Game #3469
Saturday, 17 December 1977
Attendance: 14,999
Lost
Division One
11th= (-1)
Middlesbrough
LLDWL
Ayresome Park
Almost as if it was payback for Villa’s criticism and complaints against referee Jim Bent in the match against Albion that saw Alex Cropley suffer a double fracture to his left leg and the officials subject to widespread condemnation…. Villa, in their very next game have three booked and one sent off in an atmosphere of such injustice that the opposition, officials of the home side and local TV network come out in support of the wronged player.
Middlesbrough
1-0
Aston Villa
Assist(s) | None
KEY MAN
PREVIOUS MATCH
NEXT MATCH
MATCH TIMELINE
45’+ Booking, John Gidman, Foul
HT Middlesbrough 0-0 Aston Villa
72’ Sending off, John Gidman
72’ Booking, Andy Gray, Dissent
80’ Goal, 0-1, (Middlesbrough), Graeme Hedley
86’ Booking, Leighton Phillips, Foul
FT Middlesbrough 1-0 Aston Villa
ON THIS DAY
Ron Saunders' Villa have John Gidman sent off as they lose to regular bogey team Boro once again. As a result Villa make it eight wins, four draws and seven defeats in nineteen division one games this season.
Aston Villa
Middlesbrough
League Champions: ❌
FA Cup Winners: ❌
League Cup Winners: ❌
Last Trophy: ❌
FIXTURE HISTORY
Middlesbrough
Previous 5 vs. Middlesbrough: | 🟨 | 🟩 | 🟥 | 🟩 | 🟥 |
FIXTURE DETAILS
Season | 1977-78 |
Matchday | #28 |
League Match | #19 |
Manager Game | #187 |
Saturday, 17 December 1977
MATCH SUMMARY
Manager: Ron Saunders | 🏴 | Birkenhead, 1974-1982
Referee: Arnold Challinor | 🏴 | Maltby, 1977-1984
Kick off: 3.00pm
FT Result | Lost |
FT Score | 0-1 |
Last 5 Games | LLDWL |
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Arnold Challinor | 🏴 | Maltby, 1977-1984 🆘
Previous 5:
Last Match:
Cards: None
CARDS
TEAM NEWS
Gordon Cowans replaces Alex Cropley.
TEAM STATS
Starting XI Average Age
| 24.70 |
Oldest Player |
GK Jimmy Rimmer | 29.87 |
Youngest Player |
M Gordon Cowans | 19.15 |
MANAGER
MANAGER
Ron Saunders
Aston Villa
GK Jimmy Rimmer |
CB Ken McNaught |
FB Gordon Smith |
RB John Gidman |
M Leighton Phillips |
M Gordon Cowans |
M John Gregory |
M Dennis Mortimer |
W Frank Carrodus |
CF Andy Gray |
F Brian Little |
Middlesbrough
Cuff, Boam, Ramage, Bailey, Craggs, Ashcroft, McAndrew, Armstrong, Hedley (g), Cummins, Mills. Manager: John Neal
SUBSTITUTES
None
SUBSTITUTES
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES
FB Mick Buttress |
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES
SQUAD STATS
MATCHDAY SQUAD
SQUAD STATS
MATCHDAY SQUAD
UNAVAILABLE
Injury | 3 |
John Robson |
John Deehan |
Alex Cropley |
UNAVAILABLE
Not Recorded
Player Abbreviations:
GK : Goalkeeper
LB, RB, FB : Left Back, Right Back, Full Back
CB, D : Centre Back, Defender
M, W : Midfielder. Winger
F, CF : Forward, Centre Forward
🟢 : Debut 🔴 : Final Game
Symbols:
⚽ | Goal
🔥 | Assist
🔁 | Substitution
🟨 | Booking
🟥 | Sending off
🆘 | Poor refereeing performance
DEBUT APPEARANCES
FINAL APPEARANCES
MATCH STATS
Not recorded
TABLE
PROGRAMME



MATCHDAY QUOTES
“The referee told me that he had sent Gidman off for deliberately chopping down and opponent from behind.
“I am not allowed to criticise his decisions, so all I can say is that Gidman is sick about it, insisting that he played the ball.
“I am sure you all saw if for yourselves.
“Some of the Middlesbrough officials were obviously incensed about it too, and they immediately offered to support my player.
“I have also watched a slow motion run of television film and I am sure it absolves Gidman.
“Tyne-Tees TV have offered to let me have a copy of the film to use in evidence.”
Ron Saunders.
“We shall back Villa up.”
John Neal, Middlesbrough manager.
“In neither case did I foul him [45’ and 72’].
“In the first instance he ran into me and I caught him with my elbow.
“In the second I played the ball in a tackle from the side, not from behind.”
John Gidman.
*Birmingham Daily Post*
Monday, 19 December 1977