullets.
It is actually at my parents house. Not that I would have a clue how to share/post it anyway. I am guilty on the mullet. It is also bleached blonde. I would fit right in with Chandler and Ross in the Friends flashbacks or with the cast of The Wedding Singer. If I remember correctly Nev is sporting a 'flat top' style.
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There is a great pic of Andy Gray, who was the best centre forward in my many years of playing for Aston Villa by the way. beating John Wark, who was playing centre back for Ipswich in 76/77 in 5-2 victory. Will sort it out. Gray, Sir Brian and Deehan were a part of the best Villa performance I have ever seen v Liverpool on that cold Wednesday night
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Dad took me to that Ipswich game, pity he hadn't took me to the Liverpool match but I think the fog put him off. I'm sure in the Ipswich game Gray scored a hat trick, one of the goals was a diving header about 2' off the ground ?
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If Andy Gray is a knob then I would like all our players to be knobs.
That season 76/77 he was fantastic, probably his best goal was the header against Man Ure. Would love to know the real reason for bombing him and Gidman out of Villa Park the following season.
Turning back to the Leeds game only our 3rd victory away back in the top division in a season and a half, the first two being Everton and Sunderland (again Gray getting our winner at Sunderland) and I missed all three. Only missed one other away that season as well Newcastle.
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I read somewhere that Gray had been knocking off a secretary & she gave him access to who was earning what. When he & Gidman found out they weren't amused & decided they were off.
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Thought it was because his nightclub holy city zoo had run up massive debts and he needed the was it 10% of the transfer fee to bail it out and pay off his debtors.
Only jg can tell us the truth
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The-farmer
When I was 16 my grandad transferred shares he had bought for me with my savings into my name and so I got a copy of end of year accounts and there was a list of how many people earned what, no one was named but it was In print that 5 ppl say earned 200k 3 ppl earned 250k and so on and so on.it wouldn't of been hard to work out who the top earners was so I'm sure he wouldn't of needed a secretary to let him have Access I might be wrong though
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The Zoo didn't end well & rumours about Dad knocking off any female are likely to have some base of credibility, but Dad left Villa for one reason & one reason only & that was because he fell out with Ron Saunders.
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JG
I saw your dad make his home debut on a week night against Manure, he was brilliant, you knew that here was a special talent. we lost 2-1 and he scored.
The following season we beat them 3-2 with your dad scoring 2. As I am sure you know he was on a disciplinary for giving the Utd fans two fingered salute.
His defence was he was reminding them that he scored 2.
I was devastated when he left, but he was a young man and I guess fame, fortune and the desire to own a night club were never going to make him popular with Ron.
Certainly in my circle of Villa fans, apart from the method of his leaving most rate him as the best centre forward of their generation.
My Everton supporting mates see him as one of theirs and are dismissive of his time at the Villa.
Without checking his Stats, it would be interesting for his position. Probably not a fair question.
Steamer
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JG - The man was a favourite of mine and a Villa legend
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Hi Steamer, I can answer that for you, no problem. He has a great deal of affection for both Villa & Everton, as Villa was his peak as a player & individual accolades & Everton was a period of great team success, winning a lot of trophies in a short period of time.
With Villa he had 2 periods as a player over 6 seasons & a spell as assistant manager, which are pretty big ties to the club. The first spell 75-79 was his absolute peak as a player, he was never as good after as he was in this time. He scored a lot of goals, golden boot winner & double PFA winner. He's still the last Villa player to score 25 league goals in a season. As an individual this is the best time of his career, as he was at his best. It was a real shame how it ended with Ron, but somewhat inevitable probably.
With Everton he was only there 18 months, but he won the league, FA Cup & Euro CWC. He wasn't the player he was at Villa, but Everton were a struggling team until he arrived so the fans associate his arrival with the turn around in the clubs fortunes & they had huge success. It's not hard to see why he has a lot of happiness associated with this time in his career, it means an awful lot to him.
These days Everton can't do enough for him, whilst Villa won't even give him a match ticket, which is a shame given his history at Villa Park.
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He was a coach for a while with Atkinson until he got a sniff of the Sky Gig so they have done something for him. I suppose they way in which he left didn't go down too well. I'm not sure. Anyway, he was the bravest player I've seen in all my years supporting the club. He had great timing and that uncanny forward's instinct for goals.
