Popular Post limpid Posted February 6, 2007 Administrator Popular Post Share Posted February 6, 2007 More reminiscing about times past, this time from Malcolm. 1971 and all that. First off we were in the Third Division and for fans such as me supporting the club was about travelling to and often losing at places like Huddersfield, Port Vale, Chesterfield and such. Week in week out Monday morning was all about listening to Blues and Albion fans going on about our demise, telling us about the big games they were playing, comparing them to the shit we had to watch and how poor our club was. At times we couldn't buy a win and although you could see the squad improving under Crowe it wasn't doing that good by anyone's imagination, we were overall poor. The league cup proved some interesting games as we progressed, Bristol Rovers forced us to a replay at Villa which we won 1-0, but even with Bruce Rioch dependably scoring from free kicks, a defence of Turnbull, Bradley, Aitken and the underrated Tiler kept the dodgy Dunn down to conceding few goals as we progressed through to one of the greatest night matches in Villa History just before Christmas on 23rd December 1970. The week before we had miraculously held Manchester Utd at Old Trafford to a 1-1 draw but everyone in the media and most Villa Fans expected them to do enough come the replay. It didn't happen, on a cold night the real Villa fan awoke from the ashes, and drove the team to a memorable 2-1 victory, the noise was unbelievable, the emotion intense, beyond belief. As they say, you had to be there, belief came back and from there despite the defeat at Wembley Villa never looked back, from there the way really was up. People talk now of how things have changed, how in time it will all get better, keep the faith, but back then that night, Villa fans started to hold their heads up high, no matter what went on around them, that night most Villa fans really did start to believe we could one day win in Europe. So came the day, coach load after coach load of fans travelled from Birmingham to take on the mighty Spurs, a team full of quality stars including Martin Chivers, England's star centre forward. I think these days the rhetoric would say we enjoyed the day, we did, but we believed too and as the match progressed as Andy Lockhead kept getting on the end of Graydon's crosses and Rioch kept having shots on target the belief got harder, you really thought we had a chance. We shouted, we screamed, we believed, all match long, only the inexperience, lack of ability of Turnbull let us down, Chivers was too good. But even then, come their victory, come the presentation, come their victory run around the ground, only one thing could be heard. All over the London, all around the country on every TV and radio one thing was heard "Villa, Villa, Villa." No fan base has before or since ever stolen the glory run, the glory from the Cup Winners. Every commentator, every newspaper was full of the fanatical fans from Brum. God did the Blues and Albion fans suffer from then on, belief was back, and although it took some more time, the next season proved it as we swept out of the division with record crowds and some great performances backed by a belief never in my opinion ever seen again, not at Villa Park anyway. I've had the fortune to watch us home and away as we climbed back all the way to the top of the Fist Division. As a result we had some great times in Europe home and away culminating in that great night in Rotterdam, again you had to be there, it was tremendous, it was unbelievable, it really was, in fact it was beyond belief as many there will have told you. But that day at Wembley stadium when we LOST has to be my proudest moment as a Villa fan. We were underdogs, we were the poorer side, we were the away side, the fans, the Villa fans showed that we were Giants, we were excellent, we were beyond anyone else, we outshouted a top London side in Division 1 on their doorstep and the World saw it happen. You can't beat that. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheriffvilla Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 One of the better articles from yourself Malc, I enjoyed that. My Dad paints a similar picture when he tells me about that cup final. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted February 6, 2007 Moderator Share Posted February 6, 2007 That's another excellent article in a recent series, from Richard, Drat and now Malc. It's good to read these tales, because not only are they entertaining and affirming in themselves, they remind us, or tell us anew what can happen in the future. top work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheriffvilla Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 That's another excellent article in a recent series, from Richard, Drat and now Malc. It's good to read these tales, because not only are they entertaining and affirming in themselves, they remind us, or tell us anew what can happen in the future. top work Plus as much as I am sure it is a nice reminder for the older folk, for a young man such as myself (25) who wasn't around, it's always nice to hear about it from a source other than my family or something 'official' Good on ya, you oldies :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted February 6, 2007 Share Posted February 6, 2007 Nice article. That cup final is infamous in Villa folklore alright Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philipwall Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Malc I was there too. What a fantastic performance by a third division side to be denied so cruelly. My wife (girlfriend then) said that when I got off the train at New street all i said was "we was robbed". I still feel the same today about that match but i also beleive that was the day the Phoenix rose from the ashes. great post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeMcKenna Posted May 11, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted May 11, 2014 (edited) For me this post sums up what it is to be a Villa fan. I am tired of all the ITK shit! I have supported the Villa for 54 years and my proudest moment was standing on the Holte against Preston North End in November 1968 with just over 13,000 other Villa fans. We lost 0-1, went to the bottom of div 2 and were devastated beyond belief but I and 13,000+ other diehards never ever thought of turning away. However in this Internet age, the above counts for **** all, long live the software! Edited May 11, 2014 by MikeMcKenna 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AValon Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 One of the proudest moments was using every last penny I had at the time to become a shareholder, a part of MY club. The day they were unwillingly taken off my hands was the day Lerner lost me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 Born in 1982, I missed all the good stuff. The hardest thing for fans of my age is reading about - and hearing stories from family members - of the GREAT moments. I guess, beating Man United at Wembley to win the Coca Cola Cup. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzfRNhLD6EI First time I saw my club win a trophy... I remember when we lost to Tranmere in the first leg of the semi, I was at school and people were all saying "Villa are rubbish" and all running up and down the playground doing the same, in the classroom they were doing it - and I cried My best friend - and one who was taking the piss - was a Man United fan, so this final was so sweet! But I long for success, like in the stories I have been told... videos I have watched... books I have read... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mic09 Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 Being only 22 I love those stories as well... but you know what guys? With the craved for statement about to be released, and us visiting the spurs again, lets make the history again, and let the phoenix rise once more.... CMON VILLA!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krisagg75 Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 born in 65.was their at arsenal 81,rotterdam 82,old trafford 77.for me though getting promoted in 75 was awesome,with wembley as well that year also.we were back where we belonged after the dark days of tommy doc.still remember crying when i heard bruce rioch had left us for derby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NurembergVillan Posted May 11, 2014 Moderator Share Posted May 11, 2014 RIP Malc. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BleedClaretAndBlue Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 i saw both Coca Cola Cup wins when i was a youngster so I guess id have to say that. Im always proud when we beat the big boys, but that soon turns to embarrassment with the following 4 results. I was also pretty proud and smug in the O'Neill days when we were actually challenging at the top. The 7 straight away wins was good shit, I remember after we beat Utd at OT and Fergie came out and said "you now have to consider Villa in the title race" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myko Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 **** all. Carling Cup final 2010 is probably the best moment since I've been old enough to properly appreciate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacbuddies Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 A great story. I remember my first home game as a kid was going to VP to watch us play in the old third division. The greatest personal memory for me (as I couldn't get to Rotterdam) was being at Highbury in !981 and although we lost we won the league and the number of coaches and cars with Villa flags and scarves draped over them and hanging out of windows all the way back up the M1 and M6 to Birmingham. Finally then walking into my house where my bluenose father was waiting and just screaming out the word 'CHAMPIONS' as loud as I could. Great times. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nazvfc Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 For me this post sums up what it is to be a Villa fan. I am tired of all the ITK shit! I have supported the Villa for 54 years and my proudest moment was standing on the Holte against Preston North End in November 1968 with just over 13,000 other Villa fans. We lost 0-1, went to the bottom of div 2 and were devastated beyond belief but I and 13,000+ other diehards never ever thought of turning away. However in this Internet age, the above counts for **** all, long live the software! Yes Mike - I was there too 10 years old with my elder brother - and there at the civic hall for the 'revolution'. The 'crisis' today pales into comparison - we were at our lowest ebb, but we rose like a phoenix. I was proud to have been there through Div3 and then through to the Super Cup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nazvfc Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 Just to add - I turned up along with the thousands (looked like it) when we the fans were asked to help the club because we were broke - the fan cleaned the ground - brought the paint etc and re-furbished the ground - at that time it was true - Villa fans would turn up in their thousands to watch the shirts dry on the washing line - but in this case it was watching the claret and blue paint dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_John_10 Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 Although we didn't go through the athletico Madrid game always stands out in my memory. I've never experienced villa park go as mad as when Stan scored. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 Born in 1982, I missed all the good stuff. The hardest thing for fans of my age is reading about - and hearing stories from family members - of the GREAT moments. I guess, beating Man United at Wembley to win the Coca Cola Cup. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzfRNhLD6EI First time I saw my club win a trophy... I remember when we lost to Tranmere in the first leg of the semi, I was at school and people were all saying "Villa are rubbish" and all running up and down the playground doing the same, in the classroom they were doing it - and I cried My best friend - and one who was taking the piss - was a Man United fan, so this final was so sweet! But I long for success, like in the stories I have been told... videos I have watched... books I have read... Yep I was born the same year so as you missed it all. Never even got to wembley for the two success' that we had in the 90's even though it was great to watch on telly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 Great article from Malc. The thing that resonated most with me was the reference to Monday mornings during the 1970-1 season and having to run the gauntlet of Blues fans (not so many Albion in my neck of the woods) talking about how poor Villa were compared with their mighty team. One thing I remember very clearly about the morning after both matches against Man U was how the talk was all about Villa for a change. The fact that we lost the final was disappointing but, in a strange way, didn't matter so much. We had shown we could stand up and compete with the top first division sides and every Villa fan could feel good about the prospects for the future (even though the rest of the league season was pretty poor tbh). I suppose a similar, but more small-scale, moment of sensing a real step forward came the next season in the home game against Bournemouth. It seems impossible to envisage now but Bournemouth were considered one of our main rivals for promotion and this was a key match - we had lost 0-3 at their place earlier in the season. We went 0-1 down but, helped massively by the crowd who struck up a chant of "Villa, Villa" that rippled round and round the ground, fought back to win 2-1. I went home from that match knowing we would win promotion and the future really was looking bright. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts