Season #2 | 1880-81 | Games #3 - #6
AVFC History
Season #74
| 1962-63 |
Games #2736 - #2788 |
1962-63 Club Summary
Chairman | Christopher Buckley |
Secretary | Fred Archer |
Manager | Joe Mercer |
1962-63 Season Summary
Manager | Joe Mercer |
Games | #2736 - #2788 |
Captain(s) | #443 Vic Crowe |
Top Scorer | 22 | #479 Harry Burrows | 16 League | 2 FA Cup | 4 League Cup | Goals |
Most Appearances | 53 | #492 Charlie Aitken | 42 League | 3 FA Cup | 8 League Cup | Appearances |
Final League Position | 15th Football League Division One |
FA Cup Progress | 4th Round |
League Cup Progress | Runners Up |
Biggest Win | 6-1 vs. Peterborough United (h), League Cup |
Highest Home Attendance | 64,751 vs. Tottenham Hotspur |
1962-63 Division One Table
| 13 | Blackpool | P42 | W13 | D14 | L15 | F58 | A64 | GR 0.91 | Pts 40 |
| 14 | West Bromwich Albion | P42 | W16 | D7 | L19 | F71 | A79 | GR 0.90 | Pts 39 |
| 15 | Aston Villa | P42 | W15 | D8 | L19 | F62 | A68 | GR 0.91 | Pts 38 |
| 16 | Fulham | P42 | W14 | D10 | L18 | F50 | A71 | GR 0.70 | Pts 38 |
| 17 | Ipswich Town | P42 | W12 | D11 | L19 | F59 | A78 | GR 0.76 | Pts 35 |
1962-63 Results
| 1 | 18 Aug | h | West Ham United | W | 3-1 |
| 2 | 20 Aug | h | Tottenham Hotspur | W | 2-1 |
| 3 | 25 Aug | a | Manchester City | W | 2-0 |
| 4 | 29 Aug | a | Tottenham Hotspur | L | 2-4 |
| 5 | 1 Sep | h | Blackpool | D | 1-1 |
| 6 | 4 Sep | a | Arsenal | W | 2-1 |
| 7 | 8 Sep | a | Blackburn Rovers | L | 1-4 |
| 8 | 10 Sep | h | Arsenal | W | 3-1 |
| 9 | 15 Sep | h | Sheffield United | L | 1-2 |
| 10 | 22 Sep | a | Nottingham Forest | L | 1-3 |
| 11 | 24 Sep | h | Peterborough United (LC R2) | W | 6-1 |
| 12 | 29 Sep | h | Ipswich Town | W | 4-2 |
| 13 | 6 Oct | h | West Bromwich Albion | W | 2-0 |
| 14 | 13 Oct | a | Everton | D | 1-1 |
| 15 | 17 Oct | h | Stoke City (LC R3) | W | 3-1 |
| 16 | 20 Oct | h | Leyton Orient | W | 1-0 |
| 17 | 27 Oct | a | Birmingham City | L | 2-3 |
| 18 | 3 Nov | h | Fulham | L | 1-2 |
| 19 | 10 Nov | a | Sheffield Wednesday | D | 0-0 |
| 20 | 12 Nov | h | Preston North End | W | 6-2 |
| 21 | 17 Nov | h | Burnley | W | 2-1 |
| 22 | 24 Nov | a | Manchester United | D | 2-2 |
| 23 | 1 Dec | h | Bolton Wanderers | W | 5-0 |
| 24 | 3 Dec | h | Norwich City (LC QF) | W | 4-1 |
| 25 | 8 Dec | a | Leicester City | D | 3-3 |
| 26 | 15 Dec | a | West Ham United | D | 1-1 |
| 27 | 12 Jan | a | Sunderland (LC SF L1) | W | 3-1 |
| 28 | 16 Jan | a | Bristol City (FAC R3) | D | 1-1 |
| 29 | 19 Jan | h | Blackburn Rovers | D | 0-0 |
| 30 | 13 Feb | a | Liverpool | L | 0-4 |
