Game #3386
Aston Villa
1-0-0, 2 PTS

Saturday, 21 August 1976
1st=
Last 5: ๐จ ๐จ ๐ฉ ๐ฉ ๐ฉ
GK John Burridge | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
RB John Gidman | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐ฅ |
CB Chris Nicholl | ๐ฌ๐ง |
FB John Robson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
FB Gordon Smith | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | ๐ข |
M Leighton Phillips | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ |
M Dennis Mortimer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
W Frank Carrodus | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
W Ray Graydon | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | โฝ | โฝ |
F Brian Little | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF Andy Gray | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | โฝ | โฝ |
Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982

Substitutes
No Substitutions Made
Unused Substitutes
M David T Hughes | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Yellow Cards (Warnings, Cautions, Bookings)
None
Red Cards (Ordered from Field of Play, Dismissals, Sendings Off)
None
Trophy Record
UEFA Cup Winners Cup: โ
League Champions: ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐
FA Cup Winners: ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐
League Cup Winners: ๐๐
Last Trophy: 1974-75
Matchday Squad
Goalkeepers
GK John Burridge | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Defenders
CB Chris Nicholl | ๐ฌ๐ง |
Full Backs
RB John Gidman | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
FB John Robson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
FB Gordon Smith | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
Midfielders
M Leighton Phillips | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ |
M Dennis Mortimer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M David T Hughes | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Wingers
W Frank Carrodus | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
W Ray Graydon | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Forwards
F Brian Little | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF Andy Gray | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
Unavailable
None
Team News
Ron Saunders hands Gordon Smith his debut.
Team Stats
Starting XI Average Age
| 25.15 |
Oldest Player |
CB Chris Nicholl | ๐ฌ๐ง | 29.88 |
Youngest Player |
CF Andy Gray | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | 20.74 |
Debut Appearances
๐ข RB Gordon Smith | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | #583 | ยฃ80,000 signing from St Johnstone
Final Appearances
None

Won
4-0
๐ฉ 21 Aug 1976, Villa 4-0 West Ham, Villa Park
Scorer(s) | Andy Gray | 49' | 75' | Ray Graydon | 54' | 60' (pen) |
Assist(s) | John Gidman | 49' |
Match Timeline
๐ข | 1โ Debut, Gordon Smith
๐ | HT Aston Villa 0-0 West Ham United
โฝ | 49โ Goal, 1-0, Andy Gray, Assist by John Gidman
โฝ | 54โ Goal, 2-0, Ray Graydon
โฝ | 60โ Goal, 3-0, Ray Graydon (pen)
โฝ | 75โ Goal, 4-0, Andy Gray
โ | 83โ Missed penalty, Ray Graydon
๐ | FT Aston Villa 4-0 West Ham United
Season | 1976-77 |
Matchday | #1 |
League Match | #1 |
Manager Game | #104 |
Saturday, 21 August 1976
Match Record
Game Record
Manager: Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Birkenhead, 1974-1982
Referee: Clive Thomas | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ | Treorchy, 1968โ1983
Kick off: 3.00pm
HT Score: ๐จ 0-0
FT Result: ๐ฉ Won
FT Score: ๐ฉ 4-0
Last 5: ๐จ ๐จ ๐ฉ ๐ฉ ๐ฉ
Officials
Referee: Clive Thomas | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ | Treorchy, 1968โ1983
Linesmen: B. Marchant (Hereford); D. A. Patten (Yateley)
Match Stats
Not recorded
Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982
๐ 104 | ๐ฉ | 46 ๐จ | 30 ๐ฅ 28 | 1.62
Villa Career Form:
Top 6

Division One
West Ham United
0-0-1, 0 PTS
Villa Park
Attendance: 39,012
GK Mervyn Day (ft) | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Bill Green | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Keith Coleman | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
D Tommy Taylor | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Frank Lampard | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Alan Curbishley (ft) | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Graham Paddon | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Billy Bonds | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Pat Holland | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Trevor Brooking | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
F Alan Taylor | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
John Lyall | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Substitutes
No Substitutions Made
Unused Substitutes
CB Mick McGiven | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Yellow Cards (Warnings, Cautions, Bookings)
None
Red Cards (Ordered from Field of Play, Dismissals, Sendings Off)
None
Opposition Trophy Record
UEFA Cup Winners Cup: ๐
League Champions: โ
FA Cup Winners: ๐๐
League Cup Winners: โ
Last Trophy: 1974-75
Opposition Matchday Squad
Goalkeepers
GK Mervyn Day (ft) | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Defenders
CB Bill Green | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Keith Coleman | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Mick McGiven | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
D Tommy Taylor | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Midfielders
M Frank Lampard | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Alan Curbishley (ft) | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Graham Paddon | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Billy Bonds | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Pat Holland | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Trevor Brooking | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Forwards
F Alan Taylor | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Opposition Unavailable
Not Recorded

Starting XI
Match Media
On This Day
Villa hammer the hammers on the opening day of the season as the European finalists of 1975-76 are taken apart.
Centre foreard Andy Gray ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ โฝ scores two and wins a penalty and winger Ray Graydon ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ hits a brace that could have been a โฝ hat-trick but for that missed spot kick.
Fulll back Gordon Smith ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ 22 makes his debut appearance in a Villa shirt after joining from St. Johnstone for a fee of ยฃ80,000 earlier this month.
Midfielder David Hughes ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ 18 makes his first appearance in the Villa squad.
Right back John Gidman ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ contributes his ๐ฅ 10th assist s in a Villa shirt on his ๐ 112th appearance.
What they Said
"They created just two half-chances. We made 11 or 12 real scoring opportunities.
โWe have been trying to become more solid than last season and we were today.
โWe got a lot of players around the ball to allow us to play the shorter stuff when we need to.
โIt gave us a lot more options an we didnโt give the ball away so much.โ
Ron Saunders.























