Aston Villa’s most reliable barometer as to how they are faring - their staunch band of fans - remained reasonably quiet and placid for most of a rather undistinguished 90 minutes.

They neither blew hot nor cold as Villa kept up their promotion challenge with a fifth successive home victory to prove that everything “set fair” on their soccer horizon.

It was admittedly, a pretty ordinary performance against injury hit Blackpool, but significantly, the crowd of of 23,763 - Villa’s best in the League this season and the top Midland attendance of the day - seemed more than happy.

Six months ago they might have booed and jeered the sort of display they witnessed on Saturday.

The difference now is that Villa are winning.

Apart from a sharp 29th minute header from 19-year old Micky Walsh. which flashed past the post, Villa never looked in any danger against a Blackpool outfit that played with four defenders plus a sweeper.

The fans satisfaction is not difficult to understand.

New manager Ron Saunders has whipped up fresh enthusiasm in his players and added the skills and high work-rate of Frank Carrodus and Leighton Phillips to the midfield.

Ray Graydon has also hit his best form his since his arrival four seasons ago and he took his 12th goal of the campaign with the air and grace befitting the League’s leading marksman.

His goal came 24 seconds into the second half with Charlie Ai!ken chipping a free flick into Blackpool’s penalty area.

Sammy Morgan took sweeper Peter Suddaby out of the action and there was Graydon unmarked at the far post to head home.

A flare-up 10 minutes from time soured their victory somewhat with Graydon receiving his second booking of the season as Guildford referee Malcolm Sinclair appeared to completely misread the winger’s intentions.

Graydon, quite rightly, had become incensed seconds earlier when Sinclair had only booked Blackpool full back Bill Bentley after he had deliberately walked over the prostrate Morgan.

Bentley could have been sent off but Sinclair thought otherwise, and after seeing Graydon shoulder charge the full-back and then kick the ball away from John Evanson for a throw in, decided to bring his book out to the winger as well.

Sinclair indicated that Graydon had kicked Evanson — but it did not look like that to anyone else in the ground.