On this day in 1982, Aston Villa were celebrating their European Cup triumph, but the trophy went missing from a pub near Tamworth, only to be found at a police station in Sheffield, where officers posed for photos.
The Theft and Recovery
On May 27, 1982, the day after Aston Villa's 1-0 victory over Bayern Munich in Rotterdam, the European Cup was stolen from the Fox Inn pub near Tamworth, where players were celebrating. A fellow drinker, upset by some players, took the cup from a table and drove it to Sheffield, where he had been a student. After a pang of conscience, he handed it to police.
Police Photos and Impromptu Match
Duty Sergeant Peter Darling recalled that officers wanted pictures with the trophy but had no cameras, so they called in a scenes-of-crime officer. They also reportedly played an impromptu match for the cup.
Former Fox Inn landlord John Bayliss, a Birmingham City fan, said Villa players were regulars at the pub. He remembered the cup being passed around before a man took it outside for a photo and never returned. Police were called, and the cup was recovered in Sheffield around 3 am.
West Midlands Police retrieved the trophy, and the culprit was released without charge.
