The oldest existing club in the world's oldest league.

[ADVILLAFAN]

I was amazed when it kicked off between West Ham and Millwall

[sendô WHU]

So were the plod.

[Legion]

I was amazed when it kicked off between West Ham and Millwall

Blame the referee for blowing his whistle.

[Dave Cooper please]

Reading were only an amateur side then as were all I guess. But the Southern lot didn't join the ranks of the professional leagues until something like 1902.

That doesn't make them any less of a football club, not that you were getting at that of course.

[Archie]

Even if we can't claim to be the oldest club, I'm still proud to be a Villan, a fan of a club that was established in 1874 and that since then has always (or almost) been in the aristocracy of English football.

[cdbearsfan]

Next season is our 100th in the top flight. Only Everton have more.

[Meanwood Villa]

Perhaps Fifa subscribe to the revisionist Murdoch view of the Premier League as the only proper league in England these days so have discounted the likes of Notts County, Forest etc. As for Stoke, they haven't been continuous members of the league (and I mean the original, established 1888 one as well as the Prem) so maybe that's counted against them. Or Fifa have just cobbled together some tosh and thought no-one would notice!

[cdward]

I still love the fact that our 1874 beats their 1875.

[cdbearsfan]

Unless we were founded in 1875 too.

[PeterWithesShin]

Aston Villa
Ancient Villans who ruled Europe

City: Birmingham
Founded: March 1884

Whoops.

[dave.woodhall]

Unless we were founded in 1875 too.

Which was when we had our first game.

[Legion]

Wasn't it in 1874 v Aston Brook St. Mary's?