| 31 | 7 Mar | h | Bristol City (FAC R3 Replay) | W | 3-2 |
| 32 | 9 Mar | a | Leyton Orient | W | 2-0 |
| 33 | 11 Mar | a | Manchester United (FAC R4) | L | 0-1 |
| 34 | 16 Mar | h | Birmingham City | W | 4-0 |
| 35 | 23 Mar | a | Fulham | L | 0-1 |
| 36 | 29 Mar | a | Blackpool | L | 0-4 |
| 37 | 1 Apr | h | Everton | L | 0-2 |
| 38 | 6 Apr | a | Burnley | L | 1-3 |
| 39 | 9 Apr | h | Manchester United | L | 1-2 |
| 40 | 13 Apr | h | Sheffield Wednesday | L | 0-2 |
| 41 | 15 Apr | a | Wolverhampton Wanderers | L | 1-3 |
| 42 | 16 Apr | h | Wolverhampton Wanderers | L | 0-2 |
| 43 | 20 Apr | a | Bolton Wanderers | L | 1-4 |
| 44 | 22 Apr | h | Sunderland (LC SF L2) | D | 0-0 |
| 45 | 1 May | a | Sheffield United | L | 1-2 |
| 46 | 4 May | h | Nottingham Forest | L | 0-2 |
| 47 | 8 May | h | Manchester City | W | 3-1 |
| 48 | 11 May | h | West Bromwich Albion | L | 0-1 |
| 49 | 15 May | h | Leicester City | W | 3-1 |
| 50 | 18 May | h | Liverpool | W | 2-0 |
| 51 | 21 May | a | Ipswich Town | D | 1-1 |
| 52 | 23 May | a | Birmingham City (LC Final L1) | L | 1-3 |
| 53 | 27 May | h | Birmingham City (LC Final L2) | D | 0-0 |
1962-63 Season Review
The season started well with strong wins in the opening 3 matches and despite some reversals the first 24 games bringing 14 wins and 4 draws, scoring 57 whilst conceding 34.
There were strong results too, 3-1, 6-1, 4-2, 3-1, 6-2, 5-0, 4-1.
By mid January Villa were in an unbeaten 11 game run with 5 wins and a crucial away victory in the League Cup Semi Final against Sunderland. An uncharacteristic 0-4 loss aside Villa carried on the wins and in mid March thrashed neighbours Birmingham City 4-0.
Then the trouble started, bizarrely Villa had to wait 3 months to play the second leg of the League Cup Semi Final against Sunderland and by that time they were in the middle of an astonishing run of 11 consecutive league defeats.
Villa were unrecognisable from the team they were a month previously and had slumped in the table at an alarming rate. March 23rd 1963 to May 4th 1963 was one of the most chastening periods in the history of Villa.
Three wins in 4 games and losing just once in the final 5 meant Villa recovered to 15th place but the run had been no preparation for the two-legged League Cup Final. Villa left themselves too much to do from the first leg and a 0-0 draw couldn't repeat the heroics of 2 seasons earlier. Villa would have to wait for their second League Cup trophy a little longer.
A season of much promise ultimately delivered so little.
