Cheer up Aston Villa

[steamer]

After posting this and feeling, "Villanous" I went on to you tube for some inspiration.
1971 league cup final.

plays for about 30 mins, we were the epitome of all my memories, great kit, fantastic support.
What great football, if you can skip the last 10 mins.
Lochead, Anderson, Hamilton. Rioch.
I had forgotten how well Aiken could play.
Captain Godfrey... R.I.P
I also forgot that the National anthem was played after the game, the Villa players on the pich with their losers mugs, band playing " God save the queen" ground singing, " Villa.Villa, Villa"

Jimmy Hill interveiwing Chico and that big nosed Cockney bastard Chivers after the game.
Bill Nicholson being quite lavish in his praise, a bit more class than the current wide boy in charge.

We are Aston Vila

[Simba]

Yup, one of my proudest days of being Villa. We - were -  back!

Wembley rocked to "Villa - Villa" and we were still shouting it when Spurs picked up the jug.

Lose or not it was a proud day. And but for Andy Lochhead's "shot" and goal line clearence or Chico's on the bar. well, just imagine. We deserved it and were the better team on the day as we were in those semi's. The Country saw it.  Lotta pride and we just have to get that back.

[nigel]

Yup, one of my proudest days of being Villa. We - were -  back!

Wembley rocked to "Villa - Villa" and we were still shouting it when Spurs picked up the jug.

Lose or not it was a proud day. And but for Andy Lochhead's "shot" and goal line clearence or Chico's on the bar. well, just imagine. We deserved it and were the better team on the day as we were in those semi's. The Country saw it.  Lotta pride and we just have to get that back.

Sends a tingle down my spine remembering that game.
The one thing that sticks in my mind was we were out singing Spurs as they were collecting the cup and we were still in the ground singing when nearly all the Spurs lot had gone.
I remember the semi final at Villa Park, in the away end with the United lot and a couple of thousand Villa too.
62,000, ahh, those were the days 

[ClarrieBlue]

I remember Bruce Rioch scoring a trademark 30 yard screamer at St Andrews just before we got relegated to the Third Division. Pat McMahon got a tap in for the other in a 2 nil win if my memory is correct. I remember the game well and we played in the Yellow / Blue away kit that has already been mentioned here. I was about 12 and was stood in the Spion Kop with another Villa fan. We must have been mad. We played Oxford at home a few days later and drew nil nil I think - although we may have lost 1 nil. I remember Andy Lochhead had a great headed chance on their line and somehow cleared it rather than scoring lol. Pretty sure Ron Atkinson played for Oxford that day. Hope my memory is correct on all of the above.

[Bernie]

ClarrieBlue, your memories of the match at the Sty seem about right to me, the Rioch screamer is immortalised in song....
".... Dave Latchford's a silly get
A 25-yarder's in the net"

My memory lets me down on the Oxford match- I believe though we played Sheffield United at home before the end of that season in a night game and won 1-0; I've a feeling that if we'd have lost that night we'd have been mathematically doomed to relegation there & then, I'm sure someone will put me right on that! What I am certain of, it was a cracking atmosphere, and that spirit stayed with us for the 2 Division Three years and more.
By the way I think the Spion Kop was the away end anyway then, the Tilton was still their end?

[villan from luton]

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!!!!!!!!!!!

Totally agree with you re 76/77 season, the football was superb, Andy Gray was immense, but Alex Cropley was my favourite player, shame that baggie twat ruined his career the following season

[nigel]

I remember Bruce Rioch scoring a trademark 30 yard screamer at St Andrews just before we got relegated to the Third Division. Pat McMahon got a tap in for the other in a 2 nil win if my memory is correct. I remember the game well and we played in the Yellow / Blue away kit that has already been mentioned here. I was about 12 and was stood in the Spion Kop with another Villa fan. We must have been mad. We played Oxford at home a few days later and drew nil nil I think - although we may have lost 1 nil. I remember Andy Lochhead had a great headed chance on their line and somehow cleared it rather than scoring lol. Pretty sure Ron Atkinson played for Oxford that day. Hope my memory is correct on all of the above.

