The season is 1986-87.
It is 5 years since Aston Villa were League Champions, 4 years since
they were kings of Europe. In January
1983, they beat Barcelona to win the European Super Cup.
After the European Cup success, their final league positions
had been on a steady decline
1982-83 – 6th
1983-84 – 10th
1984-85 – 10th
1985-86 – 16th
From the squad that played in the season, ’86-’87, only 5
players remained from either their league title or European Cup winning
sides. Gone were players such as Gordon
Cowans, midfield talisman who was now in Italy, Dennis Mortimer, the
inspirational captain, Tony Morley, speedy winger and Des Bremner.
Ironically, Villa had begun to compile a team full of young
players who would go on to have decent professional careers. Players such as Tony Dorigo, Steve Hodge,
Tony Daley, Mark Walters. All four were
later capped by England. Dorigo was part
of the Leeds United League title winning side of 1991, Hodge was part of a
Nottingham Forest side runners-up in the FA Cup in 1991. Walters won an FA Cup winners medal with
Liverpool in 1992. There was also Paul
Elliott, who went on to have a promising young career with Chelsea.
Many Villa sides were compared to the 1981 squad when just
14 players were used. This time round,
Villa would call up 26. Injuries and
loss of form are never helpful when you’re fighting for survival, and this
season was no exception.
The play-off system had recently been introduced and in
these early days the First Division was included. The bottom three clubs would be automatically
relegated, but the club finishing 19th would go into a play-off
competition with three clubs from the Second Division. The FA was trying to reduce the number of
teams in the First Division gradually each season so only two clubs would
automatically come up from the Second Division, but a third could get promoted
at the expense of the 19th placed First Division side. So, to ensure First Division survival a club
would need to finish at in at least 18th place.
Manager
Graham Turner,
age 39 – Had a playing career with Wrexham, Chester and Shrewsbury which
spanned 19 years. As player-manager of
Shrewsbury they won Third Division title.
Took over Aston Villa in 1984.
After leaving Villa Park, he moved to Wolves for 8 years, and then onto
Hereford where he spent 14 seasons as manager.
Billy McNeill,
age 46 – Part of Celtic team that won the European Cup in 1967. Managed Clyde, Aberdeen, Celtic and
Manchester City before taking over at Villa Park once Turner was sacked. Lasted until the end of the season, when he
returned to Celtic.
Squad
Goalkeepers
Kevin Poole (age
23, 11 apps) – Turned professional with Villa in 1981. Spent 6 seasons there before moving to
Middlesbrough in 1987.
Nigel Spink (age
28, 38 apps) – Made his name when he came on as a sub for Jimmy Rimmer in the
European Cup Final in 1982. Then became
the regular keeper at Villa Park, spending 19 years there, before moving to
West Brom in 1996.
Defenders
Gary Williams
(age 26, 26 apps) – Began his career at Villa in 1978, one of the survivors
from their League and European triumphs.
Left Villa at the end of this season to move to Leeds United.
Tony Dorigo (age
20, 48 apps) – Born in Melbourne, but played for 15 times for England. Made his debut for Villa in 1984, remained at
the club before moving to Chelsea at the end of this season. Later won a League title with Leeds United.
Allan Evans (age
29, 33 apps, 7 goals) – Another survivor from the title winning team. Joined from Dunfermline in 1977, and
eventually played 380 times for Villa before moving to Leicester in 1989.
Paul Elliott (age
22, 37 apps, 5 goals) – Began his career at Charlton before moving to Luton in
1983 and then onto Villa, 2 years later.
Left the club at the end of the season moving to Pisa in Italy.
Martin Keown (age
20, 42 apps) – Began his career at Arsenal in 1984 and then moved to Villa in
1986, spending 3 years there before moving to Everton and then back to Arsenal.
Dave Norton (age 21,
25 apps) – Scottish born, he signed as an apprentice at Villa in 1981, but didn’t
make his debut until 1985. Eventually
left the club in 1988 when he moved to Notts County. Had his most successful time, in terms of
playing, at Hull from 1991.
Dean Glover (age
22, 5 apps) – Signed professionally for the club in 1981 and was another who
left after this season, moving to Middlesbrough. Later played and then managed, Port Vale.
Bernard Gallacher
(age 19, 1 app) – Scottish born, signed at Villa as an apprentice in 1985. Only made his debut for the club in the final
game of this 86-87 season. Stayed at the
club until 1991 when he moved to Doncaster.
