The first few games of this season put the Villa into a League position that mostly remained unchanged until the season finished – in very much the lower reaches of Division 1. Villa ultimately finished 19th but at a time when only two teams were relegated, with 22 teams in the division. On a happier [...]

With hopes raised by the promise of “Mercer’s Minors”, the Villa faithful trooped down to Villa Park to watch the two opening games against the very respectable sides of West Ham and Spurs. The outcome was two fine wins to the Villa, and the one against Spurs was even more significant as Spurs were still [...]

The third of John Lerwill’s pieces, looks at what promised to be a golden era but we know how the decade finished. Mercer’s Minors 1962 – Well, Gerry Hitchens had gone, and in the summer of ’61 in came his replacement – a player who certainly was a colourful character; one Derek Dougan. Could he [...]

John Lerwill in his 2nd exclusive piece for this blg takes a look at the end of the Gerry Hitchens era. 1961 (continued) After promising so much before Christmas, Alan O’Neill sustained an injury that interrupted the team’s rhythm, but it was about that time that wing-half Alan Deakin became a regular choice. Deakin was [...]

John Lerwill the writer of the excellent Villa Chronicles and ex Villa archivist has agreed to do a regular column for this blog. This is his first piece and concentrates on Villa’s return to the top division in 1961 1961 – Consider that year. Look at that number from every direction and it reads the same. [...]