Thrashing Blues, Ian Taylor's debut and a trademark Andy Gray header - first trips to Aston Villa

We previously asked you a very simple question on our Aston Villa Facebook page - tell us about your first match at Villa Park.

The response was overwhelming, and the stories were just wonderful.

Here they are - enjoy them, and feel free to share your own in the comments section.

Paddy Trainor: 21st November 98,our 1st defeat of the season against Liverpool. 4 - 2 and what a game. I think Stan got the line with a bad challenge on Harkness. Seated near the dugouts. John Gregory was our manager. Ince got the first and I think Fowler might have got a Hat trick. Honestly can't remember who scored for us, Dublin??

Ian Oliver: Dad took me up to Villa Park from Hereford for my 9th birthday. My brother (Man U fan) joined us at the match and Mum and my 2 sisters came too but didn’t go to the game they had a day out in Aston! Was a real eye opener for them! ?The game was a Div 2 game vs Bradford in May 1988 and we won 1-0 David Platt with the goal.

Joe Donovan: I think it was 1976. I was in the middle of the Holte and I remember Andy Gray scoring with a trademark header. I think we were playing Newcastle.

Luke Overton: Villa vs Spurs 1991, think it was 0-0 but all I really remember was I loved Villa but was also extremely excited as an 8 year old to see Gary Lineker play!!!

Cliff Roberts: First game was a reserves game v Man City when my uncle took me down in 1979 when I was 12. I just remember being in the old Witton end behind the goal when Tommy Caton headbutted and pinched one of our players. Great introduction to the villa

Phil Round: May 1998. Villa vs Newly crowned champions Arsenal. Sat in the old Trinity Road stand just by the tunnel.

Dwight Yorke scored with a chipped penalty. 1-0. Never looked back.

Dave Browne: My grandad took me to my first match Can’t remember the year but it was against inter Milan in a cup match we lost 1-0 away and won 1-0 at Home Ray Houghton scored the goal it then went to penalties and Phil King scored the Winning penalty to send us through made even more special as Kevin Keegan sat directly behind me

Scott Peacock: In 99, I think it was the last game and forest were relegated.

Singing we'll meet again in the holte. It only took 17 years.

Callum Bromley: My first game was 08/09 We lost 2-1 to Middlesbrough my dads boss gave us tickets, when I walked into villa park my hairs stood up and I knew it was home had a season ticket up until 13-14 when I started coaching, all my family are WBA supporters.

Malcolm Dennick: V Ipswich 1981 we lost 1_2 but went on to win the league Villa Park held 48000 at that time and I was squashed in the Holte end attendance was 47998 great days great team.

Martyn Rollason: I was the mascot when I was 5 in 1985 but I went before that once, my dad was leaving home to go to game and I cried and cried until he took me with him. That was back when I could be lifted over the turnstile and spend the game on his lap!

Dan Dan: Losing to Sheffield Wednesday day 1-0 when George Courtney “I think” sent les sealy off for a goal that wasn’t over the line, or was it?

Sean O'Regan : 5th November 1989 - Aston Villa 6 v Everton 2. After that there was only one team for me - after all, supporting a club who could trounce teams with such ease would only lead to a lifetime of trophy-laden fulfilment...

Once we’d got rid of that dodgy McGrath who scored an own goal in that match of course...

James Hill: Christmas 1988. Division 2. 1-1 draw with Huddersfield Town. An uneventful game and result, but I was hooked. I've had a season ticket for 20 of the 30 years since that game.

Adam Pearson: Aston Villa 2 Middlesbrough 3 sat in the upper trinity loved the atmosphere even though we lost and having going ever since

Jacqueline Howard-Biggs: Villa Chelsea, April '90. Villa won 1-0 Cowans penalty which he scored from the rebound in front of North Stand.

Tony Freeth: 07 Nov 1981, lost 2-0 to Arsenal. Sat in the “new” North Stand, second row. It was bloody freezing and remember an aged Arsenal fan giving me his motorbike gloves which past my elbows.

Not a bad season to see your heroes for the first time

Genuine VTID, not supporting because they were successful when I was growing up

Scott Berry: December 1977 against West Bromwich Albion. We beat the baggies 3 nil. Always remember the famous A V lights.

Tim Jackson: 1988, lost 2-1 at home to Luton town. Platty had a penalty saved by Alec chamberlain. Derek mountfield scores our goal I think

Nathan-Levi Simpson: Sheffield weds. Sat in the front row of the old trinity road stand. All I remember is the skilful deadlocked Reggie Blinker who played for them lol a few years later I remember Carbone getting the ball blasted in his face when he played for Wednesday haha

Daniel Moon Love Taylor : August 27, 1977. Villa 1 (Gray), Everton 2 (MacKenzie 2 - I think). 33000 in the ground. Stood on the Holte End. On a beer crate. I was 9. My cousin’s boyfriend who’d taken me, driving up from Maidenhead in a burgundy Triumph Toledo was stood behind me to protect me if there was a crowd surge if we scored. We did. There was. I still got squashed against the crowd barrier but couldn’t care less. I remember feeling I’d never been anywhere so big, or so exciting.

I didn’t even care that my view of the pitch was so restricted I missed all 3 goals! I seem to recall my mum gave my cousin’s boyfriend £1 and that got me in the ground, a huge bag of chips from the Holte Fish Bar and a programme - but that can’t be right. Got treated to a silk Villa scarf too. Also remember the huge flares the lads were wearing and the scarves they were wearing round their wrists - a trend overdue a return I think. That and claret and blue sweatbands à la Peter Withe.

Pete Loveridge: stoke home 1983 was only able to go because a school friends family had season ticket and one of them couldnt go that week so they allowed me (my mum lol ) to buy their ticket cheap and go with them

Rob Edwards: Was a man u fan (sort of as a kid) as well as Hereford but was bored shopping in brum one day in 1988 so watched villa beat Newcastle 3 1 and been supporting ever since. Another reason that day was to watch Chris price Hereford legend. And villa

Geoff Gordon: February 87, v Liverpool. Craig Johnson scored in 1st minute for Liverpool, and I think Warren Aspinall made his Villa debut. He went on to be a super signing for Carlisle United, our local team up here. Our 2 lads had been strong Liverpool supporters until that day - they then became Villa supporters.

Jan Jones: 1959 Villa 1-1 Hull city.....I was 6 years old.....had to wait until i was 10 yrs old..and having a paper round.....meant that i could afford to go to home games....my addiction started then! A Very Friendly Chap aka AVFC

John Priest: First game Derby county on Wednesday afternoon 1949,reward for eleven plus passing,never saw much first half unless ball kicked in air,half time got big stone and stood on,was with my mom. This was when Derby had players like carter and stamp,been a fan ever since,many great memories

Darren Avfc Liggins: Oct or Nov 1977 against Norwich score was 1-1 Brian Little scored. Birthday treat stood at the front of the holte.

Steve Blakemore: 88 v Spurs and we won 2-1. Sat on the wooden seats in Witton Lane and was in awe of the Holte and stood on the terraces every game after till forced to move when it was knocked down. Remember Gazza and El Tel getting lots of stick through the game.

Andy Poyner: 1972 Villa v Oldham my uncle took me on a Wednesday evening sat behind the dugouts could here Vic Crowe shouting out at the team, Ray Grayson scored the only goal it was screamer

Steven Mclachlan: Sheff wed 1985 i think. We drew 1-1. Steve Hodge scored our goal and theirs went down as a Nigel Spink og! 10 years old sat in the trinity road upper with my dad

Andy Williams: Torquay United a Division 3 match in early 70s. Villa won 5-1 with Brian Little and Andy Lochhead amongst the scorers. I remember being amazed at the size of the crowd for a Div 3 game.

Patricia Gill: August 1977 v Everton the season after we had beat them in the League cup, Elvis had just died and this was my first trip to England. I had never seen live football before only ever watched it on tv so when Villa scored i kept staring at the goals waiting for the action replay! I will never forget walking into Villa park for the first time i got goosebumps, the history of the place was so tangible, i was never going to support any other team from that day on!

