I was at the Cardiff game away in 1974. We were struggling in the lower reaches of the old second division. Saunders was still trying to get the team performing to his style. Only 60 odd villa fans on the “special” from New St. Took my 9 year old brother to his first away game. Cardiff fans waiting for us at the station. Pretty risky walk to Ninian Park. Had to make sure our nipper was okay. Terrible game, lost 3 1, Willie Anderson scored for Cardiff,just to make it worse. I turned to my brother and said “I don’t know where this clubs going kiddo”.....................we lost only one more game that season, 1 Nil on a mud pile at Leyton Orient. We destroyed everyone else to the end of the season, came within a hairbreadth of taking the top spot from Man Utd, and won the league cup to boot. My point is, if Smith can get this team performing, nothing is impossible. Incidentally the team we pipped to the promotion spot and the cup was Norwich City. Who currently sit top.