{
"interaction_id": "3883e51d-67c5-47c7-9983-7c751f03de3b",
"search_results": [
{
"page_name": "Aston Villa Season History | Premier League",
"page_url": "https://www.premierleague.com/clubs/2/Aston-Villa/season-history",
"page_snippet": "",
"page_result": "\n\n\n \n\n\n\nAston Villa Season History | Premier League\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n \n\n \n \n \n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n\t\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\t\n\t\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n\t\nSkip to main navigation\nSkip to main content\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n\n\n",
"page_last_modified": ""
},
{
"page_name": "Aston Villa - BBC Sport",
"page_url": "https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/teams/aston-villa",
"page_snippet": "The home of Aston Villa on BBC Sport online. Includes the latest news stories, results, fixtures, video and audio.After a run of 11 unbeaten Premier League visits to Villa Park from March 2009 to April 2022 (W9 D2), Spurs lost this fixture last season 2-1. They last suffered back-to-back league defeats at Aston Villa in November 2004. Ollie Watkins has scored 16 Premier League goals this season, his most in a single campaign. Only two players have scored more in a season in the competition for Aston Villa: Christian Benteke (19 in 2012-13) and Dwight Yorke (17 in both 1995-96 and 1996-97). Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live match commentary of Aston Villa v Tottenham at 13:00 GMT on Sunday \u00b7 Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League fixture against Tottenham. Four Premier League clubs are battling it out to sign Copenhagen's \u00a320m-rated Roony Bardghji, with Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Tottenham and Manchester United all keen on the 18-year-old Swedish midfielder. (HITC, external) Here are the key facts and figures before Sunday's game between Aston Villa and Tottenham in the Premier League. Aston Villa have won their past three Premier League meetings with Tottenham, their longest league winning run over Spurs since January 1996.",
"page_result": "Aston Villa - BBC Sport
Europa Conference League quarter-final and semi-final drawpublished at 13:17
13:17
Image source, Getty Images
The draw for the Europa Conference League quarter-finals has been made, with the first legs scheduled for 11 April and the second legs a week later.
Here are those fixtures:
Club Bruges v PAOK
Olympiakos v Fenerbahce
Aston Villa v Lille
Viktoria Plzen v Fiorentina
The semi-final draw has also been done, and this will be played on 2 May and 9 May.
Aston Villa/Lille vs Olympiakos v Fenerbahce
Viktoria Plzen/Fiorentina vs Club Bruges/PAOK
The final will be staged at the AEK Arena in Athens, Greece on Wednesday, 29 May.
West Ham v Aston Villa: Pick of the statspublished at 10:54
10:54
Here are the key facts and figures before Sunday's game between West Ham and Aston Villa in the Premier League.
West Ham are unbeaten in their past eight Premier League home games against Aston Villa, since a 2-1 loss in April 2011 under Avram Grant.
Following their 4-1 win at Villa Park in October, Aston Villa are looking to complete the Premier League double over West Ham for just the second time, previously doing so in 2010-11.
Aston Villa are unbeaten in eight Premier League games in London under Unai Emery (W6 D2), winning the past four in a row, having lost eight of their previous nine under Steven Gerrard/Dean Smith. It's their longest run without defeat, and joint-longest winning run in the capital in their league history.
After a winless run of six Premier League games from the start of the year (D3 L3), West Ham have now won two of their last three (D1). They\u2019ve scored nine goals in these three matches, just one fewer than they\u2019d managed in their previous 10 league games combined (10).
Danny Ings scored his first Premier League goal of the season in West Ham\u2019s 2-2 with Burnley last time out. He played 48 Premier League games for Aston Villa, and could become the third player to score a Premier League goal against four different teams he\u2019s previously played for in the competition (Burnley, Liverpool, Southampton) along with Peter Crouch and Nicolas Anelka.
Ollie Watkins\u2019 16 Premier League goals have been worth 13 points to Aston Villa this season, with no player\u2019s strikes being more valuable for their side this term. It\u2019s the most points a Villa player has earned with his goals in a single top-flight campaign since Christian Benteke in 2012-13 (14).
Gossip: Villa not worried about Luiz interestpublished at 07:02
07:02
Aston Villa are confident they will be able to keep midfielder Douglas Luiz despite interest from Arsenal. (90min), external
Analysis: Aston Villa 4-0 Ajax (4-0 agg)published at 04:43
04:43
Michael Emons BBC Sport journalist at Villa Park
Image source, rex
A night the Aston Villa fans will talk about for years and years to come.
Villa were absolutely superb as they thrashed four-time European champions Ajax to move into the last eight of the Europa Conference League - Villa's first major European quarter-final since 1998.
Boss Unai Emery spoke of how the match was "another wonderful opportunity against one of the biggest and most historic clubs in European football", adding "this is what Villa Park was made for".
He urged the fans to play their part, and they certainly did with the match played in a superb atmosphere at a sold-out stadium.
And the players responded with a dominant display.
Ollie Watkins headed in the first, but then had to go off injured, although Emery downplayed the severity of it later on, saying Watkins' injury was just a "cut".
After that, Leon Bailey made it 2-0 and the sending off of Ajax midfielder Sivert Mannsverk ended the Dutch side's hopes of a memorable fightback before Jhon Duran and Moussa Diaby added further goals on an unforgettable night for the Villa faithful.
Villa will find out their opponents in the draw at 13:00 GMT on Friday and Emery's side will be the team all the others want to avoid. On this showing, Villa are going to take some stopping in this competition.
Emery 'always lets me know when I need to step up my game'published at 23:06 14 March
23:06 14 March
Image source, Getty Images
Aston Villa winger Leon Bailey says "a lot has changed" for him since Unai Emery joined the club and he's helped him to improve his all-around game.
Bailey, who scored Villa's second goal of the night, told TNT Sports: "Tonight was a brilliant night for the whole team and the fans. The atmosphere was brilliant.
"We're really happy with the result. We showed good character and spirit. We made it very difficult for them tonight.
"I was happy I could get the second goal, it was much needed.
"I've had a lot of discussions with the manager and he always tries to give me confidence. He always lets me know when I need to step up my game. I've been working with the staff members a lot in training about how to get more time on the ball and get more space. When I'm on the pitch I feel better in terms of my movement.
"It was difficult for me when I first came in because I didn't have a pre-season. I kept trying to come back and kept getting injured.
"Since the manager came in a lot has changed for me. I feel more relaxed and have more energy. It's really paying off. Details, that's why things have been going so great.
"It's an exciting moment for everyone. We should all be proud of where we are. We've worked very hard to be where we are. Enjoy the moment and stay humble and hopefully we can move further."
'We did it here with our supporters'published at 22:45 14 March
22:45 14 March
Image source, Getty Images
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery speaking to TNT Sports: "We're happy, it was very important to us. We tried to connect with our supporters.
"After the first leg we were analysing with the players and we knew before the match we needed to play better than we did there. The match was a bit slow in the first half.
"When we scored a second goal and they had a red card it was easier for us.
"It's experience for us. Confidence. We're trying to feel strong and we did it here with our supporters."
On Ollie Watkins' injury which forced him off the pitch: "We don't know exactly what the [issue] is. Maybe for Sunday he could be available.
"Diego Carlos is something with his hamstring, maybe he might not be available for Sunday."
'We don't want to stop here' - McGinnpublished at 22:23 14 March
22:23 14 March
Image source, Getty Images
Aston Villa captain John McGinn to TNT Sports: "It was a great performance and a good reaction from the weekend. It stung us but this was a chance to get a European quarter-finals for the first time in a long time.
"It's been a good night at Villa Park and I'm delighted with some of the players on the scoresheet. It's a bit of a worry with Ollie Watkins and Diego Carlos - we'll see how they are.
"Its going to lift us definitely. It's been a tough few days as we didn't perform in the big game.
"Tonight was a big game and a big reaction was needed and we showed a reaction.
"It's up there [with his best nights at Villa]. We want to achieve more. Tonight we've given the fans one to remember but we don't want to stop here.
"We didn't want the journey to end tonight and this was much better than the last two games for sure.
"I'm proud of them because it's been a tough few days. They now need to rest up for Sunday."
Full-time: Aston Villa 4-0 Ajax (Agg: 4-0)published at 21:56 14 March
21:56 14 March
Aston Villa thrashed Ajax at a raucous Villa Park to move into the Europa Conference League quarter-finals - their first appearance in the last eight of a major European competition since 1998.
Goals from Ollie Watkins, Leon Bailey, substitute Jhon Duran and Moussa Diaby gave Villa a thoroughly-deserved victory on a memorable night for the Villa fans.
Were you at the match or did you follow it from elsewhere?
Follow Thursday's European action published at 17:45 14 March
17:45 14 March
There are four Premier League sides in European action on Thursday, and we will bring you every moment.
West Ham host Freiburg in the second leg of their last-16 tie, trailing 1-0 from last week's game in Germany. Liverpool take a healthy 5-1 lead into their match against Sparta Prague at Anfield. However, Brighton have a huge task on their hands to progress having lost 4-0 to Roma in Italy.
Aston Villa welcome Dutch giants Ajax to Villa Park in the Europa Conference League, with that last-16 encounter evenly poised after a goalless first leg.
Villa duo get England call-uppublished at 15:14 14 March
15:14 14 March
Image source, Getty Images
Aston Villa duo Ezri Konsa and Ollie Watkins have been included in Gareth Southgate's 25-man squad for the friendlies against Brazil and Belgium later this month.
Konsa was called up for the games with Malta and North Macedonia in 2023 but did not make an appearance off the bench.
Meanwhile, Watkins has three goals in nine caps for England and has scored 21 goals in all competitions for Villa this season.
When is the Europa Conference League draw?published at 12:19 14 March
12:19 14 March
Image source, Getty Images
Aston Villa host Ajax in the second leg of the Europa Conference League last-16 tie at Villa Park on Thursday (20.00 GMT). The first leg finished 0-0 in Amsterdam.
The draw for the quarter finals will take place in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday at 13:00 GMT.
The semi-finals ties will also be decided during that draw.
The final of the tournament takes place in Athens on Wednesday, 29 May.
Which clubs pick English players?published at 12:05 14 March
12:05 14 March
At which Premier League clubs are English players getting the most game time this season?
Against a league total of 30.2%, that the proportion of total minutes across all clubs that England-qualified players account for, the range for individual clubs varies from 8% all the way up to 64%.
At the top of the table sit Everton with 64% - this perhaps not hugely surprising as manager Sean Dyche tends to gravitate towards English players. At Burnley across 2020-21 there were four occasions when he picked an 11 containing 10 English players plus Czech striker Matej Vydra, by far the closest we have come to an all-English 11 in recent times. More on that below.
Newcastle are the only other club where England players account for more than half of all minutes this season, clocking in at 53%.
At the other end of the table we find two London rivals, Tottenham and Fulham, where England-qualified players have accounted for just 8% of all minutes this campaign. At Spurs, this includes the game time of Eric Dier, who is no longer at the club.
Two other noteworthy clubs are Aston Villa and Chelsea. In February 1999, Villa fielded an all-English 11, the last time this happened in the league. This season, the percentage of game time given to English players at Villa is 21% - though they do of course fare better if British players are factored in too.
Later in 1999, Chelsea became the first Premier League side to field an 11 without an English player. However, this season they sit at 35% and this despite injuries to Reece James and Ben Chilwell.
The wider context is that the league average of 30.2% is the lowest since 2018/19 (28.9%) and well down on the 36.3% figure of three seasons ago.
And which nations are getting more minutes? One notable nation is Brazil \u2013 there was not a single Brazilian in the league when the Premier League came into existence, now they account for the second most minutes played in the league and only four sides don\u2019t have a Brazilian in their regular starting 11.
