The 1979–80 English football season was Aston Villa's 81st season in the Football League and their 5th consecutive season in the top division.
On 8 September 1979, the national transfer record fee was broken when Wolverhampton Wanderers paid almost £1,500,000 for Villa's Scotland striker Andy Gray. In October John Gidman was sold to Everton for £650,000 (2013: £) in a deal which saw left back Pat Heard (24) move the other way at a valuation of £150,000.The Guardian, Clough apology to directors, 19 October 1979 Heard would make nine appearances in his first season at Villa Park. There were also debut appearances for Nigel Spink (361), Des Bremner (174), Tony Morley (137), David Geddis (47), Eamonn Deacy (33), Terry Donovan (24), Terry Bullivant (12), Mike Pejic (10), Noel Blake (4) and Robert Hopkins (3).
First Division
Results summary
Results by round
Matches
League Cup
FA Cup
Squad As of end of the season.
As of end of season
Name Nationality Position (s) Date of birth (age) Signed from Goalkeepers Jimmy Rimmer GK Arsenal Nigel Spink GK Chelmsford City Defenders Brendon Ormsby CB Aston Villa Academy Allan Evans CB Dunfermline Athletic Ken McNaught CB Everton Mark Jones RB Aston Villa Academy Noel Blake CB Aston Villa Academy Eamonn Deacy LB Galway United Colin Gibson LB Aston Villa Academy Mike Pejic LB Everton Pat Heard LB Everton Kenny Swain RB Chelsea Gary Williams RB Aston Villa Academy Midfielders Ivor Linton MF Aston Villa Academy Gary Shelton MF Walsall Alex Cropley MF Hibernian Lee Jenkins MF Aston Villa Academy Dennis Mortimer CM Coventry City Des Bremner CM Hibernian Gordon Cowans CM Aston Villa Academy Terry Bullivant CM Fulham Tony Morley LW Burnley Forwards Gary Shaw SS Aston Villa Academy Brian Little CF Aston Villa Academy Terry Donovan CF Grimsby Town David Geddis CF Ipswich Town Joe Ward CF Clyde Robert Hopkins CF Aston Villa Academy
Transfers
In PlayerTransferred FromFeeDateSourceLW Tony Morley Burnley£220,000CF Terry Donovan Grimsby Town£90,000CM Des Bremner Hibernian£275,000LB Mike Pejic Everton£225,000CF David Geddis Ipswich Town£300,000LB Pat Heard Everton£150,000CM Terry Bullivant Fulham£220,000
Out PlayerTransferred ToFeeDateSourceCM John Gregory Brighton & Hove Albion£300,000CM Tommy Craig Swansea City£150,000CB Dave Evans Halifax Town£22,000CF John Deehan West Bromwich Albion£500,000CF Andy Gray Wolverhampton Wanderers£1,469,000RB John Gidman Everton£650,000LW Frank Carrodus Wrexham£70,000
Goalscorers As of end of season. PlayerFirst DivisionFA CupLeague CupTotal1FW Gary Shaw912122DF Allan Evans1000103MF Gordon Cowans61074FW Brian Little5106MF Dennis Mortimer60066FW Terry Donovan23057MF Des Bremner3003FW David Geddis3003MF Tony Morley300310DF Colin Gibson200211FW Robert Hopkins1001DF Ken McNaught1001DF Kenny Swain0011Own Goals3003TOTALS546363
Clean sheets As of end of season. PlayerFirst DivisionFA CupLeague CupTotal1GK Jimmy Rimmer122216TOTALS122216
Overall As of end of season. Games played 51 (42 First Division, 5 FA Cup, 4 Football League Cup)Games won 19 (16 First Division, 2 FA Cup, 1 Football League Cup)Games drawn 17 (14 First Division, 2 FA Cup, 1 Football League Cup)Games lost 15 (12 First Division, 1 FA Cup, 2 Football League Cup)Goals scored 62 (51 First Division, 8 FA Cup, 3 Football League Cup)Goals conceded 61 (50 First Division, 5 FA Cup, 6 Football League Cup)Goal difference +1 (+1 First Division, +3 FA Cup, −3 Football League Cup)Clean sheets 16 (12 First Division, 2 FA Cup, 2 Football League Cup)Best result(s) W 3–0 (H) v Southampton – First Division – 6 October 1979 W 3–0 (H) v Coventry City – First Division – 19 December 1979 W 4–1 (H) v Cambridge United – FA Cup – 30 January 1980Worst result(s) L 3–0 (H) v Manchester United – First Division – 8 September 1979 L 4–1 (A) v Everton – Football League Cup – 9 October 1979 L 4–1 (A) v Liverpool – First Division – 3 May 1980Most appearances Gordon Cowans with 52 appearancesTop scorer(s) Gary Shaw (12 goals)
References
External links avfchistory.co.uk 1979-80 season