Aston Villa

Lore & Background

Aston Villa has been a leading English club since the 1880s, when it was a pioneer of the modern passing game. This short, slick combination passing style was introduced by Scotsman George Ramsay, who was appointed as the world's first professional football manager in 1886. The club was influential in the sport's move to professionalism in 1885, and it was a Villa director, William McGregor, who founded the world's first Football League in 1888. George Ramsay's trophy haul of six League Championships and six FA Cups established Aston Villa as the most successful club in England, a position it held from the 1890s until the 1970s. Villa scored 128 goals in 1930–31, which remains the all-time top-flight record, however the club began its first decline in the mid-1930s; the 1940s and 1950s were generally a period of mediocrity followed by a steep decline in the 1960s which culminated in a takeover of the club by Doug Ellis in 1968 and Villa's first and only relegation to the third tier of English football in 1969–70. Villa returned to the elite from the mid-1970s under manager Ron Saunders, who led the club to a seventh top-flight league title in 1980–81. They became only the fourth English club to win the European Cup, in 1981–82, followed by the European Super Cup in 1982. Aston Villa were a founding member of the Premier League in 1992, one of just three clubs to have been a founding member of both the Football League and the Premier League. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Villa regularly qualified for European football, but following a period of decline after the departure of Martin O'Neill the club suffered its only relegation from the Premier League in 2015–16. After three seasons in the EFL Championship and two ownership changes, the club returned to the Premier League in 2019. Under Unai Emery, the club qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 1982–83 and won the Europa League in 2025–26.

In Their Own Story

The narrative of the 2006–07 campaign was defined by two distinct halves separated by a dramatic shift in fortune. The first half saw Villa riding high as the last unbeaten team in the Premier League, with fans dreaming of European nights after victories over Arsenal and Chelsea. That dream seemed alive until a 3–1 defeat at Liverpool ended the nine-game unbeaten run. The mood darkened during a grim mid-season stretch where eleven games passed without a victory, plunging the club into 14th place and shattering early ambitions. Yet, the story did not end in despair. A determined recovery followed, with the side losing just three of their last fifteen games. This late surge stabilized their position, finishing the season comfortably in 11th, while new faces like Ashley Young (210), Stiliyan Petrov (185), and John Carew (113) made their debuts to build for the future.

Reader's Guide

During their history, Villa has spent 112 seasons in the top-flight, the second highest of any club, and provided 78 England internationals, also the second highest of any club. Aston Villa is ranked fifth in the all-time English top flight table since its creation in 1888, and is the seventh most successful club in English football by competitive honours. Villa have a fierce local rivalry with Birmingham City and the Second City derby between the teams has been played since 1879. There is also a local rivalry with West Bromwich Albion, with matches between the sides known as the West Midlands derby. The club's traditional kit colours are claret shirts with sky blue sleeves, white shorts and sky blue socks. Their traditional club badge is of a rampant lion. The club is currently owned by V Sports, a company owned by the Egyptian billionaire Nassef Sawiris, the American billionaire Wes Edens, and American investment company Atairos.

Did You Know?

• Aston Villa were formed on 21 November 1874 by members of the Aston Villa Wesleyan Chapel in Handsworth.
• George Ramsay was appointed as the world's first professional football manager in 1886.
• Villa scored 128 goals in 1930–31, which remains the all-time top-flight record.
• Aston Villa became only the fourth English club to win the European Cup, in 1981–82.
• The club won the Europa League in 2025–26 under Unai Emery.