Favourite Villa Pics

[sheepyvillian]

It's really weird seeing the Holte packed to the rafters and without a roof. To think, it once had a capacity of 28,000. What a buzz it must have been to score in front of a heaving Holte - End. Andy Gray always seemed to milk the moment. That season when he scored 30 goals for us. What a centre - forward. His ability in the air was a sight to behold. 

[Stratvillan]

Interesting to see what will happen long term with fans not in attendance. The connection with a team like villa, unlike Citeh etc isnt winning trophies etc (especially recently) its the actual involvement of going and supporting the team, or for those who are abroad etc of getting up a 3am to watch. I wonder if interest will wane the longer we dont actually see games, either in person or on tv?

 When will the singing like Citeh at home return?

[Zatman]

7 minutes ago, Stratvillan said:

Interesting to see what will happen long term with fans not in attendance. The connection with a team like villa, unlike Citeh etc isnt winning trophies etc (especially recently) its the actual involvement of going and supporting the team, or for those who are abroad etc of getting up a 3am to watch. I wonder if interest will wane the longer we dont actually see games, either in person or on tv?

 When will the singing like Citeh at home return?

Do we stay up with fans in the stadium. Villa have great fans but we also have quite a vocal negative section. 

I think football will evolve to find a way to adapt to corona attendances but it will probably move the local fan from the game if they cant attend and also kill smaller clubs

[Stratvillan]

9 minutes ago, Zatman said:

Do we stay up with fans in the stadium. Villa have great fans but we also have quite a vocal negative section. 

I think football will evolve to find a way to adapt to corona attendances but it will probably move the local fan from the game if they cant attend and also kill smaller clubs

That's my worry, I'm not sure that the evolution will secure anything than the supremacy of the big 6. I genuinely miss going down. I think that the social impact on working class pursuits like football and pubs and music gigs will never recover, and the pictures of VP last season will become a museum piece  

[Follyfoot]

4 hours ago, sheepyvillian said:

It's really weird seeing the Holte packed to the rafters and without a roof. To think, it once had a capacity of 28,000. What a buzz it must have been to score in front of a heaving Holte - End. Andy Gray always seemed to milk the moment. That season when he scored 30 goals for us. What a centre - forward. His ability in the air was a sight to behold. 

I think at one time you could bang a few more thousand on top of that, what a wonderful end what wonderful memories.Knees up mother Brown. Where your wife gone wheres you wife gone Stanley Bowles, with the milkman with the milkman with the milkman Stanley Bowles

Edited August 21, 2020 by Follyfoot

[sidcow]

12 hours ago, imavillan said:

Saw this on Twitter and thought it was worth posting.

Credit Neil Cox

 

 

Funnily enough, I was looking at the photos of the current squad training yesterday and I had to look twice and think to put a name to some of them, but that lot one glance and I could reel off each name no problem. 

[sidcow]

57 minutes ago, Stratvillan said:

I genuinely miss going down. 

 

[Stratvillan]

Oooh matron!

[SirSteveUK]

This isnt me - but it might well have been me at my first game in '59 - sent down to safety right by the Witton End railings by my dad while he leant on the first rail. I remember being fascinated by all the layers of paint on the railings . I remember taking a few steps back when the players came close - like giants to a 10-yr old me, they were

[commander]

Don't suppose any has the picture of Collymore (infront of the North Stand) vs Baggies in the FA Cup -its awesome them flipping the V's and bits of chairs being thrown at him. i seem to recall it been on one as the rear cover of a Villa fanzine

[sidcow]

13 hours ago, SirSteveUK said:

This isnt me - but it might well have been me at my first game in '59 - sent down to safety right by the Witton End railings by my dad while he leant on the first rail. I remember being fascinated by all the layers of paint on the railings . I remember taking a few steps back when the players came close - like giants to a 10-yr old me, they were

I've often looked at those railings in old photo's and wondered how nobody ever got seriously injured.  What a health and safety nightmare, the times you've seen players crashing into and onto the advertising hoardings.  Look at how low they are, amazing no players ever got impaled on them. 

[John]

I splashed out on one of those small cups for the 71 final, wish we had picked up the real thing that day. Great photograph of the fans at the 57 game below (everyone as proud as punch):

  

[sidcow]

1 hour ago, John said:

I splashed out on one of those small cups for the 71 final, wish we had picked up the real thing that day. Great photograph of the fans at the 57 game below (everyone as proud as punch):

  

All those blokes in their suits and ties for the final. 

