The departure of Gerry Hitchens and Peter McParland and the retirement of Johnny Dixon (and also the removal of the maximum wage in 1961) substantially changed the climate at Villa Park. A young, skilful, lanky and highly colourful Derek Dougan arrived but fell out of favour within two years (but later became a hero at Wolves and with UKIP) and after that there was no-one at t’ Villa who quite grabbed the young fan’s imagination for some years. Tony Hateley came and scored a lot during three years, but he did not have the flair of those others. But it would be churlish to complain about his goals.

Following 1966 (and Hateley’s departure and England’s World Cup success) came nine years of mostly average – and lower league – faire. But Villa did obtain one youngster of flair in 1969 – the (then) expensive Bruce Rioch. He came as a forward but later made the number 6 spot his own. He could tackle hard and well, distribute passes in impressive style, especially his long passes to the wings, and – arguably the most exciting part of his play – could crack some wonderful goals from distance. There was nothing quite like the sight of Rioch gliding past an opponent and then unleashing an unstoppable shot – only Bobby Charlton had that particular style, I believe. With Villa still stuck in the second tier in 1974 he went off to Derby and then Everton and Scotland, where he excelled. The sad thing was that Ron Saunders arrived later in 1974 and would surely have used him well in Villa’s drive to the top tier that season.

But Villa had enthralled their supporters in 1970-71 when (after dismissing top-flight Burnley) a Besty, Law and Charlton Manchester United were knocked out of the semis of the Football League Cup over two legs. Villa finally went under to star-studded (Martin Peters, Martin Chivers, Alan Mullery et al) Spurs at Wembley after outplaying them for most of the first 75 minutes. Villa were then third tier minnows yet reminded the top flight that the lion was still ready and willing to spring. Apart from Rioch, attacking heroes of that period were Pat McMahon and Chico Hamilton, two silver-footed and light forwards who could mesmerise at times. Hamilton stayed with Villa until their return to the top-flight and did a reasonable job at staying the pace during that evolutionary period – as did Ray Graydon, a lively winger with fine ball control who could provide ammunition and shoot. And he shot and scored pretty often. And there was the old Burnley warhorse, Andy Lochhead, who battered and barged his way through to help Villa out of the third tier, and Willie Anderson, who supplied most of Lochhead’s crosses.

Defensive-wise, we should not forget Charlie Aitken who lasted throughout from 1961 to 1976, and also Chris Nicholl, a tall and brave Laursen-like scoring centre-back, who grew with Villa (in company with Graydon) during their rise from 1972 to 1977.

But 1972 also saw the arrival of a long-haired youngster who thrilled at every level from the third tier to the top-flight, and even played in the England team for a full 10 minutes, supplying the ammunition for England’s winner in that match. He was named Brian Little. Playing in the same era as Trevor Francis of Small Heath, people raved about him, but injury periods robbed him of the England caps that must surely have been his birthright had things gone to plan. In 1975, I went to Hillsborough to see Villa win 4-0 and gain promotion to the top-flight. Little scored two, with one being scored from twenty-five yards out after he flicked the ball over the defender’s head, and that after superbly controlling a fine cross from Bobby McDonald, another good youngster. Little said later that he had been coached to caress a football – to keep it to his toe as if it belonged to him – and he made people fully aware of his deftness and superlative skill one floodlit December evening in December 1976 when he was instrumental in the first-half demolition of the mighty Liverpool. Villa scored five in those first 45 minutes to go in at half-time leading 5-1, and that’s how it finished. But the final score might just as easily have been 8-2. That season Villa also put five past Arsenal and finished fourth in the League – then Villa’s highest finish since 1933, 44 years previous.

Before 1976 a certain Andy Gray (19-years-old and totally fearless) had arrived from Dundee and it was not long before he and Little caused the sun to shine on Villa Park and the goalnets to bulge. The fans used to flock to see those two in their heyday, ably supported by Dennis Mortimer and co. But, sadly, Andy had a little too much ambition for Ron Saunders to handle and off he went to Wolves, who thought they were going places. Andy had the championship in his sights at Wolves, but he should have stayed at Villa Park for that.

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John Lerwill
I'm a Villan of more than 60 years standing and an occasional writer on Villa history. For me there is only one football club worth supporting, but I am now wondering whether I will again see anything like the pageant that was paraded under Ron Saunders or even that by Big Ron and Brian Little. My glass, however, is always half-full! Click here for my Villa website.

Comments 159

  1. steamer

    Hello John,
    I think most Villans of a certain age would say that those were the most enjoyable years to support AVFC since the war.
    Brian Little was a victim of a Kevin Keegan tantrum, Keegan was rubbish for England and was ‘rested’ for the Wales game when Little created the goal and generally caused havoc, Keegan, juvenile as ever threw a wobbly to make sure he played against Scotland on the Sat and BL never got a look in again. KK really was a tit, overated and petulant.
    Rioch, IMO, was better than Charlton who was a good player in good teams but had obvious weaknesses in his game that BR didn’t, of course, like Chris Nicholl, he was allowed to represent another country rather than England, more examples of Where and who you play for rather than how you play.
    Great night at Hillsborough, more of us than them.
    The Liverpool game was surreal, they couldn’t get near to BL that night, Hansen had twisted blood by half time.

    So, Man Untied at VP for the first game, looks like we’ll be bottom from day one until the final game.
    Read one blog last week thanking Lerner for all he had done for the club in his eight years !!!! makes you wonder what goes on in peoples heads.

  2. Paul Pears

    Great article again John, taking me back to the times I hardly missed a game at VP and made to quite a few away games, including the great night at Hillsboro’ when the fans bowed down and praised the Messiah, Ron Saunders..

  3. Clive Evans

    Nostalgia for the sick supporters eh John.
    How many of the more recent players would be remembered in the same vein? Of course ‘God’ would head the queue. I would be interested to hear the selections of the regular posters on AVL.
    Never mind we’ll be second in the league at the start of the next season, albeit alphabetically.
    Here’s wishing for a more successful conclusion to the 2014-15 season.