Gossip: Eagles interested in Soulepublished at 08:12 14 March
08:12 14 March
Southampton will try to sign Argentine forward Matias Soule from Juventus if they are promoted to the Premier League, while Crystal Palace, Newcastle United and Aston Villa are also interested in the 20-year-old. (Calciomercato - in Italian), external
'Was McGinn incident a symptom of Villa\u2019s energy finally running low?'published at 17:56 13 March
17:56 13 March
Mike Taylor BBC Radio WM reporter
There was lively debate to be found online among Aston Villa fans after Sunday\u2019s game, over whether John McGinn's foul on Destiny Udogie had been worthy of a red card and, if not, whether there would be any point in the club appealing against it.
Whatever the merits of that - and even for those who thought the verdict on the field was harsh, it was hard to imagine an appeal panel judging it sufficiently wrong to overturn it - the more telling aspect of the incident was perhaps that McGinn should have made such a challenge in the first place.
Not that McGinn has ever been shy of a tackle, but one of the many strengths of his game is his apparently instinctive knowledge of exactly where the threshold is.
Until Sunday, he has always been able to bring the physical edge to his game without taking it so far as to get into trouble, hence his remarkable disciplinary record, speckled with yellow cards but never before a red (save for one in the Scottish Championship, later rescinded).
Hurtling around the field to try to drag Villa back into contention, he appeared guilty not of malice, but of a bad misjudgement, all the more of a shock for being so rare.
There is a reasonable argument to make over whether the sentence - a Premier League ban that will last into April - really fits this particular crime, and Villa will miss him deeply. But McGinn, one of the league's most admirable players and a great entertainer, will return with his determination redoubled.
Was the McGinn incident a symptom of Villa's energy finally running low, the strain of managing their workload among a relatively small core of the squad resulting in some unusually addled thinking?
Perhaps that was reading too much into it. Unai Emery is closer to the players than the rest of us, and didn\u2019t accept tiredness as an excuse for the result.
He will need all his skills in footballing husbandry to steer Villa through to the relative relief of the international break, though.
Last Thursday in Amsterdam, it felt like Villa were playing within themselves, securing a good-enough result without dipping too far into their reserves of stamina. You sensed Villa had higher gears available to them that Ajax could not match.
After Sunday, it would reassure their supporters if Villa prove it in the second leg on Thursday.
'We want to put things right'published at 17:08 13 March
17:08 13 March
Image source, Getty Images
Aston Villa's Europa Conference League last-16 second leg tie against Ajax provides the perfect opportunity to "bounce back", says defender Matty Cash.
Villa head into the crucial game at Villa Park on Thursday on the back of a heavy 4-0 defeat by top-four chasing Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday.
After coming away with a 0-0 draw from the Johan Cruyff Arena in the first leg, they will be hoping home advantage this time can help see them through to the quarter finals.
"It's a big motivation. We want to put things right," said Cash.
"The first game away at Ajax was a tough game. On the back of a tough defeat at the weekend as well, Thursday is the perfect time to bounce back.
"We've said in there [the training ground], it's good to have a lot of games quick and fast so we can bounce back when we lose."
Despite recent inconsistency in results, Unai Emery's side still sit fourth in the league table and have an opportunity to progress on the European stage.
"We're in a fantastic position and we've done well, credit to everyone at the club \u2013 supporters, players, staff. To get ourselves in this position is fantastic," added the Poland international.
\u201cObviously, we're disappointed from the weekend but we've got a lot of games and a massive game on Thursday that can be very important for us.
"We're in a fantastic position so we can't get too low. We've got to think of the next game and be positive."
Emery on not being Conference League favourites and Villa's disciplinepublished at 15:08 13 March
15:08 13 March
Nick Mashiter BBC Sport senior football news reporter
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before his side's Europa Conference League last-16 second leg against Ajax on Thursday.
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
After the 0-0 draw in Amsterdam last week, Emery admitted Villa cannot be classed as favourites to lift the trophy.
He said: "Europe is prestigious, it's a Uefa trophy, it's adding another objective in our season and it's very important for the players. We are doing a very big effort, we are getting better and now is a key moment. We were speaking this morning about who is favourite, but in Europe it's very difficult to be favourites.
He continued: "We didn't show we are favourites [last week]. They showed us there they want to beat us and get something in this competition."
Emery also defended his squad's discipline after Ezri Konsa was sent off in the first leg before John McGinn was dismissed for a reckless challenge on Destiny Udogie in Sunday\u2019s 4-0 Premier League defeat by Tottenham.
He said: "I can't say anything about the discipline of the players. Konsa's red card was not really a red card but we have to accept the referee's decision in that moment. On Sunday, it was different circumstances. Tomorrow we can play with John McGinn, with his quality, power and spirit."
Jacob Ramsey remains out with a foot injury, while Konsa and Nicolo Zaniolo are suspended for the tie at Villa Park.
BBC Football launches WhatsApp channelpublished at 12:54 13 March
12:54 13 March
Want to see all the best football content from BBC Sport in one place? Now you can with the new BBC Football channel on WhatsApp.
The feed that is available alongside new BBC Sport and BBC Cricket channels gives you another way to stay up to date with our coverage of your favourite sports.
To go directly to the new channel you can click here, external or you can find it via WhatsApp by following the instructions on this page.
Villa or Spurs? Who are favourites for fourth?published at 10:43 13 March
10:43 13 March
Tottenham's 4-0 win over Aston Villa means finishing in the top four of the Premier League this season is now within their control - but who do the fans think will finish higher?
Women of the Lane co-founder Ali Speechly and Luke Robinson from the UTV podcast tell The Football News Show why they're tipping their side to grab fourth, and why it would be even sweeter for Spurs fans if they derailed Arsenal's title bid in the process.
'Been too inconsistent' - fans on top-four prospectspublished at 09:58 13 March
09:58 13 March
According to Opta's 'Supercomputer,' Aston Villa are likely to just miss out on a Champions League spot with a fifth-place finish on 70 points.
However, that spot could still prove to be enough for a spot in Europe's top competition.
We asked you for your thoughts on whether you think Villa will continue to keep Tottenham at bay and finish in the top four, or whether that could be a step too far this season.
Here are some of your responses:
Rob: I don't think that fourth is achievable now. We have been too inconsistent since Christmas and let our main competitors off the hook. Injuries and suspensions will have their say.
Ray: The lack of depth in the squad was always going to be our Achilles heel as the season wore on. Also, I think teams have now learned how to play us and we have not adapted our style.
Duncan: Looking at the remaining fixtures and those of Spurs I suspect fifth will be our likely finishing position. We have exceeded expectations in my opinion. The squad is not quite strong enough and we can't really strengthen without selling due to Financial Fair Play. Emery won't allow complacency but tiredness is taking its toll. Fifth will be a great place to end.
Rory: Even though we were humiliated by Spurs, I think we'll still finish above them in fourth. They will probably be 'Spursy' again.
Ben: I think the depth of our squad and the players out injured are going to cost us in the coming weeks, especially if we manage to beat Ajax and continue further in Europe. I fear we will rue a few of the games we could have taken points from earlier in the season and will finish outside of the top four.
Steven: We\u2019re stuttering. It\u2019s been a brilliant season, but I can\u2019t help thinking we\u2019re lacking a plan B, or C. We\u2019re a bit stuck tactically and the opposition knows what they\u2019re going to get - so a high press, low block or balls over the back line are all easy options against us. Fifth is looking more likely.
Battle for fourth place 'deserves more attention than it is getting'published at 08:12 13 March
08:12 13 March
Pat Nevin Former Chelsea and Everton winger
Image source, Reuters
While the very top and the very bottom of the Premier League have been consistently interesting, spare a thought for Aston Villa and Tottenham. They have both had fine seasons, but their battle for fourth is taking a back seat.
I will admit to often - secretly, deep inside - having a slight preference of which team I want to win in most ties, but the ultra-positive way these two play meant I could not prefer either at Villa Park.
Ange Postecoglou's men eventually strolled away with the points to set up another superb race to the line, this time for fourth place and best of the rest.
Gossip: Villa lead race for Hermosopublished at 07:26 13 March
07:26 13 March
Despite interest from Juventus and AC Milan, it is Aston Villa who are in pole position to sign Atletico Madrid defender Mario Hermoso, 28, on a free transfer this summer. (calciomercato.com, external)
",
"page_last_modified": ""
},
{
"page_name": "Aston Villa F.C. - Wikipedia",
"page_url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aston_Villa_F.C.",
"page_snippet": "Aston Villa Football Club, commonly referred to as Villa, is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club, founded in 1874, competes in the Premier League, the top tier of the English football league system. The team have played at their home ground Villa Park ...Aston Villa Football Club, commonly referred to as Villa, is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club, founded in 1874, competes in the Premier League, the top tier of the English football league system. The team have played at their home ground Villa Park since 1897. The club, founded in 1874, competes in the Premier League, the top tier of the English football league system. The team have played at their home ground Villa Park since 1897. Aston Villa is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in England, having won the Football League First Division seven times, the FA Cup seven times, the League Cup five times, and the European Cup and European Super Cup once. Aston Villa was a founding member of the Premier League in 1992, one of just three clubs to have been founding members of both the Football League and the Premier League. The club regularly qualified for European football in the 1990s, but following a period in which the club struggled to compete with the high levels of spending of the leading clubs, Doug Ellis sold his stake in the club to American billionaire Randy Lerner, whose ownership of the club ended with Villa's first and only relegation from the Premier League in season 2015\u201316. Aston Villa's first shirt sponsor was Davenports Breweries in the 1982\u201383 season. Aston Villa forwent commercial kit sponsorship for the 2008\u201309 and 2009\u201310 seasons; instead advertising the charity Acorns Children's Hospice, the first deal of its kind in Premier League history. On 18 May 2016, Randy Lerner agreed the sale of Aston Villa to Recon Group, owned by Chinese businessman Tony Xia. The sale was completed on 14 June 2016 for a reported \u00a376 million, after being approved by the Football League. After a period of high expenditure and failing to secure promotion to the Premier League in the 2017\u201318 Championship playoff final, financial difficulties at the club began to mount.",
"page_result": "\n\n\n\nAston Villa F.C. - Wikipedia\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJump to content\n
Aston Villa has been a leading English club since the 1880s, when its team were pioneers of the modern passing game. This short, quick combination passing style was introduced by Scotsman George Ramsay, who was appointed as the world's first professional football manager in 1886. The club was influential in the sport's move to professionalism in 1885, and it was a Villa director, William McGregor, who founded the world's first Football League in 1888.[4][5][6][7]\n
George Ramsay's trophy haul of six League Championships and six FA Cups established Aston Villa as the most successful club in England, a position it held from the 1890s until the 1970s. Villa scored 128 goals in season 1930\u201331, which remains the all-time top-flight record,[8] however the club began its first decline in the mid-1930s; the 1940s and 1950s were generally a period of mediocrity followed by a steep decline in the 1960s which culminated in a takeover of the club by Doug Ellis in 1968 and Villa's first and only relegation to the third tier of English football in 1969\u201370. Villa returned to the elite from the mid-1970s under manager Ron Saunders, who led the club to a seventh top-flight league title in 1980\u201381. They became only the fourth English club to win the European Cup, in 1981\u201382, followed by the European Super Cup in 1982.\n
Aston Villa was a founding member of the Premier Leaguein 1992, one of just three clubs to have been founding members of both the Football League and the Premier League. The club regularly qualified for European football in the 1990s, but following a period in which the club struggled to compete with the high levels of spending of the leading clubs, Doug Ellis sold his stake in the club to American billionaire Randy Lerner, whose ownership of the club ended with Villa's first and only relegation from the Premier League in season 2015\u201316. The club returned to the Premier League in 2019.\n
