Game #3407
Aston Villa
10-3-5, 23 PTS

Wednesday, 15 December 1976
3rd= (+2)
Last 5: ๐จ ๐จ ๐ฉ ๐ฉ ๐ฉ
GK Jake Findlay | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
CB Charlie Young | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
RB John Gidman | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐ฅ |
FB John Robson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐ฅ |
M Leighton Phillips | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ |
M Alex Cropley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
M Dennis Mortimer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐ฅ | ๐ฅ |
W Frank Carrodus | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
F Brian Little | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | โฝ |
F John Deehan | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | โฝ | โฝ |
CF Andy Gray | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | โฝ | โฝ |
Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982

Substitutes
๐ | LB Mick Buttress | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐ข | for M Alex Cropley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | 54' |
Unused Substitutes
None
Yellow Cards (Warnings, Cautions, Bookings)
None
Red Cards (Ordered from Field of Play, Dismissals, Sendings Off)
None
Trophy Record
UEFA Cup / Europa League: โ
League Champions: ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐
FA Cup Winners: ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐
League Cup Winners: ๐๐
Last Trophy: 1974-75
Matchday Squad
Goalkeepers
GK Jake Findlay | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
Defenders
CB Charlie Young | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Full Backs
RB John Gidman | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
FB John Robson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
FB Mick Buttress | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Midfielders
M Leighton Phillips | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ |
M Alex Cropley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
M Dennis Mortimer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Wingers
W Frank Carrodus | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Forwards
F Brian Little | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
F John Deehan | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF Andy Gray | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
Unavailable
Injury | 3 |
W Ray Graydon | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
GK John Burridge | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Chris Nicholl | ๐ฌ๐ง |
Team News
Ron Saunders names an unchanged line up.
Team Stats
Starting XI Average Age
| 23.60 |
Oldest Player |
W Frank Carrodus | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 27.56 |
Youngest Player |
CB Charlie Young | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 18.85 |
Debut Appearances
๐ข LB Mick Buttress | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | #586 | Youth team promotion
Final Appearances
None
On This Day
Villa destroy reigning champions Liverpool, putting five past the entitled Anfield side in 44 first half minutes as they gain some revenge for the unjust scoreline in the reverse fixture the previous month.
Not that being utterly outplayed twice in succession stopped Liverpool and their media followers blaming anything and everything but the excellence of Villa for their humiliation.
Ron Saunders' ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Villa ๐ฉ win for the second successive League game to make it ๐ฉ ten wins, ๐จ three draws and ๐ฅ five defeats in ๐ eighteen division one games this season.
Full back Mick Buttress ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ 18 makes his debut appearance in a Villa shirt as a substitute after joining from school football in 1975.
Midfielder Dennis Mortimer ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ ๐ฅ creates his 5th and 6th assists in a Villa shirt on his ๐ 36th appearance.
Centre forward John Deehan ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ contributes his โฝ ๐ฅ 10th & 11th goal involvements in a Villa shirt on his ๐ 20th appearance at a rate of one every 1.82 games.
Forward Brian Little ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ contributes his โฝ ๐ฅ 80th goal involvement in a Villa shirt on his ๐ 152nd appearance (145 Starts) and makes it ๐ฉ W70 ๐จ D42 ๐ฅ L40, โฝ 47 Goals and ๐ฅ 33 Assists at a rate of one every 1.90 games.
Starting XI
Substitutes
None
๐
๐
โฝ
๐ฅ
Sub 2
๐ฉ
๐จ
๐ฅ
None
๐
๐
โฝ
๐ฅ
Sub 3
๐ฉ
๐จ
๐ฅ
None
๐
๐
โฝ
๐ฅ
Sub 4
๐ฉ
๐จ
๐ฅ
None
๐
๐
โฝ
๐ฅ
Sub 5
๐ฉ
๐จ
๐ฅ

Won
5-1
๐ฉ 15 Dec 1976, Villa 5-1 Liverpool, Villa Park
Scorer(s) | Andy Gray | 9โ | 44' | John Deehan | 11โ | 21' | Brian Little | 31โ |
Assist(s) | John Robson | 9' | Dennis Mortimer | 11' | 44' | John Gidman | 31' |
Match Timeline
โฝ | 9โ Goal, 1-0, Andy Gray, Assist by John Robson
โฝ | 11โ Goal, 2-0, John Deehan, Assist by Dennis Mortimer
โฝ | 21โ Goal, 3-0, John Deehan
โฝ | 31โ Goal, 4-0, Brian Little, Assist by John Gidman
๐ฅ
| 40โ Goal, 4-1, (Liverpool), Ray Kennedy
โฝ | 44โ Goal, Andy Gray, 5-1, Assist by Dennis Mortimer
๐ | HT Aston Villa 5-1 Liverpool
๐ | 54โ Sub off, Alex Cropley, Sub on, Mick Buttress ๐ข
๐ | FT Aston Villa 5-1 Liverpool
Season | 1976-77 |
Matchday | #22 |
League Match | #18 |
Manager Game | #125 |
Wednesday, 15 December 1976
Match Record
Game Record
Manager: Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Birkenhead, 1974-1982
Referee: Ken Ridden | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Shrewsbury, 1976
HT Score: ๐ฉ 5-1
FT Result: ๐ฉ Won
FT Score: ๐ฉ 5-1
Last 5: ๐จ ๐จ ๐ฉ ๐ฉ ๐ฉ
Officials
Referee: Ken Ridden | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Shrewsbury, 1976
Linesmen: G. I. Napthine (Leicester); C. G. Taylor (Shrewsbury)
Match Stats
Not recorded
Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982
๐ 125 | ๐ฉ | 59 ๐จ | 33 ๐ฅ 33 | 1.68
Villa Career Form:
Top 6
What they Said
"We must not go over the moon about this victory.
โWe gave a highly professional performance not just in the first half but throughout.
"We have been creating a lot of chances throughout this season, and like most managers I am extremely pleased that we have been able to show our true class against a side of Liverpool's calibre.
"The First Division title? There is still a long way to go but obviously I am hoping we shall be able to continue our challenge."
Ron Saunders.
Division One
Liverpool
12-3-4, 27 PTS
Villa Park
Attendance: 42,851
GK Ray Clemence | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
RB Phil Neal | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Phil Thompson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
LB Emlyn Hughes | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
LB Joey Jones | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ |
M Ian Callaghan | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
W Ray Kennedy | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | โฝ |
M Terry McDermott | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Steve Heighway | ๐ฎ๐ช |
CF Kevin Keegan | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF David Johnson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Bob Paisley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Substitutes
No Substitutions Made
Unused Substitutes
M Jimmy Case | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Yellow Cards (Warnings, Cautions, Bookings)
๐จ
๐จ
Red Cards (Ordered from Field of Play, Dismissals, Sendings Off)
None
Opposition Trophy Record
UEFA Cup / Europa League: ๐๐
League Champions: ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐
FA Cup Winners: ๐๐
League Cup Winners: โ
Last Trophy: 1975-76
Opposition Matchday Squad
Goalkeepers
GK Ray Clemence | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Defenders
CB Phil Thompson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Full Backs
RB Phil Neal | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
LB Emlyn Hughes | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
LB Joey Jones | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ |
Midfielders
M Ian Callaghan | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Jimmy Case | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Terry McDermott | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Steve Heighway | ๐ฎ๐ช |
Wingers
W Ray Kennedy | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Forwards
CF Kevin Keegan | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF David Johnson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Opposition Unavailable
Not Recorded
League Table
1976-77
Playing Squad
















































