Aston Villa last night completed the £100,000 signing of Welsh international midfield player Leighton Phillips, from Cardiff City, to signal what could be another major spending spree as Villa go for promotion to the First Division.

Ron Saunders. Villa’s manager, said after completing the signing:

“I think he will both help in the development of the side and help our forwards to score more goals.”

Saunders, who could face criticism for not signing a striker, said:

“Any manager today will sign good players when they become available.

”Leighton came on the market and I was only Inn eager to sign him without too much bother.

”I have always believed that the best way to improve any side is by bolstering the midfield department, and this boy will do just that for us.”

Villa chairman Doug Ellis. who was present at the signing, hinted that, although funds were running low, further money could be made available for new signings.

Villa are intent on making their centenary year a promotion affair and despite a fall in attendances, the board are anxious to assist Saunders.

Phillips, who Is 24 and has won ten Welsh International caps, said “I knew last Thursday that I might be moving to Villa shortly.

”The Cardiff team manager, Jimmy Andrews, purposely left me out of the squad for the European Cup Winners Cup match In Hungary and I was told to report to Villa Park on Monday.

”I read that Liverpool were showing Interest in me, but really my heart was made up about joining Villa if the terms were right.

”I dismissed reports about Liverpool’s interest as newspaper talk, having already been genuinely informed that Villa wanted to sign me.

”They are a great club and I don’t have to talk about their potential.

”Former Aston Villa player, Willie Anderson, who was a great buddy of mine at Cardiff convinced me that I could do no wrong by signing for them.

”Ever since I heard of Villa’s interest I have been checking on results closely and I feel that Villa could easily win promotion.”

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*Birmingham Daily Post*
Monday, 16 September 1974

Aston Villa forget about their bread and butter By KEIR RADNEDGE

Bristol Rovers, the filling in the Everton sandwich, were clearly not to Villa’s taste on Saturday.

Perhaps Villa were suffering some reaction from last week’s efforts, or had their sights too firmly fixed on Wednesday’s League Cup replay.

Either way the result was disappointing for manager Ron Saunders.

In the first half Villa played as if one point would be enough with some excellent covering in defence but little force in attack.

Strangely it was in the second half, when they did try to apply some pressure, that Alan Warboys scored the goals which beat them - Villa’s first defeat against Ravers in nine matches since 1960.

The spectators probably enjoyed the match. Saunders understandably. did not. But not Just because of the score.

“Both teams were giving the bail away too much in midfield.” he said. “That may be all right for the public, but not for the professionals”

Rovers’ manager, Don Megson, agreed with the assessment, though he thought his own team more to blame than Villa for wasting possession.

Saunders was upset also about the decision of referee Alan Robinson which led to the first goal after 55 minutes.

Gordon Fearnley broke through the centre of the Villa defence and finished up with his face on the penally spot.

Referee Robinson ruled obstruction against John Robson and awarded Rovers an indirect free kick inside the box.

If it had been a foul, it surely had to be a penalty.

But Megson did not need to argue the point later. Tom Stanton rolled the ball back for Warboys to drive it home.

The shot took a deflection, but I doubt whether goalkeeper Graham Moseley would have reached it anyway.

What made the goal doubly unfortunate was that Rovers had ‘practised’ that set piece in the first half - Warboys shooting narrowly wide after Moseley had been penalised for overstepping.

The goalkeeper was solely to blame for the second goal five minutes from time.

Fearnley side-stepped John Gidman and shot. Moseley caught the ball, but allowed it to bounce off his chest and back through his hands. Warboys could not miss.

It was a sad return for Ray Graydon. the former Rovers winger.

His direct opponent, 19-year-old debutant Phil Bater, played him out of the game until a groin injury forced Megson into a substitution on the hour.

Graydon was the subject of the crowd’s jeers after an ill tempered exchange with Fearnley in the frustrating, dying minutes.