[Football] 50 years ago today 25/3/1972 Alblon beat Aston Villa 2-1

[Robinjakarta]

I was there! Bloody hell, 50 years ago. I put Willie Irvine's goal up on Youtube ages ago, I wonder if it's still there?

It was on MoTD, and I think Irvine's goal won Goal of the Month. Becuase it was on MoTD the groundsman, former player Frankie Howard, painted the bare patches of the pitch green so it would look good on colour TV!


EDIT: Goal's still there!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7yrZUds3_A

Great work by John Templeman too to set it up. Never stopped running.

 

[Taybha]

I was 10 , scarves hanging off my arms tight rolled up jeans showing off my new Monkey Boots (couldn't afford the DM's) at school I explained how I took on 20 Villa fans and didn't get a scratch, once you shaved your head you instantly became invincible

 

[Barrow Boy]

I was in the West Terrace with some mates, that game remains one of my all time favourite Albion memories, happy days indeed, couldn't wait to get home and see Willies goal on MOTD.

 

[Robinjakarta]

Oh yes! I remember that one too - I was in the South - weren’t the goals in that end too? Re strikers didn’t we also have Barry Bridges in that era?

We did. Part of the Clough clearout I believe. Had a lot of skill, but his best days were before us.

 

[Ooh it’s a corner]

I took my son to (coincidentally) Villa away this season and took a pack of cards. Were mostly playing Blackjack for small change.

Good man - I trust you fleeced him - never too young to learn the important lessons in life

 

[Guinness Boy]

Good man - I trust you fleeced him - never too young to learn the important lessons in life

of course. Then bought him a programme with my "winnings"

 

[Eeyore]

of course. Then bought him a programme with my "winnings"

Not long before he starts taking a nap in the roof racks on the way home... No storage lockers at railway stations these days mind.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Not long before he starts taking a nap in the roof racks on the way home... No storage lockers at railway station these days mind.

Comfy, them GWR roof racks.

 

[jcdenton08]

That Templeman looks exactly like the kind of midfielder we need right now to be honest

 

[Deleted member 37369]

As I've mentioned elsewhere on here, I was born in Bournemouth. I also went to my first game that season ... 23 October 1971 ... Bournemouth v Villa ... I was 9!

Attendance was just over 20,000 and Bournemouth won 3-0. If memory serves me correctly, Ted MacDougall scored two and Phil Bowyer got the other one.

Villa and Brighton went up that season while Bournemouth missed out in 3rd place.

4 weeks after the 3-0 Bournemouth beat Margate 11-0 in the first round of the FA Cup with MacDougall scoring 9 of them!!

EDIT: I just looked up the return Bournemouth game at Villa Park ... February 1972 ... attendance 48,110 !!! In the third tier of English football!!!

 

[Wardy's twin]

One of the big games ... Boxing day Bournemouth game as well .

 

[Ooh it’s a corner]

As I've mentioned elsewhere on here, I was born in Bournemouth. I also went to my first game that season ... 23 October 1971 ... Bournemouth v Villa ... I was 9!

Attendance was just over 20,000 and Bournemouth won 3-0. If memory serves me correctly, Ted MacDougall scored two and Phil Bowyer got the other one.

Villa and Brighton went up that season while Bournemouth missed out in 3rd place.

4 weeks after the 3-0 Bournemouth beat Margate 11-0 in the first round of the FA Cup with MacDougall scoring 9 of them!!

EDIT: I just looked up the return Bournemouth game at Villa Park ... February 1972 ... attendance 48,110 !!! In the third tier of English football!!!

Yes that was a great season as a youngish fan. I think Notts County were the other team in the mix for promotion with the three you’ve mentioned. There were two versions of a song we were singing at the time I think(song discussed previously)

To hell with Aston Villa
To hell with Notts County
We’re gonna fight, fight, fight for the Albion
‘Til we win Division 3

or sub Bournemouth too for Notts Co in line 2
and the last line then reads ‘til we’re in Division 2

 

[BLOCK F]

25th March 1972, Division 3, beautiful sunny spring day, featured on Match of the Day, 28,000 fans, Willie Irvine's fantastic goal and I think the first time the Albion wore blue shorts.

I was there.
Willie scored, but John Templeman deserves a lot of the credit.

 

[BLOCK F]

Kit Napier got the winner...we had a collection of forwards back then albeit in D3. Six days later on Good Friday three late goals to beat Torquay. April 1 down to Bournemouth and a late equaliser from Bertie Lutton.

Happy happy days

I was living in Bournemouth at the time and a mate and I were squashed into the old Dean Court along with many other Albion fans. Mighty relief when Bertie Lutton equalised as I thought we may have blown it.
Happy days all those years ago.

 

[AnotherArch]

I was living in Bournemouth at the time and a mate and I were squashed into the old Dean Court along with many other Albion fans. Mighty relief when Bertie Luton equalised as I thought we may have blown it.
Happy days all those years ago.

Then the next Tuesday, after these 2 games on Good Friday and the Saturday after (so 3 games in 5 days!), John Templeman scored a last-minute, long range winner at Barnsley. Happy days.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I think HWT managed to get to that game on time after nearly getting caught scrumping apples from Mrs Brown's orchard in Portslade:

Yes, I was there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7yrZUds3_A

 

[GT49er]

As I've mentioned elsewhere on here, I was born in Bournemouth. I also went to my first game that season ... 23 October 1971 ... Bournemouth v Villa ... I was 9!

Attendance was just over 20,000 and Bournemouth won 3-0. If memory serves me correctly, Ted MacDougall scored two and Phil Bowyer got the other one.

Villa and Brighton went up that season while Bournemouth missed out in 3rd place.

4 weeks after the 3-0 Bournemouth beat Margate 11-0 in the first round of the FA Cup with MacDougall scoring 9 of them!!

EDIT: I just looked up the return Bournemouth game at Villa Park ... February 1972 ... attendance 48,110 !!! In the third tier of English football!!!

IIRC we averaged 25K at the Goldstone that season too. Halcyon days!

 

[origigull]

I was 10 , scarves hanging off my arms tight rolled up jeans showing off my new Monkey Boots (couldn't afford the DM's) at school I explained how I took on 20 Villa fans and didn't get a scratch, once you shaved your head you instantly became invincible

I remember I was in the NS at about 2pm when over the top of the Chicken Run came the hoardes of villa fans and for a few seconds a hush descended over the NS to see what would happen next but nothing happened in the way of aggro, so things went back to normal, just jeering at each other. A great game and atmosphere and remember I was looking forward to MoTD that night.

 

[warmleyseagull]

I was in the West Terrace with some mates, that game remains one of my all time favourite Albion memories, happy days indeed, couldn't wait to get home and see Willies goal on MOTD.

My favourite Albion goal of all time; came 3rd in Goal of the Season courtesy of being voted for by Jock Stein if I remember rightly.

 

[Derbyshire Seagull]

My first game. 50 years supporting the Albion. Remember marching down OSR and being a part of the 'crowd'. One of only a handfull of games I stood in the north stand.

My first game too and still remember the excitement of being there. 50 years though? Ffs