What I miss about being down the (old) Villa - nostalgia

[CI]

Anyone else remember during the early 90's singing "Shaggy, Shaggy, Shaggy..." from the bottom right of the Holte when the same bearded man used to walked up the Witton Lane touchline? Think he was a program seller????

Yes that was class

[John]

Some of the things that I miss:

Singing “7 times we’ve won it no one else can catch us up” and believing it!

Paying 2/- to get in and 6d for a programme.

Standing in the lower Trinity and standing in general.

Seeing us line up against the likes of George Best, Bobby Charlton, Bobby Moore, Gordon Banks, Cruyff and Rossi.

Singing “Bertie Mee said to Bill Shankly have you heard of the North Bank Highbury, Shanks said no I don’t think so but I’ve heard of the Villa aggro”.

Standing on a not segregated Witton End to watch a Villa vs Small Heath game.

Tommy Docherty as our manager in the dark days giving us some hope.

Bruce Rioch’s free kicks and cannonball shots.

Seeing us come back from a goal behind at home to Bournemouth in front of 48,110 fans and hearing the Trinity joining in with the chant “Villa, Villa” and watching it that night on MOTD.

Andy Lochhead and later Andy Gray in the air.

Brian Little walking on water.

Standing on that muddy bit on the top of the Witton End and watching Pele with floodlights powered by a generator.

Being taken to night matches by my father.

Being the best team in England and then in Europe.

Singing "Champions of Europe".

Having Ron Saunders, Big Ron and GT as our managers.

Having McGrath at the back and Mortimer shaking hands in the centre circle.

Releasing those balloons behind the goal at the Holte End with my mates.

Players we have sold.

Belief in a bright future.

Winning home games.

[privateer]

Singing “Bertie Mee said to Bill Shankly have you heard of the North Bank Highbury, Shanks said no I don’t think so but I’ve heard of the Villa aggro”.

I used to love that one. I also loved the "Villa boys we are here, we'll shag your women and we'll drink your beer" song.

[CI]

"you reds are dead"

Liverpool home 77/78 (0-3 defeat)

[Adbo9]

I only started going in 88/89 due to my age....... had some great times........ won a few cups, been in a couple of races, signed some top notch players, signed some scrap players - typical football club really.

I really really miss - the days i used to catch the train to games, get off at Witton - £1.20 Villa Chippy Special pre-match - £5 max to get in the K Block, Standing Up, Being in the ground when it was empty and talking footy and watching the warm up, knowing that we were gonna win that day nearly every game it seemed. Daddy F*cker burgers on way home for tea (and in later years one for supper as well outside Bakers at 4AM after a night on the p*ss)

Most of all, what I miss - not solely Villa related - is there being football Pre-Sky. for all the money that sky have bought in, for me, they have ruined the game with its marketing, hype and razamataz.......... nowadays you only need two good games to be labelled "a great player" and similarly you only need to have two bad games "to be finished". 5 or 6 games bad run can see a manager slung on the scrap heap. Its all wrong. I miss the days a team could get promotion to the top flight and have a chance of really doing something. I miss the loyalty players used to have - you could see a team come to Villa one season, and more than likely the next season barring the odd player they had the same side....... I miss the European Cup when it was a proper competition, not a vanity fest. Where it was pressure football and if you lost you were out. Not like now, where you can lose 4 or 5 games and still be in the final. I miss when it was only champions and holders in it which made it prestigious. I miss the Uefa Cup being as hard to win as the european cup and being a great competition, same goes for the Cup Winners Cup. I miss the 3 foreigner rule. I miss when a good player in the lower divisions would get a chance in the top flight. I miss 1-11 and the play for the shirt mentality, not poxy squad numbers. I miss when games were a battle, no shaking hands before the game only afterwards. I miss when players didnt run round high 5'ing every 10 seconds. I miss when players were "dropped" not "rotated or rested".

I just miss football. Its shite now. Sky, Media and the modern fan have ruined it.

Anyway, Soapbox now off.

[mottaloo]

Thank you Mottaloo for a chance to indulge.

