Welcome to the latest chapter of the Gloucester Groundhopper blog.
For this instalment, we headed back to the Midlands for a taste of some Premier League action, with Aston Villa being the hosts. They play at Villa Park, the eighth largest Premier League ground, which has a capacity of 42,785.
Some Notable People From Aston:
Ozzy Osborne- Black Sabbath Musician
Lloyd Dyer- Footballer
Victor Johnson- Cyclist
Albert Ketelbey- Composer
John Benjamin Stone-Politician
It’s All In The Name
Because of the colour of their uniforms, Aston Villa is known as The Claret and Blue Army. They also have two other nicknames: 'Villans,' which is a wordplay that many people mispronounce as 'Villains,' and the older, and now defunct, nickname of the 'Lions,' which is derived from the crest.
A History Lesson From AFC Finners
Aston Villa was founded in 1874 by four men who attended the Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel in Handsworth.
George Ramsey joined the club as a player after running into the team while strolling through a local park, and was asked to join after helping to make up the numbers during a practise game. In 1886, he took charge of training and became the club's manager. He would be in charge for the next 30 years, transforming Aston Villa into England's greatest team, winning a total of six First Division titles and six FA Cups during his tenure.
After Ramsey's departure in 1926, Aston Villa came close to winning another title, but were relegated for the first time in their history in 1936.
Following the club's relegation, former chairman Frederick Rinder was brought back to the club and focused on developing young, homegrown talent. Shortly before the Second World War, Jimmy Hogan got the club promoted.
Following WWII, fans were dissatisfied with many seasons of mid-table mediocrity, but in 1957, former player Eric Houghton led them to a record 7th FA Cup victory after defeating Manchester United in the final, the club's first major honour in 37 years.
However, this only served to cover up the club's relegation in 1959, despite Joe Mercer's immediate return to the top flight. They became the first ever League Cup champions in 1961, defeating Rotherham United in the final.
However, the club struggled greatly throughout the 1960s, with financial issues forcing them to sell their training ground and the board being forced out, and being replaced by Doug Ellis, who had to raise more than £200,000 to clear the club's debts. They were relegated to the Third Tier for the first time in 1970 after being relegated to the Second Tier.
There were, however, encouraging signs. Against all odds, they reached the league cup final in 1971 and won the Third Division title in 1972. Ron Saunders was appointed manager in 1974, and he would lead the club back to the top. In 1975, he won the League Cup and led them back to the First Division.
They won another League Cup in 1977, and Saunders was the mastermind behind one of the club's most memorable moments a few years later.
Aston Villa won the First Division in 1981, beating out Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest and Bob Paisley's Liverpool. It was the club's first top-flight title in 71 years. Throughout the campaign, Saunders only used 14 players.
Next season, Aston Villa entered the European Cup for the first time, but Saunders left halfway through due to a contract dispute with the board. Saunders' assistant, Tony Barton, would take over.
Aston Villa reached the European Cup final, where they faced Bayern Munich, thanks to Barton's leadership. The West Germans were the favourites, but Aston Villa fought valiantly, and Peter Withe's goal would crown Aston Villa as European champions.
Aston Villa, however, were unable to capitalise on their success, and were relegated in 1987, despite Graham Taylor's immediate promotion and second-place finish in the top flight in 1990.
Aston Villa had a successful decade in the 1990s, finishing second in the inaugural Premier League season. In 1994, Ron Atkinson led them to the League Cup title, which Brian Little repeated two years later.
Around the turn of the century, the club remained comfortably in the Premier League, losing the last FA Cup final at the old Wembley Stadium in 2000.
Aston Villa had an exciting period under Martin O'Neill after Doug Ellis sold the club to Randy Lerner, finishing in the European spots on multiple occasions and reaching the league cup final in 2010. O'Neill's time at the club, however, came to an end when he resigned after a disagreement with Randy Lerner over transfer funds. The club's fortunes deteriorated over the next few years under a succession of managers, and despite reaching the 2015 FA Cup final, a disastrous campaign in 15-16 saw them finish bottom with 17 points, bringing an end to a 29-year run in the top flight.
Steve Bruce led Aston Villa to the 2018 playoff final under new ownership, but they were defeated by Fulham. They returned the following year, now managed by lifelong fan Dean Smith, and defeated Derby to reclaim their place in the Premier League.
Smith led Aston Villa to the play off final, they were promoted and finished 11th the following season. Smith was replaced after a poor run by Steven Gerrard, who led them to a 14th-place finish in the 2021-22 season.
