Keith Pursall

What is your name?
Keith Pursall

How old are you?
63

What is your gender?
Male

What do you do for a living?
Retired (in 2006), after 40 years in IT and Management Consultancy

What is your level of education?
Degree in Philosophy from Hull University

Do you hold any religious beliefs?
None whatsoever – apart from the need for regular pilgrimages to the Mecca of football!

Do you wish for your entry to be anonymous or under a pseudonym?
No

What Stand do you sit in?
Now that kick-off times are so changeable, and because I live in Buckinghamshire, it makes scheduling attendance at matches much more difficult than it used to be.

Therefore, when I am able to go to a match, it usually depends on where seats are available. First choice is Holte End Upper; second choice is Witton Lane Upper (I still can’t bring myself to rename it!), near to the Holte End.

How long have you been going to Villa Park?
54 years

Can you describe some of your favourite goals?
As a master class in how to finish, I would go for Brian Little’s hat-trick against Queen’s Park Rangers in the League Cup semi-final replay at Highbury (22nd February 1977). I can still see the newspaper headline the following day – “Little By Little By Little!” Brilliant!

For pure comedic value it has to be Brendan Ormsby’s shot (?) from the halfway line against West Ham United at Upton Park! (23rd February 1985) It came completely out of the blue, against the run of play and, as it bounced over the hapless goalkeeper’s head, was initially met with a stunned silence – apart from the Villa fans around us who, after cheering the goal, fell about laughing! It was a matter of some debate as to whether it was an intended shot or a defensive clearance upfield!

Can you tell us about your favourite players?
Gerry Hitchens. When I was a young boy and my father took me and my sister to Villa Park, he was my favourite player. He was an old-fashioned centre forward and a prolific scorer. In 160 appearances he scored 96 goals, including 42 goals in his final season before his transfer to Inter Milan.

I saw him score five goals in the 11-1 defeat of Charlton Athletic, but one of my clearest memories is walking past him in Trinity Road after a match. Players didn’t drive away in flash cars in those days!

Brian Little. Undoubtedly, he was one of the most talented forwards ever to play for the Villa. It is a complete mystery to me (and no doubt all Villa fans) why he won only one England cap – and then only coming on as a substitute for 10 minutes against Wales. I’m sure if he had been playing for a “more fashionable club” (whatever that is!), he would have been an England regular.

To see him pick the ball up on the halfway line and set off on one of his mazy runs towards goal was pure magic!

Gordon Cowans. Although slightly built, “Sid” Cowans was an extremely influential midfielder. He was an intelligent player capable of spotting and creating openings either with a thoughtful through pass or a raking cross-field ball. His skills complemented perfectly the ball-winning of Des Bremner and the driving runs of Denis Mortimer.

In recent years, when Villa’s midfield has looked short of creative ideas (or is “stumpy” as my sister calls it), we have often been heard bemoaning “if only we had another Sid!”

Paul McGrath. Without question the best central defender I’ve seen play for the Villa. I never saw him have a bad game and, given what we all now know about what was going on in his life, that makes it all the more remarkable.

Opposing forwards would break away and be bearing down upon the Villa goal and again and again Paul would time his interventions to perfection – and make it all seem so effortless too!

What are your favourite Villa-related moments?
Top of the list has to be my wife Jan’s birthday, 2nd May, in 1981! That’s because that afternoon I was standing on the Clock End at Highbury with my father and sister, hearing via the transistor radios that Bosko Jankovic had scored twice against Ipswich Town. We didn’t care that we were losing 2-0 – we were the champions! On the way home we bought a bottle of champagne to celebrate the championship – and my wife’s birthday, of course!

November 14th 1959, watching the Villa beat Charlton Athletic 11-1 in a league match – a score-line I think I’m unlikely to see repeated. Gerry Hitchens scored five; Peter McParland scored two and had a hand in all the other nine!

February 12th 1972, standing on the Witton End in a crowd of 48,110, watching the Villa come from behind to beat Bournemouth 2-1 in a key Third Division match. Being part of the fantastic support that followed Villa in the Third Division was something special. Highlights of the game were shown in the evening on Match of the Day. I wonder if a comparable League One game would be shown nowadays?

