1896–97 Aston Villa F.C. season

English football club season Early history of Aston Villa F.C. Aston Villa records and statistics December 2014 May 2026 Aston Villa 1896–97 President Joseph Ansell George Ramsay Grounds Wellington Road First Division Champions (3) FA Cup Winners Fred Wheldon (18) Fred Wheldon (22) 1895–96 1897–98 First Division 1896–97 Aston Villa3rd English title Burnley Steve Bloomer(22 goals)https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/engtops.html English League Leading Goalscorers RSSSF 2010-10-31 Derby County 8–1 West Brom(25 December 1896)Sheffield United 7–0 Blackburn(9 January 1897) Blackburn 1–5 Aston Villa(28 November 1896) Derby County 7–2 Bury(26 September 1896)Derby County 8–1 West Brom(25 December 1896)Everton 6–3 West Brom(17 April 1897) 6 matchesEverton 12 matchesAston Villa 6 matchesEverton 40,000Everton 2–1 Liverpool(3 October 1896) 1,000Nottingham Forest 4–1 Burnley(24 October 1896)Sheffield United 7–0 Blackburn(9 January 1897) 7,734 1895–96 1897–98 thumb|left|The Aston Villa team of 1897 that won The Double The 1896-97 English football season was Aston Villa's 9th season in the Football League. Villa were champions for the third time matching Sunderland's three wins. For good measure, the FA Cup was also won, to make Villa the second team to complete "The Double" after Preston North End in 1888–89. It was the year of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee and the Council had organised celebrations for 22 June 1897. The programme headlined "The Villa with the Cup". To the acclamation of the crowd, the players sat on two long benches, facing each self-consciously, as a horse-drawn wagonette proceeded through Aston with the FA Cup in the centre.Villa Photo Awakens Memories Birmingham Evening Mail 2 May 1957 12 Maud Homer, Moseley This was the season during which Villa moved from Wellington Road to their current home at Villa Park. With growing crowds, it became increasingly apparent that the existing ground was inadequate. Vice-President, Charlie Johnstone's invaluable foresight was pivotal in the acquisition of Villa Park.Mangan J.A. Hickey C. December 2008 Early action: founding and furthering clubs https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14660970802181327 Soccer & Society 9 5 Taylor & Francis 632–653 10.1080/14660970802181327 6 February 2026 subscription The land at the Wellington Road ground had initially been sub-let to the club for £5.00 a year but, as Villa became more successful, the rent kept rising and rising and the landlord would not grant a sufficiently long lease to justify the massive expenditure need to improve the facilities to match the club's ambition. Johnsone acquired an option at the Lower Grounds in Aston long before his other directors were persuaded of its merits. Together with Chairman Fred Rinder they secured the deal to enable the move Villa's new home ground.https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/charlie-johnstone Charlie Johnstone Aston Villa Midfielder AVFC History It was still referred to as 'Aston Lower Grounds' for some time. The Ever-presents were Charlie Athersmith, Jimmy Cowan, and Fred Wheldon. Villa first reached the top on 28 Nov and used 17 players through out.John Campbell was not quite as productive as in the previous season, and the leading scorer honours went to Fred Wheldon. Fred had been signed in 1896 for £350 from local rivals Small Heath, who had been relegated the previous season. Tony Matthews Birmingham City: A Complete Record 1995 Breedon Books 1-85983-010-2 133 He was a good dribbler with the ball and won four caps for England. He played first class cricket for Worcestershire. There were debuts for Fred Wheldon (123),https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/fred-wheldon Jimmy Whitehousehttps://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/jimmy-whitehouse and Albert Evans.https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/albert-evanshttps://www.avfchistory.co.uk/villa-seasons Aston Villa's Seasons AVFC History League 1896–97 Football League thumb|right|150px|Fred Wheldon, Club top scorer, pictured in 1897 First Division AVL A total of 16 teams competed in the 1896–97 Football League. Each team would play every other team twice, once at their stadium, and once at the opposition's. Two points were awarded to teams for each win, one point per draw, and none for defeats. The season got off to a slow start, with Villa recording only two wins in the first six games. An unbeaten run of 12 games took them to the top, where they finished with