1889–90 Aston Villa F.C. season

Main article: History of Aston Villa F.C. (1874–1961)
Aston Villa
1889–90 season
Chairman
ManagerScotland George Ramsay[1]
GroundWellington Road
Football League8th
FA CupRound 2

Aston Villa had a disappointing 1889–90, their 2nd season in the Football League, having finished second in the previous season. They started with an unbeaten opening three games including a win over champions Preston, but suffered several defeats after Christmas, winning only one of their six remaining league games.

Preston's "Invincibles" were unbeaten from the previous season. They had now won their first league match to stretch their unbeaten league run to 23 games but faced a Villa team who would inflict their first-ever league defeat with a 5–3 victory.[2] In the former top tear of English football, home and away Christmas Day fixtures were often played allowing many working people their only chance to watch a game guaranteeing football clubs large crowds.[3] Champions Preston North End faced Aston Villa on Christmas Day 1889. Christmas fixtures were recorded as late as the 1957-58 Football League season.[4]

Scottish centre back, Jimmy Cowan, made his debut, coming from Vale of Leven FC.[5] He would go on to make 357 appearances for Villa, his last win seeing Small Heath knocked out of the 1901 FA Cup Quarter-final replay.[6]

A benefit match was held for Small Heath player, Chris Charsley, ahead of his retirement; despite the admission charge being increased for the occasion,[7] around 6,000 spectators turned up to watch a schoolboys' match followed by the main attraction. In an encounter described by the Birmingham Daily Post as "perhaps the closest and most exciting ever played on the field", Aston Villa, featuring new signing Tom McKnight, drew 2–2 with a Small Heath eleven.[8] A substantial sum was raised.[9]

There were debuts for Albert Aldridge, Tom Clarkson, Jimmy Cowan, Billy Dickson, Sammy Gray, George Davis, Ike Moore, Arthur Hickton, James Connor, Jack Graham, Lewis Campbell, Bill Dickie and Jim Paton.[10]

Results

League

Main article: 1889–90 Football League
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GAv Pts Relegation
1 Preston North End 22 15 3 4 71 30 2.367 33 League Champions
2 Everton 22 14 3 5 65 40 1.625 31
3 Blackburn Rovers 22 12 3 7 78 41 1.902 27 FA Cup Winners
4 Wolverhampton Wanderers 22 10 5 7 51 38 1.342 25
5 West Bromwich Albion 22 11 3 8 47 50 0.940 25
6 Accrington 22 9 6 7 53 56 0.946 24
7 Derby County 22 9 3 10 43 55 0.782 21
8 Aston Villa 22 7 5 10 43 51 0.843 19
9 Bolton Wanderers 22 9 1 12 54 65 0.831 19
10 Notts County 22 6 5 11 43 51 0.843 17 Re-elected
11 Burnley 22 4 5 13 36 65 0.554 13
12 Stoke 22 3 4 15 27 69 0.391 10 Not re-elected
Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored

The table below lists all the results of Aston Villa in the Football League for the 1889–90 season

Date[11] Team Venue Win/Draw/Lose Score
7 September 1899 Burnley Home Draw 2–2
14 September 1899 Notts County Home Draw 1–1
21 September 1899 Preston North End Home Win 5–3
28 September 1899 West Bromwich Albion Away Lost 0–3
5 October 1899 Burnley Away Won 6–2
12 October 1899 Derby County Home Won 7–1
19 October 1899 Blackburn Rovers Away Lost 0–7
26 October 1899 West Bromwich Albion Home Won 1–0
2 November 1899 Wolverhampton Wanderers Home Won 2–1
9 November 1899 Notts County Away Draw 1–1
16 November 1899 Bolton Wanderers Away Lost 0–2
23 November 1899 Everton Home Lost 1–2
30 November 1899 Accrington Away Lost 2–4
7 December 1899 Stoke City Home Won 6–1
14 December 1899 Blackburn Home Match Abandoned
21 December 1899 Wolverhampton Wanderers Away Draw 1–1
25 December 1899 Preston North End Away Lost 2–3
26 December 1899 Accrington Home Lost 1–2
28 December 1899 Derby Away Lost 0–5
4 January 1890 Everton Away Lost 0–7
25 January 1890 Bolton Home Lost 1–2
17 March 1890 Stoke Away Draw 1–1
31 March 1890 Blackburn Home Won 3–0

FA Cup

See also

References

  1. ^ "George Ramsey". Soccer Base. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  2. ^ "Preston North End match record: 1890". 11v11. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  3. ^ "Why football at Christmas is a very British tradition".
  4. ^ "The Last Time Football Was Played on Christmas Day in England". 25 December 2020.
  5. ^ avfchistory.co.uk 1889–90 season
  6. ^ 11v11 Jimmy Cowan
  7. ^ Notes on Sport. Birmingham Daily Post. p. 8. 21 April 1890.
  8. ^ Football. Aston Villa v. Small Heath. Birmingham Daily Post. p. 7. 6 May 1890.
  9. ^ Notes on Sport. Birmingham Daily Post. p. 7. 12 May 1890.
  10. ^ "Aston Villa's Seasons". AVFC History.
  11. ^ "1889/90 results". Soccer Base. Retrieved 12 August 2012. (Click drop down menu to choose season)