During its history Villa has spent 110 seasons in the top-flight, the second highest of any club, and provided 76 England internationals, also the second highest of any club. Aston Villa is currently ranked 5th in the all-time English top flight table, since its creation in 1888[9] and is the seventh most successful club in English football by competitive honours.\n
Villa have a fierce local rivalry with Birmingham City and the Second City derby between the teams has been played since 1879.[10] There is also a local rivalry with West Bromwich Albion, with matches between the sides known as the West Midlands derby. The club's traditional kit colours are claret shirts with sky blue sleeves, white shorts and sky blue socks. Their traditional club badge is of a rampant lion.[11][12] The club is currently owned by V Sports, a company owned by the Egyptian billionaire Nassef Sawiris, the American billionaire Wes Edens, and American investment company Atairos.\n
\nGeorge Ramsay's trophy haul of six League Championships and six FA Cups established Aston Villa as the most successful club in England. He has been described as the world's first paid football manager.\nThe Aston Villa team of 1899 that won the First Division and Sheriff of London Charity Shield (shared with Queen's Park), as well as a number of county cup honours\n
Aston Villa Football Club are believed to have formed on 21 November 1874, by members of the Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel in Handsworth: which is now part of Birmingham.[13] The four founders of Aston Villa were Jack Hughes, Frederick Matthews, Walter Price and William Scattergood, who were members of the chapel's cricket team looking for a way to stay fit during the winter months.[14] Due to the lack of local football teams Aston Villa's first match was against the local Aston Brook St Mary'sRugby team. As a condition of the match, the Villa side had to agree to play the first half under Rugby rules and the second half under Association rules. Villa won their first game 1\u20130.[15]\n
The infant club's fortunes changed forever when a young Scotsman called George Ramsay stumbled across the Villa players' practice match in Aston Park in 1876. He was asked to make up the numbers, and they were amazed by his skills; they had never seen such a display of close ball control before. When the game was over, the Villa players surrounded him and invited him to join the club and become their captain.[16] Word spread about how fine a player Ramsay was, spectators began turning up to watch the little man nicknamed \u2018Scotty\u2019. He also took charge of training, Ramsay later described the newly formed club's approach to the game as 'a dash at the man and a big kick at the ball'.[17] Ramsay was influenced by the Scottish club, Queen's Park, who pioneered what became known as 'combination football' in his native Glasgow, the intricate passing game he introduced was a revolutionary move for an English club in the late 1870s.[18][19]\n
Villa began to establish themselves as one of the best teams in the Midlands, winning their first honour, the Birmingham Senior Cupin 1880. The club would go on to lift the trophy 9 times in the next 12 seasons.[20]\n
\n
Victorian and Edwardian golden age (1886\u20131914)
\n
Following the professionalisation of football in 1885, the club decided that it needed a full-time paid manager. The following advert was placed in the Birmingham Daily Gazette newspaper in June 1886:\n
'Wanted: manager for Aston Villa Football Club, who will be required to devote his whole time under direction of the committee. Salary \u00a3100 per annum. Applications with reference must be made not later than June 23rd to Chairman of the Committee, Aston Villa Club House, 6 Witton Road, Aston\u2019
Villa received 150 applicants for the role, but with his strong association with the club George Ramsay was the overwhelming choice of the membership. Thus on 26 June 1886, Aston Villa appointed what has been described as the world's first professional football manager.[21] \n
The following season Aston Villa rose to national prominence, as the first Midlands team to win the FA Cup in 1887. Villa's captain, the powerful Scottish centre-forward Archie Hunter became one of the game's first household names, being the first player to score in every round of the FA Cup. Aston Villa were one of the dozen teams that competed in the inaugural Football League in 1888 with one of the club's directors, William McGregor being the league's founder. Following the professionalisation of football in 1885, clubs needed regular income to pay their players' wages. Frequently friendlies were cancelled due to opponents' FA Cup or county cup matches or clubs simply failed to honour a fixture in favour of a more lucrative match elsewhere.[22][23] McGregor took action after seeing Villa matches cancelled, to the increasing frustration of the club's fans, on five consecutive Saturdays.[23] In March 1888, he wrote to the committee of his own club, Aston Villa, as well as to those of Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Preston North End and West Bromwich Albion,[24] suggesting the creation of a league competition that would provide a number of guaranteed fixtures for its member clubs each season.[citation needed] Following two meetings between representatives of the leading clubs, the world's first Football League season began in September 1888 with 12 member clubs from the Midlands and north of England: Accrington, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Derby County, Everton, Notts County, Preston North End, Stoke, West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.\n
Despite Villa founding the league, by 1893 they had yet to win it. Villa Committee Member Frederick Rinder was the instigator of a club meeting at Barwick Street in February 1893 that removed the committee running the club at the time. All fourteen committee members resigned and were replaced by a committee of five led by Rinder after he gave a rousing speech criticising the board's tolerance of ill discipline and players' drinking. On the pitch, manager George Ramsay was moulding a team that became renowned for its short, quick combination passing which saw Villa win its first league title in 1893\u201394; the season after that the club won its second FA Cup in 1894-95. This was followed by back-to-back League titles in 1895\u201396 and 1896\u201397.\n
Aston Villa emerged as the most successful English club of the Victorian era, winning no fewer than five League titles and three FA Cups by the end of Queen Victoria's reign in 1901.[25] Villa's captain during this era was Birmingham-born forward John Devey, who enjoyed a successful partnership with the lightning-fast winger Charlie Athersmith and marshalling Villa's defence was the tough-tackling Scotsman James Cowan, who had an unrivalled sense of timing and anticipation.[26]In 1897, the year Villa won The Double, they moved into their present home, the Aston Lower Grounds.[27] Supporters coined the name \"Villa Park\"; no official declaration listed the ground as Villa Park.[28]\n
Success continued into the Edwardian era, with Villa lifting the FA Cup for the fourth time in 1904\u201305, and a sixth league title in 1909\u201310. A further FA Cup triumph was achieved on the eve of the First World War in 1913, with the club narrowly missing out on winning a second Double, finishing runners-up in the league. Star-players during this era included Howard Spencer, the cultured defender who captained both Villa and England, and the prolific strike force of Joe Bache and Harry Hampton who between them scored 382 goals in claret and blue.\n
\n
Relative decline and first relegation (1920\u20131939)
\nA one-club man, Billy Walker scored 244 goals in 531 appearances for Villa between 1920 and 1934. He is Aston Villa's all-time top goalscorer.\n
In January 1920, Billy Walker scored twice on his Villa debut in a 2\u20131 FA Cup first-round win over QPR; the club won the FA Cup for the sixth time that season and Walker went on to establish himself as Villa's star player of the 1920s, scoring a record 244 goals in 531 appearances, captaining Villa and England. George Ramsay retired in 1926, at the age of 71, his replacement Billy Smith was unable to continue Ramsay's success, in reality several other football clubs had caught up with Aston Villa, most notably Arsenal, who the club finished runners-up to in the league in 1930\u201331 and 1932\u201333. Despite missing out on the league title, Villa Park crowds were entertained by attacking football, the 128 goals scored in 1930\u201331, remains the all-time top-flight record to the present day. A remarkable 49 of the league goals that season were scored by centre-forward Tom 'Pongo' Waring, with another 30 goals from winger Eric Houghton.\n
The club appointed Jimmy McMullan as manager in 1934, however, the move proved disastrous, resulting in Villa's first ever relegation in 1935\u201336 after 48 years in the top flight. Villa struggled largely due to a dismal defensive record: they conceded 110 goals in 42 games, 7 of them coming from Arsenal'sTed Drake in an infamous 1\u20137 defeat at Villa Park.[29] The club made seven signings and spent a staggering sum for the time of \u00a335,500 trying to retain top-flight status at all costs, but were unable to buy their way out of trouble. Aston Villa, at the time one of the most famous and successful clubs in world football, was relegated in 1936 for the first time in its history.\n
Following relegation to the Second Division, the Villa board brought back the ageing former club chairman Fred Rinder, who said on his return \"Villa have been a great club, are still a great club, and always will be a great club\". He was vocal in his criticism of the board for its \"almost total neglect of the reserve team, instead relying on paying big fees for ready made players\". He believed that this change in policy from scouting and developing young homegrown talent led to a decline in the club's culture and style of play, which alongside a tolerance of ill-discipline in the players led to Villa's relegation. Rinder's first act was to travel to Austria to recruit the progressive coach Jimmy Hogan as manager. Within two seasons, Hogan had guided Villa back to the top flight as Second Division champions playing attractive free-flowing football. Hogan outlined his philosophy: \"I am a teacher and lover of constructive football with every pass, every kick, every movement an object.\"[30] He used to tell his players that \"football was like a Viennese waltz, a rhapsody. one-two-three, one-two-three, pass-move-pass, pass-move-pass.\".[31] Unfortunately, the Second World War ended Hogan's project to restore Aston Villa to the top of the English game.\n
\n
Mediocrity and discontent (1945\u20131961)
\n
Like all English clubs, Villa lost seven seasons to the Second World War, and that conflict brought several careers to a premature end.[32] Bumper crowds flocked to Villa Park following the war, 76,588 people attended the FA Cup quarter-final between Villa and Derby County in March 1946, which is the all-time record attendance at Villa Park. The team was rebuilt under the guidance of former player Alex Massie for the remainder of the 1940s. Star players of this era included the one-club man Harry Parkes, the Welsh centre forward Trevor Ford and inside-forward Johnny Dixon, however the club only achieved mid-table finishes throughout the forties and fifties, never finishing higher than 6th place in the league. The board came in for increasing criticism during this time, with the 1953 AGM described by the Sports Argus as \"the longest and liveliest Villa meeting\".[33] Shareholders and supporters criticised the club's lack of youth development, recruitment and training methods. When Danny Blanchflower put in a transfer request in 1954 he said that \"the club had grown fat and lazy on its old traditions and the decay was eating at the once solid foundations\".[34]\n
Despite narrowly avoiding relegation the season before, Aston Villa's first trophy for 37 years came in the 1956\u201357 season when another former Villa player, Eric Houghton led the club to a then record seventh FA Cup Final win, defeating the 'Busby Babes' of Manchester United 2\u20131 with Northern Irish winger Peter McParland scoring both goals.[35] The team continued to struggle for consistency in the league though, which led to Eric Houghton being sacked in December 1958. His replacement Joe Mercer could not prevent the club being relegated for only the second time in their history in 1958-59. However, under the stewardship of Mercer, Villa returned to the top-flight in 1960 as Second Division Champions with a talented young side which became known as 'Mercer's Minors'. The following season Aston Villa became the first team to win the Football League Cup with England centre-forward Gerry Hitchens scoring an impressive 42 goals in 1960-61.[36]\n
\n
Deep malaise and revival (1961\u20131974)
\n
Hitchens' goals brought him to the attention of Italian club Inter Milan, who offered him a large financial incentive to sign. He was sold for \u00a385,000 in summer of 1961, his replacement, Derek Dougan was not a success and Villa slid backwards. Mercer's forced retirement from the club in July 1964, following a stress-induced stroke, signalled a period of deep turmoil and malaise. The most successful club in England had failed to keep pace with changes in the modern game; three of the five-man board of directors were over 70 years old, the club had neglected its scouting network and coaching structure and the club's finances were in a parlous state. This led to the club selling its top striker Tony Hateley to Chelsea for \u00a3100,000 in October 1966, without his goals Villa were relegated for the third time in its history, under manager Dick Taylor in 1967. The board even sold the club's training ground outside Villa Park for housing, leaving the team in the position of training on borrowed training pitches of local factory teams.[37]\n
The following season the fans called for the board to resign as Villa finished 16th in the Second Division. With mounting debts and Villa lying at the bottom of Division Two, the board sacked Tommy Cummings (the manager brought in to replace Taylor), and within weeks the entire board resigned under overwhelming pressure from fans.[38] After much speculation, control of the club was bought by London financier Pat Matthews, who brought in Doug Ellis as chairman in December 1968.[38] Ellis later recalled that \"you could write your name in the dust, window frames were rotting, the smell of failure and imminent financial ruin hung in the air\"; one of their first acts was to raise \u00a3205,835 in a share issue which cleared the club's debts. Doug Ellis's first managerial appointment was the outspoken Scottish manager Tommy Docherty, who after initial success, was sacked after 13 months in charge with the club at the foot of Second Division. His replacement was former club captain and reserve team manager Vic Crowe, who could not prevent Villa being relegated to the Third Division for the first time in its history at the end of the 1969\u201370 season.\n