Matt Jones: Mine was october 2001 we beat Charlton Athletic 1-0, always remember who scored, Kachloul Lol! Don't remember much about the game though, i was only 8/9 at the time

Darryl Garstang: April 1979 against Chelsea I was 8 years old ( in the days when Chelsea weren't full of foreign players) we won 2-1 and what a fantastic feeling it was walking from the bus stop to the ground, the noise from the crowd was amazing and the build up to the match was fantastic much better to what goes on now. There was no pre match activities just good old fashioned football with no razzmatazz. Those were the days and something I will never forget.

Wayne Batsford: Around 1988 we beat the blues 6-0 in the league cup, Graham Taylor’s claret and blue army were on top form and Kevin Gage had a worldly of a game scoring a couple including a belter of a free kick

Mrprem Chupps Labhaya: 27th August 88 first game of the season against Millwall, 2-2 draw

Paul Burt: My older brother used to take me and my friend to Villa Park. I loved the standing up the atmosphere the singing the hotdogs on the way in

Will Forrest: Chelsea v Villa in about 94/95. Ian Taylor's debut and he scored a diving header in front of the Holte in a 3-0 win. Helped my Grandad sell the Villa lottery tickets in the Trinity Road.

Paul Cliff: 22 Feb 1992, home to Oldham. Won 1-0 with a flicked header from big Cyrille Regis RIP. I'm sure I've got a programme somewhere with Les Sealey's autograph, another player taken far too soon.

Tony Ranford : Don’t know, it was sixty eight years ago.

Julie Hooper: Can't remember who we played, I was around 9/10 and Andy Lockheed played for villa

Venita Timmins: My uncle took me 40 years ago, it was New Year and we beat QPR 1-0, we sat in the Trinity Road Stand.

Matt Adams: Villa 0 Blues 0......1982. Think blues missed a penalty. Might have been Noel Blake who took it

Aff Wallace: Nottingham Forest lost 2-0 Earl Barrett gave away a pen after what seemed like 10 seconds.

David Baxter: My first game was v wolves 1951 2season I believe villa won 1 nil

Jason Simmons: Semi final of the European Cup in 82. Holte End was buzzing. Amazing 1st game

Barrie Pountney: It was 1953 I was 6 with my Dad to see Blackpool and Stanley Mathews I was lifted over the turnstile in the old Trinity Road and I sat on his lap .I can not remember the score and I think the crowd frightened me but that was the start of my love affair with Aston Villa !!

Neil Cope: Neil Cope Youth cup qtr or semi final I believe against Millwall towards the late 70’s

Simon Hegarty: Villa 4 Forest 1 1982-83 season Peter Withe and Gordan Cowans scored iirc in front of a crowd of around 22k

Samantha Savage: Sunderland at VP 28th December 2014. One of only two times sitting in the North before becoming a season ticket Holte Ender.

Michael Hinde: Sheff wed in the cup, lost 1-0 ekoku or however yoy spell it scored

Andy Nicholls: Shrewsbury division 3 4-1 Brian little hat trick chico Hamilton scored the other one

Dave Mark: Think it was Sheffield Wednesday in 1975 ,we won 5 - 1

Daniel Richard McCarry: 6 years old, April 1993 v Man City, stood in the Holte with my dad, 3-1 win, Dean Saunders scored and witnessed Paul McGrath in the flesh! Brilliant, got my first shirt, the one with the string neck

Ian Marston: At home in 1985 vs Sheffield Wednesday (we won 3-0) Walking into a sea of fans and deafening noise with a nice cuppa in hand

I was in awe of the atmosphere and fell in love with villa straight away

David Powell: My first league game was 1995 V QPR. My mom had got me and my dad the tickets as an xmas present, apparently she had the choice of two games either QPR or Wimbledon the week before. She chose QPR and we won 2-1. We beat Wimbledon 7-1

Brian Byrd: Villa v Liverpool about 77/78 a bore draw, nothing each.

