Villa Are The Kings Of Europe

1982 European Cup run

Villa had been rocked by the departure of manager Ron Saunders midway through the season, but new boss Tony Barton steadied the ship and guided them all the way to Rotterdam, where Germany's finest, Bayern Munich, lay in wait.

The final was settled by just one goal and, for striker Peter Withe, it represented his finest moment in a Villa shirt. His winner, a bobbly finish off his shin, came midway through the second half and was enough to earn Villa their first European trophy.

Results

Round	Opponent	Score
1st Round, 1st leg	Valur (h)	5 -0
1st Round, 2nd leg	Valur (a)	0 -2
2nd Round, 1st leg	Dynamo Berlin (a)	1 -2
2nd Round, 2nd leg	Dynamo Berlin (h)	1-0
Quarter final, 1st leg	Dynamo Kiev (a)	0-0
Quarter final, 2nd leg	Dynamo Kiev (h)	2-0
Semi-finals, 1st leg	Anderlecht (h)	1-0
Semi-finals, 2ng leg	Anderlecht (a)	0-0
Final	Bayern Munich (Rotterdam)	1-0

Key Games

Aston Villa 2-0 Dynamo Kiev (European Cup quarter-final 2nd leg, March 17, 1982)

Villa marched into the semis following a convincing 2-0 win over Kiev, two weeks after the Russian champions had held Villa, under the new management of Tony Barton, to a goalless draw. Both Villa goals came courtesy of some wayward keeping from Viktor Chanov. Striker Gary Shaw was the first to capitalise, firing between Chanov's legs inside four minutes. Four minutes before half-time, defender Ken McNaught rose above Chanov to nod in the second.

Anderlecht 0-0 Aston Villa (European Cup semi-final 2nd leg, April 21, 1982)

Holding on to a slender 1st-leg lead, Villa arrived in Belgium expecting an onslaught. Instead, it was the visitors who looked the most threatening, with Shaw passing up the best opportunity to grab a killer goal. At the back, McNaught marshalled a defence that comfortably kept Anderlecht at bay in a timid display by the Brussels outfit as their European campaign came to an end.

Aston Villa 1-0 Bayern Munich (European Cup final, March 17, 1982)

The final did not start in the way Villa would have wanted, as first choice goalkeeper Jimmy Rimmer was forced off with a shoulder injury in the opening minutes. Luckily for Barton, his replacement Nigel Spink deputised brillantly. Villa sealed the trophy when Tony Morley crossed for Withe to bundle home the only goal of the game.

Key Off-field Moments

Saunders Out... Barton In

Just days before the European Cup quarter-final against Dynamo Kiev, Ron Saunders walked out on Villa, following a dispute with the board over his contract. His replacement, Tony Barton, was initially subjected to abuse from the unhappy Villa faithful, but he soon proved his worth.

Shaw's No Top Gunner

Striker Gary Shaw looked set to join Arsenal in a £1million move as Villa attempted to ease their financial crisis. The change in management, however saw Shaw remain in the West Midlands.

Villa Escape Euro Ban

Following riots in the aftermath of their semi-final win over Anderlecht, Villa faced the possibility of having to replay the match. Calls for UEFA to order a re-match were led by the Belgian side, but Barton blasted the claims insisiting "we won fair and square and definitely deserve to be in the final."

Key Figures

Nigel Spink

Before the final, Nigel Spink would not have been expecting to get on the pitch, having remained an unused sub throughout Villa's run to Rotterdam. But following Rimmer's injury, Barton was forced to use his reserve keeper, and he proved a more than capable replacement. Bayern's danger men, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Dietmar Hoeness were both thwarted by Spink as the inexperienced keeper preserved Villa's precious lead.

Peter Withe

While Spink was keeping the Germans at bay at one end, Withe added to Munich's misery at the other by scoring the crucial winner that put the game beyond Bayern. It was the crowning glory in the striker's 20-year playing career.

Tony Barton

Villa's former assistant manager had no previous experience as a number one, but he wasted no time in demonstrating his abilities. Few people would have bet on Villa winning the European Cup when Saunders quit, but Barton had other ideas.

What Happened Next

Barton's European champions went on to face Barcelona, winners of the European Cup-Winners' Cup, for the the Super Cup crown the following season. Villa made it a European double, sweeping past the Spanish giants in a two-legged affair.

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