The square had probably not witnessed scenes like it since the days of the late Queen herself. Doubtless after a few quaffs of champagne the players boarded the coach and proceeded via Aston Cross to a walkabout at a crowded Villa Park.

Perhaps fearing a repetition of the theft of the FA Cup in 1895 Villa did not then go around flaunting the trophy from their then record seventh success and for those who wanted to see and be photographed with the trophy it was as well to have an interest in cricket, as revealed by these results.

24 July 1957 Perry Park Coal Trade Ben Assn 64 for 9 Villa 65 for 1 Won
31 July 1957 M&B Villa beat WBA – scores not recorded
01 Aug 1957 Dudley Villa 140 for 9 Dudley 140 for 7 Drawn – not tied
06 Aug 1957 Hillcourt Aston Unity 53 Villa 57 for 5 Won
11 Aug 1957 Erdington West Mid Gas 128 for 9 dec Villa 129 for 5 Won

There was the usual spate of departures from Villa Park, including Dickie Dorsett who left to become a trainer at Liverpool and Keith Jones who moved to Port Vale. The only newcomer was Alan Hayes, who otherwise remained anonymous

The public practice match attracted nearly 10,000 fans keen to pay homage to the cup final team again. They were in opposition to no fewer than eighteen reserves. The now light blues comprised of two different elevens in each half. Claret & Blues 4 Light Blues 0.

The compilers of the fixture list must have worn a cynical smile when they decreed that our first game of the campaign was to be at St Andrews. If ever a team was going to achieve massive satisfaction from beating the cup holders this season it was going to be Birmingham City. And they did. Being a Villa supporter amongst the crowd of 50,780 was not a comfortable place to be with so many of them gloating over what took place. Kinsey filed his report after only nine minutes but McParland, now well established amongst the pantheon of Villa greats, scored a great equaliser (24). But nearing the interval Murphy scored following a corner. Lynn shot against the bar before Brown went tearing off to shake hands with the corner flag again (75) and I contemplated which was the better bus route back to Aston.

Still with our cup final eleven we welcomed Leeds United to B6 on Monday evening, 6.30. Smith suffered an early war wound which mainly set the scene for the poorly attended game, only 25.893. Perhaps the euphoria was already wearing a bit thin. At least we had the satisfaction of seeing a win if that is quite the right word. Although we did leave it a bit late. McParland (78) Sewell (85). Enough said.

Unfortunately in terms of performance we carried on where we had left off against Leeds when Everton arrived. Not helped by the fact that at centre-forward they had our nemesis. Dave Hickson. The only consolation was that at least he did not rub it in by scoring the winning goal. That distinction went to Temple (23). With Smith having been stitched up v Leeds we were forced to make the first change to our cup winning team – Southren. 37,759 proved that Saturday 3pm is a more attractive time than Monday 6.30.

The return midweek fixture at Leeds turned out to be a total disaster. With every team now clearly on a mission to beat the cup holders we are really going to have to put a bit more umph into our performance if we are ever going to repel boarders. Saward gifted the first goal to the home side with a weak back pass (43) Then three goals in only four minutes had the 22,685 positively apoplectic. Baird, O’Brien and Brook.

Sunderland had played three, lost three when we arrived at Roker Park. Hope springs eternal. Myerscough is the first medal winner to be dropped, replaced by Chapman. But it is not a good thing to have to report that we were outplayed by the bottom team for most of the ninety minutes. The best thing that can be said it that Chapman snuck in an equaliser (69) after O’Neill (37) had looked like being the match winner in front of 43,901.

Chapman kept his place, as goal scorers are apt to do, when Luton Town arrived. With a cold north wind blowing it was a day for standing at the Witton End. It took 39 minutes before a thunderbolt header (did he ever score any other kind?) by McParland gave 28,962 much to cheer about. It was Luton Town after all. Smith was in the wars again, this time being rushed to hospital with a broken collarbone. Another header, this time a flick by Dixon (63) and all was right with the world again.

