Ron Atkinson Return

As we prepare for our 10th new Villa arrival of the summer it's certainly interesting times down the Villa. It reminds me of the start of the 1991/92 season and the return of Ron Atkinson to Villa Park. Ron had played in the Youth Team and had now left Sheffield Wednesday to take to the job he had always wanted, manager of our great club.

Now Ron had a major rebuild on his hands. Firstly he had to take on the running of a team that under Josef Venglos had very narrowly avoided relegation.

To make matters worse towards the end of July the star Villa player David Platt had been sold for a record £5.5m to Bari. Platt had scored 19 league goals and was probably the reason we weren't relegated in the Venglos
season. All sound  familiar?

Ron Atkinson spent all the Platty money and the £1.1m from the sale of record signing Tony Cascarino (a player whose heading was as good as Rudy Gestede) on buying a brand new side. By the first game of the 1991/92 season (an amazing, never to be forgotten 3-2 win at Sheff Wed) the team contained 6 debutantes (the same as last Saturday).

Before the end of August 'Big Ron' had purchased the following;

Date	Pos	Name	From	Fee
2 July 1991	FW	Cyrille Regis	Coventry City	Free transfer
11 July 1991	FW	Dalian Atkinson	Real Sociedad	£1,600,000
12 July 1991	DF	Ugo Ehiogu	West Bromwich Albion	£40,000
19 July 1991	GK	Les Sealey	Manchester United	Free transfer
24 July 1991	MF	Paul Mortimer	Charlton Athletic	£350,000
25 July 1991	MF	Shaun Teale	Bournemouth	£300,000
6 August 1991	MF	Kevin Richardson	Real Sociedad	£450,000
7 August 1991	DF	Steve Staunton	Liverpool	£1,100,000
28 August 1991	DF	Dariusz Kubicki	Legia Warsaw	£200,000

  
Another similarity was that on that first away win of the season the winner was scored by a player who had only signed the week before.

The new players in 1991 were mostly British the only difficult new name to master was probably Ugo Ehiogu. Although at least on Friday we can just shout 'Jordan' if in doubt.

The brand new Ron Atkinson team finished 7th that season and even qualified for Europe. Proving that there was life after David Platt. An improvement of 10 places. The same again would do very nicely, thank you.

One last similarity/co-incidence was that the first home game (second game of the season) saw Manchester United arrive at Villa Park. Hopefully the similarities end there and that we don't lose 1-0 this time.

This is my 35th consecutive season ticket season and I really can't wait. Come on you Lions!!!

My Villa book 'Just 14' celebrating the 1980/81 season is selling well and can be ordered direct for just £9.95 at https://andy-dale-writes.myshopify.com/products/just-14 are at Amazon for £10.95.

Villa to Earn their Spurs

On Sunday Villa have the chance to start to really establish themselves agin as a 'Top Half of the Table' team by gaining three points. I just have a feeling it might happen even though I would gladly take a draw now if you offered it me. So why am I not expecting another Tottenham thumping?

Well, I think the defence is finally getting a 'mean' streak and hopefully with the return of Benteke we will score at least once. I know they walloped us in the cup, but what would have happened if the ref had have seen the 'pulling of pants down' incident. 

Hopefully a converted penalty would have followed and forty minutes to play against a 10 man Spurs team with the scores level. At least we can now see the funny side but it was probably the worst decision I have seen at Villa Park in my 33 years. Well, apart from appointing Billy McNeil in 1986 maybe!

So my Sunday prediction is 2-0 to the Villa. Yes, a home clean sheet. It could happen. Although I expect us defend for much of the game.

Memory Match 2 - Aston Villa 6 Everton 2 (November 1989)   

In 33 years watching from the Trinity I can still count on fingers of one hand the number of times I have seen the Villans score six or more. So this game is one that has always been a favourite. 

It was this time of year and a Graham Taylor team who had narrowly avoided relegation six months ago suddenly made the whole nation sit up and take notice. Live on ITV on a Sunday afternoon the Villa were simply sensational. The score doesn't even do the performance justice as two Everton goals came right at the end and one of those Paul McGrath scored for them.

This was the match which finally rocketed David Platt into the England team and booked him a place in the 1990 World Cup squad. A World Cup that was to turn Platty into and England legend thanks to his sensationally winner against Belgium.