The following season Villa surprised everyone by beating Manchester United in the two-legged semi-final to reach the 1971 League Cup Final, in which the team played well but were defeated by two late Tottenham Hotspur goals. There was a renewed sense of optimism at Villa Park as the club was promoted to the Second Division as champions with average attendances of 30,000 and a record 70 points in 1971\u201372 season.[39] Off the pitch, the board purchased the new 20-acre Bodymoor Heath Training Ground in December 1971, with a view to improving the club's youth development and coaching facilities.[40]\n
\n
Back among the elite (1974\u20131992)
\nAston Villa captain Dennis Mortimer lifted the European Cup in 1982.\n
Following a 14th-place finish in the Second Division, Crowe was replaced in August 1974 by Ron Saunders. He was a fitness fanatic, whose brand of no-nonsense man-management proved effective, with the club winning the League Cup the following season and, by the end of season 1974\u201375, he had taken Aston Villa back into the First Division and into Europe.[41] One player who had been a mainstay of the Villa team throughout the rollercoaster of relegations and subsequent revival was fan-favourite Charlie Aitkin, who made 659 appearances at left back for the club between 1959 and 1976, making him Villa's all-time record appearance holder.\n
The 1970s was an era of boardroom unrest at Villa Park. Ron Saunders had a strained relationship with Doug Ellis, resenting Doug's perceived interference in football matters. Over time Ellis became an isolated figure on the board, as the other directors sided with Saunders. He was ousted as chairman in 1975 to make way for Sir William Dugdale. He remained on the board until 1979, when he left the club after a protracted power struggle with majority shareholder Ron Bendall. With Ellis gone, Saunders became all-powerful as manager.\n
Villa achieved a seventh top-flight league title in 1980\u201381, with players such as Gordon Cowans, Tony Morley and captain Dennis Mortimer leading the club to its first top-flight title in 71 years. Remarkably, they did so using just 14 players, with seven players being ever-presents. Villa's Birmingham-born forward Gary Shaw was named 1980-1981 PFA Young Player of the Year.\n
To the surprise of commentators and fans, Ron Saunders quit halfway through the 1981\u201382 season, with Villa in the quarter final of the European Cup. Saunders had expressed his exasperation with the board at the lack of funds available to him to strengthen the team and fell out with the chairman Ron Bendall over the terms of his contract.[42] He was replaced by his softly-spoken assistant manager Tony Barton who guided the club to a 1\u20130 victory over Bayern Munich in the European Cup final in Rotterdam courtesy of a Peter Withe goal in the 67th minute. Ten minutes into the final, Villa's first choice goalkeeper, Jimmy Rimmer, was injured and young substitute keeper Nigel Spink was called into action, having only made one previous appearance in the first team. Spink performed superbly, keeping a clean sheet, and helping Villa become only the fourth English club to lift the European Cup. \n
\nThe 1982 European Cup winning squad celebrate the 25th anniversary of their win.\n
The following season the defence of the European Cup ended in a quarter-final defeat to Juventus, but Villa won the European Super Cup, beating Barcelona 3\u20131 on aggregate. This marked a pinnacle though and Villa's fortunes declined sharply for most of the 1980s. Doug Ellis returned as chairman and majority shareholder in November 1982. The club was saddled with significant debts and questions had been raised by the police regarding fraudulent financial activity surrounding the building of the North Stand at Villa Park from 1980 to 1982. The cost of the work was \u00a31.3 million. An internal investigation found that \u00a3700,000 of the \u00a31.3 million worth of bills were unaccounted for.[citation needed] A later report by accountants Deloitte found that there were \"serious breaches of recommended codes of practice and poor site supervision\".[43] Ellis immediately set about trying to reduce the club's overheads. He informed the players that they needed to take pay cuts and told the manager Tony Barton that there was a need to reduce the playing staff.[44] Saunders' team was broken up and not adequately replaced, culminating in the club being relegated in 1987, just five years after Villa had been crowned European champions.[45]\n
However, Villa bounced back quickly, achieving promotion the following year under Graham Taylor and a runners-up position in the top-flight in the 1989\u201390 season with a fine side that included Paul McGrath, Tony Daley and David Platt.[46] Following this success, Graham Taylor accepted the offer to take over as England manager in 1990.\n
\n
24 years in the Premier League (1992\u20132016)
\n
Villa were one of the founding members of the Premier League in 1992, one of just three clubs to have been founding members of both the Football League in 1888 and the Premier League, along with Blackburn Rovers and Everton. Villa finished runners-up to Manchester United in the inaugural season under the charismatic manager Ron Atkinson. His side lifted the League Cup in 1994, beating Manchester United 3\u20131 in the final, with goals from Dalian Atkinson and Dean Saunders, but the team struggled for form in the league and Atkinson was replaced by former Villa striker Brian Little in November 1994. Little assembled a young side which included players as Gareth Southgate, Steve Staunton, Ian Taylor and Dwight Yorke, leading the club to a fifth League Cup triumph in 1996, beating Leeds United 3\u20130 at Wembley. Villa finished fourth in the league that season, and fifth the season after.\n
Following a dip in form, Doug Ellis sacked Brian Little and replaced him with another former Villa player John Gregory in February 1998. One of his first matches in charge was the UEFA Cup quarter-final against Atl\u00e9tico Madrid, which Villa lost on away goals over two-legs. In the summer of 1998, Villa's star-player Dwight Yorke told Gregory he wanted to leave the club, to which Gregory was later attributed as saying that he \"would have shot Yorke if he had had a gun in his office\". He was transferred to Manchester United for \u00a312.6 million in August 1998. Gregory managed four top-eight finishes in the league and took the club to an FA Cup final in 2000 with a side that included David James, Dion Dublin, Paul Merson and Gareth Barry but was unable to assemble a team capable of challenging for Champions League places. At the end of the season Villa's captain Gareth Southgate handed in a transfer request, claiming that \"if I am to achieve in my career, it is time to move on.\"[47] Gregory's frustration at the lack of investment in the team led to him publicly accusing the chairman Doug Ellis of being \"stuck a time warp\"; their relationship remained strained until Gregory resigned in January 2002.[48][49]\n
Ellis appointed Graham Taylor for a second spell in February 2002, but a 16th-place finish in the league led to his replacement with David O'Leary in June 2003. After a sixth-place finish in his first season, Villa slid backwards to 10th and 16th-place finishes under O'Leary, culminating in him leaving in the summer of 2006.[50] \n
\nGareth Barry is Villa's record appearance holder in the Premier League.\n
After 23 years as chairman and single biggest shareholder (approximately 38%), Doug Ellis finally decided to sell his stake in Aston Villa due to ill-health at the age of 82. After much speculation it was announced the club was to be bought by American businessman Randy Lerner, owner of NFL franchise the Cleveland Browns.[51] The arrival of a new owner in Lerner and of manager Martin O'Neill marked the start of a new period of optimism at Villa Park and sweeping changes occurred throughout the club including a new badge, investment in state-of-the-art facilities at the Bodymoor Heath Training Ground and significant investment in the squad in the summer of 2007.[52][53] The first Cup final of the Lerner era came in 2010 when Villa were beaten 2\u20131 in the League Cup Final.[54]\n
Just five days before the opening day of the 2010\u201311 season, O'Neill resigned as manager, despite three consecutive 6th-place finishes, due to frustration in the lack of investment in the squad, following the sale of star players Gareth Barry, James Milner and Ashley Young.[55] His replacement G\u00e9rard Houllier stepped down due to ill-health in September 2011, to be replaced by Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish, despite howls of protest from fans against his appointment.[56] McLeish's contract was terminated at the end of the 2011\u201312 season after Villa finished in 16th place,[57] and he was replaced by Paul Lambert.[58]\n
In February 2012, the club announced a financial loss of \u00a353.9 million,[59] and Lerner put the club up for sale three months later.[60] With Lerner still on board, but unwilling to spend following the stock market crash of 2008, the club was uncompetitive for several seasons, culminating in the 2014\u201315 season, when Lambert was sacked in February 2015 after the team managed just 12 goals in the first 25 league games, the lowest in Premier League history.[61]Tim Sherwood succeeded him,[62] and steered the club away from relegation while also leading them to the 2015 FA Cup Final. However, the club sold two of its star players Christian Benteke and captain Fabian Delph in the summer transfer window and did not adequately replace them. Villa struggled in the 2015\u201316 season, and Sherwood was sacked following six consecutive defeats.[63] He was replaced by R\u00e9mi Garde, who left after just five months with Villa lying bottom of the table; his reign included a club-record 19 game winless run. The club was relegated at the end of the season, ending their 29-year stay in the top flight.[64]\n
\n
Takeovers, Championship years and promotion (2016\u2013present)
\n
In June 2016, Chinese businessman Tony Xia bought the club for \u00a376 million.[65] Former Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo was appointed as the club's new manager, but was sacked after just 12 games following a poor start to the season.[66] He was replaced by former Birmingham manager Steve Bruce.[67] Bruce led the team to finish fourth in the 2017\u201318 season, but lost in the 2018 EFL Championship play-off final to Fulham.\n
Following failure to secure promotion to the Premier League, the club faced significant financial difficulties. Following rumours that administration was imminent, Xia looked to sell the club.[68] On 20 July 2018 it was announced that the NSWE Group, a consortium consisting of Egyptian billionaire Nassef Sawiris and the American billionaire Wes Edens, were to invest in the football club. They purchased a controlling 55% stake in the club, and Sawiris took over the role of club chairman, appointing Christian Purslow as CEO.[69]\n
\nIn 2021, Aston Villa sold Jack Grealish to Manchester City for a British record \u00a3100 million.\n
In October 2018, Bruce was sacked after winning only once in a nine match stretch.[70] He was replaced by Brentford manager and boyhood Villa fan Dean Smith, with former captain John Terry and Richard O'Kelly as his assistants.[71][72] Under Smith performances and results improved, with the team finishing fifth and reaching the playoffs again\u2014helped on by a club-record 10 league game winning streak. They reached the 2019 EFL Championship play-off final and defeated Derby County 2\u20131 to gain promotion back to the Premier League after a three-year absence.[73]\n
On the eve of Villa's Premier League return, Recon Group's minority share ownership was bought out by NSWE, meaning Xia no longer had any stake in the club.[74] Villa's first season back in the Premier League saw a significant overhaul of the squad, with 12 players signed during the summer transfer window. The team battled relegation for most of the season, but stayed up on the final day with a 17th-place finish, staying up on the final day.[75] In Villa's second season back in the Premier League, Smith oversaw an 11th-place finish, but was unable to persuade star player and captain Jack Grealish to remain at the club after Manchester City's British-record \u00a3100 million bid triggered his release clause. Following a poor start to the 2021\u201322 season, which saw seven losses in the club's opening 11 games, Dean Smith was dismissed.[76]\n
Aston Villa appointed former Liverpool and England captain Steven Gerrard as head coach on 11 November 2021.[77] After a poor start to the 2022\u201323 season, in which Villa won just twice and scored only seven goals in their opening 11 games, Gerrard was sacked in October 2022,[78] and replaced by four-time Europa League-winning Spanish manager Unai Emery.[79] He led Villa to 7th place and qualification for the Europa Conference League in his first season.[80]\n
The club colours are a claret shirt with sky blue sleeves, white shorts with claret and blue trim, and sky blue socks with claret and white trim. They were the original wearers of the claret and blue. Villa's colours at the outset were royal blue caps and stockings, royal blue and scarlet \"striped\" (in the context of the time, hooped) jerseys, and white knickerbockers, one of the club rules including a provision that \"no member can take part in a match without wearing the above uniform\".[82] For a few years after that (1877\u201379) the team wore several different kits from all white, blue and black, red and blue to plain green. By 1880, black jerseys with a Scottish Lion Rampant embroidered on the chest were introduced by Villa's Scottish leaders William McGregor and George Ramsay. This remained the first choice strip for six years. On Monday, 8 November 1886, an entry in the club's official minute book states:\n
\n
(i) Proposed and seconded that the colours be chocolate and sky blue shirts and that we order two dozen.\n(ii) Proposed and seconded that Mr McGregor be requested to supply them at the lowest quotation.
