First Villa Match

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

My 1st game , April 72, v Torquay , 5-1  , Brian Little hat trick,
 I thought , this is great, it must be like this every week, However..........

This was Brian Littles debut and he scored just the one, the hat tricks followed later.

[Beijing Villan]

Growing up my family was a mix of Villa fans, Blues fans and Wolves fans (plus nowadays a Baggie as a brother-in-law) but as my Nan was a Villa fan that's where my loyalties lay. However, my Dad had other ideas.

So, the first ever game I attended was at the Molineux, my old man being a Wolves fan. Saw the black and gold play against Fulham who had Best and Marsh playing - even unfit and nearing their dotage they were a class above the rest of the players on the pitch.

Next game was on a trip to London, one of my cousins took me to a Spurs v Arsenal game later that season.

My third game was a Villa game at home, think an uncle took me. Don't remember the opposition, all I can recall was my feeling of awe at the size and sound of the Holte End and how magnificent it was to be in the cathedral that is Villa Park. That sealed the deal - and so began 30 odd years of ecstacy and agony.

[sid1964]

Leicester at home 1975 - My first hero scored the equaliser - Ray Graydon

Still remember looking at the holte end and thinking it looked like Mount Everest

[UsualSuspect]

My main memories of it are seeing the pitch as I stepped into the ground, wondering why I couldn't hear Brian Moore commentating, and the fact it was so muddy that Villa came out in a clean shirts for the second half !

I started going with my Dad in the mid 70s. We always used to sit in the Witton, and the one thing which sticks in my mind like it was yesterday, the image that really struck me, was getting to the top of the stairs and seeing the incredibly green pitch in front of me.

Those are the things you don't forget.

I agree with you Paulie. My first glimpse of the pitch as I went up the steps underneath that white wall on the left side of the Holte always gave me a tingle of excitement. I still enjoy my first view of the pitch even now as a mid-40's curmudgeon!

Total agree about the steps on the left side of the Holte

First game for me was West ham at home first game of the season in 1976.

Boiling hot day, 40,000 crowd, nil nil at half time then Gray and Little both scored two each in front of the Holte

[john e]

Mansfield v Villa in the old 3rd div.

i was living in Mansfield at the time.  all i can rememmber is that Villa fans just took over the whole ground.

think it was a draw, when we needed a win for promotion

[Comrade Blitz]

March 1997 vs West Ham

My name was announced on the tannoy at half-time

(my first visit to VP was at Euro 96 - Switzerland vs Holland)

[BILL DE VALL]

Growing up my family was a mix of Villa fans, Blues fans and Wolves fans (plus nowadays a Baggie as a brother-in-law) but as my Nan was a Villa fan that's where my loyalties lay. However, my Dad had other ideas.

So, the first ever game I attended was at the Molineux, my old man being a Wolves fan. Saw the black and gold play against Fulham who had Best and Marsh playing - even unfit and nearing their dotage they were a class above the rest of the players on the pitch.
Next game was on a trip to London, one of my cousins took me to a Spurs v Arsenal game later that season.
My third game was a Villa game at home, think an uncle took me. Don't remember the opposition, all I can recall was my feeling of awe at the size and sound of the Holte End and how magnificent it was to be in the cathedral that is Villa Park. That sealed the deal - and so began 30 odd years of ecstacy and agony.

my old man (the very same as above as beijing villa is my bro) took me to see Ireland vs England schoolboy international at VP some time in the very early 80s( Molineux not being fit for human consumption then)
I remember standing there with a green rosette on the old wooden fold down seats thinking "this is it I AM HOME"( brings a tear to my eye to remember that feeling)
Villa and ireland ever since

[Nelly]

My first game was (I think) in the 95/96 season when Little was in charge. I was lucky enough to be on my mate's season ticket but we lost 3-1 to Martin O'Neill's Leicester City. I actually held a grudge and hadn't forgiven him until he became our boss! But I'll never forget how privileged I felt to be sat near the front of the Holte End and just the size, beauty and noise of the stadium.

[willywombat]

I cant remember my very first game, it would have been with my Dad in the early 60's. He's sadly no longer with us so I cant ask him. The first game I went to under my own steam was home to Rochdale in 1971, we won 1-0. I'm sure someone out there can tell me who scored - possibly David Gibson?

[big 1st serve]

April 71, Geoff Vowden ?  ex Nose

[flybo]

Walsall away 1971 first game with dad and my brother sadley my dad is no longer with us and my brother now is a manure fan.

[willywombat]

April 71, Geoff Vowden ?  ex Nose

Could have been. Next home game was a 3-4 defeat at the hands of Wrexham

[Ger Regan]

Villa v Spurs January 1996. 2-1 to the villa, Yorke and God scored for us, Ruel Fox for them. Upper Trinity down near the the then away end. Not a bad way to start!

[Villa in Denmark]

0-0 v the baggies in 79-80 if i remember rightly. 

Only thing I can remember about the game is someone (Morley?) crossed from the Witton Line side of the ground and Tony Godden struggling to get back as the ball drifted onto the cross bar in front of the North Stand.

Big thanks to my former junior school friend Martin and his grandad for the intro to Villa Park, seats level with the edge of the penalty area downstairs in the old Trintiy Road stand

[DBTW]

Villa v Australia at Villa Park. Could any history buffs or anyone better at using the internet than me find out the date, score etc?