1971–72 Aston Villa F.C. season
English football club season
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The 1971–72 English football season was Aston Villa's 73rd season in the Football League, this season playing in the Football League Third Division. Under manager Vic Crowe[1] Aston Villa won promotion to the Second Division as champions with a record 70 points, and thus ended their two-year spell in the Third Division. By the end of the decade they were firmly re-established as a First Division club.
| 1971–72 season | |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Doug Ellis |
| Manager | Vic Crowe |
| Stadium | Villa Park |
| Third Division | 1st |
| FA Cup | First round |
| League Cup | Fourth round |
In July 1971, Ray Graydon secured a £50,000 move from third division Bristol Rovers, with captain Brian Godfrey moving in the opposite direction.[2][3] Graydon missed just one of Villa's 46 league games in the 1971–72 season, scoring 14 goals as the club secured the Third Division title with a five-point margin over Brighton & Hove Albion.[4] Debut Appearances included Brian Little (247), Chris Nicholl (210), Ian Ross (175), Jimmy Cumbes (157), Tommy Hughes (16), and Malcolm Beard (6).[5] Willie Anderson's contribution included scoring a career high fifteen goals in all competitions with eight coming from penalties, helping him gain a reputation as a penalty taker specialist.[6]
Third Division
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GAv | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aston Villa (C, P) | 46 | 32 | 6 | 8 | 85 | 32 | 2.656 | 70 | Promotion to the Second Division |
| 2 | Brighton & Hove Albion (P) | 46 | 27 | 11 | 8 | 82 | 47 | 1.745 | 65 | |
| 3 | Bournemouth | 46 | 23 | 16 | 7 | 73 | 37 | 1.973 | 62 | |
| 4 | Notts County | 46 | 25 | 12 | 9 | 74 | 44 | 1.682 | 62 | Qualification for the Watney Cup |
| 5 | Rotherham United | 46 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 69 | 52 | 1.327 | 55 |
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted
Matches
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Note | Scorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 August 1971 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 3–1 | — | Geoff Vowden, Pat McMahon, Willie Anderson (pen) |
| 21 August 1971 | Walsall | A | 1–1 | — | Geoff Vowden |
| 28 August 1971 | Rochdale | H | 2–0 | — | Andy Lochhead, Ray Graydon |
| 4 September 1971 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 0–2 | — | — |
| 11 September 1971 | Brighton | H | 2–0 | — | Ray Graydon, Chico Hamilton |
| 18 September 1971 | Halifax Town | A | 1–0 | — | Ray Graydon |
| 22 September 1971 | Mansfield Town | H | 0–1 | — | — |
| 25 September 1971 | Wrexham | H | 2–0 | — | Willie Anderson (pen), Ray Graydon |
| 28 September 1971 | Barnsley | A | 4–0 | — | Andy Lochhead (2), Chico Hamilton (2) |
| 2 October 1971 | Bristol Rovers | A | 1–0 | — | Willie Anderson |
| 9 October 1971 | Rotherham United | H | 1–2 | — | Andy Lochhead |
| 16 October 1971 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 2–3 | — | Bruce Rioch, Geoff Vowden |
| 20 October 1971 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 2–0 | — | Bruce Rioch, Andy Lochhead |
| 23 October 1971 | Bournemouth | A | 0–3 | — | — |
| 30 October 1971 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 4–1 | — | Neil Rioch (2), Chico Hamilton, Willie Anderson |
| 6 November 1971 | Port Vale | A | 4–4 | — | Chico Hamilton, Willie Anderson (pen), Own goal, Ray Graydon |
| 13 November 1971 | Notts County | H | 1–0 | — | Ray Graydon |
| 27 November 1971 | Oldham Athletic | A | 6–0 | — | Andy Lochhead (3), Willie Anderson, Bruce Rioch (2) |
| 4 December 1971 | Bradford City | H | 3–0 | — | Willie Anderson (pen), Bruce Rioch (2) |
| 18 December 1971 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 3–2 | — | Andy Lochhead, Ray Graydon, Charlie Aitken |
| 27 December 1971 | Swansea City | A | 2–1 | — | Charlie Aitken, Ray Graydon |
| 1 January 1972 | Halifax Town | H | 1–0 | — | Ray Graydon |
| 8 January 1972 | Rochdale | A | 0–1 | — | — |
| 19 January 1972 | Shrewsbury Town | H | 3–0 | — | Chico Hamilton, Ray Graydon (2) |
| 22 January 1972 | Barnsley | H | 2–0 | — | Andy Lochhead, Bruce Rioch |
| 28 January 1972 | Tranmere Rovers | A | 1–0 | — | Charlie Aitken |
| 5 February 1972 | York City | H | 1–0 | — | Willie Anderson (pen) |
| 12 February 1972 | Bournemouth | H | 2–1 | — | Geoff Vowden, Andy Lochhead |
| 19 February 1972 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 1–1 | — | Andy Lochhead |
| 26 February 1972 | Port Vale | H | 2–0 | — | Andy Lochhead, Pat McMahon |
| 4 March 1972 | Notts County | A | 3–0 | — | Pat McMahon (2), Ray Graydon |
| 11 March 1972 | Rotherham United | A | 2–0 | — | Andy Lochhead, Ray Graydon |
| 15 March 1972 | Shrewsbury Town | A | 1–1 | — | Chris Nicholl |
| 18 March 1972 | Walsall | H | 0–0 | — | — |
| 25 March 1972 | Brighton | A | 1–2 | — | Bruce Rioch |
| 31 March 1972 | Wrexham | A | 2–0 | — | Willie Anderson, Ray Graydon |
| 1 April 1972 | Swansea City | H | 2–0 | — | Willie Anderson, Pat McMahon |
| 3 April 1972 | Bristol Rovers | H | 2–1 | — | Andy Lochhead (2) |
| 8 April 1972 | York City | A | 1–0 | — | Bruce Rioch |
| 10 April 1972 | Oldham Athletic | H | 1–0 | — | Ray Graydon |
| 12 April 1972 | Torquay United | A | 1–2 | — | Geoff Vowden |
| 19 April 1972 | Chesterfield | A | 4–0 | — | Andy Lochhead, Geoff Vowden (2), Chico Hamilton |
| 22 April 1972 | Bradford City | A | 1–0 | — | Charlie Aitken |
| 24 April 1972 | Mansfield Town | A | 1–1 | — | Geoff Vowden |
| 29 April 1972 | Torquay United | H | 5–1 | — | Geoff Vowden (2), Andy Lochhead, Own goal, Brian Little |
| 5 May 1972 | Chesterfield | H | 1–0 | — | Ian Ross |
Source: avfchistory.co.uk
FA Cup
League Cup
Diary
- 20 November 1971: As a third division club Villa were required to compete in the first round joined those non-league clubs having come through the qualifying rounds.[7] Villa were knocked out by Fourth Division Southend.
- 31 March 1972: Third Division table-toppers Aston Villa pull away from A.F.C. Bournemouth.[8]
