1969–70 Aston Villa F.C. season

Aston Villa
1969–70 season
Chairman	Doug Ellis
Manager	Tommy Docherty; Vic Crowe
Stadium	Villa Park
Second Division	21st
FA Cup	Third round
League Cup	Second round

The 1969–70 English football season was Aston Villa's 71st season in the Football League, this season playing in the Football League Second Division. On 19 January 1970, with Villa bottom of the Second Division, manager Tommy Docherty was sacked.^[1] Vic Crowe was subsequently appointed manager.^[2]

Bruce Rioch (154) moved to Aston Villa in July 1969 for a fee of £100,000, then a record fee paid by a Second Division side. Tommy Docherty, then Manager saw two Zambians, Emment Kapengwe (3) and Freddie Mwila (1) in action and signed them on. They arrived in Birmingham in August 1969 and signed for Villa for two years. There, they met Brian Tiler (107) who would later coach the Zambian national team. Kapengwe and Mwila ^[3] became the second and third black players to represent Villa since Willie Clarke in 1901. Other debut appearances included Chico Hamilton (208), Andy Lochhead (131), Pat McMahon (130), Jimmy Brown (75), George Curtis (51), Neil Rioch (22), John Phillips (15), Evan Williams (12), and Brian Rowan (1).^[4]

Results were not very good and Villa were relegated to the third division. Docherty left the team and the Zambian duo decided to return home after nine months with Villa.

In the Second City derby Villa drew at home and won away.^[5]

Second Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts	Qualification or relegation
18	Birmingham City	42	11	11	20	51	78	0.654	33
19	Watford	42	9	13	20	44	57	0.772	31
20	Charlton Athletic	42	7	17	18	35	76	0.461	31
21	Aston Villa (R)	42	8	13	21	36	62	0.581	29	Relegation to the Third Division
22	Preston North End (R)	42	8	12	22	43	63	0.683	28	Relegation to the Third Division

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

Matches

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Notes	Scorers
9 Aug 1969	Norwich City	H	0–1	—	—
16 Aug 1969	Huddersfield Town	A	0–2	—	— ^[6]
19 Aug 1969	Carlisle United	A	1–1	—	Chico Hamilton (51') ^[7]
23 Aug 1969	Swindon Town	H	0–2	—	— ^[8]
27 Aug 1969	Leicester City	H	0–1	—	— ^[9]
30 Aug 1969	Middlesbrough	A	0–1	—	— ^[10]
6 Sep 1969	Millwall	H	2–2	—	Dave Rudge (64', 66')
13 Sep 1969	Watford	A	0–3	—	—
17 Sep 1969	Bolton Wanderers	A	1–2	—	Bruce Rioch (63')
20 Sep 1969	Hull City	H	3–2	—	Brian Godfrey (30'), Lew Chatterley (70'), Dave Rudge (77')
27 Sep 1969	Portsmouth	A	0–0	—	—
4 Oct 1969	Preston North End	H	0–0	—	—
8 Oct 1969	Huddersfield Town	H	4–1	—	Brian Godfrey (11'), Brian Tiler (34'), Barrie Hole (56'), Lionel Martin (80')
11 Oct 1969	Cardiff City	A	0–4	—	—
18 Oct 1969	Birmingham City	H	0–0	—	—
25 Oct 1969	Oxford United	A	2–2	—	Pat McMahon (11', 42')
1 Nov 1969	Queens Park Rangers	H	1–1	—	Dave Simmons (78')
8 Nov 1969	Bristol City	A	0–1	—	—
12 Nov 1969	Carlisle United	H	1–0	—	Dave Rudge (79')
15 Nov 1969	Blackpool	H	0–0	—	—
19 Nov 1969	Bolton Wanderers	H	3–0	—	Lionel Martin (18'), Bruce Rioch (67'), Willie Anderson (70')
22 Nov 1969	Sheffield United	A	0–5	—	—
6 Dec 1969	Blackburn Rovers	A	0–2	—	—
13 Dec 1969	Watford	H	0–2	—	—
26 Dec 1969	Swindon Town	A	1–1	—	George Curtis (48')
17 Jan 1970	Portsmouth	H	3–5	On 19 January 1970, with Villa bottom of the Second Division, manager Tommy Docherty was sacked.^[11]	Bruce Rioch (18', 84'), Willie Anderson (36')
31 Jan 1970	Preston North End	A	1–1	—	Lew Chatterley (40')
7 Feb 1970	Cardiff City	H	1–1	—	Bruce Rioch (87')
14 Feb 1970	Norwich City	A	1–3	—	Willie Anderson (42')
21 Feb 1970	Bristol City	H	0–2	—	—
25 Feb 1970	Charlton Athletic	H	1–0	—	Own Goal (37')
28 Feb 1970	Queens Park Rangers	A	2–4	—	Willie Anderson (14' pen), Lew Chatterley (79')
10 Mar 1970	Hull City	A	1–3	—	George Curtis (50')
14 Mar 1970	Charlton Athletic	A	0–1	—	—
16 Mar 1970	Millwall	A	0–2	—	—
21 Mar 1970	Blackburn Rovers	H	1–1	—	George Curtis (9')
28 Mar 1970	Blackpool	A	1–2	—	Chico Hamilton (65')
30 Mar 1970	Birmingham City	A	2–0	—	Bruce Rioch (14'), Pat McMahon (81')
31 Mar 1970	Oxford United	H	0–0	—	—
4 Apr 1970	Leicester City	A	0–1	—	—
8 Apr 1970	Middlesbrough	H	2–0	—	Willie Anderson (24'), Brian Godfrey (64')
13 Apr 1970	Sheffield United	H	1–0	—	Pat McMahon (69')

