Aston Villa vs West Ham pre-match thread

[Rigadon]

Hard to believe that stuff routinely happened back then.

[taylorsworkrate]

Zaniolo available for selection, though it is hard to see how he could possibly be in a frame of mind conducive to being able to play

[AV84]

Any updates on Moreno? Digne's had a nice little break but he's one yellow away from a suspension.

[Skerra]

Moreno only a small injury so will be tested before the match and, as it’s only a Villa type injury, is expected back out on the grass in around the 2026/27 season.

[AlexAlexCropley]

Moreno potential return 5/11 a/c to epl injury table

[john e]

trouble in the Holte before the game when we played them in the 70/80’s
I presume it was because we were all wearing the same colours that it was easy for them to sneak in
Didn’t last long before they were rounded up and escorted back to the away fans ( yes that did actually happen in those days they didn’t get thrown out)


one of the worse days for trouble I ever had was against them at Upton Park in 80/81 FA cup quarter final
We lost 1-0 to a last minute penalty, which was gutting but there was violence throughout the whole game,
Absolute carnage inside and outside the ground

Oh they were the days !!

Dodgy penalty put away by Stewart if i remember.

I was 16 at the time and went for a piss in our end at HT only to find a guy who looked as evil as Lenny Mclain in our bogs with a sheepskin coat and WH badge on it - i koved away to see there were loads of them

Only ground / time i ever really felt worried

(And that included being battered in the Bristol City end in FA cup earlier)

In fairness it wasn’t dodgy Ken McNaught thought he was playing basketball defending a last-minute corner
I managed to forgive him when we won the league

[andyh]

There was a little spell back in the mid to late 70s where we would put 3 or 4 past them without much bother.  I would welcome a return to something like that.

I think we'll still win as Emery will have a cunning plan for their demise. 2-1

Boxing day 1978* there was around 51,000 at Villa Park for the Gray/Deehan show. A fabulous performance from the lads and we ran out 4-1 winners. Brilliant day.
*some stats might be wrong as I was still three sheets to the wind after Christmas day 

boxing day 1975.
I know because it was my first ever game

[Drummond]

Zaniolo available for selection, though it is hard to see how he could possibly be in a frame of mind conducive to being able to play

I bet he will be.

Goal and a booking I reckon.

[Ian.]

A bit like against Wolves, they will soak everything up and use their quick players to strike.
We need to be clever and watch Bowen on the break.

Ideally Diably, Bailey and Watkins can do the same to them and we need McGinn, Dougie and Kamara to control the tempo and our defence to be switched on.

It’s about time we beat these bastards. Recently twice in a season we should have torn them a new one but ended up with fuck all.

[Dr Butler]

Zaniolo available for selection, though it is hard to see how he could possibly be in a frame of mind conducive to being able to play

I bet he will be.

Goal and a booking I reckon.

both in the 1st half ? 

asking for a friend.

UTV
The Doc

[john2710]

One of the worse days for trouble I ever had was against them at Upton Park in 80/81 FA cup quarter final
We lost 1-0 to a last minute penalty, which was gutting but there was violence throughout the whole game,
Absolute carnage inside and outside the ground

Oh they were the days !!

One of my first away games with lads from school. We had 600 tickets unsold on the Friday & the club sent them back to West Ham, who promptly sold them to every nutcase in the East End. At the end of the game we were locked in the stand with the 600 & more piling in from the sides. Not an experience I want to repeat.

I might be wrong but I also think it was Brian Little's last game for us.

[TonyD]

Nice 3 points please.
And another 3 next Sunday.

[mrfuse]

Zaniolo available for selection, though it is hard to see how he could possibly be in a frame of mind conducive to being able to play

I don't see why not if as he says he hasn't done anything wrong in regards to the allegations.
Players often play when they have issues outside of football and often it can be helpful to be distracted for a short period.

[CT Villan]

Zaniolo will win the game for us with a shot so hard the keeper and the ball end up a tangled mess in the net at the back of the goal.

[Percy McCarthy]

There was a little spell back in the mid to late 70s where we would put 3 or 4 past them without much bother.  I would welcome a return to something like that.

I think we'll still win as Emery will have a cunning plan for their demise. 2-1

Boxing day 1978* there was around 51,000 at Villa Park for the Gray/Deehan show. A fabulous performance from the lads and we ran out 4-1 winners. Brilliant day.
*some stats might be wrong as I was still three sheets to the wind after Christmas day

75.