Aston Villa club history

[Pedrocut]

An old picture taken at a reserve game, unknown date.

I remember being at reserve game around that time, when they used to put the away score on the scoreboard every 15 mins. 16 March 1966 Villa were away to Spurs and were kept waiting after the final whistle for the result. 5-5.
Tony Hately, that great header of the ball, scoring 4 goals.

 

[John L]

An old picture taken at a reserve game, unknown date.

I remember being at reserve game around that time, when they used to put the away score on the scoreboard every 15 mins. 16 March 1966 Villa were away to Spurs and were kept waiting after the final whistle for the result. 5-5.
Tony Hately, that great header of the ball, scoring 4 goals.


View attachment 227757

Looks like late 60s to me. That Witton Lane Stand was built for the World Cup. That's the stand that was opened for the reserve matches and I went to more than a few back then too. What a game that was at White Hart Lane, we were 5-1 down just after half time, what a recovery. Goal scorers that day were Gilzean (2 minutes), Greaves (12), Saul (14), Hateley (17), Brown (38), Robertson (52), Deakin (54), Hateley (58) (59) & (79). The programme from the game and a photo taken on the day below:

 

[peterdeeley]

can anyone tell me anything about the 'Wilson' of Wilson Rd 'Birchfields' who let Aston Villa use his land for their first ever game (1874or5) as told by Jack Hughes in his article of March 1924. Many thanks for your help if possible.

 

[Astoness]

i have moved this thread from forum rules to place related enquires also edited the thread title..you probably know this but there is a map somewhere on the forum showing the original aston villa ground

lyn

 

[Vivienne14]

The, what became, Wilson Road land was Wilson's building plots - presumably for the houses which were eventually built as Wilson Road. So he must have been a builder.

 

[Astoness]

and here is the map showing the ground with wellington road running along there is a wilson road but its quite a distance from where the old football ground was..its off heathfield road..link below

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

www.google.com

lyn

 

[Vivienne14]

I removed my post with that map Lyn as that was the later and first official ground on Wilmore Road. Wilson Road (or what became it) was an earlier location. See post #3. I suppose the Wilson's site wasn't a formal, recognised ground and, therefore, was an unofficial ground.

 

[MWS]

Wikipedia referencing the aforementioned John/Jack Hughes gives his name as James Wilson. And there is a James Wilson living in Handsworth who was a builder. 1881 census lists him as a builder employing 50 men living at Soho House, Park Avenue, so of some means.

 

[Vivienne14]

So he lived at Mathew Boulton's house !

 

[MWS]

When he (James Wilson) died in 1891 he left £11000!

 

[Vivienne14]

I think only one match was played on Wilson's site - 16 March 1875 (well looking at the Wiki info).

 

[MWS]

Not really relevant but interesting , one of James' sons had the wonderful first name Studholme - his mother's maiden name.

 

[Vivienne14]

Wondering if James Wilson was a member of the Aston Villa Wesleyan Chapel ?

 

[MWS]

Wondering if James Wilson was a member of the Aston Villa Wesleyan Chapel ?

Most of his children were baptised at St George's and Studholme was a c of e rector so it would seem unlikely.

 

[MWS]

More info that's not very relevant. James Wilson's mother was also a Studholme and his wife was his cousin. Mother and wife were both called Barbara.

 

[Vivienne14]

All adds to the picture of the family. Thanks.

 

[peterdeeley]

i have moved this thread from forum rules to place related enquires also edited the thread title..you probably know this but there is a map somewhere on the forum showing the original aston villa ground

lyn

Thank you. I'm new to all this so haven't seen the 'original AV ground. Is it possible to put it back so I could see it. peter

 

[Vivienne14]

This is how I see it. Anyone, please feel free to correct me.

For the match in 1875, we've seen no documentation of Wilson's land (as far as I'm aware). This would have been an unofficial, piece of open ground, earmarked for building housing upon.

By 1876, they obtained a private 'official' ground in Wellington Road/Willmore Road (ie AV's first and official ground), which is that shown on the map in post #4. I think the ground would have been within the area of the red dots marked on today's Streetview below. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Then a new stadium was created on Aston Lower Grounds (anyone know the date ? It was there in the 1920s, probably well before that). See map and photo below.

