Villa Park & other old Villa pictures

[PeterWithesShin]

[Nev]

To me the Sheffield Kop is just a bigger version of the old Witton End.  I got told that the back was cut when they eventually put a roof on it.`

They actually did the opposite and extended the Kop when the roof was added. It was rare for this to be done at the time, the original had a peak towards the right hand side as you look from the pitch and they squared it off to accommodate the roof.

I sound like I know what I'm talking about but this information was gleaned from one of Simon Inglis' excellent books on British football grounds.

[wittonwarrior]

from the crowd could well have  been West Ham in the cup - the same day, same  time as  Birmingham played Leeds. 

[MorrisNielson]

1902

[MorrisNielson]

1903

[MorrisNielson]

1904

[MorrisNielson]

Some more of 1904

[Whiney MacWhineface]

Cheers Morris. I reckon Refs'd get a lot more respect these days if they dressed as smartly as the one  in the Wolves game

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Fascinating pictures Morris, never seen any of those before.
I wouldn't have fancied getting through that crowd to the refreshment shed for my Bovril though.

[Darlo Dave]

Good to see from those early pictures, that we were going after the advertising buck in the way back when. I bet that would have caught Doug's eye, while he was perfecting his Penny Farthing kick technique.

[DeKuip]

Some great old pics there thanks.

There were 120 facts about Villa Park in yesterday's programme celebrating its 120th anniversary that jogged the memory a bit - although wrong in stating that the Tranmere semi was the first penalty shoot out there. It was Colchester as far as I recall, for the first team anyway.

[Pat McMahon]

Some great old pics there thanks.

There were 120 facts about Villa Park in yesterday's programme celebrating its 120th anniversary that jogged the memory a bit - although wrong in stating that the Tranmere semi was the first penalty shoot out there. It was Colchester as far as I recall, for the first team anyway.

Agreed - after a 2-0 away win in the first leg it should have been a stroll  but we approached it too confidently and ended up shitting kittens.

IIRC the "winning " penalty for us was hoofed 20 yards into the Holte by Colchester keeper Mike Walker, later manager of Norwich and Everton.

[MorrisNielson]

Couple of photos I haven't seen before:

1966:
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/aston-villa-villa-park-bw-1960s-legendary-football-grounds.html

1969:
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/aston-villa-villa-park-holte-end-1-august-1969-legendary-football-grounds.html

[wittonwarrior]

Couple of photos I haven't seen before:

1966:
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/aston-villa-villa-park-bw-1960s-legendary-football-grounds.html

1969:
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/aston-villa-villa-park-holte-end-1-august-1969-legendary-football-grounds.html

The 66 photo was obviously to do with the improvements to the ground for the world cup.

the 69 photo caption is wrong it is the Witton End which  is featured.

[Godfrey Brian]

the 69 photo caption is wrong it is the Witton End which  is featured.
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It is a fine picture of the Witton End though- it features that paneled 'football' of a refreshment stand at it's peak that was of the time and ,I think, eventually set alight by Leeds fans.