  4. Lionheart

    Watched the USA v Ghana match last night..

    Bradley has kicked on after his brief spell with us.. he wasn’t spectacular for them last night but has been playing well for Club and Country..

    Also Jermaine Jones who we were linked to ( albeit paper talk ) looked a decent player too.. someone who would improve our midfield..

    There are bargains to be found at World Cup.. shame we have next to no money what so ever to manoeuvre..

  5. John Lerwill

    Clive: Nostalgia for the sick supporters eh John.

    Ha! 🙂

    We really have to keep ourselves cheerful using whatever method at our disposal, don’t we Clive?!

    OK, we have the World Cup – and it’s been really interesting, I have to say – but the absence of Villa players apart from Vlaar makes me try to make up for that shortcoming.

  6. runtings

    Yes John we have had some fantastic players at the club

    I think we may have to do a fair bit of looking back until the club is sold —- so much young talent about but there is always the next new kid on the block just around the corner

    I think we will again stay up (just) and just maybe the football will improve slightly — funny i got some sharp comments when i suggested that ron vlarr could be man u bound a few weeks ago

    I remember doug only having a 1mil budget to offer his manager in the past so its not the first time we will be going into a season with next to no hope — oh to be a villan eh

    sometimes it takes seeing a player in another team before people really understand there value and ability

  7. Liam Scahill

    Great piece John,

    How is everyone enjoying the WC my body clock in Perth is in tatters trying to get the games in , I have to say I’m enjoying it. England -1 I think is a great bet this week , Uruguay are a shambles at the back and the average age of the team is past their peak. Gerard was abysmal for England against Italy he was totally out of his depth but the media is concentrating on crucifying Rooney which is harsh to say the least from the outside looking in.

    Looking at Sturridge and Cahill it’s hard not to think what Villa could have achieved with them in the team long term. I backed Colombia pre tournament at 33/1 (each way) and I’m happy enough thus far with them, Ze Germans looked immense playing in the tropical sun not a cramp in sight.

  8. southwestvillan

    John,

    Those were great days indeed, my first final at Wembley against Spuds most of it a blur in my memory except for one incident, when Perryman cleared off the line from Locheads toe poke, we were celebrating a goal until he seem to come from nowhere to clear the ball.
    The night at Hillsboro was hard to put into words, we seemed to have waited for so long for glory and when it came we were overjoyed just a magnificent day all round, we had some majestic players around that time, players you will never forget, I loved Bruce Rioch its just a shame his brother was never a very good player, Chico, Brian Little, Nicholl, Graydon the list just goes on and on, how many of todays Villa players will the youngsters remember when they are in their fifties, the answer not many if any.

    UTV

  10. steamers75

    John
    Great read mate , went to all the homes and aways , 1st with the dougle then the steamers , great times and great memories , remember players from these days ?? l think that would be a no , l couldnt name most teams players these days ,
    when l think back l was a selfish bastard , l think l lasted about 18 months with a regular girlfriend , saturdays was days out with the villa , l got married when l was 42 and got married at villa park in the corner flag and the groundsman let me onto the pitch and photos in my season ticket seat in the Holte , onr girl asked me when would l stop going the villa (in the 70s) “when lm dead ” was my answer , it finished , some of the others l just walked as l got fed up of the nagging , and l watched a few get married and divorced through the villa , some thought l was gay !! lol
    well off to watch Belgium . ciders getting warm ,
    thanks again for the great memories ,

    Jenny xxxxxx

  11. Mark King

    thanks john good memories, little was my favourite, shame his injuries did for him, have still got a school tie with the 5-1 win against liverpool written on it 🙂

    steamer 75

    no way you are gay mate, Scottish is more likely.

    Liam
    Hows all that horrible sunshine ?
    would love to see milner get a central role and barkley in behind sturridge, I think Rooney is distracted as his weave is droping out 😉

    I see Al-Jazeera have finally conceded to Belgium, not bad for a news team

  12. Frem

    Evening

    Runtings- is Vlaar basically saying a lot of a players don’t give a shit and care more about drink and partying ? Not surprised one bit. We are in an utter mess. Even if we had a tactical genius with no money, you would have hope, but we have Lambert instead with no money. The guy doesn’t have a clue. Anti football tactics that don’t even work. We have two game plans. Park the bus which we can’t even do, we still leak like a sieve. And then there is hoof, which we can’t even do the basics of. A little chap running of a big chap which we don’t do. We hoof it to CB or who ever but that’s as far as Lamberts tactics go. He’s yet to work out that you need players running of the hoof the balls. I hate the man so much

    England- anyone surprised ? Stayed up to 1am to watch it here. We won’t get through the groups. Germany, Brazil, Argentina, there proper sides

    steamer – saw your question yesterday. Yes, Senderous didn’t play because he is crap. How far we have fallen. A take over isn’t close, another season as bad,probably worse coming up

    Anyway, having a lovely time. Hope your all well

    God help AVFC. SOS

  13. John Lerwill

    Mark: would love to see milner get a central role and barkley in behind sturridge

    Spot on, mate. Give Milner his head and he’ll deliver I’m sure. How he didn’t get on the field last time I don’t know.

  14. runtings

    Frem good to hear from you – yes i think ron is basically saying are lads are good time charlies rather than determind pro’s looking to go as far as possible in the game.

    I wouldnt drop rooney – i would like to see him and sturridge upfront using lots of movement —- he is our top scorer
    Also barkley instead on henderson with gerrard sitting deep–sterling and lallana wide

    Great start to the world cup overall , there are better teams than us out there but we have some great young talent

  15. muz1

    John,

    You’ve stirred some great memories. What a night that was at Hillsborough, seemed as though it was a home game with the fantastic support, and thousands of Villa fans on the pitch at the end.
    I had gone on the train for that game, and, after getting back to New Street in the early hours and all you could see and hear was Villa fans celebrating is something the will forever live in the memory.

