Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine

Heroes & Villains => Villa Memories => Topic started by: thick_mike on August 15, 2019, 06:24:30 PM

Title: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: thick_mike on August 15, 2019, 06:24:30 PM
Couldn’t find the older threads that have surely existed, so I thought I’d share a couple of photos from the last day of the Holte End terracing. Villa vs Liverpool 7th May 1994.

I didn’t have a season ticket that year, so I had to buy one on spec from a bloke up by Aston Station. I am convinced to this day that it was Nigel Kennedy in disguise (big sunglasses, fake moustache, hoodie).

Sad day was brightened up by Dave Chance, or was it Dave Ismay, (one of the Daves anyway) singing YNWA to a chorus of boos from the home fans.

Came back from 0-1 down at half time to win with two Dwight Yorke goals in the second half in front of the Holte End.

Kids today think we made up the tales of beer crates, or were they milk crates (one of the crates anyway).

Smoke bomb or hotdog steam?
(https://i.ibb.co/TPrggVZ/A1-FCD2-EF-7-C20-4-C13-BD7-F-E7-E5-CEF00561.jpg)
When the Evening Mail was a real newspaper
(https://i.ibb.co/fvMmxrL/AF1-CF560-A501-423-B-AE08-86911853-D53-F.jpg)
The other old lady we lost a few years later
(https://i.ibb.co/NKw29p8/37302232-7-FF0-475-C-AF3-A-97-B5-D46-B2972.jpg)
My piece of heaven, behind the “V” floodlight Left Side (https://i.ibb.co/nrx0KYW/15-C4-F3-F8-302-F-4412-B2-B3-2-F29-FC134-E92.jpg)
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: Kimaster1976 on August 15, 2019, 09:01:51 PM
My first 2 games in the Holte standing are the Man Utd 3-0 boxing day game I was like 12 or 13 and went from middle stand to front and back many times with the waves of fully grown men surging forward all game, looking back im amazed i didnt get injured lol

And in pouring rain beating Port Vale 6-0 in the cup, and im sure all the goals were at the other end.
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: JD on August 15, 2019, 09:44:18 PM
Brilliant photos. H&V put out a Holtes last stand edition which I still have. On Saturday I shall return to Villa Park for the first time since 1993 and it will be the first time I have had a seat at Villa Park.
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: thick_mike on August 15, 2019, 10:34:19 PM
My first 2 games in the Holte standing are the Man Utd 3-0 boxing day game I was like 12 or 13 and went from middle stand to front and back many times with the waves of fully grown men surging forward all game, looking back im amazed i didnt get injured lol

And in pouring rain beating Port Vale 6-0 in the cup, and im sure all the goals were at the other end.
I got soaked at that Port Vale game too...was it  before they extended the roof?
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: thick_mike on August 15, 2019, 10:35:49 PM
Brilliant photos. H&V put out a Holtes last stand edition which I still have. On Saturday I shall return to Villa Park for the first time since 1993 and it will be the first time I have had a seat at Villa Park.
I will be there too in A5 Trinity Road. You will notice some subtle changes :D
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: somec on August 16, 2019, 11:50:22 AM
Nice photos, thanks for sharing!

Looks like you were standing close to where I was that day although I can't see me or my Dad in any of the photos.

I also still have my copy of H&V The Holte's Last Stand, an absolute classic.

When the game had finished and a lot of people had invaded the pitch I found myself standing next to someone in my year at school.

I didn't even know he was a Villa fan but we became friends and started going to away games together.

Happy daze!
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: thick_mike on August 16, 2019, 12:11:30 PM
Nice photos, thanks for sharing!

Looks like you were standing close to where I was that day although I can't see me or my Dad in any of the photos.

I also still have my copy of H&V The Holte's Last Stand, an absolute classic.

When the game had finished and a lot of people had invaded the pitch I found myself standing next to someone in my year at school.

I didn't even know he was a Villa fan but we became friends and started going to away games together.

Happy daze!
We started standing there because the crowd was thinner due to having to watch through the floodlight pylon. When I was a kid I couldn’t see over the crowd in front, so I got a better view there. After a while you didn’t notice the steelwork, you started to bob and weave unconsciously like a boxer.
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: Damo70 on August 16, 2019, 05:17:03 PM
My first time on the Holte was to see us play Liverpool in 1982 so it would have been appropriate if I had been at 'The Last Stand' game against them. However I moved abroad to work a week or two before so my personal last stand on the Holte was against Arsenal in the last but one home game, which of course was most people's last but one stand.
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: Woofles The Wonder Dog on August 18, 2019, 06:09:50 PM
My last Holte End stand was 1967 against Hull. 2-0 up (Greenhalgh if I remember OK) and we lost 2-3 with a pathetic display from midfielders Park and Parker. From then on, for luck, I went Witton End/Lane or Trinity. Took a few years, but the move paid off. Honest.
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: JD on August 21, 2019, 04:38:23 AM
It was great going back to Villa Park last Saturday, despite the result. The Holte still looks splendid, although it was a bit strange sitting down the other end looking at it.
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: Axl Rose on August 21, 2019, 05:31:16 AM
Mike, fantastic photos. They've really brightened up my morning here.

And JD, 1993? That's a long time, mate. I'm sorry that they lost for you. Family aside, Villa and Villa Park are the only things I get homesick for. 

When I do come home on occasion, it's pretty much the first thing I plan to go and see, whether it's a match or just to wander around and think of all the great times I've had there with great people.
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: dave shelley on August 21, 2019, 10:39:18 AM
My last Holte End stand was 1967 against Hull. 2-0 up (Greenhalgh if I remember OK) and we lost 2-3 with a pathetic display from midfielders Park and Parker. From then on, for luck, I went Witton End/Lane or Trinity. Took a few years, but the move paid off. Honest.

