Aston Villa v West Ham - Pre-Match Thread

[AGRIPPA]

Went to a mid week game against forest ( I think) in one of them old Micky mouse competitions….stood on the holte with no one within 10 yards of me and my mate….never been so sold in my life and I did 20 years on markets and building sites….

[LeeB]

Went to a mid week game against forest ( I think) in one of them old Micky mouse competitions….stood on the holte with no one within 10 yards of me and my mate….never been so sold in my life and I did 20 years on markets and building sites….

The Zennith Data Systems Cup!

[LeeB]

I remember a Leeds game in the mid 90s, possibly SBL's first season, when it was fucking baltic.  It wasn't even a night game either.  Was sat on the front row of the upper Holte and the wind was cutting across the park, game finished 0-0, Brian Deane was playing on the left wing for them and I don't think i've ever wanted a final whistle to blow so much so I could get back to a nice warm pub.

I actually remember being at that game, 2nd January 1995 and Brian Deane in particular was an absolute donkey for them; the game was so forgettable that it was unforgettable as being one of the worst games between 2 sides I've ever seen!

It was memorable for the fact that mid rant at the aforesaid Deane from the second row of the Upper Witton Lane I inadvertently hocked up a pavement oyster of considerable size. We all watched and as if in slow motion this accidental gob span through the air and landed in the hair of the girl sitting in front. Instinctively I reached out to wipe it off but Nodge off of H+V grabbed my wrist to save my embarrassment because she hadn't noticed.

It sat there through the rest of the game, and I stared at that more than I looked at the pitch. Given the weather I hoped it eventually froze and dropped off in transit as she made her way home and she lived the rest of her life in ignorant bliss.....

Of course every time someone mentions Brian Deane.....

[jon collett]

Liverpool at home Friday night on BBC that was cold

Yes that game shouldn’t have been played. I think the players wore trainers the pitch was so hard. Early 80s

[paul_e]

It's clearly cheating but the coldest game I've ever been to was a game at Brann when I was living over there, was in March and went down to something like -8 and finished well after midnight. Thankfully I lived a 5minute walk from the stadium.

[eamonn]

Does anyone know which game at home was the coldest to watch in our history?

My wife has just told me that I must be mad to go to the game tonight, putting on a few layers tonight!

I remember we played Liverpool in the LC 1/4 final in the 90s. Got delayed for ages as a larger than expected crowd turned up. We were frozen  by the time k.o. came, I think it finished at 3am.

December 2002.  It was freezing.

That''s the coldest game I've been at, not helped by the lengthy delay and the fact I was wearing a t-shirt and a long-sleeved Villa shirt.

You were young, dumb and Brazilian. How could you have known any better?

[Clampy]

I saw SK Brann's ground from the top of Mount Floyen.

Bergen was lovely, if a tad wet.

[Villa in Denmark]

I saw SK Brann's ground from the top of Mount Floyen.

Bergen was lovely, if a tad wet.

The old town in particular is charming. Visited several times over the years when my employer was Norwegian owned.  I think I managed one sunny day in about an accumulated 14 days.

[RamboandBruno]

Christ we were shite that season, but so were Chelsea. They went down the next season as we came up.

Yep. Kerry Dixon and David Speedie scored for them. Think Dorigo ended up playing for them in the year they went back up with Man City, the year after we’d gone back up. How times have changed.

[waynejames]

Went to a mid week game against forest ( I think) in one of them old Micky mouse competitions….stood on the holte with no one within 10 yards of me and my mate….never been so sold in my life and I did 20 years on markets and building sites….

Yes i remember that game i got the number 8 bus from Saltley, i remember it was the coldest i've ever been at the Villa

[Allan C]

Liverpool at home Friday night on BBC that was cold

Yes that game shouldn’t have been played. I think the players wore trainers the pitch was so hard. Early 80s

Yes  the game clearly should have been postponed. I didn’t go because I was convinced it would get chopped and was staggered to see it survived

[eamonn]

Does anyone known what time the fesivities start tonight and how early it's worth getting down for?

[VillaTim]

That Liverpool game in the league cup was cold , the night the floodlights failed and the game got delayed . Hitz scored a standard Hitz sort of goal

[Meanwood Villa]

It wasn't a floodlight failure, it was a ticketing fuck up

[cdbearsfan]

Traffic is absolutely shite. The West Midlands shouldn't have midweek games.