Philip Robinson
(age 19, 3 apps) – Began his career at Villa in 1985 and then moved to Wolves
two years later. The games he played
during this season were the only appearances he made for the club during his
career.
Midfield
Andy Blair (age
26, 4 apps) – Began his career at Coventry in 1978, moving to Aston Villa
during their League Championship season.
Spent 2 years at Sheffield Wednesday in 1984, before moving back to
Villa Park at the start of this season.
Steve Hunt (age
30, 46 apps, 4 goals) – Began his career at Villa in 1973. After 4 years he spent time at New York
Cosmos before returning home to Coventry.
Spent 2 years at West Brom before joining Villa in 1986.
Steve Hodge (age
23, 21 apps, 6 goals) – Started his career at Nottingham Forest in 1980,
spending 5 years there before moving to Villa in 1985. Left the club during this season to move to
Tottenham, before going back to Forest in 1988.
Won 24 caps for England.
Tony Daley (age
19, 38 apps, 4 goals) – Joined Villa as an apprentice, making hisdebut in
1985. Spent 9 years at the club making
over 230 appearances before moving to Wolves.
Played 7 times for England.
Mark Walters (26
apps, 4 goals) – Also began his career at Villa as an apprentice, making his
debut in 1982. Spent 6 years at the
club, before joining Rangers and then moving onto Liverpool in 1991.
Paul Birch (age
23, 35 apps, 4 goals) – Came through the youth system at Villa, making his
debut in 1983. Came on as a sub in the
Super Cup win. Stayed with the club until
he moved to Wolves in 1991.
Neale Cooper (age
23, 15 apps, 1 goal) – Began his career at Aberdeen where he won League, Cup,
League Cup and European Cup-Winners Cup medals.
Signed for Villa during the summer 1986.
Struggled with injuries during his 2 years at the club, and moved back
to Rangers in 1988.
Paul Kerr (age
22, 6 apps, 2 goals) – Began his career at Villa, making his debut in
1982. Only made 24 appearances until he
moved to Middlesbrough in 1987.
Strikers
Simon Stainrod (age
27, 35 apps, 8 goals) – Began his career with Sheffield United in 1975, moving
to Oldham in 1979 and then QPR a year later.
After a short spell at Sheffield Wednesday, he joined Villa in
1985. Left in 1987 and had spells at a
further 6 clubs before the end of his career in 1995.
Garry Thompson (age
26, 37 apps, 7 goals) – Began his career at Coventry in 1977. Spent 6 years there before he moved to West
Brom and then Sheffield Wednesday, joining Villa at the start of this
season. Joined Watford in 1988. Later went on to manage Bristol Rovers.
Gary Shaw (age
25, 1 app) – His goals played a major part in Villa’s success in the early
‘80’s, but injuries restricted his appearances during this season, to just 1
game. Eventually left the club in 1988.
Andy Gray (age
31, 22 apps, 2 goals) – Started his career at Dundee United, before moving to
Villa in 1975, winning a League Cup winners medal. He joined Wolves for a record transfer in
1979, winning another League Cup. He
then joined Everton in 1983, winning a League Championship in 1985. Moved back to Villa for his 2nd
spell in 1985, when Gary Lineker joined Everton. Not as successful in his 2nd
spell, leaving in 1987 having scored just 5 goals.
Warren Aspinall (age
19, 12 apps, 3 goals) – Started his career at Wigan in 1985, before moving to
Everton a year later and then Villa in February 1987. He joined Portsmouth in 1988 for whom he
played more games for than anywhere else.
Mark Burke (age
18, 1 app) – Turned professional during this season, making his debut for the
club. Later in 1987 he moved onto
Middlesbrough.
Tony Barton had been in charge of Villa when they won the
European Cup in 1982. He remained in
charge until the summer of 1984, when he was sacked. Villa had become disappointed with the league
finishes since the European win, and wanted a new direction. They appointed Graham Turner, a young
up-and-coming manager at Shrewsbury. As
a player-manager he had guided them to the Third Division title in 1979. By the start of the 1986-87 season, there
were already concerns about Turner’s ability.
Not only did they look a long way from competing in Europe, but they’d
finished just 3pts ahead of the relegation zone the previous season.
