35 Years ago today

[castlefields_villan]

Where have those 35 years gone ?  Remember that day of mixed emotions as if it was yesterday - thank you Bosko Yankovich.

[West Derby Villan]

I was lucky to be at the Clock End that afternoon. We gave one of our worst performances of the season that day, but thank you Bosko. To actually be there that day remembering where we had been nine years before is truly astonishing. Many thanks to the 14 players that gave 110% that season and of course Mr Ron Saunders, I certainly wouldn't bet against HIM

[Jon Crofts]

Who remembers Pele coming on the pitch before the game and spending his time down the Arsenal end and never even waved at us in the Clock End?

[Rudy65]

He Walked within about 20 feet of me outside the ground surrounded by the police

Remember going on the pitch at the end and taking some of the turf which I planted in our back garden

[saint13]

Yes I too was at the front of the Clock End in the bottom left hand corner. A big fight broke out about 10 mins before kick off as Pele came out.

As usual we were horrible on the big day, they totally froze putting in a completely limp performance that was totally out of context with a superb season.

Great day, one I will never forget. Brilliant Year...seems like a lifetime ago because of course it is!

[Rupert]

what a day, what an emotional day my mate and i bought a couple of tickets of a tout for the clock end and was bricking it in case we got sussed,then on the pitch at the end bumping in lots of mates and old pals that i had'nt seen for years.then after we went to this pub in the west end and a load of chelsea knobs came in looking for aggro we didnt want trouble we were just so proud to be villa.then a huge mob of villa came in and it all kicked off,we moved on then and had a great night .happy days and now look where we are.

[stubbsyandy]

I remember Pele, he walked past us before the game started when we were under the stand getting a drink....chants of 'Pele, Pele', and my mate does not remember it as he was too busy talking to a commissionaire and trying to buy him a drink....Great day, long day but what a day!

[Chris Jameson]

Still got my ticket, I returned home with a chunk of Highbury turf, my brother went to the Boro v Ipswich to cheer Boro on for the only time in his life.

Happy Bosco Jankovic(RIP) day!

[class-of-82]

Got down to London early that day and was in the Arsenal tavern before the game with all the gooners cause my Mate who was a market trader had got 3 tickets off he Arsenal mate so gave mine from my season ticket to my mate.
Then walked to the ground as the team coach was pulling up outside the entrance and was chatting to Colin Gibson and Gary shaw as my mate played cricket with them on a Sunday at moor green.
Never forget the scenes after not just on the pitch but on the a1 archway road going up past suicide bridge thousands of us everywhere on the roofs of cars up through the sunroofs.

It couldn't get any better could it
Oh yes it could. (26-05-82)
Two weeks ago I had to do a Gas connection to a pub only the Arsenal tavern just stood there looking at it smiling and the memories flooded back

[Chris Jameson]

Something I've just remembered is that my ticket still hadn't arrived by the Friday so my ace Mum arranged with our local sorting office to go along at some ridiculous time in the morning to collect it as I was catching a train before the post arrived and had been promised it had been posted.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

The wife and I had seats near the Directors Box (goodness knows how) and had a great view of the worst performance of the season, sitting there glumly until we saw the Clock End go mental.

Such a shame the pitch invasion prevented the players celebrating, we stayed ages just in case.

That, and the following year, seems unreal now. But what heroes that lot were, and once in a lifetime is infinitely better than never.

[dave shelley]

Never, ever, will I forget that day.  I've posted about it on here a couple of times so, I won't bore anyone further.

[wittonwarrior]

I call it - controlled  delivery.  I think we got away with it that season but it was a 110% effort.  Some great performances notably Everton and Liverpool.  Not as good  as the 1976-1977 team but how can anyone match the likes of Andy Gray at his pure prime.

Felt physically sick at the match when we went behind  it was now or never.  The emotions  at the end  was well worth it.

[OzVilla]

As I was just a kid our Dad only took us to the home games so we didn't go down to Highbury. We were on holidays at a caravan site in Shropshire along with our cousins, all Villa fanatics.  We were listening on the radio and obviously the mood wasn't great.

 At 2-0 our Dad and my Uncle (RIP) got so fed up we all had to go traipsing around some lake to take our minds of it, by the time were returned Boro were 2-1 up and we were about to be crowned champions. Strange to see 2 such authoritive, no nonsense characters dancing around like a couple of teenagers.

We ended up at some village church where our Dad updated their visitors book with the date and the day Aston Villa won the 1st Division Title. Great day even for those not there. I remember it still like it was yesterday. 

Then I was so young i just assumed this sort of thing would now happen all the time.  The innocence of youth.

[castlefields_villan]

I was 23 at the time - so I'd seen the superb promotion and League Cup win of 1975 and that unforgettable season of 1976-77, however when we went 2-0 down and Ipswich were winning, I truly thought we'd blown it and I went into a complete negative frame of mind thinking that this would be our one and only chance.  Knowing Middlesbrough ha equalised was good enough, but to know they'd gone ahead was unbelievable - it was such a strange occurrence - absolutely nothing happening on the pitch and 20,000 or so away supporters suddenly go delirious - must have been awkward for the players to actually concentrate on the job in hand.