• Villa drop to third in the table but retain their games in hand on the teams around them as they suffer their second League defeat of the season. Villa are once again accused of complacency and a lack of effort, this time at Craven Cottage, as the referee allows a retaken free kick to put Villa behind in the second minute as a late bombardment is not enough to prevent a second defeat in twelve games.

• Vic Crowe's Villa lose for the first time in ten games and fail to score for the first time this season in League and Cup football to make it seven wins, two draws and two defeats in the League so far this season. 

• Meanwhile, Keith Leonard made his Villa debut aged 21 after moving from Highgate United in March 1972.

• QPR join Villa and Luton in joint third place as Villa lose successive League games and three in all competitions. Worse still, Villa lose their unbeaten home record that was the best in all four divisions until Rangers’ visit.

• Vic Crowe's Villa lose successive League games for the first time this season to make it seven wins, two draws and three defeats in twelve matches. As a result Villa fell back to fourth in Division Two.

• Villa win consecutive League games for the first time since November and now have three wins in their last five as their terrible four month spell under Vic Crowe appears to be over. Villa climb back to joint twelfth and amazingly are still only seven points adrift of the final promotion place although achieving that has long been shelved as a season target.

• Vic Crowe's Villa win consecutive games for the first time since November to make it ten wins, twelve draws and ten defeats in thirty two League games this season.

• After falling behind to Portsmouth’s sole attack of the first 45’, Villa respond with a fine second half showing as they hit four to record their biggest win since October thanks to braces from Pat McMahon and Sammy Morgan and a brace of assists from Keith Leonard on his home League debut. Villa climb back to 9th after their fourth win in six second division games and are now just four points off the third and final promotion place.

• Vic Crowe's Villa win three successive games for the first time since November to make it eleven wins, twelve draws and ten defeats in thirty three League games this season.

• Forward Brian Little 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 and midfielder Pat McMahon 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 take the headlines but the often maligned 'keeper Jimmy Cumbes 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 steals the show as a fine show of goalkeeping keeps Wednesday at bay to allow Villa to record their 🟩 third successive away win, their 🟩 fourth win in a row and their 🟩 fifth in 🕒 seven games under Vic Crowe 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿.

• Villa record 🟩 four successive wins for the first time this season since April 1972 to make it 🟩 twelve wins, 🟨 twelve draws and 🟥 ten defeats in 🕒 thirty four League games this season. 

• Centre back Roy Stark 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 20 made his debut appearance in a Villa shirt after coming through the youth ranks to become the 566th player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

• Forward Brian Little 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 ⚽ scores a brace and 🔥 creates one to contribute his ⚽ 🔥 20th goal involvement in a Villa shirt on his 🕒 54th appearance (49 Starts) and make it 🟩 W23 🟨 D17 🟥 L14, ⚽ 11 Goals and 🔥 9 Assists at a rate of one every 2.70 games.

• Vic Crowe's 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Villa go five matches unbeaten to make it 🟩 twelve wins, 🟨 thirteen draws and 🟥 ten defeats in 🕒 thirty five League games this season. 

• Yet Villa fall back to 13th in the table as they have two to three games in hand on their rivals whilst sitting five points off the final promotion place.

• Centre back Roy Stark 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 makes his 🕒 second and final appearance in a Villa shirt before moving on to non-League football in June 1975.

• Forward Brian Little 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 makes his 🕒 50th start in a Villa shirt.

• Villa, looking for six wins in seven games to keep their unlikely promotion chances alive start with a poor draw at Boothferry Park to leave them five points off third place Orient.

• Vic Crowe's Villa stretch their unbeaten run to six matches to make it twelve wins, fourteen draws and ten defeats in thirty six League games this season.

• Villa play for the second time in three days and lose their first must win game of six in order to retain a chance of promotion but such is the congestion in the race that 13th placed Villa are still in the hunt as the maths changes.

• Vic Crowe's Villa lose for the first time in seven matches to make it twelve wins, fourteen draws and eleven defeats in thirty seven League games this season.

