Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: villa `cross the mersey on April 11, 2016, 08:23:59 PM
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Those of a certain vintage will remember this particular jibe from the late 1960`s - from the News of the World or Sunday Mirror?
We were the butt of many jokes 40 years ago and we nearly went out of business and the issue of shares helped turn the club around in many ways - an old fashioned board was eventually ejected and we literally rose from the ashes from 1971 onwards.
I chuckle when I read many posting on here about the agony of relegation in 1987, primarily as it does not compare to the humiliation of watching the slide in the last few years of the 1960`s .
To those fellow over 50`s how does this years` embarassment compare to the 1960`s?
Potentially the financial implications are equally damaging especially if we cant remove the leeches on ridiculous contracts and associated payments.
No one could foresee us going from 3rd Division Champions to European Champions inside 11 years - is that possible again ?
Why not? - Leicester are doing a remarkable job this season and them winning the league would be a massive boost to those outside the "Big Six"
Following the awful showing in last years Cup Final I did not renew my season ticket this season - a culmination of poor health and other committments has left me only attending one game this season - Everton at Goodison - the worst performance I can recall on Merseyside in watching Villa play up here over 40 years.
VCTM jnr and I spoke at length on Sunday about the liklihood of going to games next season - we love the craic of going to the away games and will probably do the games "oop north"but that is dependent on the managerial appointment and clearing of the decks followed by a positive recruitment of players who will show some pride playing for the old claret and blue.
So is this season worse than the relegations of 1987 and the last 1960`s?
For me the slow death of the club over the past seasons has put things on a parallel with the late 60`s , in particular all the "wrong" records constantly being created. Living and working in a passionate soccer city - I am constantly being asked "What`s happened to the Villa?" and receiving genuine expressions of sympathy and good wishes for the campaign next year.
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I remember this gibe only too well. Sadly while we can hope to bounce back, the money side is now stupid. Leicester we hope can turn dream into reality, but one swallow does not make a summer. Blackburn did it once and Leicester may do it this time, but with the other teams getting £300million over three years of the new deal and villa getting £87 million in parachute payments, the backroom staff will have to be exceptional
We can but hope.
Trevor FIsher.
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Remember it well but we are in such a different era now that I find comparisons only interesting for the nostalgia element.
As Trevor points out, the money factor is the obvious differentiator. I do have a different view though: Bournemouth, Leicester and Watford are good examples of clubs that have not needed to bust the bank to create a credible PL squad. Our management team need to be cuter and more demanding in the use of the money. And, probably, more importantly, our coaching staff need to be significantly better at developing and preparing players.
We seem to have suffered massively from a lazy use of money and mediocre coaching.
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I remember being taught to respond "we're the tastiest team in the land" ;-)
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Putting the financial difference to one side. The team that took us down to Div 3 were a ropey bunch of footballers pretty much like the ones we've got now. The difference on the pitch between the1969/70 team and today's is that the former did at least seem to care and in spite of their shortcomings appeared to be trying.
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I remember this gibe only too well. Sadly while we can hope to bounce back, the money side is now stupid. Leicester we hope can turn dream into reality, but one swallow does not make a summer. Blackburn did it once and Leicester may do it this time, but with the other teams getting £300million over three years of the new deal and villa getting £87 million in parachute payments, the backroom staff will have to be exceptional
We can but hope.
Trevor FIsher.
I've heard Blackburn mentioned as having done what Leicester are doing a few times recently.
It's not even remotely similar though as Blackburn at that time were one of the richest clubs in the league due to the huge amounts jack walker poured into them.
Daphne Fairbottom
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Plus Blackburn's cash cascade was pre mega Sky and oil money.
Felicity Charlotte Smythe.
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Are you an ostrich? Blackburn did exactly what Chelsea/Man City have recently done.
Terence Trent D'Arby
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Are you an ostrich? Blackburn did exactly what Chelsea/Man City have recently done.
Terence Trent D'Arby
Signing your name across your post I see.
