24 years ago today

[Chico Hamilton III]

When football was still proper:



Football: Thompson heads for promotion By VINCE WRIGHT
463 words
14 December 1987
The TimesT
English
(c) 1987 Times Newspapers Limited. All rights reserved

Birmingham City ......... 1 Aston Villa ............. 2 We are only half-way through the season, yet Aston Villa's victory on Saturday was their ninth away from home, making them the League's most successful travellers. If Villa could show the same conviction and discipline at home, where they have won just three games, then promotion would be virtually assured.
One suspects that Villa have already exceeded the expectations of their manager, Graham Taylor, who was highly critical of the way the club had been run before he arrived during the summer. Taylor warned the supporters not to expect an instant transformation in Villa's fortunes, but, having climbed to third, they are well placed for a quick return to the first division.
It is a long time since the Press box at St Andrew's has been so cramped or the ground so full. The teams gave the crowd of 26,000 value for money in a typically hectic Midlands derby. Fervour was more evident than flair, although Walters gave us some magical moments in the second half.
The result was a trifle harsh on Birmingham, who played the more fluent football, Kennedy, Childs, Overson and Trewick were four who did not deserve to be on the losing side, but with Whitton and Rees unavailable Birmingham's attack lacked a cutting edge. As if to emphasize the problem, Birmingham were sunk by two marvellous headers from Thompson, who brought his tally to six in four matches.
Villa's right back, Gage, was the provider on both occasions. Overson should have dealt with his cross after 13 minutes, but allowed Thompson to run in front of him and make decisive contact. For the second goals, after 55 minutes, Lillis gave Gage a chance to centre from the right and Thompson rose majestically above the Birmingham defence to direct the ball beyond Godden.
Sandwiched between these efforts was Kennedy's extraordinary 18th minute equalizer. His shot appeared to clip a post and go out, but the bail had gone in before passing through a hole in the side netting.
Vandals broke into St Andrew's on Friday night and stole the goal nets, so new ones had to be fixed. There was trouble on the terraces during the match too, with the police making 32 arrests and play being interrupted by a spectator running on the pitch.
-------------------------------------- BIRMINGHAM CITY: -------------------------------------- A Godden; R Ranson, J Trewick, B Roberts, V Overson, J Frain (sub: G Russell), D Bremner, G Childs, A Kennedy, I Handysides, S Wigley. -------------------------------------- ASTON VILLA: -------------------------------------- N Spink; K Gage, B Gallacher, M Lillis, S Sims, M Keown, P Birch, W Aspinall, G Thompson, S Gray, M Walters. -------------------------------------- Referee: R Bridges. -------------------------------------- (c) Times Newspapers Ltd, 1987

[Marlon From Bearwood]

Good article that. I was at that game, and remember 2 great headers from Bruno. The crowd trouble, which only merited one sentence at the end of that article, was far, far worse than last year's flare throwing which was headline news on Sky news. How times change.

[He wears a magic hat]

My 18th Birthday.

What a way to spend it. Watch Garry Thompson out jump Vince Overson not once but twice to power headers into the net for a beautiful birthday present. Made all the sweeter having listened to my Nose mate tell me how he was gonna put Bruno in is pocket.

Take life in hand down Garrison Lane en route to meet some mates before carrying on into town for my first legitimate piss up.

What a perfect day

[Damo70]

If I remember right within a few weeks around the Christmas period we had Garry Thompson, Allan Evans and Tony Daley all come back from injuries that had kept them out since the start of the season. It was like having three new signings.

[nick harper]

I went that day but didn't get in. The crush outside the Tilton terrace was frightening. There was a slope down to the turnstiles back then and with late arrivals and police horses adding to the panic, we gave up and managed to get ourselves back up the slope.

Sixteen months before Hillsborough.

[The Left Side]

Me and my brother had to go in the blose end with my uncle, there was a nasty crush there too but made it in just before Bruno's first goal.

[ez]

I went. There was fights breaking out in different parts of the ground that day. I remember the steps in the gangways of that away end were long and sloping and when it was icy i always feared i'd go flying.

[Pat McMahon]

It was my 25th birthday and I went up from Euston with the London Lions with a raging hangover. The crush outside the Tilton was terrifying - the most scared I have ever been at a game anywhere. 2 turnstiles open for thousands of Villa fans and despite arriving at 2.15 I got in at 3.25 and missed the 2 goals. Many either left to go home or went into the kop, which hardly helped the crowd trouble in the second half.

Cracking header from Bruno made it all worthwhile though. The journey back to New st was fun as it kicked off all over the place, as it always did in those days.

IIRC the fans who broke in the Friday night also sprayed AVFC in weedkiller on the pitch. I had an alibi as I was splattered in several pubs on expensive London beer.....

[Marlon From Bearwood]

IIRC the fans who broke in the Friday night also sprayed AVFC in weedkiller on the pitch. I had an alibi as I was splattered in several pubs on expensive London beer.....
[/quote]

Correct. At the time my cousin (a Nose) worked at The Sty as one of the lads who used to fix the pitch at half time, replacing divots with their pitch forks etc, and I remember him telling me that.

[Chris Harte]

I was behind the goal and remember the crushing particularly when we scored.

The vandalism the night before was reported in the local press, although I'd always assumed it was paint, not weedkiller.

[usav]

The goals from this game were posted here once upon a time.   I don't seem to be able to find them now.

[Damo70]

My first and last ever visit to the blues club shop was early in the new year to get the video of the game. Just a VHS video in a normal sleeve with Birmingham v Villa and the date on the label where your mum used to write 'mums tape - do not touch'.

[snetta]

I went that day but didn't get in. The crush outside the Tilton terrace was frightening. There was a slope down to the turnstiles back then and with late arrivals and police horses adding to the panic, we gave up and managed to get ourselves back up the slope.

Sixteen months before Hillsborough.

We were getting crushed just outside the turnstiles when the Police opened the big double gates letting in hundreds of Villa fans without paying.