That Night- 20 Years On

[jimmygreen]

Went with my brother on the Warwick coach. We were in Trinity Upper and there was probably 8 to 10 obvious noses around us. 4 stood together below us looking down & waving to their mates in the north terrace. They legged it at 0-2 and got pelters and scuffles. We eventually got to the coach by the Leisure Centre and then got bricked by Villa fans as we were leaving. Shit awful night. Still, never mind - fk ‘em. We’ve not got stretchy fabric covering the whole of Lower Witton Lane.

[Rory]

This fixture messed with my mind. I'd absolutely dread losing and although victories were enjoyable, they were more like relief than anything. I don't miss these games at all.

Exactly the same.

[RamboandBruno]

This fixture messed with my mind. I'd absolutely dread losing and although victories were enjoyable, they were more like relief than anything. I don't miss these games at all.

Completely agree. Took my son to a couple of the championship games, he was only 7 or 8 at the time, the 2-0 when Hot Lips scored a screamer and a dog awful 1-0 when fat Gabby came on a scored as his last stand. Even though we had the 12pm k/o and it was far more controlled, so felt safe to bring my youngster, they are just games to get through, horrible.
Where i grew up in Hockley it was mainly Villa but some blues, but i went to secondary school in Bearwood, so a lot of my oldest friends are baggies fans, so this feels a more important game and rivalry to me personally than blues. Although there is some trouble at games against the baggies, it has been no where near the  same level over the years.

[Meanwood Villa]

Worth mentioning that the season this game happened is the only time in 48 (about to be 49 given they're not coming up and we're not going down) seasons they finished above us.

[algy]

Thankfully I'd moved up to Scotland at this point and so had pretty much stopped going to watch the Villa for 5 or 6 years (instead going to watch mostly Hibs and occasionally Hearts). I'd known it'd been bad from the newspaper reports, but not in the level described here. Bloody hell.

[john2710]

I think our players were shocked at the hostility they witnessed at the Sty & were pumped up by the time of the return game. Walking up to the ground there was an atmosphere I'd never sensed before or since. For big games you get they feeling of anticipation but this was different.

I haven't set foot inside the Sty since Garry Thompson scored 2. I can't imagine what it's been like to be there as a Villa fan.

Following Dr X they all wanted & celebrated our impending collapse. The Grealish slap is a sliding door event that's separated us for at least the next generation. We've not looked back, whilst they hang around like a bad odour.

Fuck 'em, it is & always has been pure & simple envy.

[dave.woodhall]

Worth mentioning that the season this game happened is the only time in 48 (about to be 49 given they're not coming up and we're not going down) seasons they finished above us.

It was a strange season. Sir Graham got all sorts of abuse from the start, mainly for taking the job and therefore selling out to help Ellis. He inherited a snakepit with players virtually on strike and it seemed that every time we got a good result we followed it with a bad one.

Everything went against us - Vassell had a goal disallowed at 1-1 at the Sty, then towards the end of the season we were a goal up in stoppage time at Southampton, Ronnie Jonsen skied a clearance that could have gone anywhere but fell perfectly for Kevin Davies. It was a weird final table; another three goals (I think) and we'd have finished ninth.

[dicedlam]

one reckons 5/600 in the trinity ffs they dont get that many in their stands

There was no way 5/600 in the Trinity that night. there were few noses scattered around, but were soon taken out by the stewards.
Pure evil that night. Even the Trinity were baying for blood.

[Risso]

Worth mentioning that the season this game happened is the only time in 48 (about to be 49 given they're not coming up and we're not going down) seasons they finished above us.

It was a strange season. Sir Graham got all sorts of abuse from the start, mainly for taking the job and therefore selling out to help Ellis. He inherited a snakepit with players virtually on strike and it seemed that every time we got a good result we followed it with a bad one.

Everything went against us - Vassell had a goal disallowed at 1-1 at the Sty, then towards the end of the season we were a goal up in stoppage time at Southampton, Ronnie Jonsen skied a clearance that could have gone anywhere but fell perfectly for Kevin Davies. It was a weird final table; another three goals (I think) and we'd have finished ninth.

It was on odd season indeed. Only 7 points separated Boro in 11th and West Ham in 18th. The latter were relegated with 42 points, a total that no other relegated team has come close to achieving ever since, and one that kept us looking over our shoulder right to the end.

