robranisgod wrote:Villa have always reminded me as a bigger, more supported version of the old VFL Fitzroy. Until the 1940s, Fitzroy were the most successful VFL club up to that stage, who by the 1960s couldn't win a game, up until the 1950s Villa were the most successful English Football team, who by 1970 had plummeted to the third division.
Does anyone else remember the old corny, schoolboy joke of the late 1960s when Tommy Docherty managed them. The joke went "What do you get when you cross Tommy Docherty with an ice cream". Answer "Aston Vanilla - everyone licks them!". I did say it was corny.
They then had a resurgence but generally have only flirted with success in the decades since.
Given their huge supporter base they should be doing better, but I guess that goes for many of the clubs based around Birmingham
That flirting with success did bring them a European Title when it actually mattered. Them days you had to win the league to qualify for the European Cup, not finish in the top 4. I think they did a bit more than flirt with success. I think they took it out and plowed it