Cheer up Aston Villa

[steamer]

After a number of beers on a Friday night I decided to forget the doom and gloom inspired from our current position and read through some of my old programes and Villa Books.

If anyone can put their hands on it, The First 100 years by Peter Morris is classic.
If you can bear with this read what he has to say in his, "Epilogue to a century"

[iThe door to the lavishly appointed guest room at Villa Park was open and in the corridor the little boys ,dodging the commisionaire ,were calling for Brian Little and John Gidman.
Quite rightly, they took no notice of myself and the elderly bald-headed man ,bespectacled,stooping a little,who was finishing his tea.
He looked at them for a moment, a whimsical look.
He moved to the long windows overlooking the now desreted pitch.
" every time you come here it must bring back memoties Pongo" I said.
He stared out for a long while . I thought he had forgotten I was there.
"Aye" he suddenly said,aye, they are a great club...... the greatest"
I stood and looked with him,this old mand whose Goals had set the Villa crowds roaring so many years ago.
It was not quite dusk on that March afternoon and I saw them too... they were out again,the old ghosts..,Jack Hughes,scorer of Aston Villa,s first goal...George Ramsay....The Hunter brothers...Willie McGregor...Denny Hodgetts...Legion upon Legion of them on parade now,filling the feild with Claret and Blue...the century with pride.

Enough to put a tear in your eye.
Fuck The Ginger one the Tradition will continue.

[villan from luton]

Agree that book is a brilliant read. I got hold of one when taken round the north stand when it was being built by bloke who is like an older brother to me who was working on it. We have a great history and should be proud of that. When I first left school, used to go up to the library in town and look at old fiches and get reports on all the old Villa games. Made a big dossier on games going back to the 1940's, loved reading about how the fans were amongst the most fanatical around and so we were when i first started watching in 1970

[big 1st serve]

 Well Steamer  I ,ve read that bit many times & your right , it does get you

  If you get the chance , check out ;

  "Villa in the Blood"    by  Bernard Bale,  To be read when in need of inspiration

   Ok , so I ,m chillin watchin Bill Withers on BBC4, & the only thing I,m lookin forward to tomorrow is gettin my lads
   
    Renault fixed in time so I can have a few with me Mates in The Bartons, however at the end of the day,
    (insert further cliches where applicable)
    We are the Villa ,
    PS  Had a few Jaipur now , so sorry about the typing!
   

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Jaipur!
Lovely!
Got a few in the fridge but saving them to celebrate tomorrow's win over Fulham!

[big 1st serve]

  Stop Press

   Jaipur , on draught just gone !

   Moving on to Mad Goose !

   Keep The Faith ,

   It Could be worse,

   We could be supporters of Wishy Washy Laundry FC !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Mad Goose - good choice.
You obviously like the same hoppy stuff as me!

[villan from luton]

First hero was Bruce Rioch, always remember my first Villa shirt, yellow away shirt with blue collar, had number 4 on its back. Had left foot as well, but not with the power Bruce had. Some great great memories. Having a guiness to celebrate the likes of Paul McGrath, Sammy Morgan and Chris Nicholl (I know he was English though lol)

[big 1st serve]

 Bruce Rioch had the hardest shot in football , back in the day

 My 1st midweek game v Carlisle, He played with a brace on his wrist & scored a screamer from 25 yds

  My 1 st low point as a Villa Fan was when he was sold to Derby for £200,000 !!!

  Sadly, there were many others to follow,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

  PS  I Still have the No 4 ,well they were sew on then you know, pps i,m 52 now ffs !!!!!!!

[villan from luton]

big 1st serve, think that was my first low point as well when Rioch left. Yes there were many more to follow, but at least we can always fall back on the old times. Atmosphere was brilliant in those days and especially so in the evening games

[Dave Clark Five]

Those days before we were relegated to Division Three were when the ground had an incredible atmosphere. We were all there, no matter what, and did we enjoy the years to follow or what?

[villan from luton]

I certainly enjoyed nearly every minute from when I first started going. My first season ticket was 74/75 season, what a lucky git eh

[big 1st serve]

 There were so many elements that made an evening game special, the AV floodlights, we were Special

  No body else could do that!

  It hurt  when Rioch went, however can u imagine the spin dockters of to day working with::::

  3rd Div Champs to Champs of Europe in 10 Years ,
  Happy Harry would have a field day with that, oh & David Gold would probably name a marital aid after that,

[villan from luton]

What was your favourite season in that 10 year span then big 1st serve

[big 1st serve]

76-77

  for me. I know we actually acheived more later , but we were The Business in 76-77

  We won a number of games that season 5-1  at home ,

   Remember turning to a mate on the Holte before we played KKK fC ,

   " I dont think we,ll win 5-1 tonight "

    PS This has to be taken into context as I saw Boris Becker win the World Juniors in 1985 & FAILED to put £5 on him to win Wimbeldon that year @ 100-1!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tucson Villain]

A few hours behind the rest of you and few beers worse for wear, but the sentiment is the same- We are Aston Villa.
Thousands of miles away and I can't wait for tomorrows game, win, lose or draw we are Villa.