Blackpool v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[Olneythelonely]

Anybody know any pubs in Blackpool showing the game?

Anyone know any pubs in mids showing the game ?

Try Rococco on broad street always a great atmosphere.

Pleasure.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

This is how I remember the Sunderland game:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44242040@N08/4058579337/in/pool-18517686@N00/

The Blackpool game was brilliant, we were building up so much momentum, a League Cup win, great football and heading for promotion, nobody wanted to miss a game no matter where it was. It was a midweek game and I remember my dad coming to my school to take me out early. As usual they'd be loads of cars with Villa scarves hanging out the window as we drove up. We were Saunders' Army and there was no stopping us as we invaded Blackpool. Magical times.

Your memory is playing tricks on you, Mark. Blackpool was on the Saturday, Sheffield Wednesday was the midweek game when their end was full of Villa and we clinched promotion.

I was supposed to be going to Blackpool with my mate and his dad but they let me down. Didn't let on to my mom and got the coach up on my own. Not having a clue what I was doing when I got there I paid to get into the wrong stand then had to ask a copper to let me change ends. Another copper then accused me of trying to take a weapon into the stand, it was a Mars Bar, and said I either had to eat it or he'd have it. So that left me, just a school kid, on my own with nothing to eat and hardly any money. It was fantastic.

You're right. I hadn't had my coffee this morning when I posted. Well that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it.

Great story about young Smithers and his Mars Bar. I expect to see it in Viz next month.

[DeHavilland]

 This led to a final count down the following week at home to Sunderland. We won 2.0 in front of 57,000,but as they say "that is another story"

That game v Sunderland was my first experience of a first team game. Ten years old, sat in the Witton with my Grandad. I'd only been to a few reserves games before that.

In 1975 we played Blackpool at their tip on [o.k 3 days later] my 19th birthday.It also coincided with our promotion run in and Easter.

To celebrate the ocasion I did what at the time was a regular thing , that was to organise two coaches to the game.
I had two coaches arrive outside the back of New Street station,next to the Mulberry Bush.
My sales pitch was to go onto the station and offer a ticket cheaper than the football special along with the added attraction of being able to stay late and drink in Blackpool.

It was a very attractive offer and the coaches were packed. We had the obligatory stop at Tescos first so that we could stock up on whatever the special was for the day.
Off we went.
As an aside this used to be a very profitable venture. As an apprentice earning +/- 25 pounds a week I could make about 50p a seat. 2 coaches @ 52 seats per coach X 50p = 52pounds profit.
To put that into perspective, a pint was about 50p.

We were in Blackpool in time for quite a few pints before the game.
My Villa record book says that the attendance was 20,762. there had to be 10,000 Villa fans there that day.
To be sure of promotion we had to win and Sunderland had to lose.

We did our bit and won 3.0
Early news was that Sunderland had lost. This lead to celebrations and Congas all around the ground and onto the pitch.
The news was wrong and I think that Sunderland drew. This led to a final count down the following week at home to Sunderland. We won 2.0 in front of 57,000,but as they say "that is another story"

Back to Blackpool 1975, what a night. Ten thousand Villa fans celebrating what we were assured was promotion.
Fnaly,homeward bound.
The coach dropped us off outside New Street in the early hours.
My abiding memory is, that despite making two weeks earnings as a profit I did not have enough money for the night service fare on the 14 bus to get home.

I hope that tomorrow we get a similar result and that all those going have a great day out.
Meanwhile I shall be enjoying some great memories while following the match thread.

For interest the coach company was Sealandair , I know Bernie was on the coach, but any other old steamers lurking out there,post a note.
It could be you that I owe the bus fare to !

In 1975 we played Blackpool at their tip on [o.k 3 days later] my 19th birthday.It also coincided with our promotion run in and Easter.

To celebrate the ocasion I did what at the time was a regular thing , that was to organise two coaches to the game.
I had two coaches arrive outside the back of New Street station,next to the Mulberry Bush.
My sales pitch was to go onto the station and offer a ticket cheaper than the football special along with the added attraction of being able to stay late and drink in Blackpool.

It was a very attractive offer and the coaches were packed. We had the obligatory stop at Tescos first so that we could stock up on whatever the special was for the day.
Off we went.
As an aside this used to be a very profitable venture. As an apprentice earning +/- 25 pounds a week I could make about 50p a seat. 2 coaches @ 52 seats per coach X 50p = 52pounds profit.
To put that into perspective, a pint was about 50p.

We were in Blackpool in time for quite a few pints before the game.
My Villa record book says that the attendance was 20,762. there had to be 10,000 Villa fans there that day.
To be sure of promotion we had to win and Sunderland had to lose.

We did our bit and won 3.0
Early news was that Sunderland had lost. This lead to celebrations and Congas all around the ground and onto the pitch.
The news was wrong and I think that Sunderland drew. This led to a final count down the following week at home to Sunderland. We won 2.0 in front of 57,000,but as they say "that is another story"

Back to Blackpool 1975, what a night. Ten thousand Villa fans celebrating what we were assured was promotion.
Fnaly,homeward bound.
The coach dropped us off outside New Street in the early hours.
My abiding memory is, that despite making two weeks earnings as a profit I did not have enough money for the night service fare on the 14 bus to get home.

I hope that tomorrow we get a similar result and that all those going have a great day out.
Meanwhile I shall be enjoying some great memories while following the match thread.

For interest the coach company was Sealandair , I know Bernie was on the coach, but any other old steamers lurking out there,post a note.
It could be you that I owe the bus fare to !

Yeps I was on the coach - I always used to wonder how "Gay" the pink livery looked when we went with Sealandair, but I really didn't give a toss - and I guess we were actually running out of choses at that stage - was that the year there was a coach load of Sunderland fans parked next to our coach when we returned to the car park ?