On This Day
Villa make is successive first division wins as they overcome the terror of a 1980's plastic pitch to beat Luton and climb to 10th in the table under Graham Taylor.
Villa win for the third time in nine top flight games after a slow start to the campaign.
Midfielder Mark Blake, 18, makes his debut in a Villa after coming through the youth ranks to become the 666th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.
Derek Mountfield scores for the second successive game to make it 6 Goals in a Villa shirt on his 44th appearance (42 Starts), W15 D10 L19, 6 Goals and 1 Assist so far in his Villa career.
GK Nigel Spink | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
RB Chris Price | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Derek Mountfield | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | โฝ |
CB Kent Nielsen | ๐ฉ๐ฐ |
LB Bernie Gallacher | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | ๐ |
M Mark Blake | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐ข |
M Gordon Cowans | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐ฅ |
M David Platt | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Stuart Gray | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
F Adrian Heath | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐จ | ๐ |
CF Ian Olney | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Graham Taylor | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1987-1990

Substitutes
๐ W Tony Daley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | for LB Bernie Gallacher | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ | 58โ |
๐ M Paul Birch | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | for F Adrian Heath | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 76โ |
Unused Substitutes
None
Yellow Cards (Warnings, Cautions, Bookings)
๐จ Adrian Heath, Off the ball incident (2)
Red Cards (Ordered from Field of Play, Dismissals, Sendings Off)
None
Trophy Record
European Cup / Champions League: ๐
League Champions: ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐
FA Cup Winners: ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐
League Cup Winners: ๐๐๐
Last Trophy: 1981-82
Matchday Squad
Goalkeepers
GK Nigel Spink | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Defenders
CB Derek Mountfield | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Kent Nielsen | ๐ฉ๐ฐ |
Full Backs
RB Chris Price | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
LB Bernie Gallacher | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
Midfielders
M Mark Blake | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Gordon Cowans | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M David Platt | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Stuart Gray | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Paul Birch | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Wingers
W Tony Daley | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Forwards
CF Ian Olney | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
F Adrian Heath | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Unavailable
Not recorded
Team News
Kent Nielsen (first start in 7), Adrian Heath and Mark Blake (debut) replace Paul McGrath, Tony Daley and Kevin Gage.
Team Stats
Starting XI Average Age
| 26.32 |
Oldest Player |
GK Nigel Spink | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 31.21 |
Youngest Player |
M Mark Blake | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 18.84 |
Debut Appearances
๐ข M Mark Blake | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | #666 | Youth Team promotion
Final Appearances
None
Starting XI
Substitutes
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
Scorer(s) | Derek Mountfield | 45' |
Assist(s) | Gordon Cowans | 45' |
Match Timeline
๐ข | 1โ Debut, Mark Blake
โฝ | 45โ Goal, 1-0, Derek Mountfield, Assist by Gordon Cowans
๐ | HT Luton Town 0-1 Aston Villa
๐ | 58โ Sub off, Bernie Gallacher, Sub on, Tony Daley
๐ | 76โ Sub off, Adrian Heath, Sub on, Paul Birch
๐ | FT Luton Town 0-1 Aston Villa
๐จ | Booking, Adrian Heath, Off the ball incident
Season | 1989-90 |
Matchday | #11 |
League Match | #9 |
Manager Game | #109 |
Saturday, 14 October 1989
Match Record
Game Record
Manager: Graham Taylor | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Worksop, 1987-1990
Referee: Philip Don | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Middlesex, 1987โ1995
Kick off: 3.00pm
HT Score: ๐ฉ 1-0
FT Result: ๐ฉ Won
FT Score: ๐ฉ 1-0
Last 5: ๐ฉ ๐ฅ ๐ฉ ๐จ ๐ฉ
Officials
Referee: Philip Don | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | Middlesex, 1987โ1995
Match Stats
Not recorded
Graham Taylor | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | 1987-1990
๐ 109 | ๐ฉ | 45 ๐จ | 28 ๐ฅ 36 | 1.50
Villa Career Form:
Top 8
What they Said
"You get your pleasure from playing on these pitches with the result.
"You have to sacrifice certain things.
"But I am not apologising for It. Artificial pitches never have been, and never will be a substitute for the real thing."
Graham Taylor.
Villa turn tables on hated surface
The end justified the means, but provided precious little satisfaction for Graham Taylor.
Villa's manager detests plastic pitches and is merely grateful to grab what he can when his teams have to play on them.
That was why there was never any likelihood of Villa displaying a spirit of adventure at Kenilworth Road.
"You get your pleasure from playing on these pitches with the result," admitted Taylor.
"You have to sacrifice certain things.
"But I am not apologising for it. Artificial pitches never have been, and never will be, a substitute for the real thing."
The small group of Villa fans, who found a way round Luton's ban on visiting supporters, only saw two things to send them home with something to celebrate - Derek Mountfield's left-foot stab on the stroke of halftime and an encouraging debut from 18-year-old Mark Blake.
GK Alec Chamberlain | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB Dave Beaumont | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
CB Graham Rodger | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | ๐ |
CB John Dreyer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
RB Tim Breacker | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Robert Wilson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Steve Williams | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M David Preece | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Kingsley Black | ๐ฌ๐ง |
F Roy Wegerle | ๐บ๐ธ | ๐ |
CF Lars Elstrup | ๐ฉ๐ฐ |
Ray Harford | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Substitutes
๐ | CB Graham Rodger | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ | (D Richard Harvey | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |)
๐ | F Roy Wegerle | ๐บ๐ธ | (F Richard Cooke | 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
European Cup / Champions League: โ
League Champions: โ
FA Cup Winners: โ
League Cup Winners: ๐
Last Trophy: 1987-88
Opposition Matchday Squad
Goalkeepers
GK Alec Chamberlain | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Defenders
CB Dave Beaumont | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ |
CB Graham Rodger | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
CB John Dreyer | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
D Richard Harvey | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Full Backs
RB Tim Breacker | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Midfielders
M Robert Wilson | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Steve Williams | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M David Preece | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
M Kingsley Black | ๐ฌ๐ง |
Forwards
F Roy Wegerle | ๐บ๐ธ |
CF Lars Elstrup | ๐ฉ๐ฐ |
F Richard Cooke | ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ |
Opposition Unavailable
Not Recorded
League Table