\n
The chocolate colour later became claret.[81] Nobody is quite sure why claret and blue became the club's adopted colours.[81] Several other football teams adopted their distinctive colours including West Ham United, Burnley, Scunthorpe United and Turkish club Trabzonspor.[83][84]Crystal Palace also played in Villa's colours until the 1970s.\n
A new badge was revealed in May 2007, for the 2007\u201308 season and beyond. The new badge includes a star to represent the European Cup win in 1982, and has a light blue background behind Villa's 'lion rampant'. The traditional motto \"Prepared\" remains in the badge, and the name Aston Villa has been shortened to AVFC, FC having been omitted from the previous badge. The lion is now unified as opposed to fragmented lions of the past. Randy Lerner petitioned fans to help with the design of the new badge.[52]\n
\nKit-exclusive badge starting in the 2023\u201324 season.\n
On 6 April 2016, the club confirmed that it would be using a new badge from the 2016\u201317 season after consulting fan groups for suggestions. The lion in the new badge has claws added to it, and the word \"Prepared\" was removed to increase the size of the lion and club initials in the badge.[12] In November 2022, following a fan-led vote, the club announced it would adopt a new badge for the following season.[85] The new badge's usage was later clarified to be exclusive to on-field kits and training wear by club president of business operations, Chris Heck, with the existing badge continuing to be utilized as the primary in all other channels.[86]\n
\n
Kit manufacturers and sponsors
\n
Tables of kit suppliers and shirt sponsors appear below:[81]\n
Aston Villa's kit was produced by local manufacturers until 1974, when Umbro became the first kit supplier to have its logo on a Villa shirt. Aston Villa's first shirt sponsor was Davenports Breweries in the 1982\u201383 season.[81] Aston Villa forwent commercial kit sponsorship for the 2008\u201309 and 2009\u201310 seasons; instead advertising the charity Acorns Children's Hospice, the first deal of its kind in Premier League history.[89] The partnership continued until 2010 when a commercial sponsor replaced Acorns, with the hospice becoming the club's Official Charity Partner.[90] A shirt sleeve sponsor was used for the first time in the 2019\u201320 season with BR88 being displayed.[91] \n
A panorama of Villa Park from the Trinity Road Stand, showing from left to right the North Stand, the Doug Ellis Stand and the Holte End
\n
Aston Villa's current home venue is Villa Park; the team previously played at Aston Park (1874\u20131876) and Wellington Road (1876\u20131897). Villa Park is the largest football stadium in the English Midlands, and the eighth largest stadium in England. It has hosted 16 England internationals at senior level, the first in 1899, and the most recent in 2005. Thus, it was the first English ground to stage international football in three different centuries.[92] Villa Park is the most used stadium in FA Cup semi-final history, having hosted 55 semi-finals. In 2022, the club announced plans to rebuild the North Stand and part of the Trinity Road stand, which will take the maximum capacity over 50,000.[93]\n
The current training ground is located at Bodymoor Heath near Kingsbury in north Warwickshire, the site for which was purchased by former chairman Doug Ellis in the early 1970s from a local farmer. Although Bodymoor Heath was state-of-the-art in the 1970s, by the late 1990s the facilities had started to look dated. In November 2005, Ellis and Aston Villa plc announced a state of the art \u00a313 million redevelopment of Bodymoor in two phases. The new training ground was officially unveiled on 6 May 2007, by then manager Martin O'Neill, then team captain Gareth Barry and 1982 European Cup winning team captain Dennis Mortimer, with the Aston Villa squad moving in for the 2007\u201308 season.[94]\n
It was announced on 6 August 2014, that Villa Park would appear in the FIFA video game from FIFA 15, with all other Premier League stadiums also fully licensed from this game onwards.[95]\n
\n
Ownership
\nRandy Lerner, the club owner of Aston Villa (2006\u20132016)\n
The first shares in the club were issued towards the end of the 19th century as a result of legislation that was intended to codify the growing numbers of professional teams and players in the Association Football leagues. FA teams were required to distribute shares to investors as a way of facilitating trading among the teams without implicating the FA itself. This trading continued for much of the 20th century until Ellis started buying up many of the shares in the 1960s. He was chairman and substantial shareholder of \"Aston Villa F.C.\" from 1968 to 1975 and the majority shareholder from 1982 to 2006. The club were floated on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in 1996, and the share price fluctuated in the ten years after the flotation.[96] In 2006 it was announced that several consortia and individuals were considering bids for Aston Villa.[97]\n
On 14 August 2006, it was confirmed that Randy Lerner, then owner of the National Football League's Cleveland Browns, had reached an agreement of \u00a362.6 million with Aston Villa for a takeover of the club. Lerner took full control on 18 September with Ellis and his board replaced with a new board by Lerner on 19 September 2006.[97] Lerner appointed himself chairman of the club with Charles Krulak as a non-executive director and Ellis awarded the honorary position of Chairman Emeritus.[98] Lerner put the club up for sale in May 2014, valuing it at an estimated \u00a3200 million.[99]\n
On 18 May 2016, Randy Lerner agreed the sale of Aston Villa to Recon Group, owned by Chinese businessman Tony Xia. The sale was completed on 14 June 2016 for a reported \u00a376 million, after being approved by the Football League.[100] After a period of high expenditure and failing to secure promotion to the Premier League in the 2017\u201318 Championship playoff final, financial difficulties at the club began to mount. Amid rumours that Villa risked entering administration, Xia entered talks to sell the club in June 2018.[101][68]\n
On 20 July 2018, it was announced that V Sports (at the time known as NSWE Group), a consortium consisting of Egyptian billionaire Nassef Sawiris and the American billionaire Wes Edens, were to invest in the football club. They purchased a controlling 55% stake in the club, and Sawiris took over the role of club chairman.[69] On 9 August 2019, following Villa's promotion to the Premier League, Companies House revealed that the remainder of Xia's shares had been bought out, and that Xia no longer had any stake in the club.[74]\n
On 15 December 2023, Aston Villa announced that Comcast-backed American investment firm Atairos would invest in V Sports, the ultimate parent company of the club.[102] The agreement, which saw Atairos obtain a stake of approximately 20% in V Sports, valued Villa at more than \u00a3500 million.[103]\n
\n
Social responsibility
\n
Aston Villa has a unique relationship with the Acorns Children's Hospice charity that is groundbreaking in English football.[104] In a first for the Premier League, Aston Villa donated the front of its kit shirts, usually reserved for high-paying sponsorships, to Acorns Hospice so that the charity would gain significant additional visibility and more funds.[105] Outside of the shirt sponsorship the club has paid for hospice care for the charity as well as regularly providing player visits to hospice locations.[106][107]\n
In September 2010, Aston Villa launched an initiative at Villa Park called Villa Midlands Food (VMF) where the club will spend two years training students with Aston Villa hospitality and events in association with Birmingham City Council. The club opened a restaurant in the Trinity Road Stand staffed with 12 students recruited from within a 10-mile (16 km) radius of Villa Park with most of the food served in the restaurant sourced locally.[108]\n
\n
Aston Villa Foundation
\n
In 2016, Aston Villa created a registered charity, the Aston Villa Foundation.[109] The aim of the charity is to deliver the social responsibility work of Aston Villa. Working alongside key local and national stakeholders, the Foundation delivers projects such as football in the community, disability, health and wellbeing, education, interventions and community relations.[110]\n
\nAston Villa fans in Villa Park's Holte End, proclaiming themselves to be the team's 12th man\n
Aston Villa have a large fanbase and draw support from all over the Midlands and beyond, with supporters' clubs all across the world. Former Villa chief executive Richard Fitzgerald has stated that the ethnicity of the supporters is currently 98% white. When Randy Lerner's regime took over at Villa Park, they aimed to improve the support from ethnic minorities. A number of organisations have been set up to support the local community, including Aston Pride.[112] A Villa in the Community programme has also been set up to encourage support among young people in the region.[113] The new owners have also initiated several surveys aimed at gaining the opinions of Villa fans and to involve them in the decision-making process. Meetings also occur every three months where supporters are invited by ballot and are invited to ask questions to the board.[114] In 2011, the club supported a supporter-based initiative for an official anthem to boost the atmosphere at Villa Park. The song \"The Bells Are Ringing\" is to be played before games.[115]\n
Like many English football clubs, Aston Villa has had several hooligan firms associated with it: Villa Youth, Steamers, Villa Hardcore and the C-Crew, the last mentioned being very active during the 1970s and 1980s. As can be seen across the whole of English football, the hooligan groups have now been marginalised.[116] In 2004, several Villa firms were involved in a fight with QPR fans outside Villa Park in which a steward died.[117] The main groupings of supporters can now be found in a number of domestic and international supporters' clubs. This includes the Official Aston Villa Supporters Club which also has many smaller regional and international sections.[118] There were several independent supporters clubs during the reign of Doug Ellis but most of these disbanded after his retirement.[98] The supporter group My Old Man Said formed to stand up for Villa supporters' rights, as a direct result of Villa supporters' protest against the club's appointment of Alex McLeish. The club's supporters also publish fanzines such as Heroes and Villains and The Holy Trinity.\n
Aston Villa's arch-rivals are Birmingham City, with games between the two clubs known as the Second City Derby.[10] Historically though, West Bromwich Albion have arguably been Villa's greatest rivals, a view highlighted in a fan survey, conducted in 2003.[119] The two teams contested three FA Cup finals in the late 19th century. Villa also enjoy less heated local rivalries with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Coventry City. Through the relegation of West Brom and Birmingham City, to the Football League Championship, in the 2005\u201306 season, at the start of 2006\u201307 Premiership season, Villa were the only Midlands club in that League. The nearest opposing team Villa faced during that season was Sheffield United, who played 62 miles (100 km) away in South Yorkshire.[120] For the 2010\u201311 season, West Bromwich Albion were promoted and joined Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Birmingham City in the Premier League. This marked the first time that the \"West Midlands' Big Four\" clubs were in the Premier League at the same time, and the first time together in the top flight since the 1983\u201384 season. Birmingham were relegated at the end of the 2010\u201311 season, ending this period.[121]\n
The rivalry with Birmingham City was renewed in 2016\u201317 when Aston Villa suffered relegation from the Premier League.[122] They were joined by West Brom two years later,[123] but Villa won promotion back to the Premier League in 2019.[124]\n
Season 2023-24 is Aston Villa's 110th season in the top tier of English football. The only club to have spent longer in the top flight are Everton, with 121 seasons,[125] making Aston Villa versus Everton the most-played fixture in English top-flight football. Aston Villa were relegated from the top tier of English football in 2016, having played in every Premier League season since its establishment in 1992\u201393, but were promoted back in 2018\u201319. They are ninth in the All-time FA Premier League table, and have the fifth highest total of major honours (20) won by an English club.[126]\n
