• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Aston Villa history

johnny082 said:
First time of reading this thread. I, nor my Dad or brothers were ever interested in football. We lived in Abbey Road Erdington near Brookvale Park so every Saturday Villa were playing at home we could always hear the roar of the crowd when they scored. There was one of the Villa players lived almost opposite us, Parkes, I think his name was Harry, but not sure. I know they eventually had a sports shop in Erdington. I wonder now if he was 'notable' in any way, in his time at Villa
Click to expand...
My Dad Gordon Parkes and my Grandpa Ernie Parkes were regulars at the Villa. From age 6 I used to go with them ( lifted over the “boys” turnstile gate!!) Dad often talked about Harry Parkes being a cousin... he did indeed run a shop and had been a player. Never met him. I do have Charlie Aitken’s autograph though!
 
RobT said:
In the late 1960s Aston Villa had a trio of midfielders who really should have been given the chance to play together, but never did.

Their names - Jimmy Brown, Oscar Arce and Barrie Hole. Work it out for yourselves.

"The Jimmy Brown you are referring to was a Scottish Schoolboy and IIRC he joined Villa in May 1969 whereas Oscar Arce left Aston Villa in January 1969 and thus there was no overlap or possibility that they would play together in a team."
Click to expand...
At least I got your drift Rob :D
Btw Charlie Aitken had an antiques shop in Acocks Green village for many years.
 
Harry Parkes went to Slade Road School Johnny082 and was indeed "notable" during his years at Villa Park. He made 345 appearances for Villa and also played 134 games during WW2. Harry was a one club man. He was a player from 1939 to 1955 and was a board member during the late 1960s and 1970s. He had shops at Six Ways Erdington and at Corporation Street, and I remember gazing at the photographs of old Villa teams, that he had on the walls at both shops. Below are three photos of Harry during his playing days, at his shop and when a club director (standing):

1653325878809.png 1653325918988.png 1653326022237.png
 
John L said:
Harry Parkes went to Slade Road School Johnny082 and was indeed "notable" during his years at Villa Park. He made 345 appearances for Villa and also played 134 games during WW2. Harry was a one club man. He was a player from 1939 to 1955 and was a board member during the late 1960s and 1970s. He had shops at Six Ways Erdington and at Corporation Street, and I remember gazing at the photographs of old Villa teams, that he had on the walls at both shops. Below are three photos of Harry during his playing days, at his shop and when a club director (standing):

View attachment 170329 View attachment 170330 View attachment 170331
Click to expand...
Got my first football kit and boots from the Corporation Street shop. 1953.
 
It was indeed Terence, as you rightly say you didn't qualify by finishing fourth back then. I look forward to the day when the two teams from Birmingham, can take each other on again in the top flight, alongside WBA, Wolves and Coventry once more. We have contested some great games over the years. My own first local derby was a 2-4 defeat at Villa Park in 1967 in the old Division 2, but thankfully I've witnessed more than a few derby wins since then.

I fondly remember coming back on the train from Dover the morning after the ECF and being clapped by the waiting commuters that were waiting for their trains into London, as we went through each station. I think this demonstrated that we had won it for Villa yes, but also for our city and for our country too.
 
John L said:
It was indeed Terence, as you rightly say you didn't qualify by finishing fourth back then. I look forward to the day when the two teams from Birmingham, can take each other on again in the top flight, alongside WBA, Wolves and Coventry once more. We have contested some great games over the years. My own first local derby was a 2-4 defeat at Villa Park in 1967 in the old Division 2, but thankfully I've witnessed more than a few derby wins since then.

I fondly remember coming back on the train from Dover the morning after the ECF and being clapped by the waiting commuters that were waiting for their trains into London, as we went through each station. I think this demonstrated that we had won it for Villa yes, but also for our city and for our country too.
Click to expand...
John 2-4 Villa Park me and Marion were there. Came out the ground, Marion said I feel sick. Why because we won 2-4 no I think I am pregnant. She was it was confirmed on the Monday.
 
