1967–68 Aston Villa F.C. season

Aston Villa
1967–68 season
Chairman	Norman Smith
Manager	Tommy Cummings
Stadium	Villa Park
Second Division	16th
FA Cup	Fourth round
League Cup	Second round

The 1967–68 English football season was Aston Villa's 69th season in the Football League, this season playing in the Football League Second Division following relegation the previous season. Villa had been in decline for several years; the club had an ageing five-man board "who had failed to adapt to the new football reality".^[1]

The former player-manager of promotion winning Mansfield Town, 38-year-old Tommy Cummings was appointed Aston Villa manager in the summer of 1967 ^[2] reportedly on a three-year contract at £5,000 per year.^[3] His predecessor, Dick Taylor's heavy investment in new players had failed disastrously plunging the club into deep financial trouble. Taylor, chief scout Jimmy Easson and second team coach Johnny Dixon were sacked not long after the club had been relegated.^[4]^[5] Cummings failed to rebuild the scouting network nor an effective coaching structure. The fans' calls for the board to resign became more and more pronounced when Villa finished 16th.^[6]

Brian Godfrey (143) was transferred, with Brian Greenhalgh (40), from Preston North End in September 1967. Godfrey scored on his Villa debut, and he and Greenhalgh scored 18 goals between them in their first 17 games in Villa colours. Other debuts included Fred Turnbull (161), John Dunn (101), Tommy Mitchinson (49), John Inglis (3),^[7] and Dick Edwards.^[8]

In the Second City derby Villa lost both matches.^[9]

Football League Second Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts
14	Huddersfield Town	42	13	12	17	46	61	0.754	38
15	Charlton Athletic	42	12	13	17	63	68	0.926	37
16	Aston Villa	42	15	7	20	54	64	0.844	37
17	Hull City	42	12	13	17	58	73	0.795	37
18	Derby County	42	13	10	19	71	78	0.910	36

Source:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored

Matches

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Note	Scorers
19 August 1967	Norwich	A	0–1	—	—
23 August 1967	Plymouth	A	1–2	—	Barry Stobart 60'
26 August 1967	Rotherham	H	3–1	—	Dave Rudge 13', Barry Stobart 20', Willie Anderson 48'
28 August 1967	Plymouth	H	0–1	—	—
2 September 1967	Derby	A	1–3	—	Barry Stobart 5'
5 September 1967	QPR	A	0–3	—	—
9 September 1967	Preston	H	1–0	—	Bobby Park 29'
16 September 1967	Charlton	A	0–3	—	—
23 September 1967	Palace	H	0–1	—	—
30 September 1967	Boro	A	1–1	—	Brian Godfrey 27'
7 October 1967	Birmingham	H	2–4	—	Brian Greenhalgh 4', Brian Godfrey 30'
14 October 1967	Millwall	A	2–1	—	Brian Godfrey 42', Brian Greenhalgh 76'
21 October 1967	Blackpool	H	3–2	—	Willie Anderson 20', Brian Greenhalgh 29', Tommy Mitchinson 47'
4 November 1967	Carlisle	H	1–0	—	Tommy Mitchinson 58'
11 November 1967	Ipswich	A	1–2	—	Brian Godfrey 21'
18 November 1967	Hull	H	2–3	—	Brian Greenhalgh 42', 73'
25 November 1967	Bolton	A	3–2	—	Brian Greenhalgh 23', Brian Godfrey 57', Mike Tindall 88'
2 December 1967	Huddersfield	H	0–0	—	—
16 December 1967	Norwich	H	4–2	—	Tommy Mitchinson 15', 55', John Woodward 36', Brian Greenhalgh 69'
23 December 1967	Rotherham	A	2–0	—	Brian Greenhalgh 80', Tommy Mitchinson 87'
26 December 1967	Cardiff	A	0–3	—	—
30 December 1967	Cardiff	H	2–1	—	Brian Greenhalgh 61', Willie Anderson 78'
6 January 1968	Derby	H	2–1	—	Brian Greenhalgh 46', Johnny MacLeod 63'
20 January 1968	Charlton	H	4–1	—	Johnny MacLeod 1', Brian Greenhalgh 55', Brian Godfrey 66', John Woodward 84'
3 February 1968	Palace	A	1–0	—	Brian Godfrey 30'
10 February 1968	Boro	H	0–1	—	—
24 February 1968	Birmingham	A	1–2	—	Brian Godfrey 42'
27 February 1968	Bristol City	A	0–0	—	—
2 March 1968	Millwall	H	3–1	—	Willie Anderson 29' (pen), 42', Tommy Mitchinson 46'
13 March 1968	Blackburn	A	1–2	—	Dave Rudge 88'
16 March 1968	Blackpool	A	0–1	—	—
18 March 1968	Preston	A	1–2	—	Brian Greenhalgh 5'
23 March 1968	Blackburn	H	1–2	—	Tommy Mitchinson 78'
30 March 1968	Carlisle	A	2–1	—	Dave Rudge 23', Brian Godfrey 43'
6 April 1968	Ipswich	H	2–2	—	Tommy Mitchinson 9', Brian Godfrey 31'
13 April 1968	Hull	A	0–3	—	—
15 April 1968	Portsmouth	A	2–2	—	Own Goal 14', Brian Godfrey 31'
16 April 1968	Portsmouth	H	1–0	—	Dave Rudge 1'
20 April 1968	Bolton	H	1–1	—	Lew Chatterley 71'
27 April 1968	Huddersfield	A	0–0	—	—
4 May 1968	Bristol City	H	2–4	—	Brian Godfrey 3', Lew Chatterley 12' ^[10]
11 May 1968	QPR	H	1–2	—	Tommy Mitchinson 14'

