40 years ago today (and this week)

[castlefields_villan]

Anyone remember this time of year back in 1975 ?

Following a 5-0 win at home to Oldham, we went to Blackpool and won 3-0, promotion back to big time (after 8 long years away) was confirmed with a 4-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday 40 years ago today, then we ruined Sunderland's chances by beating them 2-0 at VP, then the following Wednesday we gate crashed and ruined Norwich's promotion party (they'd been promoted the previous Saturday at Sunderland's expense) by beating them 4-1.

After 8 years away from the top table - what a time to be a Villa supporter and I remember it all like it was last week !

Anybody's memories ?

[castlefields_villan]

sorry put it in as a poll - meant it to just be new topic

[Witton Warrior]

The Sunderland match was my first VP visit as a 15 year old.
Had started following Villa about 3 years before but the old man was more into cars and motorbikes so never got taken

The Burnley match will be my 40th anniversary with this great club

[PGW]

Loads locked out of Sunderland game, i had to go in Witton end to get in ground. At Blackpool all the Villa fans dancing around like loons, we thought that Sunderland had
lost which would have meant we were up. Sheff Wed was one of the best away followings ever seen ramming the open end at Hillsbrough and the pitch invasion at the end of the game.
Nothing said in the press about that!!!

Wonderful times as you say

[martin o`who??]

Sunderland was a 2-0 win, The england manager was, i think Don Revie at the time and had come to see Brian Little but left before Little scored the second goal. Went on the pitch at the end.

[Rupert]

remember the season so well,didnt every out player score that season when ian ross scored a pen, remember tying to get on the pitch a blackpool and a copper stuck one on me and my mate was half way up the fencing . the folly of youth.

[nordenvillain]

I had only moved to Manchester in '74 and went to Hillsborough for the 4-0 game. We had all of what is now the Kop (?) opposite the Lemings Lane end and rough estimates are that there were 20,000 Villa fans inside the ground with loads more stuck on the M1 and roads from it that never made it to the ground. Yes, I was on the pitch at the end, went for a few pints before going to Sheffield Station where a nice South Yorkshire officer decided that I had stolen the pint pot I had in my hand from a pub. Promptly arrested, taken to the nick, released at about 1 a.m after the last train had left for Manchester, had to sleep on the station, got the 1st train at about 5.30 a.m and go straight to work after getting a change of clothes. Yes, I remember it.

P.S Had to take a Police caution at Salford Central police station about 6 weeks later for the 'Theft' - How they could tell I had nicked it, never mind from what pub is beyond me.

[castlefields_villan]

I'll never forget that Sunderland game - we were already promoted and they needed to beat us to join us (I can't remember without looking where that would've left Norwich - who were the 3rd team promoted along with us and Man. Utd.).

I was a few months short of my 18th birthday and left home about 11.30am in Great Barr to catch the 118 down to Perry Barr - a walk down the Broadway and into the pub - I think it was called either the Harriers or the Broadway about 12.00 for a quick lager to calm the excitement - saw a few very worried looking Sunderland supporters in there - they had to win and we were in the form of our lives.

A quick walk to the ground and I was there by 1.00pm and I reckon I was amongst the first 100 or so people in the ground - I knew this was going to be a full house.  I was in the Trinity Road enclosure about 12 rows from the front just to the right of halfway.  It was a sight to be withheld to see first the Holte End and then the rest of the ground filling up - by 2.00pm the Holte and the rest of the ground was rammed.

Two late goals by Ian Ross (pen) and Brian Little - can't remember who was first - anybody know without looking - Was it Brian ?  Anyway a 2-0 win just put the icing on the cake and as Norwich had won to ensure their promotion I remember being on the pitch and Sunderland fans in tears as our lot were singing "second division rubbish" at them. - what a day - glorious sunshine - the lot.

What a second half to the season that was - beat Man. Ud 2-0, won the League Cup against Norwich, beat Sheffield United (at the time a division one top 6 side) 4-1 in the FA Cup before narrowly losing at Ipswich (also then a division one top 6 side) in the 5th round - came from behind to beat Albion 3-1 to go along with all the other games already mentioned.  Ron Saunders certainly had transformed a team that only 3 years earlier was in the 3rd division. 