The season kicked off at home to Tottenham. Clive Allen put
the visitors in front after just 4 minutes, and then when he got his 2nd
goal, 20 minutes later, gloom descended The Holt End. Allen completed his hat-trick in the second
half and Villa had been beaten, 0-3 at home on the opening day.
Three days later, they travelled to Plough Lane to meet Wimbledon. This was Wimbledon’s first season in the top
flight after just 10 seasons in League football, and so their first home game
was eagerly anticipated, and again Villa conceded an early goal as Glynn Hodges
put the home side in front after 9 minutes.
Things just got worse for Villa as Gary Williams was sent-off 4 minutes
after they went behind, but then Steve Hodge was brought down in the box and
Allan Evans converted the penalty to equalise.
John Fashanu then restored The Dons lead right on half-time. 4 minutes to go and Evans then gave away a
penalty himself, and Gage converted.
Garry Thompson did get one back for Villa, with his first goal for the
club since his summer move from Sheffield Wednesday. But Villa lost 2-3 and had
begun the season with 2 defeats.
After losing again, 0-1 away to QPR,
they then entertained Luton Town at
Villa Park. Two goals from second half
substitute, Paul Kerr, gave Villa their first win of the season, 2-1. Their joy was short-lived as they were then
beaten at home by Oxford United, 1-2.
Oxford had enjoyed their finest period in their history,
after they won the Second Division title in 1985. They’d finished just 1pt above the relegation
zone in 1986, beating Arsenal 3-0, on the final day to stay up. Oxford were a mixture of honest professionals
and ‘journeymen’, such as Dave Langan, John Trewick along with Ray Houghton and
John Aldridge. Oxford were again
expected to be relegation candidates, and so this defeat was another nail in
Turner’s coffin.
Worse was to follow.
Villa visited the City Ground to meet Nottingham Forest. After
losing on the opening day to Everton, Forest had won 3 of their next 4
matches. Villa met them at just the
wrong time. Garry Birtles and Neil Webb
both scored twice, with Franz Carr and Nigel Clough also scoring as Forest ran
out 6-0
winners.
This was all too much for new chairman, Doug Ellis and the
axe fell on Turner. Forest would go on
to hit Chelsea for 6 the following week, but that was little consolation for
Villa who searched for a new manager.
Sacked
Billy McNeill was in charge at Celtic and had lead them to 3
League titles, 1 Scottish Cup and 1 League Cup success. In 1983 he moved to Manchester City who were
then a Second Division side, and guided them to promotion to the First
Division. McNeill had been touted for
the job at Old Trafford, before Ron Atkinson got it. Villa were a whole new challenge for the man
who had captained the first British side to win the European Cup. They were 21st in the table,
although Man Utd were only 2 places above them.
If McNeill was not certain of the task ahead of him, his
first game should have made it abundantly clear. They were at home to Norwich City and were thumped, 1-4, and moved to the bottom of the table. Next up, a trip to the champions at
Anfield. Both teams had been involved in
League Cup (now Littlewoods Cup) action in the week, and their fortunes could
not have been more contrasting. Villa
were held, 1-1
at Second Division side, Reading. Liverpool thrashed Fulham, 10-0.
Villa produced a decent performance to come away with a 3-3 draw
with goals from Hodge, Thompson and another penalty from Evans. Villa were bottom of the table with just 4pts
from 8 games.
October
Villa then travelled to Midlands rivals, Coventry and it was an ex-sky blues
player who scored the only goal of the game.
Garry Thompson had spent 6 years at Highfield Road, and was a delighted
scorer to give Villa only their 2nd win of the season. Unfortunately for Villa this would remain
their sole away win all season.
This took Villa off the bottom of the table, and they went
on to beat Reading in the 2nd leg of their League Cup tie, where
Andy Gray scored twice. Gray had
returned to the club for his 2nd spell, and these were his only
goals of the season. They then won 3-1 at
home to Southampton in the league,
where Paul Elliott scored twice and Evans converted his 3rd penalty
of the season. This put Villa up to 18th. For younger readers, it may surprise you to
know the 4 clubs below them were, Chelsea, Man Utd, Newcastle and Man City.
The mini-revival took a jolt as they went to Watford and were beaten, 2-4. But they managed to bounce back with 2-0 wins
over both Newcastle and Leicester. Steve Hodge bagged a brace against Newcastle
and Simon Stainrod did the same against Leicester. Villa had now picked up 13pts from a possible
21 and Stainrod had found the net 4 times.
