We were handicapped by the absence of Hitchens on duty at Ibrox. Scottish League 3 English League 2 Hitchens 1. Thomson led the attack where he was joined by O’Neill fit after a month’s absence. The defence generally had the better of things but suffered a blemish when Wignall found a way through (27) to the chagrin of manager Joe Mercer a former Evertonian.

Deakin now established at left-half scored his first-ever Villa goal from fully thirty yards out (57) raising our hopes. Hopes which were fulfilled when Thomson stole the ball of a defender (81) and we had our first win in ten games. 28,115.

A few days later we moved across to Burnley. Knowing that we now had to play them twice more in the League Cup semi-finals. Truth to tell that such had been our record of failure this should have been our first win at Turf Moor since before the war. 17,726, not many for a team enjoying unprecedented success. Our defence held firm but so too did Blacklaw. Until following a sweet move Hitchens volleyed home (63).

Burnley had been without their star striker, Pointer, but it was left to his occasional deputy, Lawson, to bring disappointment to those who had made the journey. New Street dep 09.25 Burnley Central arr 1.00. Plenty of time to see the sights of Burnley dep 6.20 Witton arr 9.45. All for only 18/- 90p.

Free from fears of relegation, as were the Baggies, 41.033 arrived on a Tuesday evening expecting nothing better to see than a little local skirmish. Mike Kenning was called upon to make his debut at short notice when MacEwan reported ill. Goalkeepers Sidebottom and Wallace received most of the plaudits until Lovatt slide the ball into our net (72) and it was one of those nights when you know that our brief run of success was just that – brief.

We were now scheduled to play ten games in April with a possible cup final to follow. First on the bill on Easter Saturday were Nottingham Forest. With one eye on Burnley and a possible cup final against Rotherham United or third division Shrewsbury Town in front of 25,469 who came knowing fully what to expect.

We went through the motions of fulfilling the fixture with the inevitable result. So the attendees cannot complain if what they saw was dull. McParland (49) Quiqley (51) and Booth (82) is all that need to be recorded. 1-2.

Then a bit of chaos. Bolton Wanderers suddenly did not like the idea of playing before empty terraces on the afternoon on Easter Monday so changed the kick-off to 7.30 pm. Much to the annoyance of British Railways who now had to cancel a football excursion or run an empty train. And to me who now had to find a way of getting to Bolton.

Fortunately sympathetic help was available from a fellow fan with a car even if only to and from Wolverhampton. 21,722 so better than it might have been. But not by way of the result. Except that is for the Bolton reserve centre-forward McAdams who helped himself to a hat-trick (22, 62 & 67). Not a good day for debutant Jimmy McMorran in a mixed team where Mercer seemed to have drawn the names out of a hat. 0-3.

Amazingly just fifteen hours after the game had finished at Burnden Park play was resumed at Villa Park on Easter Tuesday. Then in the true tradition of bank holiday fixtures the result, and so the score were neatly reversed. With Dugdale hurt, or maybe he was just tired, enter John Sleeuwenhoek of whom nobody knew how to pronounce his name. So being Easter he instantly became ‘Tulip’.

Only 15,732 for an afternoon kick-off so we might have done better to follow the Bolton example. Refreshed from not having played the evening before MacEwan belied his age (9 & 62) whilst McParland (50) and O’Neill (90) contributed to the score which really might well have been more. 4-0.

Fulham, who still needed the points, are next down by the Thames. Their hero is one hundred pounds per week man, England captain, Johnny Haynes, their chairman comedian Timmy Trinder. Entertainment is assured. Alan Baker becomes our latest debutant.

Fulham were noticeably nervous, none more so than when Hitchens gave the 23,042 a little more to worry about ahead of ‘oranges’. Fulham put a bit more skill and effort into the second-half but their equalising goal by Leggat (65) had a suspicion of offside about it. Worse, referee Pickles ruled against us when he denied us from a twice-taken free-kick that might have been a penalty because he wasn’t ready! 1-1. Snow Hill dep 8.35 Paddington arr 11.0 Return 7.10. Snow Hill arr 9.47 Fare 25/6 £1.27.

Football League Cup semi-final 1st leg Burnley 1 Aston Villa 1.

Burnley can only mean Preston North End cannot be far behind. No Finney, atill with Tommy Thompson. In accordance with recent matches 24,028 might well have asked for their money back but for Thomson (59). And in twenty-first place there can really be no excuse for Preston when clearly we were there for the taking. McMorran gets another chance vice Crowe injured when playing for Wales and McParland is rested with the cup in mind, Burrows, another outing. Best forgotten.

Midland Intermediate League Cup Final 1st leg Aston Villa III 0 Wolverhampton Wanderers 3.

A midweek trip to Leicester City is purgatory not least for those determined to keep up a 100% attendance record. Normal service trains, obviously. Archie Hale becomes another debutant and scores a debut goal from as far out as six inches when he follows up a centre from McParland (58). Trouble was that at the time we were two behind to McIlmoyle (5) and Keyworth (27) and finished 1-3 behind when McIlmoyle again (86) meant that 21,219 had no reason to wait for the end.

Except that, believe it or not, that lot stand between Tottenham Hotspurs and our proud record of being the last club to do the league and cup double. 1-3.

We now had to go to Maine Road where Manchester City set about trying to avenge the thrashing we gave them in December and had very little difficulty doing so as we have one, or both eyes, on Burnley again. New St dep 10.00 Piccadilly arr 12.30 dep 6.30 Witton arr 9.25. Fare 14/6 72p.

Hayes with a deflection off Dugdale (12). Barlow (24) Law a lob (29) and a header (43) and 0-4 at half-time we and the 25,235 could leave now. A rare slip by Trautmann allowed Crowe to claim another goal (48).

Football League Cup semi-final 2nd leg Aston Villa 2 Burnley 2 after extra time.

Birmingham City 0 Burnley 1. Fixture congestion was such that Burnley really did play the semi-final at Villa Park on a Wednesday and a league match at St. Andrews on the Thursday.

The season should have finished at home to Sheffield Wednesday on the last Saturday in April but we now had the problem of a replay at Old Trafford coupled with the postponement of the final against Rotherham United into next season. If we get to the final that is. Fortunately for the 26,045 the final league game did not follow the previous pattern of non-games.

Almost as if we decided to make up to the disappointed fans by showing just what we might be capable of next season. Mercer allowed sentiment to rule when he recalled Dixon for a swansong at the same time introducing Aitken as another debutant. Sheffield duly entered into the spirit of the occasion Hitchens (50) Thomson (27) Griffin (42) Hitchens (68) for whom we assumed it would also be another swansong. Italy called. As per the script Dixon scored what everyone came and demanded to see. 4-1.

Football League Cup semi-final replay Burnley 1 Aston Villa 2 at Old Trafford, attendance 8,000 very few of whom were Villa supporters.

Final position 9th P 42 W 17 D 9 L 16 F 78 A 77 Pts 43. During the season 28 players had appeared in the Villa first team.

We then went to Russia for three goodwill matches. Dynamo Moscow 0-2 Dynamo Tbilisi 0-2 and Moscow Combined 1-0.

Nut Brown or Brew Eleven? Ansells or M&B? Beer at home means Davenport’s.