Dirty Noses v The Villa 1978

[Rudy65]

As I was born in 74, all I remember from the early 80's onward was very clear segregation.  So let me ask you this, was there any trouble in the seats when you jumped up and cheered for Villa scoring, or was it all confined to the terraces?  i.e. were you considered somewhat safe in the seats?

Not that I ever saw, but I do recall being told by a Blues fan in my cricket club that his mate hit a Villa fan in the Trinity at a game, but generally the police presence at derbies in those days was on the terraces.  I watched Villa loads of times at Blues, WBA, Coventry, Stoke, Forest, Derby in those days and always in unsegregated seats and I NEVER once felt threatened or saw any trouble in the seats.

I would also say that I went to every Blues v Villa game at St Andrews and up until the Div 2 game in 1987 was never concerned.  That day something changed though and by the time the League Cup games came around in 1993 it was extremely hostile and completely segregated, in that we just had half of the Tilton.  That night was the last time I ever went there to watch Villa and I have no intention of going again as I just don't think Football is worth it. 

It's a bit backwards in that when hooliganism was at its worst, I felt completely safe at Blues but now when it has been eradicated somewhat and grounds are much safer, I would hate to go there

Not sure about no trouble before 87.

I remember going to a goalless in about 1984 with a girlfriend and being chased by a load of Blose after the game. It definitely wasn't safe. The so called Zulus were at their height then

[Pat McMahon]

Rudy that was the beginning of the 1985-86 season IIRC and I had a similar experience to you.

I also remember loads of fighting before and after the 1982 game away when Saunders had just resigned. A Geordie mate of mine came to the game with me and to this day he reckons Villa are a bunch of nutters. Strangely I remember no trouble there on the famous Boxing Day game or the following season.

My older mates from school still reckon that the night we lost 2-1 at their place in1977 was the peak of Villa induced violence at the Blues (Deehan sent off and Francis dived to win a penalty). I had never previously seen trouble at St Andrews before that game but that night was mayhem.

[Dave Summers]

Looks like I was quite lucky to escape up until 1987 then.  I remember both the games referred to above ever so well and felt as safe as houses both times. Weird isn't it.  I remember with horror Francis diving over Andy Gray's outstretched leg to win a pen in that 77 defeat.  If I remember Gray was playing centre back because Leighton Phillips was sent off and not Dixie.  Dixie did score our goal though, we went 1 up in 76th minute and still lost to the ..................

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Was this the "Tarantini what a w@@@@r " game?

I think it was the following season as I recall it being dark and the Rags playing in a blue top with yellow trimming, though I could be wrong on that.

I guessing but one of the main reasons you'd have Villa fans on all sides of the ground, including the Kop (see the video and the old bill gathered in numbers in the corner) was the pathetic number of turnstiles into the Tilton. Anybody turning up an hour before the game would have a very long wait and crush to get into the hole. I remember one season I only managed to get in at half time. Such a shit hole.

[Damo70]

Looks like I was quite lucky to escape up until 1987 then.  I remember both the games referred to above ever so well and felt as safe as houses both times. Weird isn't it.  I remember with horror Francis diving over Andy Gray's outstretched leg to win a pen in that 77 defeat.  If I remember Gray was playing centre back because Leighton Phillips was sent off and not Dixie.  Dixie did score our goal though, we went 1 up in 76th minute and still lost to the ..................

John Deehan went to the same schools as me, although he had left by the time I started there. He lived with his parents not far from where I lived with my parents. I distinctly remember him having a Triumph TR7. I think a fellow H&V poster actually had a guitar that used to belong to John Deehan because both of their dads were drinking buddies.

[Pat McMahon]

Looks like I was quite lucky to escape up until 1987 then.  I remember both the games referred to above ever so well and felt as safe as houses both times. Weird isn't it.  I remember with horror Francis diving over Andy Gray's outstretched leg to win a pen in that 77 defeat.  If I remember Gray was playing centre back because Leighton Phillips was sent off and not Dixie.  Dixie did score our goal though, we went 1 up in 76th minute and still lost to the ..................

Well remembered Dave, it was Leighton Phillips who got the red card. No idea why I thought it was John Deehan - maybe because of his goal. Francis, true to form, dived to win the penalty and Andy Gray was incandescent.

Most scared I have ever been at a game was the crush to get into the Tilton in 1987. More terrifying than any trouble I have seen there.

