Game #3007
Aston Villa
3-8-12, 14 PTS

Saturday, 14 December 1968
22nd (-)
Last 5: 🟥 🟩 🟥 🟨 🟥
GK John Dunn | 🏴 |
RB Mick Wright | 🏴 |
CB Fred Turnbull | 🏴 |
CB Dick Edwards | 🏴 | ⚽ |
LB Charlie Aitken | 🏴 |
M John Chambers | 🏴 | 🔴 |
M Willie Anderson | 🏴 |
M Mike Ferguson | 🏴 |
M Lionel Martin | 🏴 | ⚽ |
F Brian Godfrey | 🏴 | 🔥 |
F Peter Broadbent | 🏴 |
Arthur Cox | 🏴 |

Substitutes:
No Substitutions Made
Unused Substitutes:
CF John Woodward | 🏴 |
None
League Champions: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆
FA Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆🏆
League Cup Winners: 🏆
Last Trophy: 1960-61
Matchday Squad:
None
John Chambers replaces Alan Deakin.
Starting XI Average Age
| 24.96 |
Oldest Player |
F Peter Broadbent | 🏴 | 35.61 |
Youngest Player |
M John Chambers | 🏴 | 19.20 |
There is no change at the bottom of the table as Villa and Fulham both lose to remain two points from safety.
Meanwhile the self styled saviours of Villa, led by Pat Matthews, seem to promise a future of controversy as directorships are allegedly offered around in exchange for investment. This leads to suggestions of uncertainty over the capital claimed to have been available in the ‘take-over’. One such ‘invited’ party is a travel agent and Birmingham City director named Herbert Douglas Ellis who confirms he will be Chairman. Meanwhile Matthews is accused of intending to parachute in a manager, Tommy Docherty, without the usual process.
Arthur Cox's caretaker spell ends as Villa now have just three wins in the last twenty eight games and make it three wins, eight draws and twelve defeats in twenty three division two games so far this season.
Meanwhile, midfielder John Chambers made his second and final appearance aged 19 before moving on to Southend United in July 1969. --- Wednesday, 18 December 1968 Tommy Docherty is announced as the new Villa manager.

Lost
2-4
🟥 14 Dec 1968, Villa 2-4 Palace, Selhurst
Scorer(s) | Lionel Martin | 75' | Dick Edwards | 88' |
Assist(s) | Brian Godfrey | 75' |
Match Timeline:
🕒 | HT Crystal Palace 0-0 Aston Villa
🥅 | 47’ Goal, 0-1, (Crystal Palace), Colin Taylor
🥅 | 61’ Goal, 0-2, (Crystal Palace), Tony Taylor
⚽ | 75’ Goal, 1-2, Lionel Martin, Assist by Brian Godfrey
🥅 | 78’ Goal, 1-3, (Crystal Palace), Roger Hoy
🥅 | 86’ Goal, 1-4, (Crystal Palace), Colin Taylor
⚽ | 88’ Goal, 2-4, Dick Edwards
🕒 | FT Crystal Palace 4-2 Aston Villa
Season | 1968-69 |
Matchday | #24 |
League Match | #23 |
Manager Game | #5 |
Saturday, 14 December 1968

Manager: Arthur Cox (Caretaker) | 🏴 | Southam, 1968
Referee: Tom Reynolds | 🏴 | Swansea, 1968-1977
Kick off: 3.00pm
HT Score: 🟨 0-0
FT Result: 🟥 Lost
FT Score: 🟥 2-4
Last 5: 🟥 🟩 🟥 🟨 🟥
Referee: Tom Reynolds | 🏴 | Swansea, 1968-1977
Not recorded
Debut Appearances:
None
Final Appearances:
🔴 M John Chambers | 🏴 | 1968 🕒 2 | ✅ 1 🔁 (1) | ⚽ 0 | 🔥 0 | 🇺 0 | #530 |
Arthur Cox | 🏴 |
🕒 5 | 🟩 | 1 🟨 | 1 🟥 3 | 0.80
Villa Career Form:
Relegation
Referee:
VAR (from 2021)
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Division Two
Crystal Palace
12-4-7, 28 PTS

Selhurst Park
Attendance: 11,071
GK John Jackson | 🏴 |
RB John Sewell | 🏴 |
CB John McCormick | 🏴 |
CB Mel Blyth | 🏴 |
LB John Loughlan | 🏴 |
LB Tony Taylor | 🏴 | ⚽ |
M Roger Hoy | 🏴 | ⚽ |
M Steve Kember | 🏴 |
M Bobby Woodruff | 🏴 |
W Mark Lazarus | 🏴 |
W Colin Taylor | 🏴 | ⚽ | ⚽ |
Bert Head | 🏴 |

Substitutes:
No Substitutions Made
Unused Substitutes:
LB Jim Oliver | 🏴 |
None
League Champions: ❌
FA Cup Winners: ❌
League Cup Winners: ❌
Last Trophy: ❌
Matchday Squad:
Not Recorded

"The present board will resign when I want them to.
I have not decided yet how many of the present board will remain."
Pat Matthews sounding worryingly dictatorial.
---
"If Mr. Matthews thinks he can play the power game with us, he is wrong.
"I should think new directors would want to choose their own men.
"They wouldn't want a certain person thrust down their throats. I am not criticising Tommy Docherty. simply the method of doing it.
"In this Association Mr. Matthews is dealing with people who fought for years for shares out of sheer love of the club."
Fred Foster. secretary of Aston Villa Shareholders' Association
---
“If my fellow Birmingham City directors give me their blessing I will begin to investigate the various commitments of Aston Villa together with all the other circumstances surrounding this unusual situation.
"Hundreds of people have been trying to persuade me to take this position in recent weeks, but I have not solicited the office. I have been invited."
Travel agent Herbert Douglas Ellis appears on the Villa scene for the first time.

Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. With thanks to Reach PLC. Digitised by Findmypast Newspaper Archive Limited. All rights reserved. Source: British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)