Gone but not forgotten

[wittonwarrior]

The weekly Villa  Times - I was so proud that we had a kind of 2 matchday programmes - also miss the Sports Argus on a Saturday Evening.

Postponed games - there was a  period in the late 70's when we suffered a spate of cancellations home and away - Everton away, Bolton at Home, Spurs at Home and loads more - at these times having  travelled up from London and not just wanting to waste a full day, went to the likes of Wolves v Plymouth, Coventry v Blues.

£10 junior season ticket and you didn't even need  proof that you were under 16.  How it was abused.

Programme vouchers - as a season ticket holder you would almost certainly have had the opportunity of getting hold of 2 tickets for cup finals.

Cup replays the Palace one sticks out in my memory and of course the semi and  final of the league cup.

Celtic /Rangers chants and the wearing of  Scotland  Shirts.

No segregation  at away games 

[Deano's Mullet]

Sports Argus was amazing. Loved the little fixtures box complete with result and goalscorers

[castlefields_villan]

I used to love picking up the Sports Argos on the way home from a game, getting off the 51 in Great Barr and popping in the local newsagent - first thing I'd look for was the "Form Rate"

Sometimes - if we'd played away and I'd been in town shopping or at work, it was the first way of finding out how we'd got on - how did we manage pre 1990s without the internet ??

I remember The Villa Times - as you say Witton we not only had the match programme, we had our own newspaper as well.

The vouchers "awe" - they got me tickets for both the 1975 and 1977 league Cup Finals - I always had a full set for years prior to getting my first season ticket "Villa Vouchers Are Valuable"  !!

[PeterWithesShin]

Loads of blokes stood outside Radio Rentals at 4.40pm on a Saturday.

[castlefields_villan]

Loads of blokes stood outside Radio Rentals at 4.40pm on a Saturday.

Ha ha ha - nice one PWS - I remember that - the days when most people "rented" a television and games finished at twenty to five !

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Villa bingo tickets.
4 page Aston Villa News & Record for reserve games.
Silky scarfs which became shredded when hung out the car window for away games.

[levico]

Changing ends at Villa Park. Holte End first half and Witton end second, or vice versa.

I remember a match when the fog was so thick you couldn't see the other end and I only knew we had scored by the cheers from the Witton end.

[conman]

Sports Argus was amazing. Loved the little fixtures box complete with result and goalscorers

yeah i used to go the newsagents by us at 6pm ,,and the evening mail van would bring it about quarter past
there would be about 15 people waiting for it

[conman]

i used to watch the wrestling on saturday afternoon if i wasnt at a match for goal flashes
and  on the vidiprinter

[castlefields_villan]

Villa bingo tickets.
4 page Aston Villa News & Record for reserve games.
Silky scarfs which became shredded when hung out the car window for away games.

I've still got my silk scarves = League Cup Winners 1975 & 1977

Scarves tied around supporters wrists -

I also used to sell Villa bingo tickets and the 3 n easy I think it was lottery - 10p a week and I had three £100 winners - decent money back in the mid 70s

[conman]

i used to like going that chip shop on witton lane ,,,,,other side of the road from the bingo hall by the holte before you get to the church where the road to the serpentine car park was
we used to play pinball there before the match,,,,,,with no flippers
you had to get 3 ,,,,,4 or even 5 balls in a row ,,,,a bit like bingo ,,,,to win money
but had to be careful not to tilt

[DeKuip]

The grass/weed/gravel bank at the back of the Witton End - running down it at full-time and flying into those who'd gone the safer way down the steps.

Muddy pitches

Golden Goal tickets and Golden Goal Girls.

Night matches finishing at 9.10 and being home in time to watch Sportsnight

The Daily Express 5-a-side Championships on Sportsnight and the thrill of discovering Villa were in it and had got through the first round meaning we might be shown.

Driving into towns and cities around the country and finding the grounds just by looking out for floodlight pylons.

[Ron Manager]

Changing ends at Villa Park. Holte End first half and Witton end second, or vice versa.

I remember a match when the fog was so thick you couldn't see the other end and I only knew we had scored by the cheers from the Witton end.

That might have been Villa v Man City 1965. It's a long time ago but
I remember their goalie Ken Mulherne asking people in the Holte if the ref had called the match off as he could only see a few yards.Anyone else remember that game?
Probably the 1966 3-0 win I think after checking.

[Damo70]

i used to watch the wrestling on saturday afternoon if i wasnt at a match for goal flashes
and  on the vidiprinter

Me too. Unfortunately my main memory from those days is seeing the late Ray Stewart penalty flash up on FA cup quarter final day 1980.

Villa players like Withe and Evans wearing Villa sweatbands.

Going to parties on a Saturday night as a kid when someone had hired a room for a birthday bash or wedding reception and a bloke coming round selling the Argus. Most of the women on the dance floor and most of the blokes reading the Argus.

[levico]

Changing ends at Villa Park. Holte End first half and Witton end second, or vice versa.

I remember a match when the fog was so thick you couldn't see the other end and I only knew we had scored by the cheers from the Witton end.

That might have been Villa v Man City 1965. It's a long time ago but
I remember their goalie Ken Mulherne asking people in the Holte if the ref had called the match off as he could only see a few yards.Anyone else remember that game?
Probably the 1966 3-0 win I think after checking.

Pretty sure it was the 1966 match.