On that Sunday afternoon the telepathy between 'Sid' Cowans and Platty just mesmerised the Toffee men. Everton had started the day expecting a win to take them top of the league against a Villa side who had climbed to 7th place. But that Villa were just too hot to handle on the 5th of November. Two goals from Platt, a pair from Ian Olney (who was an unsung hero), one from Sid and a header from the only foreigner on the pitch Kent Neilsen. World class goalie Neville Southall could only watch. Villa were on the march and back to being the best in the land. 

The 80's had seen the Villa start as the best in England, become the best in Europe, slump to the 2nd Division and now under Graham Taylor rise back to the top. It is never dull being a Villa fan. 

This memorable game was probably the reason that Graham Taylor was chosen as the next England manager. Did the Villa fans 'Not like that...'. 

Villa finally finished runners-up to Liverpool that season (1989/90) after leading the league for much of the season. Maybe the record purchase of Tony Cascarino was a mistake, but we all applauded it at the time. What would have happened if we would have stuck with Ian Olney?        

Up the Villa

Thirty Three Trinity Seasons Ago

Welcome to the first post of this new Villa blog 'Talk of the Trinity'. Hope you will enjoy my look at days gone by at Villa Park and that my thoughts on the modern Villa team start a few discussions. Football is full of opinions and I make no apologies for my total Villa bias.

So first of all let me tell you my Villa story and emphasis that although my occupancy of a seat in the Lower Trinity (or Lower Trinity Enclosure as is was then) starts the season following the League Championship success I am no 'Glory Hunter'. In fact I had wait, with my ear glued to my lucky radio every Saturday afternoon, until my 14th birthday for my parents to buy me a season ticket. Well, I was born to a family of Wolves supporters and even in 1981 it was a big thing for a boy to attend games on their own. I started following the Lions (Aston Villa) when I was four years old (yes 1971, when they were in the 3rd Division) after my Granddad gave me a claret tracksuit. At first I was disappointed it wasn't a Wolves tracksuit like my big brother's, but it was C&A's finest. My Granddad told me it was the colours of one of the most famous teams called Aston Villa, who had won the FA Cup a record seven times. From that day onwards I had a new love in my life. Still desperately seeking that elusive 8th FA Cup win, maybe this season.    

On my 14th birthday (the day Bucks Fizz won the Eurovision contest and Villa won 4-2 away at Leicester) my parents gave me my first Villa season ticket and a red chopper bike. The two aren't connected though because come the following August dad had arranged for a man from church, a lifelong Villa fan named Howard Hill, to give me a lift to the games.

On Saturday 29th August 1981 I witnessed my first game as an Aston Villa season ticket holder in the old Lower Trinity. A game against newly promoted Notts County (the iconic image on the programme of that game is featured to the right). Before the game started my heroes paraded round the  pitch the famous trophy they had won back in May. My dad had purchased me a seat on the front row just to the right of the manager's boxes so I had a fantastic view leaning forward with my nose perched on the advertising hoardings. Then sat back anticipating a feast of Villa goals from the likes of Shaw, Withe and Morley.  
      
Of course, I soon discovered that being a Villa fan is never plain sailing. A shock 1-0 home defeat to a newly promoted team and the following Monday it was me who was being ridiculed at school by my Wolves and Baggies mates.

I must point out that this wasn't my first visit to Villa Park that was a much more successful night in 1977 against Middlesbrough for my 10th birthday when I stood in the Holte End. It was a one-nil win thanks to John Deehan. [Match Details]

This Week's Game - Hull v Aston Villa

Like many men in their 40's I like to be nostalgic, but football never stands still and all that really counts is the next game.

Last week's victory over Man city was as memorable as it was unexpected. Even when we took the lead I was just thinking at least we couldn't get a drubbing now and I wouldn't have to hide my head at work on Monday. Yes, I was one of those who had gone just praying for us to keep it below four.

So tomorrow is another game and the chance for us to win three straight Premier League games for the first time since 2010. I really think we could get a win here and I have been quite impressed with Libor Kozak leading the line in the last two games. No, he isn't in the Benteke class but then I haven't seen another striker as good as Benteke for many years (if ever). So if we keep Hull down to no more than one goal I think we will win. But it is important we start to defend set pieces better.

Hope you have enjoyed this first post of 'Talk of the Trinity' and will pop back in the future. Please feel free to leave any comments you wish.

Up the Villa !