  16. Mark King

    frem! stayed up till 1am!!!!!!!
    don’t you mean you watched the football then went to a club and got in at 6am? st75 will be dissapointed 😉

  17. Mark King

    runtinz
    sounds like a plan but Rooney doesn’t look fit/bothered. I think the lad has problems he’s the most serious multi millionaire footballer I’ve ever seen makes ballatelle look happy

  18. steamers75

    Frem
    me an out and steamer got in at 4-30am sunday after the game ,so l been told , as Mark stated ,l hope you went out after the game or better still you watched it in a night-club…

    lm noticing that a lot of these young guns cant stand the pace , in Benidorm all the young one were tucked up at about 2am , me wizza and JB were strolling in at 7-30am waiting for breakfast !!!…bloody lightweights ………..

  20. steamer

    Runtingz,
    sometimes it takes seeing a player in another team before people really understand there value and ability
    Very true with ex villa players.

    The link about the clueless, pisshead, winkers that we call a team is very true, a relative of mine took in Villa youth players, they were supposed to be in bed for nine but no chance there, one night they all met up at her house and most were pissed before they even went out, one diminutive mf ( who can that be ? ) was Moby Dick in a sink and blocked it, about half a dozen of these wasters played in our first team and some are still at VP.

  22. steamer

    We always used to do well in the league cup in those days, occasionally i’d be dropped off from town after going to the away games by the local lunatical alylum at 2 or 3 in the morning, some of the noises used to scare the daylights out of me and i’d leg it home, i’d be totally knackered but still went into work just to rip into the vermin, by 11 o clock i was like a wet rag. We were proud of our club then, despite Herbert, but seeing what these carpetbaggers have done to AVFC makes me sick.

  23. Frem

    Didn’t Lambert say we want players like Lescott and Hernandez ? how the feck did we end up with Cole and Senderdross then ?

    Another lie. More desperate attempts to sell season tickets. 12 home defeats. How is he still the manager of this club ? Someone please save us and line Lambert up against a wall and pull the trigger.

    Been Asked to go night clubbing by a pair of Dutch birds. Didn’t realise Dutch woman were so tall. Lovely legs.There’s a lot of Dutch here, very nice people

  25. Mark King

    frem

    no just miserable mate, Ian was asked by a couple of local girls to come clubbing they said bring your own club and its all the blubber you can eat

  28. Liam Scahill

    Hey Mark ,

    Ain’t too much sun at the mo mate, winter time but it’s more like a warm rare Irish spring we are getting a fair bit of rain. I even purchased a hot water bottle to caress lol 🙂

    Jeez Belgium were lackluster until they brought on Mertens , zero width with two CBs playing in the full back positions , Lukaku looked more like Heskey than a Juventus linked power house. I really think England are going to win by a few , Uruguay will have to go for it.

  29. Mark King

    liam
    not many have impressed so far mate, the Dutch and the Germans, Brazil not hit there stride yet didn’t see the Argies but heard they struggled. If Uruguay’s first game is anything to go by we should win but it will be close, we don’t do easy. if The weather was more in our favour I’d fancy us to get semis, but with 2 must win games earlier in the day we will do well to progress out of the group. Germanys preparation is fantastic would love to know what their diet etc is I’m betting its not beer and sausage.

    Ian
    lads holidays require at least an 7pm to 6am shift, sometimes overtime it takes that much to power up the beer goggles 😉

  30. southwestvillan

    Senderos must be highly thought of in the Swiss set up when he cannot even displace Johan Djourou the ex-nose who is about as much use has a lawn mower on a hand glider, who is doing the scouting down at VP is it Faulkner or the tea lady, Lescott off to Hull says it all.

    AVFC RIP.

  32. Clive Evans

    Hi Liam – still cold in Perth? I’m just about to go down into Hua Hin (25 k up the road) to watch State of Origin with 2 other English guys, one Kiwi and 1 Aussie plus 5 Thai ladies (our wives!).
    There’ll be no pussy-footing, simulation or card waving likewise no arguing with the referee.

  33. Mark King

    liam

    classic, always thought a show full of off air time chat would be more fun, must be hard to switch between the two. a chap named tim ferris does a podcast while he and the guests get pissed on wine maybe they should try that on MOTD

  37. Trinity

    Sounds like Vlaar is disappointed at some of our player’s lack of ambition and drive. If they want to clown about during the season, they should just leave.
    I wonder if it’s simply injuries that’s kept Gabby back. I hope he’s not a late night boozer. If he only had a bit more skill on the ball, he would have been to a world cup.

  39. steamer

    I would say its certain that Vlaar will leave, with his contract and his dissatisfaction with his teammates and Lerner wanting his pound of flesh its dead certain, who else would fetch a decent fee apart from Vlaar, Guzan and Benteke ? no-one left to sell that’s Lerner’s legacy, he’s done a job on us.

    Frem,
    Knew that gold thong would work.

  40. southwestvillan

    The silence on all the blogs is deafening considering the fixtures are out today, it just goes to show the apathy amongst the Villa fans, I am stunned they have sold any season tickets at all, agree with Steamer Lerner has fucked us over bigtime.

    AVFC RIP.

  41. runtings

    We will need to except that all our club will do is tread water – i think the aim is not too fall further back i.e the championship and muddle through to point of sale
    So zero excitement for the fans and some pretty uninspiring signnings
    It’s going to possiblily be a worst season than the last

    Trin and steamer – For me gabby does have the tools but never reached his true potentail – Concretes words really hit home why this is the case — a focused and ultra proffessional gabby would have many caps by now imo

  42. steamer

    If Lescott signs for a mini club like Olbyon or Hull then it would expose yet another Lambert lie, that he wanted Holtby, Lescott and Hernandez, Pinnochio’s got bugger all on this bloke yet some still make excuses for him, the only excuse i could make for him is stupidity.

