JV Life | History

Who started the Football League? We did!

The Barclays Premier League is one of the best football leagues in the world. But have you ever thought about how the idea of a league came about?

Well guess what... it came from Aston Villa! Or, more specifically, from Villa director William McGregor.

He played a major role in 1885 in bringing professionalism in football. However, in 1888 came perhaps his most important work - the creation of the Football League.

With no coherent organisation in how football was operated, McGregor queried the creation of something that would guarantee 'the fixity of fixtures' or in other words the organisation of a league.

He wrote to club's in the Midlands and the North inviting them to a meeting to discuss this great idea and the Football league was created in 1888 with 12 founding teams: Accrington, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley,

Derby County, Everton, Notts County, Preston North End, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, and Wolverhampton Wanderers, and of course Aston Villa.

That same year a points system was agreed by all clubs (two points for a win and one for a draw) and William McGregor was elected the first chairman of the Football League.

The tabular points system has grown to be not only a success in England but in leagues all across the world.

In England, the Football league has continued to be a success for over 100 years eventually growing to four divisions. In 1992 the first division was effectively transformed into the Premier League by the FA and is now a worldwide global phenomenon.

And to think
it all started here
at Aston Villa!

Villa Park has seen some dramatic changes over the years. The images show how the ground has changed through five different time periods. Can you spot the major differences.

1980-Present

1960-1980

1940-1960

1920-1940

1900-1920

THE EVOLUTION OF OUR KIT

The clubs famous claret and blue colours were introduced in the 1890's and remain a signature of the club to this day. Scroll through the kits to view designs from the dawn of sponsorship.

Click shirts for bigger view

Aston Villa is one of the most successful clubs in the history of English football, winning competitions from as early on as 1887. Here are a selection of images that highlight some of these famous victories.

European Cup Winners: 1982

European Super Cup Winners: 1982-83

InterToto Cup Winners: 2001

First Division Champions: 1893-94, 1895-96, 1896-97, 1898-99, 1899-1900, 1909-10,1980-81

FA Cup Winners: 1887, 1895, 1897, 1905, 1913, 1920, 1957

Second Division Champions: 1937-38, 1959-60

Third Division Champions: 1971-72

League Cup Winners: 1961, 1975, 1977, 1994, 1996

Youth Cup Winners: 1972, 1980, 2002

Peace Cup Winners: 2009

Premier League Winners... 20??

PAUL Mcgrath

Paul McGrath is considered one of the greatest players in Villa's history and is nicknamed 'God' by many fans. He read the game as if he had the Super Power to read minds!