View source for Aston Villa F.C.

{{short description|Association football club in Birmingham, England}}
{{about||the women's team|Aston Villa W.F.C.|their youth teams|Aston Villa F.C. Under-21s and Academy}}
{{pp-semi-indef}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2026}}
{{Infobox football club
| clubname = Aston Villa
| image = Aston Villa FC new crest.svg
| upright = 0.65
| alt = Aston Villa F.C. badge
| fullname = Aston Villa Football Club
| nickname = The Villans<br />The Lions
| short name = Villa
| founded = {{start date and age|df=yes|1874|11|21}}
| ground = [[Villa Park]]
| capacity = 43,205<ref>{{cite web |title=Premier League Handbook 2025/26 |url=https://resources.premierleague.pulselive.com/premierleague/document/2025/10/22/c03ebde8-8b59-4822-9f3b-bd42ed587f92/PL_Handbook_25-26_07.10.pdf |access-date=20 May 2026}}</ref>
| owner = [[V Sports]] ([[Nassef Sawiris]], [[Wes Edens]] & Atairos)
| owntitle = Owner(s)
| chairman = [[Nassef Sawiris]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44901531|title=Aston Villa: Wes Edens & Nassef Sawiris to make 'significant investment' in club|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=25 May 2019|archive-date=18 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418202807/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44901531|url-status=live}}</ref>
| manager = [[Unai Emery]]
| mgrtitle = Head coach
| league = {{English football updater|AstonVil}}
| season = {{English football updater|AstonVil2}}
| position = {{English football updater|AstonVil3}}
| current = 2025–26 Aston Villa F.C. season
| website = {{URL|https://avfc.co.uk}}
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'''Aston Villa Football Club''' is a professional [[Association football|football]] club based in [[Aston]], [[Birmingham]], England. It was founded in 1874. Its team compete in the [[Premier League]], the top tier of [[English football league system|English football]], and have played at their home ground, [[Villa Park]], since [[1896–97 Aston Villa F.C. season|1897]]. Aston Villa is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in England, having won the [[Football League First Division]] seven times, the [[FA Cup]] seven times, the [[EFL Cup|League Cup]] five times, as well as the [[European Cup]], [[UEFA Super Cup|European Super Cup]], and [[UEFA Europa League|Europa League]] once. Aston Villa has been a leading English club since the 1880s, when it was a pioneer of the modern passing game. This short, slick combination passing style was introduced by Scotsman [[George Ramsay (footballer, born 1855)|George Ramsay]], who was appointed as the world's first professional football manager in 1886. The club was influential in the sport's move to professionalism in 1885, and it was a Villa director, [[William McGregor (football)|William McGregor]], who founded the world's first Football League [[1888–89 Aston Villa F.C. season|in 1888]].<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p. 161.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=10 Oldest Clubs in the Football League |url=https://sqaf.club/oldest-football-league-clubs-england/ |website=SQaF |date=20 February 2022 |access-date=20 July 2022 |archive-date=15 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220915112137/https://sqaf.club/oldest-football-league-clubs-england/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=All Time English Trophy Winners |url=https://www.myfootballfacts.com/england_footy/english-domestic/all-time-english-trophy-winners-statistics/ |website=Myfootballfacts.com |access-date=20 July 2022 |archive-date=9 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220609130810/https://www.myfootballfacts.com/england_footy/english-domestic/all-time-english-trophy-winners-statistics/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://spartacus-educational.com/Fmcgregor.htm |title=William McGregor |website=Spartacus Educational |access-date=9 January 2023 |archive-date=23 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223114923/https://spartacus-educational.com/Fmcgregor.htm |url-status=live}}</ref>

George Ramsay's trophy haul of six League Championships and six FA Cups established Aston Villa as the most successful club in England, a position it held from the 1890s until the 1970s. Villa scored 128 goals in [[1930–31 Aston Villa F.C. season|1930–31]], which remains the all-time top-flight record,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rs.goal.com/en/teams/england/95/aston-villa/info |title=Aston Villa |website=Goal.com |access-date=20 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711102854/http://www.rs.goal.com/en/teams/england/95/aston-villa/info |archive-date=11 July 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> however the club began its first decline in the mid-1930s; the 1940s and 1950s were generally a period of mediocrity followed by a steep decline in the 1960s which culminated in a takeover of the club by [[Doug Ellis]] in 1968 and Villa's first and only relegation to the third tier of English football in 1969–70. Villa returned to the elite from the mid-1970s under manager [[Ron Saunders]], who led the club to a seventh top-flight league title in 1980–81. They became only the fourth English club to win the [[UEFA Champions League|European Cup]], in [[1981–82 European Cup|1981–82]], followed by the [[UEFA Super Cup|European Super Cup]] in [[1982 European Super Cup|1982]].

Aston Villa were a founding member of the [[Premier League]] in [[1992–93 Aston Villa F.C. season|1992]], one of just three clubs to have been a founding member of both the Football League and the Premier League. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Villa regularly qualified for European football, but following a period of decline after the departure of [[Martin O'Neill]] the club suffered its only relegation from the Premier League in [[2015–16 Aston Villa F.C. season|2015–16]]. After three seasons in the [[EFL Championship]] and two ownership changes, the club returned to the Premier League in 2019. Under [[Unai Emery]], the club qualified for the [[UEFA Champions League]] for the first time since [[1982–83 Aston Villa F.C. season|1982–83]] and won the [[UEFA Europa League|Europa League]] in [[2025–26 UEFA Europa League|2025–26]].

During their history, Villa has spent 112 seasons in the top-flight, the second highest of any club, and provided 78 England internationals, also the second highest of any club. Aston Villa is ranked fifth in the all-time English top flight table since its creation in [[1888–89 Football League|1888]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Premier League + 1. Division – All-time league table |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/competition/co91/records-all-time-table/ |access-date=12 March 2025 |website=worldfootball.net |date=12 March 2025}}</ref> and is the [[List of football clubs in England by competitive honours won|seventh most successful club]] in English football by competitive honours. Villa have a fierce local rivalry with [[Birmingham City F.C.|Birmingham City]] and the [[Second City derby]] between the teams has been played [[1879–80 Aston Villa F.C. season|since 1879]].<ref name="Derby">{{cite book |last=Matthews |first=Tony |year=2000 |title=The Encyclopedia of Birmingham City Football Club 1875–2000 |chapter=Aston Villa |publisher=Britespot |location=Cradley Heath |page=17 |isbn=978-0-9539288-0-4}}</ref> There is also a local rivalry with [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]], with matches between the sides known as the [[Aston Villa F.C.–West Bromwich Albion F.C. rivalry|West Midlands derby]]. The club's traditional [[Kit (association football)|kit]] colours are [[Wine (color)#Claret|claret]] shirts with sky blue sleeves, white shorts and sky blue socks. Their traditional club badge is of a [[Attitude (heraldry)#Rampant|rampant]] lion.<ref>{{cite book|last=Woodhall |first=Dave |year=2007 |title=The Aston Villa Miscellany |publisher=Vision Sports Publishing Ltd |page=16 |isbn=978-1-905326-17-4}}</ref><ref name="introducing" /> The club is currently owned by [[V Sports]], a company owned by the Egyptian billionaire [[Nassef Sawiris]], the American billionaire [[Wes Edens]], and American investment company Atairos.

==History==
<!-- When adding things to the history section, maybe the detail you are adding would be better placed in one of the split sections. As the history section is meant to be a brief history written in [[WP:SUMMARY]] style-->
{{Hatnote|For more details on this topic, see [[History of Aston Villa F.C. (1874–1961)]] and [[History of Aston Villa F.C. (1961–present)]].}}

===Formation and rise to prominence (1874−1886)===
[[File:George Ramsay.jpg|thumb|upright=.7|[[George Ramsay (footballer, born 1855)|George Ramsay]]'s trophy haul of six League Championships and six FA Cups established Aston Villa as the most successful club in England. He has been described as the world's first paid football manager.]]
[[File:mcgregor.jpg|thumb|upright=.7|[[William McGregor (football)|William McGregor]] (1846–1911), founder of The Football League]]
Aston Villa are believed to have formed [[1873-74 in English football|on 21 November 1874]], by members of the Aston Villa [[John Wesley|Wesleyan]] Chapel in [[Handsworth, West Midlands|Handsworth]]: which is now part of [[Birmingham]].<ref>{{cite web |title=History comes to life with 'The Gas Lamp' |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2019/09/04/the-gas-lamp-set-to-open |access-date=7 February 2026 |website=Aston Villa Football Club}}</ref> The chapel stood at Villa Cross, a road junction whose name derived from a house known as ''Aston Villa'', a suburban [[Georgian era|Georgian]] villa that over time had given its name to the surrounding locality.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Original Aston Villa|url=https://www.sportingheritage.org.uk/content/news/blog/original-aston-villa|access-date=6 March 2026}}</ref> The four founders of Aston Villa Football Club were Jack Hughes, Frederick Matthews, Walter Price and William Scattergood, who were members of the chapel's cricket team looking for a way to stay fit during the winter months. Having watched a fellow member of their Bible class playing in a rugby match, they paused beneath a dim gas lamp near Villa Cross and agreed that rugby was a little too rough, deciding instead to play association football.<ref name="SM1">''A Football Jubilee'', John Hughes, [[Sunday Mercury & Sunday News]] 9 March 1924</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000644/18831024/041/0002|title=Birmingham Mail - Wednesday 24 October 1883|via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]|access-date=17 March 2020}}</ref> The meeting beneath the gas lamp is traditionally regarded as the birth of Aston Villa F.C.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2007/11/26/cup-presented-to-aston-villa-founder-member-jack-hughes-is-back-with-his-family-97319-20162107/ |title=Cup presented to Aston Villa founder member Jack Hughes is back with his family |first=Nick |last=McCarthy |date=26 November 2007 |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |access-date=21 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125091142/http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2007/11/26/cup-presented-to-aston-villa-founder-member-jack-hughes-is-back-with-his-family-97319-20162107/ |archive-date=25 January 2012}}</ref> 

Due to the lack of local football teams Aston Villa's first match was against the local [[St Mary's Church, Aston Brook|Aston Brook St Mary's]] [[Rugby football|Rugby]] team. As a condition of the match, the Villa side had to agree to play the first half under Rugby rules and the second half under Association rules. Villa won their first game 1–0.<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p. 6.</ref> The infant club's fortunes changed forever when a young Scotsman called [[George Ramsay (footballer, born 1855)|George Ramsay]] stumbled across the Villa players' practice match in [[Aston Park, Birmingham|Aston Park]] in 1876. He was asked to make up the numbers, and they were amazed by his skills; they had never seen such a display of close ball control before. When the game was over, the Villa players surrounded him and invited him to join the club and become their captain.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mens {{!}} AVFC |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/players/g/r/george-ramsay |access-date=22 June 2022 |archive-date=19 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919155319/https://www.avfc.co.uk/players/g/r/george-ramsay |url-status=live}}</ref>

Word spread about how fine a player Ramsay was, spectators began turning up to watch the little man nicknamed "Scotty". He also took charge of training, Ramsay later described the newly formed club's approach to the game as "a dash at the man and a big kick at the ball".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://spartacus-educational.com/ASTONramsayG.htm |title=George Ramsay |access-date=22 June 2022 |archive-date=21 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121114448/https://spartacus-educational.com/ASTONramsayG.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> On the other hand, Ramsay had been influenced by the Scottish club [[Queen's Park FC|Queen's Park]], who pioneered what became known as "combination football" in his native [[Glasgow]]. The intricate passing game he introduced was a revolutionary move for an English club in the late 1870s.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Grant|first1=Michael|last2=Robertson|first2=Rob|title=The Management: Scotland's Great Football Managers|date=2011|publisher=Birlinn|location=Edinburgh|isbn=978-1-78027016-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=McColl |first1=Graham |title=Aston Villa: 1874-1998 |date=1998 |publisher=Hamlyn |isbn=0600595293}}</ref> Villa began to establish themselves as one of the best teams in the Midlands, winning their first honour, the [[Birmingham Senior Cup]] [[1879–80 AVFC season|in 1880]]. The club went on to lift the trophy nine times in the next 12 seasons.<ref name="Hall of Fame">{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015041500/http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/HallOfFame/0%2C%2C10265%2C00.html |archive-date=15 October 2007 |title=Aston Villa Hall of Fame |publisher=Aston Villa F.C |url=http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/HallOfFame/0,,10265,00.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Victorian and Edwardian golden age (1886–1914)===
[[File:AstonVilla1896-97.jpg|thumb|upright=.9|The Aston Villa [[Double (association football)|Double]] winning team of 1896–97 with the [[Football League First Division|First Division Championship]] and the [[1897 FA Cup final|FA Cup]]]]
[[File:Villa Champions 1899.jpg|thumb|upright=.9|The Aston Villa team of 1899 that won the First Division and [[Sheriff of London Charity Shield]] (shared with Queen's Park), as well as a number of [[County football association|county cup honours]]]]
[[File:FACupFinal1905NewcastleVilla.jpg|thumb|upright=.9|[[Harry Hampton (footballer, born 1885)|Harry Hampton]] scores one of his two goals in the [[1905 FA Cup final]].]]
Following the professionalisation of football in 1885, the club decided that it needed a full-time paid manager. The following advert was placed in the [[Birmingham Gazette|Birmingham Daily Gazette]] newspaper in June 1886:
{{cquote|'Wanted: manager for Aston Villa Football Club, who will be required to devote his whole time under direction of the committee. Salary £100 per annum. Applications with reference must be made not later than June 23rd to Chairman of the Committee, Aston Villa Club House, 6 Witton Road, Aston'}} Villa received 150 applicants for the role, but with his strong association with the club George Ramsay was the overwhelming choice of the membership. Thus on 26 June 1886, Aston Villa appointed what has been described as the world's first professional football manager.<ref>{{cite book |last=Lerwill|first=John |title= The Aston Villa Chronicles 1874-1924 |year=2009 |publisher=Aston Villa Ltd |page= 198|isbn=9780956286109}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title= George Ramsay the world's first football manager |url=https://www.scottishfootballmuseum.org.uk/news/george-ramsay-the-world-s-first-football-manager/|publisher=[[Scottish Football Museum]] |access-date=8 April 2026}}</ref> During the following season Aston Villa rose to national prominence, as the first Midlands team to win the FA Cup in 1887. Villa's captain, the powerful Scottish centre-forward [[Archie Hunter]], became one of the game's first household names, being the first player to score in every round of the FA Cup. Aston Villa were one of the dozen teams that competed in the inaugural [[English Football League|Football League]] in 1888 with one of the club's directors, [[William McGregor (football)|William McGregor]] being the league's founder. Following the professionalisation of football in 1885, clubs needed regular income to pay their players' wages. Frequently [[Exhibition match|friendlies]] were cancelled due to opponents' FA Cup or [[county cup]] matches or clubs simply failed to honour a fixture in favour of a more lucrative match elsewhere.<ref name="PS1">{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of British Football|author1=Phil Soar|author2=Martin Tyler |page=162}}</ref><ref name="HD">{{cite book|title=Boots, Balls and Haircuts: An Illustrated History of Football from Then to Now|first=Hunter|last=Davies|pages=39–41|publisher=Cassell Illustrated|year=2003|isbn=1-84403-261-2}}</ref>

McGregor took action after seeing Villa matches cancelled, to the increasing frustration of the club's fans, on five consecutive Saturdays.<ref name="HD" /> In March 1888, he wrote to the committee of his own club, Aston Villa, as well as to those of [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]], [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]], [[Preston North End F.C.|Preston North End]] and [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]],<ref>{{cite book |title=The Football League 1888–1988 The Official Illustrated History |first=Bryon |last=Butler |publisher=Macdonald Queen Anne Press |year=1987 |isbn=0-356-15072-0 |page=11}}</ref> suggesting the creation of a league competition that would provide a number of guaranteed fixtures for its member clubs each season.<ref>{{cite web |title=Football League |url=https://www.11v11.com/football-league/ |website=11v11 |access-date=6 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701195748/https://www.11v11.com/football-league/ |archive-date=1 July 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Founding of the Football League |url=https://www.scottishfootballmuseum.org.uk/news/the-founding-of-the-football-league/ |publisher=[[Scottish Football Museum]] |access-date=6 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231206151855/https://www.scottishfootballmuseum.org.uk/news/the-founding-of-the-football-league/ |archive-date=6 December 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref> Following two meetings between representatives of the leading clubs, the world's first Football League season began in September 1888 with 12 member clubs from the Midlands and north of England: [[Accrington F.C.|Accrington]], Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, [[Burnley F.C.|Burnley]], [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]], [[Everton F.C.|Everton]], [[Notts County F.C.|Notts County]], Preston North End, [[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke]], West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Despite Villa founding the league, by 1893 they had yet to win it. Villa Committee Member [[Frederick Rinder]] was the instigator of a club meeting at Barwick Street in February 1893 that removed the committee running the club at the time. All fourteen committee members resigned and were replaced by a committee of five led by Rinder after he gave a rousing speech criticising the board's tolerance of ill discipline and players' drinking. On the pitch, manager [[George Ramsay (footballer, born 1855)|George Ramsay]] was moulding a team that became renowned for its short, quick combination passing which saw Villa win its first league title in [[1893-94 Football League|1893–94]]; the season after that the club won its second FA Cup in [[1895 FA Cup Final|1894-95]]. This was followed by back-to-back League titles in [[1895-96 Football League|1895–96]] and [[1896-97 Football League|1896–97]].

