Aston Villa F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Aston Villa Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | The Villans The Lions |
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| Short name | Villa | |||
| Founded | 1874 | |||
| Ground | Villa Park | |||
| Capacity | 42,657 | |||
| Owner(s) | V Sports (Nassef Sawiris, Wes Edens & Atairos) | |||
| Chairman | Nassef Sawiris | |||
| Head coach | Unai Emery | |||
| League | Premier League | |||
| 2018–19 | Championship, 5th of 24 (promoted via play-offs) | |||
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Aston Villa Football Club, often called Villa, is a professional football team from Aston, Birmingham, England. The club started in 1874 and plays in the Premier League, which is the top football league in England. Their home stadium, Villa Park, has been used since 1897. Aston Villa is one of England's oldest and most successful clubs. They have won the top league seven times, the FA Cup seven times, the League Cup five times, and the European Cup (now UEFA Champions League) and European Super Cup once each.
Aston Villa has been a top English club since the 1880s. They were pioneers of the modern passing game, a quick style introduced by George Ramsay, who became the world's first professional football manager in 1886. The club helped make football a professional sport in 1885. A Villa director, William McGregor, even started the world's first Football League in 1888.
George Ramsay helped Villa win six League Championships and six FA Cups. This made Aston Villa the most successful club in England from the 1890s until the 1970s. In the 1930–31 season, Villa scored 128 goals, which is still the record for the top league. After some tough times in the 1960s, Villa returned to the top under manager Ron Saunders. They won their seventh league title in 1980–81. They also became only the fourth English club to win the European Cup in 1981–82, followed by the European Super Cup in 1982.
Aston Villa was a founding member of the Premier League in 1992. They are one of only three clubs to have started both the Football League and the Premier League. The club often played in European competitions in the 1990s. After some financial challenges, the club was sold to American billionaire Randy Lerner. Villa was relegated from the Premier League in 2015–16 but returned in 2019.
Throughout their history, Villa has spent 111 seasons in the top league, which is the second highest of any club. They have also provided 78 players for the England national team, also the second highest. Aston Villa is ranked 5th in the all-time English top-flight table since 1888. They are the seventh most successful club in English football based on trophies won.
Villa has a big local rivalry with Birmingham City. Matches between them are called the Second City derby and have been played since 1879. They also have a rivalry with West Bromwich Albion, known as the West Midlands derby. The team's traditional colours are claret shirts with sky blue sleeves, white shorts, and sky blue socks. Their club badge shows a rampant (standing) lion. The club is currently owned by V Sports, a company led by Egyptian billionaire Nassef Sawiris and American billionaire Wes Edens.
Contents
History
How Aston Villa Started (1874−1886)
Aston Villa Football Club was formed on 21 November 1874. It was started by members of the Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel in Handsworth, which is now part of Birmingham. The four founders were Jack Hughes, Frederick Matthews, Walter Price, and William Scattergood. They were part of the chapel's cricket team and wanted to stay fit during winter. Since there were no local football teams, Aston Villa's first match was against a local Aston Brook St Mary's Rugby team. Villa agreed to play the first half under Rugby rules and the second half under football rules. Villa won their first game 1–0.
The club's future changed in 1876 when a young Scotsman named George Ramsay saw the Villa players practicing in Aston Park. He was asked to join in, and everyone was amazed by his skills. They had never seen such great ball control before. After the game, the Villa players asked him to join the club and become their captain. News spread about how good Ramsay was, and spectators started coming to watch the small man nicknamed ‘Scotty’. He also took charge of training. Ramsay taught the team a new style of play, focusing on short, quick passes. This was a revolutionary idea for an English club in the late 1870s.
Villa began to become one of the best teams in the Midlands. They won their first trophy, the Birmingham Senior Cup in 1880. The club would win this trophy 9 times in the next 12 seasons.
Golden Age of Success (1886–1914)
After football became professional in 1885, the club decided it needed a full-time paid manager. In June 1886, Aston Villa hired George Ramsay as what is believed to be the world's first professional football manager.
The next season, Aston Villa became famous across the country. They were the first Midlands team to win the FA Cup in 1887. Villa's captain, Archie Hunter, became one of the game's first well-known players. He was the first player to score in every round of the FA Cup. Aston Villa was one of the twelve teams that started the first Football League in 1888. One of the club's directors, William McGregor, was the founder of the league. He wanted to create a league competition to ensure clubs had regular matches and income. The world's first Football League season began in September 1888 with 12 teams.
