1973–74 Aston Villa F.C. season

The 1973–74 English football season was Aston Villa's 74th season in the Football League, this season playing in the Football League Second Division. Under manager Vic Crowe Aston Villa won promotion and thus ended their two-year spell in the Third Division. By the end of the decade they would be firmly re-established as a First Division club. But Vic Crowe was sacked in April 1974. Ron Saunders was appointed manager in June 1974.^[1]

Aston Villa

1973–74 season
Chairman	Doug Ellis
Manager	Vic Crowe
Stadium	Villa Park
Second Division	14th
FA Cup	Fifth round
League Cup	Second round
← 1972–73 1974–75 →

The New Year's Day fixture saw Villa draw 0–0 with Millwall before a home crowd of 20,905 leaving Villa in 13th position.^[2] Within the month, Arsenal fall at the feet of Sammy Morgan.^[3]

Second Division

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Middlesbrough (C, P)	42	27	11	4	77	30	2.567	65	Promotion to the First Division
2	Luton Town (P)	42	19	12	11	64	51	1.255	50
3	Carlisle United (P)	42	20	9	13	61	48	1.271	49
4	Orient	42	15	18	9	55	42	1.310	48
5	Blackpool	42	17	13	12	57	40	1.425	47
6	Sunderland	42	19	9	14	58	44	1.318	47
7	Nottingham Forest	42	15	15	12	57	43	1.326	45
8	West Bromwich Albion	42	14	16	12	48	45	1.067	44
9	Hull City	42	13	17	12	46	47	0.979	43
10	Notts County	42	15	13	14	55	60	0.917	43
11	Bolton Wanderers	42	15	12	15	44	40	1.100	42
12	Millwall	42	14	14	14	51	51	1.000	42
13	Fulham	42	16	10	16	39	43	0.907	42
14	Aston Villa	42	13	15	14	48	45	1.067	41
15	Portsmouth	42	14	12	16	45	62	0.726	40
16	Bristol City	42	14	10	18	47	54	0.870	38
17	Cardiff City	42	10	16	16	49	62	0.790	36	Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round
18	Oxford United	42	10	16	16	35	46	0.761	36
19	Sheffield Wednesday	42	12	11	19	51	63	0.810	35
20	Crystal Palace (R)	42	11	12	19	43	56	0.768	34	Relegation to the Third Division
21	Preston North End (R)	42	9	14	19	40	62	0.645	31
22	Swindon Town (R)	42	7	11	24	36	72	0.500	25

Source:^{[citation needed]}
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

References

1. Saunders chosen as Aston Villa's new manager, 5 June 1974, The Times, Issue: 59107
2. Spectators return on a record day for Leeds, Geoffrey Green, The Times 2 January 1974
3. Arsenal fall at the feet of Morgan as Villa rise to their history, Geoffrey Green, The Times 31 January 1974.

External links

• AVFC History: 1973-74 season