It was 11 years ago today

[Chinchilla Bathhouse]

It wasn't even just the local media.  I remember an article from The Times the weekend before the first match at their place; it was a full colour page with a set of hugely unbalanced scales in the middle, and a host of facts and figures to show how enormously historically mismatched our two clubs were.  The writer pointed out that this imbalance was unique -  pretty much every other city derby in this country features clubs that have been similarly successful at some point in their history.  I remember thinking what an amusing and magnificent article it was, but also commenting to a friend that it was massively ramping up the pressure for our first league meeting in nearly twenty years.  I still find it hard to believe that those two fixtures were evening matches.  Whoever thought that was a good idea was dreadfully out of touch. 

[dave.woodhall]

Sky thought it would be one of those jolly everybody's friendly derbies like they pretend the Merseyside one to be. When the coaches arrived they started filming, encouraging Small Heath to play up for the cameras. Then the bricks started flying.

[usav]

Does anyone actually remember anything about the game?

[Ads]

Sky thought it would be one of those jolly everybody's friendly derbies like they pretend the Merseyside one to be. When the coaches arrived they started filming, encouraging Small Heath to play up for the cameras. Then the bricks started flying.

Sky managed to film the second Villa firm that was out that night after they had given the Noses a doings being escorted in.

I think after the return game at Villa Park, they had other ideas. The cup game in December 2010 was a fair reminder for them that a night game between the Noses and ourselves is about an evil a fixture as Millwall and West Ham.

[Richard E]

Does anyone actually remember anything about the game?

There was a game???

[Ads]

Does anyone actually remember anything about the game?

I recall very little about the game at Villa Park, but quite a bit about the goings on. Much like the one at the Sty really, where I have got was the definitely onside goal from Vassell in my memory.

[ADVILLAFAN]

Does anyone actually remember anything about the game?

Dublin falling right into Savage's trap and headbutting him and me thinking 'we're f*cked now then'. Dreadful game. I never enjoy playing them, even though we usually beat them.

[PeterWithesShin]

A couple of things that stick in my mind from that night, the noise of the seat banging late on, sounded like a fucking train was in the Holte, and also a small group of policemen in the Lower Holte looking more than a tad worried as it seemed most of the stand near me had gone insane. A big cause of which was the blue wanker/s in the Holte/Trinity boxes chucking coins at us in the Holte.

[Chris Smith]

Seems like a different world yet only 11 years ago. My son's birthday, so we went from a happy family occasion with cake and presents to a couple of hours of being amongst raw hatred and trying to somehow rationalise it to young minds. I have never been so happy to be driving away from Villa Park in my life.

[Ads]

I always remember the police line after the game on the Witton holding Villa fans back, with a bottle bank/skip where people were getting all sorts out of to chuck at them.

[pooligan]

What Dublin did was wrong,but lets face it, how many of us would  have loved to do the same to Savage. His main role in that Small Heath team was to wind the other team up and he was good at it .

[Axl Rose]

Loved that night from 4pm in town till I climbed into bed at 1am. Sod the result it was the night so many blue and white myths was smashed so far you needed the Hubble telescope to see them.
Didn't see many of those cheap gold badges hanging out on way back into town.

There was absolutely nothing to love about that night.  It was shameful.

Yes, an absolutely shocking night. The first and only time I have been attacked because of supporting Villa. I was punched in the back of the head, whilst walking past the Mcdonalds next to where the 'Newt' used to be at New Street. I was only 20, with my best mate and a group of 6 Birmingham fans just set upon us. I've only been to one derby since, December 2004 when Sorensen threw the ball into the next. A dreadful day, but nothing beats 03/03/03 in the abysmal stakes. A dreadful night.

[usav]

What Dublin did was wrong,but lets face it, how many of us would  have loved to do the same to Savage. His main role in that Small Heath every team was to wind the other team up and he was good at it .

[PeterWithesShin]

Sounds about the right odds for that lot to do anything.

[St AustellAVFC]

Awful night. I got punched in town at 1pm. I remember my mom calling me at about 2am from New Zealand as it had made the news out there. a night best to forget.