On This Day
Villa ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ shrug off the neutral replay being played on Rangers' doorstep to hammer their opponents.
Villa qualify for a record breaking fifth League Cup final appearance after finally seeing off a dogged QPR side in the second replay at Highbury.
Forward Brian Little ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ hits a hat-trick to make it โฝ fourteen goals for the season as Ron Saunders ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ reaches his fourth League Cup final in five seasons.
Midfielder Dennis Mortimer ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ contributes his ๐ฅ 10th assist in a Villa shirt in ๐ 47 appearances.
Forward Brian Little ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ scores his โฝ 50th goal in a Villa shirt on his ๐ 163rd appearance (156 Starts) to make it ๐ฉ W76 ๐จ D44 ๐ฅ L43, โฝ 50 Goals and ๐ฅ 36 Assists at a rate of one goal every 3.26 games.
GK John Burridge | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Chris Nicholl | ๐ฌ๐ง |
RB John Gidman | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
FB John Robson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Alex Cropley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | ๐ |
M Leighton Phillips | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ 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 | โฝ | โฝ |
F John Deehan | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐จ |
CF Andy Gray | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982

Substitutes
๐ | M Gordon Cowans | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | for M Alex Cropley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | 50' |
Unused Substitutes
None
Yellow Cards (Warnings, Cautions, Bookings)
๐จ John Deehan (1)
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
Unavailable
Injury | 1 |
W Ray Graydon | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Team News
Ron Saunders names an unchanged line up.
Team Stats
Starting XI Average Age
| 25.06 |
Oldest Player |
CB Chris Nicholl | ๐ฌ๐ง | 30.39 |
Youngest Player |
F John Deehan | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 19.56 |
Debut Appearances
None
Final Appearances
None
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
Scorer(s) | Brian Little | 21' | 28' | 89' |
Assist(s) | Dennis Mortimer | 21' | 89' |
Match Timeline
โฝ | 21โ Goal, 1-0, Brian Little, Assist by Dennis Mortimer
โฝ | 28โ Goal, 2-0, Brian Little
๐ | HT Aston Villa 2-0 Queens Park Rangers
๐ | 50' Sub off, Alex Cropley, Sub on, Gordon Cowans
โฝ | 89โ Goal, 3-0, Brian Little, Assist by Dennis Mortimer
๐ | FT Aston Villa 3-0 Queens Park Rangers
๐จ | Booking, John Deehan
Season | 1976-77 |
Matchday | #33 |
Manager Game | #136 |
Tuesday, 22 February 1977
Match Record
Game Record
Manager: Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Birkenhead, 1974-1982
Referee: Bob Matthewson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Bolton, 1968-1977
HT Score: ๐ฉ 2-0
FT Result: ๐ฉ Won
FT Score: ๐ฉ 3-0
Last 5: ๐จ ๐ฉ ๐ฅ ๐จ ๐ฉ
Officials
Referee: Bob Matthewson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Bolton, 1968-1977
Match Stats
Not recorded
Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982
๐ 136 | ๐ฉ | 65 ๐จ | 35 ๐ฅ 36 | 1.69
Villa Career Form:
Top 6
What they Said
"They were all tremendous, weren't they?
โIt would be difficult to pick out any individuals.
โThey all played as a team and we played with style.
โBrian Little was absolutely magnificent.
โI have asked the referee for the ball so that he tan remember his tremendous achievement of scoring a hat-trick.
"Little has been making goads for his fellow strikers this season. It's nice for him that he has now scored three superb goals.
"Its becoming quite a habit [a fourth League Cup final in five years]. But it's a nice habit."
Ron Saunders.
"It's one of the greatest games of my career.
"It will probably take some time to sink in.
โI will just go to sleep tonight remembering it.
โThat will be my celebration."
Brian Little.
GK Phil Parkes | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
RB Dave Clement | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Frank McLintock | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
CB David Webb | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
LB Ian Gillard | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Don Masson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
M Dave Thomas | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Gerry Francis | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Stan Bowles | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF Don Givens | ๐ฎ๐ช |
CF Peter Eastoe | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Dave Sexton | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Substitutes
No Substitutions Made
Unused Substitutes
M John Hollins | ๐ด๓ ง ๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Yellow Cards (Warnings, Cautions, Bookings)
๐จ
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: 1966-67
Opposition Matchday Squad
Opposition Unavailable
Not Recorded






