league cup 2nd replay at old trafford against Everton

[class-of-82]

Went to all three as well first one was shite all I can remember was Duncan Mckenzie's little chip come shot that landed on roof of our net.
Hillsborough was awesome in my eyes just for the amount of villa there.
Then old Trafford was magical was right in the line of big Chris Nichols equaliser.
Still got 3 un-used tickets from it the result of 3mates letting me down.
Saunders Saunders Saunders echoing around is still in my head even now.
18 years of age young free and single and followed the villa everwhere

[dave shelley]

Apologies if I have posted this before but, the two most exciting things about that first match a t Wembley was:

1) Villa supporters knocking all sort of shit out of each other prior to the kick off.  No one knew why but it ended in a bunch of us; including the two protagonists all scrambling around in a crowd of near 100,000 looking for one of the pugilist's contact lenses.

2) The second half kick-off being delayed due to one of the Guards Bandsmen's ornamental spurs coming off his boot and getting lost.  They had as much trouble locating it as we did with Scrapper's contact lens.

The Hillsborough match was almost as bad, compounded by prior to, and after the game being treated like shit by British Railways and Sheffield's finest boys in blue.  That's how it was back in those days.

[144 Hard Boiled Eggs]

Went to all three games (and the Highbury semi final) - a magical era. Third division to European champions in ten years - if it was any of the media luvvie clubs like West Ham or Spurs they'd make a film about it.
My most vivid memory of the Hillsbrough game was how packed the Everton end looked with constant surging and swaying throughout the game - dreadful to think what happened there a few years later.

[castlefields_villan]

I think I mentioned on here the other day about getting lost as my mate's car overheated just outside Sheffield on the way to the first replay and we had to follow the crowds to the game.  It came earlier today - the full story - I said to my mate "how will we remember the way back - it's miles away yet" to which my mate re-assured me by saying "no sweat - I've got a good sense of direction".

Well as I said after getting away the game we somehow took a wrong turn and ended with no idea of where we were and continued to walk around for about an hour before we realised exactly how lost we were (by then we had absolutely no idea of where we were and it must have getting towards midnight) we continued walking randomly and all of a sudden we became conscious that in the (almost) deserted streets two biggesh men were following us - may have been completely innocent but every time we crossed a road so did they - every time we took a left or a right so did they - after 10 - 15 minutes or so we were getting more than a little panicky (if I was someone else - I wouldn't exactly be scared of me) - so I said quietly "when we get round this next corner - RUN" - I used to play Sunday League and my mate was an amateur distance runner - so we felt this would be our safest option - we ran like the clappers for 5 minutes - down this road, into that street etc etc and eventually paused and the 2 guys following us were nowhere to be seen.

I then said well at least that's that out of the way - now what shall we do about finding the car and my mate said (and I've never forgotten this) "we just need to tell someone what's happened and my car is parked outside a block of flats and opposite a pub !!"  So I replied "that's going to be helpful".

Amazingly, as we continued to walk (not having the foggiest idea where we were) as we turned into a main road - there was a familiar looking pub and block of flats - and would you believe it - there was my mate's car - - that is as true as I'm sitting here typing.

We refilled the radiator with some water we'd left in the car - and I remembered my mum and dad had also gone to the game, so after finding a service station I gave them a ring and they'd already got home - so I just said we'd had problems with my mate's car, but hopefully we'd get home ok (and we did)  it was years later before I told my mum the full story.

