1976–77 Aston Villa F.C. season

Aston Villa
1976–77 season
Chairman	Sir William Dugdale, Bt
Manager	Ron Saunders
Stadium	Villa Park
First Division	4th
FA Cup	Sixth round
League Cup	Winners
Top goalscorer	League: ; Andy Gray (25); All: ; Andy Gray (29)
Average home league attendance	37,904

The 1976–77 English football season was Aston Villa's 78th season in the Football League and their second consecutive season in the top division.

Andy Gray and was joint winner of England's golden boot with Arsenal's Malcolm Macdonald in 1976–77. Gray's 29 goals helped Villa to a fourth-place finish and victory in the League Cup, and earned him the PFA Young Player of the Year and PFA Players' Player of the Year awards.^[3]

There were debut appearances for Gordon Smith (79), Alex Cropley (67), Charlie Young (11),^[4] Mick Buttress (3), David T Hughes (4) and Ivor Linton (27).^[5] Villa lost both games in the Second City derby.^[6]

League Cup

12 Mar 1977: The League Cup final ends in a 0–0 draw between Aston Villa and Everton at Wembley.^[7] Arsenal's 2–1 loss to Queens Park Rangers is their seventh consecutive League defeat, a club record.^[8]^[9]

16 Mar 1977: The Football League Cup final replay at Hillsborough ends in a 1–1 draw.^[7]

13 Apr 1977: The Football League Cup final is decided at the third attempt when Aston Villa beat Everton 3–2 in the second replay at Old Trafford.^[7] A last minute goal from Brian Little sends the trophy to Villa Park and prevents the possibility of a first-ever major English Cup Final penalty shoot-out.

League

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
2	Manchester City	42	21	14	7	60	34	+26	56	Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
3	Ipswich Town	42	22	8	12	66	39	+27	52
4	Aston Villa	42	22	7	13	76	50	+26	51
5	Newcastle United	42	18	13	11	64	49	+15	49
6	Manchester United	42	18	11	13	71	62	+9	47	Qualification for the European Cup Winners' Cup first round^[a]

Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Notes:

^ Manchester United qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup first round as the 1976–77 FA Cup winners.

Matches

Aston Villa's score comes first

Win	Draw	Loss

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Notes	Scorers
21 August 1976	West Ham United	H	4–0		Gray (2), Graydon (2) ^[10]
25 August 1976	Manchester City	A	0–2
28 August 1976	Everton	A	2–0	31 Aug 1976: No fewer than nine teams are level on four points at the top of the First Division after three matches. Aston Villa lead on goal difference. Norwich City are the only team yet to register a point.^[8]	Little, Lyons (own goal)
4 September 1976	Ipswich Town	H	5–2		Gray (3), Graydon, Little
11 September 1976	Queens Park Rangers	A	1–2		Gray
18 September 1976	Birmingham City	H	1–2		Gray
25 September 1976	Leicester City	H	2–0		Gray, Graydon
2 October 1976	Stoke City	A	0–1
16 October 1976	Sunderland	A	1–0		Cropley
20 October 1976	Arsenal	H	5–1		Gray (2), Graydon, Little, Mortimer
23 October 1976	Bristol City	H	3–1		Gidman, Graydon, Nicholl
30 October 1976	Liverpool	A	0–3
6 November 1976	Manchester United	H	3–2		Gray (2), Mortimer
10 November 1976	West Bromwich Albion	A	1–1		Mortimer
20 November 1976	Coventry City	H	2–2		Gidman, Gray
27 November 1976	Norwich City	A	1–1		Little
11 December 1976	Leeds United	A	3–1		Cropley, Gray (2)
15 December 1976	Liverpool	H	5–1		Deehan (2), Gray (2), Little ^[8]
18 December 1976	Newcastle United	H	2–1		Deehan (2)
27 December 1976	Middlesbrough	A	2–3		Gray, Hughes
1 January 1977	Manchester United	A	0–2
22 January 1977	West Ham United	A	1–0		Gray
5 February 1977	Everton	H	2–0		Gray, Little
12 February 1977	Ipswich Town	A	0–1
2 March 1977	Derby County	H	4–0		Cowans, Gidman, Little, Mortimer
5 March 1977	Leicester City	A	1–1		Deehan
23 March 1977	Sunderland	H	4–1		Deehan (2), Gidman, Gray
2 April 1977	Bristol City	A	0–0
5 April 1977	Middlesbrough	H	1–0		Deehan
9 April 1977	Derby County	A	1–2		Little
16 April 1977	Coventry City	A	3–2		Cowans, Deehan, Little
20 April 1977	Tottenham Hotspur	H	2–1		Deehan, Little
23 April 1977	Norwich City	H	1–0		Little
25 April 1977	Arsenal	A	0–3
30 April 1977	Tottenham Hotspur	A	1–3		Deehan
4 May 1977	Manchester City	H	1–1		Little
7 May 1977	Leeds United	H	2–1		Cropley, Deehan
10 May 1977	Birmingham City	A	1–2		Deehan
14 May 1977	Newcastle United	A	2–3		Little (2)
16 May 1977	Stoke City	H	1–0	Ivor Linton made his debut in the First Division as a 17-year-old apprentice, as a substitute in a 1–0 home victory against Stoke City relegating the Potteries club.^[11] West Ham United and Queens Park Rangers win their last matches of the season to survive, and Bristol City keep their hopes alive by beating Liverpool 2–1. They go into their last match level on points with Coventry City and Sunderland.^[8]	Gray
20 May 1977	Queens Park Rangers	H	1–1		Cowans
23 May 1977	West Bromwich Albion	H	4–0		Gray (3), Nicholl ^[10]