I bore my kids enough with stories of the good old days. Great to share with persons who know whats right. Premier league / Sky is where the sport I love, stopped being the same sport.

Those AV lights you could see them lighting the sky on way to game with my Dad as you came over the barr beacon.

Parking wherever you could (no permits) as long as you paid the protection money to snotty nose kids.

Queueing Saturdays to get in Holte - if you arrived after 2pm - wondering if you'd miss ko

Same queue. along witton lane - if you were on the inside - crushed against the wall at end of witton stand

Nightgames were so exciting -looked forward all day at school.

Crushed on Holte, swaying no control where the wave took you-catching occasional glimpse of the pitch.

I'm sure Liverpool weren't that good -if they went 1 up - rest of match- ball in Ray Clemance hand

That 5- 1 night against Lplop the European Champions - early Christmas present

Took my 90 year old Dad to Everton game this year - he remembers helping to paint trinity stand in close season in 60s.

My very earliest memory was standing on open witton end - terracing on one side - grass bank on other away from the pitch - on a wet saturday - i remember all these guys sliding down the mud, like festival mud. My dad wouldn't let me have a go.

That Bournemouth game div 3 - my uncle thought he was doing me a favour - took me to Wolves v West Ham in div 1. Gutted but Villa first on Match of the Day that night brillilant.

You're welcome !

You've recalled some great memories there too...especially the school ones. I went to school across Aston park & many a lunchtime we'd go over to the old reception in the vain hope of an autograph......vain ? what am i saying ?? It was no problem at all. I always remember bagging brian little's autograph and me actually touching his thumb as he passed my pen back to me !! Also, Keith Leonard's missus watching in complete but happy amazement as we pestered Keith to sign, whilst sitting in his car. He was only too happy to oblige.

One more for you......being on the holte when Dennis Mortimer burst through v Liverpool to score the 2nd goal...and how totally mental we all went on the terrace....and genuinely happy he looked as he ran alongside us celebrating.

[maqroll]

Does 1999 qualify as old?

[KHV]

I only started going in 88/89 due to my age....... had some great times........ won a few cups, been in a couple of races, signed some top notch players, signed some scrap players - typical football club really.

I really really miss - the days i used to catch the train to games, get off at Witton - £1.20 Villa Chippy Special pre-match - £5 max to get in the K Block, Standing Up, Being in the ground when it was empty and talking footy and watching the warm up, knowing that we were gonna win that day nearly every game it seemed. Daddy F*cker burgers on way home for tea (and in later years one for supper as well outside Bakers at 4AM after a night on the p*ss)

Most of all, what I miss - not solely Villa related - is there being football Pre-Sky. for all the money that sky have bought in, for me, they have ruined the game with its marketing, hype and razamataz.......... nowadays you only need two good games to be labelled "a great player" and similarly you only need to have two bad games "to be finished". 5 or 6 games bad run can see a manager slung on the scrap heap. Its all wrong. I miss the days a team could get promotion to the top flight and have a chance of really doing something. I miss the loyalty players used to have - you could see a team come to Villa one season, and more than likely the next season barring the odd player they had the same side....... I miss the European Cup when it was a proper competition, not a vanity fest. Where it was pressure football and if you lost you were out. Not like now, where you can lose 4 or 5 games and still be in the final. I miss when it was only champions and holders in it which made it prestigious. I miss the Uefa Cup being as hard to win as the european cup and being a great competition, same goes for the Cup Winners Cup. I miss the 3 foreigner rule. I miss when a good player in the lower divisions would get a chance in the top flight. I miss 1-11 and the play for the shirt mentality, not poxy squad numbers. I miss when games were a battle, no shaking hands before the game only afterwards. I miss when players didnt run round high 5'ing every 10 seconds. I miss when players were "dropped" not "rotated or rested".

I just miss football. Its shite now. Sky, Media and the modern fan have ruined it.

Anyway, Soapbox now off.

Daddy F*cker burgers from Tony were the bees knees

[turnbull]

Red and blue balloons, thousands of them.

Lads being held upside down in the Holte with their legs in the air to make a "V", I think a picture of that was on the back of the Daily Mirror once.

