Aston Villa's 1966-67 season

<-1965-66

Season 78 | 1966-67

1967-68->

The Story of 1966-67

20 August 1966, Villa 1-1 Newcastle, Villa Park.

Villa open 1966-67 with a home draw in a lacklustre display that suggests another season of attrition awaits.

22 August 1966, Villa 0-1 Wednesday, Villa Park.

Villa suffer a chastening defeat in only their second game of the season as twenty minutes after the game a section of fans are still calling for heads to roll with “Buckley must go” resonating around an August evening in Aston as former player, now Director, Chris Buckley, is the subject of the fans ire.

27 August 1966, Villa 0-1 Arsenal, Highbury.

A week into the 1966-67 season under Dick Taylor and Villa are already in crisis; three games, one goal, two defeats, one point and 19th on goal average just ahead of a trio of pointless clubs propping up the foot of the table.

31 August 1966, Villa 0-2 Wednesday, Hillsborough.

Villa lose for the third successive game to leave them with one goal, one point and three defeats in their four first division matches under Dick Taylor to sit 20th, third from bottom in the table, one place above the relegation zone.

3 September 1966, Villa 3-0 Manchester City, Villa Park.

Villa manage three times as many goals in one game as they had scored in their previous four as they win for the first time in five games and for the first time this season. Villa climb to joint 17th in the table alongside Fulham and sit a point clear of the relegation places after five games under Dick Taylor.

5 September 1966, Villa 0-1 Southampton, Villa Park.

Villa deliver a second successive strong home performance but they cannot deliver the same result as two days previously as they lose for the fourth time in six League games, having failed to score in each of their defeats and fall back to 20th in the table.

10 September 1966, Villa 2-0 Blackpool, Bloomfield Road.

Villa record a desperately needed second win of the season as Dick Taylor’s side triumph at Bloomfield Road to collect their first away points of the season and sit joint 17th in the table, level with Sunderland, West Ham and Sheffield United, two points clear of the relegation places.

14 September 1966, League Cup, Villa 1-6 Albion, The Hawthorns.

Albion open the scoring from their seventh corner in the twelfth minute, hit two more before half time and add a further three in the second half either side of a consolation penalty from Tony Hateley to leave a humiliated Villa out of the League Cup to the holders.

17 September 1966, Villa 2-6 Chelsea, Villa Park.

Villa, 4-0 behind at half time, concede six for the second successive game as Bobby Tambling hits five for the visitors to leave Villa’s season at a new low and anger at the board reaching fever pitch. Villa sit 19th in the table, level on points with Sunderland and Sheffield United, one point above the relegation places. Meanwhile, helpful as ever, Tony Hateley makes his SIXTH transfer request.

24 September 1966, Villa 0-5 Leicester, Filbert Street.

Villa concede their seventeen goal in three games to make it seven defeats in ten games, a fifth game without scoring, and five points from a possibly eighteen to leave Dick Taylor’s hapless side 20th in the table and only out of the relegation places on goal average.

1 October 1966, Villa 2-3 Liverpool, Villa Park.

Villa concede their twentieth goal in four successive defeats as tedious Tony promises a seventh transfer request but doesn’t seem to have wondered why no-one is actually queuing up for his signature. Villa remain 20th in the table and out of the relegation places on goal average.

8 October 1966, Villa 3-0 Leeds, Villa Park.

Villa stop a run of four defeats and twenty goals conceded to keep a clean sheet and record their third win of the season. As a result, Villa climb to joint 18th alongside Sunderland and Albion one point clear of the relegation places. Such is the relief at a third win in twelve under Dick Taylor that the team receives a standing ovation from the crowd at the end of the game. Meanwhile in the tiresome saga of Tony Hateley, after his seventh transfer request and no takers, the desperate want away gets a lucky break as Chelsea’s Peter Osgood breaks his leg opening the way for a bid for Hateley as cover.

15 October 1966, Villa 1-2 Albion, The Hawthorns.

Villa lose to Albion and fall into the bottom two on goal average, meanwhile Albion court controversy after using their injury sub for the uninjured Hope.

22 October 1966, Villa 0-0 Sheffield United, Villa Park.

Villa secure their third point in six games to climb to joint nineteenth with Manchester City, one point clear of the relegation places.

29 October 1966, Villa 1-0 Tottenham, White Hart Lane.

Villa win at White Hart Lane for the first time in 32 years but goalscorer Lew Chatterley suffers a broken nose to join John Woodward on the sidelines after Tony Hateley at long last left the club. But it is Colin Withers who is the real hero as another show go goalkeeping excellence keeps Villa’s lead intact. Villa climb to joint 18th alongside Manchester City and Newcastle, one point above the relegation places.

5 November 1966, Villa 3-2 Albion, Villa Park.

Having been embarrassed in the League Cup by Albion earlier in the season, Villa’s utterly perplexing form under Dick Taylor surprises again as his charges race into a three goal lead and look like exacting like for like revenge on their neighbours. But two goals in the last minute threaten a dropped point before Villa hold out to climb to joint 16th alongside Arsenal, three points clear of the relegation places.

12 November 1966, Villa 1-5 Fulham, Craven Cottage.

Villa are hammered by second from bottom Fulham as the inexplicable vagaries of form under Dick Taylor continue to confound. Villa fall back to 18th in the table and are now just a point clear of the relegation places.

19 November 1966, Villa 1-1 Forest, Villa Park.

Villa recover from their mauling at the hands of Fulham to put on a bore draw with Forest. Villa remain 18th in the table but increase the gap to the relegation places to two points.

26 November 1966, Villa 2-4 Burnley, Turf Moor.

Villa are beaten by four goals from future centre forward And Lochhead and remain joint 18th with Albion, Fulham and Newcastle but they fall into the relegation places on goal average.

3 December 1966, Villa 2-1 Manchester United, Villa Park.

Villa record a surprise victory over League leaders Manchester United to climb out of the relegation places to joint 17th alongside Sunderland and Fulham two points clear of the drop after 19 games. The game though is notable for more appalling behaviour from Nobby Stiles.

10 December 1966, Villa 1-6 Stoke, Victoria Ground.

Villa concede five or more for the fifth time this season as they are destroyed by Stoke’s pensioners as former Villain Harry Burrows hits a hat-trick to leave Villa level with Sunderland in 18th but having played a game more to sit two points off the relegation places.

17 December 1966, Villa 3-0 Newcastle, St James' Park.

A week after being hammered by Stoke, Villa travel to St James’ Park and beat fellow strugglers Newcastle to climb back to 17th in the table, level on points with Fulham and four points clear of the relegation places. Villa though have played one more game than the club directly below them, Sunderland, who Villa now face in back to back games.

26 December 1966, Villa 1-2 Sunderland, Roker Park.

Villa are beaten at Roker Park by fellow strugglers Sunderland in the first of a double header. As a result Villa fall below Sunderland, who keep their game in hand, and sit three points clear of drop.

27 December 1966, Villa 2-1 Sunderland, Villa Park.

Villa win game two in the relegation match off against Sunderland to sit level on points with Manchester City in 17th who have played two games less than Dick Taylor’s side and five points clear of the relegation places.

31 December 1966, Villa 0-1 Arsenal, Villa Park.

Villa are hammered 1-0 by Arsenal and after 24 games Dick Taylor’s side remain joint 17th alongside Manchester City (22 games) and Sunderland (23 games) but Villa are placed 19th on goal average and remain five points clear of the relegation places.

1/45

Image Credit

Season Summary

Division	Final League Position	FA Cup Progress	EFL Cup Progress	Biggest Win
Division One	21st	4th Round	2nd Round	3-0 vs. Manchester City (h), Leeds (h), Division One

Top Scorer	Most Appearances	Most Starts
13 \| Lew Chatterley	45 \| Colin Withers	45 \| Colin Withers

Manager Summary

P: Games Played; W: Games Won; D: Games Drawn; L: Games Lost; PPG: Points per Game (3 Points for a win, 1 Point for a draw); CS%: Clean Sheet percentage; W%: Win Rate; L%: Loss Rate; U: Games Unbeaten; U% Unbeaten Rate.

From	To	Manager	P	W	D	L	U	W%	L%	U%	CS%	PPG
Ongoing	13 May 1967	Dick Taylor	45	12	7	26	19	27%	58%	42%	18%	0.96

Manager	Chairman	Chief Executive
Dick Taylor	Norman Smith	Fred Archer

Season Statistics

Pos: Final League Position; P: Games Played; W: Games Won; D: Games Drawn; L: Games Lost; F: Goals Scored; A: Goals Conceded; Pts: Final League Points; GD: Goal Difference (A-F); PPG: Points per Game (3 Points for a win, 1 Point for a draw); GR: Goal Ratio (F/A); GPG: Goals Scored per Game; CPG: Goals Conceded per Game; CS: Clean Sheets; CS%: Clean Sheet percentage; W%: Win Rate; L%: Loss Rate; U: Games Unbeaten; U% Unbeaten Rate.

Results - All Competitions

P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	GR	GPG	CPG	CS	CS%	W%	L%	U	U%	PPG
45	12	7	26	56	92	-36	0.61	1.24	2.04	8	6%	27%	58%	19	42%	0.96

Results - League

Pos	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts	GD	GPG	CPG	GR	CS	CS%	W%	L%	U%	PPG
21st	42	11	7	24	54	85	29	-31	1.29	2.02	0.64	7	17%	26%	57%	43%	0.95

Sequences

Wins in a Row	League Wins in a Row	Games Unbeaten	Games without a Win	Losing Run
2	2	3	9	4

League Table

Pos	Club	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Manchester United	42	24	12	6	84	45	39	60
2	Nottingham Forest	42	23	10	9	64	41	23	56
3	Tottenham Hotspur	42	24	8	10	71	48	23	56
4	Leeds United	42	22	11	9	62	42	20	55
5	Liverpool	42	19	13	10	64	47	17	51
6	Everton	42	19	10	13	65	46	19	48
7	Arsenal	42	16	14	12	58	47	11	46
8	Leicester City	42	18	8	16	78	71	7	44
9	Chelsea	42	15	14	13	67	62	5	44
10	Sheffield United	42	16	10	16	52	59	-7	42
11	Sheffield Wednesday	42	14	13	15	56	47	9	41
12	Stoke City	42	17	7	18	63	58	5	41
13	West Bromwich Albion	42	16	7	19	77	73	4	39
14	Burnley	42	15	9	18	66	76	-10	39
15	Manchester City	42	12	15	15	43	52	-9	39
16	West Ham United	42	14	8	20	80	84	-4	36
17	Sunderland	42	14	8	20	58	72	-14	36
18	Fulham	42	11	12	19	71	83	-12	34
19	Southampton	42	14	6	22	74	92	-18	34
20	Newcastle United	42	12	9	21	39	81	-42	33
21	Aston Villa	42	11	7	24	54	85	-31	29
22	Blackpool	42	6	9	27	41	76	-35	21

Matches

Select a row for detailed match reports

Competition	Date	Home		Away	W	D	L	Game
Division One	20 Aug 1966	Aston Villa	1-1	Newcastle United		D		2936
Division One	22 Aug 1966	Aston Villa	0-1	Sheffield Wednesday			L	2937
Division One	27 Aug 1966	Arsenal	1-0	Aston Villa			L	2938
Division One	31 Aug 1966	Sheffield Wednesday	2-0	Aston Villa			L	2939
Division One	3 Sep 1966	Aston Villa	3-0	Manchester City	W			2940
Division One	5 Sep 1966	Aston Villa	0-1	Southampton			L	2941
Division One	10 Sep 1966	Blackpool	0-2	Aston Villa	W			2942
League Cup 2nd Round	14 Sep 1966	West Brom	6-1	Aston Villa			L	2943
Division One	17 Sep 1966	Aston Villa	2-6	Chelsea			L	2944
Division One	24 Sep 1966	Leicester City	5-0	Aston Villa			L	2945
Division One	1 Oct 1966	Aston Villa	2-3	Liverpool			L	2946
Division One	8 Oct 1966	Aston Villa	3-0	Leeds United	W			2947
Division One	15 Oct 1966	West Brom	2-1	Aston Villa			L	2948
Division One	22 Oct 1966	Aston Villa	0-0	Sheffield United		D		2949
Division One	29 Oct 1966	Tottenham Hotspur	0-1	Aston Villa	W			2950
Division One	5 Nov 1966	Aston Villa	3-2	West Brom	W			2951
Divisio

Season #2 | 1880-81 | Games #3 - #6

AVFC History

133 Seasons, 33 Managers, 983 Players, 5,671 Matches, Only One Aston Villa

100% Oligarch and Human Rights Abuse free

Season 78 | 1966-67