Friday 23rd May 1997, and the Bank Holiday begins. Symphony Hall is taken over by
claret and blue as a capacity crowd is treated to an unforgettable concert given by Nigel
Kennedy.
Kennedy's genius is a fitting opening to a holiday weekend in which nostalgia for the
past is mixed with optimism for the future to produce a formidable sense of pride in
belonging to a club which has no equal in the football world.
The following day sees Villa Park open its doors to the public for an open day in which
supporters are allowed behind the scenes and to witness the players taking part in a
training session, the final preparation for the grand finale of the festivities.
That evening sees a dinner taking place at the newly refurbished, 2,000 capacity Holte
Suite, which after this evening will be handed over to an elected committee in order to
function as a seven days a week supporters club, the largest of its kind in Europe,
Sunday starts with a low-key event taking place at St Mary's, Handsworth, where a
memorial plaque is unveiled to the memory of William McGregor and George Ramsay, both of
whom are buried in the grounds of the church. This moving ceremony is witnessed by
descendants of the great men, transported to Birmingham from around the globe courtesy of
the Aston Villa Centenary Committee.
For these men the weekend is the culmination of years of planning, and they can be well
pleased with the results of their labours.
Sunday afternoon continues with the public opening of the Aston Villa museum, a
Victorian building lovingly restored on the site of the Holte Hotel. Crowds flock to the
opening ceremony and are staggered at the quality of exhibits and the way in which a
previously derelict building has come alive. This evening sees a further event at Symphony
Hall, a two-part sporting lecture. Noted local historian Dr Carl Chinn talks about
football in the Victorian era, whilst in the second part Simon Inglis, expert on football
stadia, gives a talk on the history of Villa Park. Both men are without equal in their
field, and as the audience listen spellbound to these men making the events of a bygone
era come alive they feel a further sense of pride that Aston Villa can boast that even its
supporters are at the top of their chosen professions.
Holiday Monday, of course, sees the highlight of the weekend. As a further coincidence
this day also sees the fifteenth anniversary of the other great event in the club's
history, and it is only fitting that the Villa Park centenary match should feature Bayern
Munich. As a curtain-raiser the Villa Old Stars play against a team representing Blackburn
Rovers, the first visitors to Villa Park all those years ago. Both sides wear period dress
and are warmly received by the crowd which is filling up in the stadium. This over, master
of ceremonies Dr Chinn introduces the guests 6f honour to a capacity crowd. Villa Park has
never looked better as the sun shines down on a galaxy of stars the like of which has
never previously been gathered together.
Everyone who has ever played at Villa Park has beer, invited, and it is a tribute to
the enduring fame of Aston Villa that such famous figures as Sir Stanley Matthews, Bobby
Charlton and Franz Beckenbauer are present. Further messages of congratulation are read
from Pele, Johan Cruyff, Ruud Gullit, Michel Platini and George Best. The great surviving
names of Aston Villa are announced - Parkes, Dixon. Aitken, Saunders, Mortimer, Withe,
Platt, Cowans, Taylor, McGrath. There is, of course, a feeling of sadness at the thought
of those who are no longer with us and, as if to sum up these feelings, the loudest cheer
of the day breaks out when Rose Barton and Eric Houghton jr. are introduced to the crowd.
The game itself is expected to be light-hearted, but turns into an encounter worthy of
the day. Bayern have taken the game seriously, although as it wears on they seem to have a
sense of history by letting a two goal lead slip. In injury time the winner is
appropriately scored by Ian Taylor, for whom as a lifelong Villa fan the game has meant
more than to anyone else on the pitch. The final score is 4-3 to the Vffia, and at the
final whistle the crowd erupt into applause. They refuse to leave the ground until the
players return to acknowledge that they have played their part in creating another
legendary occasion in the history of Villa Park.
Everyone leaves Villa Park basking in the feeling that things have worked out perfectly
and appropriate tribute has been paid. For four days the name of Aston Vifla has been
spread to the world of footbafi. The sport has never seen a celebration quite like it, and
with good reason. Never has there been such a cause for celebration and things don't end
as the crowd leave the magnificent old stadium. The explosion of devotion to which so many
people have been a part has one obvious effect.
Season ticket sales for 1997-98 take off, within weeks it is announced that Villa
Park's new 50,000 capacity will be sold out for every game of the season. The avalanche of
good publicity caused by these events makes blue-chip companies see the potential
available with being associated with such a successful and well-run club and Villa
announce the most lucrative sponsorship deal ever known in English football. These
unprecedented happenings give manager Brian Little the financial ability to compete with
any other club in the world purchasing the best players available.
The pride which had been unleashed during the centenary celebrations evolves into a
passionate support for the team which enables the expensive assembled squad put together
by Little to run away with the league title and in May 1998 become the first team to win
the double in different centuries.
There is now a three year waiting list for season tickets at Villa Park, and to
alleviate this in part, plans are announced to expand the ground to ho 60,000 spectators,
in the most luxurious surroundings ever seen in world football. Announcing these plans,
Villa chairman Doug Ellis explains, "The events of May 1997 proved yet again that
Aston Villa are more than just a football club. One hundred years ago our supporters were
accustomed to receiving the best. I see no reason why that should not be the case now.
"
