Game #307
Monday, 22 March 1897
Attendance: 8,000
Won
Division One
1st
Bolton Wanderers
WWDWW
Wellington Road, Perry Barr
Charlie Athersmith opened the floodgates as reigning Champions Villa's second half performance puts Bolton to the sword and extend their lead at the top of the First Division table to 7 points and a game in hand over second placed Sheffield United.
Aston Villa (Champions)
6-2
Bolton Wanderers
Assists(s) | Not recorded
KEY MAN
Charlie Athersmith, opened the floodgates, Monday, 22 March 1897
PREVIOUS MATCH
NEXT MATCH
MATCH TIMELINE
[Exact timings not recorded]
17’ Goal, 0-1, (Bolton Wanderers)
Goal, 0-2, (Bolton Wanderers)
HT Aston Villa 0-2 Bolton Wanderers
62’ Goal, 1-2, Charlie Athersmith
67’ Goal, 2-2, Jack Reynolds
Goal, 3-2, Johnny Campbell, Assist by Steve Smith
72’ Goal, 4-2, Fred Wheldon
Goal, 5-2, Fred Wheldon
Goal, 6-2, Jack Devey
FT Aston Villa 6-2 Bolton Wanderers
ON THIS DAY
Reigning Champions Villa's second half performance puts Bolton to the sword and extend their lead at the top of the First Division table to 7 points and a game in hand over second placed Sheffield United.
Jeremiah Griffiths made his final appearance for Villa aged 24 before moving on to Bilston Town. Griffiths had made only 3 appearances
but each of those appearances came in a competition that Villa went on to win: the 1895-96 Football League season, the 1896-97 FA Cup and the 1896-97 Football League season.
Aston Villa
Bolton Wanderers
FIXTURE HISTORY
Bolton Wanderers
Previous 5 vs. Bolton: | 🟥 | 🟩 | 🟥 | 🟩 | 🟨 |
FIXTURE DETAILS
Season | 1896-97 |
Matchday | #32 |
League Match | #26 |
Manager Game | #281 |
Monday, 22 March 1897
MATCH SUMMARY
Manager | George Ramsay led Management Committee |
FT Score | 6-2 |
FT Result | Won |
Last 5 Games | WWDWW |
MATCH OFFICIALS
CARDS
Villa
Bolton Wanderers
TEAM NEWS
Villa make two changes to the team that qualified for the FA Cup final last time out with Harry Wilkes retuning in goal for Jimmy Whitehouse and Steve Smith replacing Jack Cowan.
TEAM STATS
Starting XI Average Age
| 25.43 |
Oldest Player |
F Jack Devey | 30.26 |
Youngest Player |
FB Howard Spencer | 21.59 |
MANAGER
MANAGER
George Ramsay led Management Committee
Aston Villa
GK Harry Wilkes |
CB Jimmy Cowan |
FB Howard Spencer |
FB Albert Evans |
M Jack Reynolds |
M Jeremiah Griffiths |
W Steve Smith |
W Charlie Athersmith |
F Fred Wheldon |
F Johnny Campbell |
F Jack Devey |
Bolton Wanderers
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
"Amidst great cheering the pressure was maintained, and from a centre by Smith, Campbell shot the third goal and put Villa ahead. Then Wheldon added another, four goals having been scored in ten minutes Wheldon got a fifth, and the Villa won as below. Result; ASTON VILLA 6 goals. BOLTON WANDERERS 2 goals."
*The Sheffield Independent*
Tuesday, 23 March 1897
LEAGUE.
DIVISION I.
VILLA v. BOLTON WANDERERS.
This League match was played yesterday at Perry Barr before 7,000 persons. Neither side was fully represented.
Bolton played downhill in the first half, but Villa had the most of the game.
Seventeen minutes from the start Spencer missed his kick and Jack scored for Bolton.
The game was subsequently well contested, and Sutcliffe gave a good display in goal. Jack scored for Bolton, and the interval score was Bolton Wanderers 2 goals, Aston Villa 0 goal.
Play was resumed in wind and rain, and the Villa pressed heavily.
After 17 minutes Athersmith scored, five minutes later Reynolds equalised.
Amidst great cheering the pressure was maintained, and from a centre by Smith, Campbell shot the third goal and put Villa ahead. Then Wheldon added another, four goals having been scored in ten minutes Wheldon got a fifth, and the Villa won as below. Result; ASTON VILLA 6 goals. BOLTON WANDERERS 2 goals.