  43. Heroes-and-Villans

    better bloody fixtures than last season! Nice run in too.

    Fight for survival until learner and co are gone.

    Get Keano in before pre season and set some standards.

    Fight fight where ever you may be……….

  44. steamer

    SWV,
    Optimism left the building with Elvis, that’s whats known in Cleveland as ‘The Lerner effect.’ Remember the Lerner employee who called him ‘The most insignificant billionaire in the world,’ totally true about him and everything he touches.

  45. southwestvillan

    Steamer,

    All those years of following the Villa having some of the best times of our lives I could never have imagined feeling like I do now, to be fair I could not care less about the club if I tried, the club is going to hell in a handcart and nobody gives a fuck, I feel the same about the England team, generally a bunch of overpaid tossers who could not sing the national anthem if their lives depended on it.

    AVFC RIP

  46. steamer

    Yes mate, all that passion has evaporated, still, good news for you, i know your favourite entertainer was Freddy ‘Parrot Face’ Davies, well his autobiography comes out next month, or was it the Chuckle Brothers ? Fair doooth.
    Following these knobs must have cost us a fortune over the years, what with lending St75 £20 every other week its no wonder i’m skint.

  48. steamer

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au9biMnPwoY

    Arise ye workers from your slumbers
    Arise ye prisoners of want
    For reason in revolt now thunders
    And at last ends the age of cant.
    Away with all your superstitions
    Servile masses arise, arise
    We’ll change henceforth the old tradition
    And spurn the dust to win the prize.

    Refrain:
    So comrades, come rally
    And the last fight let us face
    The Internationale unites the human race.

    No more deluded by reaction
    On tyrants only we’ll make war
    The soldiers too will take strike action
    They’ll break ranks and fight no more
    And if those cannibals keep trying
    To sacrifice us to their pride
    They soon shall hear the bullets flying
    We’ll shoot the generals on our own side.

    No saviour from on high delivers
    No faith have we in prince or peer
    Our own right hand the chains must shiver
    Chains of hatred, greed and fear
    E’er the thieves will out with their booty
    And give to all a happier lot.
    Each at the forge must do their duty
    And we’ll strike while the iron is hot.

    Brings a tear to a glass eye, are you out there Droyd ?

  49. southwestvillan

    Cannon and Ball actually saw them at the Night Out oh how I used to laugh everytime he pulled his bracers and shouted “Rock On Tommy”.

    Yes the tens of thousands we must have spent keeping ST75 in beer and taxis getting the drunken bum home.

    AVFC RIP.

  50. southwestvillan

    Aston Villa sponsors Dafabet were left red-faced today – after retweeting a spoof account offering odds on the team to be relegated.

    The gambling firm passed on the tweet – from a fake Villa account – this morning.

    It said: “Club sponsor @Dafabet are offering exclusive relegation odds to #AVFC fans.

    Use the code LAMBERK to receive promotional rates.”

    The original tweet was posted by a fake account posing as Villa’s official Twitter feed.

    It had just five followers this morning.

    Saw this on Villa Newsnow from the BEM.

    AVFC RIP

  52. steamers75

    Manure at home on my birthday ,,,,,,,, dont no one offer me a ticket , l will be staying in the pub !! some good has come from joining this AVL blog , met some good lads at a meet , get some cracking e-mails off Ian, some brilliant music off Runtins via Facebook , and some great memories of days gone by from other bloggers , and the ladies )) Jenny xxxx Kris xxxx
    couple of downsides , at the meet up l was left £100 down before ld gone the bar ,

    and worstest thing was that KNOB SWW being allowed on here , l did complain to Matt , but after he got me a few ciders l relented as no other blog would let him join and Matt is a sucker for a sob story off the ejit ,

    Frem when you back mate ?

    well i got some more of Prox’s ale and gonna watch the spain vs chile game , l think chile will do them over ,

    listened to a truly harrowing program today on radio 4 , about the Irish women who came over here in the late 50s early 60s , and realised one of my aunties was one of those ladies , came over with a baby , jeez l thought we were civilised us humans , how wrong can you get ,,

  53. Frem

    We could be all but down come 19th of October then. I can only see 6 defeats in our first 8 games.

    Stoke City away first game. I hate them. I hate them. I hate them. Almost as much as the twat who calls him self a manger. Stoke City passed our manager of the park, they scored 4 fecking goals away from home for the first time in the prem against us. We got ripped apart by a rugby side. I still have nightmares about that game. Thanks Lambert

    What useless twat we signing next? Bennett been made Captain yet? He will be first choice LB. What happened to Lescott and Holtby that our manager said we are targeting ? It’s not like him to lie

  54. steamer

    When you consider that we still haven’t signed a No10 or a LB yet then Bennett could very well be in the team, frightening. Joe Cole is’nt and never was a playmaker, he was a support player and a mediocre one at that.

  58. Monty

    Hello family! Sorry I’ve been away for so long. I’m at work, in my cubicle, and my stomach is twisting about the upcoming Spain vs Chile match. Won’t even mention just how badly I hate Holland…

    Is it your birthday today, S75? Many happy returns, xoxoxo.

    Love to all.

  59. steamers75

    Hi Kristina . good to see you back , no my birthday is on the day we play Man u at home this season, just letting this lot know to bring their wallet with them , xx

  60. steamer

    Hello Kris,
    Wonderful to see you, hope things are getting better for you and your family.
    Don’t get too excited about Spain, Piques been dropped.

  61. Monty

    Gotcha, S75.

    Hi Steamer! Thanks so much. I’ve missed all of you so much. Piqué AND Xavi – but Casillas still on goal! Very worried!

  62. Mark King

    ian

    brilliant mate 🙂 heres a local carting day run at a village near me every year, no ramps but the hill is really steep

    kris
    nice to see you on here gal hope things are improving apart from spain game obviously

  65. Paul Pears

    Nice to see you back Monty.