Source: avfchistory.co.uk

FA Cup

Third Round Proper

The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage. The matches were played on Saturday, 27 January 1968. Ten matches were drawn, with replays taking place later the same week, and one tie required a second replay.

Tie no	Home team	Score	Away team	Date	Attendance	Notes
10	Aston Villa	3–0	Millwall	27 January 1968

Fourth Round Proper

The matches were played on Saturday, 17 February 1968. Six matches were drawn and replayed later the same week.

Tie no	Home team	Score	Away team	Date	Attendance	Notes
2	Aston Villa	0–1	Rotherham United	17 February 1968

League Cup

Ties

Home team	Score	Away team	Date
Northampton Town	3–1	Aston Villa	13 September 1967

References

↑ Ward, Adam, p. 98
↑ "Former Managers 1960s". Aston Villa F.C. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 13 July 2009.
↑ Aston Villa Manager, The Times, 8 July 1967
↑ "Former Managers: 1960s". Aston Villa F.C. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009.
↑ Peter Doherty joins Villa as chief scout, The Birmingham Post, 3 July 1968, p40
↑ Ward, Adam, p. 100
↑ https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/john-inglis
↑ "Aston Villa's Seasons". AVFC History.
↑ "All Aston Villa's Matches". AVFC History. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
↑ https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/aston-villa/matches/league/1967-68

External links

AVFC History: 1967-68 season

[1] Ward, Adam, p. 98

[2] "Former Managers 1960s". Aston Villa F.C. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009. Retrieved 13 July 2009.

[3] Aston Villa Manager, The Times, 8 July 1967

[4] "Former Managers: 1960s". Aston Villa F.C. Archived from the original on 3 March 2009.

[PDJV-5] Peter Doherty joins Villa as chief scout, The Birmingham Post, 3 July 1968, p40

[Ward100-6] Ward, Adam, p. 100

[7] ttps://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/john-inglis

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

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

[avfc6768-10] ttps://www.avfchistory.co.uk/aston-villa/matches/league/1967-68

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