# Aston Villa Football Club Aston Villa Football Club (known as The Villa, Villa, or The Villans) is an English professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham. Founded in 1874, the club competes in the Premier League and plays its home matches at Villa Park, their iconic stadium. ## History The club was established in March 1874 by members of the Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel in Aston, with founders including Jack Hughes, Frederick Matthews, Walter Price, and William Scattergood. Their first match was a rugby game against Aston Brook St Mary's, followed by a switch to football. Villa's first major success came in 1880 when they won the Birmingham Cup. They became one of the Midlands' top teams under captain George Ramsay. Aston Villa made history as one of the 12 founding members of the Football League in 1888, with William McGregor serving as the league's first secretary. The club won its first FA Cup in 1887 under captain Archie Hunter. Villa Park stadium was adopted in 1897 after the club won the FA Cup for the second time. ## Key Achievements Aston Villa has won: - **7 League Titles** (1893/94, 1895/96, 1896/97, 1898/99, 1899/1900, 1909/10, 1980/81) - **7 FA Cups** (1887, 1895, 1897, 1905, 1913, 1920, 1957) - **1 European Cup** (1982) - **1 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup** (1982) - **1 Intertoto Cup** (2001) They are one of only six English clubs to have won the European Cup, achieving this historic victory on May 26, 1982, with a 1-0 win over Bayern Munich, scored by Peter Withe. ## Notable Players and Managers Key figures include legendary players like Archie Hunter, George Ramsay, and Peter Withe, as well as managers such as Tony Barton (who led Villa to the 1982 European Cup final) and Martin O'Neill (who managed the club during their 2000 FA Cup final appearance). ## Current Status As of 2025, Aston Villa is owned by Egyptian billionaire Nassef Sawiris (president) and American investor Wes Edens (vice president). The club is managed by Unai Emery, who took over in October 2022. Villa currently competes in the Premier League and has a strong youth academy producing talents like Jack Grealish, who was sold to Manchester City for a record £100 million in 2021. ## Rivalries The club's fiercest rivalry is with Birmingham City, known as the Second City Derby, dating back to 1879. Other local rivals include West Bromwich Albion, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Coventry City. ## Stadium Villa Park is the club's home stadium, one of the largest in the Midlands and the eighth-largest in England. The stadium has hosted 55 FA Cup semi-finals and international matches since 1899. The club plans to expand the North Stand to increase capacity to 51,000 spectators. ## Recent Performance In the 2023/24 season, Aston Villa finished 4th in the Premier League, securing their first UEFA Champions League spot since 1983. They reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, losing to Paris Saint-Germain. In the 2024/25 season, they finished 6th in the Premier League, qualifying for the UEFA Europa League. ## Notable Facts - Villa Park is the oldest stadium in England still used by a professional football club. - The club has a record of 128 goals scored in a single season (1930/31). - They are one of only six English clubs to have won the European Cup. - Jack Grealish became the most expensive English player in history when he moved to Manchester City for £100 million in 2021. ## Quotes "Aston Villa is a club with a rich history and a passionate fanbase. We are committed to building a successful future for the club." - Unai Emery, Manager ## Images [Logo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5a/Aston_Villa_FC_crest.svg/1200px-Aston_Villa_FC_crest.svg.png) [Stadium](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Villa_Park_2018.jpg/1200px-Villa_Park_2018.jpg) [Peter Withe](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/Peter_Withe.jpg/1200px-Peter_Withe.jpg) [1982 European Cup](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/1982_European_Cup_final_Aston_Villa_vs_Bayern_Munich.jpg/1200px-1982_European_Cup_final_Aston_Villa_vs_Bayern_Munich.jpg) [Jack Grealish](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1d/Jack_Grealish_2022.jpg/1200px-Jack_Grealish_2022.jpg) ## References - Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy: *The essential history of Aston Villa*. Headline book publishing, 2002. ISBN 0-7553-1140-X. [Official Website](https://www.avfc.co.uk/) [Premier League Profile](https://www.premierleague.com/clubs/10/Aston-Villa) [FA Cup History](https://www.thefa.com/competitions/fafa-cup) [UEFA Champions League](https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/) [UEFA Europa League](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/)