If there is one thing worse than having to go to the Molineux for the seasonal reverse fixtures it is having to go there for a 5.30 kick off on a Monday. Especially when they are being lauded as potential league champions. Unfortunately we did nothing to dispel this prediction. Myerscough earned a quick recall when he replaced the injured Smith with Birch in for the injured Crowther.

The game had a sensational opening. With the turnstiles overwhelmed by all the latecomers arriving after a day’s toil Murray headed Wolves ahead with barely three minutes having been played. Only for McParland to thrash the ball home barely sixty seconds later. A large percentage of the eventual 26,033 had not seen either goal. But both defences and both custodians immediately took control and the late arrivals soon discovered goals to be in short supply until Sims failed to gather a shot from Mullen and Deeley was alert to the resulting chance. (85).

A trip to Blackpool that coincided with the illuminations might be considered something of a treat by some but not necessarily if Stanley Matthews is the Matthews of old. And not least when he sets up Taylor for their first goal. Just four minutes so Blackpool fans know to get there early too. For another forty minutes we were chasing shadows but somehow our half-backs kept the Seasiders at bay. Whereupon enter McParland to add to his nationwide reputation with a strike that was worth the admission money on its own. 31,079 and as many wanting to see McParland as Matthews.

Forty-eight hours later we were back in action again for a Monday night extravaganza in the return fixture against Wolves. It had a 5.15 kick-off. As previously stated work was due to finish at 5.15. I must have asked the wrong person because I was refused permission to leave early. So I had to put my leave sheet in for a half-afternoon’s leave in order to be at Villa Park in time for the off. Come what may I was not prepared to miss out on as much as twenty minutes.

Jackson replaced Lynn, injured, and Crowe, Crowther, off to play for England under-23s. Weather-wise it was a miserable evening made even more so when Broadbent put them ahead (7) but at least I got to see it. A Murray header (21) and thing were looking as bleak as the weather. England captain Billy Wright always used to stride around the pitch like a bank manager with an air of self importance. So the 20,094 were treated to an amusing moment when a corner from Myerscough hit him on the back of the head. Undeniably an own goal and we were unexpectedly back in the game. (40).

Night fell and the game could easily have been abandoned. That would have been a heavy price for not having any floodlights. Deeley is reported to have somehow been the scorer of the Wolves third goal. (66). And with fans lighting lighters and matches as a subtle hint to referee Windle, McParland was tripped. He needed treatment before he was able to take the resulting penalty – always a bad sign – but he did the necessary (82). Are that lot in black and gold really going to win the league?

It was like Blackpool at the Serpentine when Leicester City, bottom of the pile, came next. With Pace for Myerscough, as many still thought it should have been, and Southren for the injured Smith, we were back with our Wembley eleven. It really was like carnival time for the 31,891 onlookers.

Leicester were, let it be said, pathetic. Seventeen minutes and goalkeeper Anderson fumbled a shot by McParland and Pace accepted the gift. 24 minutes and Pace laid a pass on a plate to Southren, 2-0. Then within the twinkling of an eye Pace again, ditto to Sewell 3-0. Then Pace a hat trick of ‘assists’ of a sort when he is tripped. Lynn, wham 4-0 at half time. Thoughts of reviving the old pre-war Villa Park chant of “We want seven” but enough is enough, almost. Morriss was gifted a goal for the Foxes but when there are goals aplenty to be had McParland is not one to miss out (80) 5-1

Next day Highbury, midweek, and already my leave sheet has gone in for the day off. It was to be a very strange afternoon. Firstly I was aware that Brian Tuby was absent from outside the ground. I did not know that it was a significant birthday and his family had insisted that he stay at home to celebrate. The first game he had missed since the war. Secondly I paid no attention to a hand I noticed waving out of a window that ran alongside the street at the ground. I only learnt later, from Brian Tuby, that the hand had been that of Peter McParland frantically trying to grab my attention to give me a complimentary ticket.

Then there was the incident of the light aircraft flying over the stadium for several minutes doing some sky writing against the backdrop of a clear blue sky, if I believe correctly advertising Persil. A potentially dangerous practice over a crowd of albeit only 18,482, that was instantly made illegal next day. Surprisingly it took Arsenal 23 minutes to open the scoring, Swallow. And almost twice as long before they added to their account. Tiddy.

