The Big Match - 2nd May 1981

[Charlie8182]

Not showing a Villa game but the goals from Middlesbrough v Ipswich and the reaction & celebrations on the Villa coach, and a magnanimous Bobby Robson.

https://youtu.be/d16T0uCP31g

[castlefields_villan]

I watched this as well a couple of days ago - obviously I was at the Clock End and feeling clinically depressed from around ten past three as the news from Ayresome Park filtered through to make our disappointing performance even worse.  Enter Bosko Jankovic! and the mood at Highbury completely changed (esp once the second went in) from around twenty past four!

I know that even today, Alan Brazil talks about Ipswich "being robbed of the title" - yes I'll give him they beat us twice in the league - as well as in the FA Cup - BUT we won 26/42 league games as well as drawing 8,  FIVE more wins than them and even now it still amazes me how little recognition we got as League Champions - still that's a discussion for another day. 

How great seeing those Middlesbrough goals again ! 

UTV

[dcdavecollett]

I think it was a case of the papers having already anointed Ipswich as champions-elect before they hit a bad run -didn't they lose something like SEVEN of their last ten games?

As Ipswich, who had some outstanding players, like Thyssen, ran out of steam, the narrative changed to 'lucky' Villa. Presumably, we were even luckier in the next two seasons as well...

[astonvilla82]

Wasn't it the great Bill Shankly that said it's the team at the top of the league at the end of the season that wins it

[WarszaVillan]

One of my memories of being on the Clock End as a kid, was that I didn't fully believe the cheers when the Boro goals went in. The week before (against Boro) the crowd started to celebrate winning the league as rumours spread that Ipswich were drawing. Crowds were on the pitch celebrating with players at the end of the match and then news came through that Ipswich had actually won.

[LeeB]

Wasn't it the great Bill Shankly that said it's the team at the top of the league at the end of the season that wins it

Ron quoted Bill Shankley:

"He said if you win 25 games in a season you expect to win the league, you've done it in style. We won 26."

[dave shelley]

Not showing a Villa game but the goals from Middlesbrough v Ipswich and the reaction & celebrations on the Villa coach, and a magnanimous Bobby Robson.

https://youtu.be/d16T0uCP31g

I've never seen any of those Villa related clips before, especially the 'Boro v Ipswich and good old Bosko Jankevic RIP and the clips on the bus.  Many thanks for posting, I loved it.

[astonvilla82]

Not showing a Villa game but the goals from Middlesbrough v Ipswich and the reaction & celebrations on the Villa coach, and a magnanimous Bobby Robson.

https://youtu.be/d16T0uCP31g

I've never seen any of those Villa related clips before, especially the 'Boro v Ipswich and good old Bosko Jankevic RIP and the clips on the bus.  Many thanks for posting, I loved it.

brings a tear to my eyes remember the greatest day of my Villa life and remembering old mates who have passed on

[wittonwarrior]

According to much of the media Ipswich lost the league rather than the Villa won it.

[astonvilla82]

According to much of the media Ipswich lost the league rather than the Villa won it.

Didn't the great Bill Shankly say it's the team at the top of the league at the end of the season who wins it

[eamonn]

Then did we lose the league in '93 (or '90 to a lesser extent)?

Ipswich will always say they beat us three times and were distracted/knackered from their cup runs, particularly in Europe.

We used the fabled fewest number of players to win the league (since the introduction of subs?) and had a shitload of local derbies - the proverbial "leveller", to contend with.
It was also the last season of 2 points for a win. Had it been 3 points for a win, as has been the case for the 40 years since, we would have wrapped-up the title two or three games before the final day. So we win. And we won.

[dcdavecollett]

The derby argument is a strong one; we had fourteen midlands derbies that season (one for each player?) and didn't lose one of them. Ipswich beat and lost to relegated Norwich in their only local games that season.

[dr.chekov]

Great footage, thanks for sharing. Also nice to see Steve Hunt (former/future Villa) winning the Big Match’s version of goal of season for his strike against Blues.