1962-63 Season Statistics
Games | 53 |
Won | 21 | 40% |
Drew | 11 | 20% |
Lost | 21 | 40% |
Unbeaten | 32 | 60% |
Goals Scored | 89 | 1.68 Goals per game |
Goals Conceded | 81 | 1.53 Goals per game |
Clean Sheets | 11 | 21% |
Average Home Attendance | 29,184 |
Longest winning run | 3 Games |
League winning run | 3 Games |
Longest unbeaten run | 11 Games |
Longest losing run | 9 Games |
Games without a win | 12 Games |
1962-63 Transfers
1 July 1962 - 30 June 1963
Incoming | 7 |
#490 Alan Baker | Brierley Hill Schoolboys | Free | Aug 62 | 18 |
#499 Cammie Fraser | Dunfermline Athletic | £24,500 | Oct 62 | 21 |
#500 Phil Woosnam | West Ham United | £25,000 | Nov 62 | 29 |
#501 John Gavan | Walsall Wood | Free | Nov 62 | 22 |
#509 Graham Parker | Coventry and Warwickshire Schools | Free | May 63 | 16 |
#504 Tony Hateley | Notts County | £22,000 | 16 May 63 | 23 |
#516 Keith Bradley | Everton | Free | Jun 63 | 17 |
Outgoing | 7 |
#485 Fred Potter | Doncaster Rovers | Free | Jul 62 | 21 |
#498 Wilson Briggs | Falkirk | Free | Jul 62 | 20 |
#491 Alfie Hale | Doncaster Rovers | Free | 4 Jul 62 | 22 |
#456 Jimmy Dugdale | Queens Park Rangers | £6,000 | Oct 62 | 31 |
#476 John Neal | Southend United | Free | Nov 62 | 30 |
#488 Jimmy McMorran | Third Lanark | Free | Feb 63 | 20 |
#481 Norman Ashe | Rotherham United | £2,000 | Mar 63 | 19 |
1962-63 Squad Changes
Debut Appearances | 5 |
#499 Cammie Fraser | Monday, 12 November 1962 | Preston North End | League Cup | 21 |
#500 Phil Woosnam | Saturday, 1 December 1962 | Bolton Wanderers | Division One | 29 |
#501 John Gavan | Saturday, 23 March 1963 | Fulham | Division One | 23 |
#502 Lew Chatterley | Saturday, 4 May 1963 | Nottingham Forest | Division One | 18 |
#503 George Graham | Saturday, 18 May 1963 | Liverpool | Division One | 18 |
Final Appearances | 4 |
#476 John Neal | Saturday, 20 October 1962 | Leyton Orient | Division One | 30 |
#484 Alan O’Neill | Saturday, 24 November 1962 | Manchester United | Division One | 25 |
#498 Wilson Briggs | Monday, 1 April 1963 | Everton | Division One | 20 |
#493 Derek Dougan | Wednesday, 15 May 1963 | Leicester City | Division One | 25 |
1962-63 Squad Statistics
Squad Size | 24 | -3 |
Average Age | 24.0 | +0.5 |
Youngest Player(s) | 17 |
#502 Lew Chatterley | 15-Feb-1945
Oldest Player(s) | 33 |
#475 Jimmy MacEwan | 22-Mar-1929
1962-63 Scorers
Goals Scored | 89 | League Goals | 62 | FA Cup Goals | 4 | League Cup Goals | 23 |
| 22 |
`#479 Harry Burrows | Goals | 22 | League | 16 | FA Cup | 2 | League Cup | 4 |
| 18 |
#477 Bobby Thomson | Goals | 18 | League | 12 | FA Cup | 1 | League Cup | 5 |
| 14 |
#493 Derek Dougan | Goals | 14 | League | 9 | FA Cup | 0 | League Cup | 5 |
| 7 |
#475 Jimmy MacEwan | Goals | 7 | League | 6 | FA Cup | 0 | League Cup | 1 |
#490 Alan Baker | Goals | 7 | League | 4 | FA Cup | 1 | League Cup | 2 |
| 4 |
Own Goal | Goals | 4 | League | 4 | FA Cup | 0 | League Cup | 0 |
| 3 |
#471 Ron Wylie | Goals | 3 | League | 2 | FA Cup | 0 | League Cup | 1 |
#484 Alan O’Neill | Goals | 3 | League | 1 | FA Cup | 0 | League Cup | 2 |
| 2 |
#478 Alan Deakin | Goals | 2 | League | 2 | FA Cup | 0 | League Cup | 0 |
#497 Tommy Ewing | Goals | 2 | League | 0 | FA Cup | 0 | League Cup | 2 |
#443 Vic Crowe | Goals | 2 | League | 1 | FA Cup | 0 | League Cup | 1 |