FYI, he's no longer TTD, he's changed his name to Sananda Maitreya.
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From what I can recall there was a three to four year period of decline that eventually took us down to the Third Division. I agree that although some of the players were below the required standard they did, at least, seem to care. There were isolated incidents of naughtiness i.e. Barry Hole being dropped for a late night booze up but I can't recall Brian Godfrey for example,showing off photos of his new Ford Prefect.
Douglas Wakihuri
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Pedant alert. Brian Godfrey drove a regulation issue Marina.
Lucinda Satterthwaite.
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From what I can recall there was a three to four year period of decline that eventually took us down to the Third Division. I agree that although some of the players were below the required standard they did, at least, seem to care. There were isolated incidents of naughtiness i.e. Barry Hole being dropped for a late night booze up but I can't recall Brian Godfrey for example,showing off photos of his new Ford Prefect.
Douglas Wakihuri
I thought it was a Ford Tippex?
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I think the levels of ridicule are much higher today, with every slavering knuckledragger with access to a phone leaping up and down in frenzied delight, whooping, throwing their own excrement, and posting garbage about 'da viyull'.
Dame Cortina Tittyhammer-Swak
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Blackburn aren't remotely comparable. They just timed things well by getting a relatively rich owner before the Premier League got going properly and before oil rich states started buying playthings.
Froth Reviser
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Are you an ostrich? Blackburn did exactly what Chelsea/Man City have recently done.
Terence Trent D'Arby
Signing your name across your post I see.
FYI, he's no longer TTD, he's changed his name to Sananda Maitreya.
Only because I changed my name to Terence Trent D'Arby.
Terence Trent D'Arby
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I remember Bruce Forsyth on Sunday night at the London palladium saying to the audience Aston Villa have chsnged their name to Aston Vanilla because everyone licks them, They thought it was hilarious,
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Putting the financial difference to one side. The team that took us down to Div 3 were a ropey bunch of footballers pretty much like the ones we've got now. The difference on the pitch between the1969/70 team and today's is that the former did at least seem to care and in spite of their shortcomings appeared to be trying.
Dave Rudge and Brian Godfrey always gave their best and were not 'ropey' but in the main your comments are spot on LP
Ronald Aloysuis Manager Esq
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Aston Villa for all the mockery are held in higher esteem than Bruce Forsyth ever will be.
Forsyth) (to Wogan) Hello Terry.
Wogan) (to Forsyth, glaring) Sir Terry to you.
Albert Ross RN
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Aston Villa for all the mockery are held in higher esteem than Bruce Forsyth ever will be.
Forsyth) (to Wogan) Hello Terry.
Wogan) (to Forsyth, glaring) Sir Terry to you.
Albert Ross RN
Yes, but Brucie might outlive us.
Neville Scrillage
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Aston Villa for all the mockery are held in higher esteem than Bruce Forsyth ever will be.
Forsyth) (to Wogan) Hello Terry.
Wogan) (to Forsyth, glaring) Sir Terry to you.
Albert Ross RN
Yes, but Brucie might outlive us.
Neville Scrillage
Brucie will probably maul more women than any of us ever will too.
Tricky Woo
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Well they can all get fucked.
We'll be ba..............
Harry Highpants
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Putting the financial difference to one side. The team that took us down to Div 3 were a ropey bunch of footballers pretty much like the ones we've got now. The difference on the pitch between the1969/70 team and today's is that the former did at least seem to care and in spite of their shortcomings appeared to be trying.
Dave Rudge and Brian Godfrey always gave their best and were not 'ropey' but in the main your comments are spot on LP
Ronald Aloysuis Manager Esq
Don't forget that the likes of Andy Lochead, Willy Anderson and Bruce Rioch were in that team that took us into Div.3. However, regardless of the lack of ability and skills of some of the others, I don't recall ever feeling that they didn't give a shit.
