Villa fail to score for the tenth time in fifteen League games and remain bottom of the table on goal average, two points adrift of safety.

Tommy Docherty's terrible season continues as Villa fail to win for the thirteenth time in fifteen League games to make it two wins, five draws and eight losses in fifteen division two games. 

Meanwhile, Docherty, amid a relegation dog fight, hands a debut to 18 year old goalkeeper John Phillips after his move from Shrewsbury Town earlier this month for a fee of £30,000. Whilst midfielder Mike Ferguson made his final appearance for Villa aged 26 before moving on to Queens Park Rangers in November 1969. Ferguson played for Villa between 1968-69 and 1969-70 making 42 appearances and scoring 2 goals.

Villa score for the first time in three games to take a point from fellow strugglers Oxford but sit rock bottom, a point behind Millwall and a point from safety. Brian Godfrey is again the star as Tommy Docherty attempts to shift blame for two wins in sixteen games onto fan expectation.

Tommy Docherty's Villa fail to win for the fourteenth time in sixteen League games to make it two wins, six draws and eight losses in sixteen division two games.

Villa’s point against QPR leaves them bottom of the table but they are joined by Watford with both on eleven points after seventeen games.

Tommy Docherty's Villa fail to win for the fifteenth time in seventeen League games to make it two wins, seven draws and eight losses in seventeen division two games.

Villa lose to Bristol City as Watford lose to Millwall to leave the pair three points adrift at the bottom of the table after eighteen games.

Tommy Docherty's terrible season continues as Villa fail to win for the sixteenth time in eighteen League games to make it two wins, seven draws and nine losses in eighteen division two games to sit bottom of the table and three points adrift of safety.

Villa win for the first time in six as Emment Kapengwe the 26-year-old Zambian international made his debut and “showed that he is a big, strong player with hardly a weakness.” With Watford’s defeat on Tuesday evening, Villa move off the bottom of the table for the first time since August.

Tommy Docherty's win for the first time in six and only the third time in nineteen League games this season as Docherty hands a debut to Zambian winger Emment Kapengwe, 26, who had joined Villa from Atlanta Chiefs in September.

After 20 games and three wins Villa sit two points off the bottom of the table one point from safety as Watford - also held to a goalless draw - sit bottom. But focus lies elsewhere as the restless fan base take out their ire on Lionel Martin whilst Tommy Docherty blames all and sundry. Meanwhile, behind the scenes turmoil and discipline leave the club looking fractured on and off the pitch. 

Tommy Docherty's Villa fail to win for the seventeenth time in twenty League games to make it three wins, eight draws and nine losses in twenty division two games to sit bottom of the table. Meanwhile, Docherty handed a debut to Zambian forward Freddie Mwila, 23, who had joined from Atlanta Chiefs in September alongside debutant from the previous fixture, Emment Kapengwe. The game would proved to be Mwila's sole appearance for Villa.

In further signs of the turmoil swirling around the club under Tommy Docherty and Herbert Douglas Ellis, Barrie Hole requests a transfer and Mike Ferguson and Dick Edwards have one enforced on them. On the pitch though Villa record their fourth win in twenty one League games and their third at home where they are now unbeaten in nine. As a result Villa leap out of the bottom two for the first time this season and climb to joint seventeenth in the table, they have though played one, and in some cases two, more games than Millwall, Hull and Charlton who also sit on sixteen points.

Tommy Docherty's Villa win for the second time in three games and fourth time in twenty one to leave Villa with a record in the last twelve games of four wins, six draws and two defeats - a run that was Villa's best of the season in a campaign that had so far seen four wins, eight draws and nine defeats in twenty one division two matches.

Villa are hammered at Bramall Lane and fall back to third from bottom of the table, level on points with Millwall and one point above safety. Tommy Docherty, with four wins in twenty two games, heaps blame on an 18 year old, 16 year old and a 23 year old as there seems little personal recognition of the much fawned over manager’s own performance.

Tommy Docherty's terrible season continues as Villa's run of just two defeats in twelve - having lost eight of the previous eleven - comes crashing down as Villa are humiliated at Bramall Lane to make it four wins, eight draws and ten defeats in twenty two division two matches.

Tommy Docherty's terrible season continues as Villa lose successive games to make it four wins, eight draws and eleven defeats in twenty three division two matches. As a result Villa sit 21st in the table.

Villa fall back into the bottom two level on points with 20th placed Millwall but having played three games more. Watford sit bottom three points behind Villa with a game in hand. Villa play Watford next.

On the first anniversary of his appointment Tommy Docherty’s side lose for the third successive game and are beaten for the second time this season by bottom club Watford. One point off safety having played two games more than the thee teams above and one point off bottom club and victorious opposition Watford who have a game in hand on Docherty’s side. Villa need a point a game from their remaining 18 matches to stand any chance of avoiding relegation to the third tier, Docherty had delivered 16 in 24 thus far.

Tommy Docherty's terrible season continues as Villa lose three successive games to make it four wins, eight draws and twelve defeats in twenty four division two matches. A year since his arrival as Villa boss, Tommy Docherty presided over another defeat - this time to bottom of the table Watford - as turmoil swirled on and off the pitch with a boardroom coup in the offing and a large section of Villa's lowest gate of the season walking out with 20 minutes remaining in protest at Docherty's failings.

