Game #3544
Aston Villa
Saturday, 18 August 1979
Bolton Wanderers
1-1
Aston Villa
Division One
Bolton Wanderers
Burnden Park
Attendance: 19,795
Drew
9th
Last 5: 🟨 🟥 🟥 🟩 🟨
Assist(s) | Brian Little | 73' |
MATCH SUMMARY
KEY MAN
MATCH TIMELINE
Saturday, 18 August 1979
🟢 | 1’ Debut, Tony Morley
🕒 | HT Bolton Wanderers 0-0 Aston Villa
⚽ | 73' Goal, 1-0, Gordon Cowans, Assist by Brian Little
🥅 | 76’ Goal, 1-1, (Bolton Wanderers), Neil Whatmore
🕒 | FT Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Aston Villa
ON THIS DAY
Ron Saunders' Villa open 1979-80 with a draw at Burnden Park as Tony Morley made his Villa debut aged 24 after moving from Burnley in June 1979 for a fee of £220,000.
---
*Birmingham Daily Post*
Saturday, 18 August 1979
*Villa leave out £2m stars*
By lAN WILLARS
Aston Villa have left out their £2 million rated transfer-listed internationals Andy Gray and John Gidman for their opening game of the season at Bolton today.
Manager Ron Saunders rejected the opportunity of placing them in the shop window. preferring to keep faith with the side that played in the pre-season friendly against F C Twenty Enschende.
The only comment Saunders would make on the matter was: “I have selected the team I believe to be best equipped mentally and physically to do the job for me.”
But I understand he refrained from considering Gray and Gidman because he is anxious to field a settled side which will have to do duty when the pair have finally departed from Villa Park.
Villa have in fact received only one firm offer for Scottish centre forward Gray believed to be West Midlands rivals Wolves although several clubs have made inquiries for both players.
Gray and Gidman were originally scheduled to turn out for the reserves in the Central League fixture against Bolton until the game had to be called off yesterday because of a waterlogged pitch.
The state of the Villa Park pitch is giving cause for concern even though the club took advice from top experts two years ago and spent in excess of £80.000 laying new drains, putting in pop-up sprinklers and seeding a completely new playing surface.
But Villa’s biggest problem still centres around finding top-class replacements for Gray and Gidman particularly as the transfer market has rocketed to sky-high proportions.
Saunders has already made it extremely clear that the pair will only be allowed to leave the club when realistic fees are paid. But unless he can pull off a satisfactory exchange deal Saunders will then be faced with a similar task.
Wolves could be in a position to exchange their midfield player Steve Daley for Gray plus a cash adjustment, but it is doubtful whether the centre-forward would welcome a move to Molineux.
Gray’s role as leader of the attack at Bolton will go to John Deehan who has never had a better chance to prove his potential. The England Under-21 striker has often had to play second fiddle to Gray. Now he has It all to do on his own.
Ken Swain continues in Gidman’s right-back position. but even he must appreciate that this is a holding job until Villa come up with another quality defender.
Aston Villa
League Champions: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆
FA Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆🏆
League Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆
Last Trophy: 1976-77
Bolton Wanderers
League Champions: ❌
FA Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆🏆
League Cup Winners: ❌
Last Trophy: 1957-58
FIXTURE DETAILS
![Villa.gif](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9be7fa_96a57f1d2d7a47c2b98d9218b9892ca5~mv2.gif)
![2509-2.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9be7fa_2b1575b3ac224dee9c0d530562527662~mv2.gif)
Season | 1979-80 |
Matchday | #1 |
League Match | #1 |
Manager Game | #262 |
Saturday, 18 August 1979
MATCH SUMMARY
Manager: Ron Saunders | 🏴 | Birkenhead, 1974-1982
Referee: Gwyn Owen | 🏴 | Anglesey, 1972-1982
Kick off: 3.00pm
HT Score: 🟨 0-0
FT Result: 🟨 Drew
FT Score: 🟨 1-1
Last 5: 🟨 🟥 🟥 🟩 🟨
MANAGERIAL RECORD
Ron Saunders | 🏴 |
GAMES | WINS | DRAWS | LOSSES | POINTS PER GAME
🕒 262 | 🟩 | 117 🟨 | 73 🟥 72 | 1.62
Villa Career Form:
Top 6
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Gwyn Owen | 🏴 | Anglesey, 1972-1982
Matches Officiated: 2
🟩 : 1
🟨 : 1
🟥 : 0
🆘 : 0
Previous 5: 🟩
Last Match: 🟩 29 April 1978, Villa 6-1 Ipswich, Villa Park.
Cards: None
TEAM NEWS
Ron Saunders hands Tony Morley his debut.
