Game #3526
Aston Villa
9-11-5, 29 PTS

Wednesday, 7 March 1979
8th (+3)
Last 5: ๐ฅ ๐จ ๐จ ๐ฉ ๐ฉ
GK Jimmy Rimmer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
RB Kenny Swain | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | โฝ |
RB John Gidman | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐ฅ |
RB Gary Williams | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Allan Evans | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
M John Gregory | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Tommy Craig | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
M Gordon Cowans | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Alex Cropley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
F Brian Little | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF Andy Gray | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | โฝ | ๐ฅ | ๐ |
Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982

Substitutes
๐ | F John Deehan | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | for CF Andy Gray | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | 46' |
Unused Substitutes
None
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 Allan Evans | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
Full Backs
RB Kenny Swain | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
RB John Gidman | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
RB Gary Williams | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Midfielders
M John Gregory | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Tommy Craig | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
M Gordon Cowans | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Alex Cropley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
Forwards
F Brian Little | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF Andy Gray | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
F John Deehan | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Unavailable
Injury | 3 |
W Frank Carrodus | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Ken McNaught | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
M Dennis Mortimer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Team News
Alex Cropley makes his first start played since breaking his leg 15 months previously in place of Dennis Mortimer.
Team Stats
Starting XI Average Age
| 24.72 |
Oldest Player |
GK Jimmy Rimmer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 31.09 |
Youngest Player |
RB Gary Williams | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 18.23 |
Debut Appearances
None
Final Appearances
None
On This Day
As one returns - midfielder Alex Cropley ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ after 15 months out with a double leg fracture inflicted by referee Jim Bent and West Bromwich Albion - another drops out - midfielder Dennis Mortimer ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ - but Villa overcome more injury woe with a convincing win over Bolton.
Centre forward Andy Gray ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ hits his โฝ first goal since his injury and operation in October and despite an overly fussy referee Villa walk off with the points in a game that could easily have ended in double figures but for Bolton โkeeper McDonough.
It's successive wins for Villa to go ๐ nine games unbeaten in the league with ๐ฉ nine wins, ๐จ eleven draws and ๐ฅ five defeats in ๐ twenty five division one games this season.
Right back John Gidman ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ contributes his ๐ฅ 30th assist s in a Villa shirt on his ๐ 221st appearance at a goal involvement rate of one every 6.14 games.
Forward Brian Little ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ makes his ๐ 250th start in a Villa shirt.
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
3-0
๐ฉ 7 Mar 1979, Villa 3-0 Bolton, Villa Park
Scorer(s) | Andy Gray | 17' | Kenny Swain | 30' | Own Goal | 45' |
Assist(s) | John Gidman | 17' | Andy Gray | 30' |
Match Timeline
โฝ | 17โ Goal, 1-0, Andy Gray, Assist by John Gidman
โฝ | 30โ Goal, 2-0, Kenny Swain, Assist by Andy Gray
โฝ | 45โ Goal, 3-0, Paul Jones o.g.
๐ | HT Aston Villa 3-0 Bolton Wanderers
๐ | 46โ Sub off, Andy Gray, Sub on, John Deehan
๐ | FT Aston Villa 3-0 Bolton Wanderers
Season | 1978-79 |
Matchday | #31 |
League Match | #25 |
Manager Game | #244 |
Wednesday, 7 March 1979
Match Record
Game Record
Manager: Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Birkenhead, 1974-1982
Referee: Ken Salmon | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Southgate, 1977-1984
HT Score: ๐ฉ 3-0
FT Result: ๐ฉ Won
FT Score: ๐ฉ 3-0
Last 5: ๐ฅ ๐จ ๐จ ๐ฉ ๐ฉ
Officials
Referee: Ken Salmon | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Southgate, 1977-1984
Linesmen: R. F. Harris (Oxford); J. F. Pardoe (Kidderminster)
Match Stats
Not recorded
Ron Saunders | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982
๐ 244 | ๐ฉ | 111 ๐จ | 67 ๐ฅ 66 | 1.64
Villa Career Form:
Top 6
What they Said
Division One
Bolton Wanderers
7-6-13, 20 PTS
Villa Park
Attendance: 28,053
GK Seamus McDonagh | ๐ฎ๐ช |
RB Peter Nicholson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Paul Jones | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Mike Walsh | ๐ฎ๐ช |
LB David Burke | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐ |
LB Tony Dunne | ๐ฎ๐ช |
M Neil McNab | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
M Roy Greaves | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
W Willie Morgan | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
F Frank Worthington | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF Alan Gowling | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Ian Greaves | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Substitutes
๐ | LB David Burke | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | (CF Neil Whatmore | 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: ๐๐๐๐
League Cup Winners: โ
Last Trophy: 1957-58
Opposition Matchday Squad
Goalkeepers
GK Seamus McDonagh | ๐ฎ๐ช |
Defenders
CB Paul Jones | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Mike Walsh | ๐ฎ๐ช |
Full Backs
RB Peter Nicholson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
LB David Burke | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
LB Tony Dunne | ๐ฎ๐ช |
Midfielders
M Neil McNab | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
M Roy Greaves | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Wingers
W Willie Morgan | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
Forwards
F Frank Worthington | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF Alan Gowling | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CF Neil Whatmore | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Opposition Unavailable
Not Recorded
League Table
1978-79
Playing Squad

















