What would be your best-ever eleven players (plus 5 subs) and why?
Jimmy Rimmer He was a fearless goalkeeper, who inspired confidence amongst the defence and supporters alike. I can’t do better than quote Ron Saunders who said he was “at least equal to the boy Shilton”!

Stan Lynn “Stan the Wham” was a good old-fashioned right back. He tackled hard and could hit a dead ball with his right foot like no-one else. When he stepped up to take a penalty or free kick, the chances of the goalkeeper saving it were slim. And this was in the days of muddy pitches and heavy leather footballs!

Allan Evans Allan was an outstanding centre back for 11 seasons. His natural aggression and attacking approach not only galvanised the defence but also resulted in some vital goals. He would complement perfectly my choice as the other central defender.

Paul McGrath Simply the best (see my favourite players above!)

Charlie Aitken He has been the best left back to have played for Villa during my lifetime. Charlie was an attacking, overlapping full back long before such a role became fashionable.

Denis Mortimer (Captain) He was an inspiring captain and a player who could command the midfield. As well as being able to organise the midfield, he played a key part in setting up moves as well as scoring his fair share of goals – his one against Liverpool in the championship season is particularly memorable.

Ian Taylor Ian would be the main ball-winner in midfield. In addition to his ball-winning abilities, his non-stop effort and enthusiasm and 100% commitment to the Villa cause means he would be the “engine” of the team.

Gordon Cowans “Sid” would be the midfield brains, creating openings and cleverly switching play at every opportunity.

Brian Little Brian was a clever and tricky striker who could make goals as well as score them. He was an ideal foil for the more direct, bustling centre forwards who played alongside him (Andy Lochead, Keith Leonard, Andy Gray).

Gerry Hitchens I believe it’s still true to say that Gerry Hitchens was the most successful striker in terms of goals per game to have played for the Villa during the last 50 years.

Peter McParland Peter provided the ideal combination – a speedy winger with an eye for goal. Not only did he set up many goals for others, he himself scored, on average, once every three games.

Substitutes:

I have not included a goalkeeper in order to retain that feeling of anxious anticipation that used to sweep through the crowd when an outfield player had to pull on the green jersey!

John Gidman An attacking full-back who could tackle, he would also be the prime candidate to pull on the green jersey should the goalkeeper be injured.

Jimmy Dugdale Jimmy was one of the most reliable centre halves ever to play for Villa and formed the backbone of the defence during the late 1950s.

Alex Cropley Alex was a tough-tackling midfield player whose career was cruelly cut short by injury. He was also a gifted footballer who could create something from nothing.

Gary Shaw Gary was another player whose Villa career would surely have been extended had it not been for a succession of injuries. Like Brian Little, he was the perfect foil for an old-fashioned centre forward.

Andy Gray During his first spell with the club, Andy Gray was a fearless striker who led the line brilliantly, resulting in him winning both the PFA Player and Young Player of the Year awards. (Despite three spells at Villa Park, he is now nearly always referred to by the media as the ex-Everton striker …hmmm.)

Manager:

Ron Saunders The easiest decision of all, although I’m hoping that in time Martin O’Neill will emulate him! However, modern rules dictate that Ron would now have to manage with more than his usual 14 players, but I believe the squad I’ve selected would certainly give him the usual 110% effort!

Why are you a Villa fan?
The simple answer is “it’s in my blood”.

My grandfather, Jim, attended the first ever match to be held at Villa Park (then known as the Aston Lower Grounds) on Saturday, April 17th 1897. After winning the Cup the previous week, the Villa beat Blackburn Rovers 3-0 in front of a crowd of about 15,000. It poured with rain and the crowd got drenched!

On Saturday, September 12th 1921 he took my father, Alf, to see his first match at Villa Park. Again the Villa were playing Blackburn Rovers; this time they drew 1-1. They stood on the Trinity Road side of the ground, my grandfather wearing a cloth cap and my father his school cap!

(My sister and I “completed the set”, so to speak, when we attended the ground’s centenary match on April 19th 1997 and watched the pre-match Old Stars’ game between the Villa and Blackburn Rovers!)

When we lived in Perry Barr Dad would regularly walk to Villa Park to meet up with his friend Roy before going to the match. When we moved to Bentley Heath (near Solihull) and we became old enough he would take me and my sister, Susan, and that’s how it all started!

