Villa have their crucial final game of the season with Sheffield United scheduled for Friday 10 April postponed whilst Preston lose to Blackpool on Sunday 12 April. Villa win the rescheduled game on Monday 13 April and as a result climb off the bottom level on points with Charlton who play Bristol City on Tuesday 14 April. Villa’s season is over after Vic Crowe delivered four wins, four draws and eight defeats in sixteen games to add twelve points to the total of seventeen achieved by Crowe’s predecessor Tommy Docherty (four wins in twenty six games). Charlton win their match with Bristol City to relegate Villa who finish the season 21st in the table and facing a season in the third tier of English football for the first time. Unsurprisingly there was no sign of a “Bring back Docherty” petition.

Vic Crowe's Villa make it one defeat in the final five games with three wins and end their campaign still in the second division having done their part in winning the final two fixtures. As a result Villa had recorded four wins, four draws and eight defeats in Crowe's sixteen games in charge and end the season with eight wins, thirteen draws and twenty one defeats scoring 28 goals and conceding 62. Villa however were set to learn their fate as Preston North End’s loss to Blackpool means they now must lose to Cardiff on Monday, 20 April whilst Charlton Athletic must lose to Bristol City if Villa are to avoid relegation. --- Monday, 13 April 1970 Charlton Athletic beat Bristol City to send Villa down to the third tier of English football for the first time in their history. --- Tuesday, 14 April 1970 Barry Hole, 27, quits football to work at his father’s newsagents in Swansea following Villa’s relegation --- Monday, 20 April 1970 Preston North End finally play their last game of the season and lose to Cardiff. As a result Villa finish second from bottom of Division Two having taken up permanent residence at the foot of the table for much of the season under the woeful reign of Tommy Docherty before Vic Crowe’s Villa’s valiant end of season fightback.