Two minutes before the end of 1958-59 season, Villa concede an equaliser at the Hawthorns that relegates Joe Mercer's side. That goal, combined with Manchester City's win over 19th placed Leicester condemns Villa to the second division for the 1959-60 campaign. Before today Villa had only been in the bottom two once since February.

Joe Mercer's Villa end the season without a win in nine, having played six away games over that period but manage to secure a draw at the Hawthorns. That though is not enough to prevent a first relegation since 1937 as the damage suffered under Eric Houghton in the early part of the season proved too much to pull around by new boss Mercer. Houghton had presided over twelve defeats in twenty and just five wins, conceding 53 goals at a rate of nearly three goals per game - including Villa’s biggest defeat in eight years - as Villa recorded six successive defeats for only the third time in their history. Mercer by contrast delivered the same number of losses over twenty eight games but won twice the amount - ten. The relative upturn in form however was not enough as Villa were relegated, a single point from safety. 

Meanwhile, forward Billy Myerscough made his final appearance for Villa aged 28 before moving on to Rotherham United in July. Myerscough played for Villa between 1956-57 and 1958-59 making 73 appearances and scoring 17 goals.