I used to go to the Holy City Zoo back in the day, great club but was even better under the new management after your Dad sold up. Your uncle Duncan ran it for him you probably know. What's he like these days as back then he was a vile little shit? he hasn't tainted my memory of your dad though.
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He was Ron's assistant, but Sky said he couldn't do both jobs once they'd secured the Premier League rights. Sky was the obvious choice to make, a lot more job security ;)
Sounds like a fair description of Uncle Duncs, his grumpiness is a standing family joke
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Andy Gray may be a bit of a knob these days but he was a superb centre forward
You can't say that you nutter, that's his lad posting above you!
I've heard worse......
Hey JG I'm really sorry about this remark - if I had known that his son was posting on here I would never have made it. For what its worth your dad was my hero as a kid and I was heartbroken when he left and the way things panned out when he played against us. I endorse those who are saying he is the best no 9 to play for the Villa and that is saying something.
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A great piece of Hugh Johns' commentary in there."And Brian Little rises like a....er..trout"!
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Andy Gray may be a bit of a knob these days but he was a superb centre forward
You can't say that you nutter, that's his lad posting above you!
I've heard worse......
Hey JG I'm really sorry about this remark - if I had known that his son was posting on here I would never have made it. For what its worth your dad was my hero as a kid and I was heartbroken when he left and the way things panned out when he played against us. I endorse those who are saying he is the best no 9 to play for the Villa and that is saying something.
I appreciate the apology pal, but it's honestly not necessary. As I said, I've heard worse & I accept that it's par for the course with someone with a media profile, however hard it is to hear at times.
Seems to be a fair few people who felt let down by how he left the club, but this kind of sentiment is reserved for players who mean something to the fans, so it's nice to hear.
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I've just been talking to a friend and now ex pat who I have just met at the Post Office. We were talking about Sunday's game and the Villa in general when she piped up with "did you know Andy Gray is now out in Qatar?" I didn't. Working in TV I believe. She's met him a few times. She also went on to tell me that one of her colleagues a big Arsenal fan is a massive fan of Andy, his favourite center forward ever by all accounts. We both had that puzzled look that says "Arsenal fan...Andy Gary...how does that work?"
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Jg
Just read your bit about ya dad (legend) that the villa won't even give him a match ticket an absolute fooking disgrace in my mind
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Hi Steamer, I can answer that for you, no problem. He has a great deal of affection for both Villa & Everton, as Villa was his peak as a player & individual accolades & Everton was a period of great team success, winning a lot of trophies in a short period of time.
With Villa he had 2 periods as a player over 6 seasons & a spell as assistant manager, which are pretty big ties to the club. The first spell 75-79 was his absolute peak as a player, he was never as good after as he was in this time. He scored a lot of goals, golden boot winner & double PFA winner. He's still the last Villa player to score 25 league goals in a season. As an individual this is the best time of his career, as he was at his best. It was a real shame how it ended with Ron, but somewhat inevitable probably.
With Everton he was only there 18 months, but he won the league, FA Cup & Euro CWC. He wasn't the player he was at Villa, but Everton were a struggling team until he arrived so the fans associate his arrival with the turn around in the clubs fortunes & they had huge success. It's not hard to see why he has a lot of happiness associated with this time in his career, it means an awful lot to him.
These days Everton can't do enough for him, whilst Villa won't even give him a match ticket, which is a shame given his history at Villa Park.
Jamie, 76-77 season was absolutely brilliant football from the Villa, and your old man won both PFA awards and rightly so. Him and Brian Little were a fabulous combination and he will always go in my memory as one of the bravest, exciting players ever. Villa may have been his best football as an individual, but he was a proper team player
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Jg
I have seen some pretty good centre forwards play for Villa since i started watching back in the 60s.Players like Dougan,Hateley,Lochhead,Withe,Little,Angel,Dublin and Benteke.All of them i have enjoyed watching but your father i rate above the lot of them. He had the lot and was a idol for most Villa fans. I was gutted when Saunders sold him and Gidman but i guess how things worked out,it was good for both Villa and your dad.
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The way he left just was not right. The supporters idolised him and it appeared that just because the results were not coming (for a short period) both Gray and Gidman wanted out.