Despite founding the league, Villa had not won it by 1893. A club meeting in February 1893 led to changes in the club's management. On the field, manager George Ramsay built a team known for its short, quick passing. This led Villa to win its first league title in 1893–94. The club then won its second FA Cup in 1894–95. This was followed by winning the League title two years in a row in 1895–96 and 1896–97.
Aston Villa became the most successful English club of the Victorian era. They won five League titles and three FA Cups by 1901. Villa's captain during this time was John Devey, who played well with fast winger Charlie Athersmith. In defense, James Cowan was a strong player. In 1897, the year Villa won The Double (both the league and cup), they moved to their current home, which supporters named "Villa Park."
Success continued into the Edwardian era. Villa won the FA Cup for the fourth time in 1904–05 and a sixth league title in 1909–10. Another FA Cup win came in 1913, just before the First World War. Star players during this time included Howard Spencer, a skilled defender who captained both Villa and England, and the goal-scoring duo of Joe Bache and Harry Hampton, who scored 382 goals together for Villa.
Tough Times and Relegation (1920–1939)
In January 1920, Billy Walker scored twice in his first game for Villa. The club won the FA Cup for the sixth time that season. Walker became Villa's star player of the 1920s, scoring a record 244 goals in 531 games. He also captained Villa and England. George Ramsay retired in 1926. His replacement, Billy Smith, could not continue Ramsay's success. Other clubs, like Arsenal, started to catch up with Aston Villa. Villa finished second in the league to Arsenal in 1930–31 and 1932–33. Even though they missed out on the title, Villa Park fans enjoyed exciting attacking football. The 128 goals scored in 1930–31 is still the record for the top league today.
The club hired Jimmy McMullan as manager in 1934, but this was a bad move. Villa was relegated for the first time in 1935–36 after 48 years in the top league. Villa struggled because they let in too many goals, conceding 110 goals in 42 games. This included an infamous 1–7 defeat at Villa Park to Arsenal. Aston Villa, a famous and successful club, was relegated in 1936.
After relegation, the Villa board brought back former chairman Fred Rinder. He criticized the board for not focusing on developing young players. Rinder's first action was to hire Jimmy Hogan as manager. Within two seasons, Hogan guided Villa back to the top league as Second Division champions. He taught his players that "football was like a Viennese waltz, a rhapsody. one-two-three, one-two-three, pass-move-pass, pass-move-pass." Sadly, Second World War stopped Hogan's plans to bring Aston Villa back to the very top.
Ups and Downs (1945–1974)
Like all English clubs, Villa lost seven seasons to World War II. After the war, huge crowds came to Villa Park. A record 76,588 people attended an FA Cup quarter-final between Villa and Derby County in March 1946. The team was rebuilt under former player Alex Massie. Star players included Harry Parkes, Trevor Ford, and Johnny Dixon. However, the club usually finished in the middle of the league table during the 1940s and 1950s.
Despite almost being relegated the season before, Aston Villa won their first trophy in 37 years in the 1956–57 season. Former Villa player Eric Houghton led the club to a record seventh FA Cup Final win, beating Manchester United 2–1. The team still struggled in the league, and Eric Houghton was fired in December 1958. His replacement, Joe Mercer, could not stop the club from being relegated for the second time in 1958–59. However, under Mercer, Villa returned to the top league in 1960 as Second Division Champions with a talented young team known as 'Mercer's Minors'. The next season, Aston Villa became the first team to win the Football League Cup.
In 1961, star striker Gerry Hitchens was sold to Inter Milan. His replacement, Derek Dougan, was not as successful, and Villa's performance declined. Manager Joe Mercer had to retire in 1964 due to health issues. The club faced many problems. The board of directors was old, and the club had not kept up with modern football. They had neglected scouting and coaching, and the club was in financial trouble. This led to the sale of top striker Tony Hateley in 1966. Without his goals, Villa was relegated for the third time in 1967. The board even sold the club's training ground, leaving the team to train on borrowed pitches.
The next season, fans demanded the board resign as Villa finished 16th in the Second Division. With growing debts, the entire board resigned under pressure from fans. In December 1968, London financier Pat Matthews bought control of the club, bringing in Doug Ellis as chairman. Ellis found the club in a very bad state. One of their first actions was to raise money to clear the club's debts. Doug Ellis hired Tommy Docherty as manager, but he was sacked after 13 months. Former club captain Vic Crowe took over, but he could not stop Villa from being relegated to the Third Division for the first time in its history at the end of the 1969–70 season.
