1972: Villa v Bournemouth

It's 1972 and Villa are in the Third Division of The Football League.  Dark times? Don't you believe it. The Villa support is in full force and it's no better illustrated than when the visit of Bournemouth sees Villa Park bulging at the seams.

We may have dropped a couple of divisions but our support is as strong as anyone's and stronger than most.

This Division Three clash has attracted more fans than top flight games between Everton and Leeds and Manchester United v Newcastle.

The official attendance will be confirmed as 48,110 and this doesn't include the turnstile jumpers and those that piled in during the second half. It creates the sort of atmosphere only possible in a heaving stadium. Villa fans are buzzing this season and 25 points out of 28 so far shows just how well the players are responding to electric support, both home and away.

Even by 1972 standards, this is not going to be a footballing classic. The charge for promotion makes this a tense afternoon indeed and the notoriously potato field like Villa Park is certainly on the heavy side.

Villa are still smarting fron the nightmare at Dean Court when Boyer and MacDougall had created havoc in the defence. This time we go man for man. Maybe nor the best idea.

Twenty seven minutes gone, Aitken is dragged way of position in pursuit of Boyer.  Scoot hurtles down the "wrong wing" and his cross finds the head of the diving MacDougall.

One - nil Bournemouth.

The crowd loses no enthusiasm and lifts the team and we get to half time without conceding again  Clearly a rethink is needed.

Bournemouth sense blood though and early doors in the second half, opportunity knocks.They get a corner, but suddenly the ground ERUPTS with chants of "Villa, Villa". From then on, we never look back.

Suddenly, with a more than vociferous stadium right behind them, Villa rally and dominate. Ray Graydon and the oft maligned Geoff Vowden terrorise the Bournemouth defence.

Vowden gets his just desserts for a thrilling second half showing, heading Villa level on 72 minutes.

However, one Andy Lockhead's winner is an absolute pearler. Along high ball into the box, Andy heads it then slots home with his right foot in front of adoring and delighted Holte End.

2-1 to the Villa and it's all over.

Bring on Pele.

.

1981 Wolves in the Milk Cup: Andy Gray sees red

Dek Hogan recalls a feisty night in October 1981 when Andy Gray's first return to Villa Park after his record breaking move to Wolves proved eventful.

It's a Wednesday night in October. While I'd normally attend games down Villa Park with my schoolmates, on this particular occasion, I've gone with my dad. This does have bonuses: a) Dad'll drive down so no bus fare to pay, b) Dad'll pay for us to get in, saving a few more paper round pennies, c) Dad'll buy the pies and the Bovril.  The drawbacks? a) Because Dad's there, it'll be Bovril and not a cheeky Mickey Mouse b) I'll have to buy my own programme.

Dad's parking place of choice is Electric Avenue, and there's something magical about walking up towards Villa Park for an evening kick-off.

All the talk before the game is about former Holte End hero Andy Gray. For Villa fans, this will be the first chance to see Andy back at Villa Park since he buggered off to Wolves for a bumper (in those days) £1.5 million transfer fee. Ron Saunders has invested the money from Gray and some of the other flair players from the exciting mid-seventies side so successfully that we have managed to win the actual league.

Things are not going so well for John Barnwell's financially strapped Wolves and Barnwell has been under such pressure to cash in on Andy that for days before the game, it hasn't at all been certain that the Scottish centre forward would still be in the gold and black by kick off.

Andy Gray himself is not best pleased at the situation, "I will not be railroaded into going anywhere - it's my career that is at stake" he protests as Arsenal and Leeds are reported to be tussling over his signature, "I'm like a rag doll being tugged about and it is a situation I don't enjoy.

Withe and Ormsby in the thick of it

So with all not particularly harmonious with the opposition, we're quite confident of getting a result in this
League Cup Second Round First Leg encounter. Tony Morley is recalled in place of Andy Blair meaning that - bar for the injured Ken McNaught for whom Brendan Ormsby deputises - this is pretty much the side that took us to League glory. We need a lift though, since winning the title, opposition teams have raised their game against us and we've struggled at Villa Park.

