Aston Villa Memory Lane 2

Aston Villa Memory Lane

THE DAY VILLA UPSET HITLER

MAY 13TH 1938.

After 48 consecutive years of First Division Football Villa were relegated to Division Two in 1935-36. Villa won only 13 games this season and conceded a staggering 110 goals of which 56 of them were at Villa Park.

Villa had lost their Invincibility at home as WBA & Arsenal put 7 goals past them in front of their home crowd. 🙁

Villa did record wins against the champions elect Sunderland and runners up Derby County. Such games proved of little value as the club faced relegation just the same.

In 1937-38 Villa dominated the Second Division and romped to the title four points clear of Manchester United.

I know some people are Interested in crowds and this years cup run saw Villa playing before crowds of over 75,000 against Charlton Athletic and Man City.

So I hear you say where’s Adolph Hitler come into it…. read on…

In the Summer of 1938 Villa toured Germany where they created International headlines by refusing flatly to give the Nazi salute, unlike the England team of the time who had complied with DEMANDS to do so. The England team who played in Berlin lost 6-3 to the German National Team.

The Villa players just walked the field of play…

It was an episode that rekindled pride in British Independence and made Villa many friends. The Incident caused much Embarrassment to the British Government who were trying to appease the German Dictator. In England Villas gesture was generally applauded and made the club many friends.

P.S. A year later appeasement had failed; Great Britain was a war with Germany.

By Col8