Villa end 1969 without a win in four and bottom of the second division despite earning their first point and scoring their first goal since November in their draw with mid-table Swindon. 

Villa are two points from safety ahead of the distraction of a third round FA Cup tie with fellow second tier side Charlton.

Tommy Docherty's Villa make it four wins, nine draws and twelve defeats in twenty five division two matches. 

Meanwhile, centre back George Curtis made a goalscoring Villa debut aged 30 after joining from Coventry City earlier this month for a fee of £30,000.

Villa draw at home with Charlton in the third round of the FA Cup after a goalkeeper clearance rebounds off Lionel Martin’s stomach and into the net to put Villa ahead.

Tommy Docherty's Villa earn a replay at the Valley with second division Charlton in the FA Cup third round.

Villa lose at the Valley in the FA Cup third round replay with Charlton as future Villa forward Harry Gregory scores the only goal of the game.

Tommy Docherty's Villa lose to second division Charlton in the FA Cup third round replay at the Valley,

Villa return to League action and concede five at home to Portsmouth to leave them four points from safety at the bottom of the table but with a game in hand on third from bottom Preston. 

Villa’s latest defeat - their thirteenth in twenty six games - proves to be Tommy Docherty’s final game in charge. 

Docherty had spent £350,000, had made increasingly outlandish claims as to his and Villa’s imminent success, had continued his self publicising ways, had ostracised essential squad quality but many fans continued to idolise someone who had delivered just four wins and who was clearly unable to rectify his shortcomings from the very first games of the season. 

Only inactivity of the equally culpable Herbert Douglas Ellis and the honeymoon period for the ‘new’ board allowed the unfolding disaster to continue past the obvious point of action. 

Yet still the media called it a “shock” as did the unrepentant Docherty himself. 

Tommy Docherty's terrible season continues as Villa lose for a fourth time in the last five League games to make it four wins, nine draws and thirteen defeats in twenty six division two matches. Villa’s latest reverse saw them rooted to the bottom of the Division Two table having conceded 36 and scoring only 19 goals. 

Meanwhile, defender Dick Edwards made his final appearance for Villa aged 27 before moving on to Torquay United in June 1970. Edwards played for Villa between 1967-68 and 1969-70 making 77 appearances, scoring twice. 

Full back Barry Lynch made his third and final appearance for Villa aged 18 before moving on to Atlanta Chiefs in the summer of 1971. --- Monday, 19 January 1970 

Manager Tommy Docherty and first team trainer-coach Arthur Cox were sacked by Villa after presiding over an appalling season of football leaving the club facing almost certain relegation to the third tier. --- 

Friday, 23 January 1970 Following similar behaviour earlier in his Villa career, full back Mick Wright declares he will no longer play for the club in the wake of the Docherty sacking. 

“Ellis must go” chants reverberate around a Villa Park reserve match as supporters point the finger of blame at upstart Chairman Herbert Douglas Ellis. --- 

Monday, 26 January 1970 Former Villa wing half Vic Crowe is appointed manager of Villa having acted as caretaker in the week since Tommy Docherty’s sacking after stepping up from his position as second team coach.

Villa take a point off fellow strugglers Preston in Vic Crowe’s first game in charge as Villa boss. In one game Crowe had equalled the tally earned in the previous five second division games under predecessor and still feted Tommy Docherty. 

Docherty across his 26 games had delivered four wins (all at home) thirteen defeats and ten draws, seventeen points, conceding 41 whilst scoring 22.

Vic Crowe's first game in charge of Villa sees them earn a draw at Deepdale. Villa make it make it four wins, ten draws and thirteen defeats in twenty seven division two matches and remain bottom of the table with fifteen games to save themselves from a fall into the third tier for the first time in their history. 

Meanwhile, rebel right back Mick Wright played for Villa just eight days after claiming he would never play for the club again. Despite the failed one man rebellion, 

Vic Crowe's squad is depleted for the run in as midfielder Dave Rudge suffered a broken leg during the match and as a result he made his final appearance for Villa aged 22 before moving on to Hereford United in July 1973. Rudge played for Villa between 1966-67 and 1969-70 making 65 appearances and scoring 10 goals.

Villa record a second successive draw to accumulate two points from two games under Vic Crowe and equal the tally achieved by Tommy Docherty in his previous six games in charge. 

Villa's point comes against promotion chasing and second placed Cardiff. 

Scarcely believably however a horribly confused fan base submit a “Bring back Docherty” petition and sing the former manager’s name in Villa’s highest League attendance for over three months whilst ignoring new boss Vic Crowe. 

Quite why a failure of such epic proportions as Docherty’s 26 game run would prompt demands for a repeat is never adequately explained, for Docherty, already in employment with Porto, he starts his reign with defeat.  Villa remain bottom of the table, three points off safety with a game in hand over Watford and Preston.

Vic Crowe's Villa secure a second successive draw to make it make it four wins, eleven draws and thirteen defeats in twenty eight division two matches and remain bottom of the table, three points adrift of safety.

Villa lose to mid-table Norwich - their first defeat under Vic Crowe to leave them bottom of the table, four points off safety with a game in hand.

Vic Crowe's Villa lose for the first time under his stewardship to make it make it four wins, eleven draws and fourteen defeats in twenty nine division two matches.