Source: avfchistory.co.uk

FA Cup

Third round

The 44 First and Second Division clubs entered the competition at this stage. The matches were scheduled Saturday, 3 January 1970, but three were played at later dates. Nine matches were drawn and went to replays, with York City and Cardiff City requiring a second replay at Birmingham City's St Andrew's ground.

Tie no	Home team	Score	Away team	Date
9	Aston Villa	1–1	Charlton Athletic	3 January 1970
Replay	Charlton Athletic	1–0	Aston Villa	12 January 1970

League Cup

First round

Date	Home team	Score	Away team	Home Scorers	Away Scorers	Attendance
13 August 1969	Chester	1–2	Aston Villa	Dearden	McMahon, Hamilton	10,510

Second round

Home team	Score	Away team	Date
Aston Villa	1–2	West Bromwich Albion	3 September 1969

References

↑ Docherty dismissed by Aston Villa board, GEOFFREY GREEN, 20 January 1970, The Times, Issue: 57772
↑ Saunders chosen as Aston Villa's new manager, 5 June 1974, The Times, Issue: 59107
↑ Neil Brown's Aston Villa Player Registry
↑ "Aston Villa's Seasons". AVFC History.
↑ "All Aston Villa's Matches". AVFC History. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
↑ 🟥 16 Aug 1969, Villa 0-2 Huddersfield, Leeds Road
↑ https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/3034
↑ https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/3035
↑ https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/3036
↑ https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/3034
↑ Docherty dismissed by Aston Villa board, GEOFFREY GREEN, 20 January 1970, The Times, Issue: 57772

[1] Docherty dismissed by Aston Villa board, GEOFFREY GREEN, 20 January 1970, The Times, Issue: 57772

[2] Saunders chosen as Aston Villa's new manager, 5 June 1974, The Times, Issue: 59107

[3] Neil Brown's Aston Villa Player Registry

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

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

[6] 🟥 16 Aug 1969, Villa 0-2 Huddersfield, Leeds Road

[7] ttps://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/3034

[8] ttps://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/3035

[9] ttps://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/3036

[10] ttps://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/3034

[11] Docherty dismissed by Aston Villa board, GEOFFREY GREEN, 20 January 1970, The Times, Issue: 57772

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