#500 Phil Woosnam | Goals | 2 | League | 2 | FA Cup | 0 | League Cup | 0 |
| 1 |
#499 Cammie Fraser | Goals | 1 | League | 1 | FA Cup | 0 | League Cup | 0 |
#466 Gordon Lee | Goals | 1 | League | 1 | FA Cup | 0 | League Cup | 0 |
#503 George Graham | Goals | 1 | League | 1 | FA Cup | 0 | League Cup | 0 |
1962-63 Appearances
| 53 |
#492 Charlie Aitken | Appearances | 53 | League | 42 | FA Cup | 3 | League Cup | 8 | . Player Profile
| 50 |
#479 Harry Burrows | Appearances | 50 | League | 39 | FA Cup | 3 | League Cup | 8 | . Player Profile
| 47 |
#443 Vic Crowe | Appearances | 47 | League | 36 | FA Cup | 3 | League Cup | 8 | . Player Profile
| 44 |
#489 John Sleeuwenhoek | Appearances | 44 | League | 35 | FA Cup | 2 | League Cup | 7 | . Player Profile
| 43 |
#477 Bobby Thomson | Appearances | 43 | League | 34 | FA Cup | 3 | League Cup | 6 | . Player Profile
| 38 |
#490 Alan Baker | Appearances | 38 | League | 30 | FA Cup | 1 | League Cup | 7 | . Player Profile
| 34 |
#486 Geoff Sidebottom | Appearances | 34 | League | 25 | FA Cup | 3 | League Cup | 6 | . Player Profile
| 33 |
#493 Derek Dougan | Appearances | 33 | League | 28 | FA Cup | 1 | League Cup | 4 | . Player Profile
#478 Alan Deakin | Appearances | 33 | League | 27 | FA Cup | 3 | League Cup | 3 | . Player Profile
| 30 |
#466 Gordon Lee | Appearances | 30 | League | 24 | FA Cup | 1 | League Cup | 5 | . Player Profile
| 29 |
#500 Cammie Fraser | Appearances | 29 | League | 22 | FA Cup | 2 | League Cup | 5 | . Player Profile
| 26 |
#471 Ron Wylie | Appearances | 26 | League | 20 | FA Cup | 1 | League Cup | 5 | . Player Profile
| 24 |
#475 Jimmy MacEwan | Appearances | 24 | League | 19 | FA Cup | 3 | League Cup | 2 | . Player Profi
| 21 |
#501 Phil Woosnam | Appearances | 21 | League | 18 | FA Cup | 3 | League Cup | 0 | . Player Profile
| 19 |
#480 Mike Tindall | Appearances | 19 | League | 15 | FA Cup | 1 | League Cup | 3 | . Player Profile
| 16 |
#498 Tommy Ewing | Appearances | 16 | League | 13 | FA Cup | 0 | League Cup | 3 | . Player Profile
| 15 |
#457 Nigel Sims | Appearances | 15 | League | 13 | FA Cup | 0 | League Cup | 2 | . Player Profilele
| 7 |
#503 Lew Chatterley | Appearances | 7 | League | 6 | FA Cup | 0 | League Cup | 1 | . Player Profile
| 6 |
#484 Alan O’Neill | Appearances | 6 | League | 5 | FA Cup | 0 | League Cup | 1 | . Player Profile
| 4 |
#476 John Neal | Appearances | 4 | League | 4 | FA Cup | 0 | League Cup | 0 | . Player Profile
#502 John Gavan | Appearances | 4 | League | 4 | FA Cup | 0 | League Cup | 0 | . Player Profile
#504 George Graham | Appearances | 4 | League | 2 | FA Cup | 0 | League Cup | 2 | . Player Profile
| 2 |
#497 Ken Fencott | Appearances | 2 | League | 0 | FA Cup | 0 | League Cup | 2 | . Player Profile
| 1 |
#499 Wilson Briggs | Appearances | 1 | League | 1 | FA Cup | 0 | League Cup | 0 | . Player Profile
1962-63 'Keepers
#457 Nigel Sims | Appearances | 15 | Conceded | 17 | Ratio | 1.13 |
#486 Geoff Sidebottom | Appearances | 34 | Conceded | 56 | Ratio | 1.65 |
#501 John Gavan | Appearances | 4 | Conceded | 8 | Ratio | 2.00 |
1962-63 Managerial Record
Joe Mercer's fifth season as Villa manager delivered a second League Cup final in 3 years but a dramatic collapse in league form from mid March meant a 15th placed finish.
