Graham Denton

Any #AVFC/#football fans looking for a last-minute #Xmas bargain? Copies of the paperback version of my #book, The Odd Man Out: The Fascinating Story of Ron Saunders' Reign at #AstonVilla, are up for grabs. £9.99 each inc. P&P. Happy to sign. Comment below/DM me if interested. 👍

One of the great behind-the-goal shots. 31 March '73, Spurs' Pat Jennings celebrates after making the second of 2 penalty saves (from Keegan & Smith) at Anfield as #THFC hold #LFC to a 1-1 draw. An 11.30am KO, as it was Grand National day. Just look at Tommy Smith's frustration!

#OTD 1977, the day after his impressive international debut in @England's thrashing of Luxembourg at Wembley, #AVFC full back John Gidman receives lavish praise from national team boss, Don Revie. Gidman never played for his country again. (Snippet from Glasgow Herald, 31/3/77)

Get a flick through the 23rd June 1973 edition of Shoot! Magazine scanned in full into Flickr Click on the link below to read and enjoy #shoot #shootmagazine @N05/albums/72177720332777562" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">flickr.com/photos/1140587…

#OTD 1980, Pat Heard & 17-year-old Robert Hopkins make their debuts in injury-hit #AVFC's 2-0 Weds. night h. win over #NCFC in D1. Hopkins, a 90'+2 sub for Ivor Linton, scores with his one & only touch, to add to Cowans' 71' pen. (awarded after Hoadley upends Swain). Att: 17,956.

From 24 March 1973, part of a series published in the Malaysian newspaper, New Straits Times: 'Danny Blanchflower's Soccerstrip'. Top tips from the great Northern Irishman. #1970s #football #nostalgia

#OTD 1979, #AVFC, two-up through John Gidman's 39' pen. & Andy Gray (44'), with what would be his last #Villa goal under Ron Saunders, concede three in 6 s/half minutes to lose 3-2 at home to #Spurs in D1. Glenn Hoddle (78', 84') & Jones (82') score for the visitors. Att: 35,486.

#OTD 1977, a rampant #AVFC romp to a 4-1 Weds. night win in D1 at home to relegation-bound #Sunderland. Gidman 26', Gray (34', his 25th of the season) & Deehan (55', 86') get #Villa's goals. Mel Holden (65') replies for the visitors, who have Colin Waldron s/o (69'). Att: 34,458.

From 22 March 1973, part of a series published in the Malaysian newspaper, New Straits Times: 'Danny Blanchflower's Soccerstrip'. Top tips from the great Northern Irishman. #1970s #football #nostalgia

#OTD 1978, in a Tues. night D1 clash at Highfield Rd, #AVFC beat 7th placed #CoventryCity 3-2. Goals by Little 34', McNaught 40' & Gray 69' see Villa cruising, but two from Bobby McDonald (71', 83') ensures a rousing finale. @Thompson1Garry makes his Sky Blues debut. Att: 30,957.

#OTD 1976, it's the Chris Nicholl Show at Filbert St as the NI centre-half scores all 4 goals in the D1 game that ends #LeicesterCity 2 #AstonVilla 2. Twice Nicholl own goals give the home side the lead (14', 54') but twice he levels for #AVFC (40', 86'). 24,663 get to to see it.

#OTD 1976, 7 days before his 2 own goals vs. #LCFC, Chris Nicholl turns Ralph Coates' 23' shot past his own keeper, John Burridge, as #AVFC lose 5-2 at #Spurs in D1. Perryman 30', Duncan 41', McAllister 64', Robinson 70' also score. Graydon 29', Gray 51' for #Villa. Att: 23,169.

Get a flick through the 20th October 1973 edition of Shoot! Magazine scanned in full into Flickr Click on the link below to read and enjoy #shoot #shootmagazine @N05/albums/72177720332415145/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">flickr.com/photos/1140587…

In The Beezer, 28 February 1970, Ginger's football gets stuck in the chimney . . .

#OTD 1977, a week before the League Cup final vs. #EFC, #AVFC draw 1-1 at #LCFC in D1. Deehan gives #Villa a 23' lead, but when Cowans trips Alderson in the box, Pat Partridge points to the spot and Sammels strikes the 40' pen. past Jake Findlay. Att: 22,038. Pic: @LeighDouglas2

James Mossop, quality sportswriter, quality company. My tribute to an old mate: sportsjournalists.co.uk/obits/james-ji…

#OTD 1977, despite missing top scorer Andy Gray, #AVFC romp to a 4-0 Weds. night home win vs. #DCFC, becoming the first team in D1 to score 50 league goals that season. Mortimer (2'), Gidman (15'), @brianlittle912 (31') & Cowans (81', his first league goal) score. Att: 37,396.

In the League Cup final at Wembley played #otd in 1974, goalkeeper Gary Pierce marked his 23rd birthday with a 'man of the match' performance in #Wolves' 2-1 defeat of #ManchesterCity. The photo featuring Pierce in action during the game is from The Vancouver Sun, 4 March 1974.

A street scene in Nazaré, Portugal, photographed by Gérard Castello-Lopes, circa 1957. Perhaps they were re-enacting Villa's FA Cup final victory over Manchester United that year.

#OTD 1977, on a bumpy, sand-covered Villa Park pitch, #AVFC struggle to beat D3 #PortVale in the #FACup R5. #Villa, with neither Gray (replaced by Cowans, 74') nor Cropley fully fit, score via Nicholl 18', Little 79' & Deehan 86' but the 3-0 scoreline is flattering. Att: 48,812.

A rare showing for a Division 4 game on @BBCMOTD #otd 1979: #Portsmouth 1-3 #Grimsby. The programme also featured #Derby 0-2 #Liverpool, which had the Ray Kennedy goal that would win the BBC 'Goal of the Season' award later that campaign.