    Sorry Spain did not make it, but there are still many surprises to come in this World Cup, and England will be very lucky to qualify. Then we can all go back to concentrating on Villa..!!

  66. steamer

    Interesting piece on the os about Luis Suarez ( Barcelona & Inter Milan ), not the cheating arsehole who contaminates the EPL, saw him play in 1966 and couldn’t believe what i was watching, instant control, vision, workrate the lot, an absolutely magnificent player and the worlds first £200,000 player.

  68. steamer

    Its not that Lerner can’t afford Villa its Villa that can’t afford Lerner. One comment i read today was that “Villa are for sale for whatever someone will pay” That won’t be a lot after next season when we’re scratching about in the Championship, the best thing Lerner can do is sell the club for what he paid for it, put it down to his own stupidity and piss off back to Long Island.

  69. Jenny Truman

    Hello everyone . Just popped in to say in still around . My younger daughter has been very poorly with fevers etc and three trips to Drs in so many days because rashes and allergies to penicyllin – very worrying. She’s over the worst now thank goodness .

    Flirting down the column – lovely to see you back Kris
    – ST 75 ” it should’ve been me ” as the song goes (was it Ruby Turner another brilliant brummie ) 🙂 🙂
    steamer – you saw Suarez in 1966 ????
    Ian – love the hippy VW wagon racing – brought a smile to Tori’s face too
    Runtingz – Vlaar’s comments – what we suspected but more evidence of the unprofessional outfit that PL has resided over . And they’ve got the gall to ask the fans to do their bit .
    Where is Roy Keane ?
    Last but most importantly John – I am going to e mail you John as there’s a lady on a Bham history site trying to find out more info about her Grandad who played for AVFC in the 1920s but poss for second team . As always , another fascinating look at our history .
    Back to the patient .

  70. steamer

    Hello Jen,
    Wondered what happened to you, Randy Lerners had more sightings recently.
    Hope your girl is on the mend, that sounds terrible.
    This bloke from the 20’s is he Lamberts next experienced signing ?

  71. steamer

    Here’s one for JL.

    HMS Aston Villa (FY 261)

    ASW Trawler
    Navy The Royal Navy
    Type ASW Trawler
    Class [No specific class]
    Pennant FY 261
    Built by Smith’s Dock Co., Ltd. (South Bank-on-Tees, U.K.)
    Ordered
    Laid down
    Launched 8 Jun 1937
    Commissioned Jan 1940
    Lost 3 May 1940
    History
    Completed on 4 September 1937.
    Taken over by the Admiralty on 29 September 1939.
    Displacement: 546 tons.
    Lenght: 174 feet.
    Armament: 1 4″ gun.

    HMT Aston Villa (Cdr.(retired) Sir Geoffrey Cecil Congreve, RN) was heavily damaged on 30 April 1940 by German dive bombers in Kroken Bay near Namsos, Norway. Scuttled on 3 May 1940.

  72. southwestvillan

    Jen,

    There was me thinking you had eloped with ST75, blimey you dodged a bullet there, I used to say to ST75 hoy Steamer lend me your brain I’m building an idiot, still makes me laugh.

    Hope your girls ok.

    UTV

  74. John Lerwill

    Jenny

    Also sorry to hear about that re: your daughter. Must be v. worrying … says I being glib. My wife was only saying that next year all our/my children will be over 30 next year … no more worrying about them . Well, except when …

  76. steamer

    Bet they were safer than a trip to Millwall John.
    Just think Aston Villa sunk again 74 years after the ship, hope Captain Lambert goes down with his ship.

  77. John Lerwill

    Steamer

    This ‘Lambert’ name keeps on cropping up with me…

    A General Lambert was in command of my ancestor’s regiment at Waterloo; I have an aunt and cousins named Lambert and we lived at a Lambert Road for a decade.

    And now this one at Villa Park! What have I done to attract the name?!

  82. steamers75

    Jenny
    l got the original ,” it should have been me ” Yvonne Fair ,,………. l miss my wigan casino weekends ,xxxxxx

    Geds doing a Parachute jump for a cancer charity , will put the link on here later , just a thought , donations gratefully accepted , and he is a villa lad ,

    well the caterpiller crawled onto uraguay today so lm going with that as he got chile right yesterday

  83. steamer

    Latest BS ( rumour )
    Club sold to Mickey Arison and the Saudi chap ….. Very good.
    Keeping Lambert for a year …… Very bad.
    Lambert assessing squad ……. WTF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Keanes got to meet new owner to see if he gets booted with Lambert …… Inevitable.
    McMumble gets £13m to sign Holtby and Chadli …… two reserves !!
    Then another £5m to sign Bertrand…. Another reserve.
    Then later another £22m …… Sounds even more stupid than Lerner who despite selling us seems to want to destroy the club.

  87. steamer

    One player representing England tonight, the rest come from Liverpool, Manchester and london, Brooking and the London mafia get their way, even a crap coach like Lewington gets a job with Hodgson and of course the Arsenal physio, c’mon Suarez.

  88. steamer

    Runtingz,
    Thats the latest one, if true then its disappointing about the idiot staying as manager because he’ll just waste the £££,its been established that he has no managerial talent so whats the point ?

  93. Ian

    What a season. fuck 🙁
    I feel sorry for the fans who made the trip. Why don’t they just go to Villa away games? Same ending only a lot cheaper.

  94. Mark King

    we had a discussion about one player not making a team, well suarez proves my point he is that good. it also helps when the ref bottles sending off their captain for elbowing sturridge while already being on a yellow, disgusting. from that point on he lost the game and any respect. that said we can’t finish suarez can.

  97. steamers75

    bit of info needed , lm worried my caterpiller is going to turn into a butterfly before the WC finishes , its got all the games right so far ………….. how long have l got ..

    Jenny . hope the girls alright , love to you all .XXXXXX

  98. steamers75

    neighbours son telling my daughter how he’s going to get a pair of them 2 coloured fottball boots !

