1875: The first recorded Villa games

[MorrisNielson]

A post for those who are interested in our history.
I’ve just put together some newspaper clippings for the first known reports relating to our club.

Looks like we failed to turn up against Aston Park Unity on the 02/01/1875. We then played them the following Saturday and then on the 30/01/1875.

[Dr Butler]

great to see that in 1875 that we were known as "the Villa"

thanks for posting

UTV
The Doc

[Legion]

Ace!

[Ron Manager]

W.Weiss at full back known as Billy was born in Germany.Apparently he was a good singer
in the pub after these early games.

[pauliewalnuts]

Villa "not turning up" a concept we've seen plenty of these last few years, sadly.

[Ron Manager]

A post for those who are interested in our history.
I’ve just put together some newspaper clippings for the first known reports relating to our club.

Looks like we failed to turn up against Aston Park Unity on the 02/01/1875. We then played them the following Saturday and then on the 30/01/1875.

Well done Morris. The second report is quite possibly the first ever report of a Villa match. Nobody yet has found a report of the accepted first match against Aston Brook St Marys in either March 1874, or October !874 as John Lerwill reckons it could be. Like the Loch Ness monster I don't think it exists but I hadn't heard of The Birmingham Morning News before so maybe they sent someone along as it may have had local interest.

[Godfrey Brian]

I like the idea of Robbins snr and jnr playing in the same team. Father and son presumably.

[itbrvilla]

Villa memories!?!?! I'd donate £1M to H&V if someone on here remembers 1875.   

Disclsimer: In the highly unlikely event someone remembers that I was joking about the £1m.

[Andy_Lochhead_in_the_air]

Villa memories!?!?! I'd donate £1M to H&V if someone on here remembers 1875.   

Disclsimer: In the highly unlikely event someone remembers that I was joking about the £1m.

We went to Wembley for the 1971 Final with an old boy who had been to the 1905 Final. There's a chance he went to a game with someone who was there in 1875.

[dave.woodhall]

A post for those who are interested in our history.
I’ve just put together some newspaper clippings for the first known reports relating to our club.

Looks like we failed to turn up against Aston Park Unity on the 02/01/1875. We then played them the following Saturday and then on the 30/01/1875.

Well done Morris. The second report is quite possibly the first ever report of a Villa match. Nobody yet has found a report of the accepted first match against Aston Brook St Marys in either March 1874, or October !874 as John Lerwill reckons it could be. Like the Loch Ness monster I don't think it exists but I hadn't heard of The Birmingham Morning News before so maybe they sent someone along as it may have had local interest.

Now thereby hangs a tale. The Birmingham Morning News of 16th November 1875 reported on a match that had taken place two days earlier between Aston Villa and Aston Brook St Mary's at Heathfield Rd - mention of this was in issue 10 of Soccer History magazine, winter 2004. Villa won 1-0, the goal being scored by Jack Hughes with a ball that had been hired for the occasion, and it stretches credulity to think that the same teams could play each other twice, particuarly at twelve months interval, with exactly the same outcome so the Aston Brook game can safely be said to have taken place then. The library archives don't have a copy of the BMN for that day so one may no longer exist.

The Aston Unity club (an offshoot of the cricket club of the same name, which still exists) regarded the games in January 1875 as full fixtures, while the Villa were said to be a scratch side drawn from members of the cricket club. The club's early history was, I believe, almost exclusively  catalogued by Hughes so if they/he says the Aston Brook game was the first, who are mere mortals to argue? 

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

Amazing stuff!
I am reading Archie Hunter's "Triumphs of the Football Field" at the moment and this is wonderful extra stuff.
Keep it coming...although a bit later, you cannot believe how much I regret not badgering my aunts and uncles when I had the chance - age 10/11/12 etc but was a shy young lad...
A few cousins of my own era are brilliant, but I definitely missed an opportunity or two!
If only....

[itbrvilla]

It also refers to is as the Aston Villa. So the Wembley banner guus ist be correct.

[Ron Manager]

For those of you interested in our history.  When we first moved into our present ground in March !897 it was known as Aston Lower Grounds. Today I have found an article in the Lancashire Evening Post dated 18th Sept !897 which states "Aston Lower Grounds the Villa's new home,has been rechristened and will be known in future as Villa Park- a very appropriate name".  That didn't take long then! I bet Joe Dunkley wanted it called Wellington Rd Perry Barr!

[dave.woodhall]

For those of you interested in our history.  When we first moved into our present ground in March !897 it was known as Aston Lower Grounds. Today I have found an article in the Lancashire Evening Post dated 18th Sept 1897 which states "Aston Lower Grounds the Villa's new home,has been rechristened and will be known in future as Villa Park- a very appropriate name".  That didn't take long then! I bet Joe Dunkley wanted it called Wellington Rd Perry Barr!

That's interesting. Even Simon Inglis in the Villa Park centenary says there was no offical re-naming date so that's a big find.

[Ron Manager]

For those of you interested in our history.  When we first moved into our present ground in March !897 it was known as Aston Lower Grounds. Today I have found an article in the Lancashire Evening Post dated 18th Sept 1897 which states "Aston Lower Grounds the Villa's new home,has been rechristened and will be known in future as Villa Park- a very appropriate name".  That didn't take long then! I bet Joe Dunkley wanted it called Wellington Rd Perry Barr!

That's interesting. Even Simon Inglis in the Villa Park centenary says there was no offical re-naming date so that's a big find.

Their hack must have got this information direct from the club Dave.