Aston Villa emerged as the most successful English club of the [[Victorian era]], winning no fewer than five League titles and three FA Cups by the end of [[Queen Victoria]]'s reign in 1901.<ref name="Ward192">Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p. 192.</ref> Villa's captain during this era was Birmingham-born forward [[John Devey]], who enjoyed a successful partnership with the lightning-fast winger [[Charlie Athersmith]] and marshalling Villa's defence was the tough-tackling Scotsman [[James Cowan (footballer)|James Cowan]], who had an unrivalled sense of timing and anticipation.<ref>{{cite book |last=Morris |first=Peter |title=Aston Villa The First 100 Years |date=1974}}</ref> [[1896–97 Aston Villa F.C. season|In 1897]], the year Villa won [[Double (association football)|The Double]], they moved into their present home, the Aston Lower Grounds.<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; pp. 33–36.</ref> Supporters coined the name "Villa Park"; no official declaration listed the ground as [[Villa Park]].<ref>Hayes, Dean; p. 170.</ref>

Success continued into the [[Edwardian era]], with Villa lifting the FA Cup for the fourth time in [[1905 FA Cup Final|1904–05]], and a sixth league title in [[1909–10 Football League|1909–10]]. A further FA Cup triumph was achieved on the eve of the [[First World War]] in 1913, with the club narrowly missing out on winning a second [[Double (association football)|Double]], finishing runners-up in the league. Star players during this era included [[Howard Spencer]], the cultured defender who captained both Villa and England, and the prolific strike force of [[Joe Bache]] and [[Harry Hampton (footballer, born 1885)|Harry Hampton]] who between them scored 382 goals in claret and blue.

===Relative decline and first relegation (1920–1939)===
[[File:Billy Walker Footballer.png|thumb|upright=.8|A one-club man, [[Billy Walker (footballer, born 1897)|Billy Walker]] (1897–1964) scored 244 goals in 531 appearances for Villa between 1920 and 1934. He is Aston Villa's all-time top goalscorer.]]
[[File:Tom 'Pongo' Waring.jpg|thumb|upright=.8|[[Tom 'Pongo' Waring]] (1906–1980) scored 50 goals for Villa in the 1930–31 season, a record-breaking campaign in which the team scored 128 top-flight goals.]]
In January 1920, [[Billy Walker (footballer, born 1897)|Billy Walker]] scored twice on his Villa debut in a 2–1 FA Cup first-round win over [[Queens Park Rangers|QPR]]; the club won the FA Cup for the sixth time that season and Walker went on to establish himself as Villa's star player of the 1920s, scoring a record 244 goals in 531 appearances, captaining Villa and [[England national football team|England]]. [[George Ramsay (footballer, born 1855)|George Ramsay]] retired in 1926, at the age of 71, and his replacement [[W. J. Smith|Billy Smith]] was unable to continue Ramsay's success. In reality, several other football clubs had caught up with Aston Villa, most notably [[Arsenal FC|Arsenal]], to which the club finished runners-up in the league in [[1930–31 Football League|1930–31]] and [[1932–33 Football League|1932–33]]. Despite missing out on the league title, Villa Park crowds were entertained by attacking football; the 128 goals scored in the 1930–31 season remains the all-time top-flight record. A remarkable 49 of the league goals that season were scored by centre-forward [[Tom 'Pongo' Waring]], with another 30 goals from winger [[Eric Houghton]].

The club appointed [[Jimmy McMullan]] as manager in 1934, however, the move proved disastrous, resulting in Villa's first ever relegation in 1935–36 after 48 years in the top flight. Villa struggled largely due to a dismal defensive record: they conceded 110 goals in 42 games, 7 of them coming from [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]]'s [[Ted Drake]] in an [[Aston Villa 1–7 Arsenal (14 December 1935)|infamous 1–7 defeat]] at Villa Park.<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p. 71.</ref> The club made seven signings and spent a staggering sum for the time of £35,500 trying to retain top-flight status at all costs, but were unable to buy their way out of trouble. Aston Villa, at the time one of the most famous and successful clubs in world football, was relegated in 1936 for the first time in its history.

Following relegation to the Second Division, the Villa board brought back the ageing former club chairman [[Frederick Rinder|Fred Rinder]], who said on his return "Villa have been a great club, are still a great club, and always will be a great club". He was vocal in his criticism of the board for its "almost total neglect of the reserve team, instead relying on paying big fees for ready made players". He believed that this change in policy from scouting and developing young homegrown talent led to a decline in the club's culture and style of play, which alongside a tolerance of ill-discipline in the players led to Villa's relegation. Rinder's first act was to travel to Austria to recruit the progressive coach [[Jimmy Hogan]] as manager. Within two seasons, Hogan had guided Villa back to the top flight as Second Division champions playing attractive free-flowing football. Hogan outlined his philosophy: "I am a teacher and lover of constructive football with every pass, every kick, every movement an object."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-jimmy-hogan-legend-12227795 |title='He'd get you doing stepovers' The intriguing story of an unappreciated Aston Villa legend |date=26 November 2018 |access-date=24 December 2021 |archive-date=24 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211224165149/https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-jimmy-hogan-legend-12227795 |url-status=live}}</ref> He used to tell his players that "football was like a [[Viennese waltz]], a rhapsody. One-two-three, one-two-three, pass-move-pass, pass-move-pass."<ref name=":4">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/25055156 |title=Jimmy Hogan: The Englishman who inspired the Magical Magyars |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=24 December 2021 |archive-date=24 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211224165139/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/25055156 |url-status=live}}</ref> However, the [[Second World War]] ended Hogan's project to restore Aston Villa to the top of the English game.

===Mediocrity and discontent (1945–1961)===
Like all English clubs, Villa lost seven seasons to the Second World War, and that conflict brought several careers to a premature end.<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p. 75.</ref> Bumper crowds flocked to Villa Park following the war, 76,588 people attended the FA Cup quarter-final between Villa and [[Derby County]] in March 1946, which is the all-time record attendance at Villa Park. The team was rebuilt under the guidance of former player [[Alex Massie (footballer)|Alex Massie]] for the remainder of the 1940s. Star players of this era included the one-club man [[Harry Parkes (footballer, born 1920)|Harry Parkes]], the Welsh centre forward [[Trevor Ford]] and inside-forward [[Johnny Dixon (footballer)|Johnny Dixon]], however the club only achieved mid-table finishes throughout the forties and fifties, never finishing higher than 6th place in the league. The board came in for increasing criticism during this time, with the 1953 AGM described by the [[Sports Argus]] as "the longest and liveliest Villa meeting".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lerwill |first1=John |title=Aston Villa The First Superclub |date=2012 |isbn=978-0-9569833-1-2 |page=209|publisher=Unknown Publisher}}</ref> Shareholders and supporters criticised the club's lack of youth development, recruitment and training methods. When [[Danny Blanchflower]] submitted a transfer request in 1954 he said that "the club had grown fat and lazy on its old traditions and the decay was eating at the once solid foundations".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lerwill |first1=John |title=Aston Villa The First Superclub |date=2012 |isbn=978-0-9569833-1-2 |page=213|publisher=Unknown Publisher}}</ref>

Despite narrowly avoiding relegation the season before, Aston Villa's first trophy for 37 years came in the 1956–57 season when another former Villa player, [[Eric Houghton]] led the club to a then record seventh FA Cup Final win, defeating the 'Busby Babes' of [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] 2–1 with Northern Irish winger [[Peter McParland]] scoring both goals.<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; pp. 86–87.</ref> The team continued to struggle for consistency in the league though, which led to Eric Houghton being sacked in December 1958. His replacement [[Joe Mercer]] could not prevent the club being relegated for only the second time in their history in [[1958–59 Football League|1958-59]]. However, under the stewardship of Mercer, Villa returned to the top-flight in 1960 as Second Division Champions with a talented young side which became known as 'Mercer's Minors'. In the following season Aston Villa became the first team to win the [[Football League Cup]], with England centre-forward [[Gerry Hitchens]] scoring an impressive 42 goals in [[1960–61 Football League|1960-61]].<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p. 93.</ref>

===Deep malaise and revival (1961–1974)===
Hitchens' goals brought him to the attention of Italian club [[Inter Milan]], who offered him a large financial incentive to sign. He was sold for £85,000 in summer of 1961, his replacement, [[Derek Dougan]] was not a success and Villa slid backwards. Mercer's forced retirement from the club in July 1964, following a stress-induced stroke, signalled a period of deep turmoil and malaise. The most successful club in England had failed to keep pace with changes in the modern game; three of the five-man board of directors were over 70 years old, the club had neglected its scouting network and coaching structure and the club's finances were in a parlous state. This led to the club selling its top striker [[Tony Hateley]] to [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] for £100,000 in October 1966, without his goals Villa were relegated for the third time in its history, under manager [[Dick Taylor (football manager)|Dick Taylor]] in 1967. The board even sold the club's training ground outside Villa Park for housing, leaving the team in the position of training on borrowed training pitches of local factory teams.<ref>{{cite book |last1=James |first1=Gary |title=Joe Mercer Football with a Smile |date=2010 |publisher=James Ward |isbn=978-0-9558127-4-3 |page=140}}</ref>

The following season the fans called for the board to resign as Villa finished 16th in the Second Division. With mounting debts and Villa lying at the bottom of Division Two, the board sacked [[Tommy Cummings]] (the manager brought in to replace Taylor), and within weeks the entire board resigned under overwhelming pressure from fans.<ref name="Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p.100">Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p. 100.</ref> After much speculation, control of the club was bought by London financier Pat Matthews, who brought in [[Doug Ellis]] as chairman in December 1968.<ref name="Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p.100" /> Ellis later recalled that "you could write your name in the dust, window frames were rotting, the smell of failure and imminent financial ruin hung in the air"; one of their first acts was to raise £205,835 in a share issue which cleared the club's debts. Doug Ellis's first managerial appointment was the outspoken Scottish manager [[Tommy Docherty]], who after initial success, was sacked after 13 months in charge with the club at the foot of Second Division. His replacement was former club captain and reserve team manager [[Vic Crowe]], who could not prevent Villa being relegated to the Third Division for the first time in its history at the end of the [[1969–70 in English football|1969–70]] season.

The following season Villa surprised everyone by beating [[Manchester United]] in the two-legged semi-final to reach the [[1971 Football League Cup Final|1971 League Cup Final]], in which the team played well but were defeated by two late [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]] goals. There was a renewed sense of optimism at Villa Park as the club was promoted to the Second Division as champions with average attendances of 30,000 and a record 70 points in [[1971–72 in English football|1971–72 season]].<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p. 106.</ref> Off the pitch, the board purchased the new 20-acre [[Bodymoor Heath Training Ground]] in December 1971, with a view to improving the club's youth development and coaching facilities.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sydenham |first1=Richard |title=Ticket to the Moon |date=2018 |publisher=deCoubertin Books |isbn=978-1-909245-76-1 |page=19}}</ref>

===Back among the elite (1974–1992)===
[[File:Dennis Mortimer (1982).jpg|thumb|right|Aston Villa captain Dennis Mortimer lifted the European Cup in 1982.]]
Following a 14th-place finish in the Second Division, Crowe was replaced in August 1974 by [[Ron Saunders]]. He was a fitness fanatic, whose brand of no-nonsense man-management proved effective, with the club winning the League Cup the following season and, by the end of season 1974–75, he had taken Aston Villa back into the First Division and into Europe.<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p. 111.</ref> One player who had been a mainstay of the Villa team throughout the rollercoaster of relegations and subsequent revival was fan-favourite [[Charlie Aitken (footballer, born 1942)|Charlie Aitkin]], who made 659 appearances at [[left back]] for the club between 1959 and 1976, making him Villa's all-time record appearance holder.

Aston Villa were back among the elite as Saunders continued to mould a winning team, finishing 4th in the league and winning a further League Cup in [[1976–77 in English football|1976–77]], with the formidable strike partnership of [[Brian Little]] and [[Andy Gray (footballer, born 1955)|Andy Gray]], who became the first player to win both the [[PFA Young Player of the Year]] and [[PFA Players' Player of the Year]] in the same season. The 1970s was an era of boardroom unrest at Villa Park. Ron Saunders had a strained relationship with [[Doug Ellis]], resenting Doug's perceived interference in football matters. Over time Ellis became an isolated figure on the board, as the other directors sided with Saunders. He was ousted as chairman in 1975 to make way for [[Sir William Dugdale, 2nd Baronet|Sir William Dugdale]]. He remained on the board until 1979, when he left the club after a protracted power struggle with majority shareholder [[Ron Bendall]]. With Ellis gone, Saunders became all-powerful as manager.

Villa achieved a seventh top-flight league title in [[1980–81 in English football|1980–81]], with players such as [[Gordon Cowans]], [[Tony Morley]] and captain [[Dennis Mortimer]] leading the club to its first top-flight title in 71 years. Remarkably, they did so using just 14 players, with seven players being ever-presents. Villa's Birmingham-born forward [[Gary Shaw (footballer, born 1961)|Gary Shaw]] was named 1980-1981 [[PFA Young Player of the Year]]. To the surprise of commentators and fans, Ron Saunders quit halfway through the [[1981–82 in English football|1981–82]] season, with Villa in the quarter final of the European Cup. Saunders had expressed his exasperation with the board at the lack of funds available to him to strengthen the team and fell out with the chairman Ron Bendall over the terms of his contract.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sydenham |first1=Richard |title=Ticket to the Moon |date=2018 |publisher=deCoubertin Books |isbn=978-1-909245-76-1 |page=155}}</ref> He was replaced by his softly-spoken assistant manager [[Tony Barton (footballer)|Tony Barton]] who guided the club to a 1–0 victory over [[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]] in the [[1982 European Cup Final|European Cup final]] in [[Rotterdam]] courtesy of a [[Peter Withe]] goal in the 67th minute. Ten minutes into the final, Villa's first choice goalkeeper, [[Jimmy Rimmer]], was injured and young substitute keeper [[Nigel Spink]] was called into action, having only made one previous appearance in the first team. Spink performed superbly, keeping a clean sheet, and helping Villa become only the fourth English club to lift the European Cup.

[[File:82team.jpg|thumb|left|The 1982 European Cup winning squad celebrate the 25th anniversary of their win.|alt=In the foreground is two men holding a large cup, they have claret scarves and a medal around their necks. Around them are ten old players in suits with medals and scarves around their necks]]
The following season the defence of the European Cup ended in a quarter-final defeat to [[Juventus]], but Villa won the [[1982 European Super Cup|European Super Cup]], beating [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]] 3–1 on aggregate. This marked a pinnacle though and Villa's fortunes declined sharply for most of the 1980s. Doug Ellis returned as chairman and majority shareholder in November 1982. The club was saddled with significant debts and questions had been raised by the police regarding fraudulent financial activity surrounding the building of the North Stand at Villa Park from 1980 to 1982. The cost of the work was £1.3&nbsp;million. An internal investigation found that £700,000 of the £1.3&nbsp;million worth of bills were unaccounted for.<ref name="Hayes172">Hayes, Dean, p.172</ref> A later report by accountants [[Deloitte]] found that there were "serious breaches of recommended codes of practice and poor site supervision".<ref>Inglis, Simon (1997), p.188</ref>

Ellis immediately set about trying to reduce the club's overheads. He informed the players that they needed to take pay cuts and told the manager Tony Barton that there was a need to reduce the playing staff.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sydenham |first1=Richard |title=Ticket to the Moon |date=2018 |publisher=deCoubertin Books |isbn=978-1-909245-76-1}}</ref> Saunders' team was broken up and not adequately replaced, culminating in the club being relegated in 1987, just five years after Villa had been crowned European champions.<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p. 148.</ref> However, Villa bounced back quickly, achieving promotion the following year under [[Graham Taylor (footballer)|Graham Taylor]] and a runners-up position in the top-flight in the 1989–90 season with a fine side that included [[Paul McGrath (footballer)|Paul McGrath]], [[Tony Daley]] and [[David Platt (footballer)|David Platt]].<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p. 155.</ref> Following this success, Graham Taylor accepted the offer to take over as England manager in 1990.

===24 years in the Premier League (1992–2016)===
Villa were one of the founding members of the Premier League in 1992, one of just three clubs to have been founding members of both the Football League in 1888 and the Premier League, along with [[Blackburn Rovers]] and [[Everton F.C.|Everton]]. Villa finished runners-up to Manchester United in the inaugural season under manager [[Ron Atkinson]]. His side lifted the League Cup in 1994, beating Manchester United 3–1 in the final, with goals from [[Dalian Atkinson]] and [[Dean Saunders]], but the team struggled for form in the league and Atkinson was replaced by former Villa striker [[Brian Little]] in November 1994. Little assembled a young side which included players as [[Gareth Southgate]], [[Steve Staunton]], [[Ian Taylor (footballer, born 1968)|Ian Taylor]] and [[Dwight Yorke]], leading the club to a fifth League Cup triumph in 1996, beating [[Leeds United]] 3–0 at Wembley. Villa finished fourth in the league that season, and fifth the season after.

