Aston Villa fans accost public enemy No.1 Steve Hodge on his return to Villa Par

[Nelly]

Aston Villa fans accost public enemy No.1 Steve Hodge on his return to Villa Park:


From the Mail: http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-fans-accost-public-7818824

I thought some of you guys would appreciate this! He was before my era of following Villa, but I know about him because of this forum.

'Mercenary' midfielder still infuriates Villa fans almost three decades on

Villa fan Grant Adams pretends to throttle former player Steve Hodge

Villain of the piece Steve Hodge would not have expected a hero’s homecoming at Villa Park – and he didn’t get one!

In fact before Saturday’s defeat to Arsenal he was accosted by angry Aston Villa fans, still seething at his dereliction of duty from almost 30 years ago.

Corporate box holder and fanatical Villa supporter Grant Adams jokingly pretended to throttle Hodge when the former England midfielder was a guest at Saturday’s defeat to Arsenal.

But not until Grant and his friends had given Hodge a piece of their minds for the way he turned his back on the club in their hours of need during the relegation campaign of 1986-87.

Hodge has not been forgiven by most of the claret and blue faithful who still regard him as the club’s biggest villain of the modern-age.

In that season of struggle 28 years ago, Hodge angered the already disillusioned faithful by trying to engineer a transfer away from Villa.

The England midfielder made it quite clear he had bigger ambitions than battling the First Division drop with Villa and intended to pursue them, which he did with a mid-season move to Tottenham.

To make matters worse he scored a brace for Spurs in their 3-0 victory over Villa at White Hart Lane in January 1987. 

He also took great delight in scoring a late equaliser for Leeds against Villa at Elland Road in September 1992 – a far cry from players refusing to celebrate against their former clubs nowadays.

Steve Hodge wheels away in delight after scoring for Leeds against Villa Steve Hodge wheels away in delight after scoring for Leeds against Villa
 

It came to a head for Hodge on September 20, 1986 when Graham Turner’s strugglers lost 4-1 at home to Norwich City. Hodge gave away a goal with a shocking back pass and did not seem particularly bothered about the mistake.

Ironically, he was back at Villa Park last Saturday, exactly 28 years to day since that clanger against the Canaries, as a guest in Villa’s corporate lounges.

If Hodge felt that the passage of time would have eased the Villa faithful’s fury, then he was sadly mistaken.

Villa fan Grant and his pals told Hodge exactly what they thought of him for leaving the club in the lurch as they went on to finish bottom of the top flight table and be relegated to Division Two under Billy McNeill.

“I did slaughter him!” said Grant.

“He said ‘I can’t go anywhere without being reminded by Villa fans. I am constantly abused by villa fans 28 years on’.

“I said good, you had no heart.

“He admitted he regretted signing in the first place from Nottingham Forest as the club was in meltdown and he also said he regretted how he left.

“I have to say he was honest, but blimey did he get it! I said I have waited 28 years to tell you what I think!

“He let us down and was nothing more than a mercenary, as I told him.”

Steve Hodge in England kit in 1986 Steve Hodge in England kit in 1986
 

Hodge played for England at World Cup 86 in Mexico, famously swapping shirts with Diego Maradona after the Argentina legend's controversial 'Hand of God' goal.

He even called his autobiography 'The Man with Maradona's Shirt'.

Now 51, Hodge has been working with Wolves helping to coach their out of favour players after losing his job as Notts County’s development manager in the summer.

[TopDeck113]

How times have changed. "Pretended to throttle"? Pfft.  Once upon a time nothing short of public lynching from a floodlight pylon would have sufficed!

[Villan For Life]

How times have changed. "Pretended to throttle"? Pfft.  Once upon a time nothing short of public lynching from a floodlight pylon would have sufficed!

Without floodlight pylons we can't lynch him!

[PeterWithesShin]

Whoever invited him to VP is a ******.

[ChicagoLion]

just glad he knows that he will always be remembered by us for what he is

[DrGonzo]

We're not fickle...

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

An even bigger bastard than O'Leary.

[Pete3206]

Grade A cock

[brontebilly]

amazing the hatred for Hodge lives on. What was he likes as a player ability wise?

It was Hodge pulling out of playing for Forest at Anfield that gave our assistant manager his league debut under Clough

[TopDeck113]

What was he likes as a player ability wise?

As a player? He probably made the mid-80s England midfield on merit and finished his career with a sprinkling of club honours, including being a bit-part player in the last Football League Champions side before the PL started.  I think that justifies his ability, as is the fact that Brian Clough signed him twice.

As a man? One Villa Park performance sums that up.

[Lucky Eddie]

He's no 'man'.



And since when was his name allowed on here?

[TheMalandro]

He's no 'man'.



And since when was his name allowed on here?

agreed, darkened my mood

[TheTimVilla]

He's not the only one to leave under a cloud - Staunton, Southgate, Ehiogu, Andy Gray (three times), Unsworth, Yorke, Young, Downing, Barry, Platt, Solano, Bosnich all fucked us over to varying degrees.

And I don't like any of them!

Players like Gibson and Milner left for arguably better clubs with some dignity, unlike that litany of twats.

[olaftab]

He is a small minded wanker and a  complete arsehole. We should have known how he was going to turn out when he  took Maradona's shirt.

[Pete3206]

For me, his only rival for 'biggest wanker to ever play for Villa' is Alpay.