38 years ago today....

[Holte132]

I was at teacher-training college in Nottingham at the time and remember listening to commentary on Radio Birmingham (think that's what it was called then). Very difficult to pick up the signal. My brother was at a chess match in Birmingham that night and they could hear all the Villa cheers, but assumed that the cheering was just for winning corners!

[olaftab]

Stood in the Holte that night so was a little miffed that all the goals were up other end but not complaining. It was the night when Ken McNaught finally won us over.

I don't think it was, as he was playing for Everton that season!

Ah well may be I am sticking two nice events in the same slot. However I do recall that Ken had a bad start with us and then one match that I can not remember turning his career around.

[eric woolban woolban]

Wow what a home record that season:

W17 D3 L1 For 55 Against 17

[PeterWithesShin]

The one defeat was small heath if I remember my stats correctly.

[Pat McMahon]

The best performance I have ever seen from the Villa, and the greatest half-time ovation I have heard anywhere.

East and Newbon deprived us of the best footage we could ever wish to see from a Villa team. To rub salt in the wounds our xmas home game was snowed off so the Terry Weir photos of the goals from the Liverpool game which featured in the match programme didn't even get a public airing.

[Villafirst]

I've got good clear photos of all the goals - taken by Terry Weir. Plus I've got copies of the B'ham Post, Mail and the Mirror match reports. There is apparently some grainy footage of the goals taken by an independent cameraman but I can't track it down. Hopefully it might turn up on Youtube one day.

[dave.woodhall]

Stood in the Holte that night so was a little miffed that all the goals were up other end but not complaining. It was the night when Ken McNaught finally won us over.

I don't think it was, as he was playing for Everton that season!

Ah well may be I am sticking two nice events in the same slot. However I do recall that Ken had a bad start with us and then one match that I can not remember turning his career around.

Gornik in the UEFA Cup the year after.

[pooligan]

I am pleased to say i was at the game and better still was in the Witton end among all the Liverpool fans (no segregation then) to see all the goals. Is probably the best game i have ever seen and will probably stay that way.Liverpool at the time were probably the best team in Europe so to thrash them in 45 minutes was no mean feat believe me.

Someone earlier mentioned about Ken McNaught playing. I can assure you he had not yet signed at that time.Some one will  correct me if i am wrong, but i am pretty sure Chris Nicholl would have played if he had not been injured and his place was taken by the young reserve defender Charlie Young

[steamer]

finished college early to go to the pub before the game.
What a night, the Holte swaying and roaring,
The second half was obviously a bit of an anti climax as even the players probably could not believe the score line.
For me this was my Iconic season,
Finished 4th, Regular crowds of 40K average only 34 because of a few low ones at the end. 50K against the Blues.
We beat Utd at home and Gray got fined for giving their fans the V sign, he said he was showing he had scored two.
Beat Arsenal also at home 5-1
Won the league cup, after the replays.
Knocked out the cup  1/4 final (who else- Utd) in front of 57K
Beat the Albion last game at home 4-0
Only black spot, Blues getting the double, although the game at their place was interesting.
Scored in every home game only losing one, Blues !!
Those were the days.

[claret and blue blood]

I was in the Holte and Phil Thompson gave us the big one when they pulled it back to 4-1.We promptly went down the other end and Sir Brian bent one past Ray Clemence into the far corner from the corner of the box -brilliant!

[Witton Warrior]

Wow what a home record that season:

W17 D3 L1 For 55 Against 17

Can we forward this Lerner?

[Fin Feds Dad]

I was 7 at the time and sat in the Witton Lane with my dad, my grandad and my uncle that night.

I remember my mom having a row with my dad because I was supposed to be in the school nativity play that evening again - but my Dad said the Villa come first.

I dont think we sat down at all in the first half !

It will always be one of the most magical nights of my life - with my closest family, in the place that I love, under the massive AV floodlights and such a superb performance.

[Bernie]

As it was a working day and the office Christmas Meal was the next day I was, thankfully, unusually sober on this night. For some reason the main memory that sticks is at half-time wandering about in the concourse under the Holte amongst a sea of faces that reflected a mix of joy and "is this really happening?" disbelief.
I was due to get well hammered at the next day's all day do long anyway, but this made it all the sweeter.
And as for the season itself, many of Steamer's memories recorded above coincide with mine. Probably the best Villa team in my memory, including the 80-82 seasons.

[Pat McMahon]

Someone earlier mentioned about Ken McNaught playing. I can assure you he had not yet signed at that time.Some one will  correct me if i am wrong, but i am pretty sure Chris Nicholl would have played if he had not been injured and his place was taken by the young reserve defender Charlie Young

Good point pooligan. Charlie Young only played a few games but we were so dominant he didn't look out of place. I have no idea where he went. He must be the only Cyprus born player ever to turn out for us.

[dave shelley]

I think this is about the third time I have posted this re this match so I'll do it again.  I was in my usual spot behind the goal just to the right at the Witton End and, I, like others have said could not believe what I was witnessing.  Now, the real reason for this post is, each post previously about this match I said that it was almost so much better, as in the second half Denis Mortimer hit the crossbar.  No one has ever come back and said that they remember this so, for the sake of my failing sanity can someone please do so?  Either that or tell me it didn't happen and that I am imagining things.