[RobB]

..Villa were crowned Champions of Europe. Bayern Munich v Aston Villa, 26th of May 1982, Rotterdam. Mortimer captain, Withe scored the winning goal, Morley with the assist, Spink in goal was man of the match. I`ll watch the Porto v Monaco game tonight knowing that trophy the winner gets has got the name Aston Villa enscribed on it. Real Madrid, Juventus, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Villa and Manchester United, we`re all on there, all the greats. The biggest clubs in football.

[Invincible Gooners]

Originally Posted by RobB

..Villa were crowned Champions of Europe. Bayern Munich v Aston Villa, 26th of May 1982, Rotterdam. Mortimer captain, Withe scored the winning goal, Morley with the assist, Spink in goal was man of the match. I`ll watch the Porto v Monaco game tonight knowing that trophy the winner gets has got the name Aston Villa enscribed on it. Real Madrid, Juventus, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Villa and Manchester United, we`re all on there, all the greats. The biggest clubs in football.

remember it well, and a wonderful achievement to see the Villa do it..must of been a joy a real pleasure following the team in that era...arguably Villa's finest era...strange how the date 26th May is etched on the mind of so many...1982 Villa, 1989 Arsenal at Anfield and 1999 United vs...Bayern!!!!

[RobB]

Originally Posted by Invincible Gooners

strange how the date 26th May is etched on the mind of so many...1982 Villa, 1989 Arsenal at Anfield and 1999 United vs...Bayern!!!!

I didn`t know about Arsenal and United aswell. I was just thinking, would I swap our European cup to be able to win the league like Arsenal did in 89. That was amazing. I was slightly supporting Liverpool that night due to Arsenals boring, boring reputation, but to win it like that was anything but boring. I`ve never been so stunned watching a football game. Even Moore`s `It`s up for grabs now` gets me misty eyed even though not an Arsenal fan. Was that really 15 years ago to this day. Still, I`d keep our European cup. Arsenals name will be on it one day, no doubt.

[Invincible Gooners]

As a Gooner i know which one stands out for me, like you those immortal words by Brian Moore will never leave my soul, but of the two other nights Villa winning against all the odds was special..with United it was down to some sensational luck...but take nothing away from no one...they were all special nights.....

As for winning the Champions League...well that remains to be seen..these days its a lottery...but thinking back...Villa won it the right way, as Champions of England and on the old route..knock em out footy...

Tonight i shall raise a glass to the Villa boys of 82...

[RobB]

Originally Posted by Invincible Gooners

but thinking back...Villa won it the right way, as Champions of England and on the old route..knock em out footy...

It seems strange now with the league format and the top 4 qualifying how few games we`ve actually played in that competition. I thinks it`s 15 games (or 8 ties). It was still two-leg games then. As holders we qualified for the next year but I`m fairly sure it was Juventus who knocked us out in the Q/F`s.

[RobB]

It was Juve who knocked us out the following year. I couldn`t remember if it was them or Barca. Cruyff destroyed us one year it must have been a UEFA cup match. He played us off the park and with Barca winning 2-0 and 5 minutes to go he was substituted, the game ended 2-2. Anyway despite losing the Juve game at VP was still a big occasion, he`s a report on it I just found:

Originally Posted by Villa v Juventus 1983

45,531 attended the match, including some eight thousand Italians - far and away the biggest following a foreign club has ever brought to Villa Park. The atmosphere was awesome - as the match approached it seemed as though everyone in the ground was screaming at the top of their voices, knowing that Villa would have to be at peak form in order to contain the Italians. At kick-off the noise reached a crescendo, a tumult which lasted for all of forty seconds until European Footballer of the Year Paolo Rossi opened the scoring.

It was undoubtedly a body-blow, but to their credit Villa never gave up. Cowans equalised and we were the victims of a couple of highly dubious refereeing decisions. Ken MacNaught had a goal disallowed for no apparent reason and a strong claim for a penalty was also turned down.

Villa in fact played well, and they needed to, because Juventus were on another planet. Reports from Italy had indicated that they were suffering from poor form and a lack of confidence. This theory was ridiculed as they put on a display of football which would have been a pleasure to watch in other circumstances.

