NIVillan Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 13 hours ago, sidcow said: No wonder the pitches were such a state if they were training on them as well. Did they not have a training ground before Bodymoor Heath? Yes they had one very near te ground but it was sold off before we went bankrupt late 60s. Charlie Aitkin talks about it on the history of Villa Video from years back how they then had to beg and borrow places to train such as school pitches and car parks. I think though will be correct fast if wrong that Bodymoor was Developed when the new owners (Ellis etc came in). One of the drivers was to develop a youth team that could supply the first team, and they needed goog training facilities for that. It is why Ellis was so proud of Bodymoor Heath as he was there at the start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillaJ100 Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 9 hours ago, NIVillan said: Yes they had one very near te ground but it was sold off before we went bankrupt late 60s. Charlie Aitkin talks about it on the history of Villa Video from years back how they then had to beg and borrow places to train such as school pitches and car parks. I think though will be correct fast if wrong that Bodymoor was Developed when the new owners (Ellis etc came in). One of the drivers was to develop a youth team that could supply the first team, and they needed goog training facilities for that. It is why Ellis was so proud of Bodymoor Heath as he was there at the start. Knowing Ellis it was probably built shortly before he took over and took all the credit 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted February 26, 2020 Share Posted February 26, 2020 24 minutes ago, VillaJ100 said: Knowing Ellis it was probably built shortly before he took over and took all the credit surprised he didnt call it Ellismoor Heath 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fun Factory Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 10 hours ago, VillaJ100 said: Knowing Ellis it was probably built shortly before he took over and took all the credit Ellis mostly owned the building company which constructed Bodymoor in the early 70s. There is a Guardian article by David Conn at the time he sold Villa which covers all the money he made out of the club. All the owners since have pumped money in and not got anything back so Doug is probably still laughing somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddywhack Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 I think some older fans maybe laugh at me not being able to work this out, but what are these letters for? I've seen them in most old photos of old stadiums. This is from West Brom v Port Vale at Villa Park in 1954. I've pasted that picture and only just seen it's got scores/results on, so I'm guessing they were for other games happening? How do you know which game it's for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted February 27, 2020 Moderator Share Posted February 27, 2020 45 minutes ago, Paddywhack said: How do you know which game it's for? They'd print it on the back of the programme. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 On 21/02/2020 at 16:47, MikeMcKenna said: Knew all the pubs in the area well. Malthouse was a bit of a s***hole, used the Bell, Marston Green Tavern more but they were all bluenose pubs. My local in the 70s was the White Hart, gaffer was a Villa fan. There were a fair few of us Villa fans in there, who travelled home and away. Went to the Final, Final, Final v Everton at old trafford in the gaffers Jag. We thought we were the bees knees rolling up in Manchester in that. After winning we travelled back to the White Hart and were still there at 9am in the morning!!! Great days mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted February 27, 2020 Share Posted February 27, 2020 13 hours ago, Paddywhack said: I well remember how thousands of us focused on those half time scores. I also recall looking at the blokes through the scoreboard gaps, trying to read the scores before they put the numbers up. Simpler times, but it made for no little entertainment for a few minutes, for a fair few of us behind the goals back then. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted February 28, 2020 Share Posted February 28, 2020 On 21/02/2020 at 12:26, TRO said: https://yuiop196.imgbb.com/ paste the link in to your URL and they should open up...if not Limpid will sack me......thanks to him, for the instructions. Rob These are a couple of shots of the lads at my Wedding in 1976, at The Mackadown Social in Kitts Green...We had 2 receptions 1 at the Arden Motel and then on to the mackadown to get sloshed. The images are not great and the photoghrapher was a Knob head, but its great to record the good times. My wifes Mom was the stewardess of the Mackadown, hence the attraction to go there after the Arden Motel. We had a small group of lads inc Andy,Jake, ,Bobby Mac , Gordon Smith and sometimes John Gidman.....Bobby named us the " Box of Toys" cockney slang for the "Boys".....juvenile or what?......all Birds and Booze was the mantra. we used go out at least every wednesday Night, on the pull.....I was with Andy, when I met my wife of 44 years....somethings do help. The one image is us as a group singing Villa songs in a predominately Blue nose Mackadown club, that went down like a french kiss at a jewish wedding, so many cat calls to shut up, it was funny......I am in the Green suit and Andy is just behind me, with his brother Duncan just behind him.....Jake is just behind my Pal holding the Villa Pendant, Bobby Mac is just behind him. Gordon Smith is just behind Bobby and Jake on their image. My Old man was at The front, after watching Villa for donkeys years, he was really in his oiltot with this lot. I hope you can open them up as I am not very good at this. PS we had a real Gas that Day. PPS Gordon Smith was a really lovely boy, great personna. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robtaylor200 Posted February 29, 2020 Share Posted February 29, 2020 (edited) Green sand any one ? I am sure we used loads of green sand on the pitch when it was very bad. But I cant find anything to back up my memory Edited February 29, 2020 by Robtaylor200 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted February 29, 2020 Share Posted February 29, 2020 1 hour ago, Robtaylor200 said: Green sand any one ? I am sure we used loads of green sand on the pitch when it was very bad. But I cant find anything to back up my memory It was around 50 years ago I think. How about this one? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted February 29, 2020 VT Supporter Share Posted February 29, 2020 5 hours ago, Robtaylor200 said: Green sand any one ? I am sure we used loads of green sand on the pitch when it was very bad. But I cant find anything to back up my memory The last FA Cup semi final at Villa Park was played on green sand. The pitch was destroyed that season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted February 29, 2020 Share Posted February 29, 2020 6 hours ago, Robtaylor200 said: Green sand any one ? I am sure we used loads of green sand on the pitch when it was very bad. But I cant find anything to back up my memory I remember that too, was it around the time Godfrey and Greenhaugh were playing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted February 29, 2020 Share Posted February 29, 2020 1 hour ago, sidcow said: The last FA Cup semi final at Villa Park was played on green sand. The pitch was destroyed that season. 2007 - Manchester United vs Watford? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imavillan Posted March 4, 2020 Share Posted March 4, 2020 A glimpse of the old classic floodlights. Witton Lane showing the “A” floodlight in the distance. . I remember night matches where AV lit up Birmingham. A great sight. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imavillan Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Here’s another old photograph of Villa Park under construction. Amazing. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Messy Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 (edited) Aston Villa bossing the football league for nearly a century. (sorry dont know how to embed twitter posts) Edited March 31, 2020 by blandy Tweet fixed 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulC Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 On 27/02/2020 at 22:48, John said: I well remember how thousands of us focused on those half time scores. I also recall looking at the blokes through the scoreboard gaps, trying to read the scores before they put the numbers up. Simpler times, but it made for no little entertainment for a few minutes, for a fair few of us behind the goals back then. When did they come down? Replaced by electronic scoreboard weren’t they. Must be sometime in the 70s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 28 minutes ago, PaulC said: When did they come down? Replaced by electronic scoreboard weren’t they. Must be sometime in the 70 They were replaced for the 1981/82 season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted March 31, 2020 Share Posted March 31, 2020 (edited) 10 hours ago, John said: They were replaced for the 1981/82 season. How poignant. villa do seem to have a lot of spooky coincidences.....like a lot of firsts too. well, we are a special club. Edited March 31, 2020 by TRO 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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