1977 Football League Cup final

1977 League Cup Final

Event	1976–77 Football League Cup
Aston Villa Everton
Aston Villa Everton 0 0
Date	12 March 1977
Venue	Wembley Stadium, London
Referee	Gordon Kew
Attendance	100,000
Replay
Aston Villa Everton 1 1
After extra time
Date	16 March 1977
Venue	Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield
Referee	Gordon Kew
Attendance	55,000
Second replay
Aston Villa Everton 3 2
After extra time
Date	13 April 1977
Venue	Old Trafford, Manchester
Referee	Gordon Kew
Attendance	54,748
← 1976 1978 →

The 1977 Football League Cup Final was played between Aston Villa and Everton over three games. It was the first League Cup Final to go to a replay, ^[1] and the only one that required a second replay to decide the winner. ^[2] The first match took place at Wembley Stadium on 12 March and the game ended in a goalless draw. ^[2] The replay on 16 March was only marginally better as the teams again played out a draw, this time at Hillsborough the home of Sheffield Wednesday. The game ended 1–1 with both goals scored by Everton players with Bob Latchford's last-minute equaliser ^[2] nullifying Roger Kenyon's earlier own-goal.

The second replay took place at Old Trafford on 13 April. The game is probably best remembered for a 40-yard goal from Villa centre-half Chris Nicholl, and in a 2010 poll this was voted in the Top 25 of all-time League Cup moments. ^[3] Brian Little scored his second of the match in dramatic fashion during the dying seconds of the game to give Villa a 3–2 victory. Mick Lyons and Bob Latchford scored for Everton.

Road to Wembley

Aston Villa

Villa defeated top-level teams Manchester City and Norwich City in their first two games, before a 4th round victory over Wrexham moved them into the last eight. Here they defeated second level Millwall 2–0. In the first leg of the semi-final they drew 0–0 at Queens Park Rangers, with the second leg also drawn (2–2), thus setting up a replay. Villa won this game 3–0 on 22 February (at Highbury) courtesy of a Brian Little hat-trick.

Everton

Conversely Everton's first two victories came against fourth level teams Cambridge United and Stockport County before a 3–0 fourth round victory over First Division Coventry City. In the quarter-finals they enjoyed a 3–0 win at Manchester United, resulting in a semi-final clash with second level Bolton Wanderers. After drawing the home leg, Everton won 1–0 at Burnden Park on 15 February to book their place at Wembley.

Final

Match details

12 March 1977

15:00 BST

Aston Villa	0–0	Everton

Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance: 100,000

Referee: Gordon Kew (Leeds)

Aston Villa

Everton

GK 1 John Burridge DF 2 John Gidman DF 3 John Robson DF 4 Leighton Phillips DF 5 Chris Nicholl (c) MF 6 Dennis Mortimer MF 7 John Deehan MF 8 Brian Little FW 9 Andy Gray MF 10 Alex Cropley FW 11 Frank Carrodus Manager: Ron Saunders

GK 1 David Lawson DF 2 Dave Jones DF 3 Terry Darracott DF 4 Mick Lyons (c) DF 5 Ken McNaught MF 6 Andy King MF 7 Bryan Hamilton MF 8 Martin Dobson FW 9 Bob Latchford FW 10 Duncan McKenzie MF 11 Ronny Goodlass Manager: Gordon Lee

Replay

Match details

16 March 1977

19:45 BST

Aston Villa	1–1 (a.e.t.)	Everton
Kenyon 79' (o.g.)	Report	Latchford 88'

Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield

Attendance: 55,000

Referee: Gordon Kew (Leeds)

Aston Villa

Everton

GK 1 John Burridge DF 2 John Gidman DF 3 John Robson DF 4 Leighton Phillips DF 5 Chris Nicholl (c) MF 6 Dennis Mortimer MF 7 John Deehan MF 8 Brian Little FW 9 Andy Gray MF 10 Gordon Cowans FW 11 Frank Carrodus Manager: Ron Saunders

GK 1 David Lawson DF 2 Mike Bernard DF 3 Terry Darracott DF 4 Mick Lyons (c) DF 5 Ken McNaught MF 6 Andy King MF 7 Bryan Hamilton MF 8 Roger Kenyon FW 9 Bob Latchford FW 10 Duncan McKenzie MF 11 Ronny Goodlass Substitute: FW 12 Jim Pearson Manager: Gordon Lee

For the first replay Villa replaced Cropley with Gordon Cowans, whilst Everton replaced Jones with Mike Bernard and Dobson with Roger Kenyon. Additionally Jim Pearson came on as a substitute for Hamilton. ^[4] |}

Second Replay

Match details

13 April 1977

19:30 BST

Aston Villa	3–2 (a.e.t.)	Everton
Nicholl 80' Little 81', 119'	Report	Latchford 38' Lyons 83'

Old Trafford, Manchester

Attendance: 54,749

Referee: Gordon Kew (Leeds)

Aston Villa

Everton

GK 1 John Burridge DF 2 John Gidman DF 3 John Robson DF 4 Leighton Phillips DF 5 Chris Nicholl (c) MF 6 Dennis Mortimer MF 7 Ray Graydon FW 8 Brian Little MF 9 John Deehan MF 10 Alex Cropley FW 11 Gordon Cowans Substitute: DF 12 Gordon Smith Manager: Ron Saunders

GK 1 David Lawson DF 2 Neil Robinson DF 3 Terry Darracott DF 4 Mick Lyons (c) DF 5 Ken McNaught MF 6 Andy King MF 7 Bryan Hamilton MF 8 Martin Dobson FW 9 Bob Latchford FW 10 Jim Pearson MF 11 Ronny Goodlass Substitute: DF 12 Steve Seargeant Manager: Gordon Lee

For the second replay the line-ups were as the original game except for Villa Ray Graydon and Gordon Cowans played instead of Gray and Carrodus, and Gordon Smith came on as a substitute for Gidman. Everton were as the original match except Neil Robinson replaced Jones and Jim Pearson replaced McKenzie, whilst Steve Seargeant came on as a sub for Pearson. ^[4]

References

1. Ross, James M. (17 March 2025). "England - Football League Cup Finals". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 17 March 2025. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
2. "Leaguecup50.com – links to great moments from the League Cup". Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
3. "Tueart goal is best-ever League Cup moment". Football League Official Site. 27 February 2010. Archived from the original on 2 March 2010. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
4. League Cup Finals – results and line-ups at rsssf