The third was not long in coming Bloomfield (43). I was the loneliest man in Higbury Possibly the only Villa supporter on the terraces – I had not seen another. And there was probably worse to come. In the event only one when Herd interrupted a pass from Crowther to Sims (85) 0-4. Our famous defence defenceless.

Meanwhile it was off to Old Trafford where the home club was making much of the fact that they had recently won 6-0 at Shamrock Rovers in the new European Cup. We had no reason to suppose that we would fare any better against a top side clearly out for revenge, and big. That may be why very few Villa fans paid the 11/- (55p) excursion fare to be there amidst only 43,332. A fact reported on in Manchester.

It was not a game which Jack Hinchcliffe, making his debut at outside-right. will recall with any great enthusiasm even if he was to get a second chance. McParland and Blanchflower were both absent playing together as buddies for Ireland v Scotland. That may have taken some of the tension out of the fixture. Dugdale was deceived by the bounce which led to Taylor (16). Dugdale again (31) this time for real when he miscued, result an og. Pace (55) and suddenly Old Trafford was not as frightening as Highbury had been. That is until Berry (63) and Taylor again (68) and I was glad I had researched the escape route.

Ahead of Villa Reserves 1 Leeds United Reserves 2 fans were treated to a one-sided first round FA Youth Cup tie. Villa 8 Burton Albion 0 Hazelden 5 but it proved to be an expensive five because he was injured towards the end.

It was with some trepidation that after two four-goal thrashings some of us paid the 16/- (80P) to travel to Stamford Bridge. Those would stayed at home once again got two games for the price of one. Aston Boys 1 Bristol Boys 1 followed by Villa Reserves 2 Chesterfield Reserves 1, Chelsea, Pritchard for Aldis, injured, Ashfield for Dugdale, flu. Ditton Myerscough for Pace Hinchcliffe, because he had not been a total failure and alternatives are invisible. Lynn captain.

You can sense which way this is going. Nicholas (18) and the writing was already writ large even though we were having a fair bit of the attacking play and keeping the ballboys fairly busy, Stamford Bridge the only ground with ballboys who dashed around like greyhounds. 34 and yet another careless goal when Prichard let a hound slip by. 49 and when an attack broke down we were 0-3 down, Tindall. But surely one of our attacks would be productive. 59 and Sewell spotted a gap. 1-3. But soon Tindall was beating Sims again (62) with a twenty yard screamer. 1-4. Every home fan expects McParland to do something special and again he did not disappoint. (80) 2-4 And the return train from Paddington is timed for 12.12 (midnight) Unless…..

For the first time since the war the game against the Army is to take place on a Wednesday afternoon (3 pm) at Villa Park rather than Aldershot. The Army is no pushover team including as it does Whelan (Blackburn R0vers), Curry (Newcatle United), Bobby Charlton (Manchester United), Melia (Liverpool), Jones (Swansea) and at centre-forward one Gerald Archibald Hitchens (Cardiff City). The referee, Dennis Howell MP. Opposition meriting the best available eleven but including the token reserve for the experience. On this occasion Leslie Brazier for the quickest-ever professional debut, his only having signed the necessary forms four days earlier. Worth an afternoon off work, surely. Villa 4 Army 3.

After three consecutive four-goal deficits our league position (19th) was now precarious when Newcastle United came expecting to add to our woes. 29,395 hinted at a certain lack of confidence on the terraces but Houghton was still able to bathe in the glory of last spring. With George Ashfield at left-back to enable Aldis to stand in for an injured Lynn confidence was not high. And when Curry proved to be hot for Dugdale (28) things were not looking good. That is until the front line improvement shown at Chelsea bore fruit when Myerscough (31) and Pace (40 & 43) showed that they could play together. Sewell had us positively drooling (63) until our defensive frailties resurfaced Curry (66) Eastham (86) 4-3 Phew.

