Ardiles and Villa.

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I was 9. But I think they used to say things like not to much is known about this team but their number 9 scored 40 goals for Red Star Belgrade, or something like that.

I would say apart from the really big stars not much was known. My knowledge: Argentina had a really good player with a ridiculous long perm , their stadiums were round shaped, and ticker tape was illegal and cheating.

I think most people in England just about knew who Ardiles was and no idea about Villa. I think I thought that we had to buy Villa to buy Ardiles, that it was some kind of con. I was only 9 though.
 
For me, without resorting to Google, the 1978 World Cup was all about ticker tape, Mario Kempes and a chain-smoking Argentinan manager. I do remember Ossie but don't remember much of Ricky.
It was a real coup though to get them, and they are real legends of our Club.
The less said about their home debut though, the better!
Its where my love affair (some might say obsession) with the Shredded Paper Stuff started!!
 
I don't think anyone knew who the fuck Villa was, I don't think he played a single minute. At the time it was reported that he was signed to babysit Ossie. Ossie was seen at the tournament as one of the best players behind the big stars of Kempes, Zico, Rivellio, Vogts, Zoff, Gentile, Dalgleish. I don't think Platini, Tardelli, Rummenigge were well known then. There was, of course, a massive interest in McQueen, Kennedy, Souness and Macari given the Utd and Liverpool thing and no England.
In Millenial terms, he was the Matty Etherington to Simon Davies,
...or if you prefer.... the Andy Reid to Michael Dawson!

...but I don't remember Andy Reid or Little Lord Etherington scoring the greatest Cup Final goal of all time...so Ricky's transfer probably worked out a LITTLE better overall!
 
I remember Villa absolutely flattening Joe Jordan at WHL in 1979. Jordan had been knocking our defenders about. Came over the halfway line with the ball...Ricky made a bee line for him and took him out with a savage swing of his right elbow. Argentinian football at its best. Poch would have been proud of him.
Could play a bit when he felt like it. Nowhere near Ossie though.
 
Jordan could certainly put it about. Smashing into Aleksic at Old Trafford in the replay of 1980, certainly springs to mind.
One of the best away trips though - thanks to Ossie's late curler.
 
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