The next season, Villa surprised everyone by reaching the 1971 League Cup Final, where they played well but lost to Tottenham Hotspur. There was new hope at Villa Park as the club was promoted to the Second Division as champions in the 1971–72 season. Off the pitch, the board bought the new 20-acre Bodymoor Heath Training Ground in December 1971 to improve youth development and coaching.
Back Among the Best (1974–1992)
After finishing 14th in the Second Division, Vic Crowe was replaced by Ron Saunders in August 1974. Saunders was very strict about fitness and his management style worked well. The club won the League Cup the next season and, by the end of 1974–75, he had taken Aston Villa back into the First Division and into European competitions. One player who stayed with Villa through all these changes was fan-favourite Charlie Aitkin. He played 659 games for the club between 1959 and 1976, making him Villa's all-time record appearance holder.
Aston Villa was back among the top teams as Saunders continued to build a winning side. They finished 4th in the league and won another League Cup in 1976–77. The team had a strong attacking duo in Brian Little and Andy Gray.
In the 1970s, there were disagreements among the board members at Villa Park. Ron Saunders had a difficult relationship with Doug Ellis, who he felt interfered too much in football matters. Ellis was removed as chairman in 1975. With Ellis gone, Saunders had more power as manager.
Villa won their seventh top-flight league title in 1980–81. Players like Gordon Cowans, Tony Morley, and captain Dennis Mortimer led the club to its first top-flight title in 71 years. They did this with only 14 players, and seven players played in every game. Villa's Birmingham-born forward Gary Shaw was named the 1980-1981 PFA Young Player of the Year.
Surprisingly, Ron Saunders quit halfway through the 1981–82 season, even though Villa was in the European Cup quarter-finals. Saunders was unhappy about the lack of money to strengthen the team. He was replaced by his assistant manager Tony Barton. Barton guided the club to a 1–0 victory over Bayern Munich in the European Cup final in Rotterdam. Peter Withe scored the goal in the 67th minute. Ten minutes into the final, Villa's first-choice goalkeeper, Jimmy Rimmer, was injured. Young substitute keeper Nigel Spink had to play, even though he had only played one senior game before. Spink played brilliantly, keeping a clean sheet, and helped Villa become only the fourth English club to win the European Cup.
The next season, Villa's defense of the European Cup ended in a quarter-final defeat to Juventus. However, Villa won the European Super Cup, beating Barcelona 3–1 over two games. This was a high point, and Villa's fortunes declined sharply for most of the 1980s. Doug Ellis returned as chairman in November 1982. The club had significant debts. Ellis immediately tried to reduce costs. Saunders' successful team was broken up and not properly replaced. This led to the club being relegated in 1987, just five years after winning the European Cup.
However, Villa quickly bounced back. They achieved promotion the next year under Graham Taylor. They also finished second in the top league in the 1989–90 season with a strong team that included Paul McGrath, Tony Daley, and David Platt. After this success, Graham Taylor became the England manager in 1990.
Premier League Era (1992–2016)
Villa was one of the founding members of the Premier League in 1992. They are one of only three clubs (along with Blackburn Rovers and Everton) to have been founding members of both the Football League in 1888 and the Premier League. Villa finished second to Manchester United in the first Premier League season under manager Ron Atkinson. His team won the League Cup in 1994, beating Manchester United 3–1 in the final. But the team struggled in the league, and Atkinson was replaced by former Villa striker Brian Little in November 1994. Little built a young team that included players like Gareth Southgate, Steve Staunton, Ian Taylor, and Dwight Yorke. He led the club to a fifth League Cup win in 1996, beating Leeds United 3–0 at Wembley. Villa finished fourth in the league that season and fifth the season after.
After a drop in form, Doug Ellis sacked Little and replaced him with another former Villa player John Gregory in February 1998. In the summer of 1998, Yorke was transferred to Manchester United for £12.6 million. Gregory managed four top-eight finishes in the league and took the club to an FA Cup final in 2000. But he could not build a team that could challenge for the Champions League. Gregory resigned in January 2002.
Ellis appointed Graham Taylor for a second time in February 2002. After a 16th-place finish, he was replaced by David O'Leary in June 2003. After a sixth-place finish in his first season, Villa finished 10th and 16th, leading to O'Leary leaving in the summer of 2006.
After 23 years as chairman, Doug Ellis sold his shares in Aston Villa due to health reasons. American businessman Randy Lerner, who owned the NFL team Cleveland Browns, bought the club in September 2006. The arrival of Lerner and manager Martin O'Neill brought new hope to Villa Park. There were many changes, including a new badge and investment in training facilities and the squad. The first Cup final of the Lerner era was in 2010, when Villa lost 2–1 in the League Cup Final.
Just five days before the start of the 2010–11 season, O'Neill resigned as manager. He was frustrated by the lack of money to invest in the squad. His replacement, Gérard Houllier, stepped down due to health issues in September 2011. He was replaced by Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish, despite protests from fans. McLeish's contract was ended after Villa finished 16th in 2011–12, and he was replaced by Paul Lambert.
In February 2012, the club announced a financial loss of £53.9 million. Lerner put the club up for sale three months later. With Lerner still in charge but unwilling to spend much money, the club struggled for several seasons. In the 2014–15 season, Lambert was sacked in February 2015 after the team scored only 12 goals in the first 25 league games. Tim Sherwood took over and helped the club avoid relegation. He also led them to the 2015 FA Cup Final. However, the club sold two star players, Christian Benteke and captain Fabian Delph, and did not replace them well. Villa struggled in the 2015–16 season, and Sherwood was sacked. He was replaced by Rémi Garde, who left after just five months. His time included a club-record 19-game winless streak. The club was relegated at the end of the season, ending their 29-year stay in the top league.
From Championship to Champions League (2016–present)
In June 2016, Chinese businessman Tony Xia bought the club for £76 million. Former Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo became the new manager but was sacked after only 12 games. He was replaced by former Birmingham manager Steve Bruce. Bruce led the team to finish fourth in the 2017–18 season, but they lost in the 2018 EFL Championship play-off final to Fulham.
After failing to get promoted to the Premier League, the club faced big financial problems. On 20 July 2018, it was announced that the NSWE Group, a group including Egyptian billionaire Nassef Sawiris and American billionaire Wes Edens, would invest in the club. They bought a controlling 55% share, and Sawiris became the club chairman.
In October 2018, Bruce was sacked. He was replaced by Brentford manager and Villa fan Dean Smith. Smith led the team to fifth place and reached the playoffs again, helped by a club-record 10-game winning streak. They won the 2019 EFL Championship play-off final against Derby County 2–1, earning promotion back to the Premier League after three years away.
Before Villa's Premier League return, NSWE bought out Tony Xia's remaining shares. Villa's first season back in the Premier League saw many changes to the squad. The team fought against relegation for most of the season but stayed up on the final day. In Villa's second Premier League season, Smith led them to an 11th-place finish. However, star player and captain Jack Grealish left the club for Manchester City for a British-record £100 million. After a poor start to the 2021–22 season, Dean Smith was dismissed.
Aston Villa appointed former Liverpool and England captain Steven Gerrard as head coach on 11 November 2021. After a poor start to the 2022–23 season, Gerrard was sacked in October 2022. He was replaced by four-time Europa League-winning Spanish manager Unai Emery. Emery led Villa to 7th place and qualification for the Europa Conference League in his first season. In the 2023–24 season, Emery led the club to the Conference League semi-finals and a 4th-place finish in the league. This secured their participation in the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 1982–83.
Colours and Badge
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| Villa's proposed kit of 1886 |
Aston Villa's 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 first team to wear claret and blue. When the club started, their colours were royal blue caps and stockings, royal blue and scarlet striped jerseys, and white shorts. For a few years (1877–79), the team wore different kits, including all white, blue and black, red and blue, or plain green. By 1880, black jerseys with a Scottish Lion Rampant (a standing lion) on the chest were introduced by Villa's Scottish leaders William McGregor and George Ramsay. This remained the main kit for six years. On 8 November 1886, the club decided to use "chocolate and sky blue shirts." The chocolate colour later became claret. Many other football teams, like West Ham United and Burnley, later adopted similar colours.
A new badge was shown in May 2007 for the 2007–08 season. The new badge includes a star to show their European Cup win in 1982. It has a light blue background behind Villa's 'lion rampant'. The traditional motto "Prepared" stayed in the badge, and the name Aston Villa was shortened to AVFC. Randy Lerner asked fans to help design the new badge.
On 6 April 2016, the club confirmed they would use a new badge from the 2016–17 season after asking fan groups for ideas. The lion in the new badge has claws, and the word "Prepared" was removed to make the lion and club initials bigger. In November 2022, after a fan vote, the club announced a new badge for the next season. This new badge was only for kits and training wear, while the older badge would still be used for other things. In May 2024, the club went back to a shield-shaped badge.
Kit Manufacturers and Sponsors
Aston Villa's kits were made by local companies 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 1982–83 season. For the 2008–09 and 2009–10 seasons, Aston Villa chose not to have a commercial sponsor on their shirts. Instead, they advertised the charity Acorns Children's Hospice. This was the first deal of its kind in Premier League history. The partnership continued until 2010, when a commercial sponsor took over, and Acorns became the club's Official Charity Partner. A shirt sleeve sponsor was used for the first time in the 2019–20 season.
Stadium
Aston Villa's current home is Villa Park. Before this, the team played at Aston Park (1874–1876) and Wellington Road (1876–1897). Villa Park is the biggest football stadium in the English Midlands. It is the eighth largest stadium in England. It has hosted 16 England international matches, starting in 1899 and most recently in 2005. This means it was the first English ground to host international football in three different centuries. Villa Park has hosted the most FA Cup semi-finals, with 55 games. In 2022, the club announced plans to rebuild the North Stand and part of the Trinity Road stand, which will increase the stadium's capacity to over 50,000.
The current training ground is at Bodymoor Heath near Kingsbury in north Warwickshire. Former chairman Doug Ellis bought the land in the early 1970s. While Bodymoor Heath was very modern in the 1970s, by the late 1990s, the facilities started to look old. In November 2005, Doug Ellis announced a £13 million redevelopment of Bodymoor. The new training ground was officially opened on 6 May 2007. The Aston Villa squad moved in for the 2007–08 season.
On 6 August 2014, it was announced that Villa Park would appear in the FIFA video game series starting with FIFA 15. All other Premier League stadiums were also fully included in the game from then on.
Ownership
The first shares in the club were issued in the late 1800s. This was done to help manage the growing number of professional teams. Doug Ellis started buying many of the shares in the 1960s. He was chairman from 1968 to 1975 and the main shareholder from 1982 to 2006. The club's shares were listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in 1996.
On 14 August 2006, it was confirmed that Randy Lerner, who owned the National Football League's Cleveland Browns, agreed to buy Aston Villa for £62.6 million. Lerner took full control on 18 September 2006. Ellis was given the honorary title of Chairman Emeritus. Lerner put the club up for sale in May 2014.
On 18 May 2016, Randy Lerner agreed to sell Aston Villa to Recon Group, owned by Chinese businessman Tony Xia. The sale was completed on 14 June 2016 for £76 million. After spending a lot of money and failing to get promoted to the Premier League in the 2017–18 playoffs, the club faced financial difficulties. Xia started talks to sell the club in June 2018.
On 20 July 2018, it was announced that V Sports (then known as NSWE Group) would invest in the club. This group included Egyptian billionaire Nassef Sawiris and American billionaire Wes Edens. They bought a controlling 55% stake in the club, and Sawiris became the club chairman. On 9 August 2019, after Villa's promotion to the Premier League, it was revealed that Xia's remaining shares had been bought out, and he no longer had any stake in the club.
On 15 December 2023, Aston Villa announced that American investment firm Atairos would invest in V Sports, the company that owns the club. This agreement, which gave Atairos about 20% of V Sports, valued Villa at over £500 million. The deal was completed on 12 April 2024.
Social Responsibility
Aston Villa has a special relationship with the Acorns Children's Hospice charity. In a first for the Premier League, Aston Villa gave the front of its kit shirts, usually used for big sponsors, to Acorns Hospice. This helped the charity get more attention and raise more money. Besides the shirt sponsorship, the club has paid for hospice care and regularly arranged player visits to the hospice locations.
In September 2010, Aston Villa started an initiative at Villa Park called Villa Midlands Food (VMF). The club trained students in hospitality and events for two years, working with Birmingham City Council. They opened a restaurant in the Trinity Road Stand with 12 students from nearby areas. Most of the food served was from local sources.
Aston Villa Foundation
In 2016, Aston Villa created a registered charity called the Aston Villa Foundation. The charity's goal is to carry out Aston Villa's social responsibility work. Working with local and national groups, the Foundation runs projects like football in the community, disability support, health and wellbeing programs, education, and community relations.
In May 2021, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge met with members of the Foundation at Aston Villa's Bodymoor Heath Training Ground. This was after the Foundation provided 1000 hot meals a week to local organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. They also allowed a local NHS Trust to use Villa Park's facilities.
Supporters and Rivalries
Aston Villa has many fans from all over the Midlands and beyond, with supporters' clubs worldwide. The club has worked to involve fans in decision-making. Meetings are held where supporters can ask questions to the board. In 2011, the club supported a fan idea for an official song to improve the atmosphere at Villa Park. The song "The Bells Are Ringing" is now played before games.
Aston Villa's biggest rivals are Birmingham City. Games between the two clubs are called the Second City Derby. Historically, West Bromwich Albion has also been a major rival. The two teams played in three FA Cup finals in the late 1800s. Villa also has smaller local rivalries with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Coventry City.
The rivalry with Birmingham City was renewed in 2016–17 when Aston Villa was relegated from the Premier League. West Brom joined them two years later, but Villa won promotion back to the Premier League in 2019.
Statistics
The 2024–25 season is Aston Villa's 111th season in the top league of English football. Only Everton has spent more time in the top league (122 seasons). This makes Aston Villa versus Everton the most-played match in English top-flight football. Aston Villa was relegated from the top league in 2016, after playing in every Premier League season since it started in 1992–93. But they were promoted back in 2018–19. They are ninth in the All-time FA Premier League table and have the fifth highest number of major trophies (20) won by an English club.
Aston Villa holds the record for the most league goals scored by any team in the English top league. They scored 128 goals in the 1930–31 season. Villa forward Archie Hunter was the first player to score in every round of the FA Cup in Villa's winning 1887 campaign. Villa's longest unbeaten home run in the FA Cup lasted 13 years and 19 games, from 1888 to 1901.
Aston Villa is one of only six English teams to have won the European Cup. They won it on 26 May 1982 in Rotterdam, beating Bayern Munich 1–0. As of 2024, Aston Villa has provided the second most players (77) for the England national team since 1882.
Honours
Aston Villa Football Club has won European and domestic league trophies. The club's last English trophy was in 1996 when they won the League Cup. Most recently, they won the 2001 UEFA Intertoto Cup.
Domestic Trophies
- League Titles
- First Division / Premier League (top league)
- Champions (7): 1893–94, 1895–96, 1896–97, 1898–99, 1899–1900, 1909–10, 1980–81
- Second Division / Championship (second league)
- Champions: 1937–38, 1959–60
- Play-off winners: 2019
- First Division / Premier League (top league)
- Cup Titles
- FA Cup
- Winners (7): 1886–87, 1894–95, 1896–97, 1904–05, 1912–13, 1919–20, 1956–57
- Football League Cup / EFL Cup
- Winners (5): 1960–61, 1974–75, 1976–77, 1993–94, 1995–96
- FA Charity Shield
- Winners: 1981
- Sheriff of London Charity Shield
- Winners: 1899, 1901
- FA Cup
European Trophies
- European Cup
- Winners: 1981–82
- European Super Cup
- Winners: 1982
- Intertoto Cup
- Winners: 2001
Players
First-Team Squad
, This is the official first team squad, including young players who have played their first league game.
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Players Out on Loan
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Club Captains
Since the club started in 1874, forty-two players have been captain of Aston Villa. John Devey, who was captain from 1891 to 1898, is their most successful captain. He led Villa to five league titles and two FA Cup wins during the club's 'Golden Age'. Villa's longest-serving captain is George Cummings, who led the team from 1938 to 1949, with a break during World War II. The current captain is Scotland international John McGinn.
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Notable Players
Many players have been notable throughout Aston Villa's history. These players are often recognized in Halls of Fame or by winning special awards. Some players, like Billy Walker, played for only one club their entire career. In 1998, to celebrate 100 seasons of League football, The Football League created a list of "100 legendary football players." Seven players who played for Villa were on this list.