    My Girls reply , “why do you have trouble with your Left and right ? ” “like them idiots ”

    mind l nearly said “well their wags probably get their nickers from C&A , so they dont put them on the wrong way , night night all

    A half fit bloke turns our lot inside out , knee op a month ago , rooney £300,000 a week ! REALLY!!!!

  99. Paul Pears

    Some excellent and funny comments as usual. Very little time at the moment, but looking forward to joining in more soon.

    hope all is well now Jen, and that your daughter is well on the mend.

    Remember seeing the other Luis Suarez at VP in 1966, as I was fortunate enough to see all the Villa Park games. Also remember Bruce Springsteen and his “Tunnel of Love” Tour in the 80’s and everyone dancing to his “Twist and Shout”.

    Thought England’s defence reminiscent of Villa’s this season…..

  100. southwestvillan

    I may have been the only football fan who did not watch the game last night, I have not watched an Engerland game since the 2010 WC in South Africa, I went to Germany in 2006 along with tens of thousands of other England fans but the team decided they could not be bothered to turn up, I knew loads who paid a lot of money to go to SA and guess what the players did a no show once again, and miraculously England have made a decision to bump this WC.

    So I am on a one man crusade this time I decided I wouldn’t turn up so fuck the overpaid granny shaggers, bunch of losers.

    UTV

  101. steamers75

    have a look at the current front page of Private Eye , the England team disembarking and the Captain ask’s ” shall l keep the engine running ? ” and that was last weeks copy , always right !

    That sports presenter Gary Richardson (who makes Tom Loss sound knowlegable ) saying “should we get Harry the spiv in now , unbelievable , does he hand out brown envelopes as well ?, the Waddle rant this morning was spot on IMO ,

    lv been watching the games 15 mins later than the kick-off times , thank god for sky+ box , that way l can fast forward when the so called experts are on,

    this is true . its on my Facebook last night ,(steamer guess who’s sister and wife this is )
    Lorraine —Pat your in Canada and in front of us , so can you tell us the score before we sit down to watch the match,
    Pat—- ok lorraine will skype you …….
    lol

  102. Frem

    Good old England. I don’t think Anyone is remotely surprised though. The players are disgrace to the shirt, just like Villa, and the manager is shite, just like Villa’s. There second goal was defending that should be learnt at the age of 12. Deal with the hoof, cover the player going up to head it in case he misses it. Can’t defend basics, just like Villa . Still have a slight chance of getting through though

    Yorke saying we will struggle again. We won’t even struggle, we won’t even be good enough to struggle and muster up a fight. It will be like watching someone with no arms and legs trying to swim.

    Lambert says Cole will play number 10. So that means one up top in Kosak who we all know can’t play on his own. Gabby and Wiemann on the wings again

    Jesus. Someone PPPPPLLLLLEEEEAAAASSSSEEEEE take us over

  104. Mark King

    prox
    spot on, we lacked energy in midfield and intelligence up front. cahill did well considering he was on his own for large parts of the game and as for Joe Hart WTF!
    I’m afraid Roy wasn’t brave enough to drop a few. when you play danny welbeck as a winger to protect the fullback you just know there’s trouble ahead.

  106. John Lerwill

    England

    Sterling is just a luxury i.m.o. He sparkles like sterling silver but doesn’t do anything solid.

    Rooney just hasn’t made it, has he? People talk of him being a big name but he’s not up there with the real big names.

    Meanwhile Milner could have been on the left and would have been excellent cover as well as delivering.

  107. runtings

    Another let down for England — Ian – the granny sha–ers thing is because Rooney has alledgedly been caught out paying ladies of the night to sleep with him (age starting at 65 upwards)

    Our defence is sooo poor – some decent attackers coming through — we have nothing in the class of suarez thou

    Stirling was lost on the wing but he was superb in the no.10 role the game before

  108. steamer

    Agree about Sterling, looks a better player than he is.
    £300,000 a week for Rooney ? who else but those Northern Dummies would pay that for a poor international player.
    Wish Joe Hart would untie that rope that connects him to the post, Dracula Mk 11.
    More news from the same source – Vlaar to sign a four year contract and Gabby wants a guaranteed first team spot.

  109. runtings

    Would be great to keep Vlaar at the club – as for gabby if we had a manager worth is salt any player making such demands would be out the door – not exactly saurez is he

  110. southwestvillan

    Steamer,

    Have you been listening to that eejit with the three legged growler again, in this nutters case he is not a source but more likely he has been on the sauce, Brendan needs to stop serving tins of tenants super with his sausage sarnies.

    As for the England knobheads how can you get turned over by a bloke who was in a wheelchair two weeks ago, England and Villa the gifts that just keep giving.

    UTV

  112. southwestvillan

    Frem,

    We cannot even compete in the same market as the Olbyun that is how far we have fallen under Lerner,Faulkner and lambert, Lescott probably did not want to play championship football.

    UTV

  113. proxopera

    Frem ,
    I think you’re being a bit hard on the English players , the one perception thats apparent to me when watching them play is they are a group of 11 players or a couple of smaller groups maybe , that certainly dont play like an actual team.
    The beauty of a team like italy is that they know who to go to 90% of the time in the middle and he is just like WD40 keeping the whole machine running. Man for man , do you think that either italy or dirtyguay are better than England ?? I think not ,. I was going to suggest on here after the italy match that Rooney and Milner would would be far more effective in the centre than the gerard and henderson . Rooney is the closest thing that england have to a pirlo type player and if he calmed down a bit I think he would do a great job .
    Cahill did a great job overall but he just does;nt have the awareness of a great ch.
    What the fuck is wrong with Harte , he does know he’s allowed to use his hands does’nt he ??

    I would’nt be too downcast over the england situation , they certainly showed they have the potential to be tournament semi-finalists if they can get the right men on the field and park their ‘hero’ complexes. They look alot better than they did in SA. You lot have the raw material for a very strong side on a par with maybe Belgium or Holland .

