▁FA ▁Youth ▁Cup ▁final ▁defeat ▁to ▁Liverpool , ▁playing ▁alongside ▁players ▁such ▁as ▁John ▁G id man , ▁Alan ▁Little , ▁and ▁Brian ▁Little . ▁He ▁made ▁four ▁Second ▁Division ▁appearances ▁at ▁Villa ▁Park ▁under ▁the ▁ste ward ship ▁of ▁Ron ▁Sau nd ers . ▁He ▁was ▁loan ed ▁out ▁to ▁Alan ▁Ball ' s ▁South port ▁of ▁the ▁Four th ▁Division , ▁scoring ▁once ▁in ▁eight ▁league ▁appearances ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 – 7 5 . ▁ ▁He ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁to ▁play ▁for ▁the ▁Port land ▁Tim bers ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁who ▁were ▁managed ▁by ▁former ▁Villa ▁manager ▁Vic ▁Cro we . ▁He ▁scored ▁seven ▁goals ▁in ▁ 1 8 ▁games , ▁helping ▁the ▁Tim bers ▁to ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁Western ▁Conference ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁American ▁Soccer ▁League . ▁He ▁scored ▁the ▁golden ▁goal ▁in ▁extra - time ▁for ▁Port land ▁in ▁a ▁memor able ▁play - off ▁victory ▁against ▁arch ival ▁Seattle ▁Sound ers ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁August . ▁They ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁play ▁Soccer ▁Bowl ▁' 7 5 , ▁but ▁lost ▁ 2 – 0 ▁to ▁the ▁T ampa ▁Bay ▁Row d ies ▁at ▁Spart an ▁Stadium . ▁ ▁He ▁had ▁a ▁trial ▁with ▁Roy ▁S pro son ' s ▁Port ▁V ale ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁and ▁started ▁for ▁a ▁ 2 – 1 ▁Third ▁Division ▁defeat ▁at ▁G illing ham ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁October ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁but ▁was