Despite being fifth in the league Villa were losing one-nil and playing abysmally when in the 48th minute referee Roper inadvertently became ‘the man who saved Aston Villa’. Not that he had much choice; the 21,264 were lucky to find their way home. We didn’t know it at the time but the decision was to have massive consequences.

As temperatures plummeted there was little doubt that seven years after they had to give up seeing their side play on Christmas Day, football followers were going to have to endure a new kind of seasonal experience. Boxing Day with relatives by the fireside playing Scrabble. Villa v Liverpool, postponed. As was the return fixture on Saturday the 29th. But not before I had got up early and travelled by train as far as Wolverhampton just in case the game was on.

The FA Cup was still big in those days and nobody would have dared suggesting arranging fixtures in the week before the third round on January 5th. Besides, New Year’s was still a normal working day unless you were a miner. Villa were drawn away at third division Bristol City.

Uncertain now as to which matches were going to be played and when the FA went ahead with the draw for the fourth round. Nearly every match was ‘or against or’. Our ‘or’ was Manchester United, it was never going to involve a trip to ‘or Huddersfield’.

I have written about the following weeks previously – the dashed hopes and frantic dashes around the country in the attempt to see any type of football, anywhere.

It’s hard to imagine Leyton Orient in the first division but Phil Woosnam went back home to Brisbane Road. In a week in which the legendary Harry Hampton died Woosnam played centre-forward for the only time in his life and scored with a diving header. Maybe the only goal he ever scored with his head and a sensational one. 2-0. Meanwhile the thaw had begun and the reserves played at home for the first time in three months. 2-1 v Manchester United Reserves. Hopefully an augury for Monday night.

Call me biased but come Monday March 11th Villa really should have won and gone on to meet Chelsea in round five. As to the goal that settled it, if Quixall had thumped the ball in then so be it. But he did not. He miscued. Sidebottom dived thinking it was a fierce shot and almost apologetically the ball trickled in.

Denis Law nearly ended the career of Mike Tindall, Bobby Thomson tried to end the career of Denis Law. The Old Trafford crowd of 52,265 was not quiet in those days. Mr. Starling, sorry, Sparling, got the bird.

Stan Lynn came back to Villa Park on Saturday March 16th. His team was on the brink. Villa woke from their nightmare to take advantage. Even Sidebottom made up for his Monday night misfortune with the save of his life. A dive into the corner to keep out a thunderbolt penalty from Lynn. 46,680 and I swear even some of the Blues fans who were ready to applaud a goal applauded anyway. It’s almost a pity Villa were leading 3-0 at the time, it deserved to be a matchwinner.

Woosnam, Baker and even Alan Deakin had scored by then. Harry Burrows showed how to take a proper penalty. 4-0, it could have been eight, sixth in the League. All’s right with the world, nothing can go wrong.

It is a truth universal that football managers know absolutely nothing about goalkeeping. How else did I come to play in goal ten times for my local Sunday morning team on the strength of the pre-match kickabout before the truth dawned? Now with a fairly settled team newcomers and debutants became infrequent until with a mysterious injury to Sidebottom. and Sims now out of favour it was time to promote the reserve team goalkeeper, John Gavan, for the visit to Fulham.

Having an unfamiliar goalkeeper can be more than a negative for any team, difficult if not impossible to counteract especially when the defenders feel the need to shelter him. Such was the case at Thames-side although Gavan was given more than sufficient occasions to show that he capable of saving his charge and it was probably thanks to him that Fulham only scored once. Debutant Marsh (61) giving 22,508 anti-Chelsea fans a glimpse of the future. We should have equalised towards the close but the definition of offside and who was offside long predates VAR!

But it was no surprise to find Sidebottom back in green at Blackpool, albeit on a Friday evening, to avoid clashing with the Grand National. Hence only 10,690. Had Woosnam scored early on, which he should have done, things might have been totally different. Might.

As it was we were outflanked and no other goalkeeper could have prevented the rout instigated by Charnley (27, 50 & 65). Parry only made things worse (77). Confidence destroyed we little realised how bad things were to get. To add to the misery I returned home by train with changes at Preston then Crewe at midnight.

Apparently Sidebottom got injured at the seaside so Gavan is back as is Briggs for the second time as 31,737 arrived on a Monday night to see Everton, still with championship ambitions. An injury to Deakin causing him to spend an hour doing little more than limping along the wings proved a handicap too much despite the heroics of Gavan.

An overstretched defence meant chances were almost non-existent after Young finished off a complicated attack (48). A questionable offside ruling lead to the home crowd giving vent to their displeasure in the tradition manner by foot stamping in the Trinity Road stand and rehearsing the slow handclap which had they realised was to become a feature of forthcoming games before Gabriel emptied the ground prematurely (88). Things are not looking good.

Despite an excursion train which we should have shared with Wolves fans going to Old Trafford I again went on a Don and Brian adventure across the moors. One which I was to repeat in the summer on a cycling tour of the Dales.

There may have been little changes in personnel but there is a suspicion that names were now being drawn from a hat in the hopes of striking it lucky to find the right combination to combat Burnley. Full-back Lee at inside-left. The likelihood of winning was dispatched as early as the seventh minute as was obvious to the 19,905. Lochhead (2), worth noting for the future, and Harris (7).

Blacklaw was only threatened twice in the entire proceedings. The first coming from a volley by Crowe following a rare corner by Burrows. Pointer ended any thoughts of a second half revival (46) and you know about the silent car journey home.

Which gave us an extra days rest to prepare for the arrival of relegation-threatened Manchester United. By nine o’clock they were no longer threatened. Little realising it, perhaps following this display of fumbling and incompetence we were instead. Somehow a Lawless United, playing in all-white so that they could see each other properly, only scored twice. Styles (6) after Charlton had been allowed to stroll through unchallenged and Charlton only needed to stand and wait for the ball to come his way. (53).

As 26,895, a poor attendance for Manchester United, grew restless, we thought we ought to put in a bit of an effort and Thomson headed home a cross by Baker (75). But United were not in the mood to let that happen again.

Could we fare any better five days later at home to Sheffield Wednesday? No. Crowds are dwindling – 23,014. Wednesday comprehensively proved that the W formation is dead after well nigh a century. Defence in depth and the swift counter attack is now the vogue.

The amazing thing from a Villa point of view is that at inside-right they have the player who when at West Ham United had tried to change the tactics of the game but he seems singularly unable to do so convert them into success at Villa Park. So it can only be down to the mindset of the management and the inadequacies of the players.

Despite the number of chances created by Woosnam we fiddled our way to failure by an inability to shoot beyond Springett. Having evaded the shackles of the new tactics Wednesday won, almost by default, Quinn (59) and Layne (72) spreading frustration and discontent in their wake.

Wolverhampton was the last place where we were likely to receive any sympathy much less the gift of a chocolate egg on Easter Monday. We opted to join the latest defensive fad by playing Thomson as an extra half-back. We were unexpectedly helped when their left-back, also a Thomson, gave us the gift of an own goal by inadvertently shooting past Davies instead of out for a corner (44).

Murray was in a hurry to rectify this oversight (48) followed by Wharton (49) with unintended assistance from Baker. When Hinton scrambled a third goal 31,474 almost felt embarrassed by the ease of it all. Defeat number seven.

Wolverhampton Wanderers Reserves 1 Aston Villa Reserves 0 (afternoon) then a dash to Villa Park for what seemed almost certain to be consecutive defeat number eight. Made worse because we were witnessing the rampant Wolves of a few years back. With confidence and determination absent we struggled to give 31,474 anything to cheer about especially after Hinton volleyed past a stranded Sidebottom. (15). Our efforts after the break served only to demonstrate our deficiencies. Not least when the ball hit Aitken on the knee and Wharton was on hand (57). Eight in a row.

Just when it might be thought things could not get any worse we turned up at the ground of another team desperately in need of points, Bolton Wanderers. 13,411 could not believe their good fortune. It was almost laughable if it were not so serious. Two short fiddly passes failed to reach colleagues resulting in goals by their Deakin (4) and Davies (12). A handicap beyond the constant prompting of Woosnam to overcome.

Davies was given the freedom of Burnden Park to nod in a third (29). Burrows gave false hope (64) before we failed lamentably to defend a free kick and Butler (66) added to our misery. Nine down.

Then amazingly twenty-four hours later almost the same eleven took the field for our very first ever Sunday match despite opposition from the Bishop of Coventry. Admission strictly by programme 5/- bought in advance. Part of a Festival of Football in aid of Bo’s Clubs in the city. With goals unimportant, a comfortable win for Villa.

What follows next beggars believe. The very same eleven takes the field at Villa Park in the Football League Cup semi-final second leg against Sunderland. Most of the 22,102 were completely unaware that this was our third game in barely fifty hours. Even so there was already considerable doubt as to whether we could keep up our part of the bargain and set up a second city League Cup final against Blues despite our 3-1 advantage.

After nervously pacing Banbury station the Deltic got me to the game in time. Many may have stayed away fearing further humiliation. Fortunately second division Sunderland had not read the runes and played true to style resulting in a nil-nil that was received with relief rather than cheers.

I then took a half a day’s leave on a Wednesday to travel Banbury–Birmingham– Wolverhampton thence by car to Sheffield with Don and Brian. Wondering if we could finally end our losing streak at nine but fearful that they had lost only once in their last eleven games and we would be up against our nemesis, Derek Pace.

The fears were fully justified when 17,111 saw Pace receive a cross from debutant Jones and nod it casually into the net. (7). Burrows was also able to score into an empty net after good work by Wylie (38) and given the slow pace of the game hope sprung eternal. When a centre from Wagstaff curled its way beyond Sidebottom (65) defeat number ten had an air of inevitability about it. It might not have been so had Burrows not shot wide with the goal wide open. Arriving back home just after midnight I was up in time to catch the 7.20 to Banbury from Snow Hill.

A home game against Nottingham Forest with nothing at stake would surely be the moment to break the dismal losing sequence. Sleeuwenhoek who has slogged his guts out for match after match is given a seat in the stands as Chatterley his given his debut. The lad ‘done well’ indeed he was our player of the match which may say something for the other ten which again included Dougan.

Lee presented Julians with their first goal when he fell over attempting to clear (21). Crowe was harshly adjudged to have obstructed Cobb giving Addison the chance to score from the spot (41 pen). 21,265 trudged dejectedly into the night wondering if and when we would ever see a Villa win again. Not least with the cup final coming up.

Mr Roper, the referee who had abandoned the game against Manchester City on Christmas Shopping Saturday returned to Villa Park for the re-run. He was in a generous mood in handing out belated seasonal gifts. On a dry spring midweek evening 20,411 had not yet given up all hope, although suggesting that perhaps twice as many may have already done so.

Fortunately twenty-first-placed City had the haunted appearance of a relegated team which was fortunate for us as defeat would have placed us alongside them. Fifteen minutes in and Baker manoeuvred his way into a crowded area and joy was unalloyed. Then in rapid succession two undisputed penalties. Burrows, one to the left one to the right (23 & 25).

But perhaps due to nerves Burrows went on to miss out on his chance of a place in football history with an unusual hat-tr-ck of penalties when he put his third spot kick wide of the upright. Finally, finally, we were going to win a game. A feeling which was not really dispelled when Dobing got one back (76). Perhaps, after all, we can beat the Blues and win the cup.

Now for the Baggies. 25,916 for whom there was nothing at stake were to see what they deserved, the ultimate non-game. That they did not see the nil-nil the game deserved was down to the infamous Clark who set up Jackson to score easily (38). Whereupon Burrows failed from the spot again. Potter, going the wrong way, somehow saving it with his legs. Tut, tut.

Cup finalists generally like to take things easy ahead of their big day. Perhaps the same would be said of Leicester City under the Wednesday evening lights. 21,305 suggesting it must be more or less the usual regulars. Leicester achieved their obvious aim of finishing the game injury-free but their total lack of cohesion and enterprise must have pleased anyone watching from Manchester United.

What excitement there was was concentrated into ten minutes, first McLintock deflected a shot from Fraser out of reach of second-choice net minder, Heyes.(67). Then Dougan scored his first goal since before Christmas with a header (69) then Lee scored the second of the only two he ever managed (2 for 142) (79). The Leicester goal – Keyworth’s goal was almost a thank you for turning up but by then the buses were already starting to fill up with happy fans (88).

Liverpool now presented far more of an opportunity than they might have done at the start of the month. with George Graham making his debut we sent out a team which could almost have been mistaken for our youth team eleven. Against a tired Liverpool in this neverending season victory was there for the taking. Made much more certain had not Fraser missed a penalty in the absence of the now ‘veteran’ Burrows. (57).

Sims, back in favour again, did not have caused to get his gloves dirty all night before Graham got his well-deserved debut goal set up by Deakin (81) before Deakin himself setting up Thomson (87). 21,107 – the regulars now practically knew each other by name.

The pity of it was that we now had to go to Portman Road to complete the 42 game roster. Champions Ipswich Town had barely escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth. Instead of getting there via London I travelled with Don and Brian arriving back in Birmingham at two o’clock in the morning then catching the 7.20 as usual. The ultimate in dedication with a 100 per cent attendance record to maintain.

Cup final evening at St. Andrews was no less an easier game to get to. Would the train be on time, would it stop at Bordesley as they did occasionally on match days? Otherwise Bordesley only ever saw one stopping train per day each way, morning and evening. Yes and no were the answers but I arrived in time for the 7.15 kick-off. Confident that we had put our misfortunes behind us but particularly wary of Stan Lynn.in particular. And ominously the referee was Mr Ernest Crawford (Doncaster) of Hillsborough infamy, so expect no favours.

Blues had only just avoided relegation, finishing twentieth. But if they were on a roll of sorts we fell back to mimic the succession of defeats after Sims had pushed the ball out to him Leek had little difficulty on netting (14). For albeit only half a cup final the attendance was a pitiful and virtually cheerless 31,902. What cheering there was came from the remarkably few Villa supporters in attendance when Thomson easily netted (41).

We were relying too much an aerial tactics, surely not a ploy approved of by the absent Woosnam. If we are looking for excuses Sims injured an arm in a collision with his centre-half. It is hard to say whether he would have prevented Leek sending us two down but unlikely when Bloomfield virtually won the cup for Blues (65) because we were never going to make up the 1-3 deficit.

Then more by way of a funeral wake to those of the 37,479 mourners and others who attended. Predictably Blues played like the defensive second division team they had so nearly become. It was dreariness personified with time-wasting every time the ball went ‘dead’ and an element of viciousness thrown in to make sure were incapable of staging a revival. 0-0 and like me most Villa fans had exited the ground immediately rather than have to witness Blues receive the trophy in our directors box.