  114. Frem

    SWV- indeed. Sad times. Lamberts first press conference will be excuse after excuse. He will mention what a huge club we are, say expectations are high even though we will happy with 10th and nice football which shouldn’t be hard but Lambert makes it look impossible. Just look at the rugby team we have on the opening day, turned into a decent side in less than 12 months. We are heading into our 3rd season and we are getting worse. He’s the worst manger this club have ever had

    Prox- no way man for man are they better, they just have systems that work. Henderson shouldn’t be anywhere near the starting line up. We need Paul Scholes out of retirement

  115. Clive Evans

    John – Sterling reminds me of Tony Daley who, allegedly, ran full tilt into the bedroom on his wedding night and fell into the wardrobe.

    England has no creative/holding midfielder like Pirlo, only a load of ‘gung ho’ fly-by nights. How can you pack the side with Hendersons, Barkleys, Lalanas, Sterlings and the others who cannot keep the ball?

    I think it was Laurensen who commented about Fred, a remark equally applicable to a few also-rans in the England camp – the message came from the bench ‘Fred warm up – we’re fetching you off!’

    I haven’t a clue which side will be there at the death; just watched Australia being unlucky v Netherlands. I reckon Germany will be there but not sure who will join them, maybe Italy.

    As for August, who knows? Unless a new owner appears and installs a decent manager we will be lost with Lambert and Keane. By the way did anyone notice the name for the new West Ham stadium – Boleyn Ground? There’s a London Underground poster showing Henry VIII at the ticket office ‘ A return to the Tower and a single for my wife’

  117. John Lerwill

    It looks as though the Jerries will win through, Clive.

    There seems to be a lack of substance in any of the other contenders from what I can see. The Dutch perhaps.

  118. Ian

    John, I’m going with the Dutch as my neighbour was born there. They have the Dutch flag flying. No one here knows why. Just watch England turn up and put a match in and then lose by a goal.

  119. Mark King

    prox
    they are not better just more astute, are boys still have the wrong mentality imo.

    I will probably get pelters but I think a westwood type of player is needed in the England midfield, nothing fancy. thats why I would like to see milner there in the next match at least he has a motor and he is a lot better player than the workhorse people think he is. england have loads of talented wingers at the moment but very little in the middle same goes in defence, it wouldn’t hurt us to pick some workmen-like players to complement the flair players.we have 2 attacking fullbacks and 5 attacking forward/wingers.
    hate to say it but terry should be playing too, he may be a nob but he can organise and he is a winner.

  120. Mark King

    john L

    when you see the liverpool front three together they look fantastic why? saurez. the man never stops thinking and moving, gives those around him space to play makes them look better. he is everything england don’t have and when we do like hoddle, letissier, gascoigne we waste them. gascoigne for all his problems was the best english player of the modern era IMO should be up there with cruyff, pele, best, instead he’s a piss head. says all you need to know about english mentality, we would probably do better drunk, a fact Clough used to great effect.

  121. steamer

    Mark,
    The only thing wrong with the England team is that there’s too many English players in it.
    Agree about a Westwood type, just what we need, someone who can’t pass, shoot, attack, defend, head and tries to break opponents legs, what about Westwood ?

    Apart from being the only place in the Universe where you can buy six fingered gloves, Sandwell residents seem to have shite for brains, the Mail survey on favourite grounds has Olbyonistas attempting to, yet again, belittle their superior neighbours by denigrating our stadium, thats ok unless your own stadium resembles a scene from Blade Runner.

  122. runtings

    I was sayng too my mates last night that delph would be the ideal holder for a new young england – no frill , bags of energy , drive and power ,can make driving runs forward, can tackle all day long and he could mop up in front of the defence and give it to the creative players around him

  123. steamers75

    disaster in the 75 household today and l can only see a draw with italy vs costa rica,
    l invited steamer round for a coffee and he wanted to see Carl in action , so l laid the 2 teams out and put him onto the paper , steamer saw my 3 legged cat and proceded to pick him up only to step back onto Carl , well the half with his head on went onto the Italy side and the arse side onto Costa Rica so lcan only think its a draw and as his head was on the Italian side , maybe a Italy win, pissed off or what ,
    Ps Carl was my pet caterpiller .

    jenny , hope alls well today xxxx

    Have a good weekend all

    sww l hope a swarm of gnats infest your maxwalls while warming up that aneamic body of yours

  125. John Lerwill

    Mark: when we do [have quality] like hoddle, letissier, gascoigne we waste them.

    Couldn’t agree more, Mark.

    But also after seeing Costa Rica I’m beginning to think that England will need to take on board their team ethic.

    I wouldn’t be surprised if England lose that one as well.

    I see the Chinese no longer consider England as a top-rate nation, and that surely applies to a lot of what we do, footie included. We need to re-find some basic principles from somewhere i.m.o.

  127. Ian

    Well that’s torn it. Costa Rica for the cup. Why not everything else has turned up shit. Last cup the French were fighting amongst themselves.

  133. Jenny Truman

    Thanks for the good wishes everyone . Tori is much better now thanks -hopefully return to school Mon .

    Why do we put ourself through it – another England let down . I was saying he needed to take Gerard off about ten mins before the fateful header to Suarez . Unlucky , but then even if we’d got through we wouldn’t have stood a chance and watching France obliterate Switzerland tonight I was kind of relieved that we wouldn’t be put through that embarrassment .

    In rather worried about the pet caterpillar ST75 ?!

  134. Frem

    Matt K saying a take over isn’t close and chances are we will start the season with the same twats at the club.

    It’s down to our tactical genius of a manager now

    Park the bus. Hoof

    That’s as far as it goes

  135. steamer

    I wonder if it has occurred to the numbskulls at the FA that the problems within our national game could be due to the decisions and policies that they apply to the game in this country. Uruguay, Costa Rica and Honduras for example have tiny populations compared to England and also far, far fewer facilities and of an vastly inferior standard, oh just a thought, they’re probably thinking of how to increase the players income at this very moment and Chubby is part of the process, not content with killing AVFC he’s doing the full whack.

