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Game #316

Aston Villa

Aston Villa.jpg

Saturday, 18 September 1897

1st

WWWWW

Aston Villa.jpg

Won

3-1

🟩 18 Sep 1897, Villa 3-1 Bury, Villa Park

Division One

Bury

Aston Villa.jpg

Villa Park

Attendance: 18,000

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.

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 |

George Ramsay | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | 1886-1926
Aston Villa.jpg
Substitutes

No Substitutions permitted in period

Unused Substitutes

No Substitutions permitted in period

Yellow Cards (Warnings, Cautions, Bookings)

None

Red Cards (Ordered from Field of Play, Dismissals, Sendings Off)

None

Trophy Record

Matchday Squad

Unavailable

Not recorded

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 |

Debut Appearances

Final Appearances

Starting XI
GK Harry Wilkes | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 |
🕒

🔥

🟩

🟨

🟥

🥅

CB Jimmy Cowan | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 |
🕒

🔥

🟩

🟨

🟥

🕒

🔥

🟩

🟨

🟥

🕒

🔥

🟩

🟨

🟥

🕒

🔥

🟩

🟨

🟥

🕒

🔥

🟩

🟨

🟥

🕒

🔥

🟩

🟨

🟥

🕒

🔥

🟩

🟨

🟥

🕒

🔥

🟩

🟨

🟥

🕒

🔥

🟩

🟨

🟥

🕒

🔥

🟩

🟨

🟥

Substitutes
🕒

🔁

🔥

GK Sub

🟩

🟨

🟥

🥅

🕒

🔁

🔥

Sub 1

🟩

🟨

🟥

🕒

🔁

🔥

Sub 2

🟩

🟨

🟥

🕒

🔁

🔥

Sub 3

🟩

🟨

🟥

🕒

🔁

🔥

Sub 4

🟩

🟨

🟥

🕒

🔁

🔥

Sub 5

🟩

🟨

🟥

Scorer(s) | James Fisher | 15’ | James Fisher | Fred Wheldon |

Assist(s) | None

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

Season | 1897-98 |
Matchday | #4 |
League Match | #4 |
Manager Game | #290 |
Saturday, 18 September 1897

Aston Villa.jpg
Match Record
Game Record

Manager: George Ramsay | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | Glasgow, 1886-1926 led Management Committee
Referee: J. West | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | Lincoln
FT Score | 3-1 |
FT Result | Won |
Last 5 Games | WWWWW |

Officials

Referee: J. West | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | Lincoln, 1897-

Previous 5 vs. Bury: | - | 🟩 | 🟥 | 🟨 | 🟩 |

Aston Villa.jpg
Head to Head

Total 🕒 5 | 🟩 W3 (60% ) | 🟨 D1 | 🇺(80% ) | 🟥 L1 (20% ) | ⚽ 11 | 🥅 7 | GD 4

Match Stats

Not recorded

George Ramsay | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | 1886-1926

🕒 290 | 🟩 168 🟨 44 🟥 78 | 1.89

Villa Career Form:

Top 4

What they Said

"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."

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.

Management Committee
Aston Villa.jpg
Substitutes

No Substitutions Permitted in Period

Unused Substitutes

No Substitutions Permitted in Period

Yellow Cards (Warnings, Cautions, Bookings)

None

Red Cards (Ordered from Field of Play, Dismissals, Sendings Off)

None

Opposition Trophy Record

League Champions: ❌
FA Cup Winners: ❌
Last Trophy: ❌

Opposition Matchday Squad

Opposition Unavailable

Not Recorded

League Table
🟩 12 Apr 2025, Villa 3-0 Southampton, St Mary's TBL.png
1897-98
Playing Squad
GK Billy George | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #122 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
GK Harry Wilkes | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #105 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
GK Jimmy Whitehouse | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #117 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
CB Jimmy Cowan | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | #56 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
FB Albert Evans | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #118 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
FB Bert Sharp | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #120 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
RB Charlie Aston | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #128 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
FB Howard Spencer | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #108 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
M Edmund Strange | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #127 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
M Fred Burton | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #89 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
M Jimmy Crabtree | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #112 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
M Tommy Bowman | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | #123 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
W Charlie Athersmith | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #73 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
W Jack Cowan | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | #113 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
W Jack Sharp | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #121 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
W Steve Smith | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #100 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
CF Billy Garraty | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #126 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
F Bob Chatt | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #94 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
CF Fred Wheldon | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #116 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
CF George Johnson | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #129 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
F Howard Harvey | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #124 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
CF Jack Devey | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #74 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
F James Fisher | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 | #119 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
F Jimmy Suddick | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 | #125 |
🟩 23 Nov 2025 Villa 2-1 Leeds, Elland Road IG2.jpg
Match Media
Matchday Programme
Match Highlights
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Peace, Love & Up The Villa ☮️ ✌️💜💙

Trophies


🏆 European Cup Winners: (1) 1981-82

🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 League Champions: (7) 1893-94, 1895-96, 1896-97, 1898-99, 1899-00, 1909-10, 1980-81
🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆  FA Cup Winners: (7) 1886-87, 1894-95, 1896-97, 1904-05, 1912-13, 1919-20, 1956-57
🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 League Cup Winners: (5) 1960-61, 1974-75, 1976-77, 1993-94, 1995-96

🏆 🏆 Second Division Champions: (2) 1937-38, 1959-60

🏆 Third Division Champions: (1) 1971-72

🏆 European Super Cup Winners: (1) 1982-83

🏆 Intertoto Cup Winners: (1) 2001-02

🏆 Peace Cup Winners: (1) 2009 (Friendly)

🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 FA Youth Cup Winners: (5) 1971-72, 1979-80, 2001-02, 2020-21, 2024-25
🏆 NextGen Series Winners: (1) 2012-13
🏆 Premier League Cup Winners: (1) 2017-18
🏆 u18s Premier League Champions (3): 2024-25, 2007-08, 2003-04
🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 Birmingham Senior Cup Winners: (20) 1879-80, 1881-82, 1882-83, 1883-84, 1884-85, 1887-88, 1888-90, 1889-90, 1890-91, 1895-96, 1898-99, 1902-03, 1903-04, 1905-06, 1907-08, 1908-09, 1909-10, 1911-12, 1984-85, 2023-24
🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 🏆 Premier Reserve League Champions: (5) 2003-04, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2011-12
🏆 🏆 🏆 Central League Champions: (3) 1929-30, 1963-64, 1992-93

Contributions

 

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