Elvis Ignacio Adio
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I remember this as well - the team everybody licks - far more relevant to to-days' bunch. As mentioned several times - you always got the feeling the players in the late 1960s actually looked as though they had pride playing for the club.
I'm the same as so many of you of my age - born and brought up only a 15 minute bus ride away, family tradition etc.. this is the same as at least Gabby, Richards, Lescott and Grealish - so where's the passion and dedication? I would've happily played for nothing.
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/664139481432367104/mcuLKjMC.jpg)
Roger Melly.
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I remember us being called Aston Vanilla, and played our home games at the Hall of Memories.
Balls
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I remember my brother calling us Aston Vanilla because the defence just melts away. I'd forgotten all about it until Saturday when the phrase came into my mind! Strange that this thread should start so soon afterwards - or maybe it's just that all of us over a certain age all started remembering because of what we were seeing on the pitch. :-(
This is my real name.
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There's a good premise in that first post which begs the question: Is it more difficult or easier now for a "big club" to be relegated from the top flight than in the 80s or 60s?
Given the vagaries of money-ball these days I'd say easier.
Stinky MacGillicuddy
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There's a good premise in that first post which begs the question: Is it more difficult or easier now for a "big club" to be relegated from the top flight than in the 80s or 60s?
Given the vagaries of money-ball these days I'd say easier.
Stinky MacGillicuddy
It depends how easily that club decides to give up.
Burton Coggles
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I'd rather have Milli Vanilli on the pitch than Richards and Lescott.
Lady Agnes Gussington-Moist
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Pedant alert. Brian Godfrey drove a regulation issue Marina.
Lucinda Satterthwaite.
Sorry to be a total pedant, however the Morris Motor company did not release the Marina model until 1971 came out on the J registration, i believe the club car at the time was the mighty Austin 1100 saloon 4 door or even the Basil Fawlty Estate
Englebert Fuckwitt
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I was particularly fond of anything in vermillion orange with a black vinyl roof.
Fr. Johnny Helzapoppin'
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Now Now we are getting ahead of ourselves that option was only allowed on the 1300 GT. i don't think the club would have splashed out that much
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Who just posted that?
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Pullovers for goalposts, high jinks ...
Algernon Winston Razzmatazz
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Don't be revolting, Darling. I wouldn't lick a German if he was glazed in honey.
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I'd put the 67 team as the worst Villa side I have ever seen. Absolutely no-one wanted to play, it was so bad. With the current lot there do seem to be at least some that care.
The team that took us down in 67 was very different to the one that went further down in 70.
The relegation team of 70 had a number of good players, and in the end played well as a team. The problem was that Docherty's spectacular early season nosedive left us with too much to do. We deserved to stay up but didn't.
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Bob Monkhouse, now there was a comedian and apparently a Villa fan who would never stoop as low as that joke, or would he.
Billy Lilywhiteleg
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He's up, he's down, he's in The Rose & Crown, Barry Hole, Barry Hole.
He shot, he missed, he must be f**ckin' pissed, Barry Hole, Barry Hole.
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(http://handinglove.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/the-death-cartoon-of-aston-villa.jpg)
(http://www.thenationalfootballcollection.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Bury-v-Villa-Memorial-Postcard-1903.jpg)
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I remember it well... just about. Ronnie fkin Allen. Back in the days when at the end of the season with nothing to play for, local teams would help each other avoid relegation by conceding courtesy defeats.
We needed to win to stay up and Albion were obliging .. apart from Allen who bust a gut to get on the scoresheet. 1-1 and we were down. No chance of div 3 though, we steamrollered the second division the following season, including a 21 goals in 3 game spell. Three players got 20+ league goals that year.
We really are shit nowadays.
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Our ability to concede ice cream soft goals has been so bad it has almost completely hidden our pathetic inability to score goals. I looked at the stats for our 1951-52 season and we scored 79 goals including 41 from inside forwards Johnny Dixon and Tommy Thompson. If we had had Dave Walsh at centre forward for the whole season the goals scored could easily have been 90.