Game #3394
Aston Villa
4-0-3, 8 PTS

Saturday, 25 September 1976
5th= (+3)
Last 5: ๐ฉ ๐ฅ ๐ฅ ๐ฉ ๐ฉ
GK John Burridge | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
RB John Gidman | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Chris Nicholl | ๐ฌ๐ง |
FB Gordon Smith | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
M Leighton Phillips | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ |
M Dennis Mortimer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Alex Cropley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | ๐ข |
W Frank Carrodus | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
W Ray Graydon | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | โฝ |
F Brian Little | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐ฅ |
CF Andy Gray | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | โฝ |
Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982

Substitutes
No Substitutions Made
Unused Substitutes
FB John Robson | 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
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 ง ๓ ฟ |
M Alex Cropley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ 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 Alex Cropley his debut in place of Gordon Cowans.
Team Stats
Starting XI Average Age
| 25.20 |
Oldest Player |
CB Chris Nicholl | ๐ฌ๐ง | 29.98 |
Youngest Player |
CF Andy Gray | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | 20.84 |
Debut Appearances
๐ข M Alex Cropley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | #584 | ยฃ125,000 signing from Arsenal
Final Appearances
None

Won
2-0
๐ฉ 25 Sep 1976, Villa 2-0 Leicester, Villa Park
Scorer(s) | Ray Graydon | 13' (pen) | Andy Gray | 82' |
Assist(s) | Brian Little | 82' |
Match Timeline
๐ข | 1โ Debut, Alex Cropley
โฝ | 13โ Goal, 1-0, Ray Graydon (pen)
๐ | HT Aston Villa 1-0 Leicester City
โฝ | 82โ Goal, 2-0, Andy Gray, Assist by Brian Little
๐ | FT Aston Villa 2-0 Leicester City
Season | 1976-77 |
Matchday | #9 |
League Match | #7 |
Manager Game | #112 |
Saturday, 25 September 1976
Match Record
Game Record
Manager: Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Birkenhead, 1974-1982
Referee: David Richardson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Blackburn, 1973-1984
Kick off: 3.00pm
HT Score: ๐ฉ 1-0
FT Result: ๐ฉ Won
FT Score: ๐ฉ 2-0
Last 5: ๐ฉ ๐ฅ ๐ฅ ๐ฉ ๐ฉ
Officials
Referee: David Richardson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Blackburn, 1973-1984
Linesmen: M. Beaman (Barton-u-Needwood); K. Cooper (Pontypridd)
Match Stats
Not recorded
Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982
๐ 112 | ๐ฉ | 51 ๐จ | 30 ๐ฅ 31 | 1.63
Villa Career Form:
Top 6

Division One
Leicester City
0-6-1, 6 PTS
Villa Park
Attendance: 36,652
GK Mark Wallington | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
LB Dennis Rofe | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Jeff Blockley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
D Alan Woollett | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
D Stephen Whitworth | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Steve Kember | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Jon Sammels | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Keith Weller | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
F Steve Earle | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF Bob Lee | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF Chris Garland | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Jimmy Bloomfield | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Substitutes
No Substitutions Made
Unused Substitutes
M Alan Birchenall | 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
League Champions: โ
FA Cup Winners: โ
League Cup Winners: ๐
Last Trophy: 1963-64
Opposition Matchday Squad
Goalkeepers
GK Mark Wallington | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Defenders
CB Jeff Blockley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
D Alan Woollett | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
D Stephen Whitworth | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Full Backs
LB Dennis Rofe | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Midfiedlers
M Steve Kember | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Jon Sammels | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Alan Birchenall | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Keith Weller | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Forwards
F Steve Earle | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF Bob Lee | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF Chris Garland | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Opposition Unavailable
Not Recorded

Starting XI
Match Media
On This Day
Villa climb back to 5th in the table after beating Leicester at Villa Park as centre forward Andy Gray ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ โฝ scores for the fifth consecutive game and โฝ nets his tenth goal of the season.
Villa ๐ฉ win for the first time in three League games to make it ๐ฉ four wins and ๐ฅ three defeats in seven division one games this season.
Midfielder Alex Cropley ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ 25 makes his ๐ debut appearance in a Villa shirt after joining from Arsenal for a fee of ยฃ125,000 on 21 September 1976 to become the 584th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.
What they Said
โWhen you consider that he [Alex Cropley on debut] has done very little training this week and this in fact was only his second full game in a month, I was very pleased with him.
โHe helped us to tighten things up considerably in the middle.
โMidfield is probably the most difficult of all positions in which to play, especially for a newcomer to a side, but he settled down quickly.
โWe he is fully match fit he will make and even bigger contribution than he did today.โ
Ron Saunders.



























