Tommo_b Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 2 hours ago, Stevo985 said: One of the earliest memories I have of watching a league game live (on TV) Wasn’t that the result that ended Wimledons 20 game unbeaten run too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 4 hours ago, TrentVilla said: I came into this thread with the same topic in mind, I can almost guarantee somewhere in the media tomorrow someone will be talking about the 42k attendance at Villa Park and talking abou the pressure of the job, the expectancy of the fans. The reality for me is that with a succession of managers the fans have been pretty supportive, tolerant even of some fairly abject football. Yes there have been grumbles but its taken quite a lot for the fans on mass to turn, Bolton at home was the breaking point with McLeish, Bruce's was more gradual but I'd argue could and should have happened much earlier. In general though I think the fans have tried to support the managers in the main. That said, there is clearly a pressure to the Villa job, there has been in recent times a disconnection between expectations and reality particularly I feel in the post O'Neill Lerner years not so much under XIa. What has been clear though is that managers have felt pressure, just look at pictures of Lambert when he arrived, towards the end of his tenure and then now. You can see what the pressure of the job did to him it is literally all over his face. I also think the pressure of the job has influenced the way managers play, not Bruce or McLeish but definitely Lambert and perhaps even Garde and Houllier. We've seen managers come to Villa with a positive passing game, an attacking style only to morph in the job into something else. That can only be due to the pressure of the job, the demand for results and our inability to act effectively in the transfer market. In Smith we've a manager who is committed, utterly committed to playing the game a certain way. What will be crucial for his and our success is that he sticks to his philosophy, that he is strong enough to stick to it through any poor periods of results, that the pressure of the job doesn't make him buckle and change. Because there is a pressure being Villa manager and not especially one that comes from the stands, for Smith you would imagine there will be an internal pressure because of what this job means to him. What Villa needs more than anything is a manager with the right philosophy and who is strong enough to stick to it, I think we've got that guy and if you listen to Purslow speak he thinks we've got that guy. Forget what was said about FFP I think that was the most important point made in the press conference, in Purslow we've someone who understands the importance of a football philosophy, something ingrained in club and which the manager sticks to regardless of results, I hope and believe Smith will do that as Purslow does. As a club we've flip flopped, O'Neill's counter attack to Houllier's more measured approach then panicked and went for no attack and lump it McLeish, then a more attacking (initially) style with Lambert, then Sherwood and I still don't know what, then Garde and an attempt to go continental again, then Di Matteo who wasn't around long enough to know, then Bruce.... It is a mess as has been the squad throughout this period as its been ripped up and built numerous times, with various players and millions discarded along the way. We as a fan base will I'm sure support Smith as we've done those before him, what we need from him is the strength of belief and character to stick to his principles irrespective of results, much as Howe has always done at Bournemouth, as a fan base we need to recognise and support that and crucially so do those running the club. Pressure will come but if we are ever to move forward again as club, from the owners down the club needs to be united on its path but more than anything it needs Smith to hold true to his beliefs. If he does then the results will come and Villa Park will be rocking again, its been way too long since that was the case. Very good post Trent.....I will add that decisions can create pressure too, particularly bad ones......We have made too many for too long. I think the media over play the pressure bit at B6.....its been too many poor decisions of all sorts that have contributed to the pressure. You are spot on.....We now need to ALL support our footballing principles and stick to it....no U turns. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Albrighton Posted October 19, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted October 19, 2018 This talk of the 7-1 game has thrown me, as I remember it as a 3pm game. I remember seeing the videoprinter on final score saying 4-1 at half time while at my grandad’s and I could have sworn other games were being played at the same time. I’ve looked it up and no, it was an earlier kick off, my memory is playing tricks on me. I do remember desperately wanting that Wimbledon own goal to count as Deano’s goal so we would have had two hat tricks. That one goal he scored was sensational. Anyway, that Dean Smith seems like a decent fella. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomaszk Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 12 minutes ago, Shropshire Lad said: This talk of the 7-1 game has thrown me, as I remember it as a 3pm game. I remember seeing the videoprinter on final score saying 4-1 at half time while at my grandad’s and I could have sworn other games were being played at the same time. I’ve looked it up and no, it was an earlier kick off, my memory is playing tricks on me. I do remember desperately wanting that Wimbledon own goal to count as Deano’s goal so we would have had two hat tricks. That one goal he scored was sensational. Anyway, that Dean Smith seems like a decent fella. Maybe you looked it up on ceefax? Proper routine for us whenever we met up with the family at the weekend was checking Villa score on ceefax. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Albrighton Posted October 19, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted October 19, 2018 2 minutes ago, Tomaszk said: Maybe you looked it up on ceefax? Proper routine for us whenever we met up with the family at the weekend was checking Villa score on ceefax. Maybe, although I’m not sure my grandad had a telly that had Ceefax at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 1 hour ago, Vive_La_Villa said: You talk of 40m worth of talent and we sometimes speak about them like all they need to do is turn up. If our attacking players are that good then it’s time they stepped up and proved it. I agree it is time that they stepped up and proved it. Hopefully, Smith will set us up to win games by more than 1-0 and will actually want to see a win ether than avoid defeat. If so then I think the attacking players will shine and will step up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted October 19, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted October 19, 2018 43 minutes ago, Tommo_b said: Wasn’t that the result that ended Wimledons 20 game unbeaten run too? Hmmm not sure. I just remember the two hattricks from our side. Then I checked and realised it was only one hattrick so I'm misremembering Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOTTI-THE-GOD Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 2 minutes ago, Stevo985 said: Hmmm not sure. I just remember the two hattricks from our side. Then I checked and realised it was only one hattrick so I'm misremembering Tommy Johnson scored 4 didn't he? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted October 19, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted October 19, 2018 1 minute ago, TOTTI-THE-GOD said: Tommy Johnson scored 4 didn't he? Nope. 3 for Johnson, 2 for Saunders, 1 for Yorke and an OG I think I'm remembering the commentators talking about the possibility of a double hattrick when Saunders got his 2nd. It's funny the small things you remember! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vive_La_Villa Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 (edited) When did this become the 7-1 v Wimbledon thread? #moderatorwannabe edit: following season is my favourite memory as a Villa fan. Edited October 19, 2018 by Vive_La_Villa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 tommy johnson earliest memories of him going on a proper scoring run - in the following season 95/6 I think, but that 94/5 season was the first season that I remember scorelines sticking out in my mind, losing 4-3 to spurs saw Ron sacked iirc, then beating someone else 4-3 a week or two later, the 7-1, the 4-4 etc we certainly knew how to score. Er, so I'm sure Dean Smith will have similar memories to draw upon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOTTI-THE-GOD Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 2 minutes ago, Rodders said: tommy johnson earliest memories of him going on a proper scoring run - in the following season 95/6 I think, but that 94/5 season was the first season that I remember scorelines sticking out in my mind, losing 4-3 to spurs saw Ron sacked iirc, then beating someone else 4-3 a week or two later, the 7-1, the 4-4 etc we certainly knew how to score. Er, so I'm sure Dean Smith will have similar memories to draw upon If I remember correct we lost 4-3 to Wimbledon which got Ron Sacked then beat Spurs 4-3 with a caretaker manager in charge of us. The question is would we take a 4-3 win tomorrow against Swansea 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 Wish I was there tomorrow, the energy will be incredible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
praisedmambo Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 2 hours ago, Demitri_C said: No press conference today?? I want to know this too. Build up build up. I'm wasting time checking if a press conference is happening so if anyone knows it's definitely not, I'd appreciate the info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudevillaisnice Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 6 minutes ago, praisedmambo said: I want to know this too. Build up build up. I'm wasting time checking if a press conference is happening so if anyone knows it's definitely not, I'd appreciate the info! It’s not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 2 hours ago, Tommo_b said: Wasn’t that the result that ended Wimledons 20 game unbeaten run too? that was a 5-0 around Christmas time 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentVilla Posted October 19, 2018 Moderator Share Posted October 19, 2018 Just imagine being Smith tomorrow, walking out that tunnel at Villa Park to what is going to be an absolute belting atmosphere and 40k people singing to welcome you... Gulp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheStagMan Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 Dean Smith 72 pages and we haven't even played a game under him yet Wonder if we can get to 100 before the game starts on Saturday. So looking forward to this. The atmosphere will be absolutely electric. How long since we fully sold out the ground like this? Must be heading for one of the highest attendances in the Championship for any club for quite some time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villanmac Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 (edited) 4 hours ago, Stevo985 said: Just googled the team from that game ------------------------Bosnich ------------Small, McGrath, Teale Charles-----------------------------------Staunton -----------Taylor, Townsend, Johnson --------------------Saunders, Yorke I may have the formation wrong as it's before I would have taken much notice of tactics and that. I don't really remember Bryan Small apart from his name. But what a team Love that team. Was my first ever game. I remember being excited to see Tommy Johnson and Gary Charles who we'd just signed , think it might of been Charles' debut actually and he looked quality down the right. Also remember Hans Seger in front of me in the second half in front of the Holte. He got done for match fixing a few months later and always wondered after that if he'd let a few in that day. Edited October 19, 2018 by villanmac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomaszk Posted October 19, 2018 Share Posted October 19, 2018 Tommy Johnson. Memories. I remember him up front more often than not, but I was young, he may have never played there. I remember a game against Spurs (I think) at home. In the first few minutes he won two big tackles right up near their box winning us throws, crowd gave it loads. He then had an absolute shocker and got hauled off. --- Very excited to tomorrow. In reality, I can't believe much will change for the first few games. He's only had 3 days in the job, maybe 2 with a full squad. And the games come thick and fast! Oh for an early goal tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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