Biggest Day Outs

[dave shelley]

It was Burridge, season 78/79 he'd left us by then.  October '78 Drew 1-1, 0-0 and won at Coventry 3-0.  Scorers Gray 2 and Gregory.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

It was Burridge, season 78/79 he'd left us by then.  October '78 Drew 1-1, 0-0 and won at Coventry 3-0.  Scorers Gray 2 and Gregory.

https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/3551

[Rudy Can't Fail]

A much overlooked large away support was at Highfield Rd for the league cup 2nd replay v Palace in 1978/79. There were 25k there (IIRC) and palace probably had 2-3k in the away end and the rest was Villa. The attendance that night was higher than Coventry’s average home gate.

Great night and brilliant support especially as it was a midweek 7.30pm game. I remember Andy Gray scoring a real Roy of the Rovers type goal on the volley from outside the box.

[dcdavecollett]

He hit it with his weaker right foot as well, didn't he?

My mate, big Derby fan, went to this one with his brother. Apart from Andy's goal his best memory of the night was going into a boozer after the game and hearing a Villa fan give a live performance of the 'Laughing Policeman' which they thought was hilarious!

[LeeB]

He hit it with his weaker right foot as well, didn't he?

My mate, big Derby fan, went to this one with his brother. Apart from Andy's goal his best memory of the night was going into a boozer after the game and hearing a Villa fan give a live performance of the 'Laughing Policeman' which they thought was hilarious!

What were the lyrics? I only know it in it's 'Altrincham' incarnation but that was still a good few years away.

[Rico]

What's the biggest attendance any of us have ever been in. For me it's the Charity Shield in 1981. I think the official attendance was 93,000. I don't think the capacity at Wembley was bigger than that for any of the following cup finals.

[Flamingo Lane]

I think the attendance at both the 1971 and 1975 League Cup finals was 100,000.

[dave shelley]

Other than Wembley finals it would have been 69k+ Vs Preston in the fifth round of the FACup in 1961/62 I think it was.  I can't remember what the crowd size was at OT for the second replay of the League cup.  I don't think the Theatre of Shit had  a 70k+ capacity then but! I could be wrong.

[Kevin Dawson]

54,749 according to Wikipedia

[dcdavecollett]

Lee B, I've got the lyrics somewhere up in the attic. I'll dig them out but you'll have to wait until after the w/end.

[dave.woodhall]

Outside Wembley, Inter away the first time must have been high up there.

[PeterWithesShin]

If we're just talking attendance rather than Villa support present, 90,000 at Barcelona in '78 is possibly the biggest outside of finals/semis.

[PeterWithesShin]

Biggest crowd I was part of was the '77 League Cup final. It was my 7th birthday and the crowd was either 96,223 (the earlier editions of A Complete Record) or 100,000 according to Wiki.

[LeeB]

Lee B, I've got the lyrics somewhere up in the attic. I'll dig them out but you'll have to wait until after the w/end.

Nice one, cheers pal

[Rudy Can't Fail]

He hit it with his weaker right foot as well, didn't he?

My mate, big Derby fan, went to this one with his brother. Apart from Andy's goal his best memory of the night was going into a boozer after the game and hearing a Villa fan give a live performance of the 'Laughing Policeman' which they thought was hilarious!

What were the lyrics? I only know it in it's 'Altrincham' incarnation but that was still a good few years away.

There was a team called City, St Andrews they did come
And they're knocked out the FA Cup by Alec Stock's Fulham
It was in the final minute, the referee blew up
And now those Blue & White bastards are out the FA Cup..

Just the mention of Alec Stock can bring men of a certain age in south east Birmingham to tears. They really did think it was their year. As mentioned on here a few times, there was a Villa poem 'We're Going Up' doing the rounds at the same time, spring of 75. I still have a copy of it, the only problem being I put it in such a safe place I can't remember where. I've an idea it's in a record sleeve. One day I'll find it but until then a verse that references the above.

'Around Sheldon, Yardley, especially Small Heath, all the Blues fans were showing their teeth
We're going to Wembley they all gave a smile but Villa fans knew it was just for a while.
We're going to Wembley with Trevor but Fulham didn't think they were so clever
Now they ain't won the league and they ain't won the cup
And now they're really shaking "Oh course we're going up" '.