Flashback to 1972

Here is an article of optimism ... about a resurgent Aston Villa emerging from the ashes of near disaster 40 years ago last year.

This was the time when we thought that Villa were on the way back up ... and for 10 years they were. We trust, however, that we don't have to (unnecessarily) go through this cycle all over again!

Wednesday February 23, 1972

By Geoffrey Green

Football Correspondent - The Times

Title: Over the claret-and-blue rainbow

The echoes of a great past are being raised again at Villa Park.

Even its historic portals suggest a glowing pride once more, a sturdy edifice of red brick redolent of a Victorian age when no wars threatened from without and when England, safe behind the shield of the navy, thought of life in terms of peace and security.

But in football, as in other things, there is usually a limit set to peace and security.

Once Aston Villa were at the top. In recent years, they have slipped down the depths.

But they are on the rise again after a period of crisis when ageing hands were prized from the tiller and a younger generation took over, realists whose eyes were not grown misty by heroic deeds of the past.

Under the driving chairmanship of Douglas Ellis and the managership of Vic Crowe - one of the modern tracksuited breed - the renowned claret and blue shirts currently lead the Third Division and look set fair for the promotion they nearly achieved a year ago.

Last season, however, had its compensation.

The voice of Aston Villa was heard again as they gained a great win over Manchester United in the semi-final round of the Football League Cup and then took Tottenham Hotspur in the final at Wembley.

The other day they gained a new feather in their cap by beating Santos containing the great Pele, an occasion that drew a 54,000 gathering on a night of power cuts defeated by the club's initiative in buying a £5,000 generator to operator their floodlights.

In spite of laying out that sum as an addition to the £12,000 guarantee paid to their Brazilian visitors, Aston Villa are sitting pretty in their parlour and counting out a £20,000 profit.

It was an astute piece of business in every way, heightened by the interesting fact that it was Santos who first broached Villa for this fixture.

Crowe revealed that, unwilling to overstretch his team, he had turned down several other attractive approaches from abroad, including Kiev Dynamo and the Russian national XI.

What has been abundantly revealed is that the soil of Birmingham is ripe for sowing and that the long tradition of loyalty to Aston Villa still lives on.

Crowds of 62,000 against Manchester United last season, 54,000 the other night and 48,000 recently for a Third Division game against Bournemouth are figures that would make many a First Division mouth water.

Within the last month, too, 40,000 people saw the two FA Youth Cup ties between Villa and their great rivals Birmingham City, across the way, which goes to show how deep are these Midland roots.

Having taken over the manager's hot seat from Tommy Docherty a couple of years ago, Crowe's immediate priority is promotion to the Second Division.

It will be a hard grind to the last yard, with key away matches to come at Notts County, Brighton and Rotherham, all close rivals who lurk in the top five places.

"Even our game this Saturday against Port Vale will be a tough examination," said Mr Crowe.

"Everybody plays us hard and there could be a let-down after the morale boost of that Santos win."

Mr Crowe understands the psychology of a player.

The wise manager is always looking over the rainbow and planning for the morrow.

"We've still got to get to the Second Division," he says.

But already he is grooming for the future. Having strengthened his hand by the acquisition of Graydon, a fast incisive winger from Bristol City, Cumbes, the Surrey cricketer and former West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper and Vowden from Birmingham, only 48 hours ago he laid out some £70,000 for Ian Ross, a useful all-rounder who has had many a run with Liverpool.

Bit by bit his first team pool of 18 players is being strengthened for the tasks ahead with an active policy of home grown youth as part of the overall blueprint.

With a home tie to come against Chelsea next Monday, Villa are on the edge of the FA Youth Cup semi-finals, with promising young players like Brian Little, John Gidman and Jimmy Brown as part of the insurance.

Aston Villa's real place of course is among the elite. Tradition demands it.

But the old cry of the Villa is being heard again ringing round Villa Park, which in its time has mounted World Cup matches and more internationals and FA Cup semi-finals than any other provincial stage.

Yet some 70 years ago here was the setting of a lake, the club offices and gymnasium were an aquarium, on the VIP car park there once stood a theatre and concert hall, and nearby was a rifle range.

Villa Park was once to Birmingham what Belle Vue is to Manchester and Battersea Festival Gardens is to London.

Here Athersmith once dribbled down the right wing holding an umbrella aloft in a heavy rainstorm, among the great passing cavalcade have been Sam Hardy, Billy Walker, Dorrell and York, heroes of my youth when the claret and blue shirt was the most respected and feared in the land.

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