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1980–81 Aston Villa F.C. season

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Aston Villa
1980–81 season
ChairmanRon Bendall
ManagerRon Saunders
First Division1st (Champions)
FA CupThird Round
League CupThird Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Peter Withe (20)
All: Peter Withe (21)
Highest home attendance47,998 vs West Bromwich Albion
(8 April 1981)
Lowest home attendance23,622 vs Leeds United
(27 August 1980)

The 1980–81 season was Aston Villa's 81st in the Football League and their sixth consecutive season in the top division. They finished as league champions for the seventh time in their history, using just 14 players over the course of the campaign, of whom no fewer than seven were ever-present (Jimmy Rimmer, Kenny Swain, Ken McNaught, Dennis Mortimer, Des Bremner, Gordon Cowans and Tony Morley). Gary Shaw made 40 starts, Allan Evans 39 and Peter Withe 36, with Gary Williams (21 starts) and Colin Gibson (19) contesting the remaining spot in the starting XI. David Geddis and Eamonn Deacy made eight and five starts respectively.

Season summary

Villa began the season with three wins and a draw from their opening four league matches. They also beat Leeds United in both legs of the League Cup second round before their unbeaten start ended at Ipswich Town, who would prove to be Villa's main challengers for the title as the season progressed.

Defeat at home to Everton was followed by a 12 match unbeaten run, and although Villa lost three of the next five, a further unbeaten run of 10 matches ensued, including seven straight wins. A key performance during this latter period was a second v first clash at home to Liverpool, who at the time headed the table on goal difference. Goals from Withe and Mortimer confirmed Villa as genuine contenders as they beat the reigning champions 2–0.

Ron Saunders' team were neck-and-neck with Ipswich when the two clashed at Villa Park in mid-April, and a 2–1 victory for the visitors appeared to swing the destiny of the championship in their favour. However, Ipswich lost their next two matches while Villa beat Nottingham Forest and drew with Stoke City to reclaim the initiative. Victory over Middlesbrough in their final home match left Villa four points ahead with one to play, although Ipswich had a game in hand and a superior goal difference.

At half-time on the final Saturday of the league season, Villa trailed 2–0 at Arsenal, and with Ipswich 1–0 ahead at Middlesbrough, the title was still hanging in the balance. No further goals were added in the second half at Highbury, but the home side scored twice without reply at Ayresome Park, confirming Villa as champions for the first time since 1910.

Peter Withe ended the season as the First Division's joint leading scorer with 20 goals. Withe had previously won championship honours with Forest in 1978 and also played for Southport, Barrow, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Birmingham City and Newcastle United before joining Villa in the summer of 1980. During a five-year spell at Villa Park, he scored 74 goals in 182 League games and won 11 caps for England, scoring one goal. He later played for Sheffield United and Huddersfield Town.

Squad

Substitute appearances indicated in brackets
Pos. Nat. Name League League Cup FA Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
GK  ENG Mark Kendall 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
GK  ENG Jimmy Rimmer 42 0 3 0 1 0 46 0
GK  ENG Nigel Spink 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
DF  JAM Noel Blake 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
DF  IRE Eamonn Deacy 5(4) 0 0(1) 0 0 0 5(5) 0
DF  SCO Allan Evans 39 7 3 0 1 0 43 7
DF  ENG Colin Gibson 19(2) 0 3 0 0 0 22(2) 0
DF  ENG Mark Jones 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
DF  SCO Ken McNaught 42 0 3 0 1 0 46 0
DF  ENG David Mail 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
DF  ENG Brendan Ormsby 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
DF  ENG Mike Pejic 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
DF  ENG Kenny Swain 42 0 3 0 1 0 46 0
DF  ENG Gary Williams 21(1) 0 0 0 1 0 22(1) 0
MF  ENG Paul Birch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF  SCO Des Bremner 42 2 3 0 1 0 46 2
MF  ENG Terry Bullivant 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF  ENG Gordon Cowans 42 5 3 0 1 0 46 5
MF  SCO Alex Cropley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF  ENG Pat Heard 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF  ENG Robert Hopkins 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF  ENG Ivor Linton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF  ENG Dennis Mortimer 42 4 3 0 1 0 46 4
MF  ENG Gary Shelton 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MF  ENG Gary Stirland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW  IRE Terry Donovan 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW  ENG David Geddis 8(1) 4 1 0 0(1) 0 9(2) 4
FW  ENG Brian Little 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW  ENG Tony Morley 42 10 3 2 1 0 46 12
FW  ENG Kevin Ready 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FW  ENG Gary Shaw 40 18 2(1) 2 1 0 43(1) 20
FW  ENG Peter Withe 36 20 3 1 1 0 40 21
FW  SCO Willie Young 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Results

