top of page

Game #3640

Aston Villa

26-8-7, 60 PTS

Aston Villa.jpg

Saturday, 25 April 1981

1st (-)

Last 5: ๐ŸŸฉ ๐ŸŸฅ ๐ŸŸฉ ๐ŸŸจ ๐ŸŸฉ

GK Jimmy Rimmer | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
RB Kenny Swain | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Allan Evans | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | โšฝ |
CB Ken McNaught | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
M Des Bremner | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
M Dennis Mortimer | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐Ÿ”ฅ |
M Colin Gibson | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Gordon Cowans | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
W Tony Morley | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐Ÿ”ฅ |
F Gary Shaw | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | โšฝ |
CF Peter Withe | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐Ÿ”ฅ | โšฝ |

Ron Saunders | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982
Aston Villa.jpg
Substitutes

No Substitutions Made

Unused Substitutes

LB Eamonn Deacy | ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ช |

Yellow Cards (Warnings, Cautions, Bookings)

None

Red Cards (Ordered from Field of Play, Dismissals, Sendings Off)

None

Trophy Record

League Champions: ๐Ÿ†๐Ÿ†๐Ÿ†๐Ÿ†๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ†
FA Cup Winners: ๐Ÿ†๐Ÿ†๐Ÿ†๐Ÿ†๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ†๐Ÿ†
League Cup Winners: ๐Ÿ†๐Ÿ†๐Ÿ†
Last Trophy: 1976-77

Matchday Squad

Unavailable

Not recorded

Team News

Ron Saunders names an unchanged line up.

Team Stats

Starting XI Average Age
| 26.40 |

Oldest Player |
GK Jimmy Rimmer | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 33.23 |

Youngest Player |
F Gary Shaw | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 19.44 |

Debut Appearances

None

Final Appearances

None

On This Day
  • Villa put in the "complete team performance" to beat Middlesbrough at Villa Park and maintain their four point lead at the top of the table with a game to play. 

  • Ron Saunders' ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Villa make it ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ twenty six wins, ๐ŸŸจ eight draws and ๐ŸŸฅ seven defeats in ๐Ÿ•’ forty one League matches this season as they sit four points clear of Ipswich at the top of the Division One table who have one game extra to play.

  • Ipswich must win their next match to keep their title challenge alive.

  • Left back Colin Gibson ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ makes his ๐Ÿ•’ 75th appearance in a Villa shirt.

  • Centre torward Peter Withe ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ scores his โšฝ 21st goal of the season on his ๐Ÿ•’ 39th appearance and now has โšฝ 11 goals in his last ๐Ÿ•’ 10 games. Withe ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ also contributes his ๐Ÿ”ฅ fifth assist in a Villa shirt.

  • Midfielder Dennis Mortimer ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ contributes his โšฝ ๐Ÿ”ฅ 70th goal involvement in a Villa shirt on his ๐Ÿ•’ 248th appearance at a rate of one every 3.54 games.

  • Centre back Ken McNaught ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ makes his ๐Ÿ•’ 175th appearance in a Villa shirt.

Starting XI
GK Jimmy Rimmer | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
๐Ÿ•’

198

โœ…

198

โšฝ
๐Ÿ”ฅ

0

0

๐ŸŸฉ

89

๐ŸŸจ

56

๐ŸŸฅ

53

โ›”

63

๐Ÿฅ…

212

RB Kenny Swain | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
๐Ÿ•’

120

โœ…

120

โšฝ
๐Ÿ”ฅ

5

15

๐ŸŸฉ

56

๐ŸŸจ

35

๐ŸŸฅ

29

CB Allan Evans | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
๐Ÿ•’

138

โœ…

136

โšฝ
๐Ÿ”ฅ

24

7

๐ŸŸฉ

59

๐ŸŸจ

44

๐ŸŸฅ

35

CB Ken McNaught | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
๐Ÿ•’

175

โœ…

175

โšฝ
๐Ÿ”ฅ

7

7

๐ŸŸฉ

78

๐ŸŸจ

49

๐ŸŸฅ

48

M Des Bremner | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
๐Ÿ•’

89

โœ…

89

โšฝ
๐Ÿ”ฅ

5

2

๐ŸŸฉ

46

๐ŸŸจ

23

๐ŸŸฅ

20

M Colin Gibson | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
๐Ÿ•’

75

โœ…

71

โšฝ
๐Ÿ”ฅ

2

1

๐ŸŸฉ

41

๐ŸŸจ

15

๐ŸŸฅ

19

M Dennis Mortimer | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
๐Ÿ•’

248

โœ…

248

โšฝ
๐Ÿ”ฅ

22

48

๐ŸŸฉ

115

๐ŸŸจ

71

๐ŸŸฅ

62

M Gordon Cowans | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
๐Ÿ•’

