Cardiff are up 'ere on Saturday. That club's name brings back some memories for me, not the least being a league match against them in March, 1957 when we won 4-1, but the terraces were very sparse that day. "Why?" you may well ask. Well, the match was played on a Wednesday afternoon! Again, the question "why?" is inevitable!
In those days if a club didn't have floodlights and a re-arranged match had to be played in mid-week, then Villa played such matches on a Wednesday afternoon, being (back then) a half-day working day for many workers. And you will now have realised that in 1957 Villa did not have floodlights: they didn't arrive until the next year. So that match I saw played in 1957 may well have been the last that Villa ever played on a Wednesday afternoon.
The scorer for Cardiff that day was a certain Gerry Hitchens, the former Kidderminster player who was making a big name for himself down at Cardiff, having started there with a certain Trevor Ford as his companion in their forward line. What a combination! Well, Ford was past history for Villa, but Hitchens (Blews having nearly scuppered Villa's ambitions!) joined the Villa in December, 1957 and for nearly the next four years increased several times over in ability and the love-in Villa fans had for him. His 29 league goals (42 in all) in season 1960-61 has not since been equalled at Villa.
Anyway, the story of Hitchens has been told elsewhere over and over again, but in season 1959-60 - when Villa were temporarily in the second tier - Villa had Cardiff as their competitors for the division leader spot, and the match against them late in the season will go down in Villa's annals as one of the finest and most tense matches ever seen at Villa Park. It was 0-0 with around ten minutes to go when Villa finally took the lead, and it was Hitchens who soon grabbed a second to remind Cardiff of his talent.
Well, though Cardiff did finish as runner-up in that season and reached the top flight with Villa, their history since has been none too great, though in recent years they had a little flurry. As for this season, they now lie in the position that Villa occupied only a few weeks ago. In theory, the difference of just four points between Villa and Cardiff might indicate they are not a team to be taken lightly, but - using my half-glass full philosophy - I would say that since Villa appear to be on the 'up', they should win this match fairly comfortably. Yes, even with Rickie Lambert and a certain Peter Whittingham in their squad.
A win here followed by at least a draw at Leeds and then another win - against Wigan - would go down fairly well, I think.
In those days if a club didn't have floodlights and a re-arranged match had to be played in mid-week, then Villa played such matches on a Wednesday afternoon, being (back then) a half-day working day for many workers. And you will now have realised that in 1957 Villa did not have floodlights: they didn't arrive until the next year. So that match I saw played in 1957 may well have been the last that Villa ever played on a Wednesday afternoon.
The scorer for Cardiff that day was a certain Gerry Hitchens, the former Kidderminster player who was making a big name for himself down at Cardiff, having started there with a certain Trevor Ford as his companion in their forward line. What a combination! Well, Ford was past history for Villa, but Hitchens (Blews having nearly scuppered Villa's ambitions!) joined the Villa in December, 1957 and for nearly the next four years increased several times over in ability and the love-in Villa fans had for him. His 29 league goals (42 in all) in season 1960-61 has not since been equalled at Villa.
Anyway, the story of Hitchens has been told elsewhere over and over again, but in season 1959-60 - when Villa were temporarily in the second tier - Villa had Cardiff as their competitors for the division leader spot, and the match against them late in the season will go down in Villa's annals as one of the finest and most tense matches ever seen at Villa Park. It was 0-0 with around ten minutes to go when Villa finally took the lead, and it was Hitchens who soon grabbed a second to remind Cardiff of his talent.
Well, though Cardiff did finish as runner-up in that season and reached the top flight with Villa, their history since has been none too great, though in recent years they had a little flurry. As for this season, they now lie in the position that Villa occupied only a few weeks ago. In theory, the difference of just four points between Villa and Cardiff might indicate they are not a team to be taken lightly, but - using my half-glass full philosophy - I would say that since Villa appear to be on the 'up', they should win this match fairly comfortably. Yes, even with Rickie Lambert and a certain Peter Whittingham in their squad.
A win here followed by at least a draw at Leeds and then another win - against Wigan - would go down fairly well, I think.
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