Following a dip in form, Doug Ellis sacked Little and replaced him with another former Villa player [[John Gregory (footballer)|John Gregory]] in February 1998. One of his first matches in charge was the [[Uefa Cup|UEFA Cup]] quarter-final against [[Atlético Madrid]], which Villa lost on away goals over two-legs. In the summer of 1998, Yorke was transferred to Manchester United for £12.6 million. Gregory managed four top-eight finishes in the league and took the club to an FA Cup final in 2000 with a side that included [[David James (footballer, born 1970)|David James]], [[Dion Dublin]], [[Paul Merson]] and [[Gareth Barry]] but was unable to assemble a team capable of challenging for Champions League places. At the end of the season Villa's captain [[Gareth Southgate]] handed in a transfer request, claiming that "if I am to achieve in my career, it is time to move on".<ref>{{cite news |title=Southgate wants to quit Villa |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/euro2000/teams/england/782259.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=8 June 2000 |access-date=26 February 2008 |archive-date=12 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612152708/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/euro2000/teams/england/782259.stm |url-status=live}}</ref> Gregory's frustration at the lack of investment in the team led to him publicly accusing Ellis of being "stuck a time warp"; their relationship remained strained until Gregory resigned in January 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fchd.info/ASTONVIL.HTM |title=Aston Villa |work=Football Club History Database |publisher=Richard Rundle |access-date=19 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121229080020/http://www.fchd.info/ASTONVIL.HTM |archive-date=29 December 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Chelsea claim FA Cup glory |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/fa_cup/756784.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=20 May 2000 |access-date=21 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010152703/http://www.fchd.btinternet.co.uk/ASTONVIL.HTM |archive-date=10 October 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> Ellis appointed [[Graham Taylor]] for a second spell in February 2002, but a 16th-place finish in the league led to his replacement with [[David O'Leary]] in June 2003. After a sixth-place finish in his first season, Villa the finished 10th and 16th, leading to O'Leary leaving in the summer of 2006.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/5196872.stm |title=O'Leary parts company with Villa |work=BBC Sport |access-date=15 September 2008 |date=19 July 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131011091056/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/5196872.stm |archive-date=11 October 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Gareth Barry Aston Villa-FH 414.jpg|thumb|right|Gareth Barry is Villa's record appearance holder in the Premier League.]]
After 23 years as chairman and single biggest shareholder (approximately 38%), Ellis sold his stake in Aston Villa due to ill-health at the age of 82. American businessman [[Randy Lerner]], owner of [[National Football League|NFL]] franchise the [[Cleveland Browns]], completed his takeover in September 2006.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/aston_villa/5356730.stm |title=Lerner set to complete Villa deal |work=BBC Sport |date=27 September 2006 |access-date=15 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130330043727/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/aston_villa/5356730.stm |archive-date=30 March 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> The arrival of a new owner in Lerner and of manager [[Martin O'Neill]] marked the start of a new period of optimism at Villa Park and sweeping changes occurred throughout the club including a new badge, investment in state-of-the-art facilities at the [[Bodymoor Heath Training Ground]] and significant investment in the squad in the summer of 2007.<ref name="new badge" /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=407236&cc=5739|title=Villa secure new kit deal with Nike|publisher=ESPNsoccernet|date=7 February 2007|access-date=15 September 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108032246/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=407236|archive-date=8 November 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> The first Cup final of the Lerner era came in 2010 when Villa were beaten 2–1 in the [[2010 Football League Cup Final|League Cup Final]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/8531179.stm |title=Aston Villa 1–2 Man Utd |date=28 February 2010 |access-date=28 February 2010 |work=BBC Sport |first=Phil |last=McNulty |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120416102805/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/league_cup/8531179.stm |archive-date=16 April 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Just five days before the opening day of the [[2010–11 in English football|2010–11 season]], O'Neill resigned as manager, despite three consecutive 6th-place finishes, due to frustration in the lack of investment in the squad, following the sale of star players [[Gareth Barry]], [[James Milner]] and [[Ashley Young]].<ref name="ONeill Leaves">{{cite web |url=http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2116569,00.html |title=Club Statement: Martin O'Neill |publisher=Aston Villa F.C |date=9 August 2010 |access-date=9 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100817021101/http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10265~2116569%2C00.html |archive-date=17 August 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> His replacement [[Gérard Houllier]] stepped down due to ill-health in September 2011, to be replaced by [[Birmingham City]] manager [[Alex McLeish]], despite fan protests against his appointment.<ref>{{cite news |title=Aston Villa appoint Alex McLeish as manager |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/13770519 |work=BBC Sport |date=17 June 2011 |access-date=18 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110617111600/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13770519.stm |archive-date=17 June 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> McLeish's contract was terminated at the end of the 2011–12 season after Villa finished in 16th place,<ref>{{cite news |title=Alex McLeish sacked as Aston Villa manager |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/18056282 |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=14 May 2012 |access-date=14 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120514124024/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18056282 |archive-date=14 May 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> and he was replaced by [[Paul Lambert]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Aston Villa appoint Paul Lambert as new manager |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/18307066 |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=2 July 2012 |access-date=29 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016211304/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18307066 |archive-date=16 October 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In February 2012, the club announced a financial loss of £53.9&nbsp;million,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/17197269 |title=Aston Villa announce £53.9m loss for 2010–11 financial year |work=BBC Sport |date=28 February 2012 |access-date=19 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310231557/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17197269 |archive-date=10 March 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> and Lerner put the club up for sale three months later.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27372342 |title=Aston Villa: Owner Randy Lerner puts club up for sale |work=BBC Sport |date=12 May 2014 |access-date=24 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140601065726/http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27372342 |archive-date=1 June 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> With Lerner still on board, but unwilling to spend following the stock market crash of 2008, the club was uncompetitive for several seasons, culminating in the [[2014–15 Aston Villa F.C. season|2014–15 season]], when Lambert was sacked in February 2015 after the team managed just 12 goals in the first 25 league games, the lowest in Premier League history.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/31431649 |title=Aston Villa: Paul Lambert sacked as manager |work=BBC Sport |date=11 February 2015 |access-date=11 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150213030347/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31431649 |archive-date=13 February 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Tim Sherwood]] succeeded him,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/31470606 |title=Tim Sherwood appointed new Aston Villa boss |work=BBC Sport |date=14 February 2015 |access-date=11 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102000906/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31470606 |archive-date=2 January 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> and steered the club away from relegation while also leading them to the [[2015 FA Cup Final]]. However, the club sold two of its star players [[Christian Benteke]] and captain [[Fabian Delph]] in the summer transfer window and did not adequately replace them. Villa struggled in the 2015–16 season, and Sherwood was sacked following six consecutive defeats.<ref>{{cite news|title = Tim Sherwood sacked as Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner runs out of patience with {{sic|bele|agured|nolink=y}} manager|url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/aston-villa/11953572/Tim-Sherwood-sacked-as-Aston-Villa-owner-Randy-Lerner-runs-out-of-patience-with-beleagured-manager.html|website = Telegraph.co.uk|access-date = 29 October 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151028133304/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/aston-villa/11953572/Tim-Sherwood-sacked-as-Aston-Villa-owner-Randy-Lerner-runs-out-of-patience-with-beleagured-manager.html|archive-date = 28 October 2015|url-status = live|df = dmy-all|date = 25 October 2015|last1 = Percy|first1 = John}}</ref> He was replaced by [[Rémi Garde]], who left after just five months with Villa lying bottom of the table; his reign included a club-record 19 game winless run. The club was relegated at the end of the season, ending their 29-year stay in the top flight.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Jennings|first1=Patrick|title=Manchester United 1 – 0 Aston Villa|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36003831|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|date=16 April 2016|access-date=17 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417000703/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36003831|archive-date=17 April 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Championship to Champions League (2016–present)===
In June 2016, Chinese businessman [[Tony Xia]] bought the club for £76 million.<ref>{{cite news|title=Aston Villa: Dr Tony Xia completes takeover of Championship club|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36522094|access-date=13 November 2016|work=BBC Sport|date=14 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113175805/http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36522094|archive-date=13 November 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Former Chelsea boss [[Roberto Di Matteo]] was appointed as the club's new manager, but was dismissed after just 12 games following a poor start to the season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Roberto di Matteo: Aston Villa sack manager 124 days after he takes charge|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37534496|work=BBC Sport|access-date=4 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161003083755/http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37534496|archive-date=3 October 2016|url-status=live|date=3 October 2016}}</ref> He was replaced by former Birmingham manager [[Steve Bruce]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Aston Villa: Steve Bruce appointed manager of Championship club|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37610020|access-date=13 November 2016|work=BBC Sport|date=12 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161029093305/http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37610020|archive-date=29 October 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Bruce led the team to finish fourth in the 2017–18 season, but lost in the [[2018 EFL Championship play-off final]] to [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]]. Following failure to secure promotion to the [[Premier League]], the club faced significant financial difficulties. Following rumours that [[Administration (British football)|administration]] was imminent, Xia looked to sell the club.<ref name=":10">{{cite web |last=Evans |first=Gregg |date=28 June 2018 |title=Exclusive: Tony Xia in talks to sell Aston Villa |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/exclusive-tony-xia-talks-sell-14833584 |access-date=25 February 2024 |website=Birmingham Live}}</ref> On 20 July 2018 it was announced that the [[V Sports|NSWE Group]], a consortium consisting of Egyptian billionaire [[Nassef Sawiris]] and the American billionaire [[Wes Edens]], were to invest in the football club. They purchased a controlling 55% stake in the club, and Sawiris took over the role of club chairman, appointing [[Christian Purslow]] as CEO.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2018/07/20/club-statement-investment-in-aston-villa|publisher=Aston Villa F.C.|last1=Official|first1=AVFC|title=Club statement: Investment in Aston Villa|date=20 July 2018|access-date=20 July 2018|archive-date=4 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104163109/https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2018/07/20/club-statement-investment-in-aston-villa|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Jack Grealish aug 2014.jpg|thumb|upright|In 2021, Aston Villa sold [[Jack Grealish]] to Manchester City for a British record £100 million.]]
In October 2018, Bruce was dismissed after winning only once in a nine match stretch.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45382413|title=Steve Bruce: Aston Villa sack manager after one win in nine league games|date=3 October 2018|work=BBC Sport|access-date=2 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003183953/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45382413|archive-date=3 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> He was replaced by [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]] manager and boyhood Villa fan [[Dean Smith (footballer, born 1971)|Dean Smith]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45818275|title=Dean Smith: Aston Villa appoint new head coach with John Terry as assistant|date=10 October 2018|work=BBC Sport|access-date=2 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011114122/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45818275|archive-date=11 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/john-terry-appointed-aston-villa-assistant-as-smith-named/unpc5jn8fk5d1spqahk9j9vzk|title=John Terry appointed Aston Villa assistant as Smith named manager |access-date=2 November 2018|archive-date=4 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804223436/https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/john-terry-appointed-aston-villa-assistant-as-smith-named/unpc5jn8fk5d1spqahk9j9vzk|url-status=dead}}</ref> who led the team to fifth place, and reaching the playoffs again—helped on by a club-record 10 league game winning streak. They reached the [[2019 EFL Championship play-off final]] and defeated [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]] 2–1 to gain promotion back to the Premier League after a three-year absence.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48331145|title=Championship play-off final: Aston Villa 2-1 Derby County|work=BBC Sport|date=27 May 2019|access-date=27 May 2019|archive-date=5 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200305124048/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48331145|url-status=live}}</ref>

On the eve of Villa's Premier League return, [[Recon Group]]'s minority share ownership was bought out by NSWE, meaning Xia no longer had any stake in the club.<ref name=":0">{{cite news|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/aston-villa/2019/08/09/tony-xia-leaves-aston-villa-with-former-owners-remaining-shareholding-wiped-out/|title=Tony Xia leaves Aston Villa with former owner's remaining shareholding wiped out|last=Maher|first=Matt|date=9 August 2019|work=Express & Star|access-date=9 August 2019|archive-date=9 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190809140800/https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/aston-villa/2019/08/09/tony-xia-leaves-aston-villa-with-former-owners-remaining-shareholding-wiped-out/|url-status=live}}</ref> Villa's first season back in the Premier League saw a significant overhaul of the squad, with 12 players signed during the summer transfer window. The team battled relegation for most of the season, but stayed up on the final day with a 17th-place finish.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53545006|title=Aston Villa staying up better than play-off win - Dean Smith|work=BBC Sport|date=26 July 2020|access-date=27 July 2020|archive-date=27 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727231753/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53545006|url-status=live}}</ref> In Villa's second season back in the Premier League, Smith oversaw an 11th-place finish, but was unable to persuade star player and captain [[Jack Grealish]] to remain at the club after Manchester City's British-record £100 million bid triggered his release clause. Following a poor start to the 2021–22 season, which saw seven losses in the club's opening 11 games, Dean Smith was dismissed.<ref>{{cite web|date=7 November 2021|title=Aston Villa Club Statement|url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/november/07/club-statement-dean-smith/|url-status=live|access-date=7 November 2021|website=Aston Villa Football Club|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107133650/https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/november/07/club-statement-dean-smith/ |archive-date=7 November 2021}}</ref>

Aston Villa appointed former [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] and England captain [[Steven Gerrard]] as head coach on 11 November 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/november/11/villa-announce-steven-gerrard-as-head-coach/|title=Villa announce Steven Gerrard as Head Coach|date=11 November 2021 |access-date=11 November 2021|archive-date=11 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211111101556/https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/november/11/villa-announce-steven-gerrard-as-head-coach/|url-status=live}}</ref> After a poor start to the 2022–23 season, in which Villa won just twice and scored only seven goals in their opening 11 games, Gerrard was sacked in October 2022,<ref>{{cite news |title=Aston Villa sack Gerrard after defeat by Fulham |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62775410 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=21 October 2022 |archive-date=20 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221020215348/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62775410 |url-status=live}}</ref> and replaced by four-time [[Europa League]]-winning Spanish manager [[Unai Emery]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Aston Villa appoint Emery as Gerrard's successor |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/63379963 |access-date=13 June 2023 |archive-date=11 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221111103408/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/63379963 |url-status=live}}</ref> He led Villa to 7th place and qualification for the [[Europa Conference League]] in his first season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Villa qualify for Europe after 13-year absence|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65661853|access-date=13 June 2023|archive-date=13 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230613091316/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65661853|url-status=live}}</ref> In the 2023–24 season, Emery led the club to the [[2023–24 UEFA Europa Conference League|Conference League semi-finals]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Lille 2–1 Aston Villa |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68840324 |first=Neil |last=Johnston |date=18 April 2024 |access-date=22 April 2024 |work=BBC Sport}}</ref> where they were knocked out by [[Olympiacos F.C.|Olympiacos]], and a fourth-place finish in the league, securing participation in the [[UEFA Champions League]] for the first time since 1982–83.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c51nn7yw1vgo |title=Aston Villa reach Champions League for first time |publisher=BBC Sport |date=14 May 2024}}</ref> In the following [[2024–25 UEFA Champions League|Champions League campaign]], the team reached the quarter-finals before a 5–4 aggregate loss to eventual winners [[Paris Saint-Germain FC|Paris Saint-Germain]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Aston Villa 3–2 PSG: Unai Emery 'proud' of Champions League performance and insists his side 'deserve' to play at the level |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11944/13349705/aston-villa-3-2-psg-unai-emery-proud-of-champions-league-performance-and-insists-his-side-deserve-to-play-at-the-level |access-date=6 September 2025 |work=Sky Sports |date=16 April 2025}}</ref> In the 2025–26 season, Aston Villa reached the [[2026 UEFA Europa League final]], subsequently beating [[SC Freiburg]] 3–0 to end a 30-year trophy drought.<ref>{{cite web |title=Freiburg 0–3 Aston Villa highlights: Brilliant Villans win Europa League for the first time |url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/02a5-20ac3759bba4-7f91e47690b9-1000--freiburg-0-3-aston-villa-highlights-brilliant-villans-win-eu/ |access-date=20 May 2026 |website=UEFA.com |date=20 May 2026}}</ref>

==Colours and badge==
{{Commons|Aston Villa F.C. kits}}
{{Football kit box
|align = right
|alt = Football kit (white jersey with two broad, red, vertical stripes; red shorts with side-stripes; and white socks)
|pattern_la = 
|pattern_b = _lightbluehalf
|pattern_ra = 
|pattern_sh = _adidaswhite
|leftarm = 7B3F00
|body = 7B3F00
|rightarm = 00BFFF
|shorts = FFFFFF
|socks = 464646
|title = Villa's proposed kit of 1886<ref name="histkit" />
}}
The club colours are a claret shirt with sky blue sleeves, white shorts with claret and blue trim, and sky blue socks with claret and white trim. They were the original wearers of the claret and blue. Villa's colours at the outset were royal blue caps and stockings, royal blue and scarlet "striped" (in the context of the time, hooped) jerseys, and white knickerbockers, one of the club rules including a provision that "no member can take part in a match without wearing the above uniform".<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Hughes |first1=John |title=A Football Jubilee |journal=Sunday Mercury |date=9 March 1924 |page=10}}</ref> For a few years after that (1877–79) the team wore several different kits from all white, blue and black, red and blue to plain green. By 1880, black jerseys with a [[Royal Banner of Scotland|Scottish Lion Rampant]] embroidered on the chest were introduced by Villa's Scottish leaders [[William McGregor (football)|William McGregor]] and [[George Ramsay (footballer, born 1855)|George Ramsay]]. This remained the first choice strip for six years. On Monday, 8 November 1886, an entry in the club's official minute book states:

{{blockquote|(i) Proposed and seconded that the colours be chocolate and sky blue shirts and that we order two dozen.
(ii) Proposed and seconded that Mr McGregor be requested to supply them at the lowest quotation.}}

The chocolate colour later became claret.<ref name="histkit">{{cite web |url=http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Aston_Villa/Aston_Villa.htm |title=Aston Villa |work=Historical Football Kits |access-date=19 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130119202651/http://historicalkits.co.uk/Aston_Villa/Aston_Villa.htm |archive-date=19 January 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> Nobody is quite sure why claret and blue became the club's adopted colours.<ref name="histkit" /> Several other football teams adopted their colours, or also play in claret and blue, including [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]], [[Burnley F.C.|Burnley]], [[Scunthorpe United F.C.|Scunthorpe United]] and Turkish club [[Trabzonspor]].<ref>''When Saturday Comes: The Half Decent Football Book''; p. 183.</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/05/meet-the-promoted-premier-league-teams-burnley-qpr-leicester |title=Meet the 3 teams promoted to the Premier League |date=26 May 2014 |work=USA Today |access-date=4 June 2014 |first=Nick |last=Schwartz |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140528155819/http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/05/meet-the-promoted-premier-league-teams-burnley-qpr-leicester |archive-date=28 May 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Crystal Palace FC|Crystal Palace]] also played in Villa's colours until the 1970s. A new badge was revealed in May 2007, for the [[2007–08 in English football|2007–08]] season and beyond. The new badge includes a [[Star (football badge)|star]] to represent the European Cup win in 1982, and has a light blue background behind Villa's 'lion rampant'. The traditional motto ''"Prepared"'' remains in the badge, and the name Aston Villa has been shortened to AVFC, FC having been omitted from the previous badge. The lion is now unified as opposed to fragmented lions of the past. [[Randy Lerner]] petitioned fans to help with the design of the new badge.<ref name="new badge">{{cite web |url=http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/HistoryKits |title=The Aston Villa Hit: The Current Crest |publisher=Aston Villa F.C |access-date=19 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101013023534/http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/HistoryKits |archive-date=13 October 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Aston Villa F.C. logo.svg|thumb|right|150px|Kit-exclusive badge for the 2023–24 season.]]
On 6 April 2016, the club confirmed that it would be using a new badge from the [[2016–17 Premier League|2016–17 season]] after consulting fan groups for suggestions. The lion in the new badge has claws added to it, and the word "Prepared" was removed to increase the size of the lion and club initials in the badge.<ref name="introducing">{{cite press release |title=Introducing our badge for 2016/17 |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2016/04/06/introducing-our-badge-for-201617/ |publisher=Aston Villa F.C. |date=6 April 2016 |access-date=31 May 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409034826/http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10265~5475744%2C00.html |archive-date=9 April 2016}}</ref> In November 2022, following a fan-led vote, the club announced it would adopt a new badge for the following season.<ref>{{cite web |title=Aston Villa fans vote on new Club crest: The results |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2022/november/10/aston-villa-fans-vote-on-new-club-crest/ |access-date=22 January 2023 |website=Aston Villa Football Club |date=10 November 2022 |archive-date=22 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122124824/https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2022/november/10/aston-villa-fans-vote-on-new-club-crest/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The new badge's usage was later clarified to be exclusive to on-field kits and training wear by club president of business operations, Chris Heck, with the existing badge continuing to be utilized as the primary in all other channels.<ref>{{cite news |last=Townley |first=John |title=Aston Villa notebook: Chris Heck's plan, crest explained and Jacob Ramsey's England message |url=https://birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-notebook-chris-hecks-27181142 |access-date=12 August 2023 |date=23 June 2023 |work=[[Birmingham Mail]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230812193201/https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-notebook-chris-hecks-27181142 |archive-date=12 August 2023 |url-status=bot: unknown}}</ref> In May 2024, the club reverted to a shield-shaped badge.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chapman |first1=Joseph |title=Aston Villa promote four messages as they unveil new club badge |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-badge-crest-2025-29269143 |access-date=31 May 2024 |work=Birmingham Mail |date=31 May 2024}}</ref>

===Kit manufacturers and sponsors===
Tables of kit suppliers and shirt sponsors appear below:<ref name="histkit" />
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Years
!Kit manufacturer
!Kit sponsor
!Sleeve sponsor
!Back sponsor
|-
|1974–1981
|[[Umbro]]
| rowspan="2" |''None''
| rowspan="25" |''None''
| rowspan="23" |''None''
|-
|1981–1982
| rowspan="4" |[[Le Coq Sportif]]
|-
|1982–1983
|Davenports Brewery
|-
|1983–1984
|''None''
|-
|1984–1985
| rowspan="4" |[[Mita Copiers]]
|-
|1985–1987
|Henson
|-
|1987–1990
|[[Hummel International|Hummel]]
|-
|1990–1993
|Umbro
|-
|1993–1995
|[[Asics]]
|[[Müller (company)|Müller]]
|-
|1995–1998
| rowspan="2" |[[Reebok]]
|[[AST Computers]]
|-
|1998–2000
|[[LDV Vans]]
|-
|2000–2002
| rowspan="2" |[[Diadora]]
|[[NTL Incorporated|NTL]]
|-
|2002–2004
|[[Rover Company|Rover]]
|-
|2004–2006
| rowspan="2" |[[Hummel International|Hummel]]
|[[DWS Group|DWS Investments]]
|-
|2006–2007
| rowspan="2" |[[32Red]]
|-
|2007–2008
| rowspan="4" |[[Nike, Inc.|Nike]]
|-
|2008–2010
|[[Acorns Children's Hospice]]
|-
|2010–2011
|[[FxPro]]
|-
|2011–2012
| rowspan="2" |[[Genting Group|Genting Casinos]]
|-
|2012–2013
| rowspan="3" |[[Macron (sportswear)|Macron]]
|-
|2013–2015
|[[Dafabet]]
|-
|2015–2016
| rowspan="2" |[[Intuit Quickbooks]]
|-
|2016–2017
| rowspan="2" |[[Under Armour]]
|-
|2017–2018
|[[Unibet]]
|Recon Group
|-
|2018–2019
|Luke 1977
|[[32Red]]
| rowspan="6" |''None''
|-
|2019–2020
| rowspan="3" |[[Kappa (brand)|Kappa]]
|W88
|BR88
|-
|2020–2021
| rowspan="3" |[[Cazoo]]
|LT.COM
|-
|2021–2022
|OB Sports
|-
|2022–2023
| rowspan="2" |[[Castore]]
|[[Kaiyun Sports]]
|-
|2023–2024
|BK8<ref>{{cite web |date=22 June 2023 |title=Aston Villa agree Principal Partnership with BK8 |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2023/june/22/aston-villa-agree-principal-partnership-with-bk8-/ |access-date=22 June 2023 |website=Aston Villa Football Club |archive-date=5 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230705100528/https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2023/june/22/aston-villa-agree-principal-partnership-with-bk8-/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
| rowspan="4" |Trade Nation<ref>{{cite web |date=22 June 2023 |title=Aston Villa announce Trade Nation as new partner |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2023/june/22/aston-villa-announce-trade-nation-as-new-partner/ |access-date=22 June 2023 |website=Aston Villa Football Club |archive-date=14 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230714005636/https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2023/june/22/aston-villa-announce-trade-nation-as-new-partner/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|2024–2025
| rowspan="3" |[[Adidas]]<ref name=":11">{{cite web |title=adidas and Aston Villa Football Club announce multi-year partnership |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2024/may/20/adidas-and-aston-villa-football-club-announce-multi-year-partnership/ |access-date=20 May 2024 |website=Aston Villa Football Club |date=20 May 2024}}</ref>
| rowspan="3" |[[Betano (company)|Betano]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Aston Villa and Betano announce Principal Partnership |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2024/april/22/aston-villa-and-betano-announce-principal-partnership-/ |access-date=19 May 2024 |website=Aston Villa Football Club |date=22 April 2024}}</ref>
|[[Black Sabbath]] (League Cup)
|-
|2025–
|''None''
|}

Aston Villa's kit was produced by local manufacturers until 1974, when [[Umbro]] became the first kit supplier to have its logo on a Villa shirt. Aston Villa's first shirt sponsor was Davenports Breweries in the 1982–83 season.<ref name="histkit" /> Aston Villa forwent commercial kit sponsorship for the 2008–09 and 2009–10 seasons; instead advertising the charity [[Acorns Children's Hospice]], the first deal of its kind in Premier League history.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gardner |first=Alan |title=Aston Villa to promote charity in place of shirt sponsor |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/jun/03/astonvilla.premierleague |date=3 June 2008 |work=The Guardian |location=London |access-date=3 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080604184603/http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/jun/03/astonvilla.premierleague |archive-date=4 June 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> The partnership continued until 2010 when a commercial sponsor replaced Acorns, with the hospice becoming the club's Official Charity Partner.<ref>{{cite news |last=Griffin |first=Jon |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/villa-unveil-biggest-pre-season-signing-128302 |title=Villa sign biggest kit deal in history |work=Birmingham Mail |date=16 July 2010 |access-date=12 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112113550/https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/villa-unveil-biggest-pre-season-signing-128302 |archive-date=12 November 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> A shirt sleeve sponsor was used for the first time in the 2019–20 season with BR88 being displayed.<ref>{{cite web|date=13 June 2019|title=Aston Villa secure BR88 as first ever sleeve sponsor|url=https://www.soccerex.com/insight/articles/2019/aston-villa-secure-br88-as-first-ever-sleeve-sponsor|access-date=5 August 2020|website=Soccerex|archive-date=23 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923184144/https://www.soccerex.com/insight/articles/2019/aston-villa-secure-br88-as-first-ever-sleeve-sponsor|url-status=live}}</ref> In August 2025, Aston Villa announced a partnership with Red Bull, making the company the club's Official Energy Drink Partner.<ref>{{cite web |title=Aston Villa partner with Red Bull |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2025/august/11/aston-villa-partner-with-red-bull/ |website=Aston Villa F.C. |date=11 August 2025 |access-date=12 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Red Bull adds sixth Premier League sponsorship |url=https://www.insideworldfootball.com/2025/08/11/red-bull-adds-sixth-premier-league-sponsorship/ |website=Inside World Football |date=11 August 2025 |access-date=12 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Aston Villa and Red Bull partnership details |url=https://eplfixtures.com/aston-villa-red-bull-partner/ |website=EPL Fixtures |date=11 August 2025 |access-date=12 August 2025}}</ref>

==Stadium==
{{main|Villa Park}}
{{wide image|VillaPark PanoramaFromTrinityRoadStand.jpg|750px|A panorama of Villa Park from the Trinity Road Stand, showing from left to right the North Stand, the Doug Ellis Stand and the Holte End}}
Aston Villa's current home venue is Villa Park; the team previously played at Aston Park (1874–1876) and [[Wellington Road (Perry Barr)|Wellington Road]] (1876–1897). Villa Park is the largest football stadium in the English Midlands, and the eighth largest stadium in England. It has hosted 16 England internationals at senior level, the first in 1899, and the most recent in 2025.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McNulty |first1=Phil |title=England 2-0 Andorra: World Cup Qualifier score, team news, radio & updates |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/live/cly7yzvx6kzt |access-date=25 May 2026 |work=BBC Sport}}</ref> Thus, it was the first English ground to stage international football in three different centuries.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lockley |first=Mike |title=When the world came to Villa Park... |work=Birmingham Mail |date=7 June 2014 |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/villa-park-world-cup-highlights-7229794 |access-date=25 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927152614/http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/villa-park-world-cup-highlights-7229794|archive-date=27 September 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Villa Park is the most used stadium in FA Cup semi-final history, having hosted 55 semi-finals. In 2022, the club announced plans to rebuild the North Stand and part of the Trinity Road stand, which will take the maximum capacity over 50,000.<ref>{{cite news |title=Aston Villa launch ground improvement plans |publisher=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61965353 |access-date=28 June 2022 |archive-date=28 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220628145237/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61965353 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The current training ground is located at [[Bodymoor Heath Training Ground|Bodymoor Heath]] near [[Kingsbury, Warwickshire|Kingsbury]] in north [[Warwickshire]], the site for which was purchased by former chairman Doug Ellis in the early 1970s from a local farmer. Although Bodymoor Heath was state-of-the-art in the 1970s, by the late 1990s the facilities had started to look dated. In November 2005, Ellis and Aston Villa plc announced a state of the art [[Pound sterling|£]]13&nbsp;million redevelopment of Bodymoor in two phases. The new training ground was officially unveiled on 6 May 2007, by then manager [[Martin O'Neill]], then-team captain [[Gareth Barry]] and 1982 European Cup winning team captain [[Dennis Mortimer]], with the Aston Villa squad moving in for the 2007–08 season.<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070825003721/http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/HeadlinesDetail/0%2C%2C10265~1021732%2C00.html |archive-date=25 August 2007 |title=Gaffer on BMH |publisher=Aston Villa F.C |url=http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/HeadlinesDetail/0,,10265~1021732,00.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>

It was announced on 6 August 2014, that Villa Park would appear in the [[FIFA (video game series)|FIFA video game]] from ''[[FIFA 15]]'', with all other Premier League stadiums also fully licensed from this game onwards.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~4056665,00.html|title=Villa Park to make debut in EA SPORTS FIFA 15 game – Latest News – Aston Villa |work=avfc.co.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810110536/http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10265~4056665%2C00.html |archive-date=10 August 2014}}</ref> Aston Villa operates under the guidance of the [[Safety Advisory Group (United Kingdom)|Safety Advisory Group]] (SAG), which is responsible for issuing safety certificates for matches held at [[Villa Park]], taking into account both physical and security considerations. In 2023, ahead of a [[UEFA Europa Conference League]] match against [[Legia Warsaw]], away supporters were barred from attending following clashes outside the stadium.<ref name="espn">{{cite web |title=Legia Warsaw fans barred from Villa match after police clashes |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/39015032/legia-warsaw-fans-barred-aston-villa-match-police-clashes |access-date=27 October 2025 |website=ESPN |date=30 November 2023}}</ref> Similarly, in November 2025, fans of [[Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C.]] were [[2025 banning of Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from match with Aston Villa|prohibited from attending]] a scheduled [[UEFA Europa League]] match at Villa Park mainly due to the threat of violence by Maccabi fans.<ref name="reuters">{{cite web |date=16 October 2025 |title=Maccabi Tel Aviv fans not allowed to attend Europa League match at Aston Villa |url=https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/maccabi-tel-aviv-fans-not-allowed-attend-europa-league-match-aston-villa-2025-10-16/ |access-date=27 October 2025 |website=Reuters}}</ref><ref name="guardian-20251124">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2025/nov/24/budget-labour-rachel-reeves-criticism-conservatives-nigel-farage-latest-news-updates |title=Risk of Maccabi Tel Aviv facing antisemitic attacks not 'predominant' reason for match ban, police tell MPs |last=Sparrow |first=Andrew |newspaper=The Guardian |date=24 November 2025 |access-date=24 November 2025}}</ref><ref name="wmp-20251121">{{cite web |url=https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/50374/documents/272467/default/ |title=Letter to Chair of the Home Affairs Committee |last=O'Hara |first=Mike |work=West Midlands Police |via=UK Parliament |date=21 November 2025 |access-date=24 November 2025}}</ref>

==Ownership==
{{see also|V Sports}}
[[File:Lerner, Randy.jpg|thumb|right|[[Randy Lerner]], the club owner of Aston Villa (2006–2016)]]
The first shares in the club were issued towards the end of the 19th century as a result of legislation that was intended to codify the growing numbers of professional teams and players in the Association Football leagues. FA teams were required to distribute shares to investors as a way of facilitating trading among the teams without implicating the FA itself. This trading continued for much of the 20th century until Ellis started buying up many of the shares in the 1960s. He was chairman and substantial shareholder of "Aston Villa F.C." from 1968 to 1975 and the majority shareholder from 1982 to 2006. The club were [[Initial public offering|floated]] on the [[London Stock Exchange]] (LSE) in 1996, and the share price fluctuated in the ten years after the flotation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Aston-Villa-plc-Company-History.html |title=Company Histories & Profiles: Aston Villa plc |publisher=FundingUniverse.com |access-date=20 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304172604/http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Aston-Villa-plc-Company-History.html |archive-date=4 March 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2006, it was announced that several consortia and individuals were considering bids for Aston Villa.<ref name="EndEllisEra" />

On 14 August 2006, it was confirmed that [[Randy Lerner]], then owner of the [[National Football League]]'s [[Cleveland Browns]], had reached an agreement of £62.6&nbsp;million with Aston Villa for a takeover of the club. Lerner took full control on 18 September with Ellis and his board replaced with a new board by Lerner on 19 September 2006.<ref name="EndEllisEra">{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/aston_villa/4792189.stm |title=End of Ellis era |work=BBC Sport |date=19 September 2006 |access-date=15 September 2008 |first=Simon |last=Austin |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116035522/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/aston_villa/4792189.stm |archive-date=16 January 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> Lerner appointed himself chairman of the club with [[Charles Krulak]] as a non-executive director and Ellis awarded the honorary position of Chairman Emeritus.<ref name="Ellisearner">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2006/aug/23/ellisrollsawayfromhisnice |title=Ellis rolls away from his nice Villa earner |first=David |last=Conn |newspaper=The Guardian |date=23 August 2006 |access-date=19 March 2012 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131204174822/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2006/aug/23/ellisrollsawayfromhisnice |archive-date=4 December 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> Lerner put the club up for sale in May 2014, valuing it at an estimated £200&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/aston-villa/10777086/Randy-Lerner-ready-to-sell-as-Aston-Villa-limp-to-Premier-League-safety.html|title=Randy Lerner ready to sell as Aston Villa limp to Premier League safety|date=20 April 2014|work=Telegraph.co.uk|access-date=3 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170324033826/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/aston-villa/10777086/Randy-Lerner-ready-to-sell-as-Aston-Villa-limp-to-Premier-League-safety.html|archive-date=24 March 2017|url-status=live|last1=Percy|first1=John}}</ref>

On 18 May 2016, Randy Lerner agreed the sale of Aston Villa to [[Recon Group]], owned by Chinese businessman [[Tony Xia]]. The sale was completed on 14 June 2016 for a reported £76 million, after being approved by the Football League.<ref name="SaleCompleteBBC">{{cite news|last1=Murphy|first1=Pat|title=Aston Villa: Dr Tony Xia completes takeover of Championship club|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36522094|access-date=14 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160614080637/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36522094|archive-date=14 June 2016|url-status=live|date=14 June 2016}}</ref> After a period of high expenditure and failing to secure promotion to the [[Premier League]] in the [[2017–18 EFL Championship|2017–18 Championship]] playoff final, financial difficulties at the club began to mount. Amid rumours that Villa risked entering [[Administration (British football)|administration]], Xia entered talks to sell the club in June 2018.<ref>{{cite news |last=Percy |first=John |date=6 June 2018 |title=Aston Villa to avoid imminent threat of administration after owner Dr Tony Xia secures £6m loan |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/06/06/aston-villa-avoid-imminent-threat-administration-owner-dr-tony/ |access-date=25 February 2024 |work=The Telegraph |issn=0307-1235}}</ref><ref name=":10" />

On 20 July 2018, it was announced that [[V Sports]] (at the time known as NSWE Group), a consortium consisting of Egyptian billionaire [[Nassef Sawiris]] and the American billionaire [[Wes Edens]], were to invest in the football club. They purchased a controlling 55% stake in the club, and Sawiris took over the role of club chairman.<ref name="auto" /> Prior to V Sports purchasing the club in 2018, it was reported that [[New York Yankees]] minority owner, [[Peter Freund]] was interested in purchasing the club for £75 million.<ref>{{cite web |last=Hughes |first=Matt |last2=Madeley |first2=Steve |title=American Peter B Freund lines up £75m bid to buy Aston Villa |url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/american-peter-b-freund-lines-up-75m-bid-to-buy-aston-villa-2wpdkfwzd |access-date=7 February 2026 |website=thetimes.com |date=5 June 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Wollaston |first=Steve |title=Meet Peter Freund - the man linked with £75m Aston Villa takeover |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/meet-peter-freund-man-linked-14748887 |access-date=7 February 2026 |website=Birmingham Live |date=6 June 2018}}</ref> On 9 August 2019, following Villa's promotion to the Premier League, [[Companies House]] revealed that the remainder of Xia's shares had been bought out, and that Xia no longer had any stake in the club.<ref name=":0" />

