Aston Villa's 1976-77 season

<-1975-76

Season 88 | 1976-77

1977-78->

The Story of 1976-77

21 August 1976, Villa 4-0 West Ham, Villa Park.

Villa hammer the hammers on the opening day of the season as the European finalists of 1975-76 are taken apart after Andy Gray scores two and wins a penalty and Ray Graydon hits a brace and could have had a hat-trick but for that missed spot kick.

25 August 1976, Villa 0-2 Manchester City, Maine Road.

Villa err after their opening day victory as an overly aggressive Manchester City side win out at Maine Road as Villa's defensive partnership of Chris Nicholl and Leighton Phillips have an uncharacteristic struggle against the physicality of the home side.

28 August 1976, Villa 2-0 Everton, Goodison Park.

Villa win a top flight away game for the first time since their return last season and the first time since beating Leeds in February 1967.

2 September 1976, League Cup, Villa 3-0 Manchester City, Villa Park.

Villa sweep aside the League Cup holders at Villa Park and gain revenge for their defeat at Maine Road two games earlier as Brian Little puts on a long overdue masterclass that his skills deserved. His first an acrobatic volley leaving the ‘keeper with no chance, his second simply sublime. Back to goal on the edge of the area, Little received the ball from Chris Nicholl, back heeled it, turned to set himself free and buried it past a helpless Corrigan.

4 September 1976, Villa 5-2 Ipswich, Villa Park.

Villa dispatch much fancied Ipswich in a devastating second half spell that sees a 19 minute hat-trick from 20 year old Andy Gray - Villa's first top flight league hat-trick since Tony Hateley in the 5-5 draw with Tottenham in March 1966.

11 September 1976, Villa 1-2 QPR, Loftus Road.

Andy Gray puts Villa ahead with his sixth goal of the season before a stunning QPR goal gives the home side the advantage, Villa recover to put pressure on Rangers defence through to the end but it's not enough to prevent a second defeat in six.

18 September 1976, Villa 1-2 Birmingham, Villa Park.

Villa prove their own worst enemies as John Burridge has nothing to do except pick two goals out of the net after two needless first half Villa mistakes from the normally dependable Chris Nicholl and Leighton Phillips whilst Villa miss their scoring opportunities to lose a second successive game and fall back to 8th in the first division table.

21 September 1976, League Cup, Villa 2-1 Norwich, Villa Park.

Lifted by Andy Gray’s brace and 17 year old Gordon Cowans’ full debut, Villa progress to the last 16 of the League Cup as they overcome the dreadful, smothering ‘football’ of John Bond’s Norwich.

25 September 1976, Villa 2-0 Leicester, Villa Park.

Villa climb back to 5th in the table after beating Leicester at Villa Park as Andy Gray scores for the fifth consecutive game as he nets his tenth goal of the season.

2 October 1976, Villa 0-1 Stoke, Victoria Ground.

Villa suffer at the hands of referee John Wrennall after four crucial interventions from the official robs Villa of victory and sends them down to defeat at the Victoria Ground. Villa had a John Gidman goal ruled out incorrectly for offside, then Andy Gray was pushed in the back in the area but no penalty was forthcoming, when Villa were awarded a penalty - for hand ball on the line - the referee allowed Peter Shilton's blatantly early dive to save Ray Graydon's accurate penalty. Then in the 70th minute Brian Little was about to shoot from six yards when he was tripped, then held by Alan Bloor yet again no penalty was given.

16 October 1976, Villa 1-0 Sunderland, Roker Park.

Villa survive a brutal Sunderland display to hold off and then beat the big spenders as Alex Cropley scores his first for the club.

20 October 1976, Villa 5-1 Arsenal, Villa Park.

Villa fall a goal behind to expensively assembled Arsenal before Dennis Mortimer equalises, Andy Gray wins a penalty and Villa turn on the style in the second half.

23 October 1976, Villa 3-1 Bristol City, Villa Park.

Villa go level on points with second placed Liverpool but ahead on goal difference as they again have to come from behind before another fine second half showing dispatches Bristol City as Chris Nicholl equalises, John Gidman scores the first headed goal of his career and Ray Graydon caps it off.

27 October 1976, League Cup, Villa 5-1 Wrexham, Villa Park.

Villa score their thirtieth goal in nine home games as they recover from a 7’ concession to hammer third division Wrexham, scoring five for the second time in three games. Villa put on the style as Frank Carrodus nets his first of the season to send Villa into the League Cup quarter finals once again.

30 October 1976, Villa 0-3 Liverpool, Anfield.

Level on points with Villa who are ahead on goal difference after the previous weekend’s matches, Liverpool are the hosts and Villa have them on the ropes until three goals in the final fifteen minutes deliver a misleading scoreline and leave Villa defeated for the first time in five after four successive wins.

6 November 1976, Villa 3-2 Manchester United, Villa Park.

Two mistakes, a missed header from Chris Nicholl and a slip by John Gidman, gift Manchester United two goals at Villa Park but Ron Saunders’ men don’t waver and put three past Alex Stepney to win the game despite playing nowhere nearer as well as in their three goal defeat to Liverpool last time out. Ron Saunders can celebrate his 43rd birthday as just 14 seconds into the second half, Andy Gray puts Villa ahead before scoring the winner on 54’ and Ray Graydon can even miss a penalty as Villa climb back to third in the table.

10 November 1976, Villa 1-1 Albion, The Hawthorns.

Albion, hammered 0-7 in their last match are once again overly aggressive yet are allowed far too much leniency by referee Ken Baker before they injure and force off Ray Graydon whilst even Andy Gray, on his fiftieth Villa appearance can’t break through.

20 November 1976, Villa 2-2 Coventry, Villa Park.

Two Chris Nicholl errors, following blunders against Manchester United and West Bromwich Albion cost Villa despite Coventry being swamped by another strong attacking performance from Villa.

27 November 1976, Villa 1-1 Norwich, Carrow Road.

Villa are held for the third successive game in a poor contest with John Bond's Norwich.

1 December 1976, League Cup, Villa 2-0 Millwall, Villa Park.

Andy Gray can’t score on his 21st birthday but Villa squeeze through to the League Cup semi final once again.

11 December 1976, Villa 3-1 Leeds, Elland Road.

Villa cruise past Leeds thanks to Andy Gray and Alex Cropley as Ron Saunders' youthful side show up their elders at Elland Road but a fortnight without a League game drops Villa to fifth.

15 December 1976, Villa 5-1 Liverpool, Villa Park.

Villa destroy reigning champions Liverpool, putting five past the entitled Anfield side in 44 first half minutes as they gain some revenge for the unjust scoreline in the reverse fixture the previous month. Not that being utterly outplayed twice in succession stopped Liverpool and their media followers blaming anything and everything but the excellence of Villa for their humiliation.

18 December 1976, Villa 2-1 Newcastle, Villa Park.

Villa record their fourth successive win but make more than usual heavy work of beating Newcastle to the points at Villa Park as John Deehan scores a crucial brace to keep Villa third in the table.

27 December 1976, Villa 2-3 Middlesbrough, Ayresome Park.

Villa lose to Middlesbrough for the first time in seven years and lose for the first time in nine this season as they are beaten at Ayresome Park in the final game of 1976. Despite a late rally that threatened a draw after David Hughes’ debut goal, Villa left too much to do after a suicidal first half performance.

1 January 1977, Villa 0-2 Manchester United, Old Trafford.

Not for the first time this season mistakes gift goals to the opposition and Manchester United are once again the beneficiaries as despite Villa’s second half ascendancy they fall to a second successive defeat.

