Aston Villa’s premier league title chasers were given an idea of the angry backlash they could expect it their high standards faltered. Ron Atkinson’s men continued their championship quest against relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest later that week and the manager blasted his Pontin’s league side for their 3-1 defeat by Forest’s reserves.
He ordered the players to report for extra training with the ominous comment “We shall have words.” The Villa boss was annoyed that his youngsters failed to apply themselves on a night when they could have gone top of the Pontin’s League.
Ron Atkinson said “I don’t mind being beaten. But we weren’t as competitive as we should have been. Perhaps it made a big difference having three of the regular back four away on international duty but we rolled over too easily. I don’t like to see us lie down, which is what we did last night.”
