None of our players had caught the eye of any of the clubs we were leaving behind and none had opted to leave so there was a general consensus that we were quite capable of getting back to the first division at the first attempt. Joe Mercer was offering 100% effort in the attempt to do so.

The only departures had been a handful of reserves and Birmingham League players including Ron Atkinson moving to Headington and Bill Myerscough going to Rotherham.

It was the acquisition of four new players which caught the eye, or the fact that the manager thought we needed four new players. Bobby Thomson (Wolves), Johnny Neal (Swindon Town) Jimmy Adam (Luton Town) and Jimmy MacEwan (Raith Rovers). None of them household names with their former teams so how good were they, and who were they going to replace?

Mentioning people on the move, so was I. The Inland Revenue offices in Richmond House, Newhall Street had moved to the Big Top site off New Street in the centre of town. This area had remained as a reminder of the war for over a decade before being developed as a shopping centre and offices for the Inland Revenue and unimaginatively renamed City Centre House.

Unfortunately the move was a major inconvenience to me because I no longer had anywhere safe to park my bike. A fact proved when in the first week of leaving it in the basement area a friend and I had our wheels stolen. Just the wheels!

This now meant travelling on the 39 bus from Witton Square which terminated right outside my new workplace in Union Street. Convenient when it came to leaving time.

After visiting Edgbaston for the morning session against Lancashire the hour arrived for that great moment in the cricket season which meant going to Villa Park again to what had been painted where and to admire the greensward. I have since spent much time at baseball games explaining to Americans that cricket is not played on grass but on dirt. And why grass is far too dangerous a surface to play cricket on.

Thomson and MacEwan of the newcomers made it into the Colours team for the annual public practice game, Neal and Adam into the light blues. Pat Saward was named club captain. Colours 4 Light Blues 2.

Our first proper game of the season took us to the seaside but Brighton rather than Blackpool.
Controversially Gunner Morrall – still a National Serviceman – was selected at centre-half in place of Dugdale and it was spectators at Villa Park for Sheffield United Reserves (3-3) who got to see Hitchens at centre-forward.

We made hard weather of beating Brighton, as did most of the Villa fans in getting there to be amongst the 31,484. MacEwan had the satisfaction of a debut goal when he converted an astute pass from Sewell (23). But Brighton were no pushover and Shepherd headed an equaliser (35). It was only towards the end that we showed signs of breaking down the rock solid home defence and it was left to Sewell to show how cannily it could be done (86).

From one extreme to the other, Sunderland next. Not an easy place to get to for a Wednesday night encounter. A working knowledge of transport timetables and where to find them is already proving to be feature of this campaign. Train to Durham then a bus to Sunderland.

Return by train changing at York, Normanton and Derby, arriving at New Street at 7.45 am having booked two days leave! All made worse by a thoroughly dismal performance at Roker Park which was more reminiscent of our relegation outings a few months earlier.

Neal will not wish to be reminded of his debut even though he went on to play for the entire season. Pearce scored the winning goal just as the Bovril queues were forming for whatever tipple they consume up there (44).

We did not know it at the time but Sewell has just played his last game for Villa (40 for 145). Hitchens is back v Swansea Town. Beating them proved every bit as hard as beating Brighton as 35,829 can testify. Every second division team is obviously going to treat Aston Villa as a cup final. But when it comes to cup finals we have McParland (8) to settle any hopes of grandeur the visitors may have.

The club is now boasting of the new training facilities just along Trinity Road. A stone’s throw from what used to be the ground of our one-time greatest rivals, Aston Unity. The third team will no longer have to play home games at Halesowen and the fourth team will no longer have to play every ‘home’ game away.

Manager Mercer had a good look at Sunderland last Wednesday so hopefully come this Monday he will have a plan to beat them. A plan which includes the return of Dugdale. 32,890 are not put off by the reports of what happened up north, last week and the plan worked when Hitchens (15 & 40) had Sunderland on the ropes before Thomson applied the knockout blow (61).

We get treated to a proper football excursion train to Bristol and because they do not want hundreds of Villa supporters marauding around the city centre we get deposited at Stapleton Road station next to the ground rather than Temple Meads.

We proceeded to play shots-in with them but the fact that we only scored once, Hitchens (11), suggests a certain laxity in that area. Ward (19) had most of the 26,731 positively ecstatic especially when they looked down on us at the station as we had a long wait for the return train.

Next we get to visit our companions in distress from four months ago with another visit to Portsmouth. Stechford 8.05 – Euston 10.15. Waterloo 11.50 (cheaper after 11) Portsmouth 13.20. For an afternoon in the dockyard. Unlike us – second after five games – they are finding life just as difficult one floor below. With an unchanged team we add to their woes.

