1976–77 Aston Villa F.C. season

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

Aston Villa
1976–77 season
Chairman Sir William Dugdale, Bt[1][2]
Manager Ron Saunders
StadiumVilla Park
First Division4th
FA CupSixth round
League CupWinners

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]

Diary of the season

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.[4]

15 Dec 1976: Aston Villa beat Liverpool 5–1 in the League at Villa Park.[4]

12 Mar 1977: The League Cup final ends in a 0–0 draw between Aston Villa and Everton at Wembley.[5] Arsenal's 2–1 loss to Queens Park Rangers is their seventh consecutive League defeat, a club record.[4][6]

16 Mar 1977: The Football League Cup final replay at Hillsborough ends in a 1–1 draw.[5]

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.[5] 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.

16 May 1977: 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.[7] 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.[4]

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
2 Manchester City 42 21 14 7 60 34 +26 56 Qualified for UEFA Cup
3 Ipswich Town 42 22 8 12 66 39 +27 52
4 Aston Villa 42 22 7 13 76 50 +26 51 League Cup winners, qualified for UEFA Cup
5 Newcastle United 42 18 13 11 64 49 +15 49 Qualified for UEFA Cup
6 Manchester United 42 18 11 13 71 62 +9 47 FA Cup winners, qualified for Cup Winners' Cup
Source:

Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. 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
No. 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
  1. Christopher Dyer, Dugdale, Sir William Stratford, second baronet, (1922–2014) ODNB, 15 February 2018
  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. Smailes, Gordon (2000). The Breedon Book of Football Records. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 138. ISBN 1859832148.
  5. Smailes, Gordon (2000). The Breedon Book of Football Records. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 256. ISBN 1859832148.
  6. Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2011-2012. London: Headline. 2011. ISBN 9780755362318.
  7. "Ivor Linton – Aston Villa FC". Football-Heroes.net. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
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