Source: avfchistory.co.uk

FA Cup

Squad

All Aston Villa players: 1977 Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


Pos.	Nation	Player
GK	ENG	John Burridge
DF	ENG	John Robson
DF	SCO	Gordon Smith
DF	WAL	Leighton Phillips
DF	NIR	Chris Nicholl
MF	ENG	Dennis Mortimer
FW	ENG	John Deehan
FW	ENG	Brian Little
FW	SCO	Andy Gray
MF	SCO	Alex Cropley
MF	ENG	Frank Carrodus


Pos.	Nation	Player
DF	ENG	John Gidman
FW	ENG	Ray Graydon
MF	ENG	Gordon Cowans
DF	ENG	Charlie Young
GK	SCO	Jake Findlay
MF	ENG	David Hughes
DF	ENG	Keith Masefield
DF	ENG	Mike Buttress
DF	ENG	Ivor Linton
MF	ENG	Steve Hunt

References

^ Dyer, Christopher (10 March 2022). "Dugdale, Sir William Stratford, second baronet". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.108089. ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8. (Subscription, Wikipedia Library access or UK public library membership required.)
^ "Former Villa chairman Bill Dugdale reveals battles with Doug Ellis". 18 May 2011.
^ Bishop, Rob (30 November 2018). "St Andy's Day". Aston Villa F.C. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
^ https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/charlie-young
^ "Aston Villa's Seasons". AVFC History.
^ "All Aston Villa's Matches". AVFC History. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c Smailes, Gordon (2000). The Breedon Book of Football Records. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 256. ISBN 1859832148.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Smailes, Gordon (2000). The Breedon Book of Football Records. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 138. ISBN 1859832148.
^ Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2011-2012. London: Headline. 2011. ISBN 9780755362318.
^ ^a ^b https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/aston-villa/matches/league/1976-77
^ "Ivor Linton – Aston Villa FC". Football-Heroes.net. Retrieved 7 June 2009.

[table_note_res_ECWC1R0.54688770163194-10] Manchester United qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup first round as the 1976–77 FA Cup winners.

[1] Dyer, Christopher (10 March 2022). "Dugdale, Sir William Stratford, second baronet". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.108089. ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8. (Subscription, Wikipedia Library access or UK public library membership required.)

[2] "Former Villa chairman Bill Dugdale reveals battles with Doug Ellis". 18 May 2011.

[3] Bishop, Rob (30 November 2018). "St Andy's Day". Aston Villa F.C. Retrieved 30 November 2018.

[4] ttps://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/charlie-young

[5] "Aston Villa's Seasons". AVFC History.

[6] "All Aston Villa's Matches". AVFC History. Retrieved 6 August 2023.

[smailesleaguecup-7] Smailes, Gordon (2000). The Breedon Book of Football Records. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 256. ISBN 1859832148.

[smailesleague-8] Smailes, Gordon (2000). The Breedon Book of Football Records. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 138. ISBN 1859832148.

[sky-9] Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2011-2012. London: Headline. 2011. ISBN 9780755362318.

[avfc7677-11] ttps://www.avfchistory.co.uk/aston-villa/matches/league/1976-77

[12] "Ivor Linton – Aston Villa FC". Football-Heroes.net. Retrieved 7 June 2009.

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Aston Villa F.C. seasons
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