Game #3518
Aston Villa
7-6-5, 20 PTS

Saturday, 9 December 1978
9th= (-)
Last 5: ๐ฉ ๐ฉ ๐ฅ ๐จ ๐ฉ
GK Jimmy Rimmer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
RB John Gidman | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
FB Gordon Smith | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | ๐ด |
CB Allan Evans | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | โฝ |
CB Ken McNaught | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
M Tommy Craig | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
M Gordon Cowans | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M John Gregory | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Dennis Mortimer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
F John Deehan | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
F Gary Shaw | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐ฅ | ๐ |
Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982

Substitutes
๐ | M Alex Cropley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | for F Gary Shaw | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 82' |
Unused Substitutes
None
Yellow Cards (Warnings, Cautions, Bookings)
None
Red Cards (Ordered from Field of Play, Dismissals, Sendings Off)
None
Trophy Record
UEFA Cup Winners Cup: โ
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 Allan Evans | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
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 Gordon Cowans | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M John Gregory | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Dennis Mortimer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Alex Cropley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
Forwards
F John Deehan | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
F Gary Shaw | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Unavailable
Injury | 4 |
W Frank Carrodus | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF Andy Gray | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
F Brian Little | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Gary Shelton | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Team News
Gordon Smith replaces Gary Williams.
Team Stats
Starting XI Average Age
| 24.02 |
Oldest Player |
GK Jimmy Rimmer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 30.85 |
Youngest Player |
F Gary Shaw | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 17.06 |
Debut Appearances
None
Final Appearances
๐ด FB Gordon Smith | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | 1976-78 ๐ 96 | โ 92 ๐ (4) | โฝ 0 | ๐ฅ 6 | ๐บ 6 | #583 |
On This Day
Ron Saunders' ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Villa ๐ฉ win for the first time in three to make it ๐ฉ seven wins, ๐จ six draws and ๐ฅ five defeats in ๐ eighteen division one games this season.
A still injury ravaged Villa luck in at Stamford Bridge as they benefit from a curious power play between referee and linesman as Allan Evans ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ strikes from an offside position to put Villa ahead with the ultimately crucial winning goal.
Meanwhile, Ron Saunders ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ is away busy buying in new players to try and offset the injury crisis that has plagued the club since the start of the campaign.
Full back Gordon Smith ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ makes his final Villa appearance age 24 before moving on to Spurs in February 1979 for a fee of ยฃ150,000. Smith played for Villa between 1976-77 and 1978-79 making 96 appearances.
Centre back Ken McNaught ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ makes his ๐ 75th appearance in a Villa shirt.
Centre forward John Deehan ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ secures his ๐ฉ 50th win in a Villa shirt on his ๐ 115th appearance.
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 9 Dec 1978, Villa 1-0 Chelsea, Stamford Bridge
Scorer(s) | Allan Evans | 15' |
Assist(s) | Gary Shaw | 15' |
Match Timeline
โฝ | 15โ Goal, 1-0, Allan Evans, Assist by Gary Shaw
๐ | HT Chelsea 0-1 Aston Villa
๐ | 82' Sub off, Gary Shaw, Sub on, Alex Cropley
๐ | FT Chelsea 0-1 Aston Villa
Season | 1978-79 |
Matchday | #23 |
League Match | #18 |
Manager Game | #236 |
Saturday, 9 December 1978
Match Record
Game Record
Manager: Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Birkenhead, 1974-1982
Referee: Clive Thomas | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ | Treorchy, 1968โ1983
Kick off: 3.00pm
HT Score: ๐ฉ 1-0
FT Result: ๐ฉ Won
FT Score: ๐ฉ 1-0
Last 5: ๐ฉ ๐ฉ ๐ฅ ๐จ ๐ฉ
Officials
Referee: Clive Thomas | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ท๓ ฌ๓ ณ๓ ฟ | Treorchy, 1968โ1983
Linesmen: A. R. Girdlestone (Potters Bar); A. M. Poland (Worthing)
Match Stats
Not recorded
Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982
๐ 236 | ๐ฉ | 109 ๐จ | 62 ๐ฅ 65 | 1.65
Villa Career Form:
Top 6
What they Said
โI have agreed terms with Chelsea for [Kenny Swain].
โThere is a slight problem at their end, but I do not envisage any difficulties.
"Clyde have also agreed to sell [Joe] Ward and I am hoping he will travel down to sign in the next day or so."
โI believe that with our game in hand we can now move into the top six of the First Division.
"Our position in the League speaks for the character of our players.
โWe have had terrible luck with injuries and several youngsters have come into the side and performed nobly.
โBut it is not always possible to pin all your hopes on young players immediately.
โThey need to be nursed carefully and used sparingly at the start of their careers.
"We played very well and should have won much more easily."
Ron Saunders.
Division One
Chelsea
2-4-12, 8 PTS
Stamford Bridge
Attendance: 19,080
GK Bob Iles | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
LB David Stride | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
D Steve Wicks | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Ron Harris | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
RB Graham Wilkins | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Ray Wilkins | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M John Bumstead | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Ian Britton | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
M Gary Stanley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF Trevor Aylott | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF Duncan McKenzie | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐ |
Ken Shellito | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Substitutes
๐ | CF Duncan McKenzie | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | (W Clive Walker | 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
UEFA Cup Winners Cup: ๐
League Champions: ๐
FA Cup Winners: ๐
League Cup Winners: ๐
Last Trophy: 1970-71
Opposition Matchday Squad
Goalkeepers
GK Bob Iles | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Defenders
D Steve Wicks | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Ron Harris | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Full Backs
LB David Stride | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
RB Graham Wilkins | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Midfielders
M Ray Wilkins | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M John Bumstead | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Ian Britton | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
M Gary Stanley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Wingers
W Clive Walker | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Forwards
CF Trevor Aylott | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF Duncan McKenzie | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Opposition Unavailable
Not Recorded
League Table

1978-79
Playing Squad



























































