Aston Villa Football Club
Aston Villa Timeline
1874
Jack Hughes, Frederick Matthews, Walter Price and William Scattergood from the
Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel cricket team meet under a gas-light to form a new
club.
1887
Villa triumph in the FA Cup with a 2-0 victory against West Brom in front of
some 15,000 spectators.
1888
Villa director William McGregor pioneers the formation of the first Football
League by calling the country’s leading clubs together.
1894
First League Championship triumph followed by a second FA Cup triumph.
1895
The FA Cup trophy stolen from a Birmingham shop window where it had been on
display.
1896
Villa are champions for a second time in three years.
1897
Villa move from Perry Barr to Villa Park. The Villans take the league title by
11 points and secure the double by beating three top quality sides to carry off
the FA Cup.
1899
A dramatic league season as Villa beat rivals Liverpool 5-0 on the final day to
again lift the trophy.
1900
Villa retain their league title.
1905
Villa, once again, capture the FA Cup with Harry Hampton scoring two goals
against Newcastle United in front of 101,117.
1910
Villa win their sixth league title.
1911
Villa buy Villa Park.
1913
Villa win the FA Cup for a record-equalling fifth time, beating Sunderland 1-0.
1920
Villa yet again triumph in the FA Cup, beating favourites Huddersfield in the
final.
1931
Tom ‘Pongo’ Waring scores an amazing 49 league goals as Villa finish runners-up
to Arsenal in the league.
1957
Eric Houghton’s Villa triumph in the FA Cup of 1957, beating Manchester United
2-1 in the final.
1961
Villa win the newly created League Cup, beating Rotherham United over two legs.
1975
Villa win the League Cup with a 1-0 win over Norwich, Ray Graydon scoring the
winning goal from a penalty rebound.
1977
Villa beat Everton 3-2 at Old Trafford to win the League Cup yet again after 2
replays.
The first match at Wembley finishes goalless, followed by a 1-1 draw at
Hillsborough.
1981
Villa win the League Championship under the stewardship of Ron Saunders.
1982
Tony Barton guides Villa into their first European Cup final. Peter Withe scores
the winning goal against Bayern Munich in the final.
1982
Doug Ellis returns to Villa Park as chairman.
1988
The claret and blue troops hold out for a point on the last day of the season to
go back up to Division One.
1994
Villa win another League Cup, with Ron Atkinson’s men running out 3-1 winners
over Manchester United.
1996
Brian Little leads Villa to another League Cup final victory over Leeds United,
winning 3-0.
2000
Villa reach the FA Cup final at Wembley but go down 1-0 to Chelsea.
2006
Martin O’Neill arrives at Villa Park on the day he is appointed as the new
manager. Soon after, the club changes hands with Randy Lerner taking the reins
from Doug Ellis.
2008
Villa enjoy a fantastic second term under O'Neill. Attendances soar to a 58-year
high and the team are good value for a top six finish, beating Ajax in a
showpiece clash at Villa Park in the UEFA Cup.
2009
Villa again finish sixth and compete in the UEFA Cup. Ashley Young is named PFA
Young Player of the Year while on the downside, Martin Laursen is forced to
retire because of a knee injury.
2010
Villa enjoy another campaign to remember, finishing sixth once again and beating
Liverpool at Anfield, Manchester United at Old Trafford and Chelsea at Villa
Park in the process.
The team also reach the Carling Cup final and FA Cup semi-final.
Former Liverpool and Lyon boss Gerard Houllier is appointed manager of Villa in
September. Houllier brings a wealth of experience in the top-flight and won five
trophies while at Anfield.
2011
Villa sign Darren Bent in a record-breaking transfer deal, the striker joining
in the January transfer window from Sunderland.
Gerard Houllier leaves Villa by mutual consent, after a period of ill-health
ends his season as manager early.
Former Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is installed as manager of Villa, as he
makes the switch across the city. The former Rangers and Scotland gaffer signs a
three-year deal at Villa Park.