Happy 30th!

[john e]

i went to the semi in Anderlecht but couldnt afford the final itself,
 if i'd have known then what i know now i might have made a greater effort,

 i was 20 years old at the time with my hair cut like Gary Shaw, i watched it on the telly,
 i felt on the night that we were under pressure for the whole game and had one shot which went in of the post, with Spinksy making fantastic save after save, he was a miracle man that night,

 having re watched it many times i've since realised that we actually played a lot better than that, Bayern were the better side overall but then they were 1 nill down and chasing the game for most of the second half,
we created many chances and controlled the game for some periods, all the players were absolutely outstanding on the night, even Mcnaught who i always felt was a weak link at the back, he will always be a Villa hero, but i didnt think so at the time

i was living in Coventry 30 years ago, so it made it even more special to go into work the next day as Champions of Europe, something i was sure we would be winning on a regular basis from now on

[Ron Manager]

We went without tickets and got ours outside the ground from a gentleman of cockney lineage. We ended up in the German end much to our surprise. When Sir Peter scored with that thrilling volley off his shin we celebrated very quietly as the Bayern hoolies were to our right and didnt seem too pleased. For some reason I cant remember now I kept repeating "Dont tell him Pike!" throughout the second half each time Spinky made a save. God knows why!

We were staying on a houseboat in Amsterdam and each year since that wonderful night I go back and have a pint in the first bar we went in
after the match. I remember it tasted like nectar never ever did a pint taste so good.

We were in The Old Sailor in the red light district the following night when these five Liverpool supporters came in. I got talking to one at the bar and it appears they bought tickets early assuming they were going to get to the final...cheeky bar stewards!,. Anyway we all watched QPR V SPURS and slagged Glen Hoddle off together......Marvellous!

[The Laughing Policeman]

Yesterday I  was out with my new sister walking in the Peak District. We stopped for lunch at a pub and we got to talking about times past and I told her that exactly 30 years ago I was in Rotterdam to witness the greatest moment in football history.
Anyway we had an enjoyable day and set off back to Brum and on the Expressway she suddenly turned off and headed to Villa Park, she stopped the car and said she thought I would like to have a walk round the ground on this evening of all evenings. I got out of the car and walked round the outside of the ground with my memories of 30 years ago coming alive in my head.
By sheer coincidence we were at Villa Park about  8.30 - 8.45, although I didn't realise the significance of the time until I read this thread today. So last night I was walking round a deserted Villa Park in total silence just at the moment when 30 years ago to the minute Peter Withe's Shin became the most celebrated piece of human anatomy in history.
Thank you Sis for such an unexpected thoughtful act, I love you even though you are a Baggie.

[olaftab]

Its as if it was written in the stars fir you to end up at VP at that time. Great.
By the way "your new sister"?

[The Left Side]

Yesterday I  was out with my new sister walking in the Peak District. We stopped for lunch at a pub and we got to talking about times past and I told her that exactly 30 years ago I was in Rotterdam to witness the greatest moment in football history.
Anyway we had an enjoyable day and set off back to Brum and on the Expressway she suddenly turned off and headed to Villa Park, she stopped the car and said she thought I would like to have a walk round the ground on this evening of all evenings. I got out of the car and walked round the outside of the ground with my memories of 30 years ago coming alive in my head.
By sheer coincidence we were at Villa Park about  8.30 - 8.45, although I didn't realise the significance of the time until I read this thread today. So last night I was walking round a deserted Villa Park in total silence just at the moment when 30 years ago to the minute Peter Withe's Shin became the most celebrated piece of human anatomy in history.
Thank you Sis for such an unexpected thoughtful act, I love you even though you are a Baggie.

Nice one

[144 Hard Boiled Eggs]

Yes, I'm with you, but I just keep seeing this "Chelsea finished 6th and won it" stuff, when in actual fact they qualified fairly and squarely by the competitions rules, and they will be in it next season as holders despite finishing 6th. So much like us really!

Not at all like us. We qualified as Champions of our country, they didn't. Never has a competition been as ridiculously renamed as 'The Champions League'. As you say, not Chelsea's fault though.

[George E]

I went with my brother Mike, as you can imagine, we often baff on about it teary eyed - amazing night!

I'd left England a few weeks before the final to go to the south of France to work but had been to every home game before I left so I had enough vouchers to get a ticket.

I travelled back up north a couple of days early and had a great time in the Dam the night before the game with hoards of others with the same idea (unexpectedly bumped into a few mates too ... great night) - on the day of the match I travelled to Belgium to meet my brother off the ferry, he'd driven over and brought my ticket with him, before we both headed to Rotterdam.   

We found a bar full of Villa by the ground and had a proper pre-match warm-up.

It was so tense, unbelievable, they were a bloody good team, basically the German national team - they carved out some very good chances and I remember thinking that Rummenigge's overhead kick was in before it whistled past the post.

Then the goal ... shear ecstasy - followed by the longest 20 odd minutes of my life. It was too much for one bloke just along from us, when they scored before we realised it was disallowed - he spewed!

After the game it was back to the bar and party time.

Beyond that we didn't have a plan, past sharing the long drive down to the bottom of France where Mike was going to have a week of so's holiday - so for some reason, probably because I was used to drinking more than him and too excited to sleep, I decided to make a start on the long drive south.

Must have been about 2-3am, we was well in to Belgium, Mike was out for the count and I decided to pull over and have a kip myself. I came off the motorway and ended up in a small town square deserted and completely shut down for the night except for one small bar where the lights were on and there seemed to be life.

I pulled up in a quiet side-street and after failing to rouse him headed for a nightcap still sporting my Villa top. I walked into the bar to be met by a huge cheer - they'd all been in there watching the game and were obviously wrapped that we'd beaten the Germans.

They were as excited about our win as anyone, they fed me beer and food and wouldn't hear of taking any money.

Need less to say it was Mike that did the driving the next morning!   

[Pat McMahon]

Brilliant story George E,

Every Dutch person I met before the game was supporting us too. Didn't realise the Belgians would be on our side as well after Anderlecht away.

[George E]

My old man was in Belgium in 1944, from what he told us they'd been suffered big time - really suffering.

What happened in Anderlecht was simply boys being boys.

Don't know if it's the same nowadays but back then, for good reason, they hated the Germans.

Isn't it good to have all that shit a dim fading memory ... not that we should ever forget.

[Pat McMahon]

My mates and I were drinking with Anderlecht fans in a Brussels bar after the semi and they were lovely and very phlegmatic about the trouble, telling us it was partly of their own making. I always thought it was overplayed anyway, as from where we were stood it didn't look that bad.

It was as football trips should be - singing, beer, banter with opposing fans and a Villa win....