Vic Crowe's League Cup finalists Villa beat League leaders Rovers to make it thirteen wins, seven draws and five defeats in twenty five division three games so far this season. 

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Geoff Crudgington made his Villa debut aged 18 after moving from Wolverhampton Wanderers in September 1969.

Bristol Rovers lose again, Fulham are held and Villa win to catapult them into joint first place behind Rovers only on goal average. 

Villa’s goal once again comes from Bruce Rioch and is from a planned move that brought success against Shrewsbury and Vale and had become a major tactical feature of Villa’s play as Brian Godfrey taps the ball forward to Rioch who shoots through the defensive wall within which Pat McMahon has broken away to create space.

Vic Crowe's League Cup finalists Villa make it fourteen wins, seven draws and five defeats in twenty six division three games so far this season to climb to joint first in the table, level on points with leaders Bristol Rovers, separated on goal average.

Villa end the season with only their third win in sixteen third division games but such was their early season form that they still finish in 4th place in the table, but Vic Crowe's side sit seven points off the promotion places after their poor run following their third League Cup final appearance in February. Villa face another season in the third tier - only the second time in their history that they have had to play at that level.

Vic Crowe's Villa end the season with nineteen wins, fifteen draws and twelve defeats in forty six division three games. A season which had promised so much ended with a brave cup final defeat but a collapse in form thereafter that would mean Villa would spend a second successive season in the third tier. Sitting top of the League in February, a record of seven losses, seven draws and just three wins in seventeen games left Villa fourth in division three and two places off the promotion places.

Villa playing a pair of wingers and the division’s best midfielder in Anderson, Graydon and Rioch sweep aside Rochdale to climb to the top of the third division after three games sharing the summit with Brighton and Bournemouth with five points apiece. 

Vic Crowe's Villa make it two wins and a draw in division three so far this season as centre forward Andy Lochhead scores his first League goal since 19 December 1970. Lochhead, no stranger to goal droughts, had to wait sixteen games for his first goal after joining the club in February 1970 and had scored just ten league goals over three seasons, six of which came in a run of 6 games in September 1970.

Villa beat Wrexham in the first round of the League Cup at the third attempt as this time it is Villa who hit the late goal to win the tie at the Hawthorns.

Vic Crowe's Villa finally beat Wrexham in the League Cup first round second replay after playing at 'neutral' venue The Hawthorns. 

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Geoff Crudgington made his fifth and final appearance for Villa aged 19 before moving to Crewe Alexandra in March 1972.