First Division

See also: 1980–81 Football League
16 August 1980 1 Leeds United 1–2 Aston Villa Leeds
Stevenson 2' (pen.) Morley 44'
Shaw 59'		 Stadium: Elland Road
Attendance: 23,401
20 August 1980 2 Aston Villa 1–0 Norwich City Birmingham
Shaw 76' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 25,970
23 August 1980 3 Manchester City 2–2 Aston Villa Manchester
Tueart 83' (pen.)
Ranson 88'		 Withe 9' 76' Stadium: Maine Road
Attendance: 30,017
30 August 1980 4 Aston Villa 1–0 Coventry City Birmingham
Shaw 65' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 26,050
6 September 1980 5 Ipswich Town 1–0 Aston Villa Ipswich
Thijssen 56' Stadium: Portman Road
Attendance: 23,192
13 September 1980 6 Aston Villa 0–2 Everton Birmingham
Lyons 32'
Eastoe 36'		 Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 25,673
20 September 1980 7 Aston Villa 2–1 Wolverhampton Wanderers Birmingham
Hughes 4' (o.g.)
Geddis 84'		 Eves 69' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 26,181
27 September 1980 8 Crystal Palace 0–1 Aston Villa London
Shaw 85' Stadium: Selhurst Park
Attendance: 18,398
4 October 1980 9 Aston Villa 4–0 Sunderland Birmingham
Evans 45' 84'
Morley 59'
Shaw 76'		 Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 26,914
8 October 1980 10 Manchester United 3–3 Aston Villa Manchester
McIlroy 35' (pen.) 57'
Coppell 36'		 Withe 15'
Cowans 55' (pen.)
Shaw 67'		 Stadium: Old Trafford
Attendance: 38,831
11 October 1980 11 Birmingham City 1–2 Aston Villa Birmingham
Worthington 49' (pen.) Cowans 35' (pen.)
Evans 84'		 Stadium: St Andrew's
Attendance: 33,879
18 October 1980 12 Aston Villa 3–0 Tottenham Hotspur Birmingham
Morley 39' 46'
Withe 82'		 Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 30,940
22 October 1980 13 Aston Villa 4–1 Brighton & Hove Albion Birmingham
Mortimer 39'
Withe 47'
Bremner 55'
Shaw 60'		 Gregory 27' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 27,367
25 October 1980 14 Southampton 1–2 Aston Villa Southampton
Moran 59' Morley 13'
Withe 69'		 Stadium: The Dell
Attendance: 21,249
1 November 1980 15 Aston Villa 2–0 Leicester City Birmingham
Shaw 65'
Cowans 69'		 Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 29,953
8 November 1980 16 West Bromwich Albion 0–0 Aston Villa West Bromwich
Stadium: The Hawthorns
Attendance: 34,195
12 November 1980 17 Norwich City 1–3 Aston Villa Norwich
Paddon 25' Shaw 61' 84'
Evans 86'		 Stadium: Carrow Road
Attendance: 17,050
15 November 1980 18 Aston Villa 1–1 Leeds United Birmingham
Shaw 36' Sabella 10' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 29,106
22 November 1980 19 Liverpool 2–1 Aston Villa Liverpool
Dalglish 65' 89' Evans 78' Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 48,114
29 November 1980 20 Aston Villa 1–1 Arsenal Birmingham
Morley 57' Talbot 73' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 30,140
6 December 1980 21 Middlesbrough 2–1 Aston Villa Middlesbrough
Johnston 84'
Shearer 88'		 Shaw 86' Stadium: Ayresome Park
Attendance: 15,597
13 December 1980 22 Aston Villa 3–0 Birmingham City Birmingham
Geddis 64' 83'
Shaw 77'		 Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 41,101
20 December 1980 23 Brighton & Hove Albion 1–0 Aston Villa Hove
Robinson 15' Stadium: Goldstone Ground
Attendance: 16,425
26 December 1980 24 Aston Villa 1–0 Stoke City Birmingham
Withe 38' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 34,658
27 December 1980 25 Nottingham Forest 2–2 Aston Villa Nottingham
Francis 41'
O'Neill 86'		 Lloyd 16' (o.g.)
Shaw 68'		 Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 33,930
10 January 1981 26 Aston Villa 2–0 Liverpool Birmingham
Withe 19'
Mortimer 82'		 Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 47,960
17 January 1981 27 Coventry City 1–2 Aston Villa Coventry
Hateley 71' Morley 55'
Withe 65'		 Stadium: Highfield Road
Attendance: 27,020
31 January 1981 28 Aston Villa 1–0 Manchester City Birmingham
Shaw 2' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 33,682
7 February 1981 29 Everton 1–3 Aston Villa Liverpool
Ross 35' (pen.) Morley 3'
Mortimer 42'
Cowans 71' (pen.)		 Stadium: Goodison Park
Attendance: 31,434
21 February 1981 30 Aston Villa 2–1 Crystal Palace Birmingham
Withe 4' 70' Hinshelwood 71' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 27,203
28 February 1981 31 Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–1 Aston Villa Wolverhampton
Withe 83' Stadium: Molineux
Attendance: 34,693
7 March 1981 32 Sunderland 1–2 Aston Villa Sunderland
Hinnigan 68' Evans 2'
Mortimer 19'		 Stadium: Roker Park
Attendance: 27,278
14 March 1981 33 Aston Villa 3–3 Manchester United Birmingham
Withe 16' 28'
Shaw 68'		 Jordan 46' 66'
McIlroy 88' (pen.)		 Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 42,182
21 March 1981 34 Tottenham Hotspur 2–0 Aston Villa London
Crooks 41'
Archibald 73'		 Stadium: White Hart Lane
Attendance: 35,091
23 March 1981 35 Aston Villa 2–1 Southampton Birmingham
Morley 43'
Geddis 45'		 Evans 11' (o.g.) Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 32,467
4 April 1981 36 Leicester City 2–4 Aston Villa Leicester
Lynex 15' (pen.) 44' Withe 24' 49'
Bremner 33'
Morley 55'		 Stadium: Filbert Street
Attendance: 26,032
8 April 1981 37 Aston Villa 1–0 West Bromwich Albion Birmingham
Withe 88' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 47,998
14 April 1981 38 Aston Villa 1–2 Ipswich Town Birmingham
Shaw 84' Brazil 4'
Gates 79'		 Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 47,495
18 April 1981 39 Aston Villa 2–0 Nottingham Forest Birmingham
Cowans 29' (pen.)
Withe 45'		 Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 34,707
20 April 1981 40 Stoke City 1–1 Aston Villa Stoke-on-Trent
O'Callaghan 25' Withe 22' Stadium: Victoria Ground
Attendance: 23,511
25 April 1981 41 Aston Villa 3–0 Middlesbrough Birmingham
Shaw 23'
Withe 51'
Evans 80'		 Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 38,018
2 May 1981 42 Arsenal 2–0 Aston Villa London
Young 12'
McDermott 44'		 Stadium: Highbury
Attendance: 57,472

