Everton 1 Aston Villa 3 - League Div 1 - 7th Feb 1981

Everton 1 Aston Villa 3
Goodison Park
Att -31,434
League Div 1
7th Feb 1981
/ villaboy68
/ villaboy68
/ villaboy

[@denbogus5398]

Tony Morley, Goal of the Season all came from a great wind-up by Ron Saunders. Ron Called Tony in a few days before and said he was thinking of dropping him for Pat Heard against Everton. Ron thought Tony might freeze at his boyhood ground. Tony was annoyed because his family and friends had got tickets just to see him. Ron told him "your in the team" when they got to Everton. Tony Morleys celebration of the goal of the season is to tell his manager "Up yours!" RIP Ron Saunders, thanks for the best memories an 11 year old could ever have.

[@nickmcmahon623]

What a video, what a great time it was to be a Villa fan. We all know Morley’s wonder goal but I’d forgotten how well Gary Shaw did in the build up. Loving the little factoid captions too. UTFV

[@seltaeb3302]

It was a great side but it's players were largely ignored by International managers of England & Scotland.

[@JohnVilla1960]

I was there, right behind the goal when Morley scored. My 21st birthday as well.

[@thevillaaston7811]

I was in the seats behind the goal looking straight down at Tonty Morley. I was 21 as well - but not on that day. In that new year Ipswich were going full tilt but we matched them all the way. Four straight away wins, at Coventry City, Everton, Sunderland and Wolves. Oh to have those days again...

[@mrvillan6951]

A great day out that was. What a team.

[@seltaeb3302]

Peter Withe, Jimmy Rimmer always delivered. Enjoying the ads, proper ads selling Quaker Oats (funny) & mouth wash, household things unlike now, gambling, direct debit charity ads.

[@stevereeves2140]

Great game of footie!!!!

[@Mediumal]

Look at the state of that pitch...dreadful.

[@VanderlyndenJengold]

Pitch technology (as I'm sure they call it these days) has come on leaps and bounds since back then.

[@wildbill6826]

No, that pitch had character, life & you got cracking games. Today perfect perfect sterile pitches. Lifeless & boring. Might as well play on the car park. Today's players couldnt handle the wide variety of pitches we had. Derby's Baseball ground was horrendous, the grass was on Lockdown but the players had grit & skill and gave great games.

[@wildbill6826]

That Villa Championship team were top class with experienced players like Mortimer, Rimmer, Bremner & Withe keeping things solid whilst young 'uns Shaw Cowans Morley ran riot. Attack attack attack Spitfires & Hurricans could not do better. Sadly grumpy but effective manager Ron Saunders done a Clough after chairman Ellis new contract made him walk out & by mid-late 80s that team was no more.

[@kailashpatel1706]

strange that is the case but Morley and Cowans did not make the 1982 world cup England squad..?...Neither did other players from other clubs of that period (Statham/Regis from WBA, Alvin Martin and Devonshire from West Ham...Morley could have been pushed by Greenwood in a trident with Trevor Francis and Mariner and Cowans played in midfield alongside Hoddle etc...strange selection policy...

[@kevinmassey7675]

@@kailashpatel1706 I thought Morley and Withe were in the '82 squad ?, but obviously never got a sniff of game time? ......in my opinion Tony Morley was as good as anyone in the world in 81-82.....and yes I know Maradona was around at that Time.......but no assists in the European Cup final, or stunning goals in the semis for him

[@kailashpatel1706]

@@kevinmassey7675 Withe might have been but Morley was not, the debate over Morley and Devonshire was a flawed one since Morley was naturally right footed but could play with feet..i would have played this team for the 1982 world cup and started building it post 1980 as Clough and Taylor would have done...Shilton...Defence, V. Anderson, T. Butcher, A. Martin, D. Statham, R. Wilkins, (holder) Midfield, T.Morley, G.Cowans, G. Hoddle, A. Devonshire...Attack, T.,Francis..prepared if need be to drop Wilkins for Terry McDermott, and Cowans for Bryan Robson, still though a class outfit...Bench, Thompson, Samson, Woodcock, Mariner etc..i'm factoring injuries to Brooking/Keegan and Coppell at that 1982 WC..

[@kevinmassey7675]

@@kailashpatel1706 that team would more likely have a goal or 2 in it , unlike the 2 blanks against Spain and West Germany that eliminated us..........but hindsight is an advantage looking back nearly 40 years lol

[@kailashpatel1706]

@@kevinmassey7675 Yep but i think Taylor and Clough might have seen the case for it..i think the 1978-1982 period was a case study of poor English management..yeah will never know though..!