Villa v Man United - League Cup Semi Final 1970/71

[Ron Manager]

This just serves to remind me of the reason why I love this enigma that is Aston Villa so much.  Melodramatic some may say but that's how I feel.

Ron Manager will support me when I say that we'd witnessed some real shit prior to this and reaching the league cup final back then was the real renaissance culminating in Rotterdam and subsequently our position as a leading member of what passes for top flight football league despite our current lowly position.

Indeed. From about 1963 -1968 we were desperate for long periods .Then Doug appeared  the clouds lifted and we could see the promised land.

[curlytailavfc]

I went to both legs both fantastic nights didnt the stretford end empty well before the end of the game and they were all down the road waiting for us

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

This just serves to remind me of the reason why I love this enigma that is Aston Villa so much.  Melodramatic some may say but that's how I feel.

Ron Manager will support me when I say that we'd witnessed some real shit prior to this and reaching the league cup final back then was the real renaissance culminating in Rotterdam and subsequently our position as a leading member of what passes for top flight football league despite our current lowly position.

It was two years since the revolution. We had the Doc whirlwind, the crowds had picked up and the we all knew the Villa had woken. There had already been some big days and nights, notably the Southampton Cup game at VP in 1969. But even though we all knew the club was moving forward, there had been that nagging doubt as we had dropped down to Division 3. Beating Manchester United that night made us believe all the more that special things were really starting to happen.   

[dave shelley]

Agreed Andy the whole Doc thing was uplifting and frenetic but all went tits up.  The final was as you say was the time it went from hope to belief.  There was never any doubt in my mind from then on that Villa were only going to add to our already illustrious history, and so it proved.

[Flamingo Lane]

Bloody hell.  I was at the home leg, aged 11, sitting with me dad and my sisters in the Trinity Road stand,  and that night remains the most indelible memory of all my years following the Villa.  How you found the footage I don't know, but a thousand thanks for posting it up here.

[Big Dick Edwards]

It's remarkable to think Villa were a 3rd Division side at the time, taking on a Manchester United team that had won the European Cup only three years previously. There was nothing lucky about either result. We beat them fair and square over two legs.

[montague]

Dad tried to get tickets for the home leg and queued outside VP but no luck. I was only a nipper so probably wouldnt have appreciated it anyway but would have been nice to say I as there.  My equivalent would probably be the 5-1 v Liverpool.

Does anybody know the Villa teams for those games?

Like the bit where Chico left Best for dead in the first game.

How good a target man was Andy Lochead.

Did Bobby Charlton miss the first game?

Brian Kidd looked a good player.

[Pat McMahon]

Brilliant footage and thanks for posting the link.

I was there and it was as good a Christmas present as an 8 year old could ask for. Some of my mates reckoed they saw me on the Holte when Lochead scored the first, and watching it a few days later I convinced myself I could too. Yeah right.

Why was the first leg in black and white - were ITV hard up?

[lennythekad]

Brilliant!. Got goose pimples just watching that. I was in the Holte that night and had only just started being allowed to go to night games with mates. Fantastic memories. Thanks for posting.

[He wears a magic hat]

I was too young to attend any of the games in that league cup run.

When I listen to people regale stories of matches that are 'before my time' I think these two semi finals and the actual final are the three games that, if I could be transported back to as a 20 year old, these would be the matches I choose

[dave.woodhall]

Is it just me being fanciful, or can anyone else see just in the corner of the Witton End when Andy Lochhead gets his second goal of the tie, a sign saying 'ROTTERDAM -THIS WAY --->' ?

[Pat McMahon]

Dave, this poster is most upset you got the name of the second goal scorer wrong.

[Ron Manager]

Pat I think Dave meant Andys second goal over the two legs. Watching it for the seventh time today wasnt Brian Kidds goal in the VP leg bloody superb.

[dave.woodhall]

Pat I think Dave meant Andys second goal over the two legs. Watching it for the seventh time today wasnt Brian Kidds goal in the VP leg bloody superb.

No, I altered my original post in a spirit of wanton tomfoolery.

[Flamingo Lane]

Why was Andy Lochead's header in the first leg disallowed?