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Image Credit

Season Summary

Division	Final League Position	FA Cup Progress	EFL Cup Progress	Biggest Win
Division One	4th	Quarter Final	Winners	5-1 vs. Liverpool (h), Arsenal (h), Wrexham (h) League Cup

Top Scorer	Most Appearances	Most Starts
29 \| Andy Gray	56 \| Brian Little	56 \| Brian Little

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	Ongoing	Ron Saunders	56	31	11	14	42	55%	25%	75%	36%	1.86

Manager	Chairman	Chief Executive
Ron Saunders	Sir William Dugdale	Alan Bennett

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
56	31	11	14	105	59	46	1.79	1.88	1.05	20	36%	55%	25%	42	75%	1.86

Results - League

Pos	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts	GD	GPG	CPG	GR	CS	CS%	W%	L%	U%	PPG
4th	42	22	7	13	76	50	51	26	1.81	1.19	1.52	12	29%	52%	31%	69%	1.74

Sequences

Wins in a Row	League Wins in a Row	Games Unbeaten	Games without a Win	Losing Run
4	4	8	4	2

League Table

Pos	Club	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Liverpool	42	23	11	8	62	33	29	57
2	Manchester City	42	21	14	7	60	34	26	56
3	Ipswich Town	42	22	8	12	66	39	27	52
4	Aston Villa	42	22	7	13	76	50	26	51
5	Newcastle United	42	18	13	11	64	49	15	49
6	Manchester United	42	18	11	13	71	62	9	47
7	West Bromwich Albion	42	16	13	13	62	56	6	45
8	Arsenal	42	16	11	15	64	59	5	43
9	Everton	42	14	14	14	62	64	-2	42
10	Leeds United	42	15	12	15	48	51	-3	42
11	Leicester City	42	12	18	12	47	60	-13	42
12	Middlesbrough	42	14	13	15	40	45	-5	41
13	Birmingham City	42	13	12	17	63	61	2	38
14	Queens Park Rangers	42	13	12	17	47	52	-5	38
15	Derby County	42	9	19	14	50	55	-5	37
16	Norwich City	42	14	9	19	47	64	-17	37
17	West Ham United	42	11	14	17	46	65	-19	36
18	Bristol City	42	11	13	18	38	48	-10	35
19	Coventry City	42	10	15	17	48	59	-11	35
20	Sunderland	42	11	12	19	46	54	-8	34
21	Stoke City	42	10	14	18	28	51	-23	34
22	Tottenham Hotspur	42	12	9	21	48	72	-24	33

Matches

Select a row for detailed match reports

Competition	Date	Home		Away	W	L	Game
Division One	21 Aug 1976	Aston Villa	4-0	West Ham United	W		3428
Division One	25 Aug 1976	Manchester City	2-0	Aston Villa		L	3429
Division One	28 Aug 1976	Everton	0-2	Aston Villa	W		3430
League Cup 2nd Round	1 Sep 1976	Aston Villa	3-0	Manchester City	W		3431
Division One	4 Sep 1976	Aston Villa	5-2	Ipswich Town	W		3432
Division One	11 Sep 1976	Queens Park Rangers	2-1	Aston Villa		L	3433
Division One	18 Sep 1976	Aston Villa	1-2	Birmingham City		L	3434
League Cup 3rd Round	21 Sep 1976	Aston Villa	2-1	Norwich City	W		3435
Division One	25 Sep 1976	Aston Villa	2-0	Leicester City	W		3436
Division One	2 Oct 1976	Stoke City	1-0	Aston Villa		L	3437
Division One	16 Oct 1976	Sunderland	0-1	Aston Villa	W		3438
Division One	20 Oct 1976	Aston Villa	5-1	Arsenal	W		3439
Division One	23 Oct 1976	Aston Villa	3-1	Bristol City	W		3440
League Cup 4th Round	27 Oct 1976	Aston Villa	5-1	Wrexham	W		3441
Division One	30 Oct 1976	Liverpool	3-0	Aston Villa		L	3442
Division One	6 Nov 1976	Aston Villa	3-2	Manchester United	W		3443
Division One	10 Nov 1976	West Brom

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

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Season 88 | 1976-77