Aston Villa currently hold the record number of league goals scored by any team in the English top flight; 128 goals were scored in the 1930\u201331 season, one more than Arsenal who won the league that season for the very first time, with Villa runners-up.[127] Villa forward Archie Hunter became the first player to score in every round of the FA Cup in Villa's victorious 1887 campaign. Villa's longest unbeaten home run in the FA Cup spanned 13 years and 19 games, from 1888 to 1901.[128]\n
Aston Villa Football Club have won European and domestic league honours. The club's last English honour was in 1996 when they won the League Cup, and most recently they won the 2001 UEFA Intertoto Cup.\n
\nCaptain John Devey standing in front of the FA Cup which the club won for the second time in 1895\n
Domestic
\nStar on the Birmingham Walk of Stars for the Aston Villa team who became European champions in 1982\n
Players under 21 who are listed in the official senior squad or have made their senior league debut are listed in the senior squad, this list below includes all academy players to have been named in a senior matchday squad.[134][135][136]\n
\n\n
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.\n
There have been many players who can be called notable throughout Aston Villa's history. These can be classified and recorded in several forms. The Halls of Fame and PFA Players of the Year are noted below. As of 2022[update], Aston Villa are only surpassed by Tottenham Hotspur (78), for providing the most England internationals with 76 Villa players debuting for England, this record is jointly held with Corinthians.[137] Aston Villa have had several players who were one-club men, including inaugural club Hall of Fame inductee Billy Walker. In 1998, to celebrate the 100th season of League football, The Football League released a list entitled the Football League 100 Legends that consisted of \"100 legendary football players.\" There were seven players included on the list who played for Villa: Danny Blanchflower, Trevor Ford, Archie Hunter, Sam Hardy, Paul McGrath, Clem Stephenson and Peter Schmeichel (who would go on to play for Villa three seasons later).[138] Schmeichel is currently the only former Aston Villa player in the Premier League Hall of Fame, having been named in 2022.[139]\n
Aston Villa have had a number of players who have been successful on the international stage while they were at the club. Paul McGrath and Steve Staunton (Republic of Ireland), as well as Olof Mellberg (Sweden) all captained their national sides in the 1990, 2002 and 2006 World Cups respectively.[140][141] McGrath appeared nine times at the World Cup while at Aston Villa, a record for an active Villa player.[141] Emiliano Mart\u00ednez has won all his senior Argentina caps to date while at Aston Villa, having debuted in June 2021. He is currently the most decorated international player for Aston Villa having won the 2021 Copa Am\u00e9rica, the 2022 Finalissima and the 2022 FIFA World Cup; he was awarded the Golden Glove awards at both the Copa Am\u00e9rica and World Cup; he was subsequently awarded The Best FIFA Goalkeeper award in February 2023 and the Yashin Trophy in October 2023.[142][143][144][145]\n
In 2006 the club announced the creation of an \"Aston Villa Hall of Fame.\" This was voted for by fans and the inaugural induction saw 12 former players, managers and directors named.[20] Former club captain Stiliyan Petrov was added to the list in May 2013.[147] \n
The following managers have all won at least one trophy when in charge or have been notable for Villa in the context of the League, for example Jozef Venglo\u0161 who holds a League record.\n
\nOne of the earliest football paintings in the world, Thomas MM Hemy's \"Sunderland v. Aston Villa 1895\", depicts a match between the two most successful English teams of the decade.\n
An Aston Villa team were the subject, together with that of Sunderland, of one of the earliest football paintings in the world \u2013 possibly the earliest \u2013 when in 1895 the artist Thomas M. M. Hemy painted a picture of a game between the teams at Sunderland's then ground Newcastle Road.[179]\n
A number of television programmes have included references to Aston Villa over the past few decades. In the sitcom Porridge, the character Lennie Godber is a Villa supporter.[180] When filming began on Dad's Army, Villa fan Ian Lavender was allowed to choose Frank Pike's scarf from an array in the BBC wardrobe; he chose a claret and blue one \u2013 Aston Villa's colours.[181] The character Nessa in the BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey was revealed as an Aston Villa fan in an episode screened in December 2009.[182]\n
In the 1952 film The Card, the main character Denry Machin (Alec Guinness) becomes a town councillor and purchases the rights to locally born Aston Villa player 'Callear', the \"greatest centre-forward in England\", for the failing local football club.\n
Villa have also featured on several occasions in prose. Stanley Woolley, a character in Derek Robinson's Booker shortlisted novel Goshawk Squadron is an Aston Villa fan and names a pre-war starting eleven Villa side. Together with The Oval, Villa Park is referenced by the poet Philip Larkin in his poem about the First World War, MCMXIV.[183] Aston Villa are also mentioned in Harold Pinter's play The Dumb Waiter.[184]\nThe club receive a passing mention in Aldous Huxley's debut novel Crome Yellow.\n
Aston Villa have a women's football side that compete in the Women's Super League having been promoted as champions of the 2019-20 FA Women's Championship. They were founded as Solihull F.C. in 1973 and affiliated to Aston Villa in 1989.[187]\n
\n
Footnotes
\n
\n
A. ^ In 2001 Aston Villa were one of three co-winners of the Intertoto Cup with Paris Saint-Germain and Troyes AC. The club also won all of their 2008 Intertoto Cup rounds to be named joint-winners and progress to the UEFA Cup, the format was changed in 2006 to award the Intertoto Trophy to the side progressing furthest in the UEFA Cup, which was S.C. Braga.
^ abMatthews, Tony (2000). \"Aston Villa\". The Encyclopedia of Birmingham City Football Club 1875\u20132000. Cradley Heath: Britespot. p. 17. ISBN978-0-9539288-0-4.\n
\n
^Woodhall, Dave (2007). The Aston Villa Miscellany. Vision Sports Publishing Ltd. p. 16. ISBN978-1-905326-17-4.\n
^Lerwill, John (2009). The Aston Villa Chronicles 1874-1924. Aston Villa Ltd. p. 198. ISBN9780956286109.\n
\n
^Soar, Phil; Martin Tyler. Encyclopedia of British Football. p. 162.\n
\n
^ abDavies, Hunter (2003). Boots, Balls and Haircuts: An Illustrated History of Football from Then to Now. Cassell Illustrated. pp. 39\u201341. ISBN1-84403-261-2.\n
\n
^Butler, Bryon (1987). The Football League 1888\u20131988 The Official Illustrated History. Macdonald Queen Anne Press. p. 11. ISBN0-356-15072-0.\n
^ abcUp until 1992, the top division of English football was the Football League First Division; since then, it has been the FA Premier League. At the same time, the Second Division was renamed the First Division, and the Third Division was renamed the Second Division.\n
\n\n\n\n",
"page_last_modified": " Fri, 15 Mar 2024 18:43:51 GMT"
},
{
"page_name": "Aston Villa - history of the club",
"page_url": "https://www.footballhistory.org/club/aston-villa.html",
"page_snippet": "If we're talking about historical relevance, there are not many clubs in the world that can compete with Aston Villa. In addition to being one of the oldest football clubs in Britain, Villa are the originators of the Football League \u2013 the top flight in the country until the Premier League was ...If we're talking about historical relevance, there are not many clubs in the world that can compete with Aston Villa. In addition to being one of the oldest football clubs in Britain, Villa are the originators of the Football League \u2013 the top flight in the country until the Premier League was formed in 1992. Some months earlier, after a dispute with the chairman Ron Bendall at a time the team had a negative trend in the league Ron Saunders had decided to resign. Aston Villa line up 1982 European Cup final. The Premier League era has been filled with ups and downs for to Villa, they were placed second in 1993 and on the bottom of the table in 2016. They managed to claim two more League Cups in 1994 and 1996. The Premier League era has been filled with ups and downs for to Villa, they were placed second in 1993 and on the bottom of the table in 2016. They managed to claim two more League Cups in 1994 and 1996. ... The Aston Villa crest is distinguished by the lion drawing, \u201cThe Rampant Lion of Scotland\u201d (left image). In 1885, the club's president, William McGregor, realized a need to keep the fans interested in the game; together with eleven other leading English clubs of that period, Villa founded the Football League in 1888. Led by George Ramsay they quickly proved to be the most dominant side of the Victorian era, claiming five First Division titles and three FA Cups before the turn of the century. Sunderland AFC and Aston Villa FC at Newcastle Road, 9 September 1893.",
"page_result": "\n\n\n\n\nAston Villa - history of the club\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
If we're talking about historical relevance, there are not many clubs in the world that can compete with Aston Villa. In addition to being one of the oldest football clubs in Britain, Villa are the originators of the Football League \u2013 the top flight in the country until the Premier League was formed in 1992. In its early history, Villa was one of the most consistent sides in English football, winning several First Division, FA Cup and League Cup titles. They are also one of only five English clubs to have won the European Cup/Champions League title.
\n
\n
Basic facts
\n
Founded: 1874 \nCountry: England \nCity: Birmingham
\n
Home grounds
\n
Wilson Road (1875\u20131876) \nWellington Road (1876\u20131897) \nVilla Park (1897\u2013)
\n
Main trophies
\n
First Division: 7 \nFA Cup: 7 \nFootball League Cup: 5 \nEuropean Cup: 1
\n
Prominent players
\n
Archie Hunter, Billy Walker, Trevor Ford, Danny Blanchflower, Andy Gray, Brian Little, Peter McParland, Paul McGrath, David Platt, Paul McGrath, Dwight Yorke, Stiliyan Petrov
\n
Club records
\n
Most games played: Charlie Aitken (660) \nTop goalscorer: Billy Walker (244)
\n
\n \nAston Villa in 1899. \n
History
\n
The Birmingham located Aston Villa was founded in 1874, by four cricket players associated with the church. The club would soon include rugby and football sections, the latter for them who were looking for something to do during the winter break. The club was therefore founded approximately one year before the city rival Birmingham City (named Small Heath Alliance until 1905). \n \nIn 1885, the club's president, William McGregor, realized a need to keep the fans interested in the game; together with eleven other leading English clubs of that period, Villa founded the Football League in 1888. Led by George Ramsay they quickly proved to be the most dominant side of the Victorian era, claiming five First Division titles and three FA Cups before the turn of the century.
\n \nSunderland AFC and Aston Villa FC at Newcastle Road, 9 September 1893. \n
With the rise of football's popularity in the country, however, many other clubs started to emerge as contenders for the throne. Still, Villa remained a powerhouse; after winning another FA Cup in 1905, they followed it up with their sixth First Division title in 1910. After another two FA Cup victory in 1913, the club's golden era ended at the outbreak of the First World War.
\n
\n
\n 1893\u201394 Football League table\n
\n
\n
\n
Club
\n
Points
\n
\n
\n
1
\n
Aston Villa
\n
44
\n
\n
\n
2
\n
Sunderland
\n
38
\n
\n
\n
3
\n
Derby
\n
36
\n
\n
\n
4
\n
Blackburn Rovers
\n
34
\n
\n
\n
5
\n
Burnley
\n
34
\n
\n
\n
6
\n
Everton
\n
33
\n
\n
\n
7
\n
Nottingham
\n
32
\n
\n
\n
8
\n
West Bromwich
\n
32
\n
\n
\n
9
\n
Wolverhampton
\n
31
\n
\n
\n
10
\n
Sheffield United
\n
31
\n
\n
\n
11
\n
Stoke
\n
29
\n
\n
\n
12
\n
The Wednesday
\n
26
\n
\n
\n
13
\n
Bolton
\n
24
\n
\n
\n
14
\n
Preston North End
\n
23
\n
\n
\n
15
\n
Darwen
\n
19
\n
\n
\n
16
\n
Newton Heath
\n
14
\n
\n
\n
In the sixth edition of The Football League, Aston Villa was on top for the first time. One of their biggest wins came this season, 9\u20130 against Darwen.