Mercer’s Villa had now achieved a win rate of 46%, losing 33% of their 236 League and FA Cup matches under his leadership.
As a result Mercer had returned 159 points per game* across his 236 games in charge of Villa. Mercer was ahead of Villa’s first professional manager Jimmy McMullan (1.24 in 99). as well as his predecessors Eric Houghton (1.31 in 250), George Martin (1.42 in 119), Alex Massie (1.56 in 227) and level with Jimmy Hogan (1.59 in 124) but was behind Billy Smith’s 1.62 across 364 games and George Ramsay’s performance of 1.69 across his 1,332 games.
*Rankings based on 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw in all competitions
1962-63 Kits
1962-63 Season Results
Game #2736
Matchday #1
League Matchweek #1
Manager Game #184
Saturday, 18 August 1962
Football League | Division One | Home | West Ham United | Villa Park | 37,000 |
Manager | Joe Mercer |
FT Result | Won |
FT Score | 3-1 |
Last 5 Games | WLLDW |
Scorers | Derek Dougan | 1 | Jimmy MacEwan | 1 | Bobby Thomson | 1 |
Line Up |
GK Nigel Sims |
FB Gordon Lee |
LB Charlie Aitken |
CH John Sleeuwenhoek |
WH Vic Crowe |
WH Alan Deakin |
OL Harry Burrows |
IF Bobby Thomson | GOAL |
OR Jimmy MacEwan | GOAL |
F Derek Dougan | GOAL |
IF Alan Baker |
Game #2737
Matchday #2
League Matchweek #2
Manager Game #185
Monday, 20 August 1962
Football League | Division One | Home | Tottenham Hotspur | Villa Park | 55,630 |
Manager | Joe Mercer |
FT Result | Won |
FT Score | 2-1 |
Last 5 Games | LLDWW |
Scorers | Derek Dougan | 2 |
Line Up |
GK Nigel Sims |
FB Gordon Lee |
LB Charlie Aitken |
CH John Sleeuwenhoek |
WH Vic Crowe |
WH Alan Deakin |
OL Harry Burrows |
IF Bobby Thomson |
OR Jimmy MacEwan |
F Derek Dougan | GOAL | GOAL |
IF Alan Baker |
Game #2738
Matchday #3
League Matchweek #3
Manager Game #186
Saturday, 25 August 1962
Football League | Division One | Away | Manchester City | Villa Park | 29,524 |
Manager | Joe Mercer |
FT Result | Won |
FT Score | 2-0 |
Last 5 Games | LDWWW |
Scorers | Harry Burrows | 1 | Bobby Thomson | 1 |
Line Up |
GK Nigel Sims |
FB Gordon Lee |
LB Charlie Aitken |
CH John Sleeuwenhoek |
WH Vic Crowe |
WH Alan Deakin |
OL Harry Burrows | GOAL |
IF Bobby Thomson | GOAL |
OR Jimmy MacEwan |
F Derek Dougan |
IF Alan Baker |
Game #2739
Matchday #4
League Matchweek #4
Manager Game #187
Wednesday, 29 August 1962
Football League | Division One | Away | Tottenham Hotspur | White Hart Lane | 55,650 |
Manager | Joe Mercer |
FT Result | Lost |
FT Score | 2-4 |
Last 5 Games | DWWWL |
Scorers | Derek Dougan | 1 | Alan Deakin | 1 |
Line Up |
GK Nigel Sims |
FB Gordon Lee |
LB Charlie Aitken |
CH John Sleeuwenhoek |
WH Vic Crowe |
WH Alan Deakin | GOAL |
OL Harry Burrows |
IF Bobby Thomson |
OR Jimmy MacEwan |