First with a typical route one strike Sims to Hitchens, cutting out the middle men, a straightforward lob (7). Then a mere 19,910 see them equalise. Scored by their centre-forward, Ron Saunders, a walk in from two yards.(35). Thomson made the game certain – Portsmouth did not seem likely to score again, but neither did we. 2-1.

At last a regular second division team, Ipswich Town, even if they did bring the England centre-forward with them, Crawford. 33.747 were beginning to believe we really were on the way back to our rightful place. Finally the early arrivals are rewarded with an early goal, McParland (3).

London had only two clubs in the lower division, Charlton Athletic and our next visitors unfashionable Leyton Orient. Two Eddies, Brown recently of Birmingham City and Baily, ex-Tottenham presented the biggest threat to our status at the top of the league.

40,860 came expecting to see us remain there and were not disappointed although they may have been disappointed with the fare on offer as yet another visiting team tried to construct a wall across the halfway line. There was even a hint of offside about our winning goal by Hitchens (67) except that he had been played on when playing on was not the subject of endless debate.

Birmingham City 1 All Star XI 5, Jeff Hall Memorial Match. Two weeks after playing for Blues Jeff died after being struck down with polio. The fact that someone so fit has suffered so suddenly had caused panic nationwide.

We had not yet done with midweek fixtures and for 6/6 (32p) we set off for Stoke City. 27,207 got to see us play like a top of the table team. In the second half that is, because at eight o’clock not a lot had happened. Then the sky fell in. Newlands (57, a penalty) and King (64) had the home fans gloating as they do when they go two goals up against Aston Villa. But then McParland scored a six minute hat-trick.

Except that the first was strictly an own goal when centre-half Thomson (67) neatly converted one of his centres. Sixty seconds later he need no such assistance (68) and there was much jigging up and down on the terraces as it was now our turn to gloat. But he who gloats last gloats loudest except that in my programme I have recorded their third goal by Bowyer as coming in the ninety-third minute so I was a bit peeved. 3-3.

The cathedral city of Lincoln seemed quite an exciting place to go to, not least for which route we would take for our 12/9 (64p). It became an even more exciting place because, unusually we were not scheduled to arrive at Lincoln St. Marks station until 2.15. Which fortunately we did because there followed a mad uphill dash to get to the ground where a larger than usual gate was expected.

In the event, although their biggest gate of the season, only 13,812 turned out to see the great Aston Villa, perhaps in the knowledge that the Imps were so to speak, Impish.

But in their ranks they had Roy Chapman and every ex-Villa player playing against us was a danger to be reckoned with. Our four new summer signings appeared together for the first time as we were obliged to make changes after having the same eleven for eight consecutive matches. McParland being in Belfast playing v Scotland. He was sorely missed but that alone cannot account for the failure to score a hat full of goals and unbelievably our leaving the ground having seen a drab nilnil – out of kilter with the glorious autumn sunshine.

Hoping for better things than at Lincoln we set off in the same general direction for Bramall Lane and a reunion with Derek Pace (42 for 107). Interesting that having bought Pace from Villa when he was manager of Sheffield United Mercer continued to persevere with Myerscough for us.

Hopeful of a cricket score to make up for Lincoln we were handicapped by an injury to Sims which saw Lynn deputising for a short period. A factor which may have led to Pace putting the ball in the net (76) when Lynn conceded a corner. Fortunately by this time we were leading thanks to a tap-in goal five minutes earlier by Hitchens (71). On a dusty wicket which took spin we should/ought to have won but at least we remain top. 1-1 25,146.

Third placed Middlesbrough arrived minus Brian Clough whilst we had to make do without Vic Crowe, both in opposition to each other in a futile international in Cardiff. The game was decided in an unusual manner when goalkeeper Taylor was penalised for fielding the ball outside his area. Faced with a ten man wall – as we had been for much of the game though this time static – Lynn created his own gap when he blasted the ball home in the 67th minute. 35,362 enjoyed that – or most of them did.

Two evenings later 23,000 or thereabouts were persuaded to return for a floodlight extravaganza against Rapid Vienna. Being the regular champions of Austria they treated the game for more intensely than we might have expected. As the game went on we became determined to remind the visitors that our Jimmy Hogan had been responsible for the growth of football in Austria and it took McParland (47) and MacEwan (58) to ensure a satisfactory result despite the best effort of Hanappi (61).