Not many people see eye to eye with their boss all the time, so would never give too much credence to that theory.
Am very disappointed however that Villa have sidestepped Gray in recent years - again just not right, he returned to the club as player and later as coach/assistant manager.
"oh Andy the greatest the Holte End say, oh Andy oh Andy we're be with you all the way"
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The way he left just was not right. The supporters idolised him and it appeared that just because the results were not coming (for a short period) both Gray and Gidman wanted out.
Not many people see eye to eye with their boss all the time, so would never give too much credence to that theory.
Am very disappointed however that Villa have sidestepped Gray in recent years - again just not right, he returned to the club as player and later as coach/assistant manager.
"oh Andy the greatest the Holte End say, oh Andy oh Andy we're be with you all the way"
Unfortunately the relationship between Dad & Mr Saunders had broken down beyond repair, which is why Dad left. Nothing to do with results on the pitch, Dad loved playing for that team. There is 2 sides to everything & no doubt Ron disapproved of Dad's lifestyle, but he accused Dad of feigning injury & cheating the team & Dad couldn't forgive him for this. Dad played injured so often for Ron, pumped full of Corteson & everyone who saw him knows he never gave less than 150% effort. Still, these things happen & im sure Ron would have his version. I certainly don't want to speak badly of him, he is rightly regarded as a club legend & ultimately he was justified in selling Dad & bringing in another club legend in Peter Withe, who Dad gets on great with.
Thanks for everyone's kind words, I can't tell you how much they are appreciated.
For the record I recently asked him who his favourite team mate was ever, the guy he loved playing with above all others in any team. Without hesitation he said Brian Little.
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JG I am really surprised by your last remark, without knowing I would have said Grahame Sharp (both Scottish) both very confident players.
It was the bullet header against Man Utd that sold himself to me. He was the time the best centre forward in Britain without a shadow of a doubt.
When you think back to the kind of player he was think in terms of a Dixie Dean, Peter McParland - a kind of cannonball - if he was playing today no doubt would be sent off week after week. PS do me a favour and get me a signed photo of your dad xx
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Andy Gray super player. He was unstopable in that great season.
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JG I am really surprised by your last remark, without knowing I would have said Grahame Sharp (both Scottish) both very confident players.
It was the bullet header against Man Utd that sold himself to me. He was the time the best centre forward in Britain without a shadow of a doubt.
When you think back to the kind of player he was think in terms of a Dixie Dean, Peter McParland - a kind of cannonball - if he was playing today no doubt would be sent off week after week. PS do me a favour and get me a signed photo of your dad xx
Well Sharpy would feature highly on the list, he was a great player & they're good pals. Dad also played with Kenny Dalglish don't forget, but that's just how highly he rates Brian. He regards him as a bonafida genius, the best natural talent he ever played with, who could things with a ball Dad didn't think were possible. Brian is one of the main reasons Dad scored so many goals at that time. I can't really give him any greater praise.
I have said to Dad that he wouldn't be stay on the pitch long these days, but he simply said that it was like that back then, everyone was the same and if he was playing now then you'd simply adapt. Have to say, I'm not convinced!! Ha ha
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Hi Jamie. How you doing?
Just been reading this thread, really nice to read about what you have to say about your old man. Im sure he and and most of the team would have to adapt if playing now. When i talk to my Dad and i ask him about how much the game has changed, he just sayd that he would get sent off every week!
I hope you are well mate.
Crops
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Hi Jamie. How you doing?
Just been reading this thread, really nice to read about what you have to say about your old man. Im sure he and and most of the team would have to adapt if playing now. When i talk to my Dad and i ask him about how much the game has changed, he just sayd that he would get sent off every week!
I hope you are well mate.
Crops
Alright Crops, all good here pal. Didn't see Dad play so I enjoy conversing with fans who did & giving a bit of feedback too. My Dad gets a bit of a bee in his bonnet about comparing era's. Tactics & formations change to an extent, but 4-3-3 isn't a new thing; he points out that the team he & your Dad were in played that way 40 years ago, with Dad, Brian & Jonny Deehan up front. They maybe played a little more long ball, but that was largely due to the pitches they had to play on, not because they couldn't pass. Players like your Dad & Sid Cowans were fabulous passers of a ball. And they went around clattering each other because that's what they could get away with, they wouldn't play that way now. Nowadays the pitches are perfect, things like sports science is much more advanced & medical care is much better. I know my Dad would of benefited greatly from modern surgery techniques. Do you know if your Dad's career would have been saved with modern surgery/rehab etc?