There was now the little matter of our first-ever floodlit match. To date the FA Charity Shield match between the league champions and the cup holders was not the curtain raiser it was destined to become. It was something of a fixture oddity to be played only when the two teams could agree. But as champions Manchester United had the first call and so we were bullied, obliged, cajoled or whatever into playing our first-ever floodlight game under the Old Trafford facilities.

Fearing retribution of some kind Eric Houghton had the bright idea of having Blanchflower and McParland – missing from the league match earlier in the month – to lead out the teams as captains. Thus everything was enabled to pass off smoothly. Of course as far as the 27,900 almost exclusively home fans were concerned the fact that it ended 0-4 to United was a help. We had felt obligated to put out our cup final side, Pace for Dixon excepted. Taylor (65, 70 & 76) Berry (81 pen) but we were pleased to escape unscathed.

Meanwhile we went to the Blackpool seaside again in advance of a visit to Turf Moor. Fat lot of good that did us because we reserved our appearance at Turf Moor for our worst performance of the season. The fact that Dixon was still unfit was becoming cause for concern. Chapman again standing in – though let it is hoped, not too much standing. Pickington (30 &55) and Newlands (81) 20,860. 4-4-4-4-3-3 goals against. Will I ever a goalless game again?

Serpentine Fairs four weeks apart instead of consecutive weeks as was the norm. “Get there early” was never truer than this afternoon. Southren (5) Pace (9) Stenhouse (10). All thoughts this might equal the 6-5 seen a few days earlier came to naught when a truce was declared and 28,733 had to consider themselves satisfied.

I get to go to the Hawthorns again, this time in earnest. Albion and Wolves are fighting it out at the top of the table, almost literally in the case of their supporters. With our recent record and history of our rivalry confidence is not high. 41,307 came to witness the execution. With injuries galore and flu rampant we were barely able to put a team out on to the field.

Sixteen year-old Walter Hazelden became our youngest top flight player. Ashfield and Chapman brought their boots along and so made up the number. But to Hazelden the glory of a debut goal (17) which has helped adhered him to Villa fans ever since. But this only served to annoy the Albion who retaliated en masse. Despite a scintillating display by Sims Robson eventually equalised (28). But now with the wind in our favour we came into our own again resulting in Crowther scoring his first0ever Villa goal. (65).

But the euphoria at the Birmingham Road end lasted, only a couple of minutes when Sims was adjudged to have fouled Kevan. Worse, Sims got injured in committing his alleged misdemeanour and had to receive ‘treatment before facing the spot kick. Allen(67). Sims’ injured shoulder proved too much of a handicap, enabling Horobin (79) to ruin our afternoon.

Played seven, lost seven! It was with more than a large amount of trepidation that we next had to face Robert Dennis Blanchflower and Tottenham Hotspur in B6. Sabin for the injured Sims. But amazingly we took the lead after only thirty seconds. Except we did not in the judgement of linesman Goodfellow who belied his name. Oddly the other linesman was a Mr Goodwin. Were the footballing gods trying to tell us something? But somehow we rediscovered a purpose.

Ditchburn could only parry a shot from Pace to the feet of Sewell who does not miss chances like that (53). But when Bobby Smith put his not inconsiderable weight about our hopes of defying the gods were foiled (58). But a point against the odds is a more than welcome point. It should have been two when with many already whistling to remind the referee the end was nigh Smith netted but was adjudged offside by Mr Goodwin. 28,390.

Our venture into the FA Youth Cup ended on Saturday morning at the hands of some lads from Wolverhampton (0-3) refereed by W Clements from West Bromwich, able to make such a rare visit into neutral territory. A front line including Tindall, Hazelden and Burrows gave no hint of what might be to come. In the afternoon Villa Reserves 1 Preston North End Reserves 4 gave a clear indication as to what was available today. Not much.

The same could be said about a trip to Nottingham Forest that afternoon. It only took four minutes for us and the 30,382 to know our fate when Barrett walked the ball into our net. But suddenly with Forest exposed Crowther spotted a clearing and he lobbed the ball over Thomson for his second Villa goal (24). But a second Forest goal was not long in coming, Quigley (33) before an injury to Saward which led to his limping along the wing and McParland having to fall back. An injury to Southren led to him too limping rather than dashing down his wing and Forest took advantage of our handicap. Wilson (73), Whare (83).