But it goes deeper than that. My wife and I have recently been researching my family history and have found out that generations of my family, going back to the early 18th century, lived in and around Aston.

This goes a long way to explaining why, whenever I go to Villa Park, it always feels like “going home”.

Can you tell us about some important moments in your Villa supporting life and where they were?
Obviously, the most important has to be my very first match in 1954 v Preston North End on Saturday, 20th November (a date which later in life was to become my Wedding Day!)

We were going to stand in the Trinity Road enclosure and so we set out early to make sure we secured a good position.

My father realised that I might not be able to see over the heads of the crowd and so had arranged to take a “foot-stool” for me. This consisted of an empty petrol can carefully wrapped in brown paper by my mother!

When we reached the ground he asked the man on the turnstiles “how much is it for the junior supporter?” and the kindly man waved me through. In his hurry to accept this offer my father momentarily lost control of the “foot-stool”. Clang! – it crashed into the turnstile. The man on the gate looked quizzically at my father’s embarrassment.

But we were in! We made our way towards a crowd control barrier near the half-way line.

As kick-off approached my father placed the paper-clad petrol can against the barrier and I stepped on to it in order to get the perfect view. (We would be arrested as potential terrorists now!)

Tom Finney played a blinder and Villa lost 3-1. So I experienced defeat very early in my supporting life – something which would stand me in good stead for many years to follow!

What incidents have you been present at (on/off field)?
When I was young I can remember attending a very wintry match at Villa Park against Burnley. During the second half the snow came down so heavily that the pitch was completely white and visibility was poor. As a result, the referee led both teams off. However, as soon as the snow stopped, the ground staff cleared all the lines and the game continued on the snow-covered pitch. Villa went on to score again and win the match.

They would never play in such conditions nowadays, but those were the days when the centre of the pitch was often a sea of mud and the ball frequently got stuck in the centre circle!

Can you tell us any interesting/little known fact about yourself in connection with Aston Villa?
There are three things that immediately spring to mind.

When I was a young child living in Perry Barr our doctor was a Dr Massey who was also the Villa doctor at that time.

When we were living in Bentley Heath my mother had a part-time job at Solihull sub-Post Office where she worked with Kay Aitken, Charlie’s wife.

And then there was the day I got a call from Graham Taylor! We had organised a surprise Ruby Wedding weekend for my parents at our home in Buckinghamshire and had arranged for all their friends and relations to either visit or call on the phone. Unbeknown to me, my sister had been in touch with the Villa. So, it was a complete surprise when, on the following Monday, my wife took a call and said “I’ve got Graham Taylor on the phone for you!”

He rang to apologise for not being able to speak to my Dad over the weekend, as he’d been busy with the team! (I’d have been worried if he hadn’t!!!!) He also wanted my parents’ address so he could write to them with his congratulations, which he subsequently did – much to the surprise of my father!

What has been your worst ever Villa-related moment?
I think it would have to be the depressing sequence of events starting with the sacking of Tony Barton followed by the successive appointment of inferior managers and culminating with relegation to the Second Division.

As a “personal protest” I decided to take a year’s sabbatical from football and so took steps to “avoid” the whole of the following season. My father and sister were forbidden from mentioning anything to do with football, especially the Villa.

So, no tension on match days, no studying of fixtures and league tables, no transfer speculation! I had a “football-free” year!

It was really good for the soul because I came back to football the following season totally refreshed and with a renewed appetite for the game. By then, Villa were back in the First Division and Graham Taylor was in charge!

Why do you continue to support the club?
I have no option - it’s in my blood! It is part of who I am!

What changes would you make to any aspect of Aston Villa in order to improve the experience?
More home wins would be nice!!!

Is there a defining moment in your life as a Villa fan?
I can remember watching the 1957 FA Cup Final on a neighbour’s television (we didn’t have a television until 1960). It was in black and white and I can remember all the pre-match comments being very pro-Manchester United; no-one gave the Villa much of a chance. I was so pleased when they were all proved wrong.