My only visit to a football match was back in the fifties, Villa v Birmingham City, a real dirty game I thought, so many fouls.
I've been a Villa fan watching from a distance all my life but only I suppose because my parents were from Aston and big fans, I was even named after Eric Houghton .:)
 
Another great name from Villa's past Eric. He made 393 appearances for Villa, scoring 169 goals. He was a player at Villa Park from 1927 to 1946 and was twice a Division 1 runner-up at the club, in seasons 1930-31 & 1932-33. He played for England 7 times, scoring 5 goals and also played 7 matches for Warwickshire CCC. Your namesake, returned to Villa Park as our manager from 1953 until 1958, during which time we beat the Busby Babes to win the FA Cup for the 7th time in 1957. He later became a club director from 1972 - 1979 and was elected Senior-Vice President in 1983.
 
John L said:
Another great name from Villa's past Eric. He made 393 appearances for Villa, scoring 169 goals. He was a player at Villa Park from 1927 to 1946 and was twice a Division 1 runner-up at the club, in seasons 1930-31 & 1932-33. He played for England 7 times, scoring 5 goals and also played 7 matches for Warwickshire CCC. Your namesake, returned to Villa Park as our manager from 1953 until 1958, during which time we beat the Busby Babes to win the FA Cup for the 7th time in 1957. He later became a club director from 1972 - 1979 and was elected Senior-Vice President in 1983.
Click to expand...
How many times did Villa win the FA cup at Wembley?.
 
John L said:
It was indeed Terence, as you rightly say you didn't qualify by finishing fourth back then. I look forward to the day when the two teams from Birmingham, can take each other on again in the top flight, alongside WBA, Wolves and Coventry once more. We have contested some great games over the years. My own first local derby was a 2-4 defeat at Villa Park in 1967 in the old Division 2, but thankfully I've witnessed more than a few derby wins since then.

I fondly remember coming back on the train from Dover the morning after the ECF and being clapped by the waiting commuters that were waiting for their trains into London, as we went through each station. I think this demonstrated that we had won it for Villa yes, but also for our city and for our country too.
Click to expand...
I call it the runner up to the runner up to the runner up cup now.
 
John L said:
It was indeed Terence, as you rightly say you didn't qualify by finishing fourth back then. I look forward to the day when the two teams from Birmingham, can take each other on again in the top flight, alongside WBA, Wolves and Coventry once more. We have contested some great games over the years. My own first local derby was a 2-4 defeat at Villa Park in 1967 in the old Division 2, but thankfully I've witnessed more than a few derby wins since then.

I fondly remember coming back on the train from Dover the morning after the ECF and being clapped by the waiting commuters that were waiting for their trains into London, as we went through each station. I think this demonstrated that we had won it for Villa yes, but also for our city and
Click to expand...
 
Terence further to your question @ # 165. We have won it at Wembley once in 57 (see below). We also won League Cup Finals there in 1975, 1994 and 1996, as did your team from the other side of the city in 2011 ;)

1653641071126.png 1653641129772.png
 
John L said:
Terence further to your question @ # 165. We have won it at Wembley once in 57 (see below). We also won League Cup Finals there in 1975, 1994 and 1996, as did your team from the other side of the city in 2011 ;)

View attachment 170402 View attachment 170403
Click to expand...
At least you know the history of the Villa. You would be surprised when I ask most Villa fans and they say seven. They do not know the Final was played in the past at other venues.
 
John L said:
Terence further to your question @ # 165. We have won it at Wembley once in 57 (see below). We also won League Cup Finals there in 1975, 1994 and 1996, as did your team from the other side of the city in 2011 ;)

View attachment 170402 View attachment 170403
Click to expand...
You met WBA in the final a few times in the early years. As for League Cup we were robbed by the bottler Ellery in the 2001 final. Stone wall penalty in extra time against Liverpool Ellery waved play on. I was told on the Friday by an uncle of Wayne Rooney, his words the referee is a bottler. That was in Cardiff, the irony we lost on penalties after extra time. 5.4.
 
