Game #3476
Aston Villa
10-6-9, 26 PTS

Saturday, 28 January 1978
10th= (+1)
Last 5: ๐ฅ ๐จ ๐ฅ ๐ฅ ๐ฉ
GK Jimmy Rimmer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
RB John Gidman | 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 |
M Tommy Craig | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | ๐ข |
M Leighton Phillips | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ |
M Gordon Cowans | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Dennis Mortimer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
W Frank Carrodus | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
F Brian Little | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐ฅ |
F John Deehan | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | โฝ |
Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982

Substitutes
No Substitutions Made
Unused Substitutes
M John Gregory | 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
RB John Gidman | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
FB Gordon Smith | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
Midfielders
M Tommy Craig | 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 Dennis Mortimer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M John Gregory | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Wingers
W Frank Carrodus | 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 |
FB John Robson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Alex Cropley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
CF Andy Gray | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
Team News
Leighton Phillips, Frank Carrodus and Tommy Craig (debut) replace Mick Buttress, Andy Gray and John Gregory.
Team Stats
Starting XI Average Age
| 24.98 |
Oldest Player |
GK Jimmy Rimmer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 29.99 |
Youngest Player |
M Gordon Cowans | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 19.27 |
Debut Appearances
๐ข M Tommy Craig | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | #592 | ยฃ270,000 signing from Newcastle
Final Appearances
None
On This Day
Villa return after a two week break between games which allows injury recovery to progress and offers an opportunity for a hopeful reset of relations with more competent officials.
Happily for once there was no refereeing controversy but instead a โdismalโ game enlightened by one John Deehan ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ goal, dismal was preferable to what had gone before mind you.
Ron Saunders' ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Villa record only their ๐ฉ second League win in seven to make it ๐ฉ ten wins, ๐จ six draws and ๐ฅ nine defeats in ๐ twenty five division one games this season.
Midfielder Tommy Craig ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ makes his ๐ debut appearance in a Villa shirt after moving from Newcastle United for a club record fee of ยฃ250,000 earlier this month.
Midfielder Dennis Mortimer ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ secures his ๐ฉ 50th win in a Villa shirt on his ๐ 104th appearance
Starting XI

Won
1-0
๐ฉ 28 Jan 1978, Villa 1-0 Bristol City, Villa Park
Scorer(s) | John Deehan | 80' |
Assist(s) | Brian Little | 80' |
Match Timeline
๐ข | 1โ Debut, Tommy Craig
๐ | HT Aston Villa 0-0 Bristol City
โฝ | 80โ Goal, 1-0, John Deehan, Assist by Brian Little
๐ | FT Aston Villa 1-0 Bristol City
Season | 1977-78 |
Matchday | #35 |
League Match | #25 |
Manager Game | #194 |
Saturday, 28 January 1978
Match Record
Game Record
Manager: Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Birkenhead, 1974-1982
Referee: Ray Lewis | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Surrey, 1978-1992
Kick off: 3.00pm
HT Score: ๐จ 0-0
FT Result: ๐ฉ Won
FT Score: ๐ฉ 1-0
Last 5: ๐ฅ ๐จ ๐ฅ ๐ฅ ๐ฉ
Officials
Referee: Ray Lewis | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Surrey, 1978-1992
Linesmen: J. J. Lydon (Warrington); F. G. Marsh (Telford)
Match Stats
Not recorded
Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982
๐ 194 | ๐ฉ | 92 ๐จ | 49 ๐ฅ 53 | 1.68
Villa Career Form:
Top 6
What they Said
"They had three good chances. But really their best ones came from our mistakes.โ
Ron Saunders.
Division One
Bristol City
6-8-11, 20 PTS
Villa Park
Attendance: 29,676
GK John Shaw | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
CB Gary Collier | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Geoff Merrick | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Norman Hunter | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
RB Donnie Gillies | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | ๐ |
RB Gerry Sweeney | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
M Clive Whitehead | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Trevor Tainton | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Gerry Gow | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
F Tom Ritchie | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
CF Joe Royle | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Alan Dicks | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Substitutes
๐ | RB Donnie Gillies | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | (M Jimmy Mann | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |)
Unused Substitutes
None
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: โ
Last Trophy: โ
Opposition Matchday Squad
Goalkeepers
GK John Shaw | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
Defenders
CB Gary Collier | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Geoff Merrick | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Norman Hunter | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Full Backs
RB Donnie Gillies | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
RB Gerry Sweeney | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
Midfielders
M Clive Whitehead | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Trevor Tainton | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Gerry Gow | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
M Jimmy Mann | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Forwards
F Tom Ritchie | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
CF Joe Royle | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Opposition Unavailable
Not Recorded
League Table
1977-78
Playing Squad
















