I wonder how many fans now sit in the normal stands in suits and ties? 

Also, would that kid have been a mascot? They surely weren't selling replica kits back then were they? 

[John]

2 hours ago, sidcow said:

All those blokes in their suits and ties for the final. 

I wonder how many fans now sit in the normal stands in suits and ties? 

Also, would that kid have been a mascot? They surely weren't selling replica kits back then were they? 

Clearly it's the corporate area, hence the smart/casual outfits that they are all wearing.

I don't think that there were mascots, as such back then. Perhaps his family got him as near to a kit, to wear for the day as they could from school/local teams. The shirt does seem like the equivalent of today's replica shirt though, which wasn't generally available back then. That's a bit of a mystery, perhaps he was given it by a time travelling Villa fan!

[John]

16 hours ago, sidcow said:

Also, would that kid have been a mascot? 

I've done a little digging this morning and the lad in question, was our mascot after all.

His name was Andrew Pugh and he was from Lozells. What a day for the lad! He went on to become an accountant and sadly passed away in 2011. HEITS. 

I obtained the above information from the Birmingham History Forum (link below). Here are another couple of photographs from his special day:

https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/villa-park-1957.29975/

  

[sidcow]

53 minutes ago, John said:

I've done a little digging this morning and the lad in question, was our mascot after all.

His name was Andrew Pugh and he was from Lozells. What a day for the lad! He went on to become an accountant and sadly passed away in 2011. HEITS. 

I obtained the above information from the Birmingham History Forum (link below). Here are another couple of photographs from his special day:

https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/villa-park-1957.29975/

  

Wonderful research, thanks very much. 

I have dipped into that website from time to time.  It does throw up a lot of interesting stuff. 

[John]

This was taken after one of the greatest ever games at Villa Park. Fifty years ago, we beat a Manchester United side that had lifted the European Cup only 2 years earlier, which had included Denis Law, George Best, Bobby Charlton and a young Jimmy Rimmer, 2-1 in the League Cup semi-final 2nd leg in front of 58,667 fans, on 23/12/70 (what a Happy Christmas we all had that year!) :   

 

[AvfcRigo82]

8 hours ago, John said:

This was taken after one of the greatest ever games at Villa Park. Fifty years ago, we beat a Manchester United side that had lifted the European Cup only 2 years earlier, which had included Denis Law, George Best, Bobby Charlton and a young Jimmy Rimmer, 2-1 in the League Cup semi-final 2nd leg in front of 58,667 fans, on 23/12/70 (what a Happy Christmas we all had that year!) :   

 

Cracking picture. Thanks John.

[SirSteveUK]

Harry Parkes next to Andy at the back. looks like Bruce Rioch next to Charlie - and Lew Chatterley in the back row ??

Not sure who the two are at the left but Ron Wylie, Doug and Percy "Kindly call me Pat" Matthews next to one another - with Bobby Thomson look-a-like  stooping at the front .

Team that day: John Dunn, Keith Bradley, Charlie Aitken, Brian Godfrey, Fred Turnbull, Brian Tiler, Pat McMahon, Davie Gibson, Andy Lochhead, Chico Hamilton & Willie Anderson

Rioch was injured after playing the 1st round - but came back for the Final.

I actually missed this game - but being at U.M.I.S.T. at the time was present at the OT leg.  Amazing. 

[John]

12 hours ago, SirSteveUK said:

Harry Parkes next to Andy at the back. looks like Bruce Rioch next to Charlie - and Lew Chatterley in the back row ??

Not sure who the two are at the left but Ron Wylie, Doug and Percy "Kindly call me Pat" Matthews next to one another - with Bobby Thomson look-a-like  stooping at the front .

Team that day: John Dunn, Keith Bradley, Charlie Aitken, Brian Godfrey, Fred Turnbull, Brian Tiler, Pat McMahon, Davie Gibson, Andy Lochhead, Chico Hamilton & Willie Anderson

Rioch was injured after playing the 1st round - but came back for the Final.

I actually missed this game - but being at U.M.I.S.T. at the time was present at the OT leg.  Amazing. 

The two players to the left of Ron Wylie are John Dunn and Keith Bradley and it's Dave Gibson crouching at the front next to Vic Crowe. Jimmy Brown is on the right next to Pat Matthews.  Fred Turnbull and Brian Godfrey are either side of Lew Chatterley at the rear, and Chico Hamilton is on the far right at the back. Like yourself,  I'm struggling with the two on the left, could it be George Curtis, next to the chap with the hat?