Happy 30th!

[brackley]

So it was thirty years ago today. Some memories from back then....

Drinking in the Queens Head the night before, where even a couple of Bluenoses grudgingly told us to 'bring it back'.

Gathering at that burger van at Snow Hill before heading to New Street for the overnight train.

Our mate Paul getting nicked for drunkenly attempting to borrow a Union Jack from the top of the Holiday Inn Reception, he still made it.

Waking up near Dover with commemorative Travel Club pennants on our laps.

A beautiful crossing on the ferry on a day with weather just like today, there had been rumours that the government were about to commandeer all cross channel ferries for use in the Falklands War.

Hordes of police and baying police dogs awaiting us at Ostend.

The afternoon football match with the Germans outside the stadium, it was here that a young lad was hit by a car after looking the wrong way crossing the road.

Singing 'God Save The Queen' as the teams came out.

Absolute mayhem when the goal went in. Like others, i was knocked to the floor and to see the ball nestling in the opposite corner of the net after going in off the post was pure joy.

Despite the ups and downs of following our club, and the general disregard of our achievement, i'm proud to say that i was there when it mattered, and i still proudly show off my fading i-d card to puzzled present day Sky Watchers.

Oh, and our mate Paul was later fined and lectured in court, may God have mercy on his soul.

[dave.woodhall]

For those that went to the game (I wasn't even born, sadly) how much were the tickets and were they easy to get hold of? Did things like Season Ticket Holders with X away games get priority etc?

You had to be a Travellers Club member and go with them to officially get a ticket but apart from that they had no criteria. Tickets were about the equivalent of £7; if you went over unofficially they were easy enough to get hold of. The ground was about a quarter empty.   

[Chris Jameson]

For those that went to the game (I wasn't even born, sadly) how much were the tickets and were they easy to get hold of? Did things like Season Ticket Holders with X away games get priority etc?

I managed to get two tickets no problem but as far I remember I got them as part of the Villa travel package.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Kick off was 8.15pm local time. Thats 7.15pm in the UK.
With the goal being in the 67th minute, I suggest you raise a glass at about 8.40pm? to celebrate the goal.

Right now its a little over an hour to kick off, seen and enjoyed the mass kick around with the Bayern fans earlier, getting in the stadium and its starting to get busy... and I'm starting to feel nervous.

[PeterWithesShin]

8.32pm by my maths. Which are quite possibly (or even probably) wrong.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

8.32pm by my maths. Which are quite possibly (or even probably) wrong.

I was thinking a bit over 10 minutes for half time plus a slight stoppage with Rimmer coming off. Shall we all agree on 8.35pm?

[PeterWithesShin]

8.32pm by my maths. Which are quite possibly (or even probably) wrong.

I was thinking a bit over 10 minutes for half time plus a slight stoppage with Rimmer coming off. Shall we all agree on 8.35pm?

Agreed. Then again, I may just drink solidly for 10 minutes between 8.30pm and 8.40pm. Just to be on the safe side of course.

[PeterWithesShin]

And does anyone else who watched it on TV remember the Ansells advert that came on in the first commercial break after the final whistle? That ad has stayed in my mind ever since.

[greenwichvilla]

For those that went to the game (I wasn't even born, sadly) how much were the tickets and were they easy to get hold of? Did things like Season Ticket Holders with X away games get priority etc?

You had to be a Travellers Club member and go with them to officially get a ticket but apart from that they had
no criteria. Tickets were about the equivalent of £7; if you went over unofficially they were easy enough to get hold of. The ground was about a quarter empty.   

Wow. How times change. Really wish I'd been alive to see it.

[mikeb1982]

I was a month and two days old, at least I was alive. To be fair if it happens again there is a chance I'll be so excited I shit myself then burst into tears, which is apparently what I did when my dad cheered when we scored

[Flamingo Lane]

I was there, 21 years old.  The all-in return travel, including the match ticket, cost me £32.

[flybo]

I love May 26th time for a beer 

[The Left Side]

I was 7 and watching it on ITV with the family, we went apeshit when the goal went in!

[Chris Jameson]

Spurs unremarkably won the FA Cup final replay the following night against QPR and that always seems to get more of a mention to this day

My mate and I went to the replay (my brother is a QPR supporter and got tickets)and when we picked up the tickets from Loftus Road went for a drink in the pub next door. As we stood at the bar, a couple of 'pwoper naughty geezers' came up to us and asked if we had been to Rotterdam, when they learned we had they bought us drinks and insisted we sit with them and their mates and have a few drinks and they would look after us and give us a lift to Wembley.

Thankfully we managed to give them the slip when we got to the stadium as we realised they were nutters, pissed nutters by this stage. Stood with the QPR supporters in a Villa shirt and it was amazing how many were congratulating us.

[Marlon From Bearwood]

What a wonderful thread this is, I'm loving the stories from those who were there. I'm so jealous of you. I was 6 at the time and had just been to my first two Villa games with my dad at the end of the 81/82 season. I went to see the reception up town after, and have my photo of me and my dad with the trophy, but am gutted that I missed seeing our greatest ever moment in person. If only I'd been born ten years earlier!