SIX HAS UNITED’S NUMBER
Aston Villa 3 Man Utd 0
Withe 20, Evans 25
Rideout 55 Att: 37,131
First Division, October 6, 1984
BY
MANCHESTER UNITED were unstoppable at the start of the 1984-85 season – until they ran into a certain French winger at Villa Park.
Didier Six was known to fans around the world having played for France in the 1978 and 1982 World Cups and helped them be crowned European champions in 1984.
So it was huge news when he turned up at Villa on a loan deal from French side Mulhouse, until the end of the season.
English football hadn’t seen a Frenchman since Josef Praski played for Notts County in 1949 – and at 29, Six was considered in his prime.
Graham Turner, appointed as Villa boss during the summer, somehow convinced Six the best place for him for the next few months was at a side struggling in the bottom half of the English top flight.
There was huge interest in his debut against United – two points off the top of the table - and his duel with United right-back Mike Duxbury.
Turner knew Six wasn’t fully match fit and the Frenchman said years later: “I needed to be clever to not get into contact with Duxbury because I wasn’t ready physically.
“I only had one goal: play simply and clean to gain confidence. Then I tried four or five dribbles.”
United boss Ron Atkinson had spent £1.5million bringing Gordon Strachan, Alan Brazil and Jesper Olsen to Old Trafford during the summer, but they were no match for a Villa side inspired by Steve McMahon and Six.
Six set up Villa’s opener after 20 minutes. Gordon Cowans spotted his run and sent him racing away from Duxbury. The Frenchman reached the ball just before it went out and deftly lifted his cross onto the head of the unmarked Peter Withe around six yards out.
Villa were 2-0 up at the break after Withe nodded down for Allan Evans to try his luck from the edge of the penalty area. With a crowded goalmouth, keeper Gary Bailey saw the ball too late to keep it out.
Withe teed up Villa’s third, heading down Cowans’ corner to Paul Rideout and he was able to scoop his shot over Bailey. Six returned to France at the end of the season having scored twice in 15 league games.