A very interesting photo!

[dcdavecollett]

The context for this was the deliberately-engineered Thatcher recession to crush the working-class scum (sound familiar?). I'm sure a lot of people's disposable income (those that had it) might not stretch to going to the Villa if you were one of the three million. The West Midlands was one of the worst-hit areas.

Of course, the 1979 Tory election platform promised to reduce unemployment before duly trebling it! As one comedian of the time quipped: "The Tories said, 'Labour's Not Working'. Well, no-one's working now!!"

[LeeB]

The context for this was the deliberately-engineered Thatcher recession to crush the working-class scum (sound familiar?). I'm sure a lot of people's disposable income (those that had it) might not stretch to going to the Villa if you were one of the three million. The West Midlands was one of the worst-hit areas.

Of course, the 1979 Tory election platform promised to reduce unemployment before duly trebling it! As one comedian of the time quipped: "The Tories said, 'Labour's Not Working'. Well, no-one's working now!!"

When we were going for the title in 92-93 we got sub 20k gates, I remember Middlesborough on the TV after Christmas getting about 18k, and that was against the backdrop of recession

[WarszaVillan]

The context for this was the deliberately-engineered Thatcher recession to crush the working-class scum (sound familiar?). I'm sure a lot of people's disposable income (those that had it) might not stretch to going to the Villa if you were one of the three million. The West Midlands was one of the worst-hit areas.

Of course, the 1979 Tory election platform promised to reduce unemployment before duly trebling it! As one comedian of the time quipped: "The Tories said, 'Labour's Not Working'. Well, no-one's working now!!"

There was also the issue of hooliganism. Going in the 80s you'd quite regularly see some sort of trouble break out in and around the ground. A lot my friends' parents wouldn't take their kids to a match because of it.

[Godfrey Brian]

I could get nowhere near my usual Holte End spot that night and ended up watching from a crammed gang way. Despite all the other relegation battles and difficult times, walking away from that match was one of my lowest Villa supporting feelings.  I think it was something about coming close to something you never thought you would witness Villa achieve. Of course Ron Saunders had a different response!

[Sunny Villa]

I looked at the Queue, and paid into the Witton end where there was many other Vila fans.

I stood occasionally on that spot which is just by the steps leading down from Aston Hall...

[Sunny Villa]

It's not the Besiktas game, I was there and there was a lot less there on the hill, I went the away game which was an interesting and eventful trip on Trans Alpino

[Pat McMahon]

It's not the Besiktas game, I was there and there was a lot less there on the hill, I went the away game which was an interesting and eventful trip on Trans Alpino

Sunny, was it you that ended up taking a long route home from Istanbul, getting back to Brum a month later?

[Border villan]

1969
59,000 + for the fa cup replay against Southampton. That was rammed.

[Sunny Villa]

Ha ha there was two one chap got a Ship home, I did the circular route Martin Shaw of the Evening Mail was there and was going to do a story on it, I declined the exposure so he did one on the other lad

It's not the Besiktas game, I was there and there was a lot less there on the hill, I went the away game which was an interesting and eventful trip on Trans Alpino

Sunny, was it you that ended up taking a long route home from Istanbul, getting back to Brum a month later?