Walking on Water

[nigel]

Nigel
Not sure of the game you are referring to but the Torquay game ( where we clinched the Div 3 Championship) was a 5-1 drubbing, Little 1, Vowden 2' Lochead, 1 plus og.

Poured with rain, pitch got waterlogged in some areas and although televised I have never seen any clips. Story is that ATV destroyed most of the Star Soccer tapes- pity.

Ah, yes, you're right.
My memory was from our first season in the 3rd division.

[Pat McMahon]

I was an awe struck 9 year old at this game and remember the pouring rain, muddy pitch and, IIRC, Andy Lochhead picking up the Evening Mail Midlands PLayer of the Year award on the pitch before kick off. I think we had finally confirmed promotion during the week away at Mansfield, on the back of a win at Bradford.

I was also at the corresponding fixture the year before that Nigel refers to and to this day I can still see Mickey Cave's goal past John Dunn at the Holte, viewed from the Trinity enclosure. I had no idea who the scorer was but on the green Harper's bus after the game one of those blokes with small portable radios - they were geeks but worth standing by in the pre tech era - told us his name and it has stuck with me ever since.

Until the 5-1 above I think Torquay were a bogey team for us in the 3rd, beating us home and away and knocking us out of the cup too.

[DeKuip]

I remember the Torquay game well, and the previous season's 0-1 (and the FA Cup 1st Rnd defeat by them!) - great days to be a young Villa fan! Also Brian's appearances in the FA Youth Cup that season bring back some fantastic memories.

An earlier poster mentioned the Highbury hat-trick against QPR - for me that night is right up there with the greatest in terms of Villa memories. Our support down there that night was incredible, I'd love to see the goals again if anyone has a link. "Wemberlee, Wemberlee, oh we're all pissed up and we're going to Wemberlee!" was sung all the way home. (our original version before other clubs' fans changed it to "we're the famous whoever")

[Ron Manager]

I remember it well.  It's stored with all the magical memories that Villa have given me over the years.  I was also there when the great Johnny Dixon played his last match against Sheffield Wednesday.  The rise and fall of Villa Giants.

I was there I think it was Charlie Aitken's first game unless Im wrong.

[andrew08]

I also remember a goal of his against the blues. I think it may have been Burridges debut and their best ever player scored for them (can't remember his name but he's been ill I gather lately, best wishes etc).

With the scores at 1-1 BL with his trademark turn (Not Cruyffs, I call it a Little, and he also had a flick that I've never seen since,  with the back of his heel he used to put the ball over the defenders head and run round them, I digress into happier times)

Anyway with the scores at 1-1 he beat the last defender with a Little Turn, took a few paces and nonchalently passed the ball, no caressed,no stroked I don't have the words but the image will stay with me all my life because I was right behind it and knew it was going in, albeit in slow motion past the keeper along the ground into the bottom corner, from the second it left his foot.

I can't think of a better Villa player as a forward that I've seen. I'm not daft enough to put him at world class level but he was our iconic player of that time. I would put his proposed sale to blues as the moment when my childhood ended !

[DeKuip]

The hat-trick v QPR at Highbury. One of THE great nights.

[dave shelley]

Given todays obsession with "stats" how many breaths a player takes when walking up to take a corner and all that shit, it's fucking remarkable just how many assists Denis Mortimer had to his name as a Villa legend.

[willywombat]

Thanks DeKuip, was there on the night and have watched it countless times since but still get the same thrill!

[richard moore]

The hat-trick v QPR at Highbury. One of THE great nights.

Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end

Football will never get as good as that ever again

Over 30 years ago and I can honestly say I remember all of those games in more detail than probably any match this season

[SteveN]

The night at Highbury was simply brilliant, made sweeter by the fact that living in London the press simply assumed QPR would walk all over us.

I have two abiding memories of BL, one at the Old Den when Keith leonard and BL took Milwall apart and secondly the way he always made himself available from throw ins and no matter how close he was marked invariably retained possesion, often using the flick that Andrew08 mentions up the page.

[richard moore]

The night at Highbury was simply brilliant, made sweeter by the fact that living in London the press simply assumed QPR would walk all over us.

I have two abiding memories of BL, one at the Old Den when Keith leonard and BL took Milwall apart and secondly the way he always made himself available from throw ins and no matter how close he was marked invariably retained possesion, often using the flick that Andrew08 mentions up the page.

Bit like the current team then when it comes to throw ins you mean?

[Dave Clark Five]

 I had no idea who the scorer was but on the green Harper's bus after the game one of those blokes with small portable radios - they were geeks but worth standing by in the pre tech era - told us his name and it has stuck with me ever since.

These geeks still exist. I see one at most home games and usually at away cup games where we are playing at a new ground. That was the source of our info in 81 at Highbury. I can still see the anorak-clad bloke, with long, greasy hair, jumping up and down with his radio glued to his ear. It is not unusual for these radios to be held together with tape, after the life they have had.
References in this thread to Andy Lochhead's Evening Mail Player of the Year award bring back great memories. I have a copy of the newstand sheet with the associated picture on the wall at home. They trundled a little table, or similar, onto the pitch to present it.

[Pat McMahon]

 I had no idea who the scorer was but on the green Harper's bus after the game one of those blokes with small portable radios - they were geeks but worth standing by in the pre tech era - told us his name and it has stuck with me ever since.

These geeks still exist. I see one at most home games and usually at away cup games where we are playing at a new ground. That was the source of our info in 81 at Highbury. I can still see the anorak-clad bloke, with long, greasy hair, jumping up and down with his radio glued to his ear. It is not unusual for these radios to be held together with tape, after the life they have had.
References in this thread to Andy Lochhead's Evening Mail Player of the Year award bring back great memories. I have a copy of the newstand sheet with the associated picture on the wall at home. They trundled a little table, or similar, onto the pitch to present it.

I had that on my wall too! Young posters  on here may find it strange to hear that in those days football was rarely televised outside the top flight so we were really making a bigimpression to get on MOTD and push the likes of Derby and Wolves off Star Soccer, never mind have a 3rd Division player as Midlands player of the year.

[Dave Clark Five]

Here it is, Pat.

[Dave Clark Five]

It's a bit hard to read my notes on the back, now that the red ink has faded. I have got Little coming on for Willie Anderson after 31 minutes and Dick Edwards appearing for Torquay, replacing Mal Lucas.