On 15 December 2023, Aston Villa announced that [[Comcast]]-backed American investment firm Atairos would invest in V Sports, the ultimate parent company of the club.<ref>{{cite web |title=Aston Villa Parent Sells Stake to Comcast-Backed Fund |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-15/aston-villa-parent-sells-minority-stake-to-ex-comcast-executive |access-date=22 February 2024 |website=Bloomberg |url-access=subscription |date=15 December 2023 |first1=Randall |last1=Williams |url-status=live |archive-url= https://archive.today/20231215170426/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-15/aston-villa-parent-sells-minority-stake-to-ex-comcast-executive |archive-date= 15 December 2023}}</ref> The agreement, which saw Atairos obtain a stake of approximately 20% in V Sports, valued Villa at more than £500 million.<ref>{{cite web |title=Egypt's richest man Nassef Sawiris considers breaking up his empire |url=https://www.ft.com/content/eb41e757-e6bc-495f-bdac-5e62fe66cbd9 |access-date=22 February 2024 |website=Financial Times |url-access=subscription |date=14 February 2024 |first1=Arash |last1=Massoudi |first2=Ivan |last2=Levingston |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240214142710/https://www.ft.com/content/eb41e757-e6bc-495f-bdac-5e62fe66cbd9 |archive-date= 14 February 2024}}</ref> The deal with Atairos was finalised on 12 April 2024, with Atairos CEO and former Comcast CFO Michael Angelakis appointed to Villa's board of directors.<ref>{{cite web |author=Aston Villa Football Club |date=12 April 2024 |title=Club Statement |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2024/april/12/club-statement/ |access-date=18 April 2024 |website=Aston Villa Football Club}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Billionaire businessman joins Aston Villa board |url=https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/aston-villa/2024/04/17/billionaire-businessman-joins-aston-villa-board/ |access-date=18 April 2024 |website=expressandstar.com |date=17 April 2024}}</ref>

==Social responsibility==
Aston Villa has a unique relationship with the [[Acorns Children's Hospice]] charity that is groundbreaking in English football.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/jun/03/astonvilla.premierleague |location=London |work=The Guardian |title=Aston Villa to promote charity in place of shirt sponsor |first=Alan |last=Gardner |date=3 June 2008 |access-date=11 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080604184603/http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/jun/03/astonvilla.premierleague |archive-date=4 June 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> In a first for the Premier League, Aston Villa donated the front of its kit shirts, usually reserved for high-paying sponsorships, to Acorns Hospice so that the charity would gain significant additional visibility and more funds.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:LTIB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=12119458D002D8B0&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D0CB57AB53DF815 |title=Aston Villa's bold initiative boosts charity |date=4 June 2008 |first=Peter |last=Lansley |work=The Sunday Times |format=reprint hosted at NewsBank |access-date=6 September 2010 |location=London |archive-date=10 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110080330/http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004 |url-status=live}}</ref> Outside of the shirt sponsorship the club has paid for hospice care for the charity as well as regularly providing player visits to hospice locations.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2009/12/23/villa-stars-visit-acorns-hospice-in-walsall-97319-25449125/ |title=Aston Villa stars visit Acorns Hospice in Walsall |date=23 December 2009 |last=Kendrick |first=Mathew |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |access-date=19 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020041311/http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2009/12/23/villa-stars-visit-acorns-hospice-in-walsall-97319-25449125/ |archive-date=20 October 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.acorns.org.uk/aston-villa-acorns-in-partnership |title=Aston Villa & Acorns in partnership |publisher=Acorns Children's Hospice |access-date=31 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130430034643/http://www.acorns.org.uk/aston-villa-acorns-in-partnership |archive-date=30 April 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In September 2010, Aston Villa launched an initiative at Villa Park called Villa Midlands Food (VMF) where the club will spend two years training students with Aston Villa hospitality and events in association with Birmingham City Council. The club opened a restaurant in the Trinity Road Stand staffed with 12 students recruited from within a 10-mile (16&nbsp;km) radius of Villa Park with most of the food served in the restaurant sourced locally.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2010/09/20/aston-villa-s-new-restaurant-hopes-to-serve-up-hospitality-success-to-disaffected-youngsters-97319-27300435/ |title=Aston Villa's new restaurant hopes to serve up hospitality success to disaffected youngsters |last=Kendrick |first=Mathew |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |date=20 September 2010 |access-date=11 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110917114042/http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2010/09/20/aston-villa-s-new-restaurant-hopes-to-serve-up-hospitality-success-to-disaffected-youngsters-97319-27300435/ |archive-date=17 September 2011}}</ref>

===Aston Villa Foundation===
In 2016, Aston Villa created a [[Registered Charity|registered charity]], the Aston Villa Foundation.<ref>{{cite web|date=31 May 2020|title=Aston Villa Foundation - Charity Number 1152848|url=https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5039247/charity-overview|url-status=live|access-date=4 May 2021|website=Charity Commission For England and Wales|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504140142/https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5039247/charity-overview |archive-date=4 May 2021}}</ref> The aim of the charity is to deliver the social responsibility work of Aston Villa. Working alongside key local and national stakeholders, the Foundation delivers projects such as football in the community, disability, health and wellbeing, education, interventions and community relations.<ref>{{cite web|title=Foundation|url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/foundation/|url-status=live|access-date=4 May 2021|website=Aston Villa F.C. Official Site|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190408083311/https://www.avfc.co.uk/foundation |archive-date=8 April 2019}}</ref> In May 2021, [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge]], met with members of the Foundation at Aston Villa's [[Bodymoor Heath Training Ground]]. This was following the Foundation providing 1000 hot meals a week to local organisations during the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom]], as well as allowing a local [[NHS trust|NHS Trust]] to make use of [[Villa Park]]'s facilities.<ref>{{cite news|last=Preece|first=Ashley|date=4 May 2021|title=Prince William laughs with Aston Villa players as he visits football club he supports|work=The Mirror|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/prince-william-laughs-aston-villa-24035443|access-date=4 May 2021|archive-date=4 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504132314/https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/prince-william-laughs-aston-villa-24035443|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Supporters and rivalries==
{{see also|Second City derby|Aston Villa F.C.–West Bromwich Albion F.C. rivalry}}
[[File:12th Man.jpg|thumb|Aston Villa fans in Villa Park's Holte End, proclaiming themselves to be the team's [[12th man (football)|12th man]]]]
Aston Villa have a large fanbase and draw support from all over the [[English Midlands|Midlands]] and beyond, with supporters' clubs all across the world. Former Villa chief executive Richard Fitzgerald has stated that the ethnicity of the supporters is currently 98% white. When Randy Lerner's regime took over at Villa Park, they aimed to improve the support from ethnic minorities. A number of organisations have been set up to support the local community, including Aston Pride.<ref>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929154352/http://www.villatrust.org.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=208 |archive-date=29 September 2007 |title=Richard FitzGerald: Bright Future |publisher=Aston Villa Supporters' Trust |date=10 April 2007 |url=http://www.villatrust.org.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=208}}</ref> A Villa in the Community programme has also been set up to encourage support among young people in the region.<ref>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060927200236/http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/CommunityDetail/0%2C%2C10265~90039%2C00.html |archive-date=27 September 2006 |title=Villa in the Community |publisher=Aston Villa F.C |access-date=15 September 2008 |url=http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/CommunityDetail/0,,10265~90039,00.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> The new owners have also initiated several surveys aimed at gaining the opinions of Villa fans and to involve them in the decision-making process. Meetings also occur every three months where supporters are invited by ballot and are invited to ask questions to the board.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.avfc.eglobalpanel.com/index.php |title=Aston Villa Supporters Survey Website |publisher=Aston Villa F.C |access-date=15 September 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522224426/http://www.avfc.eglobalpanel.com/index.php |archive-date=22 May 2013}}</ref> In 2011, the club supported a supporter-based initiative for an official anthem to boost the atmosphere at Villa Park. The song "The Bells Are Ringing" is to be played before games.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2334367,00.html |date=8 April 2011 |title=Check out new version of classic 'Bells Are Ringing' anthem |publisher=Aston Villa F.C. |access-date=31 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110826072347/http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10265~2334367%2C00.html |archive-date=26 August 2011}}</ref>

Like many English football clubs, Aston Villa has had several [[Football hooliganism|hooligan firms]] associated with it: Villa Youth, Steamers, [[Aston Villa Hardcore|Villa Hardcore]] and the C-Crew, the last mentioned being very active during the 1970s and 1980s. In 2004, several Villa firms were involved in a fight with [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|QPR]] fans outside Villa Park in which a steward died.<ref>{{cite news|last=Wells |first=Tom |title=Death of a Steward&nbsp;... what 'really' happened |newspaper=Sunday Mercury |date=19 December 2004 |url=http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/mercury/tm_objectid=14994517&method=full&siteid=50002&headline=death-of-a-steward-----what--really--happened-name_page.html=SectionID=62&ArticleID=1894678 |access-date=19 March 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110921152158/http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/mercury/tm_objectid%3D14994517%26method%3Dfull%26siteid%3D50002%26headline%3Ddeath-of-a-steward-----what--really--happened-name_page.html%3DSectionID%3D62%26ArticleID%3D1894678 |archive-date=21 September 2011}}</ref> As can be seen across the whole of English football, due to incidents like the aforementioned, the hooligan groups have now been marginalised.<ref>Brown, Danny; Brittle, Milo; p. 1.</ref> The main groupings of supporters can now be found in a number of domestic and international supporters' clubs. This includes the Official Aston Villa Supporters Club which also has many smaller regional and international sections.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.avfclionsclubs.co.uk/lions-clubs-directory |title=Lions Club Directory |publisher=Aston Villa F.C |access-date=19 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120621193242/http://www.avfclionsclubs.co.uk/lions-clubs-directory |archive-date=21 June 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> There were several independent supporters clubs during the reign of Doug Ellis but most of these disbanded after his retirement.<ref name="Ellisearner" /> The supporter group [[My Old Man Said]] formed to stand up for Villa supporters' rights, as a direct result of Villa supporters' protest against the club's appointment of [[Alex McLeish]]. The club's supporters also publish [[fanzine]]s such as ''Heroes and Villains'' and ''The Holy Trinity''.

Aston Villa's arch-rivals are Birmingham City, with games between the two clubs known as the [[Second City Derby]].<ref name="Derby" /> Historically though, [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]] have arguably been Villa's greatest rivals, a view highlighted in a fan survey, conducted in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.footballfanscensus.com/issueresults/Club_Rivalries_Uncovered_Results.pdf |title=Club rivalries uncovered |publisher=The Football Fans Census |access-date=15 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080910061502/http://www.footballfanscensus.com/issueresults/Club_Rivalries_Uncovered_Results.pdf |archive-date=10 September 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The two teams contested three FA Cup finals in the late 19th century. Villa also enjoy less heated local rivalries with [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]] and [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]]. Through the relegation of West Brom and Birmingham City, to the [[Football League Championship]], in the [[FA Premier League 2005–06|2005–06]] season, at the start of [[FA Premier League 2006–07|2006–07]] Premiership season, Villa were the only Midlands club in that League. The nearest opposing team Villa faced during that season was [[Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]], who played {{convert|62|mi|km}} away in South Yorkshire.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/4968920.stm |title=Is West Midlands Football in decline? |work=BBC Sport |access-date=15 September 2008 |date=8 May 2006 |first=Phil |last=Gordos |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070102112306/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/4968920.stm |archive-date=2 January 2007 |url-status=live}}</ref> For the [[2010–11 Premier League|2010–11 season]], West Bromwich Albion were promoted and joined Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Birmingham City in the Premier League. This marked the first time that the "West Midlands' Big Four" clubs were in the Premier League at the same time, and the first time together in the top flight since the [[1983–84 in English football|1983–84 season]]. Birmingham were relegated at the end of the 2010–11 season, ending this period.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/13444710 |title=Tottenham 2–1 Birmingham |first=Phil |last=Dawkes |work=BBC Sport |access-date=19 March 2012 |date=22 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120409190020/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/13444710 |archive-date=9 April 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The rivalry with Birmingham City was renewed in 2016–17 when Aston Villa suffered relegation from the Premier League.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37742867 |title=Birmingham City 1–1 Aston Villa |publisher=BBC Sport |date=30 October 2016 |access-date=13 July 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161030150432/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37742867 |archive-date=30 October 2016}}</ref> They were joined by West Brom two years later,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44046183 |title=West Brom relegated from Premier League after Southampton beat Swansea |publisher=BBC Sport |date=8 May 2018 |access-date=13 July 2021 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508210824/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44046183 |archive-date=8 May 2018}}</ref> but Villa won promotion back to the Premier League in 2019.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48331145 |title=Aston Villa 2–1 Derby County |publisher=BBC Sport |date=27 May 2019 |access-date=13 July 2021 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526205007/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48331145 |archive-date=26 May 2019}}</ref> In 2024, a supporter group named 1897 Group – named after the year that the club first used Villa Park as their home stadium – formed with the stated intention of vocally and visually enhancing the atmosphere for the club's matches at Villa Park. Following a subsequent meeting with club officials, 1897 Group were allocated a section of seats in the stadium's Doug Ellis Stand for a Premier League match against [[A.F.C. Bournemouth]]. This launched the group's physical presence at matches.<ref>{{cite news |title= Aston Villa news from BirminghamLive as the 1897 Group prepare for Bournemouth trial display after encouraging meeting with the club |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-launch-exciting-villa-28939048 |date=5 April 2024 |website=BirminghamLive}}</ref> 1897 Group also help to organise and carry out flag and [[tifo]] displays in Villa Park's Holte End stand and also in other sections of the stadium for some Villa home matches. Additionally, they have also organised and promoted Villa fan marches where Villa supporters are encouraged by the group to congregate at a designated point in the town or city that Villa are playing in and walk all together to the stadium.<ref>{{cite web |last=Dawson |first=Jack |title=Three things you may have missed in Aston Villa's sensational Champions League victory against Bayern Munich |url=https://www.astonvilla.news/match-coverage/three-things-you-may-have-missed-in-aston-villas-sensational-champions-league-victory-against-bayern-munich/ |access-date=1 January 2025 |website=Aston Villa News |date=2 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=UEFA Champions League Away Match Information |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/fans/ucl-information/ |access-date=1 January 2025 |website=Aston Villa Football Club}}</ref>

==Records and statistics==
{{main|List of Aston Villa F.C. records and statistics}}
[[File:AstonVillaFC League Performance.svg|thumb|right|Chart showing the progress of Aston Villa F.C. through the [[English football league system]]]]
The 2024–25 campaign is Aston Villa's 111th season in the top tier of English football. The only club to have spent longer in the top flight are [[Everton F.C.|Everton]], with 122 seasons,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/engalltime.html |title=England – First Level All-Time Tables 1888/89–2011/12 |publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Federation |first=Heikki |last=Pietarinen |date=1 November 2014 |access-date=1 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170824181412/http://www.rsssf.com/tablese/engalltime.html |archive-date=24 August 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> making Aston Villa versus Everton the most-played fixture in English top-flight football. Aston Villa was relegated from the top tier of English football in 2016, having played in every Premier League season since its establishment in [[1992–93 FA Premier League|1992–93]], but was promoted back in [[2018–19 EFL Championship|2018–19]]. They are ninth in the [[All-time Premier League table]], and have the fifth-highest total of major honours (20) won by an English club.<ref name="alltimetable">{{cite web|url=http://www.krysstal.com/trophies.html|title=All-time English Honours Table|publisher=KryssTal|access-date=19 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120815145413/http://www.krysstal.com/trophies.html|archive-date=15 August 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

Aston Villa currently holds the record number of league goals scored by any team in the English top flight; 128 goals were scored in the [[1930–31 Football League|1930–31 season]], one more than [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] who won the league that season for the first time, with Villa runners-up.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/Goals/0,,10794~634862,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320021001/http://www.football-league.co.uk/page/Goals/0%2C%2C10794~634862%2C00.html |archive-date=20 March 2012 |title=League Records: Goals |publisher=The Football League |access-date=19 March 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Villa forward [[Archie Hunter]] became the first player to score in every round of the FA Cup in Villa's victorious 1887 campaign. Villa's longest unbeaten home run in the FA Cup spanned 13 years and 19 games, from 1888 to 1901.<ref>Goodyear, David; Matthews, Tony; p. 168.</ref> Aston Villa are one of six English teams to have won the [[UEFA Champions League|European Cup]]. They did so on 26 May 1982 in [[Rotterdam]], beating [[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]] 1–0 thanks to [[Peter Withe]]'s goal.<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; pp. 130–135.</ref> After victory in the [[UEFA Europa League]] in 2026, Aston Villa became one of just four English teams to have won both the European Cup and the Europa League.

{{As of|2024}}, Aston Villa are only surpassed by Tottenham Hotspur (79), for providing the most [[England national football team|England]] internationals with 77 Villa players debuting for England since 1882.<ref>{{cite web |title=England Players' Clubs – Aston Villa |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/teamclubs/Clubs/AstonVilla.html |access-date=15 April 2024 |website=englandfootballonline.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=England Players' Club Affiliations Most Players |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/teamclubs/MostPlyrs.html |access-date=15 April 2024 |website=englandfootballonline.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=20 March 2022 |title=Which clubs have provided the most England players? |url=https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/which-clubs-provided-most-england-players/blt90173b3b57d50144 |access-date=30 June 2023 |website=goal.com|archive-date=30 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630091905/https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/which-clubs-provided-most-england-players/blt90173b3b57d50144 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Honours==
{{see also|List of Aston Villa F.C. records and statistics|List of Aston Villa F.C. seasons}}
Aston Villa have won both European and domestic league honours. The club's last English honour was in 1996 when they won the [[1995–96 Football League Cup|League Cup]], and most recently they won the [[2025–26 UEFA Europa League]].