  136. John Lerwill

    Steamer,

    I wonder if the fact that players that come from the countries you mention (and Brazil) have been hungry in their lives and without the pampering that goes on of children in this country these days? Plus the selling off of school playing fields.

  137. Frem

    Honestly, I can see Lamberts ambition simply being not to finish 20th, 19th being a slight success.

    Who are we going to be competing with ? Sunderland ended the season brilliantly, we can’t compete with them if they carry it on. Leicester want top want 5 in 3 years, they will be next level. We have a load of poor players and an even worse manager with a owner who wants out. Couldn’t get any worse apart from knowone wanting to buy us which is the case

  139. steamer

    Whats a fourth rater like Beckham doing in the same advert as Zidane ?

    Frem,
    Gardner and Lescott are better signings than Cole and Sendross, Lerners destroying AVFC.

  140. southwestvillan

    Hodgson saying the team worked hard and he felt that they could not have done better, he sounds like our idiot, well Roy they could have done better perhaps lasting more than two games might have been a start, is it any wonder liverpool got rid as quickly as they did.

    UTV

  142. steamers75

    l cant stand the bloke , harry the spiv , but if its true what he said on the radio today then ,the spineless Fa need to look into this , so called international players ASKING him to make an excuse so they havent got to play for England , if he’s got any bottle he should name them , dont hold your breadth though , fucking wankers the lot of them , mind you i remember players like beckham ,the neville’s ect saying they would work to wembley to play for England , nothing to do with the moment they get called up , they go back to their club and saying ” lm an international , l need a raise ” arseholes . and thats why l could give a fuck about the England football set-up anymore ,
    enjoy the sun ……………. lm off out to the Oscarettes ………….Daughters thingy

  144. B62 Villa

    So what have we learnt this summer so far ?
    England are coming home before the postcards, due to their ability to defend like Aston Villa, and they struggled to control the games despite having a decent amount of possession and looking bright going forward.
    Onto our beloved Villa, and it’s difficult to find a single positive at the minute. The club is in disarray, Clueless Lambert remains at the helm, Lerner has made a mess of selling the club and there now seems little or no interest, and RL himself has pulled the plug on all investment. This has seen us offer contacts to the likes of Cole and the waste of skin that is Sendeross( looked awful again for the Swiss the other night).
    Rumours are rife we only offered £14k pw to Lescott, unsurprisingly he told us to do one and signed for Sandwell town, hence we picked up PS.
    We are rightly one of the favourites for relegation, and I honestly feel having scraped through by the narrowest of margins the last few years, we won’t be that lucky this year, as Lambert quite clearly doesn’t know what he is doing, and we have a shit squad, with poor morale.
    We really need a takeover, were a laughing stock and seen as an easy 3 points for every team in this league, it’s a disgrace.

  145. Trinity

    Clive

    England generally played well against NZ in the rugby. Even though the series ended 3-0, you must be satisfied with the effort. Apart from the first half yesterday, they were competitive over the series and took the champs to the wire in the first two tests.
    They’ll be a genuine threat next year.

  146. steamer

    Rooney’s words of wisdom, “we need to be nastier,” no we don’t moron, we need people who can actually play footy, the days when continentals were scared of the big hard patriotic clogger are over.

  147. southwestvillan

    Yes Wayne lets get nastier tell you what lets all have fucking hair transplants you knobhead, waste of space the lot of them beaten by a country the size of Croydon.

    UTV

  149. angel_8

    I dont think that we needed Lescott. Will CB be fit for the start of the season? With Grealish, N’Zog, Kozak, And Okore it’s like having 4 new players. Add to that Tonev and Helenius having settled, I expect something from them. We also have Went back and if Weimann is handled properly he can have a great year. I see us being so much stronger than last year. Up the Villa…let’s aim for top 8

  151. steamer

    Hello Angel, hows things ? I can’t really see any improvement in our fortunes next season, the atmosphere surrounding VP is toxic at every level i’m afraid and the vast majority of our fans would say that unless Lerner sells up then we’ll be relegated.

  152. Ian

    I would like to agree with you Angel_8 but it’s still early here and I haven’t dipped into the rum and beer yet. You have a point though. On a good day that bunch would put up a good game. Only problem is the last good day was ages ago. Just maybe Keane can put the fear of god into them. Hahaha

  153. angel_8

    Hi Steamer,

    Yea, I guess it’s easier to be optimistic living in the USA rather than Birmingham. In reality though, can we be any worse than last year? Lerner will sell. It’s a good sign that he has dropped the price.

    Ian – I’m hoping that Keane has matured enough that he can have a positive influence. He’s an arrogant pr@&k though so I’m hoping that he does not come.

    I didn’t rate Martinez but having seen the job he has done at Everton is amazing. He’s one of the experts on ESPN for WC, and he has to have the smartest football brain that I’ve ever listened to. Absolute genius. If only…

  154. angel_8

    Michael Ballack is the funniest on ESPN. Asked if any English players could make the German team, he immediately said NO. Asked if any English players could make the German squad, he ignored the question and dismissed it as stupid.

    For me, I would say Ashley Cole…oops, but he wasn’t able to make the squad..

  155. Frem

    Angel- Helenius is on the way out. Lambert has treated him disgracefully. Zoggy and Bent went get a look in. He prefers talentless useless players like Bennett, KEA, Gabby and Wiemann. Senderous if course now. Baker.

    Steamer- Let’s pray the take over rumours are true and something will happen quickly

  158. Frem

    Apparently Keane isn’t coming anymore

    I only expect an even more defensive anti football hoof clueless disgraceful style of play to last season, if that’s possible. Lambert is just a horrible manager who will think losing 11 home games next season is improving

    We need new owners, and there first act needs to be sack Lambert and use him as an example of managers who disgrace the so called beautiful game.

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