F Derek Dougan | GOAL |
IF Alan Baker |
Game #2740
Matchday #5
League Matchweek #5
Manager Game #188
Saturday, 1 September 1962
Football League | Division One | Home | Blackpool | Villa Park | 36,012 |
Manager | Joe Mercer |
FT Result | Drew |
FT Score | 1-1 |
Last 5 Games | WWWLD |
Scorers | Jimmy MacEwan | 1 |
Line Up |
GK Nigel Sims |
FB Gordon Lee |
LB Charlie Aitken |
CH John Sleeuwenhoek |
WH Vic Crowe |
WH Mike Tindall |
OL Harry Burrows |
IF Bobby Thomson |
OR Jimmy MacEwan | GOAL |
F Derek Dougan |
IF Alan Baker |
Game #2741
Matchday #6
League Matchweek #6
Manager Game #189
Tuesday, 4 September 1962
Football League | Division One | Away | Arsenal | Highbury | 33,861 |
Manager | Joe Mercer |
FT Result | Won |
FT Score | 2-1 |
Last 5 Games | WWLDW |
Scorers | Bobby Thomson | 2 |
Line Up |
GK Geoff Sidebottom |
FB John Neal |
LB Charlie Aitken |
CH John Sleeuwenhoek |
WH Vic Crowe |
WH Mike Tindall |
OL Harry Burrows |
IF Bobby Thomson | GOAL | GOAL |
IF Ron Wylie |
OR Jimmy MacEwan |
IF Alan Baker |
Game #2742
Matchday #7
League Matchweek #7
Manager Game #190
Saturday, 8 September 1962
Football League | Division One | Away | Blackburn Rovers | Ewood Park | 12,100 |
Manager | Joe Mercer |
FT Result | Lost |
FT Score | 1-4 |
Last 5 Games | WLDWL |
Scorers | Harry Burrows | 1 |
Line Up |
GK Geoff Sidebottom |
FB Gordon Lee |
LB Charlie Aitken |
CH John Sleeuwenhoek |
WH Vic Crowe |
WH Mike Tindall |
OL Harry Burrows | GOAL |
IF Bobby Thomson |
OR Jimmy MacEwan |
IF Alan Baker |
F Derek Dougan |
Game #2743
Matchday #8
League Matchweek #8
Manager Game #191
Monday, 10 September 1962
Football League | Division One | Home | Arsenal | Villa Park | 36,705 |
Manager | Joe Mercer |
FT Result | Won |
FT Score | 3-1 |
Last 5 Games | LDWLW |
Scorers | Harry Burrows | 1 (pen) | Jimmy MacEwan | 1 | Bobby Thomson | 1 |
Line Up |
GK Nigel Sims |
FB Gordon Lee |
FB John Neal |
LB Charlie Aitken |
CH John Sleeuwenhoek |
WH Vic Crowe |
OL Harry Burrows | GOAL |
IF Ron Wylie |
IF Bobby Thomson | GOAL |
OR Jimmy MacEwan | GOAL |
F Derek Dougan |
Game #2744
Matchday #9
League Matchweek #9
Manager Game #192
Saturday, 15 September 1962
Football League | Division One | Home | Sheffield United | Villa Park | 32,339 |
Manager | Joe Mercer |
FT Result | Lost |
FT Score | 1-2 |
Last 5 Games | DWLWL |
Scorers | Own Goal | 1 |
Line Up |
GK Nigel Sims |
FB Gordon Lee |
FB John Neal |
LB Charlie Aitken |
CH John Sleeuwenhoek |
WH Alan Deakin |
OL Harry Burrows |
IF Bobby Thomson |
IF Alan Baker |
OR Jimmy MacEwan |
F Derek Dougan |
Game #2745
Matchday #10
League Matchweek #10
Manager Game #193
Saturday, 22 September 1962
Football League | Division One | Away | Nottingham Forest | City Ground | 32,046 |
Manager | Joe Mercer |