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Latest Aston Villa News:
- » Friedel prefers points to records
- Aston Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel says his appearance landmark does not make up for the points dropped at home to Fulham.
- » Aston Villa 0-0 Fulham
- Aston Villa and Fulham play out a goalless draw in a low-key encounter as the hosts miss the chance to move into third in the table.
- » Barrow handed FA Cup trip to Boro
- Barrow are drawn away to Middlesbrough in the stand-out tie of the FA Cup third round draw.
- » Barry 'will not leave' in January
- Martin O'Neill says Gareth Barry has pledged his future to Aston Villa until "at least" the end of the season.
- » Carew aims to end career at Villa
- Aston Villa striker John Carew would be happy to end his career at the club as he feels so at home at Villa Park.
- » Laursen pleased by clean sheets
- Aston Villa captain Martin Laursen says back-to-back clean sheets against Arsenal and Manchester United prove the club can compete with the best.
- » Aston Villa 0-0 Man Utd
- Manchester United fail to close the gap on the top two after being held by a determined Aston Villa side at Villa Park.
- » Can Villa rock the top four?
- Pat Murphy on Martin O'Neill's success at Aston Villa
- » Shorey still adjusting - O'Neill
- Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill says full-back Nicky Shorey is still taking time to settle at Villa Park after more than seven years with Reading.
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Aston Villa
Aston Villa were formed in 1874 and were one of the original 12 teams that founded the Football League in 1888. Club legend holds that the team was formed to provide the Villa Cross Wesleyan Chapel cricket team with something to do during the long winter months outside of the cricket season.
Aston Villa went on to appear in the FA Cup quarter finals in 1883 and 1884 before going on to win the trophy for the first time in 1887.
September 1888 saw Aston Villa's debut in the newly formed Football League with a 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers. Villa ended that season runners up to Preston.
Villa's first league success with in the 1893/94. They then went on to win the League for a second time in three years in 1896 and in 1897 Villa went one stage further and successfully took the League and Cup double.
In 1888 Villa went on to beat Liverpool to take the Championship trophy yet again.
In 1904/05 Villa again won the FA Cup with a spectacular win against Crystal Palace in front of a record breaking crowd of over 101,000! Villa then had to wait until 1913 before winning the FA Cup for a then record-equalling fifth time, beating Sunderland 1-0.
A period of decline set in and Villa were relegated to the Second Division after the 1935/36 season before bouncing back up to the First Division two seasons later.
After the Second World War, Villa's fortunes were up and down into the 1950's when they signed Irishman Danny Blancheflower. Together with Frank Moss and Dick Dorset, Blanchflower strengthened the mid-field sufficiently to keep Villa mid-table and out of immediate danger. The club was soon rocked with Blanchflower's requested transfer to Tottenham Hotspur closely followed by Tommy Thompson's transfer to Preston.
By the end of 1968, Villa were £200,000 in debt, attendances were falling rapidly and Villa Park was in need of some urgent repairs. Tommy Docherty was given the managerial position and managed to save the club from the drop. Depite Dochery's efforts, Villa were relegated to Division Three in 1969/1970.
Through the 70s and 80s, Villa had an average run and in 1991/92 'Big' Ron Atkinson came in as manager. After a raft of changes, Villa reached the quarter finals of the FA Cup but the following season, Villa finished second in the League to Manchester United before going on in the following season to beat Manchester United 3-0 to win the League Cup.