Things seemed to be on the up, as they were up to the heady heights of
16th
November
Then things took a turn for the worst. Although they got past Derby in the League Cup after a replay, their league form hit the
buffers and they went 7 games without a win.
They went to Maine Road for McNeill’s return to his old club, but City
youngster, Paul Moulden, scored his first goals for the club with a double as
City won 3-1. After draws against Chelsea (0-0) and West Ham
(1-1), they were then thumped at home, 0-4 by Arsenal.
Ironically, future Gunner, Martin Keown, scored an own goal, as Perry Groves,
David Rocastle and Martin Hayes took advantage of some poor defending.
December
Allan Evans scored his 4th penalty of the season
but they were beaten, 1-2 at Sheffield
Wednesday, and then scored another when they held Man Utd to a 3-3 draw at Villa Park. Just before Christmas a late penalty from
John Aldridge denied Villa a win at Oxford, but finally the run ended on Boxing
Day when Charlton were the visitors
and goals from Birch and Daley gave Villa a 2-0 win.
Christmas was an important period for most clubs, and for
Villa they had 3 games against sides in the bottom half, 2 of them below
Villa. They went to Oxford and drew, 2-2, and then came their victory over
Charlton. The day after, they travelled
to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea were bottom of the table, scoring just 21 goals in their 21
matches. They won on Boxing Day, beating
Southampton, 2-1. This was their first win for 9 games, and
ended a run of 1 win in 12. Aston Villa
were just the boost Chelsea needed. They
won 4-1,
as Kerry Dixon scored twice. Villa had
become one of 9 wins Chelsea would have in a 13 game period, which ultimately
saved their season. But for Villa, this
begun an even more desperate run than the Charlton victory had ended.
At the end of the year, Villa were in 18th place,
just 2pts above the bottom club, Leicester.
January
January was a dreadful month for Villa. They didn’t win a single game. They didn’t score in three league games and
were knocked out of the FA Cup by Chelsea, albeit in a replay. They suffered two further defeats into February,
at home to QPR and away at Luton. This
stretched their run to 1pt from the last 6 games, and 1 win in their last
14. Villa were now entrenched in the
bottom three. Evans scored his 6th
goal of the season, all from the spot, against Luton. It was their first goal in the league for 5
matches. They had lost three successive
matches and 5 from their last 6.
On the back of that form, they had to welcome Liverpool to
Villa Park. Liverpool had just won their last 4 matches. But Villa managed to produce a dogged
performance and gained a 2-2 draw.
This was followed by draws against Norwich
(1-1)
and Wimbledon (0-0). Their losing run had come to an end, but they
had gone 9 games since their last win.
March
They were then due to take a trip to St. James’s Park to
play the bottom club, Newcastle United. The last time they played ‘the bottom club’,
they lost to Chelsea. Nothing changed
this time either, as Tony Cunningham took advantage of some slack marking to
give the home side an early lead. Just
before the break, Tony Daley then delicately chipped the keeper to equalise and
silence the crowd. In the second half a
good run and low shot from Peter Beardsley won it for Newcastle and Villa lost,
1-2.
They were away next to Southampton,
who themselves were looking over their shoulder. The Saints were just 4pts ahead of Villa, in
17th and 2pts above the drop zone.
You wouldn’t have thought the two teams were so close as Villa were
easily beaten, 0-5. Northern Ireland international, Colin Clarke,
scored twice as Southampton were 4-0 up by half-time. Villa managed to secure a 1-1 draw
when Watford visited and then
finally the run ended.
At the end of March, Coventry
were the visitors. Villa had beaten
their neighbours back in October, but with Coventry in 8th place, it
looked as if there was little hope.
Birch scored the only goal of the game and Villa had done the double
over Coventry, which would at least give some fans cause to celebrate. Villa had gone 12 games since they last won,
on Boxing Day, and this win had been a long time coming. The win took Villa out of the relegation
zone, albeit by 1pt, but they had still played a game more than the teams below
them.
April
Eight games to save their season and some big games to
come. On 4th April four of
the bottom five clubs met. Villa entertained
Man City at Villa Park. City were bottom, but this time Villa managed
to avoid defeat with a 0-0 draw. The
relegation battle was hotting up and despite avoiding defeat, Villa dropped two
places. Goals from Ken Wharton and Paul
Goddard gave Newcastle a crucial 2-0 win against Leicester, and an exciting
game at Selhurst Park where Charlton beat Watford, 4-3. By the time Villa were next in action they
were now 4pts from safety and they were again up against another side battling
relegation, when they met Leicester
at Filbert Street. Mark Walters scored
his first goal since before Christmas, but former Southampton striker, Steve
Moran, equalised for the home side and the game ended 1-1.
