20 years ago today - 29/9/1994

[Chico Hamilton III]

Who feels old?



Phil is Villa penalty King

29 September 1994
Agence France-Presse


BIRMINGHAM, England, Sept 29 (AFP) - Aston Villa's 'cut-price' hero Phil King blasted UEFA Cup-holders Inter Milan out of the competition Thursday in a dramatic penalty shoot-out.
The full-back, who cost the English Premiership side just 200,000 pounds from Sheffield Wednesday, cracked a priceless spot kick past brilliant Italian international goalkeeper Gianluca Pagliuca to bring a titanic first-round tie to a thrilling climax.
With the first six penalties all successfully converted, substitute David Fontalan sent a left-footed shot high and wide of Nigel Spink's goal. But then Villa substitute Guy Whittingham's shot was saved by Pagliuca.
Most of the Villa fans must have felt it was poetic justice when Ruben Sosa cracked his shot, off of a casual one pace run up, against the crossbar. For the Uruguayan had appeared to 'dive' to earn Inter the penalty which Dennis Bergkamp tucked away for the only goal of the first-leg.
Then after the three misses, 26-year-old King stepped up to send a left-foot shot arrowing past Pagliuca and sparked a pitch invasion by delighted fans.
Maybe it was rough justice on Pagliuca whose acrobatics had denied Villa an outright win without the need for penalties.
A second minute save from Steve Staunton's blistering free-kick set the trend. Pagliuca followed up with superb saves from Ray Houghton twice and Staunton as Villa peppered his goal.
Villa's first-half onslaught appeared to be tapering out when Houghton levelled the tie four minutes before the break.
Staunton's long cross was missed by Dalian Atkinson and Massimo Paganin and the ball hit Guiseppe Bergomi on the head before squirting free. Houghton darted forward to bludgeon the ball home.
The Italians frequently pulled eight men back in front of their goal to crowd Villa out and relied on Bergkamp and Sosa for a decisive breakaway.
But it didn't come. Villa worked just as hard to restrict them to an 86th minute long-range Bergkamp effort comfortably held by the diving Spink.
Pagliuca was beaten by a clever Whittingham chip four minutes from the end of extra time, but saw the ball rebound from his crossbar and Houghton's follow-up shot diverted for a corner by Andrea Seno.

[PaulWinch again]

Remember this very well, I was 10 at the time.

[usav]

Bloody hell.....sat in the top of the Sir Doug stand for that one.....

[PeterWithesShin]

Fantastic night. I was in the Lower North that night as The Holte was still being built iirc and only part of the Lower Holte was open. Had a great view of the penalties. Taped the game and went home and watched it again. "Yes!! You beauty!!" Keegan totally biased for us, although us still on the pitch at 11pm on a Thurs when we were playing Newcastle on the Saturday probably didn't upset him too much.

Fatkinson's last great moment as manager.

[usav]

although us still on the pitch at 11pm on a Thurs when we were playing Newcastle on the Saturday probably didn't upset him too much.

That still pisses me off to this day.   I'm sure we could have done more to get that moved, but didn't.

[Chico Hamilton III]

although us still on the pitch at 11pm on a Thurs when we were playing Newcastle on the Saturday probably didn't upset him too much.

That still pisses me off to this day.   I'm sure we could have done more to get that moved, but didn't.

I think we only won 2 league games for the rest of the year after the Inter win. A terrible run

[fbriai]

Fantastic night. I was in the Lower North that night as The Holte was still being built iirc and only part of the Lower Holte was open. Had a great view of the penalties.

Me too, PWS. Pretty much behind the goal.

One of the great Villa Park nights.

[PeterWithesShin]

After beating Swindon 5-0 we won 5 of the last 29 league games under BFR. And 2 of those were our whipping boys from Coventry.

[TopDeck113]

That was the last time I watched a match from the North Stand. Ironically, the next time is on Saturday as my brother (who I was with v Inter) is taking his step daughter and her friend as a birthday "treat".

[Legion]

[The Left Side]

Bloody hell.....sat in the top of the Sir Doug stand for that one.....

Me too but I still prefer to call it the Witton Lane Stand

[Legion]

[Legion]

[IAmTheOneIanOlney]

Great night, but can't believe it's 20 years ago.

Noticed a young Lee Hendrie near Big Ron at the end of the video there - difficult to judge whose haircut was the most ridiculous.

[Deano's Mullet]

North Stand Upper that night. Ray Houghton may have scored the goal but he definitely played his best game in a Villa jersey that night, same for Guy Whittingham. It felt like we'd won the cup final at the end of the penalty shootout. Such great nights under BFR. Sosa was a dirty cheating .... toe rag, Bergkamp was shackled by McGrath and Ehiogu and Staunton was playing left midfield which he did better than most wingers. Without watching the video again did Rico take a penalty that night? I remember him skying over vs Tranmere.