• Villa play promotion chasing Blackpool on consecutive days and have now played three games in four days and have lost twice in succession to the Seasiders leaving them needing to win their four remaining games and all their rivals - Orient, Carlisle, Blackpool and Albion to lose their last three fixtures.

• Vic Crowe's Villa lose successive matches to Blackpool to make it twelve wins, fourteen draws and twelve defeats in thirty eight League games this season.

Villa drop back to seventh in the table as they are held to a goalless draw at the Dell.

Ron Saunders' Villa make it three wins, four draws and two defeats in his first nine League games as Villa boss.

• Forest become the latest Villa goal victims as they are the fifth side in eight matches to concede three of more goals against Ron Saunders' side who now need to take their home form on the road to mount a strong title challenge and promotion bid.

• Ron Saunders' Villa make it four wins, four draws and two defeats in his first ten League games as Villa boss as they sit 4th in the early second division table.

• Villa record their first away League win of the campaign thanks to winger Ray Graydon’s 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 11th ⚽ goal of the season despite having right back John Gidman 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 🟥 sent off and a furore erupting between Ron Saunders and Oldham’s Alan Groves. 

• Despite the distractions Villa climb back to fourth in the second division table four points off leaders Manchester United after 11 games.

• Villa make it 🟩 five wins, 🟨 four draws and 🟥 two defeats in 🕒 eleven Division Two games

• Midfielder Alan Little 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 19 made his debut appearance in a Villa shirt after being promoted to the youth ranks to become the 573rd player to play for Villa in first team League or Cup football.

• Right back John Gidman 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 is 🟥 sent off on his 🕒 62nd appearance in a Villa shirt.

• Villa are held at Gresty Road in the third round of the League Cup by fourth division side Crewe ahead of a Villa Park replay.

• Ron Saunders' Villa can only draw with Fourth Division side Crewe in the League Cup third round necessitating a Villa Park replay.

• Villa need a Chico Hamilton strike with 90 seconds of the game left to beat fourth division side Crewe in the League Cup third round replay.

• Ron Saunders' Villa leave it late to beat Fourth Division side Crewe in the League Cup third round to set up a last 16 tie with Hartlepool.

• Three goals down at half time, Villa lose for the third time in five games and five out of their last six games with a desperate improvement in form needed in 1975 after a poor November and December had derailed their promotion challenge.

• Ron Saunders' Villa collapse to defeat again to make it ten wins, six draws and eight defeats in his first twenty four League games as Villa boss. 

• Meanwhile, Jimmy Brown made his final appearance for Villa aged 21 before moving on to Preston North End in October 1975. Jimmy played for Villa between 1969-70 and 1974-75 making 87 appearances and scoring once.

• Villa win in the third round of the FA Cup at Boundary Park after their tumultuous League meeting in October but it is the League that promises the real riches as everyone hopes 1975 sees an improvement on the poor spell suffered by Ron Saunders' side in the final two months of 1974.

• Ron Saunders' Villa open 1975 with an FA Cup win as midfielder Frank Pimblett made his debut aged 17 after joining from school football in June 1973.

• Villa follow up their FA Cup win with victory in the League at Villa Park to climb to 5th in the table.

• Ron Saunders' 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Villa make it 🟩 two wins in two in 1975 to make it 🟩 eleven wins, 🟨 six draws and 🟥 eight defeats in his 🕒 first twenty five League games as Villa boss.

• Forward Brian Little 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 scores his ⚽ 20th goal in a Villa shirt on his 🕒 86th appearance (79 Starts) to make it 🟩 W36 🟨 D25 🟥 L25, ⚽ 20 Goals and 🔥 16 Assists at a rate of one goal every 2.39 games.

• Villa dominate Chester but are held at Sealand Road despite Ray Graydon's 30th of the season but the second leg at Villa Park is expected to be a formality. What isn't in doubt however is that Villa are unbeaten in three in all competitions in 1975.

• Ron Saunders' Villa take the advantage over fourth division side Chester ahead of the League Cup semi final second leg at Villa Park.

• Villa make it successive League wins for the first time since October and are now unbeaten in four games in all competitions in 1975 as they climb back to fourth in the second division table.

• Ron Saunders' Villa make it three wins in three in 1975 to make it twelve wins, six draws and eight defeats in his first twenty six League games as Villa boss.

• Villa need a late winner from Brian Little but reach their second League Cup final in four seasons and fourth in total as they beat Chester at Villa Park. 

• Ron Saunders' Villa make it five unbeaten and four wins in 1975 as they qualify for a record fourth League Cup final.

• Villa's strong start to 1975 continues as they 🟩 beat first division Sheffield United in the FA Cup third round.

• Ron Saunders' 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Villa make it six unbeaten and five wins in 1975 as they add a fifth round FA Cup place to their record fourth League Cup final.

• Forward Brian Little 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 contributes his ⚽ 🔥 40th goal involvement in a Villa shirt on his 🕒 90th appearance (83 Starts) and makes it 🟩 W38 🟨 D27 🟥 L25, ⚽ 22 Goals and 🔥 18 Assists at a rate of one every 2.25 games.

• Villa, seemingly transformed since the turn of the year, make it six wins in seven unbeaten games in all competitions in 1975 as they put on another strong performance at Meadow Lane to make fourth spot their own and close the gap on leaders Manchester United to eight points.

• Ron Saunders' Villa make it seven unbeaten and six wins in 1975 as they rack up thirteen wins, six draws and eight defeats in his first twenty seven League games as Villa boss.

• Villa extend their unbeaten run in 1975 to  eight games as they are held at home by Fulham to remain fourth in the table but with the gap to the top now reduced to seven points.

• Ron Saunders' Villa make it eight unbeaten and six wins in 1975 as they rack up thirteen wins, seven draws and eight defeats in his first twenty eight League games as Villa boss.

• Villa hammer first division title chasers Ipswich in the FA Cup and … lose. Their first defeat in 1975 after nine games in all competitions.

• Ron Saunders' Villa lose for the first time in nine matches as three late goals from top tier side Ipswich knock them out of the FA Cup.

• Villa 🟩 beat Portsmouth in an end to end game to make it 🟩 four wins in 🕒 five unbeaten League games in 1975 as they remain 4th in the table.

• Ron Saunders' Villa make it 🟩 fourteen wins, 🟨 seven draws and 🟥 eight defeats in his 🕒 first twenty nine League games as Villa boss.

• Central defender Neil Rioch 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 23 makes his final appearance in a Villa shirt before moving on to Plymouth Argyle in May 1975. Rioch played for Villa between 1969-70 and 1974-75 making 24 appearances and scoring 3 goals.

• Forward Brian Little 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 scores his ⚽ 25th goal in a Villa shirt on his 🕒 93rd appearance (86 Starts) to make it 🟩 W40 🟨 D28 🟥 L25, ⚽ 25 Goals and 🔥 18 Assists at a rate of one goal every 3.72 games.

• Villa beat leaders Manchester United in an impressive Villa Park performance to close the gap to the top of the table to five points with a game in hand as their 1975 form transforms their promotion challenge.

• Ron Saunders' Villa make it six unbeaten games in League football in 1975 to record fifteen wins, seven draws and eight defeats in his first thirty League games as Villa boss. 

• Meanwhile, full back Keith Masefield made his debut as a substitute aged 17 having joined from Warwickshire & District Schools on 1 October 1974.

• Villa beat cocky John Bond's Norwich by a single goal at Wembley to lift the League Cup for the second time in their fourth final but the scoreline barely tells the story of Villa's dominance as Ron Saunders and his side show their class on and off the pitch.

• Ron Saunders' Villa win the League Cup for the second time thanks to Ray Graydon's missed penalty rebound.

