1877–78 Aston Villa F.C. season

Early history of Aston Villa F.C. Aston Villa records and statistics Aston Villa 1877–78 Secretary C. H. Midgley 1876–77 1878–79 The 1877–78 English football season was Aston Villa's fourth season, eleven years before the creation of the Football League. Originally team captains would consult each other in order to resolve any dispute on the pitch. This role was now delegated to an umpire. Each team would bring their own partisan umpire allowing the team captains to concentrate on the game. Aston Villa Football Club played in scarlet and royal blue hooped shirts, white shorts and royal blue caps and stockings.Aston Villa's first milestone, John Hughes, Sunday Mercury & Sunday News 30 March 1924 The club rules stated "No member can take place in a match unless in the above uniform".A Football Jubilee, John Hughes, Sunday Mercury & Sunday News 9 March 1924 Birmingham Senior Cup 1877–78 Birmingham Senior Cup November 1877 St George's 0–2 Aston Villa W Carr Steve History of the Birmingham Senior Cup, Part 1 2000 Grorty Dick December 1877 Saltley College 4–1 Aston Villa L Saltley College Football Club captain William Thompson, introduced a passing game to the side in place of the dribbling game hitherto played,The schoolmaster in sport Birmingham Mail 16 December 1903 5 helping the Collegians to the semi-finals of the competition in its first three seasons, beating Villa in 1877–78 en route to losing to Wednesbury Strollers in front of a crowd of 2,000 at Villa's Wellington Road ground.Football Birmingham Daily Post 18 March 1878 6 Friendlies 19 January 1878 Aston Villa West Bromwich Wellington Road Perry Barr Football, Birmingham Evening Mail, 18 January 1878, p1 22 April 1878 Aston Villa 4–0 Heeley Football Club G.B. Ramsay Davis Johnson Mason Wellington Road Perry Barr W Easter Monday Grand Football Match, Birmingham Daily Post, 20 April 1878, p4 Heeley were generally considered favourites by reason of their pedigree but they met a team with technical superiority and pace. Goalkeeper: Squires; Backs: Taylor, Weiss; Half-backs Johnson, Lea, Evans; Forwards: G.B. Ramsay (captain), Mason, Lawson, Laws, O'Connor, Davis Sheffield and Rotherham Independent, 23 April 1878, p3 25 May 1878 Brownhills Club 1–2 Aston Villa Brownhills W G.B. Ramsay (captain), Squires, Weiss, Lee, Knight, Taylor, Cartwright, Such, Seams, Steer, MasonFootball Walsall Observer, 1 June 1878, p3 Athletics The club hosted sports athletic events at their new Wellington Road ground. Here, in particular, Charlie Johnstone, Tommy Pank and Howard Vaughton excelled.The Story of Aston Villa - No 6 Birmingham Evening Mail 4 October 1946 5 Norman EdwardsIn June 1877 the club held its annnual Athletic event, with nine open events and three for members."The Annual Athletic Sports of the Aston Villa Football Club", Birmingham Evening Mail, 5 June 1878, p1 In 1877, after a dispute over a three-mile run, a number of Birmingham Excelsior Football Club members - including Excelsior player/secretary Thomas Pank - would soon join Aston Villa. At the Dudley F.C.C annual athletic sports Walter Price representing Aston Villa Cricket Club, placed second in throwing a cricket ball. A Villa member was disqualified from one mile walking handicap at the Walsall Cricket and Football Club Athletic fete. Walsall Athletic Fete Birmingham Daily Post, 10 June 1878, p5 Tommy Pank, representing Aston Villa, placed second in his heat of the 220-yards-handicap at the amateur athletics meeting hosted by Handsworth Cricket Club.Handsworth Athletic Sports, Birmingham Daily Post, 17 June 1878, p5 References Category:Aston Villa F.C. seasons Category:1877–78 in English football