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Well 4-3-3 was the way that Eddie Turnbull played the Hibs side that Dad was in, in the early 70's so your right there, it isnt a new thing. I like yourself never saw Dad play, so i just have fans to tell me.
As far as the injuries go, i am almost certain Dad, your Dad, Brian, Shawrie list goes on. They would have all benefited from modern techniques and rehab. But Dads injury was a bad one so, im not sure?
Are you going down for the final?
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5 foot 8 tackles late Alex Cropley's fuckin great
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This thread has turned a bit bizarre with Crop10 and JG talking about the Villa when both of their Dad's were among my favourite players when I was a kid. Interesting that JG said the best player his Dad played with was The King of Villa Park, Brian Little (my favourite footballer of all time). It's nice to know that others appreciate what a brilliant player The King was.
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I was just talking about Brian Little last night in a bar here in Abu Dhabi. I think the conversation had turned there because Andy Gray was doing his programme on the telly. He, erm, seems to be approving of his lifestyle at the moment.
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Well 4-3-3 was the way that Eddie Turnbull played the Hibs side that Dad was in, in the early 70's so your right there, it isnt a new thing. I like yourself never saw Dad play, so i just have fans to tell me.
As far as the injuries go, i am almost certain Dad, your Dad, Brian, Shawrie list goes on. They would have all benefited from modern techniques and rehab. But Dads injury was a bad one so, im not sure?
Are you going down for the final?
Yep, I'm going down. I'm a season ticket holder & have been to all the cup games too, so my ticket is secure luckily. Feel for those whose aren't though. Are you going?
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This thread has turned a bit bizarre with Crop10 and JG talking about the Villa when both of their Dad's were among my favourite players when I was a kid. Interesting that JG said the best player his Dad played with was The King of Villa Park, Brian Little (my favourite footballer of all time). It's nice to know that others appreciate what a brilliant player The King was.
Brian's son David is on Twitter too, he's a really nice lad.
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JG - did you get any of your dad's football ability? Obviously not to his level but did you play?
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JG - did you get any of your dad's football ability? Obviously not to his level but did you play?
Nope, I got my Mum's height, hairline & football ability. I can hold my own, but fair to say expectations didn't meet reality. I'd turn up at 5 aside and everyone would expect miracles, but I'd just sit at the back and keep it simple. Im not a bad player, but no one in their right mind would think I'm anything special. I'm 6ft 5.5" and nearly 17 stone, so I played more rugby than football. My son is pretty handy though, and is right handed & left footed like my Dad, so maybe it's skipped a generation!
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The 76-77 season is my favourite (started in 63), due in no small part to Messrs Gray, Little, Cropley & Saunders et al., of course.
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The 76-77 season is my favourite (started in 63), due in no small part to Messrs Gray, Little, Cropley & Saunders et al., of course.
Ditto that.
Gray in his pomp that season.
Cropley awesome in the midfield.
Better than 81 and 82 in my view.
Fab times
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It was a weird season in terms that in the league when Andy Gray was missing we struggled (Stoke away for example), yet Little put out some outstanding performances in the league cup. I remember against Wrexham think we won 5-1 a long cross ball was played by Gidman to Little who brought it down so brilliantly - Little was a better player than a lot of people would give him credit and not just a goal scorer. Think he suffered with comparison to Francis.
The only one fault Little had was he could be a race horse he would gather the ball and want to go for it himself ignoring a better option. This was particularly true when Gray was missing.
Have said it before if we had Rimmer for 76/77 instead of Burridge in nets we would have won the league. Burridge just could not command his area, too small. Again at Man Utd new year's day both their goals came from clever preparation knowing that Burridge struggled with crosses.
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It was a weird season in terms that in the league when Andy Gray was missing we struggled (Stoke away for example), yet Little put out some outstanding performances in the league cup. I remember against Wrexham think we won 5-1 a long cross ball was played by Gidman to Little who brought it down so brilliantly - Little was a better player than a lot of people would give him credit and not just a goal scorer. Think he suffered with comparison to Francis.