In those days you always went outside after the match to “re-enact” it with your friends on the local playing field. A school-friend of mine, who had recently switched his allegiance from Wolverhampton Wanderers to Manchester United (a so-called “fair-weather” supporter, following whichever team was successful at the time), didn’t come out to play!

I think it was then that I felt the pride of being a real supporter – one who suffers the lows and is rewarded doubly when the highs come along.

It was also then that I recognised the shallowness and lack of principled beliefs of the “fair-weather” supporter (or “glory-hunters” as I believe they are called now).

What memorable moments can you tell us about?
I can remember being in the biggest crowd I’ve ever been in at Villa Park, and it’s the only time I’ve been there when the Villa weren’t playing.

We stood at the Witton End for the Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur semi-final in 1961. I’m not sure why we went, other than it was the weekend of my 16th birthday and my father had got tickets! There was a crowd of nearly 70,000 and every time they moved we were actually lifted off our feet. My sister remembers it being packed so tight that her sausage sandwiches were flattened in her pocket!

Are there any family influences?
The greatest influence was my father, Alf, who supported the Villa all his life and took me to my first match. (Some of his reminiscences are recorded in Simon Inglis’s book “Villa Park – 100 Years”.)

Where did you grow up/do you live and has that influenced you?
I lived in Perry Barr until I was seven, when we moved to Bentley Heath. Also, the fact that my family has lived in and around Aston since the early 1800s means that I have a very deep-rooted connection to the area.

Since leaving school I have lived in various parts of the country (Hull, Newcastle, London) and abroad, but for the past 35 years I have lived in Buckinghamshire. None of these locations has changed my allegiance!

What have been the influence of clubs/fans (if any) in those areas?
The current “fashionable” preponderance of Arsenal, Chelsea and (of course) Manchester United shirts has merely served to strengthen my conviction that to support Aston Villa is something very special.

How and why did you come to support Aston Villa?
Obviously, this was because of my father.

I can remember when I was very young Dad coming home from work every night and handing over the Birmingham Post and Birmingham Mail for my sister and me to devour the back pages.

We used to cut out all the pictures and match reports and put them into scrapbooks.

What is your first memory of the club?
My first memory is of going to my first match (see above).

Later, when we were a little older, I remember getting to the ground early in time for when the gates opened. We would make our way to the Holte End and sit on the empty terraces eating the picnic lunch our mother had prepared for us. She had the uncanny knack of completely unknowingly including something in the lunch connected to the opposition! I can remember Chelsea Buns (when we were playing Chelsea) and toffees when we were playing Everton!

What would you do to improve the overall Villa Park experience?
Open a fully stocked supporters’ shop at the Holte End of the ground (although this is something which I believe is already under consideration).

Do you have a Villa-related claim to fame?
Not as far as I know!!!

How do you see the club progressing?
It would be lovely to see the Villa back challenging for trophies, whilst retaining all the traditions associated with the club.

I would hate to see the club ever move to a “plastic, sponsored stadium” or to put out a team of “foreign mercenaries”.

How long have you supported Aston Villa?
Since I was old enough, probably about 57 years.

Do you ‘follow’ any other clubs?
Not in the same way.

When my daughter was old enough to go to football matches we used to go to our nearest club, Wycombe Wanderers. We were able to stand on terraces again!

We saw them promoted from the Conference to what is now League Two and then to what is now League One. We also saw them win the FA Trophy at Wembley. During this time Martin O’Neill was their manager, so I’ve already had experience of what he can do!

What teams in other sports do you support?
Warwickshire CCC

What hobbies and interests do you have outside of supporting Aston Villa?
I’m interested in most sports, nowadays as a spectator only, but particularly football and cricket.

I’m involved in looking after a local nature reserve, and I also act as a volunteer at a local country park.

I enjoy going to the theatre and I help with our village’s annual literary festival.

Retirement has also given me more time to spend on digital photography.

And finally, my wife and I are currently researching my family history which, of course, frequently refers back to Aston!

Do you go Home, Away, both or are you an armchair/pub supporter? Why?
My pattern of attendance has changed over the years as my life and circumstances have changed.

When I lived in Birmingham I used to go to the home matches.

When I moved to the North East, in addition to making the home matches when I could, I went away to the local grounds such as St James Park and Ayresome Park.

