Aston Villa, who had finished fifth in the First Division the previous season, walked out to face Bayern Munich in the European Cup final as rank outsiders. Bayern had Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. Villa had heart, organisation and belief.
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Villa won 1-0 – Peter Withe bundling home a scrappy but unforgettable 67th-minute winner after Tony Morley’s cross caused chaos in the Bayern penalty area. It was not pretty. It did not need to be.
The win was made all the more remarkable by the circumstances surrounding it. Manager Ron Saunders had resigned just three months before the final, with Tony Barton stepping up from assistant to guide the club to glory.
Goalkeeper Jimmy Rimmer was forced off with an injury after just nine minutes, replaced by 23-year-old Nigel Spink who was making only his second senior appearance for the club. Spink was outstanding throughout.
Months later Villa beat Barcelona 3-1 on aggregate to win the European Super Cup, adding further European silverware to a remarkable period in the club’s history.
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It proved to be the peak. Villa won the League Cup twice more – in 1994 against Manchester United and in 1996 against Leeds United. That 1996 League Cup win remains their last major trophy – 30 years ago.
Tonight in Istanbul, Unai Emery takes Villa into his sixth Europa League final – their first major European final in 44 years.
Photo: Tony Marshall/Getty Images
