Paul McGrath - don't worry

[PeterWithesShin]

17,637.

[ClaretAndBlueBlood]

I was at that 6-2 match against Everton.  It was on my first trip home since we left in 1986.  I though we were on the cusp of something good.  I saw Gareth Barry for the first time I think, at that match and thought: there's a great player in the making.

He was nine at the time.

always very good for his age though

[peter w]

I think his stature was increased because many were genuinely surprised, thrilled, and in awe that someone that good was playing for us. People pick their best XIs all the time but I'd wager he would be the only player everyone would pick not involved in 82.
 

[bob]

That game is my earliest Villa memory. My dad telling me we scored six.

"SIX?!"

Now look.

[PeterWithesShin]

It's hardly like we were scoring 6 on a regular basis. I reckon that was the first six goal haul for us in the league since 1978, then there were the 7 against Wimbledon in '95 and I can't think of another until Derby away. So we've scored six in a league game 5 times in 40 years by my reckoning, if I haven't forgotten one.

[rob_bridge]

I think his stature was increased because many were genuinely surprised, thrilled, and in awe that someone that good was playing for us. People pick their best XIs all the time but I'd wager he would be the only player everyone would pick not involved in 82.

The other thing was I thought we could get 3 good years out of him. The fact he played 250+ games and carried on at that level was incredible. He was still our best player in one of our best post war teams at the age of 35/6 in 1995-96 season.

[bob]

It's hardly like we were scoring 6 on a regular basis. I reckon that was the first six goal haul for us in the league since 1978, then there were the 7 against Wimbledon in '95 and I can't think of another until Derby away. So we've scored six in a league game 5 times in 40 years by my reckoning, if I haven't forgotten one.

er ok thanks cool story bro

[PeterWithesShin]

You're welcome cuz.

[Dave]

People pick their best XIs all the time but I'd wager he would be the only player everyone would pick not involved in 82.

I bet there are loads of people who wouldn't pick McGrath or anybody involved in 1982.

Anybody younger than 20 will never have seen any of them play. Much like your 'best XI' might not contain anybody from the first sixty years of our history.

I wouldn't pick anybody from 1982, any more than I might pick John Devey or Harry Hampton.

[godzvilla]

Just to go back a few years, I remember being at Villa Park when we beat Charlton 11-1         ( 1959 ) and Leicester City 8-3 ( 1962 ). 23 goals in 2 games !.
Incidentally , we beat Leics City away, only 10 years ago in 2004 , 5 -nil.......Godzvilla!

[Holte L2]

Just to go back a few years, I remember being at Villa Park when we beat Charlton 11-1         ( 1959 ) and Leicester City 8-3 ( 1962 ). 23 goals in 2 games !.
Incidentally , we beat Leics City away, only 10 years ago in 2004 , 5 -nil.......Godzvilla!

We scored 5 past Wimbledon in 1997 as well. 

[pauliewalnuts]

I was at that 6-2 match against Everton.  It was on my first trip home since we left in 1986.  I though we were on the cusp of something good.  I saw Gareth Barry for the first time I think, at that match and thought: there's a great player in the making.

I was at that match, too.

My main memories are Ormondroyd playing an absolute blinder out wide, being fucked off that we let Everton score twice, and it being on telly live (which sounds 'yeah, big deal' nowadays but back then it really was).

[Bad English]

And of course the 17,637 attendance:

[Clark W Griswold]

I was at that 6-2 match against Everton.  It was on my first trip home since we left in 1986.  I though we were on the cusp of something good.  I saw Gareth Barry for the first time I think, at that match and thought: there's a great player in the making.

I was at that match, too.

My main memories are Ormondroyd playing an absolute blinder out wide, being fucked off that we let Everton score twice, and it being on telly live (which sounds 'yeah, big deal' nowadays but back then it really was).

Everton had won the league 18 months earlier, it was phenomenal and remains one of the best games I've been to. Gareth Barry made his debut nearly a decade later though :-)

[Dr Butler]

And of course the 17,637 attendance:

you bugger...I have just posted that video in the Villa memories section

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