1891–92 Aston Villa F.C. season

Aston Villa
1891–92 season
ManagerGeorge Ramsay
GroundWellington Road
Football League4th
FA CupRunners-up (1)
The Football League
Season1891–92
ChampionsSunderland
(1st English title)
RelegatedDarwen
New Club in LeagueDarwen,
Stoke
FA Cup winnersWest Bromwich Albion
(2nd FA Cup title)
Matches182
Goals777 (4.27 per match)
Top goalscorerJohn Campbell (Sunderland), 32 [1]
Biggest home winWest Bromwich AlbionDarwen 12–0 (4 April 1892)
Biggest away winDarwenSunderland 1–7 (23 April 1892)
Highest scoringAston VillaAccrington 12–2 (12 March 1892)
Average attendance6,193


The 1890–91 English football season was Aston Villa's fourth season in the Football League. Aston Villa (Villa) made a strong start to the season, winning their first four games and scoring sixteen goals. They eventually finished fourth in The Football League and set a club record for goals scored in a league match while defeating Accrington 12-2. Aston Villa did not draw a single match during the season.

It was the FA Cup, however, which retained the most excitement for supporters. Villa defeated Heanor Town F.C., Darwen, local rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. and Sunderland to reach their second FA Cup final, which was played at The Oval at that time. Villa were matched against their Warwickshire rivals West Bromwich Albion F.C., as they were in 1887 FA Cup Final, where Aston Villa won 2-0. Villa were viewed as strong favourites in 1892, as they had already beaten Albion home and away in the league; in the end, they were defeated 3-0.

After the match, rumours circulated that goalkeeper Jimmy Warner had thrown the match. He would be transferred to Newton Heath F.C. following the controversy, which included accusations that he had thrown the match to resolve gambling debts.[2]

The campaign was part of a relatively dominant period in Aston Villa's history: footballers such as James Cowan, Charlie Athersmith and John Devey are noted for their contributions during this season and the following years. In addition the eventual captain Jack Devey debuted this year.[3]

First Division

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts
2 Preston North End 26 18 1 7 61 31 1.968 37
3 Bolton Wanderers 26 17 2 7 51 37 1.378 36
4 Aston Villa 26 15 0 11 89 56 1.589 30
5 Everton 26 12 4 10 49 49 1.000 28
6 Wolverhampton Wanderers 26 11 4 11 59 46 1.283 26
Source: [citation needed]

Matches

Date Opponent Venue Result Notes Scorers
5 Sep 1891 Blackburn Rovers Wellington Road 5–1 Percy Hislop; Jack Devey; Billy Dickson; Charlie Athersmith [4]
12 Sep 1891 West Bromwich Albion Wellington Road 5–1 Charlie Athersmith; Jack Devey; Percy Hislop; Billy Dickson [5]
19 Sep 1891 Preston North End Deepdale 1–0 Percy Hislop [6]
28 Sep 1891 Sunderland Wellington Road 5–3 James Brown; Dennis Hodgetts; Billy Dickson; Jack Devey; Charlie Athersmith [7]
3 Oct 1891 Derby County Racecourse Ground 2–4 Billy Dickson (2) [8]
10 Oct 1891 Bolton Wanderers Wellington Road 1–2 Percy Hislop [9]
17 Oct 1891 Burnley Turf Moor 1–4 Billy Dickson [10]
24 Oct 1891 Stoke Victoria Ground 3–2 Lewis Campbell; Jack Devey; Billy Dickson [11]
31 Oct 1891 Darwen Barley Bank 5–1 Lewis Campbell (2); Charlie Hare (2); Jack Devey [12]
7 Nov 1891 Notts County Wellington Road 5–1 Jack Devey; Dennis Hodgetts; Lewis Campbell; Charlie Hare; Charlie Athersmith [13]
14 Nov 1891 West Bromwich Albion Stoney Lane 3–0 Jack Devey; Lewis Campbell; Charlie Hare [14]
21 Nov 1891 Stoke Wellington Road 2–1 Lewis Campbell; Charlie Athersmith [15]
28 Nov 1891 Everton Anfield 1–5 Dennis Hodgetts [16]
5 Dec 1891 Burnley Wellington Road 6–1 Jack Devey; Billy Dickson; James Brown [17]
19 Dec 1891 Wolves Molineux 0–2 [18]
26 Dec 1891 Darwen Wellington Road 7–0 Dennis Hodgetts; Lewis Campbell; Charlie Athersmith; Jack Devey [19]
28 Dec 1891 Everton Wellington Road 3–4 Jack Devey; Dennis Hodgetts [20]
2 Jan 1892 Notts County Trent Bridge 2–5 Charlie Athersmith; Jack Devey [21]
4 Jan 1892 Accrington Thorneyholme Road 2–3 Charlie Athersmith; Jack Devey [22]
9 Jan 1892 Derby County Wellington Road 6–0 Jack Devey; Billy Dickson; Dennis Hodgetts; Lewis Campbell; Charlie Athersmith [23]
5 Mar 1892 Blackburn Rovers Ewood Park 3–4 Lewis Campbell; Billy Dickson [24]
12 Mar 1892 Accrington Wellington Road 12–2 Dennis Hodgetts; Jack Devey (5); Billy Dickson (3); Lewis Campbell (3) [25]
26 Mar 1892 Sunderland Newcastle Road 1–2 Jack Devey [26]
2 Apr 1892 Bolton Wanderers Pike's Lane 2–1 Jack Devey; Billy Dickson [27]
16 Apr 1892 Preston North End Wellington Road 3–1 Billy Dickson (2); Jack Devey [28]
18 Apr 1892 Wolves Wellington Road 3–6 Dennis Hodgetts; Billy Dickson; Jack Devey [29]

Source: avfchistory.co.uk

FA Cup

1892 FA Cup Final
Illustration of the match by Stephen Dadd
Event1891–92 FA Cup
Date19 March 1892
VenueKennington Oval, London
RefereeCharles Clegg
Attendance32,710
WeatherWarm, Sunny and cloudless
Round Date Opponent Venue Result Score
1st Round 16 January Heanor Town H W 4-1
2nd Round 30 Jan Darwen H W 2-0
3rd Round 13 February Wolves A W 3-1
Semi-Final Sunderland at Sheffield W 4-1
Final 19 March West Brom The Oval L 0–3

See also

References