History of Aston Villa - The Story Part 2.
The Story of Aston Villa - Part 1.
The Story of Aston Villa - Part 2.
The Story of Aston Villa - Part 3.
The Villa are back!
In 1974-75 Villa managed promotion to the First division after a absence of eight years. They also managed a league cup final victory over Norwich meaning they would be in Europe aswell. Villa only managed to play in the first round after defeat to Antwerp, but the fans could see that Ron Saunders was building a team that would eventually go onto become European Champions.
Villa then went on to win the league cup again in 1977 with a victory over Everton in the final. The following season sore Villa manage to get to the quarter finals of the Uefa Cup, where they held there own against Spanish giants Barcelona. Villa were back amongst the footballing elite.
League Champions
Ron Saunders completed Villa's revival, as they ended there 71 year wait for the league championship trophy. They competed in a two horse race with Ipswich Town during the final weeks of the season, before coming out on top. This was a truly remarkable feat, as Villa only used 14 playing staff all season.
The side consisted of players like Gordan Cowens, Captain Dennis Mortimer, and a strike force of Peter Withe and local lad Gary Shaw. Ron Saunders then surprised the footballing world after quitting halfway through the 1981-82 season after falling out with Doug Ellis (Chairman), with Villa still in the quarter final of the European Cup. Assistant manager Tony Barton took over.
We shall not be moved
 |
Champions Of Europe! |
In 1982, May 26th to be prosiest Villa were about to make history. Something that would stay with Villa fans for ever.
Tony Barton managed to guide Villa to a 1-0 victory over German outfit Bayern Munich in Rotterdam, just three months after taking over Ron Saunders.
To this day Villa remain just one of four English clubs to have managed to win the biggest club prize competition. The other clubs are Manchester United, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.
Read more about the great night in Rotterdam here! |
Graham Taylor
After the european cup success Villa went on to struggle, narrowly avoiding relegation in 1986. 1988 sore the appointment of Watford manager Graham Taylor. The good times had began to return to Villa once again, as they managed automatic promotion back to the top league in English football, the First division. Only being piped to the title by Milwall.
A crucial player that year for Villa was David Platt who was signed for Crewe for £200,000. The following season Platt's hard work and goal scoring record combined with Graham Taylor's manager know how meant Villa avoided relegation. The following season they emerged as title contenders.
For a few weeks towards the end of the season Villa looked down on the rest of the English clubs as they were once again sitting at the top of the First division. Only to lose it in the final games, and eventually finished second, nine points behind champions Liverpool.
Taylor was then offered a job he simply couldn't say no to - The England Job. He was then replaced by the first foreign manager in the top flight of English football - Jozef Vengloz.
Back to Part 1 - Go to Part 3
|