Since moving to Buckinghamshire in 1970 I have been able to go to away matches at most of the London grounds, as well as travelling to Villa Park when I can.

However, since the advent of Sky, the Premiership and the scheduling of matches at increasingly odd times, I have watched more live games on TV.

Is there an established family history following the Villa and what does the future hold?
Yes, but I fear this will be the last generation of this particular branch of the Pursall family.

My sister does not have any children and I have one daughter, Jenny. In spite of buying her an Aston Villa tracksuit when she was very young (I have the pictures of her as a Gary Shaw look-alike to prove it!), she has chosen to support Tottenham Hotspur. To be fair to her, they are one of the teams close to Buckinghamshire, and her great-grandfather on my wife’s side of the family was a Spurs supporter.

So, when she was growing up, I took her regularly to White Hart Lane and Villa Park to witness the traditional biannual ritual of “beating the Spurs”. She did come with us to Wembley for the 1994 League Cup Final against Manchester United and helped to pass the giant flag over our heads, but even so she has steadfastly refused to turn to the path of righteousness. To make matters worse she has now married a Chelsea supporter!

My hopes currently rest with our two-year-old granddaughter Gwen who, hopefully, in time, will recognise the error of her parents’ ways and see the world through claret and blue eyes!

What Villa-related pictures have meaning for you?
I have the “Another Victory” picture by E.W. Green on my study wall, which shows the crowd leaving the ground after a 5-3 win over Sheffield United in 1935. It was 20 years before my first match, but the long coats, hats, trams still evoke the atmosphere as I remember it when I first went to Villa Park.

Have you ever been ‘inside’ the ground?
No.

What are your views on the past, present and future of Aston Villa?
I believe the club’s history and tradition are very important and it looks as though Randy Lerner realises this. As long as this is woven into the fabric of the club (William McGregor, the Holte, the ground, the history etc) then Aston Villa will always be a very special club. I think it was Dean Saunders who said recently, when referring to the Villa, “You can’t buy heritage” and I think that is something that many of these new foreign owners fail to understand.

I believe that once a club loses its soul and becomes a “brand” or a “franchise” then the feelings and emotions it engenders among the fans are also lost.

Do you possess any memorabilia that is particularly special to you and could you explain its meaning?
The 1957 FA Cup Final programme – I was 12 when Dad brought it home. I never thought then that I would finish school, go to university, have a career, retire and still be waiting for the next FA Cup Final victory!!!

Do you have any special emotional attachment to a part of the club?
Not really, although I always like walking down through Aston Park and catching that first glimpse of the ground, with the faithful optimistically wending their way along Trinity Road towards the Holte.

What are the views of your friends and family to your supporting Aston Villa?
I’ve never asked them, but I think they see it as part of who I am.

Has supporting Aston Villa affected your lifestyle? If so, how?
Not at all !!!??? I just make sure that all the fixtures are in the diary (especially if I’m going to watch them live or on TV) and then fit my social life around them!

Have you ever supported/followed another club? If so, what made you change your allegiance?
Never!

Do you feel that away games are for the fan or the family?
Usually they are for the fans, but this is largely determined by the seat allocation policy of the home team.

What changes have you seen that are for the better/worse (prices, atmosphere, obscenities, TV, fans etc)?
Definitely worse:

- the TV scheduling, which makes it more difficult for fans living further away to attend matches - the recent predictability of the Premiership and the media obsession with the so-called “top 4” - the loss of banter with rival fans, which used to happen when there was no segregation (and before the days of hooliganism)

Definitely better:

- the condition of pitches - the quality and content of the official programmes - the advent of fanzines - Heroes & Villains is a “must-read” if you want to know what’s really going on at Villa Park!

If you use a pseudonym on the internet, what is the meaning/reason behind the name choice?
N/A

Do you have anything else to add?
There are a number of things I can remember from when I first went to matches which you don’t see any more. For example:

- street vendors selling small pictures of the players in small claret and blue plastic star badges; we bought a different player each time we went.

- many more supporters wearing home-knitted scarves, some with the names of the players embroidered on the alternate claret and blue stripes.

- people with claret and blue wooden rattles; these would probably be regarded as potential weapons now!

- supporters changing ends at half-time, so they were always standing behind the goal the Villa were attacking.

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