1977 Football League Cup final

Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates Template:Short descriptionTemplate:Template other 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, and the only one that required a second replay to decide the winner. The first match took place at Wembley Stadium on 12 March and the game ended in a goalless draw. 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 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. 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, making them the first team to win the competition three times. 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

File:Kit left arm.svg File:Kit body.svg File:Kit right arm.svg File:Kit shorts.svg File:Kit socks long.svg Aston Villa

File:Kit left arm.svg File:Kit body.svg File:Kit right arm.svg File:Kit shorts.svg File:Kit socks long.svg Everton Template:Preview warning

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

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

Replay

Match details

File:Kit left arm.svg File:Kit body.svg File:Kit right arm.svg File:Kit shorts.svg File:Kit socks long.svg Aston Villa

File:Kit left arm.svg File:Kit body.svg File:Kit right arm.svg File:Kit shorts.svg File:Kit socks long.svg Everton Template:Preview warning

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

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

Second Replay

Match details

File:Kit left arm.svg File:Kit body.svg File:Kit right arm.svg File:Kit shorts.svg File:Kit socks long.svg Aston Villa

File:Kit left arm.svg File:Kit body.svg File:Kit right arm.svg File:Kit shorts.svg File:Kit socks long.svg Everton Template:Preview warning

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

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