There is no specific recorded date, and no one at the club can recall the exact day in which Aston Villa Football Club was founded.
It has, however, been linked to a meeting between four members of a local Wesleyan Chapel cricket team in a cold winter evening under a gaslight in Birchfield, Birmingham, early in 1874.
Jack Hughes, Frederick Matthews, Walter Price and William Scattergood came up with the idea of forming a club of their own, after watching a disorganised football match, and because they wanted to keep their Villa Cross team together during winter.
Aston Villa played their first competitive match in March 1875 against Aston Brook St. Mary's Rugby Club, who only agreed to the match if they could play rugby for the first 45 minutes. Both sides fielded fifteen men and the Villa side held out for a goalless draw during the first half. Villa won the game thanks to Jack Hughes, who scored the only goal of the match.
Villa soon became one of the biggest teams in the Midlands. Their first honour, the Birmingham Senior Cup, was won in 1880, under the captaincy of Scotsman George Ramsay.
In 1887, Villa won their first FA Cup, with captain Archie Hunter becoming one of the game's first household names.
Aston Villa were amongst the dozen clubs that premiered in the first ever Football League, in 1888, and went on to become the most successful English club of the Victorian era, having clinched five League titles and three FA Cups by the end of Queen Victoria's reign.
In 1897 Villa won The Double and moved into their present home, the Aston Lower Grounds, coined as "Villa Park" by the club supporters.
The club won their sixth FA Cup in 1920. At the time, Villa were one of the most famous and successful teams in world football, but in 1936 they were relegated for the first time to the Second Division. They conceded 110 goals in 42 games, seven of them coming from Arsenal's Ted Drake in an infamous 7-1 defeat at Villa Park.
Villa lost seven seasons to the Second World War, together with all English clubs, but the team was rebuilt under former player Alex Massie for the remainder of the 1940s.
FA Cup Glory
Villa collected their seventh FA Cup in 1957 a record at the time beating strong favourites Manchester United 1-0. Eric Houghton lead the midlands club to beat the 'Busby Babes' with a host of household names in the United side including Duncan Edwards touted as one of the best players to ever wear a United shirt. The win sealed their first trophy in 37 years although Villa have failed to win the competition again to this day.
However, the team struggled in the league and were relegated two seasons later. They did manage to return to the top-flight in 1960, under the guidance of manager Joe Mercer, after becoming Second Division Champions. The following campaign Villa became the first team to win the Football League Cup.
Aston Villa's win against Rotherham in the first ever League Cup began a love affair with the competition with Villa claiming five titles with only Liverpool claiming more League Cup trophies.
Downfall
In 1964, Mercer was forced to retire from the club and his exit started a period of turmoil. Villa had serious difficulties in moving with the changes and ended up being relegated for the third time, under new boss Dick Taylor in 1967.
The following campaign, fans called for the board to resign as Villa finished 16th in the Second Division. The board decided to fire Cummings, who had been appointed as Taylor's successor, and a few weeks later, with mounting debts, the entire board resigned under overwhelming pressure from supporters.
The club was then bought by London financier Pat Matthews, and Doug Ellis was appointed as chairman. But despite the new ownership, Villa were still relegated to the Third Division for the first time at the end of the 1969–70 season.
Villa managed to recover under the management of former club captain Vic Crowe, and in the 1971–72 season they returned to the Second Division as Champions with a record 70 points.
In 1974, Ron Saunders was appointed as manager and implemented a philosophy of no-nonsense and cohesive man-management which proved effective. Villa won the League Cup the following season and, at the end of the 1974–75 term, Saunders had guided them back into the First Division and into Europe.
Top Flight success and a European night to remember
Villa continued their impressive rise as they clinched a seventh top-flight league title in 1980–81 finishing four points clear of Bobby Robson's Ipswich Town and nine points clear of the dominant Liverpool.
However, and much to the surprise of supporters, Saunders quit midway through the 1981–82 campaign, after falling out with the chairman. The club was competing in the quarter final of the European Cup, and his assistant manager, Tony Barton, succeeded him in charge. Barton led the club to a famous 1–0 win over Bayern Munich in the European Cup final in Rotterdam, thanks to a Peter Withe goal.
The following season Villa were crowned European Super Cup winners, after an aggregate 3-1 win against Barcelona in the two-legged final.
After losing the first leg in the Nou Camp 1-0 the European Champions put in a sensational display to level the tie in normal time before scoring twice in extra time to complete another famous win.
80's Ups and downs
After the club's phenomenol success Villa's fortune changed in the 80's as they followed up their league triumph with a disappointing 11th placed finish the following season. After more disappointing trophyless seasons the club hit rock bottom in 1987 with the club finishing at the foot of the table and being relegated just five years after lifiting the European Cup.
They were, however, promoted the following season, under Graham Taylor, and after a poor first season in the top flight finished as runners-up in the First Division behind Liverpool, in 1989–90.
League Cup success and Premier League ever present
Aston Villa were one of the teams who founded the Premier League in 1992, and they finished runners-up to Manchester United in that first campaign. The club chased United all the way but finished in disatrous fashion losing three of their last four games to hand United their first Premier League title.
In the Nineties, despite going through three different managers, Villa achieved success winning two League Cups beating Manchester United 3-1 in 93/94 under Ron Atkinson before cruising to a 3-0 win over Leeds United under Brain Little just two years later in 95/96.
After two poor years after their second placed finish Villa established themselves as a top six side in the Premier League as they battled with Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle to take on the dominant Manchester United and regularly achieved UEFA Cup qualification.
European adventures
Villa did not have many great European nights in the nineties other than their first round victory in 94/95 over European giants Inter Milan with Phil King famously scoring the winning penalty in the shootout at Villa Park. The 97/98 season was Villa's most succesful as they put out Bordeaux, Athletic Bilbao and Steaua Buchurest to set up a quarter final tie against Atletico Madrid.
After a Christian Vieri penalty gave the Spanish side a 1-0 first leg lead and a Caminero strike in the 28th minute made it 2-0 on aggregate Villa looked dead and buried but a sensational second half display with Ian Taylor pulling back a goal before a Stan Collymore thunderbolt made it 2-2.
A young Lee Hendrie put in a sensational display and came inches from settling the tie but Villa were knocked out on away goals on a great night of European football.
Final frustration
In 2000, the club enjoyed another an impressive campaign finishing 6th in the Premier League aswell as reaching the semi final of the league cup and reaching the FA Cup final, against Chelsea.
Roberto Di Matteo scored the only goal of the game as Chelsea ran out 1–0 winners in a closely fought contest in what was the last game to be played at the old Wembley Stadium.
O'Neill's Villa
As the decade went on, Villa continued firmly in the top flight, but changed managers several times. In the summer of 2006, things came to a head when David O'Leary left in acrimony.
More changes came when, after 23 years as chairman, Doug Ellis decided to sell his stake (approximately 38%) in Aston Villa due to illness. The club was bought by American businessman Randy Lerner, owner of NFL franchise the Cleveland Browns. Martin O'Neill was appointed as manager and his arrival marked the start of a new period of optimism at Villa Park. A new badge, a new kit sponsor and team changes were applied in the summer of 2007.
Martin O'Neill led Villa to three 6th placed finishes as well as to their first Cup final of the Lerner era in 2010, but Villa were beaten 2–1 in the League Cup Final thanks to goals for Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen for Manchester United. A second trip to Wembley took place in that same season season with Villa losing 3–0 to Chelsea in the FA Cup semifinal.
Just five days before the opening day of the 2010–11 season, O'Neill resigned as manager with immediate effect and reserve team manager Kevin MacDonald took over as caretaker manager, before Gérard Houllier was appointed as new head coach in September 2010.
Houllier only lasted one season as he stepped down on 1 June 2011. He was replaced by Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish, despite numerous protests from supporters. This was the first time that a manager had moved directly from Villa's fiercest rivals Birmingham.
McLeish's contract also lasted just one season as he left at the end of the 2011–12 campaign, after Villa finished in 16th place, only just above the relegation zone. Paul Lambert succeeded McLeish and continues at the helm today, despite the club finishing just one place above in 15th, last term.
Birmingham rivalry - The Second City derby
The rivalry between Aston Villa and Birmingham City, the two West Midland clubs' fiercest rivals, is denominated as the Second City rivalry because Birmingham is the second biggest city in England.
Villa and City first met on 27 September 1879. Birmingham City were called Small Heath Alliance and the game finished 1–0 to the home side. Villa won the first competitive match between the clubs, in the Second Round of the FA Cup at Wellington Road in 1887, 4-0. Their first league encounter, in the First Division in the 1894–95 season, was also won by Villa, 2–1.
Several hotly contested clashes were played between the two sides, like in a 1925 league game at Villa Park, when Villa were winning 3-0, 11 minutes from time, and Birmingham scored three times in a dramatic final minutes to draw the game.
In 1926, Villa signed Tom 'Pongo' Waring and made the headlines. His first appearance was for the reserves against Birmingham City's reserves and he netted three times, in a match which famously drew a crowd of 23,000.
Waring went on to become one of Aston Villa's all-time great centre forwards.
Another memorable clash was the final of the 1963 League Cup, when Birmingham won 3–1 on aggregate over the two-legged tie and claimed their first major domestic honour.
The Second City rivalry continued throughout the the late 1970s to early 1980s with both sides enjoying some memorable successes, and in 1980-81 Villa did the double over Blues and went on to win the First Division title.
Blues enjoyed a memorable 3-0 victory at St Andrew's in the first meeting following Villa's European Cup triumph in 1982. After that, both sides faced periods of turmoil with Birmingham racking up a 3-0 win in a relegation battle at Villa Park in March 1986 but then being relegated at the end of that season.
The following season Villa were demoted and the next time they met Birmingham City was in a league fixture at Villa Park, in the Second Division, with Blues winning 2-1. Villa won the reverse fixture at St Andrew's, 2-1, courtesy of a Garry Thompson double.
During the 1980s, the two teams only battled in cup competitions. Villa thrashed Birmingham 7-0 on aggregate when they locked horns twice in the 1988-89 League Cup, the same season in which Villa won a Full Members Cup clash 6-0.
Premier League - Renewed rivalry
The Premier League was created in 1992, but after that Aston Villa only met Birmingham City in the 1993-94 League Cup. The two sides met twice in the Second Round and Villa won both matches 1-0.
Birmingham were promoted to the Premier League in 2002 and allowed supporters to experience the first league derbies in 15 years. Villa lost both derbies 3–0 and 2–0, respectively and the games were marred by violence between both sets of fans. The game at Villa Park, in March 2003, became famous for the sending off of two Villa players, Dion Dublin for a head-butt on Blues' Robbie Savage and Joey Guðjónsson for a reckless two-footed tackle on Matthew Upson.
The Premier League games in 2003–04 ended in 0–0 and 2–2 draws, with the Blues recovering a two-goal deficit in the 2–2 draw, thanks to a 90th minute equalizer from Stern John and the following campaign Villa were again defeated by their arch-rivals, firstly 2–1 at Villa Park, just before Christmas, and then 2–0 at home in March.
Villa returned to winning ways in the 2005–06 term. The first was a 1-0 win, thanks to a Kevin Phillips goal, and on 16 April 2006, Easter Sunday, Villa beat Birmingham 3–1 thanks to two goals from Milan Baroš and an incredible bicycle kick from Gary Cahill.
Birmingham were relegated in 2006 but earned promotion back to the top flight in 2007. Villa won their third consecutive derby match with a 2–1 victory at St Andrew's, in November, in a game where 20 police officers were hurt, after violence clashes took place outside the ground after the match.
Villa recorded the biggest winning margin for either side in a league match for 40 years when they beat Blues 5-1 on April 2008. In 2009-10 Villa continued their winning ways in the derby, beating Birmingham 1-0 at St Andrew's, and also winning at Villa Park by the same margin.
The derby on 20 April 2008 between the two sides ended in a 5–1 win for Aston Villa at Villa Park, the biggest winning margin for either side in a league match for 40 years, when they won both of the meetings between the clubs in the 2009–10 Premier League season.
On 25 April 2010, Villa beat their own record of six straight wins, from 1987–93, including five cup matches, after beating Brimingham 1-0, setting a record of six straight league wins from 2005-10. But the match on 31 October 2010 resulted in a 0-0 draw at Villa Park, ending that record, and the return match at St Andrew's also ended in a draw, 1-1.
Violence returned to the Second City derby in 2010, firstly in the Premier League on 31 October, and then in the League Cup at St Andrew's, on 1 December.
In the first game, violence took place outside Villa Park causing some arrests, including a Birmingham City club chef, and in the second of the two games there was larger scale violence after Blues had beaten Villa 2-1.
Birmingham fans invaded the pitch and confronted the visiting Villa fans and in the end there were flares, ripped out seats and other missiles being hurled by Villa fans and hooligans into the Blues supporters. There were also flash points before and after the game including the attack on a Blues supporters pub by Villa hooligans.
The events were later described as a "warzone" by a supporter who attended the game. Birmingham City were fined £40,000 by the Football Association for failing to control their fans.
The McLeish swap
17 June, 2011 was a black day for Villa fans. Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish swapped for Aston Villa in a move that shocked the football world.
Both sets of supporters reacted angrily. McLeish had guided Blues only to their second ever major trophy in February that year, and they were furious to see him move across to Villa Park. As for Villa fans, they were against his appointment and his style of play, especially because he had got Blues relegated twice in four seasons, not to mention he was former coach of Villa's biggest rivals.
Hundreds of Villa supporters protested at the stadium as soon as they learned that club owner Randy Lerner was negotiating with McLeish, and after the confirmation of the appointment, the manager received death threats from followers of both teams.
Furthermore, the swap contributed for the increase of tension and hostility between players, supporters and owners of both sides and Blues directors even threatened to take legal action against the Villans for allegedly "tapping up" McLeish, who resigned as Birmingham City boss on 12 June 2011, while he was still under contract at the club.
It was the first time in history that a manager had moved directly from Birmingham City to Aston Villa. However, in May 2012, one day after the 2011-12 Premier League campaign ended, McLeish was sacked as Villa head coach after a hugely disappointing season in charge.
Five Villa Greats
Gordon Cowans
Cowans, known by his middle name 'Sid' arrived at the club as a 12-year-old schoolboy. He went on to make 527 appearances for Villa and scored 59 goals in three spells. He also clinched European Cup, First Division championship, League Cup and European Super Cup medals.
Paul McGrath
Recognised as one of the greatest players in the history of Aston Villa, Paul McGrath’s name is still the most chanted by the Villa Park faithful. He was the 1993 PFA Footballer of the Year and won two League Cups throughout his seven-year spell.
Peter McParland
Peter McParland was not only the first player to score in both the FA Cup and League Cup finals, but the fact his goals in both matches were winners achieved a distinction for Villa.
He scored in the 1-0 1957 FA Cup final triumph over Manchester United and netted the decisive goal in the extra time victory against Rotherham, in the inaugural League Cup final in 1961. He made a total of 341 appearances for Villa, scoring 121 goals along the way.
Peter Withe
Peter Withe joined the Villans for a then record £500,000 fee from Newcastle in 1980, and went on to scored 92 goals in 233 appearances.
20 of those goals helped Villa claim the First Division in 1981 and he remains today, 30 years on, the last player to score that many league goals in a season. And the following year he scored the most famous goal in Villa history, tapping home an effort which sealed the 1982 European Cup.
Dwight Yorke
Also ranked among the greatest players in the club's history, Dwight Yorke turned into a world class footballer at the Midlands club. He scored a total of 98 goals for Villa, 60 of them in the Premier League.
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