As the first half gets underway, Wolves have a really good go at removing any joy from the game with what can be best described as smothering tactics, designed more to stifle our creativity than employ any of their own. Thus we get what some would call typical derby day football for half an hour, bogged down in the middle of the park with little to no goal mouth action to report.

Not that the lack of exciting football stops us enjoying ourselves as  we exchange banter and songs with the Wolves fans at the other end. My dad is more fascinated by the barbs and and witticisms coming from the regulars at the back of the left side than he is the actual match.

Andy Gray is of course getting particular attention from a lively Holte End.

He responds.

On 32 minutes, Alan Birch finds room and goes on a run before finding Gray who turns deftly and slots a left foot shot past the despairing Jimmy Rimmer. One-nil to Wolves.

Bugger. Nothing daunted though, we've still looked the better side, we'll get back into it. What can possibly go wrong? Go wrong it does, when Peter Withe goes up with the hard-grafting Joe Gallagher to challenge for a ball and comes down injured. Double Bugger. He's replaced by Andy Blair and Villa have to re-jig.

Andy Gray red-carded

Into the second half still trailing then but the Villa Park cauldron continues to keep the atmosphere bubbling. In the 54th minute, it bubbles over completely.

Andy Gray makes a rash dangerous looking lunge at Dennis Mortimer. He's got to pick up a yellow for that surely....hang on...IT'S RED!!!!!!!

There may only be 26,000-odd in the crowd but the stadium explodes with noise, Villa fans celebrating like we'd scored a last minute winner (actually louder than that) and Dingles exploding with rage. Absolute turmoil. Just what you go to football for.

The Holte goes ape-shit!

We're still bouncing up and down with unfettered joy four minutes later when we're brought down to Earth with a bump as Wolves score again. Jimmy Rimmer goes to collect a Birch cross and - under pressure from John Richards - somehow manages to drop it into the path of Joe Gallagher who delights in putting it away.

Two-nil Wolves. This was NOT in the brochure!

Des Bremner gets Villa's first

Villa wake up, led by the the industry and command of Des Bremner and some beautiful football from Gordon Cowans. Wolves begin to struggle visible as the home team's midfield finally produce the form that are capable of.

Swiftly, better quality football leads to goals. And Blair plays a lovely through ball to Gary Shaw who unselfishly finds Des Bremner who slots the ball forcefully past the advancing Paul Bradshaw and in off the far upright.

Two-one to them but we're on the way.

Andy Blair hits home a 20 yard equaliser

Now Villa turn the screw as it becomes one way traffic. Wolves struggle to clear a Tony Morley and the ball falls invitingly for substitute Andy Blair who scores from 20 yards out.

Two-two and Villa dominating but time is running out. Okay, there's a second leg to come at their place, but this a local derby and we want the win on the night. There's pride at stake!

Last gasp winner from Tony Morley

Suddenly, with Wolves' support whistling like crazy for the game to end, Parkin slips and Des Bremner is free and clear. He finds Tony Morley who caps a fine display by netting the winner.The crowd goes almost as wild as we did for Gray's red card.

3-2 to the Villa.

Nicely set up for the second leg, now just the spectacle of watching Dad attempt to avoid paying the "look after yer car mister" lads...

Postscript:

• Three days before the 2nd leg we beat Wolves 3-0 in the league at their place.

• We won the second leg at Molineux 2-1 thanks to two goals from Gordon Cowans on his birthday.

• Andy Gray was banned for four matches.

• Despite the pre-match speculation, Andy Gray remained at Wolves until November 1983.

Score              Aston Villa 3-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers

Competition    Milk Cup 2nd round 1st leg

Venue             Villa Park

Attendance     26,358

Aston Villa: Rimmer, Swain, Gibson, Evans, Ormsby, Mortimer, Bremner, Shaw, Withe (sub Blair), Cowans, Morley

Wolves: Bradshaw, Palmer, Parkin, Atkinson, Gallagher, Villazan, Hibbitt, Bitch, Gray, Richards, Matthews

1976: When Rangers came to Aston Villa.

When Glasgow Rangers visited Aston Villa for friendly on Saturday 9th October 1976, all hell broke loose.

All Our Yesterdays looks back at the mayhem via newspaper cuttings from the time:

The calm before the storm. No hint of trouble in Ray Matts's pre-match story

The Evening mail starts reporting the mayhem before the game is underway

The Mail reacted to events throughout the day, changing with each edition

The Sports Argus reports on the drama at Villa Park

The Sunday Mercury

Evening Mail's Monday edition - still front page news

The Mail with an updated edition as magistrates hear cases

1998: Atlético Madrid come to town...

It's March 1998. John Gregory - Deadly Doug's surprise choice to succeed the recently departed Brian Little has only had his feet under the table for a few short weeks, yet faces attempting to steer Villa into the UEFA Cup semi-final for the first time in the club's history.

It could be a tough ask. Villa had been battered by relentless attacks in the away leg against Atlético Madrid but a fantastic performance by goalkeeper Mark Bosnich had frustrated our Spanish hosts as our back three of Ehiogu, Southgate and Scimeca had struggled to cope with the dazzling skills of Jose Luis Caminero,
Mininko Pantic and Christian Vieri.

Bosnich had looked unbeatable though and only after a crunching challenge by Ian Taylor on Caminero had resulted in a penalty was he beaten. Even then he had managed to parry Vieri's spot-kick but not quite enough to stop it going in.

We start the home leg a goal down with no away goal but in front of an expectant and noisy 39,163 Villa Park crowd hoping for another glorious victorious Euro-glory night.

Despite an roaring rip-roaring atmosphere in the Holte End, the first half is nothing to write home about from a Villa perspective. Villa force only one save worth the name from Molina before the interval, a volley by Mark Draper, particularly painful for me personally as I've backed him for first goalscorer.

Atlético are in control though. forcing a flurry of early corners, one of which Draper heads nervily past Villa's far post, giving the noisy crowd the jitters.

Driven on by the Czech dynamo Radek Bejbl, Atletico double their overall advantage after 28 minutes. Kiko launches an Graham Tayloresque long pass which dips out of the night air to thwack Ugo Ehiogu on the shoulder as he attempts to muscle out a powerful run by Carlos Aguilera. Bozzie charges to the edge of his area to smother the ball but only succeeds in pushing it Caminero. The international, Atlético's penalty winner in the first leg, dodges two challenges before slotting the ball past Stevie Staunton on the line.

The second half is an all together different story.

The contest turns on a bold substitution by the relatively newly installed Gregory. Early in the second half he takes off the unpopular Savo Milosevic, who has not troubled Atlético, and sends on Stan Collymore. Stan's arrival is met with a chorus of raucous approval from the Claret and Blue faithful and the team react superbly.

Villa are now surging forwards but that leaves us open to the counter- attack. Christian Vieri, a thorn in our side in Vicente Calderon Stadium a fortnight earlier, and sub Jordi Lardin shoot wide of Bosnich's goal as what is now effectively a back two gets caught out.

Collymore's arrival breathes new life into Dwight Yorke. The grinning striker delivers a Hot Shot Hamish style  shot which almost takes Molina into the back of the net . Then his header from Wright's cross leaves the cross bar quivering almost as much as the Spanish side's defence.

Those near misses raise excitement levels on the Holte to fever pitch. TIt's almost inevitable that we get back into it. A fizzing Lee Hendrie works his way into the box, finds Joachim who pulls off a lovely lay back to Ian Taylor. Taylor's shot skims off Daniel Prodan and Molina is beaten.

Atlético's once assured back line now looked at sixes and sevens. They are unable to stop Hendrie setting up Stan Collymore who hits one of the most venomous shots ever seen in the Holte End. It fairly rattles home, grazing the underside of the bar but the sheer power of it ensures it goes in. The Holte Enders are ecstatic but the away goal means we need to score again.

We almost manage it too, a powerful shot from Hendrie is only parried by Molina and looks as though it going to fall Joachim but a last gasp Spanish hoof away denies us

In the end, Jose Luis Caminero's away goal seals our fate but we have the scant consolation of being the first side to defeat Atlético in European away fixtures under Raddy Antic's managership. Kiko's late miss, with the goal at his mercy, spared us an aggregate defeat that would have been rough justice

After the match, Gregory begins his press conference by making an apology to his predecessor for not seeing Villa into the semis. "Sorry, Brian. We let you down, mate. We're thinking of you," he says. When pressed over why the game changing Stan Collymore hadn't started the match, Gregory snaps: "If you think that, you're a fool." But he adds: "I've learned a lot about my squad, most of it good."

Score Aston Villa 2-1 Atlético Madrid (aggregate 2-2, Atlético Madrid win on away goals rule)
Competition UEFA Cup Quarter-final 2nd leg
Venue Villa Park
Attendance 39,163

Aston Villa (3-5-2): Bosnich; Ehiogu, Southgate, Staunton; Joachim, Taylor, Draper (Nelson, 53min), Hendrie, Wright; Milosevic (Collymore, 53), Yorke.

Atletico Madrid (2-2-4-2): Molina; Andrei (Prodan, 58), Santi; Vizcaino, Geli; Aguilera (Toni, 81), Pantic (Lardin, 58), Bejbl, Caminero; Kiko, Vieri.

Referee: M van der Ende (Netherlands).

Graham's Goodison Goodbye: Everton 3 Villa 3 5th May 1990

Dek Hogan recalls a wonderful end of season party on Merseyside and what was effectively a fond farewell to a man who was the saviour of Aston Villa.

Cascarino's signing changed our style of play

For me the really wonderful thing about winning the league isn't the bit at the end where you actually secure the trophy, more the thrill of the chase as you strive to win it. It may well be for this reason that I have as many – if not more – fond memories of the seasons where we finished runners-up as I have of the season when we actually managed to win it.

One such magical season was that of 1989/1990 in which Graham Taylor's Aston Villa gave the then mighty Liverpool a real run for their money. Some would even argue that only a shift in tactics to accommodate late-in-the-season signing Tony Cascarino scuppered our chances. Up until Tony's arrival, standard operating practice had been to play the ball on the floor to Ian Olney who would hold it up long enough for Platty, Sid, Ormondroyd and Tony Tony Daley to deliver loads of attacking options as they poured forward. In the latter part of the season, play has become more “direct” and consequently less effective.

Bearing in mind we were relegated just three years earlier and deservedly so, the turnaround under Taylor, or “Sir Graham” as BRMB's George Gavin insists on calling him, has been nothing short of miraculous. Taylor quickly put together a workmanlike team of grafters to get us out of the second division, then spent that difficult first season back at the top transforming the squad with some shrewd buys of quality. This had paid off handsomely as we are now up there with the very best.

Liverpool have secured the title and we are assured of finishing runners-up, so as we head up to Merseyside, all 5,000 odd of us, it's very much party time, but there is an undercurrent of concern. The forthcoming World Cup is to be Bobby Robson's swansong in the England job and despite some one-eyed old hacks in Fleet Street disparaging our saviour, it's clear that our Graham is likely to be top choice for the big job.

As we prepare for the afternoon's festivities with a few cold ones in a Cheshire pub, there is some bad news. The talismanic David Platt has been involved in a car crash in which someone has sadly died. While Platty is said to be uninjured, he is by all accounts too upset to play. Young Mark Blake will get a rare chance to show us what he can do.

The old away end at Goodison

Strangely, for this fixture, along with my cohorts, I've opted for the seats rather than the terracing. The away end behind the goal at Goodison is a curious structure that has a very shallow terrace on the lower tier, then quite a high vertical wall before a generous but seated upper tier. Having paid for a seat I have no recollection of actually using it.

Away games around this time are much better than homes when it comes to singing, it being far easier to get a song going in the tight confines of an away pen than on a Holte End that can be sparsely populated. We also have a multitude of songs at this stage with several new classics to add to those passed down through the generations plus several songs for individual players. However, on this day, one song alone will dominate, “Graham Taylor's Claret And Blue Army”.

Amidst all the singing and generally having a good time, down on the pitch, a football match breaks out.

Mark Blake

Urged on by a particularly boisterous travelling contingent, Villa take the initiative from the get-go with Gordon Cowans spraying accurately passed balls with glee. One such ball sends Tony Daley scurrying down left and Neville Southall has to be at his imperious best to prevent Tony's dangerous centre doing any serious damage. The Everton keeper is swiftly back in action again as Cascarino and Olney combine set up Mark Blake with a left footed shot that requires the Welsh shotstopper to save athletically.

It's all Villa in the early stages though a 20 yard effort from John Ebbrell reminds us that Everton are there, though while the home supporters are still clapping that shot, Tony Daley has scurried down the wing and set up Chris Price whose low left-footed drive again gives Southall the chance to shine.

Neil Pointon is obviously fed up with being skinned by Tony Daley and up-ends him in unceremonious fashion, leading to a confrontation between the Villa manager and unpopular referee George Courtney. Suddenly Everton find a foothold in the game and have some meaningful attacks of their own. An Ebbrell corner leads to a 25 yard blaster from Stuart McCall which Sid clears off the line. Then, good work from Pat Nevin leads to a Mike Newell strike from distance which beats Spink but cannons off the post for Mountfield to hook to safety.

It's getting a bit end to end now, with both Tony Daley and the increasingly lively Nevin testing the goalkeepers. However, the pendulum is swinging Everton's way, McCall setting Nevin clean through and only the presence of mind of the excellent Mountfield preventing disaster.

However, disaster does strike in the very next minute, Tony Cascarino inexplicably sticking his boot on the end of what had seemed an innocuous effort from Pointon and knocking it past Spink to give the Merseysiders the lead. Not long before half time, there's almost more disaster when a rasping Tony Cottee drive skids off McGrath but just skims past the post.

HALF TIME: Everton 1 Aston Villa 0

The Villa faithful have, with the occasional lull to cheer at goal chances, been singing “Graham Taylor's Claret & Blue Army” throughout the first half. During the interval, there is no respite. The song continues, loud and proud from the mouths of the vast majority of those occupying the away stand. Everton fans look totally perplexed by the phenonemon and look on in a mixture of awe and amazement. We're still singing it as the players emerge for the second half.

Unusually, Taylor makes a half time tactical change, replacing specialist right back Chris Price with Gareth Williams. He obviously thinks there's something lacking in the midfield with the absence of Platt. It certainly can't be Price's form that has forced the change as he's been solid defensively and dangerous going forward. Whatever, the reasons the change pays instant dividends. Tony Daley finds the ball that frees Mark Blake to provide the sort of cross that is meat and drink to Tony Cascarino and he gleefully makes amends for his first half faux pas by knocking in the equaliser.

We're still bouncing up and down in joyous celebration when we're brought up short by Everton taking the lead again. In a goalmouth scramble, Spink saves well from Cottee but Dave Watson heads the ball goalwards and Newell helps it over the line from point blank range.

Soon though, Neville Southall hands us the opportunity to square things again, somehow managing to handle the ball outside of his area. Sid Cowans curls his spectacular free kick over the Everton wall and straight into the back of the net!

That's fantastic but Tony Daley tops it. His dazzling run bamboozles the bemused ex-Villa man Martin Keown and he lets fly with a stunning cross that bounces tantalisingly off the woodwork before crossing the line. We've taken the lead! What a game.

Sadly we don't get to nab all the points thought. Derek Mountfield, who has been magnificent all afternoon, blots his copy book by uppending Tony Cottee and Kevin Sheedy, a late sub for Ebbrell, slots home the resultant penalty.

FULL TIME: Everton 3 Aston Villa 3.

The final whistle isn't the end of the story. The Villa Army are still singing the Graham Taylor song nearly two hours after we started and we are showing no signs of stopping. Not until our Graham comes out to see us. There is a precedent here. When Taylor's men had to wait to tenterhooks to see if we had gained promotion following a nil-nil with Swindon, he lead his players to share the moment with the travelling support. Now he emerges onto the Goodison pitch to take the plaudits of the fans. It's a sweet, glorious, wonderful moment, but we know in our hearts and he knows in his that this is goodbye.

Score: 3-3
Competition: League Division One
Venue: Goodison Park
Attendance: 29,551

Everton: Southall,

Watson, 

Keown, 

 Ratcliffe, 

 McDonald, 

 Pointon, 

McCall, 

Ebbrell, 

 Nevin, 

Newell, 

Cottee

Subs: Sheedy for Ebbrell, Atteveld for Watson

Villa: 

Spink, Price, Mountfield, Nielsen, McGrath, Cowans, Blake, Gray, Cascarino, Daley, Olney

Sub: Williams for Price

Everton 3 Villa 3 May 1990 by villamadvids

Ghosts of Christmas Past: 1976: Aston Villa 5 Liverpool 1

There was a time when every minute of every football match wasn't filmed; when Match of the Day covered just two matches while the local ITV stations picked a local game. If you weren't picked, your team's match wouldn't be preserved for posterity, unless a local TV news team had rocked up with a grainy 16mm film camera to capture the goals for the news. Even this was rare, as they'd have to waste loads of film in the hope of capturing the goals, often in light which cruelly exposed the limitations of their camera equipment.

Midweek matches were even less likely to be captured although we did have the odd league match on Sportsnight, if there wasn't an important boxing match on the same night and ITV's Wednesday Special slot would offer a match if they didn't have some grim documentary to show.

On Wednesday 15th December 1976, ITV do have a grim documentary to show and the BBC's Sportnight has been replaced by Sports Review of the Year 1976. As a consequence, no footage remains of one of the greatest ever nights at Villa Park, as Aston Villa take on the might of all-conquering champions Liverpool.

Pre-match all the talk has been of the absence of John Toshack through injury. No-nonsense Villa boss Ron Saunders doesn't think it will make our task any easier but he does expect to win.

“The trouble is Liverpool have such strength in depth the player they bring in to replace Toshack is just as likely to score against us” warns Ron, before adding “I want us to beat them this time and I want us to deserve to do so, but I will happily settle for the result rather than the performance if need be.”

Andy Gray heads Villa in front

So on a chilly December night, with blizzards just a few days away, a packed Villa Park is buzzing with anticipation.

Villa start off with a drive and energy that instantly has the champions on the back foot and the Holte End roaring. After just nine minutes, the deadlock is broken after some absolutely top-rate play from Alex Cropley, John Deehan and John Robson. The beautiful move ends with a trademark Andy Gray header and we have the lead.

The Merseysiders' back line is still trying to come to terms with that just two minutes later when Dennis Mortimer's incisive pass slices them clean open and John Deehan's clinical finish gives us a two nil lead and sees B6 transformed into Dreamland.

Villa keep ripping into Liverpool who seem completely taken aback by Villa's free running, fast passing style. Phil Thompson's attempt to get physical with constant thorn in the side Andy Gray results in the ball running loose and into the path of Deehan who hammers home his second and is by now probably feeling far happier that he was pulled out of an England Under 21 fixture to take part.

It's not totally one-way traffic and eventually keeper Jake Findlay is called into action with a full length save as David Johnson finally manages a shot on target for the away team. Phil Thompson's frustration inevitably bubbles over and he goes in the book for wrestling the driving force that is Dennis Mortimer to the ground.

Deehan helps himself to his second goal

The Scousers manage to limp on until the half hour before the fourth Villa goal goes in, a lovely cross from fan-favourite right back John Gidman finding the boot of Brian Little. Ray Clemence can only watch in misery as Little coolly slots home.

Jake Findlay finally gets caught out when coming off his line for to punch clear a Terry McDermott cross and Ray Kennedy manages to pull back what already feels like a consolation goal with a low drive.

Still in the first half and we're not done. A Mortimer cross finds Andy Gray and his header loops over a shell-shocked Clemence and the Holte End parties like it's Christmas and New Year rolled into one..

HALF TIME: Aston Villa 5 Liverpool 1

Villa lose Alex Cropley to injury early in the second half and an 18 year old Mike Buttress is pressed into service as sub, which validates Saunders' comments that Liverpool have more strength in depth. Despite this Villa continue to dominate throughout the second half.

John Deehan misses a golden opportunity to grab his hat trick from a Brian Little pass, Ray Clemence pushes a Dennis Mortimer centre on to his own crossbar and has to make fine saves from Deehan and Gidman.

A miserable evening for Liverpool is capped when Ray Kennedy picks up a booking for foul on the much kicked Mortimer.

A five one triumph for Villa then, the first time in ten years since Liverpool have shipped in five and that was against the mighty Ajax. This is special.

Ron Saunders reflected “That was a highly professional performance but it is the sort of display that we have been threatening to produce in so many recent matches”.

“I’m not detracting from those Villa boys,” lamented Pool manager Bob Paisley, “they did well. But my defence... I didn’t think they could play so badly.”

Aston Villa 5 Liverpool 1

Competition: Football League Division One

Attendance: 42,851

Aston Villa: Findlay, Gidman, Robson, Phillips, Young, Mortimer, Deehan, Little, Gray, Cropley, Carrodus. Sub: Buttress (for Cropley, 54)

Liverpool: Clemence, Neal, Jones, Thompson, Kennedy, Hughes, Keegan, McDermott, Heighway, Johnson, Callaghan. Sub: Case

Ghosts of Christmas Past 1998: OH MY GOD! WE'VE KILLED FATHER CHRISTMAS!

Dek Hogan recalls a stunning Villa comeback and a very bad day for Santa Claus.

It's Sunday 13th December 1998 and in the words of Noddy Holder "IT'S CHRISTMAS!".

Lee Dixon cries on Gareth Southgate's shoulder

Well technically it's still Advent but some of us have already started on the Mince Pies and the songs about landlords filling flowing bowls until they doth run over.

Why not celebrate? We're in the bloody title race for goodness sake. Things are going rather well for John Gregory and his boys. As a consequence, the visit of Arsenal to Villa Park has proved irresistible to the Sky Sports boys and we're playing on a Sunday afternoon, which means that some of the lads are still recovering from being dragged round the jam-packed shops on the Saturday.

There's even talk of parachutists dropping in at half time. This doesn't generate much excitement. We've grown blasé about this sort of thing over the years. If you're in the wrong spot - as the Holte End often proves to be - you very often can't spot the bloke until his boots appear over the roof of the stand and him drifting in to land on a cross in the centre circle is not my idea of excitement.

No sign of anything dropping from the sky before kick-off, so this must be a half time extravaganza. A pint seems like a more attractive proposition.

We get off to a sluggish start with Arsenal looking sharp and up for it. Despite this, the first real chance of the game falls to us, Lee Hendrie winning a free kick at the expense of Lee Dixon. Alan Thompson lines up from 25 yards out and promptly wastes it. 

Arsenal are bossing it though and it's no massive surprise when they take the lead. A David Seaman hoof is headed on by Ljungberg and Anelka to Dennis Bergkamp who launches an unstoppable past the diving Oakes for one-nil.

Ljungberg and Anelka both have efforts just inches over the bar as Wenger's lads really put us on the rack, Patrick Viera and Marc Overmars running us ragged. There's some respite as Lee Hendrie forces Seaman into a save and the well manacled Dion Dublin finally breaks free to head wide from six yards, but it's clearly been Arsenal's half.

This is confirmed in first half injury time. Nic Anelka's shows remarkable speed to catch up with what looks like an overhit Bergkamp's pass, he bamboozles Ugo Ehiogu and turns the ball from the bye-line to find Bergkamp who slides a  left-foot effort inside  Oakes and the near post from 12 yards. 

Arsenal two-nil up at half-time and cruising.

Then the parachutists turn up and they are dressed as Santa Claus. Something is wrong though. 

One of the Santas is getting dangerously near to the advertising hoardings on the edge of the extended Trinity Road Stand roof. Suddenly he clips it and appears to be stuck there and his parachute dangles uselessly beneath him. Before there's time to even finish the thought "How is he going to get down from there?" we find out. He drops to the ground like a stone.

There's a gasp, then an eerie silence, then the piercing cry of a Brummie accent exclaiming "Oh My God! We've killed Father Christmas!". It soon becomes apparent though jokes about how they'll be no presents for the kiddies this year are entirely inappropriate. This bloke is in real trouble.

Soon, they are erecting tarpaulins around him (it transpires they used his actual parachute as a screen) as the medics and Villa physio Jim Walker attempt to stabilise him. That's the sort of thing we are used to seeing at racecourses when horses are in distress. This is is obviously not good. The second half is delayed by something like a quarter of an hour while the the stricken Santa is attended to. He receives a massive roar of goodwill as he is stretchered away.

However, the show must go on.

Arsenal seem to have lost their joie de vivre as the delayed second half gets underway.

Suddenly, it all starts going our way. The arrival of Stan "the Man" Collymore as a 54th minute replacement for Gareth Barry proves to be the catalyst. Switching from 5-3-2 to 4-3-3, Villa are absolutely all over the North London outfit, scoring from the first attack after the rejig; Collymore feedsLee Hendrie, whose short pass meets the outside of Julian Joachim's boot for the wee man's fourth goal in four games.

Ray Parlour

We get a massive slice of luck for the equaliser. Dublin's first attempt is blocked. Thompson mishits the follow-up shot and the ball falls into Dublin's lap and he blasts it home. There are many sharp intakes of breath among the cheering because he looks certainly looks offside. No flag so we carry on celebrating.

Arsenal aren't dead yet though and nearly bite back with a lovely move which sees Anelka teeing up Ray Parlour, but the Charlie Dimmock lookalike (from the neck up) drags his shot wide of the right-hand upright. Oakes then produces a magnificent save from from  Bergkamp's 20-yard free kick.

Villa keep up the pressure though and Martin Keown is left looking like a pillock as an Alan Thompson corner evades him and Dion Dublin volleys home from close range.

We win 3-2.

"I believe in my team, but this is a huge disappointment for us. I have to be realistic, and at the moment we are not title contenders." - Arsene Wenger

"I couldn't believe what I was seeing in the first half. We were simply awful. They were players I didn't recognise. Then, in the second half, it was like a dream, schoolboy hero stuff. We gave the reigning champions and FA Cup winners a two-goal lead and beat them." - John Gregory.

It's been a great comeback and Aston Villa sit proudly at the top of the Premier League. The only drawback, how is Santa?

Santa turns out to be in a very bad way indeed. His legs, hips, pelvis and ribs are broken and he will require a staggering 177 units of blood - almost the entire stock of Birmingham's blood bank. Some months after the event, Flight Sgt Nigel Rogoff will lose a leg as a result of the incident. He will make an astonishing recovery after the accident and fall in love with and marry his nurse, Sarah Collins.

Score: Aston Villa 3-2 Arsenal

Competition: Premier League

Venue: Villa Park

Attendance: 39,217

Aston Villa: Oakes, Wright, Southgate, Ehiogu, Watson, Taylor, Thompson, Joachim, Dublin, Barry, Hendrie. Subs: Charles, Collymore, Grayson, Vassell, Ghent.

Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Vieira, Bould, Vivas, Ljungberg, Anelka, Bergkamp, Overmars, Keown, Parlour. Subs: Wreh, Grimandi, Upson, Boa Morte, Manninger.

Referee: S Lodge (Barnsley)