John Gidman

Ray Graydon's sweatbands.

Brian Little in full flight.

Evans and MacNaught.

Bovril.

Reserve games on a Saturday afternoon with updates on the first team scores over the tannoy.

Andy Gray's toe curling challenges.

Bruce Rioch's thunderbolts.

Chiiiiiiiiiiiiii-cooooooooooooo!!!

Ron Saunders.

When I was at school at King Edward's just the other side of Aston Park, we used to go down to VP (which was out of bounds) every Friday lunchtime during the season to see if there were any BBC or ATV outside broadcast trucks parked up. That way we knew if the Villa were going to be on MOTD or Star Soccer.

Another school memory was of when Villa used to train at Cooksey Lane Playing Fields in Kingstanding. I used to go Kingsland Road Junior school and sometimes we'd be playing games at the same time as the first team lads. Whenever a ball came over toward us, there'd be a rush of kids all racing to kick the ball back to whichever player came running over, much to the disgust of the PE teacher.

[Adbo9]

I only started going in 88/89 due to my age....... had some great times........ won a few cups, been in a couple of races, signed some top notch players, signed some scrap players - typical football club really.

I really really miss - the days i used to catch the train to games, get off at Witton - £1.20 Villa Chippy Special pre-match - £5 max to get in the K Block, Standing Up, Being in the ground when it was empty and talking footy and watching the warm up, knowing that we were gonna win that day nearly every game it seemed. Daddy F*cker burgers on way home for tea (and in later years one for supper as well outside Bakers at 4AM after a night on the p*ss)

Most of all, what I miss - not solely Villa related - is there being football Pre-Sky. for all the money that sky have bought in, for me, they have ruined the game with its marketing, hype and razamataz.......... nowadays you only need two good games to be labelled "a great player" and similarly you only need to have two bad games "to be finished". 5 or 6 games bad run can see a manager slung on the scrap heap. Its all wrong. I miss the days a team could get promotion to the top flight and have a chance of really doing something. I miss the loyalty players used to have - you could see a team come to Villa one season, and more than likely the next season barring the odd player they had the same side....... I miss the European Cup when it was a proper competition, not a vanity fest. Where it was pressure football and if you lost you were out. Not like now, where you can lose 4 or 5 games and still be in the final. I miss when it was only champions and holders in it which made it prestigious. I miss the Uefa Cup being as hard to win as the european cup and being a great competition, same goes for the Cup Winners Cup. I miss the 3 foreigner rule. I miss when a good player in the lower divisions would get a chance in the top flight. I miss 1-11 and the play for the shirt mentality, not poxy squad numbers. I miss when games were a battle, no shaking hands before the game only afterwards. I miss when players didnt run round high 5'ing every 10 seconds. I miss when players were "dropped" not "rotated or rested".

I just miss football. Its shite now. Sky, Media and the modern fan have ruined it.

Anyway, Soapbox now off.

Daddy F*cker burgers from Tony were the bees knees

too f*ckin right !

[MikeMcKenna]

Red and blue balloons, thousands of them.

Lads being held upside down in the Holte with their legs in the air to make a "V", I think a picture of that was on the back of the Daily Mirror once.

John Gidman

Ray Graydon's sweatbands.

Brian Little in full flight.

Evans and MacNaught.

Bovril.

Reserve games on a Saturday afternoon with updates on the first team scores over the tannoy.

Andy Gray's toe curling challenges.

Bruce Rioch's thunderbolts.

Chiiiiiiiiiiiiii-cooooooooooooo!!!

Ron Saunders.

When I was at school at King Edward's just the other side of Aston Park, we used to go down to VP (which was out of bounds) every Friday lunchtime during the season to see if there were any BBC or ATV outside broadcast trucks parked up. That way we knew if the Villa were going to be on MOTD or Star Soccer.

Another school memory was of when Villa used to train at Cooksey Lane Playing Fields in Kingstanding. I used to go Kingsland Road Junior school and sometimes we'd be playing games at the same time as the first team lads. Whenever a ball came over toward us, there'd be a rush of kids all racing to kick the ball back to whichever player came running over, much to the disgust of the PE teacher.

