Aston Villa

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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. 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 by Doug Ellis in 1968 and Villa's first and only relegation to the third tier in 1969–70. Villa returned to the elite under 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. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Villa regularly qualified for European football, but after a period of decline following 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

On July 4, 2019, the club officially adopted the name Aston Villa Women F.C., a move CEO Christian Purslow stated 'aligns more appropriately with women’s football in this country.' That same day, Nicola Ibbetson became Chief Commercial Officer and was elected to the FA WSL and Women's Championship board, making them one of only two Championship clubs represented there. The team's journey home to Villa Park accelerated over time; for the 2022–23 season, they played four of their eleven home matches at the men's stadium. By the 2024–2025 season, the club announced all home League fixtures would be held at Villa Park. Off the pitch, ownership evolved on October 21, 2025, when V Sports sold a 10% stake to Marc Zahr of Blue Owl Capital.

Reader's Guide

Aston 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. 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 (the Second City derby, played since 1879) and a local rivalry with West Bromwich Albion (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 is one of just three clubs to have been a founding member of both the Football League and the Premier League.
• Villa scored 128 goals in 1930–31, which remains the all-time top-flight record.
• George Ramsay was appointed as the world's first professional football manager in 1886.
• William McGregor, a Villa director, founded the world's first Football League in 1888.