Aston Villa v Napoli: 5th May, 1970

[castlefields_villan]

Was that the day we came out in our "yellow and blue away kit" and the Holte End booed ?

I might be wrong but I think that was when we played the Italian U21 or some other underage side.

Correct Dave it was the Italian Under 21 pre season friendly, you were right about the booing though Castlefields, it was also not helped by the Italians running straight towards the Holte End leaving Villa the Witton to run to, and booooooooooooooooooo!!!!

Argh the good old days when the teams just ran out to warm up.  I suppose it's all a bit more civilised these days walking out together and customary hand shakes etc..

A lot of references have been made to the infamous Ipswich game at home in April 1981 (the Championship un-decider) am I right in thinking Ipswich came out first that night and Mick Mills led his team to warm up in front of the Holte End ?  (something that just wasn't done back in the day)

[Oscar Arce]

Yes I remember that Castlefields, I remember it happening on a few occasions although for the life of me I can't remember by who and when.
Back in the day as we all remember the teams did no warm up just ran out at about three minutes to three and headed towards either goal, Villa of course running sraight to the Holte End.
Usually Villa came out first, then the away team, roundly booed towards the Witton.
One player always stood on the six yard box and passed balls into the goalie's hands, which hardly exerted either of them!
The rest of the players just jogged around in circles a bit, usually with their hands down their shorts to keep them warm, or some players just stood around looking confused.
I remember the smell of linament and crunch of the hard studs on the concrete floor as I stood as a youngster by the tunnel, signalling the entrance of the Villa.
Jumpers for goalposts isn't it...mmm?

[castlefields_villan]

The good old Trinity Road Enclosure - I remember standing there as a 10 year old for the last game of the 1967-68 season when QPR beat us 2-1 to go up to the first division.

I progressed from the Upper Trinity to the Enclosure, onto the Holte End, gradually working from the back to about 1/3 of the way from the front as I got older, before returning to the Upper Trinity (which is where I like to go now).  I stood in the old Witton End for one game against Bristol Rovers in 1972 when the crowd queuing for the Holte was about a mile long.
Also "had" to go in the North Stand when it opened in 1977.

Yes, I also remember the players "warming up" by standing around not sure what to do and as you say one player just tapping it to our goalie from the six yard line - I also remember the occasional groan of discontentment when the away team won the toss and "made" us kick towards the Holte End in the first half!

[dave shelley]

I remember that QPR game well.  I always stood down the Witton End and there was one QPR fan giving it large after the game and peace loving old me told him to fuck off, you'll soon be back where you started.  Real hooligan stuff.

I remember going to Loftus Road the season we got relegated to the Third Division, we were doing ok until that former Bluenose Barry Bridges ripped into us.  He always managed to score goals against us.  For years afterwards I hated QPR and really dreaded them winning the first division that year they finished second.  Rodney Cnut Marsh, Stan Bowles Dave Thomas et al.  Maybe time dims the memory but IIRC there was a media wankfest over them at the time.  We'd never have heard the last of it had they won it. 

Strangely enough, I don't mind them now.  I even took one of my grandsons to see them play a pre-season friendly over here last year when they played locally.

[castlefields_villan]

you'll soon be back where you started.

Without checking - I'm sure they were relegated back the next season with one of the lowest ever points tally (even in the days of 2 points for a win) An 8-1 defeat for them at Manchester United - who by then were going into decline seems to sound familiar as well.

We played them in the FA Cup the following season and came from behind to win, by then my dad had developed a liking for the old Witton Lane stand (seems so small compared to the one there now) which at the time was relatively new (wasn't it built as we were chosen to host some first round games in the 1966 World Cup ?).  So I remember watching that game from there about level with the Witton End penalty area - there's some footage of that game on here somewhere.