 

[Astoness]

Thank you. I'm new to all this so haven't seen the 'original AV ground. Is it possible to put it back so I could see it. peter

you must have missed my post peter i posted the map on post 4..when you come back to a thread its always best to start reading it from the last post you made that way you do not miss any info

lyn

 

[Vivienne14]

A bit more history.


Willmore Road Wellington Road site
By 1902 this site had been developed and built over the first official AV ground.

Aston Lower Grounds/Aston (Villa FC) Park stadium
Became home ground in 1897 after Villa committee negotiated rental with owners Flower & Sons for £300 per annum on a 21-year lease, with option to buy during the term. (The football pitch was formerly the Dovehouse Pool, drained in 1889, replaced with cycle track and sports ground. Cycle track still existed encircling the pitch in 1913).

 

[John L]

Villa's formation followed four members of the Wesleyan Chapel cricket team meeting under a gaslight in Heathfield Road, Birchfield, early in 1874. The meeting was between Jack Hughes, Frederick Matthews, Walter Price and William Scattergood, who were cricketers, who wanted to keep their Villa Cross team together during the winter. All four played in Villa's first match in January 1875. Wikki refers to Villa's second match as having been in March 1875 (although this is also reported as being our first competitive game), against member's friends and cricket opponents and having been played at Aston, St Mary's. James Wilson having allowed the game to be played at his building plots on Wilson Road, Birchfield.

Wikki link below:

History of Aston Villa F.C. (1874–1961) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Harry Watton]

Villa's formation followed four members of the Wesleyan Chapel cricket team meeting under a gaslight in Heathfield Road, Birchfield, early in 1874. The meeting was between Jack Hughes, Frederick Matthews, Walter Price and William Scattergood, who were cricketers, who wanted to keep their Villa Cross team together during the winter. All four played in Villa's first match in January 1875. Wikki refers to Villa's second match as having been in March 1875 (although this is also reported as being our first competitive game), against member's friends and cricket opponents and having been played at Aston, St Mary's. James Wilson having allowed the game to be played at his building plots on Wilson Road, Birchfield.

Wikki link below:

History of Aston Villa F.C. (1874–1961) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Just to say that the 9 January 1875 14-a-side match against Aston Park Unity was played at Aston Park (according to the Birmingham Morning
News report referenced in Wikipedia). The cricketing Durban brothers, Charlie and Sam (CR Durban is later a long-serving captain of Aston
Unity CC), are both in the Aston Park Unity side.

 

[Vivienne14]

Did they only play the once on Wilson's site ? When did Aston Park Unity FC change their name to AVFC ?

 

[John L]

Did they only play the once on Wilson's site ? When did Aston Park Unity FC change their name to AVFC ?

I believe so. Aston Park Unity was a separate club that was dissolved 1n 1908. (see Wikki link below):

Aston Unity F.C. - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Vivienne14]

So, if I've understood this, they were frequently playing at Aston Park and moved from there when they got their purpose-built ground at Willmore Road/Wellington Road.

I wonder if the one-off game played at the Wilson (Road) site was a last-minute/stop gap as they couldn't host the game at Aston Park ?

Did the Aston Unity Cricket Club continue ? It sounds quite groundbreaking in sporting history that a cricket club would move to football in winter. Did other clubs do this I wonder. It does make sense, especially in terms of maintaining fitness and in the interests of temperance at the time.

 

[Vivienne14]

I shall be moving this thread to the Aston Villa History thread.

Edit - posts #273 - #295 now moved to this thread

 

[John L]

So, if I've understood this, they were frequently playing at Aston Park and moved from there when they got their purpose-built ground at Willmore Road/Wellington Road.

I wonder if the one-off game played at the Wilson (Road) site was a last-minute/stop gap as they couldn't host the game at Aston Park ?

Did the Aston Unity Cricket Club continue ? It sounds quite groundbreaking in sporting history that a cricket club would move to football in winter. Did other clubs do this I wonder. It does make sense, especially in terms of maintaining fitness and in the interests of temperance at the time.

Aston Unity CC are still up and running.