Aston Villa has had several players who were successful on the international stage while playing for the club. Paul McGrath and Steve Staunton (Republic of Ireland), and Olof Mellberg (Sweden) all captained their national teams in World Cups. Emiliano Martínez has played for the Argentina national team while at Aston Villa. He has won the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the 2024 Copa América. He also won the 'Golden Glove' awards at the 2021 and 2024 Copa América and the World Cup.
Three Aston Villa players have won the PFA Players' Player of the Year award: Andy Gray in 1977, David Platt in 1990, and Paul McGrath in 1993. The PFA Young Player of the Year award, for players under 23, has been given to four Villa players: Andy Gray (1977), Gary Shaw (1981), Ashley Young (2009), and James Milner (2010). Ollie Watkins was named in the 2023/24 PFA Team of the Year after scoring 19 goals and making 13 assists.
The National Football Museum in Preston, Lancashire has the English Football Hall of Fame. It includes one Villa team, five Villa players, and one manager. The 1982 European Cup-winning team was added to the Hall of Fame in October 2011. Former Aston Villa players in the Hall of Fame are Clem Stephenson, Danny Blanchflower, Peter Schmeichel, Cyrille Regis, and Paul McGrath. Former manager Joe Mercer is also included.
In 2006, the club created an Aston Villa Hall of Fame. Fans voted for the first members, and 12 former players, managers, and directors were named. Former club captain Stiliyan Petrov was added in May 2013.
Gordon Cowans- Eric Houghton
- Brian Little
- Dennis Mortimer
Stiliyan Petrov- Ron Saunders
- Peter Withe
Paul McGrath
Peter McParland
Charlie Aitken- William McGregor
- George Ramsay
- Billy Walker
Non-Playing Staff
Management Team
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| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | Unai Emery |
| President of Football Operations | Monchi |
| First Team Coaching Staff | |
| Assistant Head Coach | Pako Ayestarán |
| First-Team Coach | Pablo Villanueva |
| Goalkeeping Coach | Francisco Javier Garcia |
| Individual Coach | Rodri |
| Set-Piece Coach | Austin MacPhee |
Notable Managers
The following managers have won at least one trophy while in charge or were very important for Villa in the league.
| Name | Period | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Win% | Honours | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | To | |||||||
| George Ramsay | 1 August 1884 | 31 May 1926 | 1,327 | 658 | 414 | 255 | 49.59 | 6 FA Cups, 6 Division One championships. |
| Jimmy Hogan | 1 November 1936 | 1 September 1939 | 124 | 57 | 26 | 41 | 45.97 | Division Two champions |
| Eric Houghton | 1 September 1953 | 30 November 1958 | 250 | 88 | 65 | 97 | 35.20 | FA Cup winner. |
| Joe Mercer | 1 December 1958 | 31 July 1964 | 282 | 120 | 63 | 99 | 42.55 | Division Two champions, League Cup winner |
| Ron Saunders | 4 June 1974 | 9 February 1982 | 353 | 157 | 98 | 98 | 44.48 | 2 League Cups, Division One champions. |
| Tony Barton | 9 February 1982 | 18 June 1984 | 130 | 58 | 24 | 48 | 44.62 | European Cup, European Super Cup |
| Jozef Vengloš | 22 July 1990 | 28 May 1991 | 49 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 32.65 | First manager not from Britain or Ireland to manage a top-flight club in England. |
| Ron Atkinson | 7 July 1991 | 10 November 1994 | 178 | 77 | 45 | 56 | 43.26 | League Cup winner |
| Brian Little | 25 November 1994 | 24 February 1998 | 164 | 68 | 45 | 51 | 41.46 | League Cup winner. |
| John Gregory | 25 February 1998 | 24 January 2002 | 190 | 82 | 52 | 56 | 43.16 | Intertoto Cup winner |
| Dean Smith | 10 October 2018 | 7 November 2021 | 100 | 43 | 20 | 37 | 43.00 | Championship play-off winner |
Aston Villa Women
Aston Villa has a women's football team that plays in the Women's Super League. They were promoted as champions of the 2019-20 FA Women's Championship. The team started as Solihull F.C. in 1973 and became part of Aston Villa in 1989.
Images for kids
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The Aston Villa team of 1899 that won the First Division and Sheriff of London Charity Shield.
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William McGregor, founder of The Football League.
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Harry Hampton scores one of his two goals in the 1905 FA Cup final.
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Aston Villa captain Dennis Mortimer lifted the European Cup in 1982.
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See also
In Spanish: Aston Villa Football Club para niños