Great post Turnbull and interesting that you mention many of my heroes.

Over the last few years I have been very lucky to meet & chat with all the former players you mention with the exception of Andy Gray.

The most recent was John Gidman who I met at VP in February, a great lad and in his prime, probably the most exciting full back I had ever seen!

[tismyk]

Lads being held upside down in the Holte with their legs in the air to make a "V", I think a picture of that was on the back of the Daily Mirror once.

.

That picture was of me, one of the crazes started by the old Dougal Mob,

it was always me up first, i had no choice being the smallest, i loved it though, the headline said Villa fans start new craze.

[turnbull]

Lads being held upside down in the Holte with their legs in the air to make a "V", I think a picture of that was on the back of the Daily Mirror once.

.

That picture was of me, one of the crazes started by the old Dougal Mob,

it was always me up first, i had no choice being the smallest, i loved it though, the headline said Villa fans start new craze.

Brilliant, mate.

Have you still got those flares? 8)

[tismyk]

Lads being held upside down in the Holte with their legs in the air to make a "V", I think a picture of that was on the back of the Daily Mirror once.

.

That picture was of me, one of the crazes started by the old Dougal Mob,

it was always me up first, i had no choice being the smallest, i loved it though, the headline said Villa fans start new craze.

Brilliant, mate.

Have you still got those flares? 8)

Wouldn`t matter if i had i was a size 28" waist then, now sadly closer to 38", still brings a tear to my eyes, thinking of those days when it was a privlidge and an honour to be a supporter of Aston Villa, and in those days we all pulled together you just didn`t think of slagging them off as you get these days and i think thats the main difference about now and going down the "old Villa" and that`s a shame.

[gee1971]

When games ended at 9.10pm and as a young lad i always sneaked downstairs for a glass of water just as bbc midlands news came on at 9.20pm to hear the final score.

[Diamond_Joe_Quimby]

Standing on the holte in the 80s under one of the floodlights on my little stool that me dad made me. Watching Tony Morley then Mark Walters the Tony Daley flying down the wing.

Standing with the same people every week, no idea who they were but there was drunk guy, casual racism guy and old bugger guy who once when we were 8-0 up against Exeter in a League Cup game said it was the worst he had ever seen us play, but then he said the same every week.

[AVFCAM]

Do you know what I miss?

It's not even that long ago...

I miss singing long to "Hi Ho, Aston Villa!" at the end of the games we won...granted, this season we wouldn't have got much use out of it, but I miss it. I also miss winning, that's a big miss.

I also acknowledge that the Wulfs think it's their song aye it...

[CI]

Remember the old pies (80's)

Often burnt base and like molten lava inside

[1968]

I miss having a manager that i can believe in and look up to.

Ron saunders was my first hero , Tony barton , Sir graham Taylor , big ron , brian little , John gregory and Martin oneil.

Funny , all of the above tasted glory , well gregory lost a final but id sack that useless pile of shit and bring grecian back like a shot.

The way odreary and now mcplop are allowed to talk down and dumb down our great club is a disgrace.

I miss my villa , the one i followed to various shitholes in the second division .

This is my lads first season , hes 11 , i wonder what in 20 years time hell be looking back on and saying he misses it?

Villa till my last dying breath!

[VillaGoMarching]

I miss having a manager that i can believe in and look up to.

Ron saunders was my first hero , Tony barton , Sir graham Taylor , big ron , brian little , John gregory and Martin oneil.

Funny , all of the above tasted glory , well gregory lost a final but id sack that useless pile of shit and bring grecian back like a shot.

The way odreary and now mcplop are allowed to talk down and dumb down our great club is a disgrace.

I miss my villa , the one i followed to various shitholes in the second division .

This is my lads first season , hes 11 , i wonder what in 20 years time hell be looking back on and saying he misses it?

Villa till my last dying breath!

It is a disgrace, the managers haven't got any pride in being with us, if the managers don't care how can we expect players to stick with us.

JG or Brian Little, they were dead proud to manage us, and for all their faults i'd have them back in a shot.

dare i say it, Even GT mk3! lol.