\n
Advertisement \n \n\n\n\t\n
\n
A new era after the golden days
\n
While Villa had started off the post-war period by claiming another FA Cup in 1920, it soon became obvious that their best years were behind them. After a long period of decline, the club was relegated to the Second Division in 1936, for the first time in their history. They did not win another trophy until 1957 and a famous victory over the Busby Babes in the FA Cup final. In 1961, Villa added to their trophy room by winning the inaugural League Cup. \n \n After a new low for the club \u2013 a relegation to the Third Division in 1970 \u2013 Villa turned a new leaf by appointing Ron Saunders as coach. They were back in the First Division by 1975, the same year that saw them win another League Cup. With Saunders' ability to spot a good player and his famous \u201cno-nonsense\u201d approach to coaching, Villa's streak of good results continued into the 80s. After a League Cup victory in 1977 and an unpredicted First Division title in 1981, Villa won their first and only European Cup in 1982 by shocking the favored Bayern Munich in the Final. One of the heroes was the reserve goalkeeper Nigel Spink that replaced Jimmy Rimmer early in the match and made some astonishing saves. The last triumph was however made without Ron Saunders as the coach. Some months earlier, after a dispute with the chairman Ron Bendall at a time the team had a negative trend in the league Ron Saunders had decided to resign. \n \n \n Aston Villa line up 1982 European Cup final. \n The Premier League era has been filled with ups and downs for to Villa, they were placed second in 1993 and on the bottom of the table in 2016. They managed to claim two more League Cups in 1994 and 1996. \n
\n
By Martin Wahl
\n\n
\n
Logo
\n
The Aston Villa crest is distinguished by the lion drawing, \u201cThe Rampant Lion of Scotland\u201d (left image). The lion has no obvious link to the club, instead it symbolizes the club's values in form of bravery and strength. The small white star, left of the lion is there to honor the club's European Cup title. Besides the \u201cAVFC\u201d, initials for Aston Villa Football Club, the lower part has also the word \u201cPrepared\u201d which has been a traditional motto (the motto has been removed in a new version with the initials and lion image slightly increased). Over the years, several badges have been in use, for example one in round shape (right image).
\n
\n
\n
Aston Villa FC timeline
\n
1874 The club is established as Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel. \n 1887 Winning their first FA Cup title. \n 1888 Claret and blue is established as official colors. \n 1893 The club play their first match on Villa Park. \n 1894 First time national league champions. \n 1961 First League Cup title. \n 1982 First European cup trophy (European Cup). \n 1982 Winning the European Super Cup. \n 2006 The American investor Randy Lerner becomes the new owner of the club. \n 2016 The Chinese business man Tony Xia becomes the new owner of the club.
References: \n Club Soccer 101: The Essential Guide to the Stars, Stats, and Stories of 101 of the Greatest Teams in the World by Luke Dempsey \n The Ball is Round: A Global History of Football \u2013 David Goldblatt (2008) \n https://www.avfc.co.uk/club/history/kits \nhttps://thebeautifulhistory.wordpress.com/clubs/aston-villa/ \n https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aston_Villa_FC \nImage source: \n1. Unknown \n2. John Lerwill
![\"Premier](\"https://www.premierleague.com/resources/rebrand/v7.141.8/i/elements/pl-main-logo.png\"){kind=logo}
\n \n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/t7.png\")
\n ![\"GettyImages-1609991803\"](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/2023/08/14/1f55a9a0-032c-47bc-bb84-449858502c1a/GettyImages-1609991803.jpg?width=1400&height=436\")
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t36.png\")
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t7.png\")
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t6.png\")
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/2022/10/07/9e0b53c0-bce7-432d-85a6-d0a095ba2fb3/AVL_2223_HK_PL_S1.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/2022/10/07/fdfe4e83-3ac6-42f4-bf31-4491feb96191/AVL_2223_AK_PL_S1.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/2022/10/07/643159ec-6186-4227-abd3-2a8d69396e12/AVL_2223_TK_PL_S1.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t94.png\")
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t20.png\")
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/2023/01/04/b823cbdf-472b-4621-88a7-681952f8ede0/AVL-HK-516x680.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/2021/07/30/afcf303a-7243-4dde-ad47-ccfd34b7ce85/AVL_2122_AK_PL_S1.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/2021/08/27/091f9046-3600-4a49-b6a1-688fc46aead7/AVL_2122_TK_PL_S1.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t11.png\")
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t4.png\")
\n ![\"AVL_HK_516_2020_21\"](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/2020/08/04/817a6073-a947-42ea-856c-ff3423883517/AVL_HK_516_2020_21.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"AVL_AK_516_2020_21\"](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/2020/08/21/04c07f1f-a654-40b8-99ff-e8648a79e428/AVL_AK_516_2020_21.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"AVL_TK_516_2020_21\"](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/2020/09/25/f4d19be1-bd54-42b1-bfe6-dd528689038b/AVL_TK_516_2020_21.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t21.png\")
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t91.png\")
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/2019/07/09/69a3c969-9e2f-4237-82f8-aa532134f805/AST_HK_516.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/2019/07/30/77adab06-e18c-49f6-8dad-1db94a288334/AST_AK_516.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/2019/09/27/0f7b2f3a-2b37-42c0-adcf-fae3930bc4c2/AST_TK_516.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t45.png\")
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/03d8c4c9-fae6-4958-a17d-80990af377c8/OgaGXVsQ.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/fb8338a2-9b28-4372-ad53-e6eafc4a893b/cqSzHqcp.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t56.png\")
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t88.png\")
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/9d45c13d-5b16-491a-85b8-3be47ee3a120/UioRPXMT.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/36526f54-ecc8-4ee7-a542-3acdd1b39c39/KDmIdXhy.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/af05ce4e-3752-44af-8e81-991f8fc6931f/SZsBlUNF.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/a46d5545-0f39-4d81-aaf0-daa14710ca49/zUxWlzvy.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/011626a0-5065-4ebb-ad8b-1a307169738d/RxSftiek.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/339a4ead-5ea8-4218-afd5-6d71bd99e6c9/qYyNICYt.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t111.png\")
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t52.png\")
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/1b7c5b5b-6b56-4978-9fbb-0694b6fc9f9c/UMsDefbz.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/01387846-f12e-41a6-b626-d07d560f1b44/PhBsCEnW.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t54.png\")
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/c37d39db-0def-49e3-ad94-a88654083004/ZGoIRetv.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/02fb57fc-2860-41db-a191-4de3d44a42e0/QybGYxHQ.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t43.png\")
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t14.png\")
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/3d5dcbac-ea45-427d-86be-8dc8c219aa52/cFhkObDd.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/591bd8a3-8ce7-4d8f-8923-53512118e5a0/DmTUUfHy.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/a9f174b0-c5ec-43e0-bf14-5789ad38bc84/iumbBHbg.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/7be64347-63f5-4e33-82c6-2bc4bfe9162b/wZpNIjyC.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t5.png\")
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/7ab167a7-e184-4a10-9a5d-6b9dd28ae6ae/wCCbIDxX.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/ffbd8408-7fe4-492c-bcda-173a11c7c5b5/jfOnLpvS.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t25.png\")
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/7ee6bc6a-4e55-4890-b6b7-7ee78a63df71/ibXZPVDh.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/6797830e-0366-413b-8593-f89bdc2e2ba1/TZhudNri.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t47.png\")
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/439a3a54-28bc-4df9-92ba-4dbc301e391a/MaRWnFSS.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/cd675b8b-e3f6-46ff-9b3b-0d6757219321/LluVtAoH.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t33.png\")
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/f2554127-a91e-4bfb-8eee-c7982c9acbea/fCVfdgAF.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/b6a15831-967e-4882-b72a-2f4684cca54a/EmMMTmev.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/d7bd232e-5bfc-4086-934d-cadc37debba8/bTGTYwCS.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/575f2345-3779-47d2-b9f4-097597469b42/IBELlBCb.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t2.png\")
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t30.png\")
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/cb079b27-9320-4d15-83d6-0c1734a14ae4/HmtazLEI.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/6c808545-fd1e-4642-8c05-910596f29b0d/yvfLIGWh.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/9ab993f1-0b97-420a-83ea-82778ddfd285/FsLdcDmR.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/05afa907-1252-44d2-8bd0-a3537dc2b656/SAarqAei.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/4c02244b-0c3c-4422-b33a-d5f5a2bccc62/aYZOtYGL.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/3caa79c4-1cc4-4c36-ab42-bfbfecb0209e/tseKteJx.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t8.png\")
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/2ef6d3b3-8464-4990-8870-ee298f19675f/xTzCIxnx.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/442f4edc-227e-4353-8346-1c8160da3b2e/YebTVppq.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/8ead237f-cb67-467b-9776-5c7a332543ac/fDqKdUbq.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/7ee32480-f247-49fb-9b08-627277bc4105/mwnojreR.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/a2e7ba6b-a086-4e53-8878-2f99d46f5d89/ztwMVnxg.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/1c4f0ad8-ab56-4e11-a38e-26ff4689d6ac/IBdMzMkD.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/f5f89e2f-3613-4aa4-984f-78bd9c1b99d1/NCiBnrqo.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/2fe54187-0a56-4e87-b81a-c7b1bdacfeec/iGnzaokV.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t3.png\")
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/f5b29b8d-de7f-4be7-a5f2-87a0eef45894/mtmQOgLV.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/3985c189-95e4-4811-ab33-c38827170e82/JgMFzQdJ.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t31.png\")
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/b4658939-0ecc-45ff-be09-b65a7a3bb8bb/EydgzaGE.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/c48aa07d-5c36-4d9a-ac51-c95cfa7eac53/ubpHUqyy.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t9.png\")
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/b6b0c2c0-22f2-429d-b184-04eb96b5d188/hwgrFXdl.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/accfc986-4aa8-4487-94ed-313baa3a7017/avnrAeEB.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/premierleague/badges/25/t1.png\")
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/86d3b63d-24d4-4562-9e45-bd1620c59680/AtZHKKnS.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Aston](\"https://resources.premierleague.com/photos/premierleague/photo/2018/01/31/b16784e0-1454-45b5-ba26-efdd30fd62c1/COGwRZlG.png?width=105&height=145)
\n ![\"Sky](\"/core/img/channels/Sky-Sports-Logo-transparent.svg\"){kind=logo}
\n ![\"On](\"https://e0.365dm.com/tvlogos/channels/1303-Logo.svg?U2t5IFNwb3J0cyBQcmVtaWVyIExlYWd1ZQ==\"){kind=logo}
\n ![\"Sky](\"https://e1.365dm.com/tvlogos/channels/Sky-Sports-Logo.svg\"){kind=logo}
\n ![\"\"](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/228/cpsprodpb/d3cc/live/73f7e6f0-f52a-11eb-8617-87bebb01a75e.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https://static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/sport/football/aston-villa.754b3fa019c3b800b52d.svg\")
Aston VillaAston Villa(4)4Aggregate score 4![\"\"](\"https://static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/sport/football/placeholder.4476e22b04bcdf426376.svg\")
AjaxAjax(0)0Aggregate score 0![\"\"](\"https://static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/sport/football/west-ham-united.8031b8c4c7910b77fc9a.svg\")
