1968–69 Aston Villa F.C. season

The 1968–69 English football season was Aston Villa's 69th season in the Football League, this season playing in the Football League Second Division. Villa had been in decline for several years; the club had an ageing five-man board "who had failed to adapt to the new football reality".^[1] The club had neither developed a scouting network nor an effective coaching structure.^[2]

Main article: History of Aston Villa F.C. (1961–present)

Aston Villa

1968–69 season
Chairman	(1) Norman Smith (2) Doug Ellis
Manager	(1) Tommy Cummings (2) Tommy Docherty
Stadium	Villa Park
Second Division	18th
FA Cup	Fifth round
League Cup	Second round
← 1967–68 1969-70 →

Second City Derby

31--23--23

← 1967–68 1969-70 →

Events off the pitch came to a head in November 1968. With Villa lying at the bottom of Division Two, the board sacked Cummings. On 21 November 1968 the problems in the boardroom were highlighted when board member George Robinson resigned. Following his resignation, the board issued a statement: "[The board] would make available, by their resignation, such seats as new financial arrangements might require".^[2] Aston Villa F.C. was up for sale. After much speculation London financier Pat Matthews bought control of the club. He brought in local travel agent Doug Ellis as chair of the new board that was convened on 16 December 1968. Two days later Tommy Docherty was appointed as manager, his third club in six weeks, after his resignation from Rotherham United and a brief spell at Queens Park Rangers.^[2]

There were debuts for Brian Tiler (107), Barrie Hole (47), Mike Ferguson (38), Dave Simmons (17), John Griffiths (3), John Chambers (2), and Barry Lynch (2).^[3]

In the Second City derby both teams won their home game.^[4]

Second Division

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts
16	Bristol City	42	11	16	15	46	53	0.868	38
17	Bolton Wanderers	42	12	14	16	55	67	0.821	38
18	Aston Villa	42	12	14	16	37	48	0.771	38
19	Blackburn Rovers	42	13	11	18	52	63	0.825	37
20	Oxford United	42	12	9	21	34	55	0.618	33

Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored

See also

• List of Aston Villa F.C. records and statistics

References

1. Ward, Adam, p. 98
2. Ward, Adam, p. 100
3. "Aston Villa's Seasons". AVFC History.
4. "All Aston Villa's Matches". AVFC History. Retrieved 6 August 2023.

External links

• AVFC History: 1968-69 season