I so remember that game, such utter dross, needed seeing to be believed.  The sad thing is, it wasn't a one-off.
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: Damo70 on August 21, 2019, 11:15:37 AM
Couldn’t find the older threads that have surely existed, so I thought I’d share a couple of photos from the last day of the Holte End terracing. Villa vs Liverpool 7th May 1994.

I didn’t have a season ticket that year, so I had to buy one on spec from a bloke up by Aston Station. I am convinced to this day that it was Nigel Kennedy in disguise (big sunglasses, fake moustache, hoodie).

Sad day was brightened up by Dave Chance, or was it Dave Ismay, (one of the Daves anyway) singing YNWA to a chorus of boos from the home fans.

Came back from 0-1 down at half time to win with two Dwight Yorke goals in the second half in front of the Holte End.

Kids today think we made up the tales of beer crates, or were they milk crates (one of the crates anyway).

Smoke bomb or hotdog steam?
(https://i.ibb.co/TPrggVZ/A1-FCD2-EF-7-C20-4-C13-BD7-F-E7-E5-CEF00561.jpg)
When the Evening Mail was a real newspaper
(https://i.ibb.co/fvMmxrL/AF1-CF560-A501-423-B-AE08-86911853-D53-F.jpg)
The other old lady we lost a few years later
(https://i.ibb.co/NKw29p8/37302232-7-FF0-475-C-AF3-A-97-B5-D46-B2972.jpg)
My piece of heaven, behind the “V” floodlight Left Side (https://i.ibb.co/nrx0KYW/15-C4-F3-F8-302-F-4412-B2-B3-2-F29-FC134-E92.jpg)


Some time just before Christmas around about 1982 we played host to Liverpool. Bob Warman, John Caine and Oscar the Newshound dog led the Holte End in a good natured rendition of 'We Wish You A Merry Christmas'. It then quickly went pear shaped when they tried to conduct the fans on The Holte for a rendition of 'You'll Never Walk Alone' to be broadcast on the show . My beer crate in my early days on The Holte was a plastic claret one from Aston Manor brewery. For years after I had stopped needing the crate the older blokes I grew up with around me on The Holte found it very funny to occasionally ask me where my crate was.
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: dave.woodhall on September 12, 2019, 08:17:48 PM
Talking of We Wish You a Merry Christmas, does anyone want to hear - yet again - the story of Doug and the cassette recorder?
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: Villa in Denmark on September 12, 2019, 08:52:36 PM
Talking of We Wish You a Merry Christmas, does anyone want to hear - yet again - the story of Doug and the cassette recorder?
Having not heard it, or at least if I have I can't remember it, yes please.
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: dave.woodhall on September 12, 2019, 09:06:48 PM
Right, settle down and I'll begin.

One day, a long time ago, Tom Ross was collecting recordings of local sports people each singing a line of We Wish You a Merry Christmas. He was on his way out of Villa Park when Doug spied him and asked what was going on. Tom, with some trepidation, told him, to which Doug replied. "Excellent! I'll take part - I used to be Head Chorister at Chester Cathedral."

And so, a few days later, a package arrived at Capital or whoever they were then containing a cassette featuring Doug singing a selection of carols, accompanied by Heidi playing his organ. 
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: Lastfootstamper on September 12, 2019, 09:10:25 PM
That was a considerably shorter story than I was expecting. I feel a little let down.
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: PeterWithesShin on September 12, 2019, 09:15:10 PM
I have a highly disturbing image in my head from the last 4 words of that story.
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: Villa in Denmark on September 12, 2019, 09:16:28 PM
I have a highly disturbing image in my head from the last 4 words of that story.
Eugh!
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: Des Little on September 13, 2019, 10:17:08 PM
Was this pre, post or during the bicycle kick? Just so I’m clear...
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: russon on January 14, 2020, 12:02:37 PM
I thought this would be the most relevant thread to post this question.

Someone put up footage of us playing Watford in the 80s and the Watford players warmed up before the game in front of the Holte. This completely threw me, I have no recollection of away teams doing that, was it a regular thing for away teams to do?
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: dave.woodhall on January 14, 2020, 12:06:45 PM
I thought this would be the most relevant thread to post this question.

Someone put up footage of us playing Watford in the 80s and the Watford players warmed up before the game in front of the Holte. This completely threw me, I have no recollection of away teams doing that, was it a regular thing for away teams to do?

They did it occasionally as a bit of a wind-up.
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: Godfrey Brian on January 14, 2020, 08:09:51 PM
I thought this would be the most relevant thread to post this question.

Someone put up footage of us playing Watford in the 80s and the Watford players warmed up before the game in front of the Holte. This completely threw me, I have no recollection of away teams doing that, was it a regular thing for away teams to do?
As Dave has said occasionally away teams would do so much in the same way that some would choose to kick towards the Holte second half if they won the toss. It did get me thinking about one of the other  pre match rituals lost to modern times. Around 45 minutes before kick off the away side would wander out of the tunnel in their civvies and shuffle around the pitch in groups testing the pitch to decide which boots to wear.I suppose that today's more structured and lengthy warm ups have made that obsolete.
Title: Re: The Holte’s Last Stand
Post by: steamer on January 14, 2020, 08:29:09 PM
Best was, the Arsenal/Sammy Morgan replay Rd 3 FA cup
Villa ran out first and went to the Witton end.
arsenal ran out and had to go to the Holte.
The rest is History
SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal