| Villa away 1968 11:48 - Mar 26 with 1947 views | SonofNorfolt |
Is there any footage available?
For those that were there, exactly how many Rangers were there?
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| Villa away 1968 on 12:19 - Mar 26 with 1917 views | Esox_Lucius |
I was there but quite young. IIRC some Charlton & Millwall fans travelled up to it as well for some unknown reason. I believe the stories at the time were of taking 12k -13k up there which seems feasible from the scenes at the end with so many on the pitch. Marsh was left wearing only his jock strap by the time he left the pitch. |  |
| The grass is always greener. |
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| Villa away 1968 on 13:46 - Mar 26 with 1813 views | flynnbo |
I was there too as a young boy so have not much recollection but have since heard stories of Rs fans everywhere even in the Holte End. |  | | |
| Villa away 1968 on 14:05 - Mar 26 with 1796 views | onlyrinmoray |
I was there I was 18 went up on a supporters coach I remember being behind the goal It was a Bradley own goal that gave us the win Don’t remembermuch more Great atmosphere I can remember went. With my mate Roger |  | | |
| Villa away 1968 on 14:37 - Mar 26 with 1756 views | wortonranger |
| Villa away 1968 on 14:05 - Mar 26 by onlyrinmoray |
I was there I was 18 went up on a supporters coach I remember being behind the goal It was a Bradley own goal that gave us the win Don’t remembermuch more Great atmosphere I can remember went. With my mate Roger |
And Mick Leach scored the other. I’ve never seen any footage of the game. A great day out. |  | | |
| Villa away 1968 on 15:21 - Mar 26 with 1697 views | Boston |
Terryb will be able to give a much broader retrospect when he spots this. |  |
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| Villa away 1968 on 16:05 - Mar 26 with 1640 views | QPRSteve |
I was there aged 14. Main memories include the Villa fans in the stand above us throwing flagpoles, bottles etc down on us. Getting out the ground I don't think my feet touched the ground in the crush of fans.
We all thought Ipswich had lost and we'd gone up as champions. It was a bit of a comedown on the coach back when we learned that we were only second. | | | |
| Villa away 1968 on 16:14 - Mar 26 with 1625 views | qprxtc |
| Villa away 1968 on 16:05 - Mar 26 by QPRSteve |
I was there aged 14. Main memories include the Villa fans in the stand above us throwing flagpoles, bottles etc down on us. Getting out the ground I don't think my feet touched the ground in the crush of fans.
We all thought Ipswich had lost and we'd gone up as champions. It was a bit of a comedown on the coach back when we learned that we were only second. |
Steve. It was unknown for you to go beyond the boundaries of Goldhawk and Uxbridge Roads (until you uprooted to Wows).
No way you made it to Burmingum. |  | | |
| Villa away 1968 on 19:01 - Mar 26 with 1500 views | extratimeR |
Yes, wonderful day, my memory is most of us were in the Holt end, numbers tricky but judging by the noise and chanting during the game particularly goal celebrations, I would suggest 12-15,000, ( I think the gate that day was 32,000)
Villa were in a bad way at the time, I think Tommy Docherty was about to arrive, and gates leapt up to 60,000.
What a day | | | |
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| Villa away 1968 on 19:26 - Mar 26 with 1472 views | terryb |
I was there, although I was not a fully fledged Rangers man at the time, with my brother, cousin & (a) Texas Ranger (Terry Norman). Anybody else from Chesham there? It took relegation in the following year for me to totally become one of us.
From memory the crowd was circa 33k. I don't think it was ever truly established how many were there supporting Rangers, but I believe the club quoted 18k. That would have left Villa numbering their norm for the time.
Our support was in all four areas of the ground with the Holte end being predominantly Rangers. Villa fans soon disappeared after making one attempt to "retake" the Holte & failing. There was definitely a contingent of Millwall fans present standing alongside us. Why, I have no idea & can only assume they had fallen out with Villa that season. I'm not aware of any other London club supporters being present, but it would not greatly surprise me. When not playing against each other, London did seem to stand together against the heathens from north of Watford!
We were bloody awful that day. Apart from Mike Kelly that is! Villa deserved to be out of sight but somehow we hung in there & Mick Leach then got his head to a corner & scored the equaliser. I gather there was some controvesy as to whether it crossed the line, but we were not aware of that at the time as the nerves really set in. It was the third game running Mick had scored an important goal.
Then came what is the most magical moment of my time watching Rangers! Frank Clarke goes on a run down the right wing, leaving the defence for dead. I swear that is the fastest he ran in the whole of his life! He looks up & spots Rodney running in to the area & squares the ball. Rodney is beaten to it by Keith Bradley & the ball is resting in the corner of the net for the best ever own goal. Cue pandimonium!
From memory, Villa collasped after the Leach goal & never looked like bothering us, but I'm sure we were all panicing every time they had the ball!
And then the final whistle went! At that time it was customary for supporters to celebrate on the pitch at the end of the game & it was years before players did a tour of the ground. On the same day City won the FL by winning 4-3 at Newcastle & their fans were invited onto the pitch afterwards. Thousands of Rangers fans also made it on, but not many of us in the Holte End.
Oh no! Birmingham's finest lined up facing us & all of them drew out their batons. They took great delight in using them on anyone who tried to scale the wall & many of our fans returned home bruised & blooded.
I believe I've posted this before on this site (but it could have been on QPR Report & AKUTR'S), that after the match we drove to the ground & waited to follow the team coach. So did many others! The highlight of leaving Birmingham was the coach stopping outside an off-licence, causing a traffic jam as dozens of us pulled up & refused to move until the coach departed.
When everyone reached the M1 (no M6 connection at that time) car after car performed our versions of figures of eight around the coach with horns sounding all the way home.
I'm not aware of any footage of the game, but following that day, Villa hated us! For a few seasons their dislike of Brum was nothing compared to their feelings for us. Indeed, I would say that this was reciprocated. None of us gave a damn about The Pensioners at that time! It took the FA Cup 6th found match in 1970 before that started & the Villa rivallry died after the League Cup semi final of 1977.
Oh, Happy Days! | | | |
| Villa away 1968 on 19:29 - Mar 26 with 1464 views | jeffranger |
Yep remember it & thousands turned up, was 17 at time & to win it with a Bradley OG was magic & minutes from the end I believe | | | |
| Villa away 1968 on 19:34 - Mar 26 with 1453 views | QPRSteve |
| Villa away 1968 on 16:14 - Mar 26 by qprxtc |
Steve. It was unknown for you to go beyond the boundaries of Goldhawk and Uxbridge Roads (until you uprooted to Wows).
No way you made it to Burmingum. |
You'd be surprised mate, you'd be surprised. | | | |
| Villa away 1968 on 20:52 - Mar 26 with 1402 views | stowmarketrange |
| Villa away 1968 on 19:01 - Mar 26 by extratimeR |
Yes, wonderful day, my memory is most of us were in the Holt end, numbers tricky but judging by the noise and chanting during the game particularly goal celebrations, I would suggest 12-15,000, ( I think the gate that day was 32,000)
Villa were in a bad way at the time, I think Tommy Docherty was about to arrive, and gates leapt up to 60,000.
What a day |
Didn’t Villa end up in the 3rd division for a year or two around 1970? |  | | |
| Villa away 1968 on 21:10 - Mar 26 with 1385 views | Boston |
| Villa away 1968 on 20:52 - Mar 26 by stowmarketrange |
Didn’t Villa end up in the 3rd division for a year or two around 1970? |
Two seasons. That grim faced man, Saunders(?), put 'em back on the map. | |
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| Villa away 1968 on 21:21 - Mar 26 with 1367 views | stowmarketrange |
| Villa away 1968 on 21:10 - Mar 26 by Boston |
Two seasons. That grim faced man, Saunders(?), put 'em back on the map. |
And Andy Lochhead was top scorer in both seasons down in the lower leagues. | | | |
| Villa away 1968 on 21:44 - Mar 26 with 1348 views | SonofNorfolt |
Nice one Terry.
The best account I've read.
If you related your recollection to Villa fans today they probably wouldn't believe you?
I find it slightly disappointing that this game isn't recalled as much as it should be. I mean 15000 travelling for a league game and we won!. Generally, apart Hillsborough 2004, more than 3000 away from the comfort of the Capital always guaranteed a defeat. | | | |
| Villa away 1968 on 09:38 - Mar 27 with 1174 views | HantsR |
Terry that was probably the best account I've read of that match and it brought back memories of an amazing day, thank you. I went there with my Dad in my old Ford Anglia 105E and apart from your recollections, my memories, which I'm sure I've posted here before, include a river of urine flowing down the terraces ("we've got a horse up here!" came the cry) and after Keith Bradley's og, one fan going on the pitch in a state of delirium (possibly alcohol-fuelled?) and throwing one of his shoes to us. |  | | |
| Villa away 1968 on 09:57 - Mar 27 with 1144 views | terryb |
| Villa away 1968 on 21:44 - Mar 26 by SonofNorfolt |
Nice one Terry.
The best account I've read.
If you related your recollection to Villa fans today they probably wouldn't believe you?
I find it slightly disappointing that this game isn't recalled as much as it should be. I mean 15000 travelling for a league game and we won!. Generally, apart Hillsborough 2004, more than 3000 away from the comfort of the Capital always guaranteed a defeat. |
I doubt that they would believe they had crowds of less than 15k on a regular basis either!
It was very peculiar the loathing between the fans, but Docherty going there after Gregory sacked him (YES!!!) & the return trip there for the FA Cup 3rd round match in 1969 escalated it. Those of us stupid enough to go on the Holte that day soon departed to other areas!
I would say their hatred started in May '68 & ours in January '69. | | | |
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