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

Wednesday, 15 December 1976
3rd= (+2)
Last 5: 🟨 🟨 🟩 🟩 🟩
GK Jake Findlay | 🏴 |
CB Charlie Young | 🏴 |
RB John Gidman | 🏴 | 🔥 |
FB John Robson | 🏴 | 🔥 |
M Leighton Phillips | 🏴 |
M Alex Cropley | 🏴 |
M Dennis Mortimer | 🏴 | 🔥 | 🔥 |
W Frank Carrodus | 🏴 |
F Brian Little | 🏴 | ⚽ |
F John Deehan | 🏴 | ⚽ | ⚽ |
CF Andy Gray | 🏴 | ⚽ | ⚽ |
Ron Saunders | 🏴 | 1974-1982

Substitutes
🔁 | LB Mick Buttress | 🏴 | 🟢 | for M Alex Cropley | 🏴 | 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: ❌
League Champions: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆
FA Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆🏆
League Cup Winners: 🏆🏆
Last Trophy: 1974-75
Matchday Squad
Goalkeepers
GK Jake Findlay | 🏴 |
Defenders
CB Charlie Young | 🏴 |
Full Backs
RB John Gidman | 🏴 |
FB John Robson | 🏴 |
FB Mick Buttress | 🏴 |
Midfielders
M Leighton Phillips | 🏴 |
M Alex Cropley | 🏴 |
M Dennis Mortimer | 🏴 |
Wingers
W Frank Carrodus | 🏴 |
Forwards
F Brian Little | 🏴 |
F John Deehan | 🏴 |
CF Andy Gray | 🏴 |
Unavailable
Injury | 3 |
W Ray Graydon | 🏴 |
GK John Burridge | 🏴 |
CB Chris Nicholl | 🇬🇧 |
Team News
Ron Saunders names an unchanged line up.
Team Stats
Starting XI Average Age
| 23.60 |
Oldest Player |
W Frank Carrodus | 🏴 | 27.56 |
Youngest Player |
CB Charlie Young | 🏴 | 18.85 |
Debut Appearances
🟢 LB Mick Buttress | 🏴 | #586 | Youth team promotion
Final Appearances
None

Won
5-1
🟩 15 Dec 1976, Villa 5-1 Liverpool, Villa Park
Scorer(s) | Andy Gray | 9’ | 44' | John Deehan | 11’ | 21' | Brian Little | 31’ |
Assist(s) | John Robson | 9' | Dennis Mortimer | 11' | 44' | John Gidman | 31' |
Match Timeline
⚽ | 9’ Goal, 1-0, Andy Gray, Assist by John Robson
⚽ | 11’ Goal, 2-0, John Deehan, Assist by Dennis Mortimer
⚽ | 21’ Goal, 3-0, John Deehan
⚽ | 31’ Goal, 4-0, Brian Little, Assist by John Gidman
🥅 | 40’ Goal, 4-1, (Liverpool), Ray Kennedy
⚽ | 44’ Goal, Andy Gray, 5-1, Assist by Dennis Mortimer
🕒 | HT Aston Villa 5-1 Liverpool
🔁 | 54’ Sub off, Alex Cropley, Sub on, Mick Buttress 🟢
🕒 | 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 | 🏴 | Birkenhead, 1974-1982
Referee: Ken Ridden | 🏴 | Shrewsbury, 1976
HT Score: 🟩 5-1
FT Result: 🟩 Won
FT Score: 🟩 5-1
Last 5: 🟨 🟨 🟩 🟩 🟩
Officials
Referee: Ken Ridden | 🏴 | Shrewsbury, 1976
Linesmen: G. I. Napthine (Leicester); C. G. Taylor (Shrewsbury)
Match Stats
Not recorded
Ron Saunders | 🏴 | 1974-1982
🕒 125 | 🟩 | 59 🟨 | 33 🟥 33 | 1.68
Villa Career Form:
Top 6

Division One
Liverpool
12-3-4, 27 PTS
Villa Park
Attendance: 42,851
GK Ray Clemence | 🏴 |
RB Phil Neal | 🏴 |
CB Phil Thompson | 🏴 |
LB Emlyn Hughes | 🏴 |
LB Joey Jones | 🏴 |
M Ian Callaghan | 🏴 |
W Ray Kennedy | 🏴 | ⚽ |
M Terry McDermott | 🏴 |
M Steve Heighway | 🇮🇪 |
CF Kevin Keegan | 🏴 |
CF David Johnson | 🏴 |
Bob Paisley | 🏴 |
Substitutes
No Substitutions Made
Unused Substitutes
M Jimmy Case | 🏴 |
Yellow Cards (Warnings, Cautions, Bookings)
🟨
🟨
Red Cards (Ordered from Field of Play, Dismissals, Sendings Off)
None
Opposition Trophy Record
UEFA Cup / Europa League: 🏆🏆
League Champions: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆🏆🏆🏆
FA Cup Winners: 🏆🏆
League Cup Winners: ❌
Last Trophy: 1975-76
Opposition Matchday Squad
Goalkeepers
GK Ray Clemence | 🏴 |
Defenders
CB Phil Thompson | 🏴 |
Full Backs
RB Phil Neal | 🏴 |
LB Emlyn Hughes | 🏴 |
LB Joey Jones | 🏴 |
Midfielders
M Ian Callaghan | 🏴 |
M Jimmy Case | 🏴 |
M Terry McDermott | 🏴 |
M Steve Heighway | 🇮🇪 |
Wingers
W Ray Kennedy | 🏴 |
Forwards
CF Kevin Keegan | 🏴 |
CF David Johnson | 🏴 |
Opposition Unavailable
Not Recorded
Starting XI
Match Media
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' 🏴 Villa 🟩 win for the second successive League game to make it 🟩 ten wins, 🟨 three draws and 🟥 five defeats in 🕒 eighteen division one games this season.
Full back Mick Buttress 🏴 18 makes his debut appearance in a Villa shirt as a substitute after joining from school football in 1975.
Midfielder Dennis Mortimer 🏴 🔥 creates his 5th and 6th assists in a Villa shirt on his 🕒 36th appearance.
Centre forward John Deehan 🏴 contributes his ⚽ 🔥 10th & 11th goal involvements in a Villa shirt on his 🕒 20th appearance at a rate of one every 1.82 games.
Forward Brian Little 🏴 contributes his ⚽ 🔥 80th goal involvement in a Villa shirt on his 🕒 152nd appearance (145 Starts) and makes it 🟩 W70 🟨 D42 🟥 L40, ⚽ 47 Goals and 🔥 33 Assists at a rate of one every 1.90 games.
What they Said
"We must not go over the moon about this victory.
“We 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.


























