ASTON VILLA Birthday

[peter w]

It's likely to have been sometime from September onwards given that it was a bunch of cricketers looking for something to do in the winter. So, it is more likely that it would have been decided upon at the end of a season with the onset of winter, rather than at the beginning of the cricket season. Not giving any credence to 21st November but I don't think it'd be too far off. I could as easily say September 4th 1874 and there would be equally no concrete proof.

[Ron Manager]

They were still involved in cricket matches up to the end of September 1874  so it would have to be in October, early November ,December or early January 1875.
Couldn't be from 15th November to the end of November as there was a big gas explosion and leakage in Villa Road which affected the area and it took some time to sort that one out. That is,of course, if you believe the story about gas lamps and "meeting in conference" to discuss what to do etc etc which I don't by the way. John "Jack" Hughes is down in print as saying "the club was formed in 1875" which may or not be true. We may well find the definitive answer in time, new information will become available  to our club researchers as time moves on.
 

[Louzie0]

There would have to be a meeting of some kind 'in conference', because otherwise, a single man in acacia avenue decided, ' I think I'll form Aston Villa'.

That is far more unlikely than a bunch of lads (under or near a street lamp) forming a team in Oct, Nov or December.

The captain might well have recorded the match when he thought they got serious, a few months later.

I look forward to more findings about the origins of our brilliant and inspirational club.

[dcdavecollett]

More importantly, were they an honest bunch of lads?

[dcdavecollett]

Sorry, lahds.

[cdbearsfan]

I doubt people would be standing under gaslights in November when it's freezing, wouldn't they just go to somebody's house or a local pub?

Sometime around when the cricket season finished seems more likely as all of the players would've been in one place.

They wouldn't have gone to a pub as they were a Methodist group and most lived in lodgings so that was unlikely as well. Most likely they met at a bible classs or similar.

I thought the meeting was under gaslight... ie, outside?

I'm sure one of the Villa books I've got had a chapter called "From Gaslight to Glory".

[peter w]

Well if it was winter I'd be surprised if they thought standing around on a cold street would have been a good idea. Unless the central heating was broken in the British Legion, I guess.

[Louzie0]

Sorry, lahds.

 

A nod to the old Victorian Astonian accent there. Well done!

[dave.woodhall]

I doubt people would be standing under gaslights in November when it's freezing, wouldn't they just go to somebody's house or a local pub?

Sometime around when the cricket season finished seems more likely as all of the players would've been in one place.

They wouldn't have gone to a pub as they were a Methodist group and most lived in lodgings so that was unlikely as well. Most likely they met at a bible classs or similar.

I thought the meeting was under gaslight... ie, outside?

I'm sure one of the Villa books I've got had a chapter called "From Gaslight to Glory".

I wouldn't take much notice of Villa books. They make most of it up.

[Comrade Blitz]

ITS ARE BERTHDAY!!!

[cdbearsfan]

I doubt people would be standing under gaslights in November when it's freezing, wouldn't they just go to somebody's house or a local pub?

Sometime around when the cricket season finished seems more likely as all of the players would've been in one place.

They wouldn't have gone to a pub as they were a Methodist group and most lived in lodgings so that was unlikely as well. Most likely they met at a bible classs or similar.

I thought the meeting was under gaslight... ie, outside?

I'm sure one of the Villa books I've got had a chapter called "From Gaslight to Glory".

I wouldn't take much notice of Villa books. They make most of it up.

Someone seems to have taken notice of them. There are gaslights by the Holte End!

[cdbearsfan]

Overall, I think we should abandon the pretence that November 21st is our birthday. If the evidence was incontrovertible, then so be it. But it is flimsy at best.

I'd rather not celebrate our 150th birthday on the same day we mourn the 50th anniversary of the Birmingham Pub Bombings and I'd rather we didn't share a birthday with Fabian fucking Delph.

[MorrisNielson]

This is the earliest description of our formation that I have (look under the sub heading – The Winning Team, and as a Brucie Bonus - the match report of our first FA Cup win).
No mention of Lampposts!