Super Villans BT 82 Doc

[Nev]

I've yet to see this, I will at some point.

When the players came out before the Palace game and the Theme From An Unmade Silent Movie was played it hit me like a hammer how much that period meant to me. I was only 10/11 but it was the foundation of my support, where there was no cynicism, bitterness or negativity, just starry eyed wonder at these heroes and their achievements. I'm sure it happens with every child when they first watch their team, and why I felt so much for those kids who worshiped Joe only for him to turn his back on them.

These players are the last of a certain generation as well. No big money or lavish lifestyle and that's reflected in the fact that they have a special bond with the fans that sees them happy to rub shoulders with us in the clubs and pubs around Villa Park.

We, whether as kids like me or adults at the time, are so very lucky to have lived through a time of exceptional success achieved by exceptional players and we should continue to cherish it and the club should never take it for granted.

[Drummond]

Just watched it again. Bloody brilliant, absolutely bloody brilliant.

Smiles, laughs, tears, everything. But pride, that's the most overriding feeling.

[SaddVillan]

Thanks Gerrin.

Just watched the ITV match broadcast via Villa TV - with Jimmy Greaves, Ron Atkinson, Brian Clough, and Brian Moore giving us those immortal words.

I'd never seen the whole game before.

That and the BT Sport Documentary took me right back 80-81 and then on to De Kuip for that marvellous, nervous, triumphant Wednesday evening.

Wonderful memories.

[Mister E]

Thanks Gerrin! What a great watch - I've seen Withe score that goal countless times and yet I still got a little wet-eyed.
Jimmy Rimmer - wow! he still seems haunted by having had to come off.

I'm honoured to have lived my formative years during Villa's greatest successes, from 1970 through to 1982. At the time I assumed that the 1981-83 period was just the start of a golden age of continued success: I now know, of course, that I was privileged to be in the flower of my youth during Villa's greatest moments. I would still die happy tomorrow with that knowledge ... but I do yearn to see another golden age.

[eamonn]

Were there any performances in the league in 81/82 that gave any hope we could actually do it in Europe or were we generally quite flat?

[dave.woodhall]

Were there any performances in the league in 81/82 that gave any hope we could actually do it in Europe or were we generally quite flat?

There were a lot of injuries, the obvious upheavals which we didn't know about at the time and looking back I wonder if Ron Saunders in achieving his ambition may have lost a bit of his drive. 

[WarszaVillan]

It was a very strange season. The optimism of a repeat of the previous year went very quickly, losing 3-0 to newly promoted Notts County in the first game. Injuries left the team disjointed - whisper it but imo if we'd had a couple of key injuries in the previous season we wouldn't have got anywhere near winning the league, the squad wasn't that great. If we hadn't won the European Cup the season would have been a disaster. Standing on the Holte a few months after winning the league with 15 odd thousand in the ground just after Saunders had left was very strange. Then Saunders joined Blues, he became the hate figure for a while and Barton (who came from nowhere, MacLaren was the assistant we all knew) took us to Rotterdam.

[CT Villan]

...and if Super Villans wasn't enough for you, VillaTV just released "When Lions Roared" which is of a similar nature and is also awesome...

https://video.avfc.co.uk/video/dm9kJTdDMF91YWdnOG42aCU3QyUyRnNlY3Rpb24lM0ZzbHVnJTNEaG9tZSU3Q2hvbWUlMkZoZXJvX2Nhcm91c2Vs?lang=en

[eamonn]

Wow...similar running time too (i.e feature-length). Is it an in-house production? Curious as to how it compares, if anyone has had time to check it out yet.

[CT Villan]

It does appear to be in-house, but that does not detract from the quality. Obviously repeats a lot of the Super Villans documentary given it is the same people discussing the same events, but it is a good watch nonetheless.

[dcdavecollett]

Loved SV. These players were so good on and off the pitch.

Some minor quibbles:

1. Great play was made of Jimmy's penalty-rebound save in Berlin. His save against Anderlecht in the SF was far better.

2. His fine save in the home tie against Dynamo was very important, but why didn't they show footage of the many near-misses we had in the first-half, where it was almost impossible to believe we didn't score?

3. Didn't think too much of the cartoon images.

[eamonn]

Those cartoons will win us a new legion of young Villans!

[Dave P]

Those cartoons will win us a new legion of young Villans!

I doubt it. The Tony Barton one still haunts my dreams now.

[andyh]

Watched both programs over the last couple of days….absolutely wonderful.
Watching Jimmy shedding tears, even now is heart rending.

The memories of being in Victoria Square, both times, still gives me goosebumps.

Does anyone know why Gary Williams doesn’t feature in either program ?

[D.boy]

On a slight tangent I got to spend yesterday evening in Truro with Peter Withe and the Cornwall Lions. Peter was a lovely chap and also bought along a replica of the European Cup for photos etc.