===Domestic===
[[File:Aston villa 1895 team.jpg|thumb|right|Captain [[John Devey]] standing in front of the FA Cup which the club won for the second time in 1895]]
[[File:Birmingham Walk of Stars Aston Villa.jpg|thumb|upright|Star on the [[Birmingham Walk of Stars]] for the Aston Villa team who became European champions in 1982]]
'''League'''
*[[Football League First Division|First Division]] / [[Premier League]] (level 1)<ref name="league">Up until 1992, the top division of English football was the Football League First Division; since then, it has been the FA Premier League. At the same time, the Second Division was renamed the First Division, and the Third Division was renamed the Second Division.</ref> 
**Champions (7):{{efn|name=Topdivision|Up until 1992, the top division of [[Football in England|English football]] was the [[Football League First Division]]. The Premier League took over from the First Division as the top tier of the [[English football league system]] upon its formation in 1992. The First Division then became the second tier of English football, the Second Division became the third tier and so on. The First Division is now known as the [[EFL Championship]], while the Second Division is now known as [[EFL League One]].}} [[1893–94 Football League First Division|1893–94]], [[1895–96 Football League First Division|1895–96]], [[1896–97 Football League First Division|1896–97]], [[1898–99 Football League First Division|1898–99]], [[1899–1900 Football League First Division|1899–1900]], [[1909–10 Football League First Division|1909–10]], [[1980–81 Football League First Division|1980–81]]
**Runners-up (10): [[1888–89 Football League|1888–89]], [[1902–03 Football League|1902–03]], [[1907–08 Football League|1907–08]], [[1910–11 Football League|1910–11]], [[1912–13 Football League|1912–13]], [[1913–14 Football League|1913–14]], [[1930–31 Football League|1930–31]], [[1932–33 Football League|1932–33]], [[1989–90 Football League First Division|1989–90]], [[1992–93 FA Premier League|1992–93]]
*[[Football League Second Division|Second Division]] / [[EFL Championship|Championship]] (level 2)<ref name="league" />
**Champions (2):{{efn|name=Topdivision}} [[1937–38 Football League Second Division|1937–38]], [[1959–60 Football League Second Division|1959–60]]
**Runners-up (2): [[1974–75 Football League Second Division|1974–75]], [[1987–88 Football League Second Division|1987–88]]
**[[EFL Championship play-offs|Play-off]] winners: [[2019 English Football League play-offs|2019]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/news/2019/may/report%E2%80%93championship%E2%80%93play%E2%80%93off%E2%80%93final/ |title=Report: Championship Play–Off Final |access-date=27 May 2019 |archive-date=20 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240220152243/https://www.efl.com/news/2019/may/report%E2%80%93championship%E2%80%93play%E2%80%93off%E2%80%93final/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Football League Third Division|Third Division]] (level 3)<ref name="league" /> 
**Champions:{{efn|name=Topdivision}} [[1971–72 Football League Third Division|1971–72]]

'''Cups'''
*[[FA Cup]]
**Winners (7): [[1886–87 FA Cup|1886–87]], [[1894–95 FA Cup|1894–95]], [[1896–97 FA Cup|1896–97]], [[1904–05 FA Cup|1904–05]], [[1912–13 FA Cup|1912–13]], [[1919–20 FA Cup|1919–20]], [[1956–57 FA Cup|1956–57]]
**Runners–up (4): [[1891–92 FA Cup|1891–92]], [[1923–24 FA Cup|1923–24]], [[1999–2000 FA Cup|1999–2000]], [[2014–15 FA Cup|2014–15]]
*[[EFL Cup|Football League Cup / EFL Cup]]
**Winners (5): [[1960–61 Football League Cup|1960–61]], [[1974–75 Football League Cup|1974–75]], [[1976–77 Football League Cup|1976–77]], [[1993–94 Football League Cup|1993–94]], [[1995–96 Football League Cup|1995–96]]
**Runners-up (4): [[1962–63 Football League Cup|1962–63]], [[1970–71 Football League Cup|1970–71]], [[2009–10 Football League Cup|2009–10]], [[2019–20 EFL Cup|2019–20]]
*[[FA Community Shield|FA Charity Shield]]
**Winners: [[1981 FA Charity Shield|1981]]
*[[Sheriff of London Charity Shield]]
**Winners (2): [[1899 Sheriff of London Charity Shield|1899]], [[1901 Sheriff of London Charity Shield|1901]]

===European===
<!--# # # # # # # # # # #
DO NOT add the Peace Cup here, it is not a full, UEFA authorised tournament: see the talkpage archives
# # # # # # # # # # # -->

*[[UEFA Champions League|European Cup]]
**Winners: [[1981–82 European Cup|1981–82]]
*[[UEFA Europa League]]
**Winners: [[2025–26 UEFA Europa League|2025–26]]
*[[UEFA Super Cup|European Super Cup]]
**Winners: [[1982 European Super Cup|1982]]
*[[UEFA Intertoto Cup|Intertoto Cup]]
**Winners: [[2001 UEFA Intertoto Cup|2001]]{{efn|name=Intertoto|In 2001, Aston Villa were one of three co-winners of the Intertoto Cup with [[Paris Saint-Germain FC|Paris Saint-Germain]] and [[Troyes AC|Troyes]]. The club also won all of their [[2008 Intertoto Cup]] rounds to be named joint-winners and progress to the UEFA Cup; the format was changed in 2006 to award the Intertoto Trophy to the side progressing furthest in the [[2008–09 UEFA Cup|UEFA Cup]], which was [[S.C. Braga|Braga]].}}
**Co-winners: [[2008 UEFA Intertoto Cup|2008]]{{efn|name=Intertoto}}<ref name="Intertoto2008">{{cite web |title=Intertoto cup 2008 |url=http://www.eurotopfoot.com/uic.php3 |website=eurotopfoot.com |access-date=20 May 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606205222/http://www.eurotopfoot.com/uic.php3 |archive-date=6 June 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Intertoto eleven join UEFA Cup |url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/01cf-0e6f84a70b82-18a75e859f0f-1000--intertoto-eleven-join-uefa-cup/ |website=UEFA.com |access-date=20 May 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200601222131/https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/01cf-0e6f84a70b82-18a75e859f0f-1000--intertoto-eleven-join-uefa-cup/ |archive-date=1 June 2020 |date=27 July 2008}}</ref>

==Players==

===First-team squad===
{{updated|2 February 2026}}, ''includes youth players that have made their league debut.''<ref>{{cite web |title=Mens |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/teams |access-date=1 January 2026 |website=Aston Villa Football Club}}</ref>
{{fs start}}
{{fs player|no=2|nat=POL|pos=DF|name=[[Matty Cash]]}}
{{fs player|no=3|nat=SWE|pos=DF|name=[[Victor Lindelöf]]}}
{{fs player|no=4|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=[[Ezri Konsa]]|other=[[Vice-captain (association football)|vice-captain]]}}
{{fs player|no=5|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=[[Tyrone Mings]]}}
{{fs player|no=6|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=[[Ross Barkley]]}}
{{fs player|no=7|nat=SCO|pos=MF|name=[[John McGinn]]|other=[[Captain (association football)|captain]]}}
{{fs player|no=8|nat=BEL|pos=MF|name=[[Youri Tielemans]]}}
{{fs player|no=10|nat=ARG|pos=MF|name=[[Emiliano Buendía]]}}
{{fs player|no=11|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=[[Ollie Watkins]]}}
{{fs player|no=12|nat=FRA|pos=DF|name=[[Lucas Digne]]}}
{{fs player|no=14|nat=ESP|pos=DF|name=[[Pau Torres]]}}
{{fs player|no=16|nat=ESP|pos=DF|name=[[Andrés García (footballer, born 2003)|Andrés García]]}}
{{fs mid}}
{{fs player|no=18|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=[[Tammy Abraham]]}}
{{fs player|no=22|nat=NED|pos=DF|name=[[Ian Maatsen]]}}
{{fs player|no=23|nat=ARG|pos=GK|name=[[Emiliano Martínez]]}}
{{fs player|no=24|nat=BEL|pos=MF|name=[[Amadou Onana]]}}
{{fs player|no=26|nat=NED|pos=MF|name=[[Lamare Bogarde]]}}
{{fs player|no=27|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=[[Morgan Rogers]]}}
{{fs player|no=28|nat=NED|pos=FW|name=[[Zépiqueno Redmond]]}}
{{fs player|no=31|nat=JAM|pos=FW|name=[[Leon Bailey]]}}
{{fs player|no=40|nat=NED|pos=GK|name=[[Marco Bizot]]}}
{{fs player|no=44|nat=FRA|pos=MF|name=[[Boubacar Kamara]]}}
{{fs player|no=47|nat=BRA|pos=FW|name=[[Alysson (footballer, born 2006)|Alysson]]}}
{{fs player|no=53|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=[[George Hemmings]]}}
{{fs player|no=83|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=[[Bradley Burrowes]]}}
{{fs end}}

====Out on loan====
{{fs start}}
{{fs player|no=17|nat=NED|pos=FW|name=[[Donyell Malen]]|other=at [[AS Roma|Roma]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=20|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=[[Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba]]|other=at [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=29|nat=CIV|pos=FW|name=[[Evann Guessand]]|other=at [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=33|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=[[Lewis Dobbin]]|other=at [[Preston North End]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=|nat=ARG|pos=MF|name=[[Enzo Barrenechea]]|other=at [[S.L. Benfica|Benfica]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs mid}}
{{fs player|no=|nat=AUS|pos=GK|name=[[Joe Gauci]]|other=at [[Port Vale F.C.|Port Vale]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=[[Samuel Iling-Junior]]|other=at [[Pisa SC|Pisa]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=|nat=SRB|pos=DF|name=[[Kosta Nedeljković]]|other=at [[RB Leipzig]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=|nat=POL|pos=GK|name=[[Oliwier Zych]]|other=at [[Raków Częstochowa]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs end}}

===Under-21s and Academy===
{{further|Aston Villa F.C. Under-21s and Academy}}
{{updated|27 August 2025}}, ''players under 21 who are listed in the official senior squad or have made their senior league debut are listed in the senior squad above, this list below includes all academy players to have been named in a competitive senior matchday squad''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Under 21 |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/ |access-date=1 July 2025 |website=Aston Villa Football Club}}</ref>

{{fs start}}
{{fs player|no=52|nat=ENG|pos=GK|name=Sam Proctor}}
{{fs player|no=60|nat=WAL|pos=GK|name=Ronnie Hollingshead}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Hollingshead joins the Academy |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2025/august/14/hollingshead-joins-the-academy/ |access-date=15 August 2025 |website=Aston Villa Football Club |date=14 August 2025}}</ref>
{{fs player|no=64|nat=ENG|pos=GK|name=[[James Wright (footballer)|James Wright]]}}
{{fs player|no=65|nat=ENG|pos=GK|name=Sam Lewis}}
{{fs player|no=95|nat=ENG|pos=GK|name=Rhys Oakley}}
{{fs player|no=59|nat=COL|pos=DF|name=[[Yeimar Mosquera]]}}
{{fs player|no=71|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=TJ Carroll}}
{{fs player|no=73|nat=NIR|pos=DF|name=Callum Moreland}}
{{fs player|no=|nat=SCO|pos=DF|name=[[Kerr Smith (footballer)|Kerr Smith]]}}
{{fs player|no=61|nat=EGY|pos=MF|name=[[Omar Khedr]]}}
{{fs mid}}
{{fs player|no=66|nat=SCO|pos=MF|name=[[Fletcher Boyd]]}}
{{fs player|no=68|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Trai-Varn Mulley}}
{{fs player|no=69|nat=NIR|pos=MF|name=Cole Brannigan}}
{{fs player|no=74|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Luka Lynch}}
{{fs player|no=78|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Max Lott}}
{{fs player|no=79|nat=CIV|pos=MF|name=Mohamed Koné}}
{{fs player|no=83|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=[[Bradley Burrowes]]}}
{{fs player|no=30|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=[[Brian Madjo]]}}<ref>{{cite web |date=12 January 2026 |title=Aston Villa announce Brian Madjo signing |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2026/january/12/signing-aston-villa-announce-brian-madjo-signing/ |access-date=20 January 2026 |website=Aston Villa Football Club}}</ref>
{{fs player|no=67|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=[[Mason Cotcher]]}}
{{fs end}}

====Out on loan====
{{fs start}}
{{fs player|no=34|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=[[Louie Barry]]|other=at [[Stockport County F.C.|Stockport County]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=45|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=Triston Rowe|other=at [[FC Annecy]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=51|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=[[Kadan Young]]|other=at [[Reading F.C.|Reading]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=54|nat=SCO|pos=MF|name=[[Aidan Borland]]|other=at [[Swindon Town F.C.|Swindon Town]] until 31 May 2026}}
{{fs player|no=55|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=[[Travis Patterson]]|other=at [[FC Annecy]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=57|nat=SCO|pos=FW|name=[[Rory Wilson]]|other=at [[SK Sturm Graz|Sturm Graz]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=58|nat=TUR|pos=DF|name=[[Yasin Özcan]]|other=at [[Beşiktaş J.K.|Beşiktaş]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=62|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=[[Ben Broggio]]|other=at [[Falkirk F.C.|Falkirk]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=70|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Charlie Pavey|other=at [[Stourbridge F.C.|Stourbridge]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs mid}}
{{fs player|no=|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=I-lani Edwards|other=at [[Leamington F.C.|Leamington]] until 30 June}}
{{fs player|no=|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=[[Josh Feeney]]|other=at [[Huddersfield Town F.C.|Huddersfield Town]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=|nat=WAL|pos=DF|name=Thierry Katsukunya|other=at [[Real Unión]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=[[Tommi O'Reilly]]|other=at [[Crewe Alexandra]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=|nat=SCO|pos=MF|name=Ewan Simpson|other=at [[Hamilton Academical F.C.|Hamilton Academical]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=|nat=ENG|pos=DF|name=[[Lino Sousa]]|other=at [[Rotherham United F.C.|Rotherham]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=|nat=NED|pos=DF|name=[[Sil Swinkels]]|other=at [[Chesterfield F.C.|Chesterfield]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{fs player|no=|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=Kane Taylor|other=at [[Oldham Athletic F.C.|Oldham Athletic]] until 30 June 2026}}
{{Fs end}}

===Club captains===
Since the foundation of the club in 1874, forty five players have been club captain of Aston Villa. [[Jack Devey|John Devey]] who was captain from 1891 to 1898, is their most successful captain, leading Villa to five league titles and two FA Cup triumphs during the club's "Golden Age". The present captain is Scotland international [[John McGinn]].

{|
|- valign="top"
|
{| class="wikitable alternance"
|-
! style="background-color:#7B003A; color:#F8F8F8; border:3px ##;" scope="col"|Name
! style="background-color:#7B003A; color:#F8F8F8; border:3px ##;" scope="col"|Period
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Walter H. Price]] || 1874–1876
|-
|{{flagicon|Scotland}} [[George Ramsay (footballer, born 1855)|George Ramsay]] || 1876–1884
|-
|{{flagicon|Scotland}} [[Archie Hunter]] || 1884–1891
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[John Devey]] || 1891–1898
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Jimmy Crabtree]] || 1898–1902
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Howard Spencer]] || 1902–1906
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Joe Bache]] || 1906–1914
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Andy Ducat]] || 1919–1921
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Frank Barson]] || 1921–1922<ref>{{cite news |last=Burnton |first=Simon |title=The forgotten story of … Frank Barson's seven-month ban |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/dec/16/forgotten-story-frank-barson-aston-villa-manchester-united |access-date=9 February 2026 |work=The Guardian |date=16 December 2014 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Frank Moss (1895)|Frank Moss]] || 1922–1927
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Billy Walker (footballer, born 1897)|Billy Walker]] || 1927–1933
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Alec Talbot]] || 1933–1934
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Eric Houghton]] || 1934–1936
|-
|{{flagicon|Wales}} [[Thomas Griffiths (footballer, born 1906)|Tom Griffiths]] || 1936–1937
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Jimmy Allen (footballer, born 1909)|Jimmy Allen]] || 1937–1940
|}
|
{| class="wikitable alternance"
|-
! style="background-color:#7B003A; color:#F8F8F8; border:3px ##;" scope="col"|Name
! style="background-color:#7B003A; color:#F8F8F8; border:3px ##;" scope="col"|Period
|-
|{{flagicon|Scotland}} [[Alex Massie (footballer)|Alex Massie]] || 1940–1945
|-
|{{flagicon|Scotland}} [[George Cummings (footballer)|George Cummings]] || 1945–1949
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Dicky Dorsett]] || 1949–1951
|-
|{{flagicon|Northern Ireland}} [[Danny Blanchflower]] || 1951–1955
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Johnny Dixon (footballer)|Johnny Dixon]] || 1955–1959
|-
|{{flagicon|Wales}} [[Vic Crowe]] || 1959–1964
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Alan Deakin]] || 1964–1966
|-
|{{flagicon|Scotland}} [[Charlie Aitken (footballer, born 1942)|Charlie Aitken]] || 1966–1973
|-
|{{flagicon|Northern Ireland}} [[Chris Nicholl]] || 1973–1974
|-
|{{flagicon|Scotland}} [[Ian Ross (footballer, born 1947)|Ian Ross]] || 1974–1976
|-
|{{flagicon|Northern Ireland}} [[Chris Nicholl]] || 1976–1977
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Dennis Mortimer]] || 1977–1984
|-
|{{flagicon|Scotland}} [[Allan Evans (footballer)|Allan Evans]] || 1984–1989
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Stuart Gray (footballer, born 1960)|Stuart Gray]] || 1989–1992
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Kevin Richardson (footballer)|Kevin Richardson]] || 1992–1995
|}
|
{| class="wikitable alternance"
|-
! style="background-color:#7B003A; color:#F8F8F8; border:3px ##;" scope="col"|Name
! style="background-color:#7B003A; color:#F8F8F8; border:3px ##;" scope="col"|Period
|-
|{{flagicon|Republic of Ireland}} [[Andy Townsend]] || 1995–1997
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Gareth Southgate]] || 1997–2001<ref>{{cite news |title=Southgate quits Villa captaincy |url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2001/0516/156023-villaa/ |access-date=31 May 2024 |publisher=RTÉ |date=16 May 2001}}</ref>
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Paul Merson]] || 2001–2002<ref>{{cite news |title=Villa held by Basle |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/uefa_cup/1476447.stm |access-date=31 May 2024 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=7 August 2001}}</ref>
|-
|{{flagicon|Republic of Ireland}} [[Steve Staunton]] || 2002–2003<ref>{{cite news |title=Staunton's knife fear |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/2272431.stm |access-date=31 May 2024 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=21 September 2002}}</ref>
|-
|{{flagicon|Sweden}} [[Olof Mellberg]] || 2003–2006<ref>{{cite news |title=Mellberg fears derby mayhem |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/aston_villa/3185442.stm |access-date=31 May 2024 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=12 October 2003}}</ref>
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Gareth Barry]] || 2006–2009<ref>{{cite news |title=Gareth Barry: The Aston Villa years |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/gareth-barry-the-aston-villa-years-240665 |access-date=31 May 2024 |work=Birmingham Mail |date=2 June 2009}}</ref>
|-
|{{flagicon|Denmark}} [[Martin Laursen]] || 2008–2009<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kendrick |first1=Mat |title=Martin Laursen set to stay as Aston Villa captain |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/martin-laursen-set-to-stay-as-aston-68109 |access-date=31 May 2024 |work=Birmingham Mail |date=21 August 2018}}</ref>
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} [[Stiliyan Petrov]] || 2009–2012<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jones |first1=Steve |title=Stiliyan Petrov: A tribute to the man who joined Aston Villa ten years ago today |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/stiliyan-petrov-tribute-man-who-11818037 |access-date=31 May 2024 |work=Birmingham Mail |date=30 August 2016}}</ref>
|-
|{{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Ron Vlaar]] || 2012–2015<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bailey |first1=Graeme |title=Aston Villa captain Ron Vlaar wants more consistency from the team |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11677/8136344/aston-villa-captain-ron-vlaar-wants-more-consistency-from-the-team |access-date=31 May 2024 |publisher=Sky Sports |date=3 October 2012}}</ref>
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Gabriel Agbonlahor]] || 2015–2016<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lansley |first1=Peter |title=Tim Sherwood urges Aston Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor to show bottle |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/aug/30/tim-sherwood-aston-villa-gabriel-agbonlahor-sunderland |access-date=31 May 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=30 August 2015}}</ref>
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Tommy Elphick]] || 2016–2017<ref>{{cite web |title=Tommy Elphick ready to help rebuild Aston Villa 'house that needed to be knocked down' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/aston-villa-tommy-elphick-ready-to-help-roberto-di-matteo-rebuild-house-that-needed-to-be-knocked-down-a7176621.html |access-date=5 November 2025 |website=The Independent |date=7 August 2016}}</ref>
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[John Terry]] || 2017–2018<ref>{{cite news |title=John Terry named Aston Villa captain for 2017/18 season - but suffers defeat to Shrewsbury |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11677/10949620/john-terry-named-aston-villa-captain-for-2017-18-season-but-suffers-shrewsbury-defeat |access-date=31 May 2024 |publisher=Sky Sports |date=15 July 2017}}</ref>
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Jack Grealish]] || 2018–2021
|-
|{{flagicon|England}} [[Tyrone Mings]] || 2021–2022<ref name="mcginn" />
|-
|{{Flagicon|Scotland}} [[John McGinn]]
|2022–<ref name="mcginn">{{cite news |title=Aston Villa: Tyrone Mings loses captaincy to John McGinn |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62326887 |access-date=31 May 2024 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=27 July 2022}}</ref>
|}
|}