West HamWest Ham United![\"\"](\"https://static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/sport/football/wolverhampton-wanderers.11a9da51bfda62cdae72.svg\")
WolvesWolverhampton Wanderers![\"\"](\"https://static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/sport/football/manchester-city.ac0fd3e437f9c81828a9.svg\")
Man CityManchester City![\"\"](\"https://static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/sport/football/brentford.30131acd7824e12e9f06.svg\")
BrentfordBrentford![\"\"](\"https://static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/sport/football/arsenal.b8d11b6a4019ac9174ad.svg\")
ArsenalArsenal![\"\"](\"https://static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/sport/football/afc-bournemouth.06b040f58cc005d437da.svg\")
BournemouthAFC Bournemouth![\"\"](\"https://static.files.bbci.co.uk/core/website/assets/static/sport/football/chelsea.065d90cfec11cce54928.svg\")
ChelseaChelsea![\"Europa](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/a28f/live/ea65cf10-e2b6-11ee-8bf3-195418ba9285.jpg\")
Image source, Getty Images![\"Gossip](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/55d5/live/95031f60-d658-11ee-9a5b-e35447f6c53b.png\")
![\"Ollie](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/7b69/live/4fd4fbf0-e285-11ee-9c08-7b03801bdab4.png\")
Image source, rex![\"Leon](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/1850/live/6fabb460-e257-11ee-9410-0f893255c2a0.jpg\")
Image source, Getty Images![\"Leon](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/a3bc/live/82327860-e254-11ee-8bf3-195418ba9285.jpg\")
Image source, Getty Images![\"Aston](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/ac58/live/66dbe720-e251-11ee-9410-0f893255c2a0.jpg\")
Image source, Getty Images![\"Have](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/74cf/live/528ab4a0-d896-11ee-9a5b-e35447f6c53b.jpg\")
![\"Thursday's](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/4108/live/21720350-d64d-11ee-8f28-259790e80bba.png\")
![\"Ollie](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/5f9b/live/8149c4b0-e215-11ee-8b33-3d4a4b4e0bc1.jpg\")
Image source, Getty Images![\"Europa](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/d31c/live/b9b609e0-e1fb-11ee-860f-4b0b053e4cd0.png\")
Image source, Getty Images![\"An](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/cd2e/live/9f427240-b8fe-11ee-beb5-e1400df560f2.jpg\")
![\"Aston](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/bc5d/live/d105d370-e14f-11ee-8bf3-195418ba9285.jpg\")
![\"Matty](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/41ed/live/737640e0-e15a-11ee-a075-6f3e096eb60b.jpg\")
Image source, Getty Images![\"Follow](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/6026/live/60c5f420-e116-11ee-8bf3-195418ba9285.jpg\")
![\"Watch](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/5695/live/f33bc720-e0a9-11ee-8bf3-195418ba9285.jpg\")
![\"Your](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/64d3/live/848f50e0-e0a3-11ee-860f-4b0b053e4cd0.jpg\")
![\"James](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/defa/live/f936bd60-e04a-11ee-9651-13c526677372.jpg\")
Image source, Reuters![\"Gossip](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/3a6b/live/ef0a5500-e102-11ee-8bf3-195418ba9285.jpg\")
![\"West](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/320/cpsprodpb/11E9A/production/_132907337_westhamvastonvilla.png.webp)
![\"Villa](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/320/cpsprodpb/11E4C/production/_132929237_villa_goal.png.webp)
![\"Ollie](\"https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/320/cpsprodpb/DDCE/production/_132928765_watkins_rex.png.webp)
![\"\"](\"/static/images/icons/wikipedia.png\"){kind=icon}
\n\t![\"Wikipedia\"](\"/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg\")
\n\t\t![\"The](\"/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-tagline-en.svg\")
\n\t![\"Featured](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/e/e7/Cscr-featured.svg/20px-Cscr-featured.svg.png\")
![\"Page](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/1b/Semi-protection-shackle.svg/20px-Semi-protection-shackle.svg.png\")
![\"Listen](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Sound-icon.svg/20px-Sound-icon.svg.png\"){kind=icon}
![](\"/wiki/File:Aston_Villa_logo.svg\"){kind=logo}
![\"\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Kit_left_arm_astonvilla2324h.png\")
![\"\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7f/Kit_left_arm.svg/31px-Kit_left_arm.svg.png\"){kind=spacer}
![\"\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Kit_body_astonvilla2324h.png\")
![\"\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Kit_body.svg/38px-Kit_body.svg.png\")
![\"\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Kit_right_arm_astonvilla2324h.png\")
![\"\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cd/Kit_right_arm.svg/31px-Kit_right_arm.svg.png\"){kind=spacer}
![\"\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Kit_shorts_astonvilla2324h.png\")
![\"\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Kit_shorts.svg/100px-Kit_shorts.svg.png\")
![\"\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Kit_socks_astonvilla2324hl.png\")
![\"\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Kit_socks_long.svg/100px-Kit_socks_long.svg.png\")
![\"\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Kit_body_astonvilla2324a.png\")
![\"\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Kit_shorts_astonvilla2324a.png\")
![\"\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Kit_socks_astonvilla2324al.png\")
![\"\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/Soccerball_current_event.svg/33px-Soccerball_current_event.svg.png\")
![](\"/wiki/File:George_Ramsay_c.1905.jpg\")
![](\"/wiki/File:AVilla1899.jpg\")
![](\"/wiki/File:AstonVilla1896-97.jpg\")
![](\"/wiki/File:Mcgregor.jpg\")
![](\"/wiki/File:FACupFinal1905NewcastleVilla.jpg\")
![](\"/wiki/File:Billy_Walker_Footballer.png\")
![](\"/wiki/File:Dennis_Mortimer_(1982).jpg\")
![\"In](\"/wiki/File:82team.jpg\")
![](\"/wiki/File:Gareth_Barry_Aston_Villa-FH_414.jpg\")
![](\"/wiki/File:Jack_Grealish_aug_2014.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png\"){kind=logo}
![\"\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/Kit_body_lightbluehalf.png\")
![\"\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Kit_shorts_adidaswhite.png\")
![](\"/wiki/File:Aston_Villa_F.C._logo.svg\"){kind=logo}
![\"\"](\"/wiki/File:VillaPark_PanoramaFromTrinityRoadStand.jpg\")
![](\"/wiki/File:Lerner,_Randy.jpg\")
![](\"/wiki/File:12th_Man.jpg\")
![](\"/wiki/File:AstonVillaFC_League_Performance.svg\")
![](\"/wiki/File:Aston_villa_1895_team.jpg\")
![](\"/wiki/File:Birmingham_Walk_of_Stars_Aston_Villa.jpg\")
![\"Argentina\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Flag_of_Argentina.svg/23px-Flag_of_Argentina.svg.png\")
![\"Poland\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/12/Flag_of_Poland.svg/23px-Flag_of_Poland.svg.png\")
![\"Brazil\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/05/Flag_of_Brazil.svg/22px-Flag_of_Brazil.svg.png\")
![\"England\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/be/Flag_of_England.svg/23px-Flag_of_England.svg.png\")
![\"Scotland\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Flag_of_Scotland.svg/23px-Flag_of_Scotland.svg.png\")
![\"Belgium\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Flag_of_Belgium_%28civil%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_Belgium_%28civil%29.svg.png\")
![\"France\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c3/Flag_of_France.svg/23px-Flag_of_France.svg.png\")
![\"Spain\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Spain.svg/23px-Flag_of_Spain.svg.png\")
![\"Australia\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/Flag_of_Australia_%28converted%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_Australia_%28converted%29.svg.png\")
![\"Italy\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/03/Flag_of_Italy.svg/23px-Flag_of_Italy.svg.png\")
![\"Colombia\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/21/Flag_of_Colombia.svg/23px-Flag_of_Colombia.svg.png\")
![\"Sweden\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4c/Flag_of_Sweden.svg/23px-Flag_of_Sweden.svg.png\")
![\"Jamaica\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/Flag_of_Jamaica.svg/23px-Flag_of_Jamaica.svg.png\")
![\"Finland\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Flag_of_Finland.svg/23px-Flag_of_Finland.svg.png\")
![\"Serbia\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Flag_of_Serbia.svg/23px-Flag_of_Serbia.svg.png\")
![\"Republic](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Flag_of_Ireland.svg/23px-Flag_of_Ireland.svg.png\")
![\"Netherlands\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Flag_of_the_Netherlands.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_Netherlands.svg.png\")
![\"Bermuda\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Flag_of_Bermuda.svg/23px-Flag_of_Bermuda.svg.png\")
![](\"/wiki/File:Andy_Gray_2004-10-23.jpg\")
![\"Bulgaria\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Bulgaria.svg/23px-Flag_of_Bulgaria.svg.png\")
![\"Northern](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/43/Flag_of_Northern_Ireland_%281953%E2%80%931972%29.svg/23px-Flag_of_Northern_Ireland_%281953%E2%80%931972%29.svg.png\")
![](\"/wiki/File:Zenit-Sevilla_(6).jpg\")
![](\"/wiki/File:Thomas_Hemy_Sunderland_v_Aston_Villa_1895_A_Corner_Kick.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/Soccerball_England.svg/28px-Soccerball_England.svg.png\")
![\"Spoken](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Sound-icon.svg/45px-Sound-icon.svg.png\"){kind=icon}
![\"Edit](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg/10px-OOjs_UI_icon_edit-ltr-progressive.svg.png\"){kind=icon}
![\"\"](\"/wiki/File:Commons-logo.svg\"){kind=logo}
![\"Spain\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/33/Flag_of_Spain_%281945%E2%80%931977%29.svg/15px-Flag_of_Spain_%281945%E2%80%931977%29.svg.png\")
![\"Portugal\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Flag_of_Portugal.svg/15px-Flag_of_Portugal.svg.png\")
![\"Italy\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/03/Flag_of_Italy.svg/15px-Flag_of_Italy.svg.png\")
![\"Scotland\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Flag_of_Scotland.svg/15px-Flag_of_Scotland.svg.png\")
![\"England\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/be/Flag_of_England.svg/15px-Flag_of_England.svg.png\")
![\"Netherlands\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Flag_of_the_Netherlands.svg/15px-Flag_of_the_Netherlands.svg.png\")
![\"West](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/ba/Flag_of_Germany.svg/15px-Flag_of_Germany.svg.png\")
![\"Romania\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/Flag_of_Romania_%281965%E2%80%931989%29.svg/15px-Flag_of_Romania_%281965%E2%80%931989%29.svg.png\")
![\"Socialist](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/61/Flag_of_Yugoslavia_%281946-1992%29.svg/15px-Flag_of_Yugoslavia_%281946-1992%29.svg.png\")
![\"Spain\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9a/Flag_of_Spain.svg/15px-Flag_of_Spain.svg.png\")
![\"France\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c3/Flag_of_France.svg/15px-Flag_of_France.svg.png\")
![\"Italy\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Flag_of_Italy_%282003%E2%80%932006%29.svg/15px-Flag_of_Italy_%282003%E2%80%932006%29.svg.png\")
![\"Soviet](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg/15px-Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.svg.png\")
![\"Belgium\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/Flag_of_Belgium_%28civil%29.svg/15px-Flag_of_Belgium_%28civil%29.svg.png\")
![\"Spain\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/Flag_of_Spain_%281977%E2%80%931981%29.svg/15px-Flag_of_Spain_%281977%E2%80%931981%29.svg.png\")
![\"Turkey\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Flag_of_Turkey.svg/15px-Flag_of_Turkey.svg.png\")
![\"Russia\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/f/f3/Flag_of_Russia.svg/15px-Flag_of_Russia.svg.png\")
![\"Denmark\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/Flag_of_Denmark.svg/15px-Flag_of_Denmark.svg.png\")
![\"\"](\"//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/16px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png\")
The Aston Villa crest is distinguished by the lion drawing, \u201cThe Rampant Lion of Scotland\u201d (left image). The lion has no obvious link to the club, instead it symbolizes the club's values in form of bravery and strength. The small white star, left of the lion is there to honor the club's European Cup title. Besides the \u201cAVFC\u201d, initials for Aston Villa Football Club, the lower part has also the word \u201cPrepared\u201d which has been a traditional motto (the motto has been removed in a new version with the initials and lion image slightly increased). Over the years, several badges have been in use, for example one in round shape (right image). 
Bolton Wanderers FC