April 4, 1987

[Chico Hamilton III]

2 soon-to-be relegated teams play out a nil nil draw. Look at the Villa side though, how could they have been relegated?  What a terrible manager McNeil was.

Mick McCarthy and John Gidman in Man City's defence   



The Sunday Times (London)


April 5 1987, Sunday

Football: Down Street calls


Aston Villa  ....... 0
 Manchester City  ... 0

TO THE delight, no doubt, of the other teams fighting for their lives, Aston Villa and Manchester City cancelled each other out in a sterile match full of defensive endeavour but completely devoid to spark.


Considering that the teams had won only two matches between them this year, expectations at Villa Park were not very high Manchester City's problem, as they have plummeted from halfway up the table to rock bottom, has been their inability to score, and in 45 minutes they contrived only two half chances. The first was engineered by Varadi and Stewart, but Wilson delayed his shot and allowed Elliott to block his path.


 Just before half-time Stewart was left in the clear after an uncharacteristic mix-up by the Villa defence, but he was gripped by anxiety and pulled his shot wide of the far post.
Still it was something of an achievement to have kept a clean sheet. For that they had to thank the sterling efforts of Clements in particular. He made a big difference to the back four, so ruthlessly cut apart at Leicester last week.

Cooper volleyed narrowly over the bar in Villa's best attack, and when Dorigo laid that ball back for Birch in the 35th minute, the little No 7 turned his defender neatly, looked up, and unaccountably chipped the ball straight into Suckling's arms.

Birch was involved in most of Villa's offensives. After cracking a 20-yard shot only a foot or so wide, he was at the car post to head over the bar after a piece of Walters virtuosity down the left flank had left Gidman on his backside.

Generally, though, Villa, could make little headway. If nothing else, Manchester City seemed to have sorted out their defensive problems and with a little more adventure up front could have taken this game. Indeed it was only a desperate intervention by Elliott which denied Stewart the chance of latching on to McCarthy's well placed cross.

The entertainment value, only modest ot begin with, decreased even further as the game wore on. At the end of a sharpless affair, neither goalkeeper had been required to deal with a shot worthy of the name. This is no way for either Villa or City to avoid relegation.

Weather: cold, wet. Ground: very soft.

Aston Villa (4-3-3): Sprink; Williams, Keown, Elliott, Dorigo; Birch, Cooper, Hunt (sub Stainrod 56 min); Thompson, Gray, Walters.

Manchester City (4-3-3); Suckling; Gilman, Clements, McCarthy, Wilson; Langlkey, McNab, Brightwell; White, Varadi, Stewart.

Referee: K Hacklett (Sheffield).

[Charlie8182]

I actually remember this uneventful 0-0 draw if only for City's black and red squared away kit and that it rained, rained and rained some more.

[LeeB]

Sat in the North Stand for the first time for this match, there was an offer in the Evening Mail.

Remember City having a red and black chess board for a shirt.

[Richard E]

I actually remember this uneventful 0-0 draw if only for City's black and red squared away kit and that it rained, rained and rained some more.

Yes, I remember my programme getting soaked to the point it was falling to pieces. 

[Pat McMahon]

My only memory of this was finding out the score at a friend's wedding in Bognor Regis. Highlight of the day was staying in the same hotel as a clown convention, so all sorts of ludicrous in the shenanigans till early hours.

[eric woolban woolban]

I was only 8 at the time and my two memories of this game was the rain and a scuffle in the trinity road upper.

[Chico Hamilton III]

I was only 8 at the time and my two memories of this game was the rain and a scuffle in the trinity road upper.

Bit young for fighting weren't you?

[eric woolban woolban]

Ha ha

[Chris Harte]

Whatever happened to that goalkeeper Sprink?

[ColinMac]

Whatever happened to that goalkeeper Sprink?

And the Man City RB Gilman?

[Chico Hamilton III]

Whatever happened to that goalkeeper Sprink?

And the Man City RB Gilman?

Just  noticed Keith Hacklett was the ref.

[castlefields_villan]

Whatever happened to that goalkeeper Sprink?

Was this goalkeeper any relation of "SPINKSY" - this was something that annoyed me back in the day !

[Damo70]

I would have been there but I have no recollection of the game whatsoever. I wish I could say the same for most of the other games that season too.

[kippaxvilla2]

The only thing I remember about this game was Gidman looking almost wistfully and sympathetically into the holte end whilst waiting to defend a corner as we continued to sing despite our utter shitness.

[Damo70]

I seem to recall another 0-0 at Villa Park around the same time against a newly promoted Wimbledon.