On This Day

• Villa lose to mid table Portsmouth in Arthur Cox’s first game in charge to leave them bottom of the table, three points from safety.

• Arthur Cox opens his caretaker spell with a defeat, as a result Villa now have just two wins in the last twenty four games and make it two wins, seven draws and ten defeats in nineteen division two games so far this season.

On This Day

• Villa beat top six side Boro thanks to an own goal to win for only the third time in twenty second division games but Fulham also win to leave Arthur Cox’s side bottom of the table on goal average but having closed the gap to safety to a single point. But behind the scenes troubles rage with claim and counter claim over the future of the board and club.

• Arthur Cox records a rare win in only the second game of his caretaker spell, Villa's first in nine games, as a result Villa now have three wins in the last twenty five games and make it three wins, seven draws and ten defeats in twenty division two games so far this season.

On This Day

• Villa lose to Bury, one point ahead of Arthur Cox’s side at the start of play, to make bottom spot of the second division their own with thirteen points from twenty one games. Bury’s third is a 40 yard shot with the ‘keeper off his line, so at least there was something to remember. Behind the scenes machinations continue over the ownership and direction of the club with a telephone directory full of 'local industrialists' are linked yet there are no genuine signs of willingness to change from the existing board.

• Arthur Cox's second game victory proves a false dawn as Villa now have just three wins in the last twenty six games and make it three wins, seven draws and eleven defeats in twenty one division two games so far this season.

On This Day

• Arthur Cox's caretaker spell continues as Villa now have just three wins in the last twenty seven games and make it three wins, eight draws and eleven defeats in twenty two division two games so far this season. 

• Villa remain bottom of the table on goal average being Fulham and are now two points from safety after drawing with top six side Charlton. 

• Meanwhile the boardroom battle rumbles on with missed deadlines aplenty and little clarity other than ongoing stasis until over a month after the sacking of Tommy Cummings the much derided board, ahead of the following weekend's game, agrees to resign.

• Meanwhile, Brian Greenhalgh made his final Villa appearance aged just 21 before moving on to Leicester City in February 1969. Greenhalgh played for Villa between 1967-68 and 1968-69 making 40 appearances and scoring 12 goals.

On This Day

• There is no change at the bottom of the table as Villa and Fulham both lose to remain two points from safety. 

• Meanwhile the self styled saviours of Villa, led by Pat Matthews, seem to promise a future of controversy as directorships are allegedly offered around in exchange for investment. This leads to suggestions of uncertainty over the capital claimed to have been available in the ‘take-over’. One such ‘invited’ party is a travel agent and Birmingham City director named Herbert Douglas Ellis who confirms he will be Chairman. Meanwhile Matthews is accused of intending to parachute in a manager, Tommy Docherty, without the usual process.

• Arthur Cox's caretaker spell ends as Villa now have just three wins in the last twenty eight games and make it three wins, eight draws and twelve defeats in twenty three division two games so far this season. 

• Meanwhile, midfielder John Chambers made his second and final appearance aged 19 before moving on to Southend United in July 1969. --- Wednesday, 18 December 1968 Tommy Docherty is announced as the new Villa manager.