Moving forward to the year they finished 2nd (1975-76 ?) it will probably pain you to say, but I thought they played some tremendous football as I remember and I felt they'd actually win it.  What I remember about playing them that year (our first year back in the big time) was England captain Gerry Francis was playing for them and the frequently sung song about walking a mile and a bit seemed to upset him from something he wrote shortly afterwards in the shoot magazine, he obviously didn't realise it wasn't actually directed at him !

[dave shelley]

As a slight aside to the thread, I started my Villa supporting career standing with my Dad in the old Witton Lane paddock, brief excursions at the top of the Witton End playing in the gravel notwithstanding.  We were forced to move when the old stand was demolished to make way for a new one to be built in time for, as you say, the 1966 World Cup.  As it was all seater we took up residence back down the Witton End and that's where I stayed until I decamped and moved over here.  I experimented in spots all over the ground, even having a season ticket in the new Witton Lane stand pre-Doug Ellis.  I always loved the old Witton End pre-North Stand and still miss it to this day.

[Ron Manager]

I too started on the Witton End (with my dad) and then moved over to the standing area of The Trinity Stand. When I started going down with
my mates we went half way up The Holte where I stopped until all seating came in. These days I go anywhere there is a ticket available.

Villa Park from the top of the old Witton End looked majestic and vast.

[dcdavecollett]

I went to this game.

Napoli's goal was a freak own goal by Rioch the Bruce.

[Oscar Arce]

Still haven't a definitive answer why this game was played in the middle of the close season, the Anglo Italian Cup theory seems to be the best option?
Bruce Rioch own goal?
A 35 yard screamer no doubt!

[dave.woodhall]

Mr Russell has provided the definitives.

The game took place on 5th May 1970 (I took a banking exam that evening!!!)
 
A further search has discovered that the Villa team seems to have been:
Phillips Wright Aitken Tiler Rioch B Turnbull McMahon Rioch N Godfrey Hamilton Anderson
 
Further useless information is that the following day was Feyenoord 2 Celtic 1 in the European Cup Final at the San Siro. If you ever come across a programme from this match it is a forgery because none were printed due to strikes in Italy.

[castlefields_villan]

Mr Russell has provided the definitives.

The game took place on 5th May 1970 (I took a banking exam that evening!!!)
 
A further search has discovered that the Villa team seems to have been:
Phillips Wright Aitken Tiler Rioch B Turnbull McMahon Rioch N Godfrey Hamilton Anderson
 
Further useless information is that the following day was Feyenoord 2 Celtic 1 in the European Cup Final at the San Siro. If you ever come across a programme from this match it is a forgery because none were printed due to strikes in Italy.

Isn't it odd how we can remember key events and things happening in our lives and football is lingering in the background as a prompt.

I remember the watching 1970 European Cup Final and Kenneth Wholstenhome saying about Evan Williams leaving a struggling 2nd division team and a few months later he's playing in the European Cup Final.  I was 12 at the time and I remember because it was a school night, I had to go to bed at full time, but was told I could listen to extra time on the radio in bed.  I must have dozed off straight away, and woke up about 20 minutes later to learn Celtic had gone 2-1 down.   

[tommymitch]

Not many there as I recall and it was dull game with the players of both teams not particularly interested . We were definitely clinging onto the coat tails of the Anglo-Italian Cup.
Villa playing a European team seemed a big novelty at the time.

[Oscar Arce]

Mr Russell has provided the definitives.

The game took place on 5th May 1970 (I took a banking exam that evening!!!)
 
A further search has discovered that the Villa team seems to have been:
Phillips Wright Aitken Tiler Rioch B Turnbull McMahon Rioch N Godfrey Hamilton Anderson
 
Further useless information is that the following day was Feyenoord 2 Celtic 1 in the European Cup Final at the San Siro. If you ever come across a programme from this match it is a forgery because none were printed due to strikes in Italy.

According to my trusty programme changes on the cover of the programme Keir Bradley played in place of Micky Wright, otherwise unchanged.
It was billed as a 'surprise' friendly in the prog.

[MorrisNielson]

[Oscar Arce]

That's brilliant Morris, great old stuff, thanks.