And of course much more and better was on the way.

UTV

[Brend'Watkins]

I had a lump of the Hillsborough turf planted in my parents back garden.  Probably half of North Birmingham is forever a little bit Sheffield.

[Godfrey Brian]

I had a lump of the Hillsborough turf planted in my parents back garden.  Probably half of North Birmingham is forever a little bit Sheffield.

You are so right Bren'd. I went on a right gardening spree for those few games .My old mum's garden had a small patch combining bits of turf from Blackpool, Hillsborough and Villa Park and my baggy Levi''s had dirt in the pockets for months!

[Ron Manager]

Loads locked out of Sunderland game, i had to go in Witton end to get in ground. At Blackpool all the Villa fans dancing around like loons, we thought that Sunderland had
lost which would have meant we were up. Sheff Wed was one of the best away followings ever seen ramming the open end at Hillsbrough and the pitch invasion at the end of the game.
Nothing said in the press about that!!!

Wonderful times as you say

Im ashamed to say I invaded the pitch at the end of the Sheffield Wed game and volleyed a truly magnificient imaginary goal from about 30yards.

My mate had a tennis ball . He did the same from a bit closer....and scored!

I seem to remember the meat pies were particurlary fine at Hillsborough and the pubs were closed because of a strike. But most of all I remember that terrifiying block of flats just as you enter Sheffield. People on our Villa coach were staring at it in awe!

[Hale]

I remember the Oldham match well - I took my then girlfriend Christine (now my wife of 39 years) and got tickets in the Trinity Road rather than stand in my usual spot in the Holte. Brian Little scored a hat trick and cemented his place in my eyes as the most talented player I have seen in claret and blue. Andy Lochead returned as a member of the Oldham coaching staff and got a very warm reception from those who witnessed his displays for the Villa (e.g. 1971 Villa Park v United).

I have just asked the good lady what she remembers of the match - apparently nothing!!!

 

[Confusious says]

Memories! I remember The Sheffield Game away when the pitch was invaded afterwards
            And Doug Ellis running for his life when some fans started getting into the stand
 That he was in (he was popular then as well) but the jubilation of us on the pitch will always
Stay with me. The Blackpool away game when we were in the NorthShore working men's club
Afterwards when match of the day was on they focused on my White polo jumper, I got instant fame then

[West Derby Villan]

We were in their end at Blackpool. I remember a Blackpool fan running on the pitch in front of us. He started goading us, thinking that he was safe because of the fence between us and him. It was like a pantomime (he's behind you) because a fellow Villan got on the pitch from the side stand and chased him off the pitch, happy days.
Went to Sheffield on the Wednesday and helped to ram the their end (Kop I think?) and get on the pitch, got some turf, still have, oh what a night!
Saturday came and ground full by 2 o'clock. Fantastic match, Ian Ross scoring a pen, so that all our outfield players scored that season, unbelievable achievement.

[Pat McMahon]

Wonderful times as you say

I seem to remember the meat pies were particurlary fine at Hillsborough and the pubs were closed because of a strike. But most of all I remember that terrifiying block of flats just as you enter Sheffield. People on our Villa coach were staring at it in awe!

That block of flats was called Hyde Park IIRC. When I was a student I knew a few people who had lived there - it sounded like Mile End in the Pulp song. The estate had yellow lines around it on the pavement to deter people from getting too close to the walls to avoid stuff being thrown out of windows at them. The story went that a bloke had thrown a tv out the window in a domestic argument and had killed a passer by below.

Re that end of season, we were just on an unstoppable roll. IIRC we only lost one game, away at Orient after the New Year. My favourite was the 3-1 v Albion, but that afternoon v Sunderland was amazing with 57,000 inside Villa Park, including at least 10,000 Sunderland fans. As a 12 year old my dad used to take me on the Witton End and though I celebrated our 2 goals not a word or gesture was bandied in my direction.

I too have fond memories of the rousing rendition of "Andy Lochhead in the Air" prior to the Oldham game. I think Doug mentioned it in the programme for the last match of the season.