The last time we got relegated

[Damo70]

I remember the first away game at Ipswich the following season. Far more villa turned up than the police were expecting. We were still outside when the game kicked off. A massive crush and many climbing up and over the turn styles to get in.  The police and stewards had to keep opening extra pens used for segregation to let everyone in.

I remember being crushed in hot weather for the first and last games of the season. As a not particularly tall or burly sixteen/seventeen year old it wasn't much fun. Maybe Ipswich had an excuse but you would have thought Swindon were expecting a fair few of us to turn up.

[Five Villa Tattoos]

Coming out of the Holte after an early season 2-1 defeat to Oxford  and my dad turning to the 12 year old me and saying "It's happening again, I think we might go down son." My Dad had seen it all before along with my Grandad and both had followed us in the third division.
When we got back to Grandad's, who was too old to attend Villa park any more,  they both excused themselves and went to bottom of the garden. When they came back I saw a sad look in my Grandad's eye.
They both knew we were doomed.
My Grandad, incidently wore a black arm band for a week when we eventually did go down. God, I miss that man, he was Villa to the core.

[Damo70]

The infamous Charlton game was my first ever visit to Selhurst Park. I should have realised then that I would never grow to love the place. The Dalian game aside, over the years it has been like going to visit a relative you don't like, in a hard to get to place and ending up having as miserable a time as you expected all along.

[silhillvilla]

Wonder why it is that the ill fated Henson home & away kit from this season and it's shoddy design has gone on to be arguably the most collectible of villa kits ?
One in excellent condition goes for well over £150

[Fin Feds Dad]

I went to what I think was our last away game, at Arsenal, there were probably only a couple of hundred of us there.

I thought the last game of the season was away at Man Utd - there were loads of us there. I had just turned 18 and went up on the train and had a right old day, before going to my brother in laws birthday do - with a lovely girl from Rugeley who had, I remember fondly, many ways to soften the blow of relegation .

http://www.statto.com/football/teams/aston-villa/1986-1987/results

[Damo70]

I'm guessing the Henson kit is collectable as it was an unpopular kit during a bad period for us on the pitch along with football in general and top flight crowds being at an all time low. Not many bought and not many kept for nostalgic reasons. I will have to get my old man to search his loft. He is a hoarder and as a teenager at the time I had the home top plus Gary Williams number three away shirt from Frank Worthington's testimonial.

[Pete3206]

It's still amusing that we did the double over Coventry, a top-half team who were so desperate to beat us. Our only away win of the season.

The support at Highfield Road was unbelievable. We were bottom and they were doing well. Cov players ran on first, then Villa fans belted out "Bring On The Champions!", before the Villa players ran out.  When Thommo scored the winner, it was absolute pandemonium. Despite the misery of that season, this remains a great memory along with Birchy's winner in the return at VP.

[silhillvilla]

It's still amusing that we did the double over Coventry, a top-half team who were so desperate to beat us. Our only away win of the season.

The support at Highfield Road was unbelievable. We were bottom and they were doing well. Cov players ran on first, then Villa fans belted out "Bring On The Champions!", before the Villa players ran out.  When Thommo scored the winner, it was absolute pandemonium. Despite the misery of that season, this remains a great memory along with Birchy's winner in the return at VP.

Remember the skirmishes in the park outside Highfield Rd after that game. Then the long march back to the station and a few more scuffles along the way. Oh the nostalgia of football in the 80s

[Dr Butler]

It's still amusing that we did the double over Coventry, a top-half team who were so desperate to beat us. Our only away win of the season.

The support at Highfield Road was unbelievable. We were bottom and they were doing well. Cov players ran on first, then Villa fans belted out "Bring On The Champions!", before the Villa players ran out.  When Thommo scored the winner, it was absolute pandemonium. Despite the misery of that season, this remains a great memory along with Birchy's winner in the return at VP.

christ I was there (my memory isn't what it used to be )but was that the diving header from Bruno in front of us ?  bring on the Champions indeed !

Cov wankers spat on me as well...

UTV
The Doc

[Dr Butler]

Wonder why it is that the ill fated Henson home & away kit from this season and it's shoddy design has gone on to be arguably the most collectible of villa kits ?
One in excellent condition goes for well over £150

really ? £150 ??     I have the goalkeepers Henson kit (long story) which has been in a suitcase in our loft for many many years.

UTV
the Doc

[Damo70]

I went to all the home games that season in the league and the cup. The only aways I went to were Derby in the cup and Leicester and Charlton in the league.

[Richie]

http://youtu.be/nySds0H4IeY

Brief highlights of the fateful Sheffield Wednesday match

[Desontheholte]

I can remember running on to the pitch from the corner of the holte and my dad trying to stop me! I was only 11 at the time but nothing would stop me getting on the pitch that day. we got relegated but them players were still my heroes and i have hardly missed a home game ever since! I started going year we won the league but that was my first time to get on the pitch. a great memory! The following season in div 2 88. i went to an open day and scored a penalty past nigel spink at the north stand! anyone else remember that??

[andrew08]

It's still amusing that we did the double over Coventry, a top-half team who were so desperate to beat us. Our only away win of the season.

The support at Highfield Road was unbelievable. We were bottom and they were doing well. Cov players ran on first, then Villa fans belted out "Bring On The Champions!", before the Villa players ran out.  When Thommo scored the winner, it was absolute pandemonium. Despite the misery of that season, this remains a great memory along with Birchy's winner in the return at VP.

Birchy took the ball round the keeper in front of The Holte. My 21st birthday as well.

[Damo70]

I'm pretty sure Birchy also got the winner in a 1-0 pre season friendly win against them in  the last warm up game before the promotion season.