a lead of 11 points. The title was won when Derby County F.C. failed to win on 10 April; Villa had three games left to play, all of which were won. Matches 2 September 1896 Match 1 Aston Villa 2–1 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/276 Stoke W 🟩 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/276 Jack Cowan (20'); Jack Devey 5 September 1896 Match 2 West Bromwich Albion 3–1 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/277 Aston Villa L 🟥 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/277 Jack Devey 12 September 1896 Match 3 Aston Villa 2–2 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/278 Sheffield United D 🟨 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/278 Fred Burton; Fred Wheldon 19 September 1896 Match 4 Everton 2–3 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/279 Aston Villa W 🟩 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/279 Johnny Campbell (3) 26 September 1896 Match 5 Aston Villa 1–2 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/280 Everton L 🟥 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/280 Jack Devey 3 October 1896 Match 6 Sheffield United 0–0 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/281 Aston Villa D 🟨 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/281 10 October 1896 Match 7 Aston Villa 2–0 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/282 West Bromwich Albion W 🟩 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/282 Fred Wheldon; Johnny Campbell 17 October 1896 Match 8 Derby County 1–3 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/283 Aston Villa W 🟩 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/283 Fred Wheldon; Johnny Campbell; Jack Cowan 24 October 1896 Match 9 Aston Villa 2–1 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/284 Derby County W 🟩 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/284 Jack Cowan; Fred Wheldon 31 October 1896 Match 10 Stoke 0–2 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/285 Aston Villa W 🟩 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/285 Fred Wheldon; Steve Smith 7 November 1896 Match 11 Aston Villa 1–1 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/286 Bury D 🟨 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/286 Charlie Athersmith 14 November 1896 Match 12 Sheffield Wednesday 1–3 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/287 Aston Villa W 🟩 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/287 Fred Wheldon; Johnny Campbell; Charlie Athersmith 21 November 1896 Match 13 Aston Villa 4–0 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/288 Sheffield Wednesday W 🟩 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/288 Steve Smith; Charlie Athersmith; Jack Devey; Fred Wheldon 28 November 1896 Match 14 Blackburn Rovers 1–5 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/289 Aston Villa W 🟩 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/289 Jack Devey; Johnny Campbell; Charlie Athersmith; Steve Smith; Unknown 19 December 1896 Match 15 Aston Villa 3–2 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/290 Nottingham Forest W 🟩 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/290 Jack Reynolds (5'); Jack Devey (15'); Charlie Athersmith 25 December 1896 Match 16 Liverpool 3–3 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/291 Aston Villa D 🟨 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/291 Jack Cowan; Fred Wheldon; Charlie Athersmith 26 December 1896 Match 17 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–2 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/292 Aston Villa W 🟩 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/292 Bob Chatt; Charlie Athersmith 2 January 1897 Match 18 Aston Villa 0–3 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/293 Burnley L 🟥 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/293 9 January 1897 Match 19 Sunderland 4–2 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/294 Aston Villa L 🟥 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/294 Own Goal; Johnny Campbell 16 January 1897 Match 20 Aston Villa 2–1 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/295 Sunderland W 🟩 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/295 Fred Wheldon; Unknown 6 February 1897 Match 21 Bury 0–2 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/297 Aston Villa W 🟩 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/297 Johnny Campbell (2) 8 February 1897 Match 22 Burnley 3–4 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/298 Aston Villa W 🟩 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/298 