Game #4510
Saturday, 21 February 1998
Attendance: 13,131
Lost
Premier League
15th (-1)
Wimbledon
Last 5: 🟥 🟩 🟥 🟥 🟥
Selhurst Park
Villa make it successive losses and are left with one win in seven Premier League games as Brian Little quits as Villa boss much to the heartbreak of the fanbase who were largely still with the legendary Villa man.
Wimbledon
2-1
Aston Villa
Assist(s) | Ugo Ehiogu | 41’ |
KEY MAN
Savo Milošević, scored with massive deflection
RELATED MATCHES
MATCH TIMELINE
🥅 | 10’ Goal, 0-1, (Wimbledon), Jason Euell
🥅 | 39’ Goal, 0-2, (Wimbledon), Carl Leaburn
⚽ | 41’ Goal, 1-2, Savo Milošević, Assist by Ugo Ehiogu
🕒 | HT Wimbledon 2-1 Aston Villa
🔁 | 56’ Sub off, Savo Milošević, Sub on, Lee Hendrie
🔁 | 69’ Sub off, Fernando Nélson, Sub on, Darren Byfield
🕒 | FT Wimbledon 2-1 Aston Villa
🟨 | Booking, Ugo Ehiogu
ON THIS DAY
Brian Little's final game as Villa boss. Little became the second successive Villa manager to leave their post after defeat to Wimbledon following Ron Atkinson in November 1994. Results had been challenging in the season to date but it was still a surprise and premature departure for the Villa legend.
Aston Villa
European Cup / Champions League: 🏆
League Champions: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆🏆
FA Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 🏆🏆
League Cup Winners: 🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
Last Trophy: 1995-96
Wimbledon
European Cup / Champions League: ❌
League Champions: ❌
FA Cup Winners: 🏆
League Cup Winners: ❌
Last Trophy: 1987-88
FIXTURE HISTORY
Previous 5 vs. Wimbledon: 🟨 🟥 🟩 🟩 🟥
FIXTURE DETAILS
Season | 1997-98 |
Matchday | #38 |
League Game | #27 |
Manager Game | #164 |
Saturday, 21 February 1998
MATCH SUMMARY
Manager: Brian Little | 🏴 | Peterlee, 1994-1998
Referee: Gerald Ashby | 🏴 | Worcester, 1985–1998
Kick off: 3.00pm
HT Score: 🟥 1-2
FT Score: 🟥 1-2
FT Result: 🟥 Lost
Last 5: 🟥 🟩 🟥 🟥 🟥
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Gerald Ashby | 🏴 | Worcester, 1985–1998
Previous 5: 🟩 🟩 🟨 🟥 🟩
Last Match: 🟩 10 February 1996, Villa 2-0 Bolton, Burnden Park.
Cards: 🟨 🟨
CARDS
Villa
🟨
Wimbledon
🟨
TEAM NEWS
Villa name an unchanged line up for only the third time in 38 games this season.
TEAM STATS
Starting XI Average Age
| 26.12 |
Oldest Player
M Ian Taylor | 🏴 | 29.74 |
Youngest Player
CB Riccardo Scimeca | 🏴 | 22.71 |
MANAGER
Brian Little | 🏴 |
MANAGER
Joe Kinnear | 🇮🇪 |
Aston Villa
GK Mark Bosnich | 🇦🇺 |
RB Fernando Nélson | 🇵🇹 | 🔁 |
RB Simon Grayson | 🏴 |
CB Ugo Ehiogu | 🏴 | 🟨 |
CB Riccardo Scimeca | 🏴 |
CB Gareth Southgate | 🏴 |
LB Alan Wright | 🏴 |
M Ian Taylor | 🏴 |
CF Stan Collymore | 🏴 |
CF Julian Joachim | 🏴 | 🔥 |
CF Savo Milošević | 🇷🇸 | ⚽ | 🔁 |
Wimbledon
GK Neil Sullivan | 🏴 |
LB Ben Thatcher | 🏴 |
CB Chris Perry | 🏴 |
CB Dean Blackwell | 🏴 |
RB Duncan Jupp | 🏴 | 🟨 | 🔁 |
M Neal Ardley | 🏴 |
M Vinnie Jones | 🏴 |
M Peter Fear | 🏴 |
F Jason Euell | 🏴 | ⚽ |
CF Carl Leaburn | 🏴 | ⚽ |
CF Marcus Gayle | 🏴 | 🔁 |
SUBSTITUTES
🔁 | M Lee Hendrie | 🏴 | for CF Savo Milošević | 🇷🇸 | 56’ |
🔁 | CF Darren Byfield | 🏴 | for RB Fernando Nélson | 🇵🇹 | 69’ |
SUBSTITUTES
🔁 | RB Duncan Jupp | 🏴 | (M Ståle Solbakken | 🇳🇴 | 🟨 |)
🔁 | CF Marcus Gayle | 🏴 | (CF Carl Cort | 🏴 |)
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES
GK Michael Oakes | 🏴 |
LB Lee Collins | 🏴 |
CF Richard Walker | 🏴 |
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES
GK Paul Heald | 🏴 |
CB Alan Reeves | 🏴 |
W Andy Clarke | 🏴 |
SQUAD STATS
1st XI:
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 8/11
Squad:
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 13/16
MATCHDAY SQUAD
SQUAD STATS
1st XI:
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 11/11
Squad:
Home Nation 🏴 🏴 🏴 🇬🇧 : 15/16
MATCHDAY SQUAD
UNAVAILABLE
Not recorded
UNAVAILABLE
Not Recorded
Player Abbreviations:
GK : Goalkeeper
LB, RB, FB : Left Back, Right Back, Full Back
CB, D : Centre Back, Defender
M, W : Midfielder. Winger
F, CF : Forward, Centre Forward
🟢 : Debut 🔴 : Final Game
Symbols:
⚽ | Goal
🔥 | Assist
🔁 | Substitution
🟨 | Booking
🟥 | Sending off
🆘 | Poor refereeing performance
DEBUT APPEARANCES
FINAL APPEARANCES
MATCH STATS
Not recorded
TABLE

PROGRAMME



MATCHDAY QUOTES
"Villa’s hopes were damaged in the 57th minute when Milosevic was forced to limp off and Villa never really threatened an equaliser."
*Sunday Tribune*
Sunday, 22 February 1998
THE blossoming partnership between Jason Euell and Carl Leaburn plunged Villa deeper into the relegation mire at Selhurst Park. First-half strikes from the bargain duo set Wimbledon on their way to a vital win in front of just 13,131 fans.
Wimbledon deservedly took the lead after nine minutes. Vinnie Jones' first attempt at a cross was blocked by Alan Wright. but at the second time of asking the Welsh international whipped in a dangerous low cross towards the near post. Bosnich should perhaps have come to collect but thought better of it as Leaburn closed in, and the ball broke to Euell, who had the simple task of stabbing home from a few yards.
But Villa played some attractive football however and were almost rewarded for their efforts on 19 minutes when Milosevic's shot was saved by Nell Sullivan.
But it was no surprise when the Wimbledon got a second six minutes before half time, again from a right wing cross. This time Ardley's cross went over the head of Scimeca to give Gayle time and space at the far post to turn in a cross for the unmarked Leaburn to head past Bosnich.
That would have been a fair reflection on the first half but a cruel piece of luck brought Villa back into the game. Just seconds after Collymore had shot wide from a good position. Milosevic's shot from the edge of the area took a wicked deflection to leave Sullivan no chance. But Villa’s hopes were damaged in the 57th minute when Milosevic was forced to limp off and Villa never really threatened an equaliser.