205

โœ…

190

โšฝ
๐Ÿ”ฅ

26

27

๐ŸŸฉ

95

๐ŸŸจ

54

๐ŸŸฅ

56

CF Peter Withe | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
๐Ÿ•’

39

โœ…

39

โšฝ
๐Ÿ”ฅ

21

5

๐ŸŸฉ

26

๐ŸŸจ

7

๐ŸŸฅ

6

F Gary Shaw | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
๐Ÿ•’

79

โœ…

77

โšฝ
๐Ÿ”ฅ

32

13

๐ŸŸฉ

42

๐ŸŸจ

18

๐ŸŸฅ

19

W Tony Morley | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
๐Ÿ•’

65

โœ…

62

โšฝ
๐Ÿ”ฅ

15

12

๐ŸŸฉ

33

๐ŸŸจ

14

๐ŸŸฅ

18

Substitutes
None
๐Ÿ•’

๐Ÿ”

โšฝ
๐Ÿ”ฅ

GK Sub

๐ŸŸฉ

๐ŸŸจ

๐ŸŸฅ

โ›”

๐Ÿฅ…

None
๐Ÿ•’

๐Ÿ”

โšฝ
๐Ÿ”ฅ

Sub 1

๐ŸŸฉ

๐ŸŸจ

๐ŸŸฅ

None
๐Ÿ•’

๐Ÿ”

โšฝ
๐Ÿ”ฅ

Sub 2

๐ŸŸฉ

๐ŸŸจ

๐ŸŸฅ

None
๐Ÿ•’

๐Ÿ”

โšฝ
๐Ÿ”ฅ

Sub 3

๐ŸŸฉ

๐ŸŸจ

๐ŸŸฅ

None
๐Ÿ•’

๐Ÿ”

โšฝ
๐Ÿ”ฅ

Sub 4

๐ŸŸฉ

๐ŸŸจ

๐ŸŸฅ

None
๐Ÿ•’

๐Ÿ”

โšฝ
๐Ÿ”ฅ

Sub 5

๐ŸŸฉ

๐ŸŸจ

๐ŸŸฅ

Aston Villa.jpg

Won

3-0

๐ŸŸฉ 25 Apr 1981, Villa 3-0 Boro, Villa Park
Scorer(s) | Gary Shaw | 23' | Peter Withe | 51' | Allan Evans | 80' |

Assist(s) | Peter Withe | 23' | Tony Morley | 51' | Dennis Mortimer | 80' |

Match Timeline

โšฝ | 23โ€™ Goal, 1-0, Gary Shaw, Assist by Peter Withe
๐Ÿ•’ | HT Aston Villa 1-0 Middlesbrough
โšฝ | 51โ€™ Goal, 2-0, Peter Withe, Assist by Tony Morley
โšฝ | 80' Goal, 3-0, Allan Evans, Assist by Dennis Mortimer
๐Ÿ•’ | FT Aston Villa 3-0 Middlesbrough

Season | 1980-81 |
Matchday | #45 |
League Match | #41 |
Manager Game | #358 |
Sunday, 26 April 1981

Aston Villa.jpg
Match Record
Game Record

Manager: Ron Saunders | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Birkenhead, 1974-1982
Referee: Mike Dimblebee | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Stevenage, 1981โ€“1982
Kick off: 3.00pm
HT Score: ๐ŸŸฉ 1-0
FT Result: ๐ŸŸฉ Won
FT Score: ๐ŸŸฉ 3-0
Last 5: ๐ŸŸฉ ๐ŸŸฅ ๐ŸŸฉ ๐ŸŸจ ๐ŸŸฉ

Officials

Referee: Mike Dimblebee | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Stevenage, 1981โ€“1982

Previous 5 vs. Boro: ๐ŸŸฅ ๐ŸŸฅ ๐ŸŸจ ๐ŸŸฅ ๐ŸŸฅ

Aston Villa.jpg
Head to Head

Total ๐Ÿ•’ 99 | ๐ŸŸฉ W45 (45% ) | ๐ŸŸจ D22 | ๐Ÿ‡บ(68% ) | ๐ŸŸฅ L32 (32% ) | โšฝ 177 | ๐Ÿฅ… 132 | GD 45

Match Stats

Not recorded

Ron Saunders | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1974-1982

๐Ÿ•’ 358 | ๐ŸŸฉ | 165 ๐ŸŸจ | 97 ๐ŸŸฅ 96 | 1.65

Villa Career Form:

Top 6

What they Said

โ€œWith no disrespect to Middlesbrough we could have had six goals. We certainly should have' had more than three."

Ron Saunders.

