Game #3432
Aston Villa
19-5-9, 43 PTS

Saturday, 23 April 1977
5th (-)
Last 5: ๐ฅ ๐ฉ ๐ฉ ๐ฉ ๐ฉ
GK John Burridge | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Charlie Young | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
FB Gordon Smith | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
FB John Robson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Leighton Phillips | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ |
M Alex Cropley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | ๐ฅ |
M Gordon Cowans | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Dennis Mortimer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐ |
W Ray Graydon | 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 |
Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982

Substitutes
๐ | M David Hughes | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | for M Dennis Mortimer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 72' |
Unused Substitutes
None
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: ๐๐๐
Last Trophy: 1976-77
Matchday Squad
Goalkeepers
GK John Burridge | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Defenders
CB Charlie Young | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Full Backs
FB Gordon Smith | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
FB John Robson | 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 Gordon Cowans | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Dennis Mortimer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M David T Hughes | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Wingers
W Ray Graydon | 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 |
Unavailable
Injury | 3 |
CF Andy Gray | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
W Frank Carrodus | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
RB John Gidman | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Chris Nicholl | ๐ฌ๐ง |
Team News
Charlie Young replaces Chris Nicholl.
Team Stats
Starting XI Average Age
| 24.05 |
Oldest Player |
W Ray Graydon | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 29.78 |
Youngest Player |
M Gordon Cowans | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 18.50 |
Debut Appearances
None
Final Appearances
None
On This Day
Villa play their seventh game in 21 days as they beat Norwich to remain fifth in the table, seven points behind leaders Liverpool with three games in hand. In search of their latest win to keep up their title chase, Villa are subject to the typical foul play repertoire of John Bondโs Norwich who are lucky not to have players sent from the field for their over the top tackling.
Ron Saunders' Villa in the boss' 150th game in charge record a fourth successive League win to make it nineteen wins, five draws and nine defeats in thirty three division one games this season. As Villa win, title rivals Ipswich lose again and now have a lead of just six points against Villa's five games in hand. Liverpool and Manchester City make up the rest of the challengers.
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
1-0
๐ฉ 23 Apr 1977, Villa 1-0 Norwich, Villa Park
Scorer(s) | Brian Little | 30' |
Assist(s) | Alex Cropley | 30' |
Match Timeline
โฝ | 30โ Goal, 1-0, Brian Little, Assist by Alex Cropley
๐ | HT Aston Villa 1-0 Norwich City
๐ | 72โ Sub off, Dennis Mortimer, Sub on, David Hughes
๐ | FT Aston Villa 1-0 Norwich City
Season | 1976-77 |
Matchday | #47 |
League Match | #33 |
Manager Game | #150 |
Saturday, 23 April 1977
Match Record
Game Record
Manager: Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Birkenhead, 1974-1982
Referee: Keith Hackett | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Sheffield, 1976-1994
Kick off: 3.00pm
HT Score: ๐ฉ 1-0
FT Result: ๐ฉ Won
FT Score: ๐ฉ 1-0
Last 5: ๐ฅ ๐ฉ ๐ฉ ๐ฉ ๐ฉ
Officials
Referee: Keith Hackett | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Sheffield, 1976-1994
Linesmen: J. E. Bray (Hinckley); C. S. Perrin (Banbury)
Match Stats
Not recorded
Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982
๐ 150 | ๐ฉ | 73 ๐จ | 39 ๐ฅ 38 | 1.72
Villa Career Form:
Top 6
What they Said
โHow can I? [Talk about title chances].
"The problem that is concerning me the most is all our injuries.
"They are getting so bad that when a player knocks on my door the first thing I ask him about is his fitness.
โIf he's fit, and it doesn't matter if he's an apprentice, he could well be in the side.
"At the end of the day you can only blame the referee [Keith Hackett] for what went on.
"All I can say is that I am proud of my players because they never took the law into their own hands.
โI never talk about pure football and all that rubbish. This is a man's game. But you also expect referees to interpret the laws correctly.โ
Ron Saunders.
Division One
Norwich City
13-7-19, 33 PTS
Villa Park
Attendance: 35,899
GK Roger Hansbury | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
LB Colin Sullivan | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Duncan Forbes | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
CB Tony Powell | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Kevin Bond | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Martin Peters | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Roger Gibbins | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Billy Steele | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | ๐ |
M Mel Machin | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Colin Suggett | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
F Kevin Reeves | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
John Bond | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Substitutes
๐ | M Billy Steele | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | (CB David Jones | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ |)
Unused Substitutes
None
Yellow Cards (Warnings, Cautions, Bookings)
๐จ
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: 1961โ62
Opposition Matchday Squad
Goalkeepers
GK Roger Hansbury | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Defenders
CB David Jones | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ |
CB Duncan Forbes | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
CB Tony Powell | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Kevin Bond | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Full Backs
LB Colin Sullivan | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Midfielders
M Martin Peters | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Roger Gibbins | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Billy Steele | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
M Mel Machin | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Colin Suggett | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Forwards
F Kevin Reeves | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Opposition Unavailable
Not Recorded
League Table
1976-77
Playing Squad


















