I thought Rioch joined us when we were in the 3rd division.
Didn't Vic Crowe buy him?
It was Docherty took us down.

[big 1st serve]

5ft 8, tackles late , Alex Cropleys f*****g  Great!!

I think hes now a taxi driver in Jocko Land.

[villan from luton]

I remember Bruce Rioch scoring a trademark 30 yard screamer at St Andrews just before we got relegated to the Third Division. Pat McMahon got a tap in for the other in a 2 nil win if my memory is correct. I remember the game well and we played in the Yellow / Blue away kit that has already been mentioned here. I was about 12 and was stood in the Spion Kop with another Villa fan. We must have been mad. We played Oxford at home a few days later and drew nil nil I think - although we may have lost 1 nil. I remember Andy Lochhead had a great headed chance on their line and somehow cleared it rather than scoring lol. Pretty sure Ron Atkinson played for Oxford that day. Hope my memory is correct on all of the above.

I thought Rioch joined us when we were in the 3rd division.
Didn't Vic Crowe buy him?
It was Docherty took us down.

No he joined when in 2nd division before we were relegated

[nigel]

I remember Bruce Rioch scoring a trademark 30 yard screamer at St Andrews just before we got relegated to the Third Division. Pat McMahon got a tap in for the other in a 2 nil win if my memory is correct. I remember the game well and we played in the Yellow / Blue away kit that has already been mentioned here. I was about 12 and was stood in the Spion Kop with another Villa fan. We must have been mad. We played Oxford at home a few days later and drew nil nil I think - although we may have lost 1 nil. I remember Andy Lochhead had a great headed chance on their line and somehow cleared it rather than scoring lol. Pretty sure Ron Atkinson played for Oxford that day. Hope my memory is correct on all of the above.

I thought Rioch joined us when we were in the 3rd division.
Didn't Vic Crowe buy him?
It was Docherty took us down.

No he joined when in 2nd division before we were relegated

Cheers mate

[SarkGrime]

ClarrieBlue, your memories of the match at the Sty seem about right to me, the Rioch screamer is immortalised in song....
".... Dave Latchford's a silly get
A 25-yarder's in the net"

Not to mention:
"We'll keep the Villa flag flying high
Flying high up in the sky
The City fans they will not mock
When they remember Bruce Rioch"

and

"We'll keep the Villa flag flying high
Flying high up in the sky
The City fans will not forget
That 30-yarder in the net."

[Simba]

Also was at Wembley for the Norwich  Ray Grayon penalty- final (and '94 Man U) but that Spurs game will always be the best. Just the atmosphere and the will to become great again.

Might be a stretch but I think the Man U Semi's and that 71 final were the beginning of new confidence in the Club and ultimately led to'81 - '82.

Tx for those chants. Remember them well and BR is STILL my favourite Villa player.

[ClarrieBlue]

Thanks to Bernie for the Spion Kop / Tilton correction. We probably were on the Tilton - I just recall being totally surrounded by BlueNoses. As I recall, Tommy Docherty kept us up in his first season (68/69) after we looked pretty doomed under Tommy Cummings. One of his first signings was Brian Tiler. In his first close season, he signed Bruce and Neil Rioch, Pat McMahon, Chico Hamilton and possibly the keeper from Shrewsbury - John Phillips. I had a season ticket which cost me 8 guineas and we went into the season (69/70) as favourites for promotion to the First Division. Needless to say The Doc was sacked just after Christmas and we ended up in the Third Division.

[gervilla]

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!
   

I've read a lot of books about The Villa, that has to be the worst written one. Very amateurish.

[E I Adio]

By the way I think the Spion Kop was the away end anyway then, the Tilton was still their end?

If memory serves, from my time in the '60's when my Bluenose mate and I alternated weekends between Villa Park & the Sty, the Spion Kop was a side stand, not one of the ends. You had to be careful where you chose to stand if it was raining, since you were likely to get a free power shower if you stood under one of the holes in the corrugated iron roof.