Division One

Middlesbrough

Aston Villa.jpg

Villa Park

Attendance: 38,018

GK Jim Platt | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
D Ian Bailey | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Billy Ashcroft | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Tony McAndrew | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
RB John Craggs | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐ŸŸจ |
M Colin Ross | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
M David Armstrong | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Mark Proctor | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
F BozidarJankoviฤ‡ | ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฆ |
F Terry Cochrane | ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง |
CF David Shearer | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |

John Neal | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Aston Villa.jpg
Substitutes

No Substitutions Made

Unused Substitutes

M Billy Askew | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |

Yellow Cards (Warnings, Cautions, Bookings)

๐ŸŸจ

Red Cards (Ordered from Field of Play, Dismissals, Sendings Off)

None

Opposition Trophy Record

League Champions: โŒ
FA Cup Winners: โŒ
League Cup Winners: โŒ
Last Trophy: โŒ

Opposition Matchday Squad

Opposition Unavailable

Not Recorded

League Table
๐ŸŸฉ 12 Apr 2025, Villa 3-0 Southampton, St Mary's TBL.png
1980-81
Playing Squad
GK Jimmy Rimmer | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | #591 |
๐ŸŸฉ 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
CB Allan Evans | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | #594 |
๐ŸŸฉ 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
CB Brendan Ormsby | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | #599 |
๐ŸŸฉ 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
CB Ken McNaught | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | #590 |
๐ŸŸฉ 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
LB Eamonn Deacy | ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ช | #609 |
๐ŸŸฉ 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
LB Gary Williams | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | #598 |
๐ŸŸฉ 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
RB Kenny Swain | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | #602 |
๐ŸŸฉ 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
LB Pat Heard | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | #612 |
๐ŸŸฉ 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
M Colin Gibson | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | #601 |
๐ŸŸฉ 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
M Dennis Mortimer | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | #580 |
๐ŸŸฉ 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
M Des Bremner | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | #606 |
๐ŸŸฉ 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
M Gary Shelton | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | #595 |
๐ŸŸฉ 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
M Gordon Cowans | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | #582 |
๐ŸŸฉ 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
M Robert Hopkins | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | #613 |
๐ŸŸฉ 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
W Tony Morley | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | #604 |
๐ŸŸฉ 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
CF David Geddis | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | #607 |
๐ŸŸฉ 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
F Gary Shaw | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | #596 |
๐ŸŸฉ 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
CF Peter Withe | ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | #615 |
๐ŸŸฉ 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
CF Terry Donovan | ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ช | #610 |
๐ŸŸฉ 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
Aston Villa.jpg
Match Media
Matchday Programme
Match Highlights
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
HNH.png
Peace, Love & Up The Villa โ˜ฎ๏ธ โœŒ๏ธ๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ’™

Trophiesโ€จ

๐Ÿ† European Cup Winners: (1) 1981-82โ€จ
๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† League Champions: (7) 1893-94, 1895-96, 1896-97, 1898-99, 1899-00, 1909-10, 1980-81
๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ†  FA Cup Winners: (7) 1886-87, 1894-95, 1896-97, 1904-05, 1912-13, 1919-20, 1956-57
๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† League Cup Winners: (5) 1960-61, 1974-75, 1976-77, 1993-94, 1995-96โ€จ
๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† Second Division Champions: (2) 1937-38, 1959-60โ€จ
๐Ÿ† Third Division Champions: (1) 1971-72โ€จ
๐Ÿ† European Super Cup Winners: (1) 1982-83โ€จ
๐Ÿ† Intertoto Cup Winners: (1) 2001-02โ€จ
๐Ÿ† Peace Cup Winners: (1) 2009 (Friendly)โ€จ
๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† FA Youth Cup Winners: (5) 1971-72, 1979-80, 2001-02, 2020-21, 2024-25
๐Ÿ† NextGen Series Winners: (1) 2012-13
๐Ÿ† Premier League Cup Winners: (1) 2017-18
๐Ÿ† u18s Premier League Champions (3): 2024-25, 2007-08, 2003-04
๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† Birmingham Senior Cup Winners: (20) 1879-80, 1881-82, 1882-83, 1883-84, 1884-85, 1887-88, 1888-90, 1889-90, 1890-91, 1895-96, 1898-99, 1902-03, 1903-04, 1905-06, 1907-08, 1908-09, 1909-10, 1911-12, 1984-85, 2023-24
๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† Premier Reserve League Champions: (5) 2003-04, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2011-12
๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† ๐Ÿ† Central League Champions: (3) 1929-30, 1963-64, 1992-93

Contributions

We're always keen to receive contributions... whether it's an amendment, a personal recollection or even a physical reminder of Villa's past such as a matchday programme then please do get in touch.

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

Copywrite Notice

You may reproduce material published on this site, provided you acknowledge AVFC History as the source and provide a link to this site.

We reserve the right to refuse permission for applications we consider unsuitable.

Please include the following statement wherever content from this site is used:

Source: AVFC History. Reproduced by kind permission.

bottom of page