Villa had now gone 4 games without defeat but with Newcastle
continuing to pick up points, Villa were still 4pts behind them having played a
game more.
Newcastle then extended their unbeaten to run 8 as Paul
Goddard scored in his 6th successive game to give them a surprise
1-0 at Highbury. Man City then grabbed a
1-1 draw with 3rd placed Tottenham and the gap on Villa had closed
to 1pt. The Easter weekend began with League
leaders, Everton were next to visit
Villa Park. They fought hard but a Kevin
Sheedy goal saw Villa lose, 0-1.
Charlton and Man City both lost and all three looked distinctly
desperate with just 5 games to go.
Newcastle won again, this time beating Man Utd 2-1 with Goddard now
extending his run to scoring in 7 consecutive matches.
It was looking like the play-offs would be the only hope for
Villa with them needing 7pts to be safe and only 5 games to go.
Next up was the type of game we now call a ‘relegation
6-pointer. Charlton were immediately above Villa in the table, with the two
separated by 1pt. It all went wrong for
Villa, and Charlton came away with a crucial 3-0 victory, with goals from Peter
Shirtliff, Mark Stuart and Jim Melrose.
Things were now extremely desperate for Villa, they were 9pts from
safety and even 7pts from a play-off place and fast running out of matches.
Then they managed to pull a great result out of the
bag. West Ham visited Villa Park.
They were 14th in the table, with little to play for. Villa took advantage and Warren Aspinall
chose this match to score his first goals of the season, as he scored twice and
Villa won, 4-0. This was Villa’s biggest win of the season,
although only 13,500 saw it, but it seemed really out of character, as they’d
won just 1 in their last 17. Elsewhere,
two goals from Imre Varadi helped Man City beat Arsenal, 3-0, as another
Melrose strike earned a point for Charlton at Southampton.
Three games to go, could Villa pull off a remarkable escape?
It was looking unlikely with 2 of those matches away from home at Arsenal and
Man Utd.
May
May 2nd saw Villa visit Highbury to meet 4th
placed, Arsenal. Aspinall was again on target, but a Martin
Hayes double meant Villa lost, 1-2. Their
only comfort was the three sides immediately above them all lost, but Man City
earned a valuable point at Everton and now Villa were bottom of the table. They now needed to win their last 2 matches
otherwise it was relegation. The most
remarkable result of the day was at Hillsborough where Sheffield Wednesday dispelled
any potential relegation worries when they thumped QPR, 7-1. Goals from David Hirst (2), Brian Marwood
(2), Mel Sterland, Gary Megson and Mark Chamberlain.
Sheffield Wednesday
were then Villa’s next opponents on Bank Holiday Monday at Villa Park. May 4th 1987 was a black day in
Villa history. The game was memorable
for Phil Robinson who scored his debut goal in professional football. But it wasn’t enough, Villa lost, 1-2 with
David Hirst and Lee Chapman scoring and that was it. Every other club around them picked up
points. Imre Varadi scored the winner when
Man City beat Nottingham Forest.
Leicester drew 1-1 with Coventry and goals from ex-Tottenham players,
Paul Miller and Garth Crooks helped Charlton win 3-0 up at Newcastle.
AstonVilla were relegated, just 6 years after their famous
League Championship. They would need win
their final match by 13 goals to avoid finishing last. Their final match was a visit to Old
Trafford. Paul Birch scored the final
goal of Villa’s First Division season, but goals from Mike Duxbury, Bryan
Robson and Clayton Blackmore gave Man United
a 3-1
win.
Aston Villa had finished 2nd to Manchester United
in the Second Division in 1974-75, to win promotion to the First Division. During their time there, they won 2 League
Cups, 1 League Championship, 1 European Cup and 1 European Super Cup. But now it was all over. Second Division football beckoned from August
1987.
For manager, Billy McNeill, he earned the rather unusual
accolade of managing two relegated clubs in the same season, as Manchester City
also went down. At the end of the
season, McNeill stepped down and returned to Celtic. Villa then appointed Watford manager, Graham
Taylor, who got them back up straight away.
But that is for another day.