League standings

Main article: 1980–81 Football League § First Division

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Aston Villa (C) 42 26 8 8 72 40 +32 60 Qualification for the European Cup first round
2 Ipswich Town 42 23 10 9 77 43 +34 56 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
3 Arsenal 42 19 15 8 61 45 +16 53
4 West Bromwich Albion 42 20 12 10 60 42 +18 52
5 Liverpool 42 17 17 8 62 42 +20 51 Qualification for the European Cup first round[a]
6 Southampton 42 20 10 12 76 56 +20 50 Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round
7 Nottingham Forest 42 19 12 11 62 44 +18 50
8 Manchester United 42 15 18 9 51 36 +15 48
9 Leeds United 42 17 10 15 39 47 −8 44
10 Tottenham Hotspur 42 14 15 13 70 68 +2 43 Qualification for the European Cup Winners' Cup first round[b]
11 Stoke City 42 12 18 12 51 60 −9 42
12 Manchester City 42 14 11 17 56 59 −3 39
13 Birmingham City 42 13 12 17 50 61 −11 38
14 Middlesbrough 42 16 5 21 53 61 −8 37
15 Everton 42 13 10 19 55 58 −3 36
16 Coventry City 42 13 10 19 48 68 −20 36
17 Sunderland 42 14 7 21 52 53 −1 35
18 Wolverhampton Wanderers 42 13 9 20 43 55 −12 35
19 Brighton & Hove Albion 42 14 7 21 54 67 −13 35
20 Norwich City (R) 42 13 7 22 49 73 −24 33 Relegation to the Second Division
21 Leicester City (R) 42 13 6 23 40 67 −27 32
22 Crystal Palace (R) 42 6 7 29 47 83 −36 19
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Liverpool qualified for the European Cup first round as the 1980–81 European Cup winners.
  2. ^ Tottenham Hotspur qualified for the European Cup Winners' Cup first round as the 1980–81 FA Cup winners.

League Cup

See also: 1980–81 Football League Cup
27 August 1980 R2, 1st Leg Aston Villa 1–0 Leeds United Birmingham
Morley 9' Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 23,622
3 September 1980 R2, 2nd Leg Leeds United 1–3 Aston Villa Leeds
Graham 13' Withe 6'
Shaw 45' 72'		 Stadium: Elland Road
Attendance: 12,236
23 September 1980 R2, 2nd Leg Cambridge United 2–1 Aston Villa Cambridge
Finney 8'
Spriggs 17'		 Morley 6' Stadium: Abbey Stadium
Attendance: 7,608

FA Cup

See also: 1980–81 FA Cup
3 January 1981 R3 Ipswich Town 1–0 Aston Villa Ipswich
Mariner 12' Stadium: Portman Road
Attendance: 27,721
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