They are looking to build and climb back into the European places under Gerrard's management.
In addition, they are one of only three clubs to have been founding members of both the first football league in 1888 and the premier league in 1992, the other two being Everton and Blackburn Rovers.
Honours
🏆First Division / Premier League (Champions: 1893–94, 1895–96, 1896–97, 1898–99, 1899–1900, 1909–10, 1980–81)
🏆Second Division / First Division / Championship (Champions: 1937–38, 1959–60) (Play-off Winners: 2018–19)
🏆Third Division / Second Division / League One (Champions: 1971–72)
🏆FA Cup (Winners: 1886–87, 1894–95, 1896–97, 1904–05, 1912–13, 1919–20, 1956–57)
🏆League Cup / EFL Cup (Winners: 1960–61, 1974–75, 1976–77, 1993–94, 1995–96)
🏆FA Charity Shield / FA Community Shield (Winners: 1981)
🏆Sheriff of London Charity Shield (Winners: 1899, 1901)
🏆European Cup / UEFA Champions League (Winners: 1981–82)
🏆European Super Cup / UEFA Super Cup (Winners: 1982)
🏆Intertoto Cup (Winners: 2001)
How Aston Villa’s Journey In The Championship Saved Their Club
It's difficult to believe that in the mid-2010s, a club that had previously won the European Cup and was a fixture in the Premier League, spent three seasons in the Championship. There are numerous reasons why Aston Villa ended up in the English second tier, but many fans believe it was a watershed moment in their history, laying the groundwork for a brighter future.
Aston Villa are a club that is synonymous with the Premier League, with their famous Holte end stand at their home ground, Villa Park, being synonymous with the best football supporters in the world. Before the FA Cup semi-finals were moved to Wembley, Villa Park was frequently used as a venue for them, and they have had some top players play for them over the years, including Dwight Yorke, Stilyan Petrov, Gareth Barry, James Milner, and many more. So it comes as a surprise to learn that this illustrious club spent three years outside of the top flight.
To begin, the reasons why Aston Villa ended up in the second tier are clear, with the club's ownership rarely investing in the playing squad, as well as uncertainty over the manager position, with the club having Paul Lambert, Tim Sherwood, Kevin MacDonald, Remi Garde, and Eric Black all representing the club over a two-year period. All of this, combined with poor tactics, pushed Villa to the bottom of the table at the end of the 2015-16 season.
Aston Villa had two managers in their first season in the Championship: Roberto Di Matteo and Steve Bruce. During that season, the club invested in some solid Championship players, with James Chester, Mike Jedinak, and Conor Hourihane joining a club that was trying to consolidate its position after many years of turmoil. It was also Jack Grealish's breakthrough season, demonstrating how Villa had begun to use their academy more effectively. The club finished 13th in the Championship that season, with new signing Jonathan Kodjia finishing as top scorer with 19 goals, a significant improvement on Jordan Ayew's 7 goals the previous season. So it was clear that Villa were on the right track.
Aston Villa demonstrated significant progress during the 2017/18 season. The club showed ambition by signing Chelsea defender John Terry, ex Blackburn Rovers defender Christopher Samba, as well as Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe. Aston Villa had a clearer transfer strategy this season, and they improved significantly on the field as well, finishing fourth in the Championship and narrowly losing to Fulham in the play-off final. At this point, it was clear that Villa were on the rise.
The following season, Aston Villa began as clear favourites to win the league. They signed Tammy Abraham, John McGinn, Tyrone Mings, Yannick Bolasie, and Anwar El Ghazi, all of whom went on to become established Premier League players. The Villains had plenty of drama this season. For starters, this season saw Jack Grealish become a victim of the irrational behaviour of Birmingham fans, who assaulted him during Aston Villa's 1-0 victory over their rivals. Then there's the saga of Leeds United. After Jonathan Kodjia was injured, Leeds United famously played on and scored through Matheus Klich. Leeds then allowed Aston Villa to equalise as they atoned for their mistakes. That season, Villa reached the play-off final for the second time, this time under the leadership of Dean Smith. After defeating Derby County 2-1, Aston Villa finally returned to the promised land.
Aston Villa are now thriving in the Premier League after years of turmoil. Their games are frequently sold out, and they have an ambitious owner who has already made some notable signings, including Phillipe Coutinho, Emiliano Martinez, Leon Bailey, Danny Ings, and Diego Carlos. The academy is thriving, with players like Jacob Ramsey, Aaron Ramsey, Cameron Archer, and Louie Barry joining the first team or impressing on loan. The fans would have been devastated if they had been relegated from the Premier League at the time, but with their future looking bright and the club's infrastructure in the best shape it has been in years, they could argue that being relegated was the best thing that could have happened.
