Game #316
Saturday, 18 September 1897
Attendance: 18,000
Won
Division One
1st
Bury
WWWWW
Villa Park
Fred Wheldon scored his seventh in four games as reigning Champions Villa were now unbeaten in the last 22 games and had won 11 consecutive matches in all competitions to take the outright lead at the top of the early First Division table.
Aston Villa (Champions)
3-1
Bury
Assists(s) | Not recorded
KEY MAN
Fred Wheldon, scored his seventh in four games, Saturday, 18 September 1897
RELATED MATCHES
MATCH TIMELINE
[Exact timings not recorded]
15’ Goal, 1-0, James Fisher
Goal, 1-1, (Bury), Howard Spencer o.g.
Goal, 2-1, James Fisher
HT Aston Villa 2-1 Bury
Goal, 3-1, Fred Wheldon
FT Aston Villa 3-1 Bury
ON THIS DAY
Reigning Champions Villa were now unbeaten in the last 22 games and had won 11 consecutive matches in all competitions to take the outright lead at the top of the early First Division table.
Aston Villa
Bury
FIXTURE HISTORY
Previous 5 vs. Bury: | - | 🟩 | 🟥 | 🟨 | 🟩 |
FIXTURE DETAILS
Season | 1897-98 |
Matchday | #4 |
League Match | #4 |
Manager Game | #290 |
Saturday, 18 September 1897
MATCH SUMMARY
Manager | George Ramsay led Management Committee |
Referee | J. West, Lincoln |
FT Score | 3-1 |
FT Result | Won |
Last 5 Games | WWWWW |
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: J. West
CARDS
TEAM NEWS
Villa make one change from the team that had secured a 10th consecutive win with Harry Wilkes replacing Jimmy Whitehouse (injury) in goal.
TEAM STATS
Starting XI Average Age
| 25.66 |
Oldest Player |
F Jack Devey | 30.75 |
Youngest Player |
F James Fisher | 20.75 |
MANAGER
MANAGER
George Ramsay led Management Committee
Aston Villa
GK Harry Wilkes |
CB Jimmy Cowan |
FB Albert Evans |
FB Howard Spencer |
M Jimmy Crabtree |
W Charlie Athersmith |
W Jack Cowan |
F James Fisher |
F Jack Devey |
F Fred Wheldon |
F Bob Chatt |
Bury
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 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
"Although the weather was anything but favourable for the dribbling game another large attendance put in an appearance at the Aston Villa enclosure (which, by the way, has now been renamed Villa Park) to witness the League match between these teams."
*The Sporting Life*
Monday, 20 September 1897
ASTON VILLA v. BURY.
Although the weather was anything but favourable for the dribbling game another large attendance put in an appearance at the Aston Villa enclosure (which, by the way, has now been renamed Villa Park) to witness the League match between these teams.
Rain fell heavily just prior to the start, but fortunately it cleared before half-past three, when the rivals took the field. At this point there were 11,000 spectators present. Bury brought their strongest eleven, but the Villa were minus Whitehouse (whose collar bone had been broken match against Derby), Wilkes filling the vacancy.
Bury won the toss, and the Villa had to face a rather stiff end to end breeze which was blowing at the outset.
The strangers early attached, but the home team were the first become really dangerous, and led by Fisher they made a series of attacks on the visitors’ citadel. Athersmith, Devey and Fisher all having pops at goal but the defence was good.
Eventually Athersmith took the ball right up to the corner-flag, and Wheldon meeting the pass, drove at Montgomery. The custodian partially cleared, but Fisher was there and he sent the ball whizzing into the net amid the plaudits of the crowd, exactly fifteen minutes from the start.
Bury were in no way disconcerted and warmed to their work, a long shot from Henderson beat the Aston Villa custodian, Spencer diverting the ball and assisting its progress into the net.
The homesters now attacked with no uncertain force, and the Bury goal suffered a series of remarkable escapes. Fisher received the ball in a good position and he gave the home men the lead amid prolonged cheering.
Bury attacked and gained two corners but at half time the score still stood, Aston Villa, two goals; Bury, one goal.
Both goals were attacked in turn at the outset of the second half. Wheldon and Henderson being very prominent for their respective sides, both trying the goalkeeper’s mettle. Accurate placing by Spencer enabled the Villa forwards to press, and Wheldon beat Montgomery for the third time.
Nothing further being registered the result was: Aston Villa, three goals; Bury, one goal.