Anderlect 0 Aston Villa 0 European Cup SF 2nd Leg (Part 1)

(Part 1 of 2) With their domestic form having continued to disappoint - Aston Villa eventually finished 11th in the English Championship - Villa and their now permanent manager Tony Barton were totally concentrated on the European Cup as they took on their semi-final opponents Anderlecht. The Belgians had announced their defensive intentions for the first leg in Birmingham by dropping their top scorer Willy Guerts. The result was a predictably tight game which was won by a single Tony Morley goal for Aston Villa. The return in Brussels saw Villa rarely troubled in a game that was marred by crowd trouble. Against a backdrop of fighting on the terraces and pitch invasions, Villa comfortably held on for a 0-0 draw to book their place in the final in Rotterdam. The behaviour of a section of Villas support, however, threatened to overshadow the teams achievement. Anderlecht appealed to UEFA for the game to be replayed, citing the psychological harm that their players had suffered when an English fan ran onto the pitch. This appeal was rejected, but Villa were ordered to play their next home game in Europe behind closed doors and, after a number of similar incidents involving English clubs abroad, influential people such as UEFA secretary Hans Bergerter began to question whether teams from England should be banned from European competitions. This situation would reach a tragic conclusion three years later, but for now most observers preferred to concentrate on the prospect of a thrilling final between the two sides that had been most impressive during the competition so far - Aston Villa and Bayern Munich.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• astone
• villa
• anderlecht
• brussels
• hooligans
• european
• cup
• semi
• final
• 1981

[adester1874]

Havnt been on here for a while and just seen these comments. Well Mr Smackeadz, I can assure you i was there and im not desputing for one moment you was not there. As i previously stated I was 16 turning 17 at the time and its a long time ago. I was not very good at drinking in them days at that age and i can reccollect a lot of beer flowing at both the semi and final.maybe my reccollections are a bit hazy. I was there though. And enjoying what i was learning off the older lads. Happy days! UTV!

[smackheadz1]

@adester1874 can't wait for a response to this - we paid 25 quid return new street to brussels train and ferry,blag childs fair - slept in the british owned boozer in brussels main square - villas only national news and we were even there

[smackheadz1]

@adester1874 lying twat the was no turnstile just a big entrance at the back of the stands an all that happened was everyone just bailied in - now you know i was there an i weren't alone - and the best bit were feckin old zulus - and we were in rotterdam aswell when the dutch lads ran on with the jack - we were in the top stand - you know the half empty one ya couldn't fill for a european cup final - pity the chelsea lads that were outside never came in aswell .

[adester1874]

I WAS 16. JUST TURNING 17 FOR THE FINAL! GOT TOOK FROM LICHFIELD WITH THE OLDER LICHFIELD BOYS AT THE TIME! lOVED IT! BATTERED THE BELGUIM BASTARDS!! C-CREW DID IT THEN! ADE. VILLA YOUTH!!! LICHFIELD LCC! ZULUS NEVER TOOK LICHFIELD BOWER IN EIGHHTIES AS THEY PROCLAIM IN THEIR SH-I-TE BOOK! THEY MET THE LICHFIELD CITY CREW AT THE TIME. MOSTLY VILLA,WITH THE LOCAL WOLVES LADS! YA ZULU PUSSIES. MR ( I TAKE A PIC FOR YA LULU BOOK!) CAHILL. YA A PRICK!

[MichaelJSaunders]

i was there with the travelers club