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Posted by: JohnCresswell
on Thursday, July 08, 2004 - 03:09 PM
How would have we reacted if we'd have been around right from the beginning of Villa's glorious history? VillaTalk presents a new series, trying to answer just that.
Episode one: Saturday 10th April 1897
Aston Villa 3 Everton 2,
F.A Cup Final,
Attendance 65,024
Villa Team: Whitehouse, Spencer, Evans, Reynolds, James Cowan, Crabtree, Athersmith, Devey, Campbell, Wheldon, John Cowan.
Everton Team: Menham, Meecham, Storrier, Boyle, Holt, Stewart, Taylor, Bell, Hartley, Chardwick, Millward.
As we saw the Great Weston train carrying the Villa staff and players into London on their specially decorated claret and blue carriages we suddenly felt the importance of this occasion. Here we were, in this nation's capital but with Brummies everywhere waiting with baited breath hoping that we would confirm to all that watched the game of football that Aston Villa were the best team in the whole of the country! We've already won the league now for the cup.
Thanks should go to the special Birmingham Works holiday laid on for the occasion allowing even more Villa supporters to join the team in London and roar them onto success.
As we marched towards stadium home of Crystal Palace thoughts went to how we reached this final. The gigantic effort made by the players, who had a hard league campaign to deal with too. A tremendous 5-0 win against Newcastle away from our Perry Bar home, a 2-1 win against Notts County and then reaching the final after finally overcoming the team Preston North End needing two replays to do it!
The marvelous 3-0 win over Liverpool which got us through to the final was my personal highlight where we displayed just how good this team is.
When Villa kicked off in their claret shirts with blue sleeves and ring collar we barely had time to look at the amazing colour and everyone in their best clothing in the stadium it really was an amazing atmosphere but we were not prepared for the first half action,
Reynolds went close early on as Villa screwed on the pressure and it was no suprise when the Villa fans were roaring with glee when John Campbell smashed the ball past the Everton goalkeeper. This was after great work down the right by Atherstone and John Devey.
We barely had a moment to rest though Everton hit back straight away with Bell beating the Villa defence and goalkeeper. Time to start to get nervous!
And get nervous was what we did. It was not long until we found ourselves losing this time Boyle scored a free kick direct. However, we knew that Villa would hit back such was the nature of this game. It was fast flowing, quick, end-to-end stuff. The play of both teams swung from end to end and Villa soon grabbed the equaliser Jimmy Crabtree left wing half took the free kick and Freddie Wheldon scored!
Wheldon has come on an awful lot since we bought him for £100 a year ago from Small Heath. He had certainly saved us in this game.
It was not much later and we retook the lead. This time, the provider became goalscorer when Crabtree scored from a Reynolds corner!
Unbelievable. FIVE goals in 35 minutes! This game was amazing and was one the record crowd deserved. Now for Villa to hold onto the win...
And the team did us proud. Jimmy Crabtree scorer and provider only signed just over a year ago creating a tremendous force partnering Howard Spencer. Howard once again showed experience beyond is years in fact both 18 year olds did as Albert Evans gave us as much pleasure as anyone else on the team.
Athersmith's speed caused Everton problems and Devey's dribbing was a delight.
It's amazing to think, that while we have had many changes at the club (playing staff transfers...and was it really only one and a half years since we became a limited company with Rinder and friends looking to buy us a home in the Aston Lower Grounds? To be honest, I'm not sure about the move I may write to them explaining my grievances) that we have managed to do the double.
Winning the league by eleven points, having the finest right wing in the country and now cup champions there is an awful lot to cheer about for an Aston Villa fan!
The Birmingham Post has described Devey as blushing when he took the cup off former Prime Minister Lord Roseby to celebrate being champions. Blushing? He should be proud forever with his effort and skill in the game.
Aston Villa FC: 1897 Double Champions!
John Cresswell,
editor@villatalk.com
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