[steamer]

For the cup final we had gone down on Friday lunch time, youngsters +/- 18- 24 with a few old stagers, I guess we thought we were the real thing.
Where we stayed is a bit of a blur all these years later , I remember us all being in a pub close to the ground, Everton Fans walking past clapping each other ,
no problems.
My only memory of the game was the National Anthem. I think I collapsed on the floor and was hauled up by my mates as we headed of back to central London.
some of the lads had booked into a hotel called the London Central. Their occupancy that night was probably more than double than that of the bookings as everyone piled in and found a place to sleep.
I was so pissed, I never went out for the night and slept through on the floor until Sunday.
Sunday morning, Euston station. Like Napoleons retreat from Moscow.
Some very sorry looking Villa fans going home.
We booked seats in the buffet section, I was feeling pretty chirpy after a good 10 hours sleep. I needed food and a beer.
We settle down and the bar does not open.
The staff had not got on the train and the bar was closed.
The general consensus was that this was not acceptable, we had an expectation and were thirsty.
We declared the bar open and dispensed the stock along the train.
By the time we reached New Street the train was rocking, My memory was of the barman from the Hole in the wall (tip) a Sunderland fan walking out with two cases of cans on his head, My girlfriend (now wife) was surprised when I came through the barriers with all my clothes wrapped up in the news of the world and my sports bag dragging me down with the weight of all the beers in it. I told her that I had been unable to drink them all on the train. I do not think she believed me.
Those beers went into my moms fridge and were shared on the car trip to Hillsborough.
Happy days

[conman]

i hitch-hiked it to wembley for the 1st leg ,,,,in the greyhound for 11 ,,,,bunged the turnstile bloke to get in and jumped the train home
i was on the steamers coach from the red lion/ hole in the wall for the 2nd leg in sheffield with my old man and blue nose brother
and never went the 3rd leg cos i had no money ,,,,,,,listened to BRMB in the bath ,extra time and the water went cold ,,,,,i
i then went in the living room and my old man told me not to tell him the score ,,,although he must have heard me shouting in the bathroom
then we watched the highlights on sportsnight with coleman

[wittonwarrior]

OT was just unreal, you just knew we would not lose.  We slaughtered them after conceding the early goal.  One turning point for me was at the end of  extra time  the Villa players were all on their feet, the Everton team all down  on the ground.  I went the game with my mates family from Northfield.  The looks I got when I started swearing. 

The league cup that year seemed to last an eternity with the QPR postponed  games then the replay in the semi and the finals. 

People  will laugh but cost  us the league - that and Burridge in goal.

Best games of the league cup that season the replay at Highbury and Wrexham at home.  We would have destroyed Real Madrid and Barcelona together during  that 90 minutes.  These were the days when we did see off lower  opposition.

[Des Little]

Great times but thank goodness we don't have all those replays these days.

We don't bother with replays these days. We just get stuffed in the 90 minutes.

[wittonwarrior]

The  following season saw the Crystal Palace 2nd replay at Highfield Road, after only taking a few to Selhurst for the first replay, Coventry was chocka with Villains for the replay nearly 20,000 of us.

[conman]

Went to all three games (and the Highbury semi final) - a magical era. Third division to European champions in ten years - if it was any of the media luvvie clubs like West Ham or Spurs they'd make a film about it.
My most vivid memory of the Hillsbrough game was how packed the Everton end looked with constant surging and swaying throughout the game - dreadful to think what happened there a few years later.

yeah that would have been the leppings lane  end  ,,,,, i
we were in the large uncovered kop opposite
must have been before they put a roof on

[class-of-82]

If the Everton end looked packed I bet there was a few scousers saying "ay mate Luke at those Fukiin villa on the kop it's heaving"

[castlefields_villan]

The  following season saw the Crystal Palace 2nd replay at Highfield Road, after only taking a few to Selhurst for the first replay, Coventry was chocka with Villains for the replay nearly 20,000 of us.

I went to Crystal Palace at Coventry - however I thought this was 1978-79 - or is my memory not what it was ?

[clash city rocker]

Think there were more Villa fans there that night than Coventry got for their home games.

[castlefields_villan]

I always used to quite enjoy the annual trip to Highfield Road - am I right in thinking they'd never beaten is until about 20 years ago ?

[conman]

I always used to quite enjoy the annual trip to Highfield Road - am I right in thinking they'd never beaten is until about 20 years ago ?

i used to until that lunchtime boxing day under big ron