Johnny Campbell; Jack Devey (2); Unknown 22 February 1897 Match 23 Aston Villa 3–1 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/300 Preston North End W 🟩 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/300 Jack Devey; Charlie Athersmith 6 March 1897 Match 24 Nottingham Forest 2–4 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/303 Aston Villa W 🟩 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/303 Jack Devey; Jack Cowan; Johnny Campbell; Fred Wheldon 13 March 1897 Match 25 Aston Villa 0–0 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/306 Liverpool D 🟨 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/306 22 March 1897 Match 26 Aston Villa 6–2 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/307 Bolton Wanderers W 🟩 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/307 Charlie Athersmith; Jack Reynolds; Johnny Campbell; Fred Wheldon; others 27 March 1897 Match 27 Bolton Wanderers 1–2 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/308 Aston Villa W 🟩 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/308 Johnny Campbell; Fred Wheldon 17 April 1897 Match 28 Aston Villa 3–0 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/309 Blackburn Rovers W 🟩 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/309 Johnny Campbell; Fred Wheldon; Own Goal 19 April 1897 Match 29 Aston Villa 5–0 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/311 Wolverhampton Wanderers W 🟩 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/311 Jimmy Cowan; Jack Devey; Jack Cowan; Johnny Campbell (2) 26 April 1897 Match 30 Preston North End 0–1 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/312 Aston Villa W 🟩 https://www.avdb.co.uk/game/312 Fred Wheldon Source: avfchistory.co.uk FA Cup 1897 FA Cup final 1896–97 FA Cup Aston Villa 3 Everton 2 10 April 1897 Crystal Palace London J. Lewis 65,891 1896–97 FA Cup The cup was won by Aston Villa, who defeated Everton 3–2 in the final of the competition, played at Crystal Palace in London. In doing so, Aston Villa became only the second team to have won the Double, as they won the league on the same day as their cup victory (and the only team to do this). First round The first round proper contained 16 ties between 32 teams. The matches were played on Saturday, 30 January 1897. One match was drawn, with the replay taking place in the following midweek fixture. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate5Aston Villa5–0Newcastle United30 January 1897 Second round The eight Second Round matches were scheduled for Saturday, 13 February 1897. There was one replay, played in the following midweek fixture. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate3Aston Villa2–1Notts County13 February 1897 Third round The four Third Round matches were scheduled for Saturday, 27 February 1897. There were two replays, played in the following midweek fixture, of which the Preston North End – Aston Villa match went to a second replay the following week. Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate2Preston North End1–1Aston Villa27 February 1897 ReplayAston Villa0–0Preston North End3 March 1897 ReplayAston Villa3–2Preston North End8 March 1897 Semi-finals The semi-final matches were both played on Saturday, 20 March 1897. Aston Villa and Everton went on to meet in the final at Crystal Palace. 20 March 1897 Aston Villa 3–0 Liverpool Bramall Lane, Sheffield Final 1897 FA Cup final 10 April 1897 1896–97 FA Cup Final 15:00 GMT Aston Villa 3–2 Everton Report Campbell 18Wheldon 35Crabtree 44 Bell 23Boyle 28 Crystal Palace, London 65,891http://www.sportingchronicle.com/FACUP/1897.html Sporting Chronicle – 1897 FA Cup Final 22 April 2007 https://web.archive.org/web/20081030001603/http://www.sportingchronicle.com/FACUP/1897.html 30 October 2008 dead J. Lewis _claretborder _astonvilla old _claretborder 99ccff 990033 99ccff FFFFFF 990033 Aston Villa _collar_buttons_2 99ccff 99ccff 99ccff FFFFFF 002277 Everton FA Cup Final kits, 1890–1899 GK Jimmy Whitehouse DF Howard Spencer DF Jack Reynolds MF Albert Evans MF James Cowan MF Jimmy Crabtree FW Charlie Athersmith FW John Devey (c) FW John Campbell FW Fred Wheldon FW John CowanSecretary-Manager: George Ramsay GK Bob Menham DF Peter Meehan DF David Storrier MF Dickie Boyle MF Johnny Holt MF Billy Stewart (c) FW Jack Taylor FW Jack Bell FW Abe Hartley FW Edgar Chadwick FW Alf MilwardManager:Dick Molyneux Birmingham Senior Cup Birmingham Senior Cup References External links Aston Villa official website www.avfchistory.co.uk 1896-97 Category:Aston Villa F.C. seasons 1897