Given our dire record recently the three Toms – Docherty, Thompson and Finney – must have been looking forward to another trip to Villa Park despite their club’s abysmal record at the ground. Our early goal did not materialise so the 25,847 had to wait until 2.37 (2.15 kick off) for much of note. But then only because Walton handled a corner by Myerscough just as it was about to give McParland another copybook headed goal to add to his tally of copybook headed goals. We remained very much in control until our failure to convert our chances cost us dear as did not playing to the whistle because Thompson was allowed to go ahead despite a linesman flagging for offside (66).

Our traditional Autumn slump was set to continue when Lynn and Dugdale collided giving Taylor an easy opportunity (76). Not for nothing are we now referred to as McVilla the length and breadth of the land. Cometh the hour, or rather the 83rd minute, cometh the man. 2-2. A point just when the second division loomed though the murk.

It takes a monumental act of faith to keep turning up at New Street Station every fortnight to join the excursion to wherever. This time Sheffield Wednesday. The best hope was that they were even worse off than us. Never one to collect autographs I got my programme signed by Peter McParland and Pat Saward outside the ground before, as was customary, they were called inside with just thirty minutes to go to the 2.15 kick off. The time much to the annoyance of the home club keen to show off their new illumination as well as their spectators which may account for only 15,411.

Winning the toss it was always considered advisable to kick with the wind because it might change round in the second half. Although it never did, except in the park on a Sunday morning. With uncharacteristic aplomb we set about Wednesday from the word go but it took some time to convert this effort into a goal. Hazelden (33) but with his head. Then Crowther stepped in to make it two (39) after good work by Pace. Then Hazelden again with a textbook goal just as the late arrivals showed up assuming a three o’clock kick off. 3-0.

Ellis scrambled the ball in (48) to suggest Wednesday might make a game of it but Crowther (50) soon put paid to that idea from a pass by Hazelden. We could almost afford to sit back and enjoy the luxury of being 4-1 up until Ellis again (67) showed why he is their latest new kid in the block. 4-2. But McParland knows when free goals are on offer (83) 5-2.

After the five goals at Hillsborough there was a far more relaxed atmosphere amongst the 26,767 fans arriving for the game versus Manchester City. Even an air of expectation. As prescribed we might well have scored straight from the kick off but for Pace forgetting his lines and shooting wide. It was Sheffield all over again as we waited for the inevitable. But a knee injury to Crowther slowed things down a bit. Then disaster struck round about 3.30 when Aldis forgot to duck and instead steered the ball just inside the post. (61). It took a monumental effort by Smith and McParland to restore parity (77). Victory became the more likely outcome until with the crowd already moving towards the exits ready for the dash to be first on the bus Sims failed to hold a shot from Fagan and we had our pocket picked by Hayes as darkness fell.

STOP PRESS: On Friday 20th December Gerald Archibald Hitchens has been signed from Cardiff City. He will make his debut this afternoon v Birmingham City. 41,118 came on hearing the glad tidings. Let it be hoped he is more successful than our previous debutant against the Blues – Dave Hickson. Dixon is fit again, Hazelden has to give way.

Is there a more depressing time to be at Villa Park when we have just lost 0-2 to Satan City? Seeing Kinsey and the annoying imp Brown skipping across our turf at the end is not a pretty sight.

Boxing Day afternoon, a Thursday, here comes Arsenal so hopes are not high. But Bill Dodgin plays Santa Claus (8) 1-0. It is not often we get the better of Arsenal but Stan Lynn (30) and joy of joys, Gerry Hitchens (85) and I am happy to walk home as 38,383 made up for a deficiency in the transportation department.

Saturday December 28th. Everton. Sorry Evertonians, 2,15. 41,195 including a goodly number of Villa fans who have paid British Railways 11/6 (58p) to get them there. And it was worth every penny just to see Hitchens (11 & 61) have us believing the new Messiah had arrived. Harris (64) was but a blip.

Position 16th P25 W8 D4 L13 F41 A52 Pts20