Aston Villa F.C. in the 1870s

Aston Villa Football Club was formed in 1874, by members of the Villa Wesleyan Cross Chapel. These were players of cricket in search of a winter pastime. The first meeting to discuss the new team was held on the fringes of Birchfield and Lozells, not far from where Villa Park now stands on Trinity Road, Aston, Birmingham.

After appointing Walter H. Price as first-ever captain, the newly formed 'Aston Villa Football Club' set about the task of trying to find suitable opponents. This was difficult, as rugby was more popular in Birmingham at the time. Some football clubs, such as Calthorpe F.C. were considered too strong.

Finally, in March 1875, Aston Villa was set for its first match. It was against Aston Brook St Mary's rugby team, with one half to be played under rugby and one half under the 'Sheffield Rules' laws of association football. Actually, this sort of arrangement was not too unusual in those days, with both games' laws being in their infancy. Villa managed to hold their opponents to a try-less draw at half-time, before triumphing one-nil after the second, football-rules, half. Scorer of Villa's first-ever goal was Jack Hughes.

Villa failed to find another fixture that season, but had more success the following year. Some of the clubs they played included Aston Unity (who Villa continued to play every year at cricket into the 1960s) and St. George's Excelsior. Most home matches were played in Aston Park, across the road from present-day Villa Park, and in the shadow of Aston Hall. Other games were played in Aston Lower Grounds, where Villa Park now lies. Villa were did not have exclusivity in this area, with other sports regularly played there. Indeed, W G Grace played cricket there, as the touring Australians defeated England in under four hours.

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