[Richie]

Was this the "Tarantini what a w@@@@r " game?

I think it was the following season as I recall it being dark and the Rags playing in a blue top with yellow trimming, though I could be wrong on that.

I guessing but one of the main reasons you'd have Villa fans on all sides of the ground, including the Kop (see the video and the old bill gathered in numbers in the corner) was the pathetic number of turnstiles into the Tilton. Anybody turning up an hour before the game would have a very long wait and crush to get into the hole. I remember one season I only managed to get in at half time. Such a shit hole.

There were no following season games. Blues were relegated 78/79 season - pretty miserably as well if I recall. I think Tarrantini was only there the season they went down.

I was in unsegregated seats there in 77/78 (0-1 - totally played them off the pitch !) and the Boxing day debacle as well. No trouble.   

[silhillvilla]

The days of skydivers landing on the pitch before the game was brilliant. I remember one at B6 who flew in with the matchball landing smack on the centre circle. As a kid of 8 seeing that was simply brilliant. Better than bloody zorb racing.

[Damo70]

I had been going to games regularly for three years by the time we played them on Boxing Day 1982. I didn't experience any trouble but the atmosphere was a million miles from anything I had previously known.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Was this the "Tarantini what a w@@@@r " game?

I think it was the following season as I recall it being dark and the Rags playing in a blue top with yellow trimming, though I could be wrong on that.

I guessing but one of the main reasons you'd have Villa fans on all sides of the ground, including the Kop (see the video and the old bill gathered in numbers in the corner) was the pathetic number of turnstiles into the Tilton. Anybody turning up an hour before the game would have a very long wait and crush to get into the hole. I remember one season I only managed to get in at half time. Such a shit hole.

There were no following season games. Blues were relegated 78/79 season - pretty miserably as well if I recall. I think Tarrantini was only there the season they went down. 

Cheers, Richie. I wasn't sure, maybe it was the game at Villa Park, all I remember of Tarrantini was that stupid, that stupid kit and it was dark.

[Witton Warrior]

The trouble seemed to get worse the less Villa were in the ground as time went on and allocations became more restricted (Blose getting braver?). I remember Blose prowling round Witton/The Broadway after matches in the mid-70's but then there has never been mutch violence at VP compared with a lot of other grounds. Probably to do with the fact that the main ways into the ground (Witton Station and the coach park) for away fans were heavily policed and relatively close to the ground.

[Godfrey Brian]

The days of skydivers landing on the pitch before the game was brilliant. I remember one at B6 who flew in with the matchball landing smack on the centre circle. As a kid of 8 seeing that was simply brilliant. Better than bloody zorb racing.

Fascinating to hear Brian Moore's summary of the skydiving imploring clubs to make the the event more than just a football match-wonder what he'd think if he were still around today. Have to admit to a ghoulish fascination with some of the half-time stuff we put on and the many ways it can go horribly wrong- from supporters kicking towards a target -hey let's leave the sprinklers on! The kids race around the pitch where the fattest kid was put in an Albion shirt and was already in need of oxygen by the time he reached the Holte-bet he's still traumatised.Then there was the police dog display in the 80's which left a spectacular turd pitchside on the Trinity Road side only removed by the inevitible sliding tackle in the second half!

[Richard E]

a spectacular turd pitchside

Or St**e H***e as he was more commonly known.

[steamer]

" My older mates from school still reckon that the night we lost 2-1 at their place in1977 was the peak of Villa induced violence at the Blues (Deehan sent off and Francis dived to win a penalty). I had never previously seen trouble at St Andrews before that game but that night was mayhem."
This is remembered very well.
In Town the Steamers had built up a reputation, with the Hole in the Wall being the centre.
There was a very concerted effort prior to this game for power play/show of strength, given the emotions from what happened on the pitch all the boxes were ticked for the result.
I remember pitched battles with bricks raining down from both sides, the police trying to keep both sets of fans apart as we marched back to town through Digbeth often with out success.
I seem to remember that the pubs in town were forced to close to as the game finished.

[wittonwarrior]

a couple of things not mentioned so far, this was the day after Sid Vicious had got nicked after Nancy's death, the Blues had a banner out "Sid is Innocent".

The other check your programmes she saddo Blue Nose writing to the club apologising for his past behaviour at the match. Some things never change.