===Notable players===
{{main|List of Aston Villa F.C. players|List of Aston Villa F.C. records and statistics}}
[[File:Andy Gray 2004-10-23.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Andy Gray (footballer, born 1955)|Andy Gray]] was voted the [[PFA Players' Player of the Year]] and [[PFA Young Player of the Year]] in 1977.]]
There have been many players who can be called notable throughout Aston Villa's history. These can be classified and recorded in several forms. The Halls of Fame and PFA Players of the Year are noted below. Aston Villa have had several players who were [[List of one-club men in association football|one-club men]], including inaugural club Hall of Fame inductee [[Billy Walker (footballer, born 1897)|Billy Walker]]. In 1998, to celebrate the 100th season of League football, [[The Football League]] released a list entitled the [[Football League 100 Legends]] that consisted of "100 legendary [[Association football|football]] players". There were seven players included on the list who played for Villa: [[Danny Blanchflower]], [[Trevor Ford]], [[Archie Hunter]], [[Sam Hardy (footballer)|Sam Hardy]], [[Paul McGrath (footballer)|Paul McGrath]], [[Clem Stephenson]] and [[Peter Schmeichel]] (who went on to play for Villa three seasons later).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/144986.stm |title=Sport: Football Legends list in full |date=5 August 1998 |work=BBC News |access-date=19 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160112220804/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/144986.stm |archive-date=12 January 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> Schmeichel was later inducted into the [[Premier League Hall of Fame]] in 2022, with former Villa captain and coach [[John Terry]] inducted in 2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=Premier League Hall of Fame: Sergio Aguero, Paul Scholes, Didier Drogba, Vincent Kompany, Ian Wright and Peter Schmeichel latest to be inducted |work=Sky Sports |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12594521/premier-league-hall-of-fame-sergio-aguero-paul-scholes-didier-drogba-vincent-kompany-ian-wright-and-peter-schmeichel-latest-to-be-inducted |access-date=12 February 2024 |archive-date=25 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220425193402/https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12594521/premier-league-hall-of-fame-sergio-aguero-paul-scholes-didier-drogba-vincent-kompany-ian-wright-and-peter-schmeichel-latest-to-be-inducted |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Andy Cole and John Terry inducted into Premier League Hall of Fame |work=Sky Sports |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/13121141/andy-cole-and-john-terry-inducted-into-premier-league-hall-of-fame |access-date=29 May 2024}}</ref>

Aston Villa have had a number of players who have been successful on the international stage while they were at the club. [[Andy Townsend]] and [[Steve Staunton]] (Republic of Ireland), as well as [[Olof Mellberg]] (Sweden), [[Stilyan Petrov]] (Bulgaria), and [[Mile Jedinak]] (Australia) all captained their national sides in [[World Cup (football)|FIFA World Cup]] finals.<ref>{{cite web |title=World Cup Canaries: Andy Townsend |url=https://www.canaries.co.uk/content/world-cup-canaries-andy-townsend |access-date=19 May 2026 |website=Norwich City}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Steve Staunton in the World Cups |url=https://www.thesoccerworldcups.com/players/steve_staunton.php |access-date=8 February 2023 |website=thesoccerworldcups.com |archive-date=8 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208162747/https://www.thesoccerworldcups.com/players/steve_staunton.php |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Davidson |first=John |title=How Australia's players fared at the World Cup |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jun/27/player-ratings-how-australias-world-cup-players-fared |access-date=19 May 2026 |work=The Guardian |date=28 June 2018 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Paul McGrath appeared nine times at the World Cup while at Aston Villa, a record for an active Villa player.<ref name="PMG">{{cite web |title=Paul Mcgrath in the World Cups |url=https://www.thesoccerworldcups.com/players/paul_mcgrath.php |access-date=8 February 2023 |website=thesoccerworldcups.com |archive-date=8 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208162749/https://www.thesoccerworldcups.com/players/paul_mcgrath.php |url-status=live}}</ref> Emiliano Martínez has won all his senior [[Argentina national football team|Argentina]] caps to date while at Aston Villa, having debuted in June 2021. He is currently the most decorated international player for Aston Villa having won the [[2021 Copa América]], the [[2022 Finalissima]], the [[2022 FIFA World Cup]], and the [[2024 Copa América]]; he was awarded the ''Golden Glove'' awards at the 2021 and 2024 Copa América and the 2022 World Cup; he was twice named both the [[The Best FIFA Goalkeeper|Best FIFA Goalkeeper]] and the [[2023 Ballon d'Or|Yashin Trophy]] winner between 2022 and 2024.<ref name="Copa">{{cite news |last=Muralidharan |first=Ashwin |date=11 July 2021 |title='Lionel Messi and Neymar best players' – All awards at the 2021 Copa America |url=https://www.goal.com/en/news/lionel-messi-and-neymar-best-players-all-awards-at-the-2021-copa-/1h3ou80it43zd1b57w5wrplbev |access-date=8 February 2023 |website=Goal |archive-date=11 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210711081424/https://www.goal.com/en/news/lionel-messi-and-neymar-best-players-all-awards-at-the-2021-copa-/1h3ou80it43zd1b57w5wrplbev |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="WCGG">{{cite web |date=18 December 2022 |title=Messi makes Golden Ball history |url=https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/articles/lionel-messi-argentina-wins-golden-ball-award-best-player-fifa-world-cup-qatar-2022 |access-date=8 February 2023 |publisher=FIFA |archive-date=18 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221218191308/https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/articles/lionel-messi-argentina-wins-golden-ball-award-best-player-fifa-world-cup-qatar-2022 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=27 February 2023 |title=World Cup hero Martinez wins Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper honour |url=https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/articles/tbffa-2022-the-best-fifa-mens-goalkeeper-martinez-bounou-courtois |website=[[FIFA]] |access-date=1 March 2023 |archive-date=28 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230228114212/https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/articles/tbffa-2022-the-best-fifa-mens-goalkeeper-martinez-bounou-courtois |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=30 October 2023 |title=Emiliano Martinez wins the 2023 Yashin Trophy |url=https://www.90min.com/posts/emiliano-martinez-wins-2023-yashin-trophy |access-date=31 October 2023 |website=90min.com |archive-date=31 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031091229/https://www.90min.com/posts/emiliano-martinez-wins-2023-yashin-trophy |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Aston Villa: Martinez wins Yashin Trophy at Ballon d'Or awards |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c6297j4glvvo |access-date=7 November 2024 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=29 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Emiliano Martinez: Aston Villa goalkeeper wins Fifa award for best goalkeeper |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/czenr65ykn4o |access-date=20 December 2024 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=17 December 2024}}</ref>

Three Aston Villa players have won the [[PFA Players' Player of the Year]] award. In [[1976–77 in English football|1977]] [[Andy Gray (footballer born 1955)|Andy Gray]] won the award. In [[1989–90 in English football|1990]] it was awarded to [[David Platt (footballer)|David Platt]], whilst Paul McGrath won it in [[1992–93 in English football|1993]]. The [[PFA Young Player of the Year]], which is awarded to players under the age of 23, has been awarded to five players from Aston Villa: Andy Gray in 1977; [[Gary Shaw (footballer, born 1961)|Gary Shaw]] in [[1980–81 in English football|1981]]; [[Ashley Young]] in [[2008–09 in English football|2009]], [[James Milner]] in [[2009–10 in English football|2010]] and [[Morgan Rogers]] in [[2024–25 in English football|2025]].

The [[National Football Museum]] administers the [[English Football Hall of Fame]] which currently contains one Villa team, five Villa players and one manager. The 1982 European Cup-winning team were inducted into the Hall of Fame in October 2011.<ref>{{cite web |title=ASTON VILLA'S EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS JOIN HALL OF FAME |url=http://www.nationalfootballmuseum.com/news/aston-villas-european-cup-winners-join-hall-of-fame/ |website=Football Hall of Fame |date=26 May 2015 |access-date=28 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928161355/http://www.nationalfootballmuseum.com/news/aston-villas-european-cup-winners-join-hall-of-fame/ |archive-date=28 September 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> Former Aston Villa players named in the Hall of Fame are Clem Stephenson, Danny Blanchflower, Peter Schmeichel, [[Cyrille Regis]], and Paul McGrath; as well as former manager [[Joe Mercer]]. In 2006, the club announced the creation of an Aston Villa Hall of Fame. This was voted for by fans and the inaugural induction saw 12 former players, managers and directors named.<ref name="Hall of Fame" /> Former club captain [[Stiliyan Petrov]] was added to the list in May 2013.<ref name=":1">{{cite news |url=http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~3173330,00.html |title=Sport: Popular Petrov to be added to Iconic Villa Hall of Fame |date=10 May 2013 |publisher=Aston Villa F.C. |access-date=10 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923210139/http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10265~3173330%2C00.html |archive-date=23 September 2015}}</ref>{{div col|colwidth=20em|small=yes}}
* {{flagicon|England}} [[Gordon Cowans]]
* {{flagicon|England}} [[Eric Houghton]]
* {{flagicon|England}} [[Brian Little (footballer)|Brian Little]]
* {{flagicon|England}} [[Dennis Mortimer]]
* {{flagicon|Bulgaria}} [[Stiliyan Petrov]]
* {{flagicon|England}} [[Ron Saunders]]{{efn|name=Saunders|Saunders was never a player for Aston Villa; he was the manager from 1974 to 1982.}}
* {{flagicon|England}} [[Peter Withe]]
* {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Paul McGrath (footballer)|Paul McGrath]]
* {{flagicon|Northern Ireland}} [[Peter McParland]]
* {{flagicon|Scotland}} [[Charlie Aitken (footballer, born 1942)|Charlie Aitken]]
* {{flagicon|Scotland}} [[William McGregor (football)|William McGregor]]
* {{flagicon|Scotland}} [[George Ramsay (footballer, born 1855)|George Ramsay]]
* {{flagicon|England}} [[Billy Walker (footballer, born 1897)|Billy Walker]]<ref name="Hall of Fame" />
{{div col end}}

==Non-playing staff==

===Corporate hierarchy===
:Source:<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/club/whos-who |title=Who's who |publisher=Aston Villa F.C. |access-date=11 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170715034945/https://www.avfc.co.uk/club/whos-who |archive-date=15 July 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Position
! Name
|-
|Executive Chairman ||[[Nassef Sawiris]]
|-
|Co-chairman ||[[Wes Edens]]
|-
|President of Business Operations
|Francesco Calvo<ref>{{cite web |date=2 June 2025 |title=Francesco Calvo Appointed New President of Business Operations |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2025/june/02/francesco-calvo-appointed-new-president-of-business-operations/ |access-date=2 June 2025 |website=Aston Villa F.C.}}</ref>
|-
|Chief Commercial Officer
|Ron Erskine<ref name=":9">{{cite web |date=19 September 2023 |title=Aston Villa announce appointments to Senior Leadership Team |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2023/september/19/villa-announce-appointments-to-senior-leadership-team/ |access-date=19 September 2023 |website=Aston Villa Football Club |archive-date=6 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231006154407/https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2023/september/19/villa-announce-appointments-to-senior-leadership-team/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|Chief Operating Officer
|Ben Hatton<ref name=":9" />
|-
|Vice President, Content & Digital
|Ryan Disdier<ref name=":9" />
|}

