Game #3442
Aston Villa
1-0-0, 2 PTS

Saturday, 20 August 1977
8th
Last 5: ๐ฅ ๐ฉ ๐จ ๐ฉ ๐ฉ

Won
2-1
๐ฉ 20 Aug 1977, Villa 2-1 QPR, Loftus Road
Division One
Queens Park Rangers
0-0-1, 0 PTS
Loftus Road
Attendance: 25,431
On This Day
Ron Saunders' ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Villa open the season with a ๐ฉ win at Loftus Road
Goalkeeper Jimmy Rimmer ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ 29 makes his debut appearance in a Villa shirt after joining from Arsenal earlier this month for a fee of ยฃ70,000 to become the 589th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.
Centre back Ken McNaught ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ 22 makes his debut appearance in a Villa shirt after joining from Everton in July for ยฃ200,000 to become the 590th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.
Midfielder John Gregory ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ 23 makes his debut appearance in a Villa shirt after joining from Northampton Town in June for ยฃ60,000.
GK Jimmy Rimmer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐ข | ๐จ |
CB Ken McNaught | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | ๐ข |
FB Gordon Smith | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
M Leighton Phillips | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ |
M Gordon Cowans | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Alex Cropley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | ๐ฅ |
M John Gregory | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐ข |
M Dennis Mortimer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
W Frank Carrodus | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | โฝ |
F John Deehan | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | โฝ |
F Brian Little | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982

Substitutes
No Substitutions Made
Unused Substitutes
CB Allan Evans | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
Yellow Cards (Warnings, Cautions, Bookings)
๐จ Jimmy Rimmer, Making stud marks in goalmouth (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: ๐๐๐
Last Trophy: 1976-77
Matchday Squad
Unavailable
Injury | 3 |
FB John Robson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
RB John Gidman | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF Andy Gray | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
Team News
Ron Saunders hands debuts to Jimmy Rimmer, Ken McNaught and John Gregory.
Team Stats
Starting XI Average Age
| 24.49 |
Oldest Player |
GK Jimmy Rimmer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 29.55 |
Youngest Player |
M Gordon Cowans | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 18.83 |
Debut Appearances
๐ข GK Jimmy Rimmer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | #589 | ยฃ70,000 signing from Arsenal
๐ข CB Ken McNaught | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | #590 | ยฃ200,000 signing from Everton
๐ข M John Gregory | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | #591 | ยฃ60,000 signing from Northampton
Final Appearances
None
Starting XI
Scorer(s) | John Deehan | 47' | Frank Carrodus | 55' |
Assist(s) | Alex Cropley | 55' |
Match Timeline
๐ข | 1โ Debut, Jimmy Rimmer, Ken McNaught, John Gregory
๐ | HT Queens Park Rangers 0-0 Aston Villa
๐จ | HT Booking, Jimmy Rimmer, Making stud marks in goalmouth
โฝ | 47โ Goal, 1-0, John Deehan
โฝ | 55โ Goal, 2-0, Frank Carrodus, Assist by Alex Cropley
๐ฅ
| 88โ Goal, 2-1, (Queens Park Rangers), Peter Eastoe
๐ | FT Queens Park Rangers 1-2 Aston Villa
Season | 1977-78 |
Matchday | #1 |
League Match | #1 |
Manager Game | #160 |
Saturday, 20 August 1977
Match Record
Game Record
Manager: Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Birkenhead, 1974-1982
Referee: Alf Grey | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Great Yarmouth, 1973-1981
Kick off: 3.00pm
HT Score: ๐จ 0-0
FT Result: ๐ฉ Won
FT Score: ๐ฉ 2-1
Last 5: ๐ฅ ๐ฉ ๐จ ๐ฉ ๐ฉ
Officials
Referee: Alf Grey | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Great Yarmouth, 1973-1981
Match Stats
Not recorded
Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982
๐ 160 | ๐ฉ | 77 ๐จ | 41 ๐ฅ 42 | 1.70
Villa Career Form:
Top 6
What they Said
"When you consider that his [John Gregoryโs] last competitive game was for Northampton you must agree he did tremendously well on his First Division debut.โ
Ron Saunders.
"I enjoyed it very much.
โBut when I signed for Villa in the summer I never expected to be in the first team straight away and I don't suppose I would have been but for John Gidman's injury."
John Gregory.
GK Phil Parkes | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
RB Dave Clement | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB David Needham | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB David Webb | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
LB Ian Gillard | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M John Hollins | 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 |
M Don Masson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
CF Peter Eastoe | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | โฝ |
CF Don Givens | ๐ฎ๐ช |
Dave Sexton | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Substitutes
No Substitutions Made
Unused Substitutes
M Brian Williams | 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: 1966-67
Opposition Matchday Squad
Opposition Unavailable
Not Recorded
League Table
1977-78
Playing Squad
Match Media