Platini scored Juve's winner in the second half, the return leg a fortnight later was a formality. No-one had ever beaten Juventus by two goals in a European game at the Stadio Communale and Villa were no exception as Peter Withe scored a consolation in a 3-1 defeat that saw us go out of the competition 5-2 on aggregate.

But it is a tribute to the Villa's resilience that they were able to meet Juventus on level terms in the first place. The Italians fielded Zoff, Gentile, Cabrini, Scirea, Tardelli, Bettega and Rossi who all played for Italy in the previous year's World Cup Final, plus the Polish international Boniek and Michel Platini, at Lie time arguably the best footballer in the world. Looked at objectively, they were probably the best team the Villa have played for many years and it says something for the team that Juventus were given so many problems in the first leg.

[RobB]

This is the one though.

Originally Posted by Villa v Bayern Munich 1982

On a glorious summer's night in the Feyenoord Stadium, Rotterdam, in May 1982, Villa became undisputed champions of Europe when they defeated the crack West German side, Bayern Munich, in an emotionally European Cup Final.

Peter Withe's ricochet goal, in the 67th minute, sparked off celebrations which continued well into the night - and the next morning - as jubilant Villa fans danced and jigged, and drank, their way around Rotterdam.

This was the sixth successive European Cup conquest by a British club, and it meant an estimated .2 million went into Villa's bank account. It also gave the club overlasting fame, as the first West Midlands club to lift that coverted trophy, which was first played for in 1955-6, when Real Madrid were the winners.

In the Final itself, Villa overcame the blow of losing goalkeeper Jimmy Rimmer when he had to leave the field in the 10th minute with a ricked neck. Rimmer had conceded only one goal in eight previous European Cup matches that season. He gave way to 23-year-old Nigel Spink, playing in only his second major game. But Spink responded magnificently and had the 10,000 Villa fans cheering his every move, and save, as the Germans dominated the play for long periods, especially during the first half.

Skipper Dennis Mortimer was magnificent throughout, prompting and driving his men from midfield. And, of course, there was the match-winner himself, Peter Withe, whose goal, halfway through the second half, clinched this glorious victory for Villa. Winger Tony Morley, who had the occasional flurry down the left, created the vital opening. In fact, a minute or so earlier it had been Morley who fired in Villa's first real shot of the game (over the crossbar). But next time the winger got the ball, his clever footwork did the trick. He jinked around the full-back Augenthaler, and somehow skidded the ball along the line of the six-yard box for Withe to pounce, and prod the ball by way of goalkeeper Muller and the post to score.

Although Villa were often second-best during the game, they had scored, the enterprising Germans had not.

Stars like Rummenigge, Hoeness, Dremmler and skipper Breitner sat dejected in the centre-circle as Aston Villa, champions of Europe, went forward to collect that massive silver trophy. 'Rule Britannia' rang out as the joyous claret and blues left the stadium in a bouyant mood after a momentous triumph.

It was an emotional occasion for manager Tony Barton too, who had been Villa manager for only seven weeks. He could not hide his tears, nor could several of his players on a night of glory in Holland.

[usscouse]

Had to see what you write about when you're all on your own over here. I can see what you mean when you replied "Nobody."
You have to be careful about writing to yourself, it leads to trolling on other boards and/or masterbation. Yours is probably a combination of both.

How are your eyes..?

Interesting thread though, I remember all those games,especially Villa's.
Great match, great memories, especially for you. Good reading.



I think Invisible gooner has been on every board including ours trying to re-live the day they did it!

[RobB]

Originally Posted by usscouse

Had to see what you write about when you're all on your own over here. I can see what you mean when you replied "Nobody."
You have to be careful about writing to yourself, it leads to trolling on other boards and/or masterbation. Yours is probably a combination of both.

How are your eyes..?

Interesting thread though, I remember all those games,especially Villa's.
Great match, great memories, especially for you. Good reading.

I think Invisible gooner has been on every board including ours trying to re-live the day they did it!

Hey, what are you doing here?! Bog off back to your own board . But seriously I`m taking a rest from the trolling, my wrist`s hurting (too much typing, at least I think that`s the problem.)

[usscouse]

Originally Posted by RobB

Hey, what are you doing here?! Bog off back to your own board . But seriously I`m taking a rest from the trolling, my wrist`s hurting (too much typing, at least I think that`s the problem.)