sport news 40 years on, Aston Villa heroes look back at their 1982 European Cup glory trends now

sport news 40 years on, Aston Villa heroes look back at their 1982 European Cup glory trends now
sport news 40 years on, Aston Villa heroes look back at their 1982 European Cup glory trends now

sport news 40 years on, Aston Villa heroes look back at their 1982 European Cup glory trends now

The most magical journey in Aston Villa’s history began with an encounter with Miss World in an Icelandic nightclub and finished with the game’s ultimate prize disappearing from a pub.

Aston Villa’s victory over Bayern Munich in the European Cup final in Rotterdam on this day, 1982 is immortalised on a banner in the North Stand at Villa Park. ‘Shaw, Williams prepared to adventure down the left, there’s a good ball played in for Tony Morley… Oh, it must be!... And it is! Peter Withe!’ — Brian Moore’s commentary provided the soundtrack to the moment that would define these players’ lives but there was a richness and depth to this 40-year-old story that went far beyond those unforgettable words.

The trophy was stolen from the Fox Inn near Tamworth, where Gordon Cowans and Colin Gibson had taken it to show off to fans, before being handed to police hours later by its remorseful thief. That vignette alone would be good enough to carry this tale, yet it was just one of many.

Aston Villa are celebrating 40 years since their famous night in Rotterdam where they won the European Cup (Gary Shaw, Tony Morley and Peter Withe pictured left to right)

Aston Villa are celebrating 40 years since their famous night in Rotterdam where they won the European Cup (Gary Shaw, Tony Morley and Peter Withe pictured left to right)

Members of the 1982 European Cup winning team were given a guard of honour by Villa's current players before their final weekend home match with Crystal Palace earlier this month

Members of the 1982 European Cup winning team were given a guard of honour by Villa's current players before their final weekend home match with Crystal Palace earlier this month

Villa changed managers mid-campaign, with the forceful, title-winning boss Ron Saunders replaced by the mild-mannered Tony Barton, who went from assistant manager and chief scout to European Cup winner in three months.

They went behind the Iron Curtain to defeat Dynamo Berlin and before playing Dynamo Kyiv, stayed in a hotel so poor there were cockroaches inside the bread rolls. There was violence in the stands as Villa met Anderlecht in Brussels, and rookie goalkeeper Nigel Spink — one of the greatest substitutes of them all — helped deliver victory in the final. Pre-match tots of brandy in the dressing room carried them to glory at home and abroad.

Even if Villa reach those heights again, the corporate phenomenon that is the Champions League means it could never be quite so memorable. So when the 1982 heroes were celebrated at Villa Park earlier this month — after manager Steven Gerrard had insisted on a guard of honour — it spoke not just to their achievement but to a more magical, evocative era of European football.

‘We could probably guess who will be in the quarter-finals of the Champions League next season,’ Morley, who won six England caps, tells Sportsmail. ‘While there will sometimes be a surprise team — like Villarreal this year — it will generally always be the big clubs.

Peter Withe scored the only goal of the game against German giants Bayern Munich who has been ribbed ever since for his close range finish past goalkeeper Manfred Muller

Peter Withe scored the only goal of the game against German giants Bayern Munich who has been ribbed ever since for his close range finish past goalkeeper Manfred Muller

Gordon Cowans, Gary Shaw and Gary Williams rush to celebrate with scorer Withe

Gordon Cowans, Gary Shaw and Gary Williams rush to celebrate with scorer Withe

‘Money talks and that means glamour ties in the final, like Real Madrid versus Liverpool. You look at the squads these clubs have and there are no reserves.’

‘Reserve’ was Spink’s role when he was summoned for the moment that would change his life, nine minutes into the final. Jimmy Rimmer, a hero earlier in the run, was carrying a neck injury and was unable to continue. Spink, then just 23, had only one senior appearance behind him.

‘Gary Newbon, who was working for local television, had somehow managed to get a seat next to the bench,’ says Spink. ‘And it was a proper wooden bench — none of the high-tech seats they have these days.

‘I saw Jimmy waving his arms and Gary said to me, “Spinksy, you’re going on. He’s signalling to come off”. It happened so quickly — I was straight into the action.

‘It was helpful that Bayern were such a good team, because I had no chance to think about what was happening. When I made the first save, I thought, “Maybe I’m all right”. The save from Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is shown a lot but it was blasted straight at me!’ There was little of this tension when Villa travelled to Reykjavik in the opening round.

Aston Villa players celebrating after their European Cup final triumph on May 26, 1982

Aston Villa players celebrating after their

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