Game #305
Saturday, 13 March 1897
Attendance: 18,000
Drew
Division One
1st
Liverpool
DDWWD
Wellington Road, Perry Barr
George Ramsay's reigning Champions could only draw with fourth placed Liverpool but nevertheless remained unbeaten in 11 and clear at the top of the First Division, six points ahead of Derby County who had one game in hand.
Aston Villa (Champions)
0-0
Liverpool
Assists(s) | Not recorded
KEY MAN
RELATED MATCHES
MATCH TIMELINE
HT Aston Villa 0-0 Liverpool
FT Aston Villa 0-0 Liverpool
ON THIS DAY
Reigning Champions Villa could only draw with fourth placed Liverpool but nevertheless remained unbeaten in 11 and clear at the top of the First Division, six points ahead of Derby County who had one game in hand.
Aston Villa
Liverpool
FIXTURE HISTORY
Previous 5 vs. Liverpool: | - | - | 🟩 | 🟩 | 🟨 |
FIXTURE DETAILS
Season | 1896-97 |
Matchday | #30 |
League Match | #25 |
Manager Game | #279 |
Saturday, 13 March 1897
MATCH SUMMARY
Manager | George Ramsay led Management Committee |
Referee | J. West, Lincoln |
FT Score | 0-0 |
FT Result | Drew |
Last 5 Games | DDWWD |
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: J. West
CARDS
Villa
Liverpool
TEAM NEWS
In one change from the team that finally beat Preston after three FA Cup games in midweek, Jimmy Whitehouse is recalled in goal after a 10 game absence in place of Harry Wilkes.
TEAM STATS
Starting XI Average Age
| 25.86 |
Oldest Player |
F Jack Devey | 30.23 |
Youngest Player |
FB Howard Spencer | 21.57 |
MANAGER
George Ramsay led Management Committee
MANAGER
Aston Villa
GK Jimmy Whitehouse |
CB Jimmy Cowan |
FB Howard Spencer |
FB Albert Evans |
M Jack Reynolds |
M Jimmy Crabtree |
W Jack Cowan |
W Charlie Athersmith |
F Fred Wheldon |
F Johnny Campbell |
F Jack Devey |
Liverpool
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
Not Recorded
Player Abbreviations:
GK : Goalkeeper
LB, RB, FB : Left Back, Right Back, Full Back
CB, D : Centre Back, Defender
M, W : Midfielder. Winger
F, CF : Forward, Centre Forward
🟢 : Debut 🔴 : Final Game
Symbols:
⚽ | Goal
🔥 | Assist
🔁 | Substitution
🟨 | Booking
🟥 | Sending off
🆘 | Poor refereeing performance
DEBUT APPEARANCES
FINAL APPEARANCES
MATCH STATS
Not recorded
TABLE
PROGRAMME

MATCHDAY QUOTES
"The crowd simply roared with laughter when they saw how impossible it was for the visitors to score."
*The Sporting Life*
Monday, 15 March 1897
ASTON VILLA V. LIVERPOOL.
The Liverpool team paid a visit to Perry Barr with this League fixture. A tremendous amount of interest was centred in the game from the fact that the teams meet next Saturday in the Semi Final of the English Cup competition and fully 20,000 spectators lined the field when the men took up their positions.
The ground was in excellent condition, and favourable to a fast game, Liverpool winning the toss, sent the Villans up hill in the first half, and the visitors had a slight wind in their favour, consequently the homesters quickly settled down in the Liverpool quarters, but although Devey and Athersmith performed some rare smart work, they were unable to make any impression on their opponents’ defence.
The visitors now broke away and raced the whole length the held, when Allen sent in a tremendous shot, which Whitehouse saved very cleverly. A home player was now penalised, and the visitors were awarded a free kick within a yard of the champion's goal and right in the centre. The whole of the homesters got in line in front of goal, and the crowd simply roared with laughter when they saw how impossible it was for the visitors to score. The shot would doubtless have been more dangerous a few yards out.
Liverpool were quickly on the attack again, however, and Whitehouse made a couple of brilliant saves. When the Villa were right up the field Athersmith lost a splendid chance of scoring by pushing Dunlop. Up to now the Villa had hardly settled down to their usual high class play, and in fact were kept on the defence for a good portion of the first half.
The visitors attacks were strong and well organised, and the Villa had the greatest difficulty on several occasions in keeping their posts clear. Neill spoiled a splendid chance by kicking high over the cross bar. Half time arrived without any score having been registered.
Upon restarting the Villa had the benefit of the slope, and their form showed decided improvement. Going away at the start, Devey placed the ball right in front of goal, and Wheldon steadied himself to shoot, but he waited too long, and Goldie cleared him of the ball.
Geary got away for the Liverpool team but shot over the cross-bar when pressed.
The home forwards now made very fine display of passing, but although Wheldon got nearly to the touch-line he shot over the goal instead of into the net.
A foul was awarded the homesters in midfield, end from this they attacked strongly, and one of the visitors headed behind his own goal, from the comer a hot scrimmage took place in the Liverpool goal, but nothing came of it.
The homesters had the better of the game all through the second half, but the task of breaking the visitors’ defence proved too much for them, and the game ended in a bloodless draw, no goals having been scored.