Sharon McTiernan: Spurs March 1993, game ended 0-0, great atmosphere

Pete Singh: Villa vs Everton 0-0 but got to see the Coca Cola cup paraded in I think 1994

Daniel Heason: Villa vs wolves coca cola cup super tommy Johnson!! UTV

Tony Joyce: Tony Joyce Btw it was 1974 we went up with Man U to 1st Division got a bit excited telling my story in my earlier post

Jordan Blundell: Jordan Blundell We beat Bolton 4-0 for my 6th bday 5 April 2008 sat in family stand Barry x 2 gabby and the hare

Mark Chaffe-barratt: First game 12th October 1988 Aston Villa vs Birmingham city think it was the league cup. We won 5-0 sat in the trinity road upper was awesome. Hooked on the villa ever since. Players that stick in mind on that game was spink Daley platt Mcinally. I remember tho it wasn’t a full house. Was quite empty.

Allan Macleod: Villa v Southampton January 1983 .... rough ferry journey from Isle of Lewis to Ullapool followed by a wintry bus journey to Edinburgh. Up hellishly early to catch a train to Birmingham on day of game, and back up to Edinburgh hellishly late after the game ... remember collecting Persil tokens to pay for the train fare !

Stood on the Holte End, Won 2-0 ... Cowans + Evans !! ...

King Charles: Villa 3 Bolton 0. October 1963 . Dad took me for 10th Birthday. Sims. Wright. Aitken. Crowe. Sleewenhoek. Deakin. Mcewan. Ewing. Hateley. Woosnam. Burrows. My younger brother wore a Bolton rosette.

Dennis Leslie Mortimer: After 3 0 loss away to Rotherham watched villa win 4 0 at home I believe it was 1963

Alison Davies: Boxing Day 1970 division

Marilyn McNall: I can't remember the year 1968 I think. Willy Anderson Chico Hamilton.

READ MORE: Special feature: The night Pele took on Aston Villa in front of 55,000 at Villa Park

Carol Watts: 17th Jan 1969 - Villa 3 Portsmouth 5

Absolute deluge of rain, my brother took me and I told him not to bother taking me again, nearly 50 years later I'm still going!!

JD Carter: Villa 2-0 Derby (Joachim and Johnson). 13th birthday present, 24th August 1996.

Phil Prosser: February 1972 v Santos of Brazil with Pele et al

Joe Randall: V Coventry we lost 4 1 in 1998 i now have worked at villa park for over 10 years even abseiled off the holte end

John Culligan: My first villa trip with the old irish supporters club Vs southampton 1997 dreyden og. Think we were in the holte end. Great atmosphere and got off to a winning start. Been to a lot of games since then My last been the 2 1 win over leicster dec 15/16 season.

Dan Hickman: 28th December 1998 Aston Villa 2 Sheffield Wednesday 1 Southgate '7 and Ehiogu '85 didn't look back after that game, I was home.

Michael Dearn: August 1970 v Plymouth . 1-1 I think

Andrew Harvey: 1976 v Leeds ... a 2-1 win , my granddad took me as a suprise - I was 9 at the time ....remember the first goal I saw a getting crushed under the weight of the celebration in the Holte....

Paul Doran: Home to arsenal in 96,great teams back then

Daz Stanbridge: V Manchester United 95 3-1 and Alan hansens comments on motd and Taylors opener

Ash Brazier: Dwight yorke 1-0 leeds at villa park 1997

Ross Norman: Spurs March 1991. David Platt hat trick

Andy Strachan: Villa 3-1 Everton 1976

Eddie Ravenhall: Against West Ham about 10 years ago

Herman Lopez: 1 all draw vrs CSKA Moscow in 2009

Chris Dolman: Spurs in early 67 it was a 3-3 draw

Colin Harding: Villa v Sheffield Wednesday 72 73 ish

Michael Rudd: 2-6 vs Arsenal (Woodcock 5) 1983? 9 years old.....

Roger Duncan Farley: 1960 Christmas Eve wolves won 2-0

Andrea Harvey: 1972 Villa v Santos. Pele played

Chris Green: 1978 v West Brom

Stephen Barney: West Ham November 1982 Sid Cowans pen 1-0 utv

Craig Jaromski: 3-2 comeback against bergkamps arsenal when parachutist hit trinity road..what a day!!

Chris Willis: 1976 Villa v Norwich, free school ticket Brian little winner 1-0