Game #3563
Aston Villa

Saturday, 24 November 1979
8th (+1)
Last 5: 🟨 🟩 🟨 🟩 🟨
GK Jimmy Rimmer | 🏴 |
RB Kenny Swain | 🏴 |
LB Mike Pejic | 🏴 |
CB Ken McNaught | 🏴 |
CB Allan Evans | 🏴 |
M Des Bremner | 🏴 |
M Gordon Cowans | 🏴 |
M Dennis Mortimer | 🏴 |
F Brian Little | 🏴 |
F Gary Shaw | 🏴 |
CF David Geddis | 🏴 | 🟨 |
Ron Saunders | 🏴 | 1974-1982

Substitutes:
No Substitutions Made
Unused Substitutes:
LB Eamonn Deacy | 🇮🇪 |
🟨 David Geddis, Off the ball incident
League Champions: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆
FA Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆🏆
League Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆
Last Trophy: 1976-77
Matchday Squad:
Injury | 3 |
M Alex Cropley | 🏴 |
M Frank Carrodus | 🏴 |
W Tony Morley | 🏴 |
Ron Saunders names an unchanged line up.
Starting XI Average Age
| 25.39 |
Oldest Player |
GK Jimmy Rimmer | 🏴 | 31.81 |
Youngest Player |
F Gary Shaw | 🏴 | 18.02 |
Villa record their sixth goalless draw of the season to climb to 8th in the table after ten unbeaten first division games.
Ron Saunders' Villa make it ten games unbeaten in Division One to record five wins, eight draws and three defeats in sixteen League matches this season. As a result Villa climb to eighth in the table - their highest position of the season to date.
Meanwhile, full back Eamonn Deacy made his first appearance in the Villa squad aged 21 after his move from Galway Rovers in February 1979.
Aston Villa stretched their unbeaten run into double figures against Leeds at Villa Park on Saturday but it was a touch and go operation.
In the match which often suggested that the teams could have gone on slogging away at each other until Christmas without scoring, Villa lasted slightly the better to hang on to a goalless draw.
It was their sixth game of the season which has not produced a goal, and it must be said that watching this young, keen side trying so hard to establish themselves in the First Division, can be hard work.
In the end, honour was probably satisfied on both sides, but Villa were left with a painful reminder that in the 38th minute they had squandered a penalty award which should have pointed the way to victory over opponents who are going through a shaky patch.
When Swain was pulled down in the corner of the Leeds box by Stevenson, Evans's shot from the spot was not well aimed and Lukic was able to divert it over the crossbar.
Lukic, who is only 18 and getting his chance because of an injury to Harvey, was indeed a key figure in earning his side their valuable point.
His manager Jimmy Adamson admitted: "He kept us alive in the first halt and we looked more compact in midfield after that. He is playing even better now than he did in our youth team."
Ron Saunders, Villa's manager, threw in a tribute to Lukic's performance, but pointed out : "We had three or four good chances but didn't put them in."
Frustration
"When we missed the penalty I got the feeling that it was going to be one of those days because Leeds were competing well and we were too often standing off and letting them play.
"But, in the end, despite all the frustration, we were good value for a point. The difference was that this was the kind of game we would probably have lost last season."
There were good saves by Villa's Rimmer, too, particularly in the second half as Leeds, scenting the chance of a rare away win, pounced on some wayward Villa passing.
But with only 20 seconds left on referee Toseland's watch, Villa should have sneaked both the points when Shaw foraged well down the left wing and tipped over a short, high ball.
Geddis, still looking for his first goal for the club in his 12th appearance, Was unmarked but headed wide.

Drew
0-0
🟨 24 Nov 1979, Villa 0-0 Leeds, Villa Park
Scorer(s) | None
Assist(s) | None
Match Timeline:
💥 | 38’ Missed Penalty, Allan Evans
🕒 | HT Aston Villa 0-0 Leeds United
🟨 | 66' Booking, David Geddis, Off the ball incident
🕒 | FT Aston Villa 0-0 Leeds United
Season | 1979-80 |
Matchday | #20 |
League Match | #16 |
Manager Game | #281 |
Saturday, 24 November 1979

Manager: Ron Saunders | 🏴 | Birkenhead, 1974-1982
Referee: Ray Toseland | 🏴 | Kettering, 1971-1979
Kick off: 3.00pm
HT Score: 🟨 0-0
FT Result: 🟨 Drew
FT Score: 🟨 0-0
Last 5: 🟨 🟩 🟨 🟩 🟨
Referee: Ray Toseland | 🏴 | Kettering, 1971-1979
Not recorded
Debut Appearances:
None
Final Appearances:
None
Ron Saunders | 🏴 | 1974-1982
🕒 281 | 🟩 | 123 🟨 | 81 🟥 77 | 1.60
Villa Career Form:
Top 6
Referee:
VAR (from 2021)