• Villa can't break down the massed ranks of Bolton's defence at Villa Park but climb to joint third, six points behind leaders Manchester United with a game in hand.

• Ron Saunders' Villa make it seven unbeaten games in League football in 1975 to record fifteen wins, eight draws and eight defeats in his first thirty one League games as Villa boss.

• Villa beat Forest at the City Ground for their fifth away win of the season and take outright third place in the second division, six points behind leaders Manchester United with one game in and but just a single point behind second placed Sunderland who have also played a game more.

• Ron Saunders' Villa make it eight unbeaten games in League football in 1975 to record sixteen wins, eight draws and eight defeats in his first thirty two League games as Villa boss.

• Villa sweep aside Southampton at Villa Park to climb into joint second place alongside Sunderland and five points behind leaders Manchester United with a game in hand. Villa’s poor form of November and December is well and truly consigned to the past having won seven - including four away - and drawn two of their nine League games in 1975, scoring nineteen and conceding seven.

• Ron Saunders' Villa make it nine unbeaten games in League football in 1975 to record seventeen wins, eight draws and eight defeats in his first thirty three League games as Villa boss.

• Villa suffer a shock defeat to Orient at Brisbane Road - their first League defeat of 1975 after eleven games. Villa remain joint second but are now seven points behind leaders Manchester United with a game in hand.

• Ron Saunders' Villa lose for the first time in the League in 1975 and for the first time in ten games as they fall to defeat at Orient to make it seventeen wins, eight draws and nine defeats in Saunders' first thirty four League games as Villa boss.

• Ron Saunders' Villa return to 🟩 winning ways and now have just a 🟥 single defeat in 🕒 twelve League games as they make it 🟩 eighteen wins, 🟨 eight draws and 🟥 nine defeats in Saunders' first 🕒 thirty five League games as Villa boss.

• Despite the win 🟩 over Albion, Villa drop to third in the table as Sunderland and Manchester United, one point and eight points ahead respectively, have now played two games more than Ron Saunders’ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 side.

• Forward Brian Little 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 makes his 🕒 100th appearance in a Villa shirt (93 Starts) to make it 🟩 W45 🟨 D29 🟥 L26, ⚽ 26 Goals and 🔥 19 Assists at a goal involvement rate of one every 2.22 games.

• Villa make it successive wins and have now won nine League games and drawn two in twelve second division games in 1975 to make third place their own and a point behind second placed Sunderland with two games in hand.

• Ron Saunders' Villa now have just a single defeat in thirteen League games and two successive wins as they make it nineteen wins, eight draws and nine defeats in Saunders' first thirty six League games as Villa boss.

• Brian Little scores a brace to make it 17 goals for the season as Villa win for the third consecutive game to make it ten second division wins in thirteen games since the turn of the year but remain third, a point behind second placed Sunderland with two games in hand.

• Ron Saunders' Villa now have just a single defeat in fourteen League games and three successive wins as they make it twenty wins, eight draws and nine defeats in Saunders' first thirty seven League games as Villa boss.

• Forward Brian Little 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 ⚽ scores a hat-trick, makes it twenty ⚽ for the season, misses a penalty, 🔥 creates the fifth and 🔥 forces an own goal as Villa hammer Oldham.

• Villa climb to second in the table, a point ahead of Sunderland in third and eight behind leaders Manchester United with two games in hand on both teams.

• Ron Saunders' 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Villa now have just a 🟥 single defeat in 🕒 fifteen League games including four 🟩 successive wins as they make it 🟩 twenty one wins, 🟨 eight draws and 🟥 nine defeats in Saunders' 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 first 🕒 thirty eight League games as Villa boss.

• Forward Brian Little 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 ⚽ scores three and 🔥 creates one as he contributes his ⚽ 🔥 50th goal involvement in a Villa shirt on his 🕒 103rd appearance (96 Starts) and makes it 🟩 W48 🟨 D29 🟥 L26, ⚽ 32 Goals and 🔥 20 Assists at a rate of one every 1.98 games.