Game #61
Aston Villa
Saturday, 2 February 1889
Won
1st Round
LWWDW
FA Cup 1st Round
Attendance: 1,500
Witton
Wellington Road, Perry Barr
Albert Allen's 14th goal of the season set Villa on the way to a narrow FA Cup win as they play in wretched conditions and given a surprising scare by Witton.
Aston Villa
3-2
Witton
Assist(s) | Not recorded
KEY MAN
Albert Allen's 14th goal of the season set Villa on the way to a narrow FA Cup win, Saturday, Saturday, 2 February 1889
PREVIOUS MATCH
NEXT MATCH
MATCH TIMELINE
Saturday, 2 February 1889
[Exact chronological timings not recorded]
Goal, 1-0, Albert Allen
Goal, 2-0, Archie Hunter
Goal, 2-1, (Witton)
Goal, 2-2, (Witton)
HT Aston Villa 2-2 Witton
Goal, 3-2, Tommy Green
FT Aston Villa 3-2 Witton
ON THIS DAY
Villa's first FA Cup tie of the season sees them play in wretched conditions and given a surprising scare by Witton.
Aston Villa
Witton
FIXTURE HISTORY
Witton
Previous 5 vs. Witton: None
FIXTURE DETAILS
Season | 1888-89 |
Matchday | #21 |
Manager Game | #35 |
Saturday, 2 February 1889
MATCH SUMMARY
Manager | George Ramsay led Management Committee |
FT Score | 3-2 |
FT Result | Won |
Last 5 Games | LWWDW |
MANAGERIAL RECORD
George Ramsay led Management Committee
GAMES | WINS | DRAWS | LOSSES | POINTS PER GAME
🕒 35 | 🟩 | 23 🟨 8 🟥 4 | 2.20
Career Form:
Champions
George Ramsay led Management Committee
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Charles Hughess | 🏴 | Northwich.
Umpires: Messrs. W. H. Stacey and M. Earlam.
Charles Hughes
CARDS
Villa
Witton
TEAM NEWS
Frank Coulton returns in place of Harry Yates whilst Arthur Wollaston came in for Archie Goodall.
TEAM STATS
[Exact birth dates not recorded]
Starting XI Average Age
| 25.55 |
Oldest Player |
F Archie Hunter | 29.38 |
Youngest Player |
D Frank Coulton | 21.02 |
MANAGER
MANAGER
George Ramsay led Management Committee
Aston Villa
GK Jimmy Warner |
D Gershom Cox |
D Frank Coulton |
D Harry Devey |
M Arthur Wollaston |
M Jack Burton |
F Albert Brown |
F Tommy Green |
F Archie Hunter |
F Albert Allen |
F Dennis Hodgetts |
Witton
SUBSTITUTES
No Substitutions permitted in period
SUBSTITUTES
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES
No Substitutions permitted in period
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES
SQUAD STATS
MATCHDAY SQUAD
SQUAD STATS
MATCHDAY SQUAD
UNAVAILABLE
Not recorded
UNAVAILABLE
Player Positions:
GK : Goalkeeper
CB, D, B : Centre Back, Defender, Back
FB, LB, RB, WH : Full Back, Left Back, Right Back, Wing Back, Wing Half
M, CH, LH, RH : Midfielder, Centre Half, Left Half, Right Half
W, OL, OR : Winger, Outside Left, Outside Right
F, IF, IL, IR : Forward, Inside Forward, Inside Left, Inside Right, Second Striker, False 9
CF : Centre Forward
Match Symbols:
⚽ | Goal
🔥 | Assist
🔁 | Substitution
🟨 | Booking
🟥 | Sending off
🆘 | Poor refereeing performance
🟢 : Debut 🔴 : Final Game
DEBUT APPEARANCES
FINAL APPEARANCES
MATCH STATS
Not recorded
TABLE
PROGRAMME
MATCHDAY QUOTES
"Nothing need be said of the play, inasmuch as the wind interfered with the judgment of the players to such an extent that the unlooked for constantly took place."
*The Birmingham Daily Post*
Monday, 4 February 1889
SATURDAY’S FOOTBALL.
ASSOCIATION CUP TIES. FIRST ROUND
ASTON VILLA V. WITTON. - Any rational person would imagine that only the strong laws governing the decision of the ties in the English Cup, and a probable chance of success could have induced a team to travel from Lancashire in the weather of Saturday to meet renowned opponents in Birmingham. The weather was unfavourable from all points of view - rain, snow, and wind being its chief features. The common-sense of the Birmingham public was apparent in the small number that assembled to witness the tie between Aston Villa and Witton. The result in football circles was generally looked upon as a foregone conclusion; but the actual result somewhat condemned the judgment of many enthusiasts, notwithstanding that Aston Villa were the winners. Nothing need be said of the play, inasmuch as the wind interfered with the judgment of the players to such an extent that the unlooked for constantly took place.
The state of the ground, too, was wretched in the extreme long before the end of the game was reached. The visitors played down the hill for the first half, and had the advantage of the wind being at their backs. In consequence of this the uphill fight for the Villa was increased in severity. Time after time, when the bail was “skied,” it took an entirely different course to that intended by the player, and consequently there was very little interest in watching the progress of the game.
The most noticeable feature of the play was the success of the visitors in the first half, for although the Villa were the first to score through Allen, and obtained a second goal before half time, Witton managed to equalise the score and seemed to be as fresh and ready as their opponents.
With the change of ends, however, what advantage there was in the favour of the wind went to the Villa but the Lancashire men fought uphill with great stubbornness against good players and a piercing snowstorm. Early in the second half the Villa obtained a third goal, and, no further score being made, the game resulted in their favour by 3 goals to 2.
The visiting team may certainly be complimented on the plucky effort they made and the success they met with.
Villa: Warner goal; Cox and Coulton, backs; Barton, Devey, and Woollaston, half-backs~ Hodgetts, Allen, Hunter, Green, and Brown, forwards.
Witton: Sharples, goal; Smith and Shorrock, backs; Pickering, Alston, and Isherwood, half-backs; H. Smith, Rushton, Grimshaw, Horsfield, and Turner, forwards.
Umpires: Messrs. W. H. Stacey and M. Earlam Referee: Mr. C. J. Hughes.
Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. With thanks to Trinity Mirror. Digitised by Findmypast Newspaper Archive Limited. All rights reserved. Source: British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)