Game #3473
Aston Villa
9-6-8, 24 PTS

Monday, 2 January 1978
11th (-1)
Last 5: ๐ฅ ๐จ ๐ฉ ๐ฅ ๐จ
GK Jimmy Rimmer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Ken McNaught | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
FB Gordon Smith | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
RB John Gidman | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Leighton Phillips | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ |
M John Gregory | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Dennis Mortimer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Gordon Cowans | 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 |
CF Andy Gray | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | ๐ฅ |
Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982

Substitutes
No Substitutions Made
Unused Substitutes
LB Mick Buttress | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
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 Jimmy Rimmer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Defenders
CB Ken McNaught | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
Full Backs
FB Gordon Smith | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
RB John Gidman | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
LB Mick Buttress | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Midfielders
M Leighton Phillips | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ |
M John Gregory | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Dennis Mortimer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Gordon Cowans | 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 |
CF Andy Gray | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
Unavailable
Injury | 2 |
FB John Robson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Alex Cropley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
Team News
Gordon Cowans replaces Frank Carrodus.
Team Stats
Starting XI Average Age
| 24.00 |
Oldest Player |
GK Jimmy Rimmer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 29.92 |
Youngest Player |
M Gordon Cowans | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 19.20 |
Debut Appearances
None
Final Appearances
None
On This Day
Villa are forced to play on the increasingly poor Villa Park pitch and once again face a referee reluctant to award clear penalties as they fail to overcome a poor QPR in their first game of 1978.
Ron Saunders' Villa make it nine wins, six draws and eight defeats in twenty three division one games this season.
Starting XI

Drew
1-1
๐จ 2 Jan 1978, Villa 1-1 QPR, Villa Park
Scorer(s) | Brian Little | 22' |
Assist(s) | Andy Gray | 22' |
Match Timeline
โฝ | 22โ Goal, 1-0, Brian Little, Assist by Andy Gray
๐ | HT Aston Villa 1-0 Queens Park Rangers
๐ฅ
| 62โ Goal, 1-1, (Queens Park Rangers), Gordon Smith, o.g.
๐ | FT Aston Villa 1-1 Queens Park Rangers
Season | 1977-78 |
Matchday | #32 |
League Match | #23 |
Manager Game | #191 |
Monday, 2 January 1978
Match Record
Game Record
Manager: Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Birkenhead, 1974-1982
Referee: Neil Midgley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Salford, 1978-1991
HT Score: ๐ฉ 1-0
FT Result: ๐จ Drew
FT Score: ๐จ 1-1
Last 5: ๐ฅ ๐จ ๐ฉ ๐ฅ ๐จ
Officials
Referee: Neil Midgley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Salford, 1978-1991
Linesmen: B. R. Banwell (Stroud); P. A. Tyldesley (Stockport)
Match Stats
Not recorded
Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982
๐ 191 | ๐ฉ | 91 ๐จ | 49 ๐ฅ 51 | 1.69
Villa Career Form:
Top 6
What they Said
"The pitch was a source of problems to both sides but we really should have been awarded two penalties.
โDennis Mortimer was clearly tripped in the second half and John Deehan was also fouled two yards inside the area.
"But we are not supposed to complain against refereeing decisions and I can say no more.โ
Ron Saunders.
Division One
Queens Park Rangers
3-9-12, 15 PTS
Villa Park
Attendance: 34,750
GK Phil Parkes | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
RB Don Shanks | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Tommy Cunningham | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Ernie Howe | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
LB Ian Gillard | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Stan Bowles | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Leighton James | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ |
M John Hollins | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Gerry Francis | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF Peter Eastoe | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐ |
CF Don Givens | ๐ฎ๐ช |
Frank Sibley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Substitutes
๐ | CF Peter Eastoe | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | (M Martyn Busby | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |)
Unused Substitutes
None
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
Goalkeepers
GK Phil Parkes | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Defenders
CB Tommy Cunningham | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Ernie Howe | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Full Backs
RB Don Shanks | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
LB Ian Gillard | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Midfielders
M Stan Bowles | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Leighton James | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ |
M John Hollins | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Gerry Francis | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Martyn Busby | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Forwards
CF Peter Eastoe | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF Don Givens | ๐ฎ๐ช |
Opposition Unavailable
Not Recorded
League Table

1977-78
Playing Squad

















