===Management hierarchy===
[[File:Zenit-Sevilla (6).jpg|thumb|[[Unai Emery]] was appointed head coach in November 2022.]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Position
! Name
|-
|Head coach ||[[Unai Emery]]<ref name="Emery head coach">{{cite news|date=24 October 2022|title=Villa appoint Emery as new Head Coach|url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2022/october/24/manager|access-date=5 June 2023|archive-date=26 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326131059/https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2022/october/24/manager/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|President of Football Operations
|[[Roberto Olabe (footballer, born 1967)|Roberto Olabe]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Club Statement |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2025/september/23/club-statement/ |access-date=23 September 2025 |website=Aston Villa Football Club |date=23 September 2025}}</ref>
|-
! colspan="2" |First Team Coaching Department
|-
|Assistant Head Coach
|[[Pako Ayestarán]]<ref name=":5">{{cite web |date=4 November 2022 |title=Villa confirm Unai Emery's backroom team |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2022/november/04/villa-confirm-unai-emery-s-backroom-team/ |access-date=4 November 2022 |website=Aston Villa Football Club |archive-date=4 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221104135122/https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2022/november/04/villa-confirm-unai-emery-s-backroom-team/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|First-Team Coach
|[[Pablo Villa]]nueva<ref name=":5" />
|-
|Goalkeeping Coach ||Francisco Javier Garcia<ref name=":5" />
|-
|Individual Coach
|[[Rodri (footballer, born 1971)|Rodri]]
|-
|Set-Piece Coach
|[[Austin MacPhee]]<ref>{{cite web|date=3 August 2021|title=MacPhee joins as specialised set piece coach|url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/august/MacPhee-joins-as-specialised-set-piece-coach/|url-status=live|access-date=4 August 2021|website=Aston Villa Football Club|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803113358/https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/august/MacPhee-joins-as-specialised-set-piece-coach/ |archive-date=3 August 2021}}</ref>
|-
! colspan="2" |Analysis Department
|-
|Data/Video Analyst
|Victor Manuel Manas<ref name=":5" />
|-
! colspan="2" |Performance Staff & Medical
|-
|Head of Strength & Conditioning
|Moises de Hoyo<ref name=":5" />
|-
|Performance Director || Jeremy Oliver
|-
|Lead Physiotherapist || Alan Smith
|-
|Head of Sport Medicine & Science
|Ricky Shamji
|-
|Head Psychologist
|Martin Littlewood<ref>{{cite web|last=Preece|first=Ashley|date=24 January 2022|title=Meet Steven Gerrard's new mystery man at Aston Villa|url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-gerrard-coaching-staff-22850847|access-date=24 January 2022|website=BirminghamLive |archive-date=24 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124165507/https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-gerrard-coaching-staff-22850847|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! colspan="2" |Recruitment
|-
|Director of Football Operations
|Damian Vidagany<ref name=":7">{{cite web |date=16 June 2023 |title=Monchi appointed President of Football Operations |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2023/june/16/monchi-appointed-president-of-football-operations/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230616183625/https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2023/june/16/monchi-appointed-president-of-football-operations/ |archive-date=16 June 2023 |access-date=16 June 2023 |website=Aston Villa Football Club}}</ref>
|-
|Global Technical Role
|[[Alberto Benito (footballer, born 1972)|Alberto Benito]]<ref name=":6">{{cite web |date=22 May 2023 |title=V Sports and Aston Villa announce additions to global recruitment network |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2023/may/22/club-statement/ |access-date=22 May 2023 |website=Aston Villa Football Club |archive-date=22 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522121436/https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2023/may/22/club-statement/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|Head of Recruitment
|Vacant
|-
|Head of Emerging Talents & Loans
|Adam Henshall<ref>{{cite web |date=31 March 2021 |title=Villa appoint new Head of Emerging Talents & Loans |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/march/Villa-appoint-new-Head-of-Emerging-Talents-Loans/ |url-status=live |access-date=3 April 2021 |website=Aston Villa F.C. Official Site |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413234610/https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/march/Villa-appoint-new-Head-of-Emerging-Talents-Loans/ |archive-date=13 April 2021}}</ref>
|-
|Chief Scout
|Alex Fraser<ref>{{cite web |last=Preece |first=Ashley |date=17 November 2022 |title=Meet Aston Villa chief scout who surprised Gerrard with £13m transfer |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfers-dortmund-brighton-25541681 |access-date=17 November 2022 |website=BirminghamLive |archive-date=17 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221117161921/https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfers-dortmund-brighton-25541681 |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|Scout
|Pablo Rodriguez<ref name=":6" />
|-
! colspan="2" |Academy
|-
|Global Director of Football Development<br />and International Academies
|Matthew Kidson<ref>{{cite web |date=9 October 2023 |title=Youth Development and International Academies update |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2023/october/09/youth-development-and-international-academies-update/ |access-date=9 October 2023 |website=Aston Villa Football Club |archive-date=10 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231010174130/https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2023/october/09/youth-development-and-international-academies-update/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|Academy Manager || Mark Harrison<ref>{{cite web |title=New Academy Manager appointed |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2019/06/14/new-academy-manager-appointed |website=avfc.co.uk |access-date=30 September 2019 |archive-date=22 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191222140520/https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2019/06/14/new-academy-manager-appointed |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|Assistant Academy Manager
|Sean Verity
|-
|Under-21 Head Coach ||[[Jimmy Shan]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Jimmy Shan appointed Under-21 Head Coach |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2025/june/12/jimmy-shan-appointed-u21-head-coach/ |access-date=12 June 2025 |website=Aston Villa Football Club |date=12 June 2025}}</ref>
|-
|Under-21 Professional Development Coach
|Dan Green<ref name=":3">{{cite web |date=30 August 2022 |title=George Boateng leaves Villa Academy for Ghana role |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2022/august/30/boateng-departs-villa-academy/ |access-date=7 September 2022 |website=Aston Villa Football Club |archive-date=7 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220907114513/https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2022/august/30/boateng-departs-villa-academy/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|Under-21 Professional Development Coach
|[[Peter Gilbert (Welsh footballer)|Peter Gilbert]]<ref name=":3" />
|-
|Emerging Talent Programme Manager
|[[Tony Carss]]<ref name=":8">{{cite web |date=20 July 2023 |title=Aston Villa appoint Inigo Idiakez as U21s coach |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2023/july/20/-villa-appoint-inigo-idiakez-as-new-u21-coach/ |access-date=20 July 2023 |website=Aston Villa Football Club |archive-date=20 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720221605/https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2023/july/20/-villa-appoint-inigo-idiakez-as-new-u21-coach/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|Under-18 Head Coach || [[Richard Beale (footballer)|Richard Beale]]<ref>{{cite web |date=14 August 2025 |title=Richard Beale appointed U18 Lead Coach |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2025/august/14/richard-beale-appointed-as-/ |access-date=14 August 2025 |website=Aston Villa Football Club}}</ref>
|-
|Under-18 Professional Development Coach ||Adem Atay
|-
|Under-18 Professional Development Coach
|Karl Hooper
|}
<ref>{{cite web |date=13 November 2021 |title=Aston Villa confirm backroom staff |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/november/13/villa-confirm-backroom-staff/ |url-status=live |access-date=13 November 2021 |website=Aston Villa Football Club |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211113110506/https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/november/13/villa-confirm-backroom-staff/ |archive-date=13 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Evans |first=Gregg |title=Aston Villa's new structure - who reports to whom in Project Emery? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4631238/2023/06/27/villa-structure-emery-sawiris/ |access-date=27 June 2023 |website=The Athletic |archive-date=27 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230627050743/https://theathletic.com/4631238/2023/06/27/villa-structure-emery-sawiris/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Notable managers===
{{further|List of Aston Villa F.C. managers}}
The following managers have all won at least one trophy when in charge or have been notable for Villa in the context of the League, for example [[Jozef Vengloš]] who holds a League record.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: left"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Name
!colspan="2"|Period
!rowspan="2"|Played
!rowspan="2"|Won
!rowspan="2"|Drawn
!rowspan="2"|Lost
!rowspan="2"|Win%{{efn|Win percentage is [[Rounding|rounded]] to [[Decimal|two decimal places]].}}
!rowspan="2"|Honours
|-
!From
!To
|-
|[[George Ramsay (footballer, born 1855)|George Ramsay]]
|1 August 1884
|31 May 1926
{{WDL|1327|658|414|255}}
|6 [[FA Cup]]s, 6 [[Football League First Division|Division One championships]].<ref>{{cite web|title=League Managers Association - George Ramsay|url=https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/george-ramsay/|access-date=24 January 2022|website=leaguemanagers.com|archive-date=27 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927115827/https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/george-ramsay/|url-status=live}}</ref> Inducted into the Aston Villa Hall of Fame in 2006.<ref name=":1" />
|-
|[[Jimmy Hogan]]
|1 November 1936
|1 September 1939
{{WDL|124|57|26|41}}
|[[Football League Second Division|Division Two champions]]<ref>{{cite web|title=League Managers Association - Jimmy Hogan|url=https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/jimmy-hogan/|access-date=24 January 2022|website=leaguemanagers.com|archive-date=24 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124170428/https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/jimmy-hogan/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|[[Eric Houghton]]
|1 September 1953
|{{nowrap|30 November 1958}}
{{WDL|250|88|65|97}}
|[[FA Cup]] winner. Inducted into the Aston Villa Hall of Fame in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|title=League Managers Association - Eric Houghton|url=https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/eric-houghton/|access-date=24 January 2022|website=leaguemanagers.com|archive-date=24 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124170425/https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/eric-houghton/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|[[Joe Mercer]]
|1 December 1958
|31 July 1964
{{WDL|282|120|63|99}}
|[[Football League Second Division|Division Two champions]], [[Football League Cup|League Cup winner]]<br />Inducted into the [[English Football Hall of Fame]]<ref>{{cite web|title=League Managers Association - Joe Mercer OBE|url=https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/joe-mercer-obe/|access-date=24 January 2022|website=leaguemanagers.com|archive-date=21 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210821051929/https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/joe-mercer-obe/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|[[Ron Saunders]]
|4 June 1974
|9 February 1982
{{WDL|353|157|98|98}}
|2 [[Football League Cup|League Cups]], [[Football League First Division|Division One champions]]. Inducted into the Aston Villa Hall of Fame in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|title=League Managers Association - Ron Saunders|url=https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/ron-saunders/|access-date=24 January 2022|website=leaguemanagers.com|archive-date=24 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124170430/https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/ron-saunders/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|[[Tony Barton (footballer)|Tony Barton]]
|9 February 1982
|18 June 1984
{{WDL|130|58|24|48}}
|[[1981–82 European Cup|European Cup]], [[European Super Cup]]<ref>{{cite web|title=League Managers Association - TONY BARTON|url=https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/tony-barton/|access-date=24 January 2022|website=leaguemanagers.com|archive-date=24 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124171930/https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/tony-barton/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|[[Jozef Vengloš]]
|22 July 1990
|28 May 1991
{{WDL|49|16|15|18}}
|First manager not from Britain or Ireland to take charge of a top-flight club in England.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/134664.stm|title=Venglos first foreign coach|work=BBC Sport|access-date=15 September 2008|date=17 July 1998|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090115141638/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/134664.stm|archive-date=15 January 2009|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|[[Ron Atkinson]]
|7 July 1991
|10 November 1994
{{WDL|178|77|45|56}}
|[[Football League Cup|League Cup winner]]<ref>{{cite web|title=League Managers Association - RON ATKINSON|url=https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/ron-atkinson/|access-date=24 January 2022|website=leaguemanagers.com|archive-date=24 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124171932/https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/ron-atkinson/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|[[Brian Little (footballer)|Brian Little]]
|{{nowrap|25 November 1994}}
|24 February 1998
{{WDL|164|68|45|51}}
|[[Football League Cup|League Cup winner]]. Inducted into the Aston Villa Hall of Fame in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|title=League Managers Association - BRIAN LITTLE|url=https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/brian-little/|access-date=24 January 2022|website=leaguemanagers.com|archive-date=24 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124171935/https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/brian-little/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|[[John Gregory (footballer)|John Gregory]]
|25 February 1998
|24 January 2002
{{WDL|190|82|52|56}}
|[[Intertoto Cup|Intertoto Cup winner]]<ref>{{cite news|last=Milledge|first=Adrian|date=22 August 2001|title=Villa nourished by Angel delight|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2001/aug/22/newsstory.sport5|access-date=24 January 2022|archive-date=29 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129120543/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2001/aug/22/newsstory.sport5|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|{{sortname|Dean|Smith|dab=footballer, born 1971}}
|10 October 2018
|7 November 2021
{{WDL|100|43|20|37}}
|[[2019 English Football League play-offs#Championship final|Championship play-off winner]]<ref>{{cite web|title=League Managers Association - DEAN SMITH|url=https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/dean-smith/|access-date=24 January 2022|website=leaguemanagers.com|archive-date=24 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124170428/https://leaguemanagers.com/managers/dean-smith/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|{{sortname|Unai|Emery}}
|1 November 2022
|''Present''
{{WDL|196|109|34|53}}
|[[UEFA Europa League|Europa League winner]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Freiburg 0–3 Aston Villa: Villans cruise past German side to win first European trophy since 1982 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/c893dkqjv00t |access-date=20 May 2026 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}</ref>
|}
<ref>{{cite web|title=Manager Stats - Aston Villa|url=https://www.managerstats.co.uk/clubs/aston-villa/|access-date=24 January 2022|website=Manager Stats|archive-date=24 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220124170623/https://www.managerstats.co.uk/clubs/aston-villa/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
[[File:Thomas Hemy Sunderland v Aston Villa 1895 A Corner Kick.jpg|thumbnail|right|One of the earliest football paintings in the world, Thomas MM Hemy's "[[Sunderland AFC|Sunderland]] v. Aston Villa 1895", depicts a match between the two most successful English teams of the decade.]]
An Aston Villa team were the subject, together with that of [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]], of one of the earliest football paintings in the world – possibly the earliest – when in 1895 the artist Thomas M. M. Hemy painted a picture of a game between the teams at Sunderland's then ground [[Newcastle Road]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Henchard|first=James|date=21 November 2017|title=The famous Sunderland v Aston Villa painting that hangs in the lobby of the SoL — a history of|url=https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2017/11/21/16681978/the-famous-sunderland-v-aston-villa-painting-that-hangs-in-the-lobby-of-the-sol-a-history-of|access-date=5 July 2020|website=Roker Report|archive-date=12 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112003733/https://rokerreport.sbnation.com/2017/11/21/16681978/the-famous-sunderland-v-aston-villa-painting-that-hangs-in-the-lobby-of-the-sol-a-history-of|url-status=live}}</ref> A number of television programmes have included references to Aston Villa over the past few decades. In the sitcom ''[[Porridge (1974 TV series)|Porridge]]'', the character [[Lennie Godber]] is a Villa supporter.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/aston_villa/article4652386.ece?token=null&offset=12&page=2 |title=The soul of Aston Villa in 50 moments, page 2 |work=The Times |location=London |last=Whitehead |first=Richard |date=1 September 2008 |access-date=15 September 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080918003634/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/aston_villa/article4652386.ece?token=null&offset=12&page=2| archive-date= 18 September 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> When filming began on ''[[Dad's Army]]'', Villa fan [[Ian Lavender]] was allowed to choose [[Private Pike|Frank Pike]]'s scarf from an array in the BBC wardrobe; he chose a claret and blue one – Aston Villa's colours.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/aston_villa/article4652386.ece?token=null&offset=96&page=9 |title=The soul of Aston Villa in 50 moments, page 9 |work=The Times |location=London |last=Whitehead |first=Richard |date=1 September 2008 |access-date=15 September 2008| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918003710/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/aston_villa/article4652386.ece?token=null&offset=96&page=9| archive-date= 18 September 2008 |url-status= dead}}</ref> The character Nessa in the BBC sitcom ''[[Gavin & Stacey]]'' was revealed as an Aston Villa fan in an episode screened in December 2009.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/aston-villa-fc/aston-villa-news/2009/12/14/stud-marks-we-won-t-lie-to-you-another-famous-fan-signs-up-for-aston-villa-97319-25386576/ |title=Stud Marks: We won't lie to you, another famous fan signs up for Aston Villa |work=Birmingham Mail |date=14 December 2009 |access-date=20 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091220232852/http://www.birminghammail.net/birmingham-sport/aston-villa-fc/aston-villa-news/2009/12/14/stud-marks-we-won-t-lie-to-you-another-famous-fan-signs-up-for-aston-villa-97319-25386576/ |archive-date=20 December 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the 1952 film ''[[The Card (1952 film)|The Card]]'', the main character Denry Machin ([[Alec Guinness]]) becomes a town councillor and purchases the rights to locally born Aston Villa player 'Callear', the "greatest centre-forward in England", for the failing local football club.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article45645469 |title=Alec Guinness in "The Card" |newspaper=[[The Australian Women's Weekly]] |volume=20 |issue=25 |location=Australia, Australia |date=19 November 1952 |access-date=4 May 2025 |page=44 |via=National Library of Australia}} </ref> Villa have also featured on several occasions in prose. Stanley Woolley, a character in [[Derek Robinson (novelist)|Derek Robinson]]'s Booker shortlisted novel ''Goshawk Squadron'' is an Aston Villa fan and names a pre-war starting eleven Villa side. Together with [[The Oval]], Villa Park is referenced by the poet [[Philip Larkin]] in his poem about the First World War, MCMXIV.<ref>''As if they were stretched outside The Oval or Villa Park'', '''Philip Larkin, MCMXIV'''.</ref> Aston Villa are also mentioned in Harold Pinter's play ''[[The Dumb Waiter]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/dumbwaitertraf-rev |title=The Dumb Waiter at Trafalgar Studios 1 |first=Philip |last=Fisher |publisher=The British Theatre Guide |year=2007 |access-date=20 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019220453/http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/dumbwaitertraf-rev |archive-date=19 October 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The club receive a passing mention in [[Aldous Huxley]]'s debut novel ''[[Crome Yellow]]''. Notable supporters of Aston Villa include [[Prince William, Duke of Cambridge|Prince William]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Aston Villa back in EPL |url=https://nationalpost.com/pmn/sports-pmn/aston-villa-back-in-epl-and-215m-richer |newspaper=National Post |date=27 May 2019 |access-date=27 May 2019}}</ref> former Prime Minister [[David Cameron]], musicians [[Ozzy Osbourne]] and [[Geezer Butler]] of [[Black Sabbath]], actor [[Tom Hanks]], violinist [[Nigel Kennedy]], golfer [[Justin Rose]], and [[Harry Potter (film series)|Harry Potter]] actors [[David Bradley (English actor)|David Bradley]] and [[Oliver Phelps (actor)|Oliver Phelps]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://atletifo.com/football/premier-league/five-famous-aston-villa-fans-you-never-knew-supported-villa/|website=atletifo.com|title=Five Famous Aston Villa Fans you never knew supported Villa|date=17 November 2021|access-date=17 November 2021|archive-date=18 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118155748/https://atletifo.com/football/premier-league/five-famous-aston-villa-fans-you-never-knew-supported-villa/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Aston Villa Women==
{{main|Aston Villa W.F.C.}}
Aston Villa have a women's football side that compete in the [[Women's Super League]] having been promoted as champions of the [[2019-20 FA Women's Championship|2019–20 FA Women's Championship]]. They were founded as Solihull F.C. in 1973 and affiliated to Aston Villa in 1989.<ref>{{cite web |title=Introducing Aston Villa Ladies |url=http://www.fawsl.com/news/introducing_aston_villa_ladies.html#ihVVa1kG1O0uJimE.97 |website=[[FA WSL]] |publisher=[[The Football Association]] |access-date=5 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181219044530/http://www.fawsl.com/news/introducing_aston_villa_ladies.html|archive-date=19 December 2018}}</ref>

==Footnotes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
''' Specific'''
{{reflist}}

''' Works cited'''
* {{cite book |title=Villains: The Inside Story of Aston Villa's Hooligan Gangs |last=Brown |first=Danny |author2=Milo Brittle |publisher=Milo Books |year=2006 |isbn=978-1-903854-59-4}}
* {{cite book |title=Aston Villa—A Complete Record 1874–1988 |last=Goodyear |first=David |author2=Matthews, Tony |publisher=Breedon Books |year=1988 |isbn=0-907969-37-2}}
* {{cite book |last=Hayes |first=Dean |title=The Villa Park Encyclopedia: A–Z of Aston Villa |publisher=Mainstream Publishing (2 October 1997) |isbn=978-1-85158-959-3 |year=1997}}
* {{cite book |last=Ward |first=Adam |author2=Griffin, Jeremy |title=The essential history of Aston Villa |date=30 September 2002 |publisher=Headline book publishing (2002) |isbn=0-7553-1140-X}}
* {{cite book |title=When Saturday Comes: The Half Decent Football Book |publisher=Penguin UK |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-14-192703-9}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Spoken Wikipedia|Aston Villa FC.ogg|date=4 September 2007}}
* {{Official website|https://www.avfc.co.uk/}}

===Independent websites===
* {{BBC football info|aston-villa}}
* [https://www.skysports.com/aston-villa Aston Villa] at Sky Sports
* [https://www.premierleague.com/clubs/2/Aston-Villa/overview Aston Villa FC] at Premier League
* [https://www.uefa.com/nationalassociations/teams/2613260--aston-villa/ Aston Villa FC] at [[UEFA]]

{{Aston Villa F.C.}}
{{Navboxes|titlestyle=background:#771F48; color:#94BEE5; {{box-shadow border|a|#ffdf00|2px}}|list1=
{{Aston Villa F.C. seasons}}
{{Original Football League clubs}}
{{Navboxes|title=Honours|list1=
{{UEFA Champions League winners}}
{{UEFA Europa League winners}}
{{UEFA Super Cup winners}}
{{UEFA Intertoto Cup winners}}
}}
{{Premier League}}
{{EFL Championship}}
{{Men's Football in the West Midlands}}
}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Aston Villa F.C.| ]]
[[Category:1874 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Association football clubs established in 1874]]
[[Category:Football clubs in Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Football clubs in the West Midlands (county)]]
[[Category:Sport in Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Men's football clubs in England]]
[[Category:FA Cup winners]]
[[Category:EFL Cup winners]]
[[Category:UEFA Champions League winning clubs]]
[[Category:UEFA Europa League winning clubs]]
[[Category:UEFA Super Cup winning clubs]]
[[Category:The Football League founder members]]
[[Category:Professional football clubs in England]]
[[Category:Premier League clubs]]
[[Category:English Football League clubs]]
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