Next a visit to the ground of our only challengers when it came to winning the British Baseball Championship in 1890. Appropriately enough at what remained known as the Baseball Ground. Fittingly we attracted the biggest gate of the season, 26,394 bolstered by not one but two excursion trains, such was perceived to be our growing travelling support by our tame man at New Street. One a through train to Pear Tree & Normanton the other by a circuitous route beloved of the rail enthusiasts in our ranks.

Derby fought tooth and nail and we found ourselves two goals adrift Hannigan (40) and Parry (56) until enter McParland with an unstoppable virtuoso performance (75 & 77). It needed to be a one-man effort because Hitchens had been reduced to a limp after a nasty kick.2-2. I returned home by the stopping train. Being a rare chance to take the line from Burton to Walsall, and getting off at Witton which was in itself a rarity as long excursion trains did not usually stop at Witton because the platforms were too short.

FA Youth Cup 1st round. Villa Youth 4 Leicester City Youth 1.

Than as part of the transfer deal which saw MacEwan move from Raith Rovers we invited them to Villa Park for a kickabout. This gave Ken Price the opportunity to understudy for Hitchens in what became one of only two appearances in the colours despite his two goals in our 5-1 walk in the park in front of about 16,000. Vic Crowe (75) even got in on the act.

Next time out Sims in red because Plymouth Argyle showed up. The 35,341 who got there early were rewarded with a touch of wizardry from MacEwan (9) and a high speed dash by McParland (22) after which we somehow failed to established a new goalscoring record. That is for later!

There was now the little matter of our annual fixture against the might of the British Army. Except on this occasion we invited them to play ball under our floodlights rather than a field in Aldershot.

National Service was on the cusp of being abolished. Indeed I had been waiting for my dreaded buff envelope when it was officially cancelled. However there was still a residue of National Servicemen but nothing like the numbers of old and so the Army were unable to put out a formidable eleven as in the past.

Young (Hearts) and Orritt (Birmingham City) being of note. Another appearance and another goal for Price before it was back to the reserves along with Lee and Deakin who made up the number. A creditable 6,000 left their firesides on a miserable Wednesday night. A few more than for the reserves on a Saturday afternoon.

After fourteen league games unbeaten (W9 D5) we were required to go to Anfield. But on the evening before the game Liverpool pulled off the footballing equivalent of the three card trick. They signed Hickson from Everton. The result was an attendance of 49,981 and I am convinced that there were more Everton supporters in attendance than Liverpool.

We had paid a 12/6 (63p) fare for what we were about to witness. The atmosphere was more cup tie than cup tie and the ground erupted any time the ball was played anywhere near the Hero of Goodison. All the more so because he scored twice. There was a suspicion of offside about the first (54) and Sims was calling for a back pass which never materialised when he stepped into score the second.(80).

A wonder goal from McParland when he raced in followed by an unstoppable shot was a disappointing way to end our run of success. All the more so because Cardiff City have beaten Swansea Town 2-1 and are now level on points at the top.

Fifth-placed Charlton Athletic are next to set up camp at Villa Park. But if that was their intention they singularly failed in their mission. The deluge started after only two minutes – Hitchens. There was no hint of what was to come when Edwards equalised (22). Quickly followed by a goal by Thomson (26) which visibly demoralised the visitors making it easy for Hitchens (29, 40 & 46) to set up a constant bout of applause from the 21,291 witnesses.

Then in trying to save our sixth goal, Hitchens (60) goalkeeper Duff broke a finger and departed the scene. Full-back Townsend went in goal but was beaten three times in ten minutes by Wylie (63) Thomson (65) and MacEwan (69). Part of the explanation for this goal spree against the afflicted came about because although top of the league Villa had been heavily criticised in the press for their lack of goals. L

eary took over in goal whereupon Duff returned but only to play on the wing. By now the Villa crowd, with no sympathy towards the demoralised visitors was shouting “We want ten”. They got their wish – McParland (72) before he added another for luck (86). Afterwards far more than 21,291 claimed to have attended.

A visit to Bristol City meant that after a near three hour journey at least we got to go into Temple Meads station and so were able to see something of the city centre. Fare 12/6 (63p). Expectancy ran high and we were rewarded with a five goal romp.

But it took a long time to work out that City were not a threat as goal one did not come until the fortieth minute – Hitchens. Followed quickly by a second – Hitchens again (42). 29.985 now anticipated a rout. A fierce drive by Wylie (56) was rebounding from the rigging almost before Cook has realised it had gone by him.

The score finally reflected the game when Hitchens (86) – eight goals in two games – before McParland got in on the act. (87) and Sims went to collect his unemployment benefit.