Matchday: Aston Villa 0-1 West Ham United
The stadium is located in the heart of Birmingham's Aston neighbourhood. We looked for a parking spot when we arrived. We began our search on Church Street, but were unsuccessful. Then, a 20-minute walk from the ground, Cheston Road was tried. It was a plus that we were able to find free parking on this street.
Among the four large stands on the ground are the Doug Ellis Stand, Trinity Road Stand, The Holte End, and the North Stand. The stadium is an ideal fusion of modern and traditional, with numerous allusions to Aston Villa's cup-winning history found throughout. The lawn is attractive and well-kept. It is clear that this is a Premier League stadium. Access is also simple for those with disabilities.
There were many different types of workers there. The majority of them working at the food booth in the Trinity Road End were kind and willing to help, but there were a couple who were rude and abrupt. While there are several food vendors outside the stadium, pies, hamburgers, and sausage rolls are sold inside. There weren't many vegetarian options available this time, and the two that were available were a veggie burger and a cauliflower pie, both of which were out of stock. The staff didn't really look bothered either, but considering they were agency staff, that was to be expected.
The atmosphere was also contradictory. There were times when the crowd was the loudest I'd ever heard at a football game, and other times when it was completely silent. The Holte End was boisterous and singing, in keeping with their reputation, and the West Ham fans were also excellent.
Teamsheets
Aston Villa
Manager: Steven Gerrard
Emiliano Martinez
Matty Cash
Ezri Konsa
Calum Chambers
Lucas Digne
Douglas Luiz
Boubacar Kamara
John McGinn (c)
Phillipe Coutinho
Ollie Watkins
Danny Ings
Substitutes
Emiliano Buendia
Ludwig Augustinsson
Ashley Young
Marvellous Nakamba
Robin Olsen
Leon Bailey
Cameron Archer
Jacob Ramsey
Tim Iroegbunam
West Ham United
Manager: David Moyes
Lukasz Fabianski
Thilo Kehrer
Kurt Zouma
Aaron Cresswell
Ben Johnson
Tomas Soucek
Pablo Fornals ⚽️
Declan Rice (c)
Emerson Palmieri
Jarrod Bowen
Gianluca Scammacca
Substitutes
Vladimir Coufal
Michail Antonio
Manuel Lanzini
Flynn Downes
Alphonse Areola
Maxwell Cornet
Angelo Ogbonna
Said Benrahma
Conor Coventry
Villa had the better start, but they didn't have a shot on target until the 13th minute, when Ollie Watkins cut inside and fired a shot that hit Zouma and deflected behind. When Konsa buried the ball after Coutinho had headed against the post, the hosts thought they had scored from a corner. However, the party was abruptly ended by a raised flag after the assistant correctly noticed that Lucas Digne's delivery had left the field of play. Despite thinking they took the lead, Villa struggled to penetrate the visiting five-man defence. After Watkins failed to connect properly with a header from a Coutinho cross, Gianluca Scamacca headed Douglas Luiz's free kick over his own bar. Then, from 25 yards out, Coutinho fired a direct shot at Fabianski, which seemed to sum up the home team's dwindling creativity. Villa did make an effort. The home fans mocked Pablo Fornals' late-half effort, which missed the home goal by 15 yards.
The second half, like the first, lacked goalmouth activity until 10 minutes had passed when Cash and Digne combined to deny the Hammers the opening goal. Jarrod Bowen appeared to have only Martinez to beat after being sent clear when McGinn slipped. Cash, on the other hand, did enough to force the forward to check inside before Digne slid in to block the opportunity. Gerrard introduced Buendia, who nearly found Ings with a through ball. However, with 16 minutes remaining, the Hammers broke the tie, albeit unintentionally. Fornals was given space to shoot from 25 yards out, and Konsa's block resulted in the ball looping over Martinez and into the goal. Villa couldn't break through as the visitors' confidence grew, with substitute Jacob Ramsey's late shot straight at Fabianski their only attempt on goal. Aston Villa will be disappointed in their performance, with many questioning whether Gerrard should remain in his position as manager. Meanwhile, West Ham will feel this win will kick start their season and help them push on after their Europa League semi final appearance.
Scores On The Doors
Atmosphere: 7.5/10
Food and Drink: 5/10
Stadium: 8.5/10
Welcome: 6.5/10
Overall Experience: 7/10
GG
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