Villa’s 1982 team to join Hall of Fame
Tuesday 23rd August 2011, 11:00AM BST.
Aston Villa legend Dennis Mortimer today revealed his pride that the club’s 1982 European Cup winning heroes are set to be inducted into football’s Hall of Fame.
The team who shocked German giants Bayern Munich 1-0 in Rotterdam will be honoured by the National Football Museum.
Just Sheffield FC, the world’s oldest club, Manchester United’s 1968 European Cup winners and the Liverpool team who won back-to-back European Cups in 1977 and 1978 have ever been inducted.
And midfielder Mortimer, who skippered the side to glory a year after winning the First Division title, is humbled by the honour.
He said: “If there is one thing you want to leave it’s some kind of legacy that you know you’re part of – not just your name down on a tally of appearances season by season.
“We’ve got our names stamped in the history of the football club and it will never be forgotten.”
Manager Ron Saunders quit before the quarter-final with Dynamo Kiev, with assistant Tony Barton taking charge, but Mortimer insisted their belief drove them on.
The 59-year-old said: “We were able to overcome certain things and build a very, very good side.
“We were well balanced because we didn’t have prima donnas and internationals going off, we were very much left in our own domain in Birmingham.”
A celebration for all 19 members of the squad is planned and a special event will be held at Villa Park’s Holte Suite on October 27.
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What complete and utter tosh.
Hey Wulfies,did you guys know that the Vile once won the European Cup unlike Forest who won it twice?
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^ Show some respect young un, us grown ups are talking about proper football.
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the Tricky Trees had a great manager and a great team too. Pointedly neither spent £200 million of oil money to achieve it.
No doubt Cloughy and his boys will be next. Maybe the legendary blose League Cup team as well? or the Baggies…..? erm? …..
Well done to the Villa greats, just a pity Sky and UEFA have ruined the game to the point that I doubt Villa, Forest or any team outside the present rich list will ever achieve it again.
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