37,367 arrived in Witton fully expecting another treat. For the visitors were Scunthorpe United who, rumour had it, had originally chosen claret and blue as their colours because they wanted to be compared with the best. But they later changed to white with a touch of blue and gold, colours in which they had won the third division (north) eighteen months earlier.

Again we treated the opposition with caution just in case they had hidden talents. But finally McParland (28) dispelled any such thoughts after their goalkeeper found his shot too hot to handle. A feat he soon repeated (35). Hitchens was not going to miss out on all the free goals available (43 & 62) before we achieved ‘nap’, as in whist. Thomson (79). Top, three points ahead of second place Rotherham United, and they were next.

After 21 goals in three games our man at British Railways must have feared a massive influx of Villa fans because it was essential to book in advance for the capacity-restricted excursion train. No floodlights so it was back to a 2.15 start. Rotherham had a not so secret weapon in that any former-Villa player coming up against us was certain to perform well above his form with us. Enter William Myerscough.

Only 20,537 was a moderate turnout for a club with first division ambitions and against ‘the famous’ Aston Villa. With Thomson and captain Saward absent injured Adam reappeared after a long spell in the reserves and Deakin made his debut. But worse, we then had the indignity of MacEwan being sent off just after the restart when he himself had actually been injured in the incident.

By then Rotherham had already gone ahead when Sawyer beat Sims to the ball (30). Only for Adam (3 for 24) often twelfth man on the coach to away games, to get the first of those three when the defenders got into a tangle.(35). So add insult to injury the aforementioned Myerscough (59) scored what proved to be the winner with a deflected shot. A match best forgotten.

Meanwhile a reserve match at Villa Park which made the national press. Matt Busby had been so perturbed by the recent performances of his team that he took the drastic decision to relegate five internationals to the reserves. Consequence was that over 8,000 – double the usual number – turned up at Villa Park to see the fun. Needless to say we rose to the challenge and played out of our socks going down by the only goal.

After the loss at Millmoor a certain nervousness was now attached to the visit of third-placed Cardiff City but 50,039 arrived with the intention of upsetting a side not used to such crowds. What they saw was a thrill a minute tantalising clash which threatened our one hundred per cent home record.

That is until after twice hitting the post Adam was overwhelmed by his teammates when he broke the deadlock (77). Often a handshake sufficed in such circumstances but it had been a significant goal. The crowd was starting to inch towards the exits when Hitchens did what we hoped he would do and netted against is former employers.

FA Youth Cup third round Villa Youth 5 Wolverhampton Wanderers Youth 1.

The fixture list had now gone full circle such that it was the turn of Brighton & Hove Albion to start off the festivities. Traditionally the Saturday before Christmas is poor attendance-wise and half the crowd from last week had been obliged to go present shopping. Only 25,428.

Against a hesitant or nervous defence we failed to put the game to bed as we should have done in the first period. But McParland had lost none of his speed and soon relaxed any tense nerves with a typical brace (58 & 65). Then goalkeeper Hollins got himself into a tangle and fisted the ball against Hitchens from whence it entered the net. Technically an unearned goal by Hitchens (77) but to some it was recorded as an own goal.

With Lynn and MacEwan limping we still looked like holding out easily but in such circumstances Brighton found fresh momentum and Gordon (85) rounded Sims to bring an element of tension where previously there had been none.

Boxing Day and our man at BR had even arranged for an excursion to Hull. Always assuming that in the absence of buses it was possible to get to New Street station by 10.30. On the other hand I was offered a door to ground lift by car. A rare treat indeed for me – travelling by car that is. The journey actually took four hours – thirty minutes longer than that scheduled for the train to Paragon station.

Bottom of the table Hull City now had Jackie Sewell. Reason enough to be wary. And his knowledge and tactics certainly made it hard for us. But our secret weapon was Neal, returning to once familiar territory. And we had Burrows making his initial outing. It was left to McParland to break down a stubborn defence (60) to the chagrin of most of the 29,996 but they had the good grace to appreciate class when they saw it. Again the journey home took longer than the train.

The two teams had Sunday in which to reach Villa Park for the return match. Despite the miserable weather 33,386 made the effort. Maybe it was the evening kick-off or maybe it was the smart tactics by Sewell or maybe a muddy pitch as of old but for whatever reason the forwards choose to have the evening off and we did not get to see the romp which their approach play merited.

Worse, Hull scored from a free kick that had been within inches of being a penalty. Bradbury (30) As Sewell continued to dictate terms we scored in the only way that seemed likely. A Lynn penalty (67) after McParland had been felled. Sewell wore a massive grin as he left the field satisfied that he had destroyed our one hundred per cent home record 1-1.

We were top after 25 games, four points clear of Cardiff, who had a game in hand.