That Night- 20 Years On

[SoccerHQ]

One of the only times I've left Villa Park early (just after Gudjonsson got sent off) because it wasn't going to be worth the hassle at full time.

Me too. And everyone who glorifies Dublin getting sent off should think on - that's what cost us the match. As Ads said, we sank to their level.

It wasn't even a particularly good chinning.

It's a particular regret of his that he didn't connect properly. I agree though that had he kept his cool we could've got back into the game. 

It was 0-0 at the time. Gudjohnsson was sent off at 2 nil I think.

Can always remember walking under Witton station on way to game and at same time 100s of theirs came down the platform signing you know what at the top of the voices. Police directed them away from Witton Island and according to a mate at school the next day in the depressing aftermath they all got bottled at the away end.

Feels ridiculous now the VP game was put at 8pm after all the chaos of the first match, did WMP just think it would be easier to control with Villa Park's location? Big error of judgement.

Can also remember reading Brian Green's piece in the next issue of H&V describing a person spark out on the grass leading to Aston Hall after the game.

Thankfully things got under control and we eventually showed our class on the pitch a few years later.

[Risso]

Hideous games and thank christ there's very little chance of us playing them again for the foreseeable. If they could kindly get relegated this year to lessen the chances even more, so much the better.

[Bad English]

A Tesco-bag supporter mate of mine from the Wood was born on the 3rd March. I was tempted to send him a Happy ****** Night! on FB but 1) He would be nonplussed and 2) He's a great lad.

[Dave P]

I was there and I remember seeing at least two blues fans being bounced down the steps in the upper tier.  How they didn't go over the edge I'll never know.  Horrible night.

[Axl Rose]

I hated that game. Attacked at New Street after by their mob.

[Rory]

Thankfully I wasn't there that night. Was the violence random/spontaneous, or was it more of the Danny Dyer 'pwopah nawty' variety?

[dave.woodhall]

Thankfully I wasn't there that night. Was the violence random/spontaneous, or was it more of the Danny Dyer 'pwopah nawty' variety?

It was arranged, spontaneous, targeted, random, intense and brutal. I wasn't at the Rangers game but it was by far the worst I've ever known.

[Rory]

Thankfully I wasn't there that night. Was the violence random/spontaneous, or was it more of the Danny Dyer 'pwopah nawty' variety?

It was arranged, spontaneous, targeted, random, intense and brutal. I wasn't at the Rangers game but it was by far the worst I've ever known.

And it was mostly perpetrated by 'us'?

[Stu82]

One of the only times I've left Villa Park early (just after Gudjonsson got sent off) because it wasn't going to be worth the hassle at full time.

Me too. And everyone who glorifies Dublin getting sent off should think on - that's what cost us the match. As Ads said, we sank to their level.

First game I left early also, it was a poisonous atmosphere stoked by their owners and sky.
I remember walking through the riot police in a line across the road by the church, and thought am I in the 80s again.
Remember seeing one bluenose being kicked from the top of Witton lane upper to the bottom.
Bad bad night

[LeeB]

Filling in a document for somebody at work and I've had to pop the date down and it's dawned on me that it's been 20 years since probably the worst night our club has had at Villa Park for a multitude of reasons. The result, the opposition, that it was broadcast, the awful red cards, the errors, the violence and the general evil atmosphere that appeared to saturate everything.

Perhaps those older than me remember worse, Rangers friendly for example. But there was something about that night that brought is down to their level in every sense and there can be no bigger indictment than that.

All true, but I can't help thinking it was also the night many of them that had believed their own myths over the years got to the 'finding out' part of their 'fucking about'.

 

Yes I agree Lee. I think it was a double edged sword of those on their side believing all the nonsense (upper Witton Lane man certainly finding out the hard way) and our side wanting to disprove it.

I had a bizarre incident a few months before which underlined their state of mind at that point. Was drinking in Poppy Red on a Sunday afternoon after football and was minding my own business having a piss in the urinal with one other bloke in there. He started singing SOTV and I laughed and said 'no mate, I'm Villa', so he started to try and kick me while we were both stood there pissing. I grabbed him and threw him up the wall and was about to leather him when his mate came in and diffused the situation, I think my cock was still hanging out at the time.

[Rory]

Filling in a document for somebody at work and I've had to pop the date down and it's dawned on me that it's been 20 years since probably the worst night our club has had at Villa Park for a multitude of reasons. The result, the opposition, that it was broadcast, the awful red cards, the errors, the violence and the general evil atmosphere that appeared to saturate everything.

Perhaps those older than me remember worse, Rangers friendly for example. But there was something about that night that brought is down to their level in every sense and there can be no bigger indictment than that.

All true, but I can't help thinking it was also the night many of them that had believed their own myths over the years got to the 'finding out' part of their 'fucking about'.

 

Yes I agree Lee. I think it was a double edged sword of those on their side believing all the nonsense (upper Witton Lane man certainly finding out the hard way) and our side wanting to disprove it.

I had a bizarre incident a few months before which underlined their state of mind at that point. Was drinking in Poppy Red on a Sunday afternoon after football and was minding my own business having a piss in the urinal with one other bloke in there. He started singing SOTV and I laughed and said 'no mate, I'm Villa', so he started to try and kick me while we were both stood there pissing. I grabbed him and threw him up the wall and was about to leather him when his mate came in and diffused the situation, I think my cock was still hanging out at the time.

Is that what your excuse was? 😉

[Risso]

I wasn't at the 03 game, but went the year after and that was extremely tetchy as well, the game where Stern John equalised. I've never seen so many police dogs before or since. Three crap years against them, with no wins, two draws and four defeats. Thankfully the universe has righted those wrongs in no small measure since.

[nigel]

Thankfully I wasn't there that night. Was the violence random/spontaneous, or was it more of the Danny Dyer 'pwopah nawty' variety?

It was arranged, spontaneous, targeted, random, intense and brutal. I wasn't at the Rangers game but it was by far the worst I've ever known.

I was at the Rangers game and it was certainly frightening.
It was the shear number of Rangers fans, my guess would have been around 15k, but at least you knew they were in the ground.
From what I’ve heard and read, though, this game was equally as bad, if not worse, as they’d have had gangs milling about outside and various other places lying in wait.

[Axl Rose]

I wasn't at the 03 game, but went the year after and that was extremely tetchy as well, the game where Stern John equalised. I've never seen so many police dogs before or since. Three crap years against them, with no wins, two draws and four defeats. Thankfully the universe has righted those wrongs in no small measure since.

That Stern John game was awful. Was living on Kos at the time and couldn't bear to watch the last couple of minutes so went to the toilet, leaving my girlfriend at the bar to carry on watching.

I came out of the toilet when I thought it was safe, and her face told me everything I didn't want to know.

[Risso]

I wasn't at the 03 game, but went the year after and that was extremely tetchy as well, the game where Stern John equalised. I've never seen so many police dogs before or since. Three crap years against them, with no wins, two draws and four defeats. Thankfully the universe has righted those wrongs in no small measure since.

That Stern John game was awful. Was living on Kos at the time and couldn't bear to watch the last couple of minutes so went to the toilet, leaving my girlfriend at the bar to carry on watching.

I came out of the toilet when I thought it was safe, and her face told me everything I didn't want to know.

I was sat next to somebody who turned out to be a Nose in the Holte End. We'd exchanged a couple of words during the game, nothing much, then when Stern John equalised he wasn't bright enough to contain his excitement. He tried to give an old chap a slap, then got a proper good shoeing himself on his way out.