The only one fault Little had was he could be a race horse he would gather the ball and want to go for it himself ignoring a better option. This was particularly true when Gray was missing.
Have said it before if we had Rimmer for 76/77 instead of Burridge in nets we would have won the league. Burridge just could not command his area, too small. Again at Man Utd new year's day both their goals came from clever preparation knowing that Burridge struggled with crosses.
I can confirm that the comments about Budgie & the impact that had on winning he league have been repeated to me before.
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Yep, I'm going down. I'm a season ticket holder & have been to all the cup games too, so my ticket is secure luckily. Feel for those whose aren't though. Are you going?
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Unfortunately football has turned in to a corporate machine, with the majority of fans being alienated and people going to big games because they are fortunate to work for the right company.
Im not going as i go in for another knee op at the end of May, but i will be watching it wherever i can.
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Hi Jamie. How you doing?
Just been reading this thread, really nice to read about what you have to say about your old man. Im sure he and and most of the team would have to adapt if playing now. When i talk to my Dad and i ask him about how much the game has changed, he just sayd that he would get sent off every week!
I hope you are well mate.
Crops
My Dad gets a bit of a bee in his bonnet about comparing era's. Tactics & formations change to an extent, but 4-3-3 isn't a new thing; he points out that the team he & your Dad were in played that way 40 years ago, with Dad, Brian & Jonny Deehan up front. They maybe played a little more long ball, but that was largely due to the pitches they had to play on, not because they couldn't pass. Players like your Dad & Sid Cowans were fabulous passers of a ball.
In the first part of his time at Villa it was more of a 4-4-2 JG, with Ray Graydon on the right wing and your Dad and Brian Little up front. The front three, with Deehan, came about more or less by accident when Graydon was injured during the 76-77 season - it was plan B and it worked.
I don't remember the game being particularly long ball either; I was only twelve or thirteen so it may not be an accurate recollection, but my abiding memory is generally of the ball getting forward via John Gidman galloping up the wing from right back. And the midfielders you mention, plus the likes of Carrodus, Mortimer and Chico Hamilton, tended to run with the ball and pass short rather than pass it long, too. The pitches were indeed shocking, but it didn't seem to bother any of those guys.
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JG - my first visit to Villa Park for a first team game coincided with your Dad making his home league debut (a 1-1 draw with Spurs in October 1975, Andy headed our goal in front of the Holte). As a 6 year old, it was a sight to behold and so began a love affair with the Villa that's now lasted 40 years !
Both Andy and Alex Cropley were heroes of mine back in the 70's. Both of them absolute quality players.
As regards the 76/77 season, it was just an absolute pleasure to go and watch Villa play at home. Virtually every visiting team left empty handed. They weren't just beat, they were usually absolutely pummelled out of sight.
If our away record would have been even average, we would have won the league (although the number of Cup ties probably had a major part to play as well).
Among my happiest ever times supporting Villa.
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Unfortunately football has turned in to a corporate machine, with the majority of fans being alienated and people going to big games because they are fortunate to work for the right company.
Im not going as i go in for another knee op at the end of May, but i will be watching it wherever i can.
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Crops, is that the case in Scotland too? Wembley has 17,000 members who get tickets for each game regardless of the event. Most couldn't give a hoot but enjoy the shenanigans and some make a killing by reselling their tickets. Throw in corporates outbidding real fans and the percentage of fans of each team at the final is drastically diminished.
A mate of mine knows a tout and by hiring a room in a Wembley hotel and offering lager and burgers he can charge over £1000 (in reality nearer £1500) per ticket. He gets a lot of his tickets from football agents by the way.
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Only read this last page, but any team in 76/77 would have struggled without Andy Gray, he was a monster and as for Brian Little not looking for better options, I totally disagree. He was very unselfish and a top player. As for 76/77 season, Super Ray Graydon got injured and John Deehan came in and it was a different system, but no way was it long ball, bit like the season when we won the league and Ipswich played so much better football then us (did they bo***x). As much as I loved winning the league and subsequently the European Cup, the 76/77 season was my most exciting ever. I was a young left footed midfielder and loved Alex Cropley, the day after his chip at Sunderland, I did the same in a hockey goal, he was my hero as such a committed player. Will never forget that wan***s challenge