Last edited:
Yes Terence, we beat Albion 2-0 in 1887, lost 3-0 to them in 1892 and beat them 1-0 in 1895.

I think we were the victims of a referee's decision in the 2010 LCF too, when Vidic wasn't given even a yellow card after 5 minutes, having denied Agbonlahor a goal-scoring opportunity by bringing him down inside the box. Phil Dowd gave the penalty, but didn't book him until the 67th minute. Fergie himself said afterwards, "We got a lucky break, he could have been sent off" and another referee Graham Poll said, "The referee would have looked for any reason he could, not to send the player off, because of the occasion." Liverpool and Manchester United do get their fair share of such decisions don't they?
 
Post 43 by JohnL gives a small colour version of this picture.
Villa 1 Arsenal 2 Crowd est 60,000.

“It's the claret and blue shirts on the attack, and it looks as if the forwards are claiming at least a corner in this evocative shot of Aston Villa playing Arsenal, at Villa Park, in 1952. Aston Villa have always been one of the great names of English football, even during their brief sojourns in the lower divisions. Founded by young men of the Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel in 1874, the club became a founder member of the Football League in 1888.“

Golden years of Birmingham (Publication 1999)

C9AED114-6645-41DB-9B0E-D5492A04DC2B.jpeg
 
Pedrocut said:
Post 43 by JohnL gives a small colour version of this picture.
Villa 1 Arsenal 2 Crowd est 60,000.

“It's the claret and blue shirts on the attack, and it looks as if the forwards are claiming at least a corner in this evocative shot of Aston Villa playing Arsenal, at Villa Park, in 1952. Aston Villa have always been one of the great names of English football, even during their brief sojourns in the lower divisions. Founded by young men of the Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel in 1874, the club became a founder member of the Football League in 1888.“

Golden years of Birmingham (Publication 1999)

View attachment 178214
Click to expand...
Can you see me I am ìn this pictures somewhere. The stand the changing rooms are in. August 1952. Walsh scored for Villa and Lishman and Oakes for Arsenal. This was the last season when Dad and I watched regularly as i had started work and also discovered other pursuits, including the Kardomah. He said segwayinĝ from one theme to another and hopefully not causing worries for any more
Bob
 
Dead on Bob. So you watched Danny Blanchflower. Dickie Dorsett was a local lad wasn't he ? And the full back Aldis, was it the same chap who played in the 57 cup final ?
Looks like Joe Mercer played for Arsenal and would go on to manage the Villa. Happy Days !
All the best, Pedro.
 
Nice photograph Pedrocut @ #173 of the old Witton End and the top of that bank, on which I stood alongside my Dad (it was caked in mud that night) to watch Pele's Santos in 1972 (photos 2 & 3 below). That view of the nearby industry that surrounded Villa Park back then, over the old Witton Lane stand takes me back too.

That game was the first game of the 1952/53 season on 23rd August 1952. Bob Davis @ 174 was among a crowd of 50,930 and the home side included Harry Parkes (as previously mentioned by Johnny082 @ #150 and Allottmenttoddler @ #152) alongside Ken Jones, Peter Aldis, Frank Moss, Dicky Dorsett, Danny Blanchflower, Amos Moss, Colin Gibson, Billy Goffin, Davy Walsh and Johnny Dixon. George Martin was Villa's manager and the Arsenal team did include Joe Mercer. Arsenal won the league that season and we finished 11th, which at the time of writing is the same places that both teams currently hold. Below is the match programme and the Villa squad from that season (photos 1 & 4).

9be7fa_66e787aa153f4bb6b1aef295319633de~mv2.jpg
1677418491918.jpeg
images
4852814652_74a0a67dbd_b.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top