26 years ago today

[Chico Hamilton III]

Rare appearance at Villa Park for Ivo Stas:



The Guardian (London)


September 20, 1990

Soccer: Villa show right finish for Venglos - Uefa Cup: Aston Villa 3, Banik Ostrava 1

BYLINE: By DAVID LACEY



 EUROPEAN football is not all about glamorous nights, especially in the early stages. It sometimes takes a lot of hard work to break down the organisation of teams from faraway places with strange-sounding names, knowing that any sort of lead will take a lot of protecting in, say, the coalfields of Moravia.
Last night Aston Villa passed the test but only after Banik Ostrava had gone ahead and threatened to dominate a lively and eventful opening leg. Until Ian Olney's header 12 minutes from the end gave Villa the cushion of a two-goal lead, the Czechoslovakian side looked like gaining slightly the more satisfaction from the evening.

Aston Villa may now be under Czechoslovakian management but their win owed more to the style of Graham Taylor, now in charge of England and hoping to achieve success through similar means. Two of their goals followed shrewd and accurate free-kicks from Gordon Cowans, and they did not put prolonged pressure on the Banik defence until Jozef Venglos had sent on Ormondroyd for Gage at half-time.
Up to that point Venglos had been content to let Cascarino play a lone role through the middle, with Daley roving from wing to wing hoping to use his explosions of speed to unsettle Banik's close-marking defenders. The introduction of Ormondroyd gave Villa's attack a better balance and curbed the Banik threat on the right which had become their most consistent line of approach.

Even the loss of Cascarino, who damaged a knee attempting a clumsy tackle on Kubanek and went off 10 minutes into the second half, proved beneficial for Villa. His replacement, Olney, held the ball to better effect and his scoring header had the timing and direction that Cascarino's earlier efforts had lacked.

Aston Villa's players, by no means all of whom had experienced the complexities of an Eastern European defence and the dangers posed on the break, had to learn quickly. They spent much of the first half playing to Banik's strengths, trying to find Cascarino with vague long passes and seeing move after move break down either because the service was inaccurate or the recipient's first touch was poor.

Banik Ostrava, by contrast, were neat and imaginative and sliced thin slivers off Villa's cover before scoring in the 31st minute. Kula's early pass had sent Horvath clear at the start of the game and only a good covering tackle by Mountfield prevented a goal. When Necas found the angle and weight of pass to send in Chylec on the left no defender was near enough to stop Spink being beaten by a firm left-footed shot into the far corner of the net.

With Stas giving an immaculate performance as sweeper and Kula making telling runs from the deep, Banik looked well capable of returning home with the result they wanted, but Aston Villa took only a minute to equalise, Cowans's free-kick ricocheting off Cascarino for Platt to run the loose ball past Srnicek.

Villa went ahead three minutes after losing Cascarino and with a goal almost wholly conceived and executed by defenders. McGrath found Platt in space near the Banik goal and the England player allowed Price, who had already started a diagonal run, to take the ball from his feet and set up a chance for Mountfield which the centre-back took cleanly.

Aston Villa played with much more poise after that and completed their victory when Olney met Cowans's free-kick from the left with an excellent glancing header. Olney blotted an otherwise impressive display by being cautioned in the 90th minute for a foul on Stesa, but all in all Villa could feel pleased with their return to the European stage even if it had taken them a little while to remember the lines.

Aston Villa: Spink; Price, Gray, McGrath, Mountfield, Nielsen, Daley, Platt, Gage (Ormondroyd, h-t), Cowans, Cascarino (Olney, 55min).

Banik Ostrava: Srnicek; Horvath, Kubanek, Kula, Skarabela, Sialini, Chylek, Stas, Ollender, Necas, Palinek.

Referee: M Neuner (West Germany).

[castlefields_villan]

I remember this game :

English clubs finally back in Europe after a 5 year absence, I seem to remember the commentary of Peter Withe's winning goal 8 years earlier being played prior to the teams coming out.

Was it Brain Moore's tv commentary (as across the North Stand) or was it a far more excited George Gavin ?

[darren woolley]

I was also at this game.

[castlefields_villan]

Probably doesn't sound like much today - but after 5 years in the wilderness it was great to be back in Europe.

What a cracking 2nd round first leg against Inter Milan as well a few weeks later - shame we were "robbed/unlucky" in the return game.

[Pat McMahon]

I was living in Paris so never saw this game but the report does highlight how shite Cascarino was.

I was never able to fathom why GT bought him, though he did have a successful time at Marseille.

[castlefields_villan]

It was the year we were making a serious challenge at the title and at times looked like we could do it - maybe GT couldn't decide that neither Olney or Ormandroydd were out and out centre forwards and Cascarino had in the past looked the real deal.

Panic buy perhaps ?

[The Left Side]

26 years ago, makes me feel very old.

[Deano's Mullet]

It was the year we were making a serious challenge at the title and at times looked like we could do it - maybe GT couldn't decide that neither Olney or Ormandroydd were out and out centre forwards and Cascarino had in the past looked the real deal.

Panic buy perhaps ?

He'd got eleven goals for Millwall at the time we bought him. Fifteen the year before.

[Darlo Dave]

This reminds me of me and my mate, running around the playground, singing... "Banik Ostrava are a load of rubbish."

We were both 28 years old, and teachers, but never mind.

[cdbearsfan]

Don't remember much about it except thinking that Czechoslovakia seemed exotic. Remember watching the Second Leg on a screen at Villa Park which lost the picture for a good while.

[Villa in Denmark]

I know I was there, but can remember absolutely nothing about it.

With regards Cascarino, is just urban legend that Doug went to Milwall to do a deal for Sheringham and Cascarino but only brought one home as they wouldn't sell both?

[dave.woodhall]

I know I was there, but can remember absolutely nothing about it.

With regards Cascarino, is just urban legend that Doug went to Milwall to do a deal for Sheringham and Cascarino but only brought one home as they wouldn't sell both?

Taylor wanted Sheringham, Millwall wouldn't sell him. Doug said he'd have a word with his mate, Millwall chairman Reg Burr. Taylor said if he couldn't get Sheringham, Cascarino might be worth up to £750k. The master businessman paid £1.4 million.

[Villa in Denmark]

Thanks. I knew there was something about wanting Sheringham in there.

[Dave Wall]

Seem to remember the club asking fans to bring there flags to this game being the first match back in Europe...Also remember singing we got Tony Cascarino in a chair 😂😂😂🚑

[cdbearsfan]

I know I was there, but can remember absolutely nothing about it.

With regards Cascarino, is just urban legend that Doug went to Milwall to do a deal for Sheringham and Cascarino but only brought one home as they wouldn't sell both?

Taylor wanted Sheringham, Millwall wouldn't sell him. Doug said he'd have a word with his mate, Millwall chairman Reg Burr. Taylor said if he couldn't get Sheringham, Cascarino might be worth up to £750k. The master businessman paid £1.4 million.

Wasn't it quite common for clubs to pay over the odds in those days, particularly when a large tax bill was due?