TEAM STATS
Starting XI Average Age
| 24.40 |
Oldest Player |
GK Jimmy Rimmer | 🏴 | 31.54 |
Youngest Player |
M Colin Gibson | 🏴 | 19.38 |
MANAGER
Ron Saunders | 🏴 |
![Villa.gif](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9be7fa_96a57f1d2d7a47c2b98d9218b9892ca5~mv2.gif)
Aston Villa
GK Jimmy Rimmer | 🏴 |
RB Kenny Swain | 🏴 |
CB Allan Evans | 🏴 |
CB Ken McNaught | 🏴 |
M Colin Gibson | 🏴 |
M Gordon Cowans | 🏴 | ⚽ |
M Dennis Mortimer | 🏴 |
M Gary Shelton | 🏴 |
W Tony Morley | 🏴 | 🟢 |
F John Deehan | 🏴 |
F Brian Little | 🏴 | 🔥 |
MANAGER
Ian Greaves | 🏴 |
![2509-2.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9be7fa_2b1575b3ac224dee9c0d530562527662~mv2.gif)
Bolton Wanderers
GK Seamus McDonagh | 🇮🇪 |
RB Dave Clement | 🏴 |
RB Peter Nicholson | 🏴 |
CB Paul Jones | 🏴 |
CB Mike Walsh | 🇮🇪 |
M Neil McNab | 🏴 |
M Len Cantello | 🏴 |
M Roy Greaves | 🏴 |
W Tadeusz Nowak | 🇵🇱 |
CF Neil Whatmore | 🏴 | ⚽ |
CF Alan Gowling | 🏴 |
SUBSTITUTES
![Villa.gif](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9be7fa_96a57f1d2d7a47c2b98d9218b9892ca5~mv2.gif)
No Substitutions Made
SUBSTITUTES
![2509-2.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9be7fa_2b1575b3ac224dee9c0d530562527662~mv2.gif)
No Substitutions Made
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES
![Villa.gif](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9be7fa_96a57f1d2d7a47c2b98d9218b9892ca5~mv2.gif)
F Gary Shaw | 🏴 |
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES
![2509-2.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9be7fa_2b1575b3ac224dee9c0d530562527662~mv2.gif)
LB David Burke | 🏴 |
SQUAD STATS
![Villa.gif](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9be7fa_96a57f1d2d7a47c2b98d9218b9892ca5~mv2.gif)
1st XI:
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 11/11
Squad:
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 12/12
SQUAD STATS
![2509-2.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9be7fa_2b1575b3ac224dee9c0d530562527662~mv2.gif)
1st XI:
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 8/11
Squad:
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 9/12
MATCHDAY SQUAD
![Villa.gif](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9be7fa_96a57f1d2d7a47c2b98d9218b9892ca5~mv2.gif)
MATCHDAY SQUAD
![2509-2.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9be7fa_2b1575b3ac224dee9c0d530562527662~mv2.gif)
UNAVAILABLE
![Villa.gif](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9be7fa_96a57f1d2d7a47c2b98d9218b9892ca5~mv2.gif)
Injury | 1 |
M Frank Carrodus | 🏴 |
Bomb Squad | 2 |
CF Andy Gray | 🏴 |
RB John Gidman | 🏴 |
UNAVAILABLE
![Villa.gif](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9be7fa_2b1575b3ac224dee9c0d530562527662~mv2.gif)
Not Recorded
Player Positions:
GK : Goalkeeper
CB, D, B : Centre Back, Defender, Back
FB, LB, RB, WH : Full Back, Left Back, Right Back, Wing Back, Wing Half
M, CH, LH, RH : Midfielder, Centre Half, Left Half, Right Half
W, OL, OR : Winger, Outside Left, Outside Right
F, IF, IL, IR : Forward, Inside Forward, Inside Left, Inside Right, Second Striker, False 9
CF : Centre Forward
Match Symbols:
⚽ | Goal
🔥 | Assist
🔁 | Substitution
🟨 | Booking
🟥 | Sending off
🆘 | Poor refereeing performance
🟢 : Debut 🔴 : Final Game
DEBUT APPEARANCES
🟢 W Tony Morley | 🏴 |
FINAL APPEARANCES
MATCH STATS
Not recorded
MATCH QUOTES
MATCH REPORT
Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. With thanks to Reach PLC. Digitised by Findmypast Newspaper Archive Limited. All rights reserved. Source: British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
*Birmingham Daily Post*
Monday, 20 August 1979
All Videos
All Videos
![All Videos](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lKVqNzVInEc/maxresdefault.jpg 1x, https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lKVqNzVInEc/maxresdefault.jpg 2x)
![HIGHLIGHTS | Crystal Palace 5-0 Aston Villa](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IoCJwM7A8pI/mqdefault.jpg 1x, https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IoCJwM7A8pI/mqdefault.jpg 2x)
HIGHLIGHTS | Crystal Palace 5-0 Aston Villa
![DURAN DOUBLE RESCUES A POINT FOR VILLA | Aston Villa 3-3 Liverpool](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lKVqNzVInEc/mqdefault.jpg 1x, https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lKVqNzVInEc/mqdefault.jpg 2x)
DURAN DOUBLE RESCUES A POINT FOR VILLA | Aston Villa 3-3 Liverpool
![Olympiacos vs Aston Villa | Highlights](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9GEcWj0LOTE/mqdefault.jpg 1x, https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9GEcWj0LOTE/mqdefault.jpg 2x)
Olympiacos vs Aston Villa | Highlights
![Brighton and Hove Albion 1-0 Aston Villa | HIGHLIGHTS](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1ydmckUwnM0/mqdefault.jpg 1x, https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1ydmckUwnM0/mqdefault.jpg 2x)