Aston Villa vs West Ham Boxing Day Pre-Match Thread

[Dave Pountney]

Doing a bit of reminiscing and, in so doing, probably giving away the fact that I'm turning 60 in a few days time! I was thinking of past Christmas holiday games at Villa Park and I particularly remember going to a game against West Ham in 1965 that was abandoned due to a frozen pitch after 30 minutes. It was 0-0 at the time and the game was replayed in February with Villa losing 2-1. These were the days when you played the same club, home and away, over two consecutive days at Christmas and the abandoned home match was played on December 27th, the day after Boxing Day. The December 28th return fixture at Upton Park was postponed and rearranged for March. We lost that one 4-2.

I was nine years old at the time but remember Hurst, Moore and Peters playing for the Hammers and also a Villa fan coming on to the pitch when the referee took the players off pitch and, following the announcement of the abandonment, trying to beckon fellow Holte Enders to follow him.

Happy days!

[sickbeggar]

We're so brittle confidence wise. If they score we've had it. 0-2

[Clampy]

We're so brittle confidence wise. If they score we've had it. 0-2

We went a goal down at newcastle and came back.

[sickbeggar]

Are you going to chase me around on every thread? my point was when we scored against Newcastle we looked better than we had for ages for a while. You didn't see that?

[Clampy]

Are you going to chase me around on every thread? my point was when we scored against Newcastle we looked better than we had for ages for a while. You didn't see that?

No, your point was if they score, we've had it and Newcastle showed that wasn't the case.

[sickbeggar]

Newcastle are total arse. West ham are a bit better

[dave.woodhall]

Newcastle are total arse. West ham are a bit better

You do seem to be arguing against yourself a bit.

[sickbeggar]

Newcastle are total arse. West ham are a bit better

You do seem to be arguing against yourself a bit.

 not really. you had two terrible teams with no confidence with newcastle and us. I don't think West ham are terrible football wise or actually lacking in confidence relatively speaking.

[dave.woodhall]

Newcastle are total arse. West ham are a bit better

You do seem to be arguing against yourself a bit.

 not really. you had two terrible teams with no confidence with newcastle and us. I don't think West ham are terrible football wise or actually lacking in confidence relatively speaking.

On the one hand you said that if the opposition score we're fucked, then you said that in our last game we looked better once the opposition scored.

[sickbeggar]

Newcastle are total arse. West ham are a bit better

You do seem to be arguing against yourself a bit.

 not really. you had two terrible teams with no confidence with newcastle and us. I don't think West ham are terrible football wise or actually lacking in confidence relatively speaking.

On the one hand you said that if the opposition score we're fucked, then you said that in our last game we looked better once the opposition scored.

what?!

"my point was when we scored against Newcastle we looked better than we had for ages for a while. You didn't see that?"

[Clampy]

Newcastle are total arse. West ham are a bit better

You do seem to be arguing against yourself a bit.

 not really. you had two terrible teams with no confidence with newcastle and us. I don't think West ham are terrible football wise or actually lacking in confidence relatively speaking.

On the one hand you said that if the opposition score we're fucked, then you said that in our last game we looked better once the opposition scored.

what?!

"my point was when we scored against Newcastle we looked better than we had for ages for a while. You didn't see that?"

yes, and we went a goal behind so we came back. Didn't you see that?

[sickbeggar]

I never said we looked better when the opposition scored though

[brian green]

We bottomed out at Newcastle. We will start to play better now. The players are starting to look fitter.  The score is hard to call but it will be a good game. Looking forward to it.

[Mister E]

A repeat of the Boxing Day scoreline 40 years ago would make it a very happy xmas.

(for younger fans that was newly-promoted Villa 4 FA Cup holders West Ham 1, Dennis Mortimer's debut in front of 51,000 fans)

I remember it well. We were rampant ... Happy days.

[CJ]

Comfortable win for Call-Me-Dave Cameron's team