His season and a bit in charge was a disaster though unfortunately. Not all of his own making, as he'd inherited late Gregory era transfer mistakes like Kachloul, Hadji and Balaban, but then compounded it by signing the likes of Kinsella, Allback, UDLC and Leonhardsen. Some of that would have been due to Ellis's increasing inability to keep pace with the Premier League, but the season after under Mr Fickle we signed McCann, Sorensen, Solano and Laursen who all had a much more of a positive effect on the squad. Shame really, he should never have come back, something I reckon he might have agreed with, looking back.

[clash city rocker]

In the vile stakes they just can't help themselves. Last season coming back from a game we got to new St. My daughter was a few yards in front of me and as she got to the barriers there was a member of staff standing there probably in his late 30's. While she was putting her ticket in he said...fuckin villa cnut.  When I got level with him I more or less stood toe to toe with him and looking him in the face I said...that's just about your level you bluenose nonce. Next time you have a day off go and buy yourself a backbone.

[dave.woodhall]

Worth mentioning that the season this game happened is the only time in 48 (about to be 49 given they're not coming up and we're not going down) seasons they finished above us.

It was a strange season. Sir Graham got all sorts of abuse from the start, mainly for taking the job and therefore selling out to help Ellis. He inherited a snakepit with players virtually on strike and it seemed that every time we got a good result we followed it with a bad one.

Everything went against us - Vassell had a goal disallowed at 1-1 at the Sty, then towards the end of the season we were a goal up in stoppage time at Southampton, Ronnie Jonsen skied a clearance that could have gone anywhere but fell perfectly for Kevin Davies. It was a weird final table; another three goals (I think) and we'd have finished ninth.

It was on odd season indeed. Only 7 points separated Boro in 11th and West Ham in 18th. The latter were relegated with 42 points, a total that no other relegated team has come close to achieving ever since, and one that kept us looking over our shoulder right to the end.

His season and a bit in charge was a disaster though unfortunately. Not all of his own making, as he'd inherited late Gregory era transfer mistakes like Kachloul, Hadji and Balaban, but then compounded it by signing the likes of Kinsella, Allback, UDLC and Leonhardsen. Some of that would have been due to Ellis's increasing inability to keep pace with the Premier League, but the season after under Mr Fickle we signed McCann, Sorensen, Solano and Laursen who all had a much more of a positive effect on the squad. Shame really, he should never have come back, something I reckon he might have agreed with, looking back.

He didn't regret it - he said you regret what you wish you did but didn't rather than the other way round. The game had changed and his ideas were outdated, although that was more his morals than his tactics. He also inherited a club that had splits and factions everywhere. O'Leary inherited a happier place because most of the arses had gone and there was more money available.

[ChicagoLion]

one reckons 5/600 in the trinity ffs they dont get that many in their stands

There was no way 5/600 in the Trinity that night. there were few noses scattered around, but were soon taken out by the stewards.
Pure evil that night. Even the Trinity were baying for blood.

There were 2 sat 10 rows behind me and when they wouldn’t move after some encouragement from those around them, a bloke in a Burberry Cap did a superman flying punch which put one down and the next thing was there was a melee around them, they were evicted having been on the receiving end of a lot of physical violence.

[Axl Rose]

one reckons 5/600 in the trinity ffs they dont get that many in their stands

There was no way 5/600 in the Trinity that night. there were few noses scattered around, but were soon taken out by the stewards.
Pure evil that night. Even the Trinity were baying for blood.

There were 2 sat 10 rows behind me and when they wouldn’t move after some encouragement from this around them, a bloke in a Burberry Cap did a superman flying punch which put one down and the next thing was there was a melee around them, they were evicted having been on the receiving end of a lot if physical violence.

I was in the Upper Trinity but near the front of the tier. I didn't see one of their filthy lot, but heard people around me talking about them being there.

My main memory of that night is of a Villa fan just punching the side of the stand repeatedly like he'd gone mad.

Awful

[clash city rocker]

It was quite violent that cup game away at West ham but the atmosphere was not as dark as the night in question.

[LeeB]

Worth mentioning that the season this game happened is the only time in 48 (about to be 49 given they're not coming up and we're not going down) seasons they finished above us.

It was a strange season. Sir Graham got all sorts of abuse from the start, mainly for taking the job and therefore selling out to help Ellis. He inherited a snakepit with players virtually on strike and it seemed that every time we got a good result we followed it with a bad one.

Everything went against us - Vassell had a goal disallowed at 1-1 at the Sty, then towards the end of the season we were a goal up in stoppage time at Southampton, Ronnie Jonsen skied a clearance that could have gone anywhere but fell perfectly for Kevin Davies. It was a weird final table; another three goals (I think) and we'd have finished ninth.

Wasn't it the year West Ham went down with I think 43 points?

Edit: Just seen Risso's post