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Defeating Birmingham 2-0 in front of 26,000 in our last home game set us up for the biggest
league game ever at Villa Park.

It was us or Blackpool to go up as runners-up and the buzz aound W12 was electric – not so at
school though, all those armchair numpties just didn’t understand what it felt like to love a team,
win, lose or draw and my team, my Rangers were on the brink of the ‘Big Time’.

Now anyone who knew me were fully wised up on my love of all things Rangers and one person who
knew me was a customer of the Enterprise Cafe a local celebrity called Milton Reid who played the
part of the bald-headed bloke in the St. Bruno advert.

He used to wrestle under the name of the Mighty Chang and gave me tickets to watch wrestling at
Lime Grove Baths, but on this occasion he left an envelope for me with a ticket to Villa Park inside –
I was on my way but how I got there added even more spice to my Villa adventure.

My mate and his dad were travelling up to Villa in a van and they said that I could go with them for
10 shillings, so I agreed. Saturday arrived and with two scarves tied around each wrist I met my mate,
his dad and a dozen other Ranges fans outside the Bush Central Line station by the Green.

Right on time a blue van pulled up with ‘Deins Spices’ on the side. The driver pulled up the shutter
and inside were half-full sacks of; curry powder, spices, rice and cooking oil destined for the Curry
houses of Brum!!!

The journey up the M1, with the shutter up for extra ventilation, was brilliant. Car upon car and coach
upon coach beeped and cheered as our ‘Biriyaniloftmobile’ sped along with the sound of ‘Rodnee’ and
Rangers chants coming from within.

15,000 blue and white decked Rangers fans took over Villa Park that day. Even the most fanatical
Holte Ender was looking over their shoulder. We stood on the side with the Holte End to our right.
I was right at the front but with the pitch raised above us, I spent 90 minutes looking up at the players.

I looked for my hero Rodney as the players came out and then over to Mike Kelly who was going through
his pre-match routine of touching both posts and the crossbar three times – and then it was game on.

The first-half went in a blur, 1-0 down and outplayed – the whisper went round that Blackpool were
ahead at Huddersfield so a win was a must, but the smell of curry and defeat were in the air!

The next 45 minutes was magical, lucky and blue and white. The unsung hero that was Mick Leach
headed us level – Villa players disputed the ball going over the line. No goal-line technology here,
no Russian linesman either, just a ref called McCabe who liked to say yes, 1-1 and game on!!!

Rangers were now on the up and with news that Blackpool were winning 3-1 and with 10 minutes
to go, the unexpected happened.

A long ball over the top was chased down by Rodney, the Villa defender Keith Bradley panicked
and lobbed his own on-rushing keeper – as the ball nestled into the back of the net there was a
split second of silence before the Rangers fans erupted. Villa Park was a sea of blue and white.

‘The R’s are going up, the R’s are going up and now you’re going to believe us, the R’s ARE going up’
– 15,000 voices sang out. The final whistle went and over the wall went hundreds of R’s fans who
mobbed the players on the pitch. Grown men kissing the turf, scarves being waved and a W12 boy in
tears – My R’s ARE going up!!!

The journey home on the now spice free ‘Biriyaniloftmobile’ was a party all the way. A stop off at
an off-licence and a chip shop provided a celebration banquet fit for West Londoners only.

With the lingering smell of Red Barrel, vinegar and cumin, we travelled back down the M1 cheering
and singing along with a cavalcade of blue and white vehicles. I even remember the traffic stopping
on the motorway and fans dancing all over the road!

Saturday 11th May might not have been a Wembley Cup Final shared with millions on television,
but it was a very special day that was shared by all Rangers fans everywhere. And the feeling of
jubilation after the final 90 minutes of a long season is one that was felt by ‘Real Fans’ – who
follow our team, ‘we’re Queen’s Park Rangers, we rule supreme’.

For me things changed: the advert for the local curry house in the interval at the Essoldo cinema
had a new meaning. My mum cooking a Vesta Beef Curry was never spicy enough and 46 years on
taking the wife for a Saturday night Ruby brings back memories of when we reached the ‘Big Time’.

W12 Boy

The last game of the Season, and as an 11 year old, it all seemed so simple to me.

All we had to do was play Aston Villa away, beat them, and we would be in the
‘Promised Land’ (the old First Division) for the first time in our history.
I was lucky enough to be taken to the game by a family friend.

We set off early in the morning in his old Zephyr 4, with our blue and white scarves
hanging out of the windows. In those days there was no segregation between supporters
within Grounds and they opened earlier than they do these days.

So we joined what seemed like thousands of our fans towards the rear of the Holte End.
Eventually we heard shouts of ‘Villa Villa’, which got louder and louder as the home fans
arrived via a staircase to the left and rear of the terrace.

Now those days were the beginnings of the original ‘Skinheads’, complete with exposed
steel-toe capped boots. The violence I witnessed was frightening.

As Villa’s numbers grew, our fans withdrew further down the Holte End and the side terraces,
well, all except for a petrified 11 year old and his Dad’s mate. As the violence went on around
us, he put his arm around my shoulders and said: “Just stand still and don’t move.”

