coldbathkid

 

More reminiscing about times past, this time from Malcolm.

1971 and all that.

First off we were in the Third Division and for fans such as me supporting the club was about travelling to and often losing at places like Huddersfield, Port Vale, Chesterfield and such.

Week in week out Monday morning was all about listening to Blues and Albion fans going on about our demise, telling us about the big games they were playing, comparing them to the shit we had to watch and how poor our club was. At times we couldn't buy a win and although you could see the squad improving under Crowe it wasn't doing that good by anyone's imagination, we were overall poor.

The league cup proved some interesting games as we progressed, Bristol Rovers forced us to a replay at Villa which we won 1-0, but even with Bruce Rioch dependably scoring from free kicks, a defence of Turnbull, Bradley, Aitken and the underrated Tiler kept the dodgy Dunn down to conceding few goals as we progressed through to one of the greatest night matches in Villa History just before Christmas on 23rd December 1970.

The week before we had miraculously held Manchester Utd at Old Trafford to a 1-1 draw but everyone in the media and most Villa Fans expected them to do enough come the replay. It didn't happen, on a cold night the real Villa fan awoke from the ashes, and drove the team to a memorable 2-1 victory, the noise was unbelievable, the emotion intense, beyond belief. As they say, you had to be there, belief came back and from there despite the defeat at Wembley Villa never looked back, from there the way really was up.

People talk now of how things have changed, how in time it will all get better, keep the faith, but back then that night, Villa fans started to hold their heads up high, no matter what went on around them, that night most Villa fans really did start to believe we could one day win in Europe. So came the day, coach load after coach load of fans travelled from Birmingham to take on the mighty Spurs, a team full of quality stars including Martin Chivers, England's star centre forward.

I think these days the rhetoric would say we enjoyed the day, we did, but we believed too and as the match progressed as Andy Lockhead kept getting on the end of Graydon's crosses and Rioch kept having shots on target the belief got harder, you really thought we had a chance. We shouted, we screamed, we believed, all match long, only the inexperience, lack of ability of Turnbull let us down, Chivers was too good. But even then, come their victory, come the presentation, come their victory run around the ground, only one thing could be heard. All over the London, all around the country on every TV and radio one thing was heard "Villa, Villa, Villa."

No fan base has before or since ever stolen the glory run, the glory from the Cup Winners. Every commentator, every newspaper was full of the fanatical fans from Brum.

God did the Blues and Albion fans suffer from then on, belief was back, and although it took some more time, the next season proved it as we swept out of the division with record crowds and some great performances backed by a belief never in my opinion ever seen again, not at Villa Park anyway.

I've had the fortune to watch us home and away as we climbed back all the way to the top of the Fist Division. As a result we had some great times in Europe home and away culminating in that great night in Rotterdam, again you had to be there, it was tremendous, it was unbelievable, it really was, in fact it was beyond belief as many there will have told you.

But that day at Wembley stadium when we LOST has to be my proudest moment as a Villa fan. We were underdogs, we were the poorer side, we were the away side, the fans, the Villa fans showed that we were Giants, we were excellent, we were beyond anyone else, we outshouted a top London side in Division 1 on their doorstep and the World saw it happen.

You can't beat that.

 

Not sure Brian Tiler was underated, he was just a crap player and boy did he get some stick from the Holte End. Ray Grayden never played in the 1971 Final, but great memories mate.

General, from someone who has a deep and long lasting love of Villa Park, it's wonderful to see Randy and yourself share this love.

The changes that have happened at Villa Park over the last few years have been fantastic to see and they clearly show you guy's are here for the love of our great old club.

I have total confidence in your vision for the ground.

Hi General

I am a season ticket holder in upper holte, k4 if its important. Throughout the season there has been some tension between a bloke in the row behind me, and the bloke behind him. Stuff has been said, the bloke directly behind me has been threatened, even hit once, spat at all through the game today, and propertly stolen (the bloke 2 rows behind me throw his hat down the holte).

I class this as unacceptable, because at the end of the day, we are ALL there for the same reason - ASTON VILLA FOOTBALL CLUB. We are all there to show support, love, passion towards the pride of the midlands.

I dont know if the 2 people involved are on this site, but who would i talk to in order to get some notice to people's actions at the top of the holte end.

Thanks.

Also, gutted about today, thought we at least should of got a point.. also the fans were a big letdown over the paul birch tribute which has been on here since he passed away.

I'm also a season ticket holder and stand right behind these people with my sons and what happened saturday was unaceptable, this young lad with his girlfriend was threatened and spat on by 3 bully boys who are also season ticket holders!

I spoke to the stewards after the game and told them what happened and that these three bully boys continually smoke throughout the match, they said they will deal with it, I'm waiting to see what happens Sunday .

Is it possible to have a season ticket in one part of the ground and transfer to another part where the tickets are more expensive? If so how do you pay the difference?

Why not have people serving pints from those back packs like they have a Wembley, seems the perfect solution to stop the queues.

For Stiliyan Petrov.....................to the old "Brian little walks on water la, la,la, la,laaa,..............la, la, la, laaa"

It works for Gareth Barry as well.

Gareth Barry has earned the title of Mr Aston Villa because of his loyalty to our club and his talent, a great Villa servant . In a few years time we will speak of him in the same breath as Aitken, Mortimer, Withe, Cowans, Morley, Gray, McGrath and Bruce Rioch!

By the way General, how is the Gareth Barry DVD doing in the Villa shop?

We have had some fans heroes over the years, Bruce Rioch, Andy Gray, Denis Mortimer, Gordon Cowans, David Platt and Dwight Yorke to name a few.

Gareth Barry if he stays with us next season can be right up their with all the great Villa legends of the past. Not only is he a superb footballer but also a decent man.Just the kind of captain we want at Aston Villa.

I stood on the Holte in the 60's and as a child it cost me 2/6 old money, that's just twelve and a half pence !

Quite a jump to todays prices, but still the best value in the Prem, it beats me how anyone can complain about the Villa ticket prices!

I have a mate who has had to remorgage his house to buy him and his two kids his new Chelsea season tickets. Get real lad's.

After following the Villa for nearly 40 years I can honestly say I have never felt as satisfied to be a Villa fan. I sat on the Holte with my two sons when that 5th goal went in and we all said, this is the most perfect day we have ever shared!

What MON and Randy have done for Aston Villa brings a tear to my eye, the thought that the men in charge of our great club seem to have the same goals as the rest of the fans, seems almost unreal! Thanks General for taking the time to communicate with us the fans.