This wasn’t a difficult request to comply with as I was already frozen with fear. So we stayed
where we were for the whole of the 1st half, adorned as I was with a blue and white scarf
and a large rosette that was almost as big as I was. Quite a few of the Villa fans were aware
that we were there, yet not one of them said a single word to either of us.

Looking back, I can only assume that a grown man standing with a young lad, were considered
‘Out of Bounds’.

At half time we were one down, so we slowly made our way out of the Holte End to the left
and ended up somewhere near where the dugouts are today. I

remember that there were lots of R’s fans already there and it certainly felt less hostile.
As Steve Russell has previously mentioned, I can remember missiles being thrown in our direction
including an apple with razors sticking out of it.

The 2nd half seemed to last forever and people around me started making comments about
what a good Season it had been and that maybe it would be our turn next year.

Yet as a ‘just turned 11 year old’ who had only known Cup wins and promotion, I still never
doubted that we would win. Then we equalised, or did we? I saw the ball hit the bar and little
else as the crowd surged forward, but the referee gave the goal.

Then with a few minutes left, an own goal by a Villa player made it 2-1. We held on until the
final whistle.

We had done it, we were promoted and we were in the First Division. Everyone was cheering
and shaking hands and I don’t remember any trouble with the Villa fans after the game.

We shook hands with some of them, while others wished us luck for the following Season.
I don’t recall seeing many QPR coaches or cars on the journey up there, maybe it was because
we had started off so early.

But on the journey back, I remember seeing loads of cars with scarves flying and a few of those
round fronted old fashioned coaches full of our fans. But when I think back to that day, one
memory stands out above all others..

Arriving back at the top of the Hendon Way (where it joins the Finchley Road), there were loads
of cars (it seemed like hundreds), stopped at the traffic lights and not moving as the lights c
hanged sequence a few times.

People were out of their cars, cheering and dancing in the road. It was brilliant, a perfect end
to a perfect day.

Steve Zico

And Alan Barnes wrote this for the Indy's website in 2008...

Writing about that great day in May 1968 was difficult for some reason.
The day seems to have become a memory blur for me and its not drink related!

I remember being on one of Daphne’s Supporters Club coaches
(the Victor of her day, only better looking) with some of my mates and like
everybody else, up for it.

Word got around that one bloke travelling was a Crystal Palace player and also
an R’s fan. Apparently he should have been with Palace that day but had thrown
a ‘sickie’ to be at Villa Park!

Like now, I didn’t drink in those days (it’s so hard to lie) so the next thing I recall
was being inside the Ground. QPR fans used to gather on the half way line at away
games in those days, as I did at Villa Park.

Three or four years earlier, ‘Ends’ and ‘Mobs’ had come about and on this great day
‘The Rangers Boys’ decided to take the Holte End. It seemed quite funny watching
Villa’s hoolies trying to sneak up the outside of the terracing only to be chased back
down again.

This seemed to go on forever but as the Ground filled up things eventually
began to settle down. The Holte End seemed to be half and half, mob wise
anyway.

With us on the halfway line was a fellow everybody called Elvis. He was dressed head
to toe in a sort of blue Sailor’s outfit.

He was one of those blokes who could get the fans going and he did it. In those days
the chanting was more simple then now. ‘Clap, Clap, Rangers Clap, Clap, Rangers’

Very easy but the clapping and chanting stopped when Villa took a shock lead. I remember
thinking why would they want to do that ? They have nothing to play for, why?

As the game went on, news came through that Blackpool, our rivals for second place, were
also losing. Half time came and still losing.

Things of course got better as Mick Leach equalised and during the 2nd half, a Rangers fan
went onto the pitch to tell Mike Kelly (Ron Springett wasn’t playing) that Blackpool were now
winning at Huddersfield.

Somehow word must have spread through the team and also to the Villa right back, the great
Keith Bradley, who eight minutes from time put the ball into his own net following a low cross
at the Holte End. I think the remaining eight minutes were the longest in my life.

Rumour has it that Rodney gave Bradley a kiss on the top of his head as he just sat there!

At the final whistle, Rangers fans invaded the pitch to hug and kiss the players and were trying
to get their shirts etc. I think I was also on the pitch but do you know that I’m not sure?

That blur again! My mate got the number 3 shirt off Alan Harris but for some mad reason he
cut it up and gave bits of it to other mates, mad or what!

Alan Barnes

From the Indy's Facebook group...

David Price
'What a day. M1 full of Rangers. I was taken by a couple of brummie coppers who
were friends of my uncle and got tickets. They said what's all the fuss about this bloke
Marsh.

Rodders duly obliged by beating 2 men knocking a great pass. I was 12, the Holt end was
full of our boys. Brilliant

Another memorable day so soon after the League Cup Final success.
We ended up on the halfway line and I can remember looking in awe at the size
of the Holte End which was standing in those days.

A game of mixed emotions finally delivered the ending we wanted and to achieve
promotion on the last day of the season made it a very special experience.