Game #332
Aston Villa
Saturday, 8 January 1898
Lost
2nd
WDLDL
Division One
Attendance: 25,000
Sheffield United
Bramall Lane
Sheffield United
1-0
Aston Villa (Champions)
Assists(s) | Not recorded
MATCH SUMMARY
George Ramsay's reigning Champions start the New Year with a damaging defeat to title rivals Sheffield United as the Blades move 3 points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand.
KEY MAN
PREVIOUS MATCH
NEXT MATCH
MATCH TIMELINE
Saturday, 8 January 1898
[Exact timings not recorded]
23’ Goal, 0-1, (Sheffield United)
HT Sheffield United 1-0 Aston Villa
FT Sheffield United 1-0 Aston Villa
ON THIS DAY
Reigning Champions Villa start the New Year with a damaging defeat to title rivals Sheffield United as the Blades move 3 points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand.
Aston Villa
Sheffield United
League Champions: ❌
FA Cup Winners: ❌
Last Trophy: ❌
FIXTURE HISTORY
Sheffield United
Previous 5 vs. Sheffield United: | 🟩 | 🟥 | 🟨 | 🟨 | 🟨 |
FIXTURE DETAILS
Season | 1897-98 |
Matchday | #20 |
League Match | #20 |
Manager Game | #306 |
Saturday, 8 January 1898
MATCH SUMMARY
Manager | George Ramsay led Management Committee |
FT Score | 0-1 |
FT Result | Lost |
Last 5 Games | WDLDL |
MANAGERIAL RECORD
George Ramsay led Management Committee
GAMES | WINS | DRAWS | LOSSES | POINTS PER GAME
🕒 306 | 🟩 174 🟨 48 🟥 84 | 1.86
Villa Career Form:
Top 4
George Ramsay led Management Committee
MATCH OFFICIALS
CARDS
Villa
Sheffield United
TEAM NEWS
Villa name an unchanged line up from the team that drew with Wolves last time out.
TEAM STATS
Starting XI Average Age
| 25.91 |
Oldest Player |
F Jack Devey | 31.06 |
Youngest Player |
RB Bert Sharp | 22.02 |
MANAGER
George Ramsay led Management Committee
Aston Villa
GK Jimmy Whitehouse |
CB Jimmy Cowan |
RB Bert Sharp |
FB Albert Evans |
M Jimmy Crabtree |
M Tommy Bowman |
W Charlie Athersmith |
W Jack Cowan |
F Howard Harvey |
F Jack Devey |
F Fred Wheldon |
MANAGER
J. B. Wostinholm | 🏴 |
Sheffield United
SUBSTITUTES
No Substitutions permitted in period
SUBSTITUTES
No Substitutions Permitted in Period
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES
No Substitutions permitted in period
UNUSED SUBSTITUTES
No Substitutions Permitted in Period
SQUAD STATS
MATCHDAY SQUAD
SQUAD STATS
MATCHDAY SQUAD
UNAVAILABLE
Not recorded
UNAVAILABLE
Not Recorded
Player Positions:
GK : Goalkeeper
CB, D, B : Centre Back, Defender, Back
FB, LB, RB, WH : Full Back, Left Back, Right Back, Wing Back, Wing Half
M, CH, LH, RH : Midfielder, Centre Half, Left Half, Right Half
W, OL, OR : Winger, Outside Left, Outside Right
F, IF, IL, IR : Forward, Inside Forward, Inside Left, Inside Right, Second Striker, False 9
CF : Centre Forward
Match Symbols:
⚽ | Goal
🔥 | Assist
🔁 | Substitution
🟨 | Booking
🟥 | Sending off
🆘 | Poor refereeing performance
🟢 : Debut 🔴 : Final Game
DEBUT APPEARANCES
FINAL APPEARANCES
MATCH STATS
Not recorded
LEAGUE TABLE
MATCHDAY PROGRAMME
MATCHDAY QUOTES
"The margin of superiority on the part of United was very slight, and at the close they gained a well earned victory."
*The Sporting Life*
Monday, 10 January 1898
SHEFFIELD UNITED V. ASTON VILLA.
THE BATTLE OF THE LEAGUE LEADERS.
BRILLIANT VICTORY OF THE “BLADES”
“A splendid attendance and a model game.” This was the dictum of every unbiased admirer of the winter pastime as they wended their way homewards from Bramall lane Grounds, on Saturday after witnessing Sheffield United gain a splendid victory over Aston Villa, and take a commanding lead towards becoming the champions of the League competition.
Although not practically deciding the championship. Saturday’s match had a big bearing on the ultimate resting-place of the League emblem, and an immense amount of interest was roused regarding the probable result.
The kick off was announced for half-past two, but as a matter of fact, took place a few minutes earlier in the presence of a big crowd. To be precise, 22,775 persons passed the turnstiles, and of these 20,437 paid, the remainder being season ticket holders, whilst the actual gate receipts amounted to £602 13s. 0d.
Both teams has been in strict training.United having been located at Chesterfield House, Matlock Bank, whilst the Villans had been from Birmingham to Droitwich for the benefit of the hot brine baths.
Owing to the mild, wet weather, the ground was in a very heavy state, but the atmosphere was very calm, and there was no wind to aid either side.
Each club ployed their full strength, Gaudie playing centre forward for United vice Almond. The Villa won the toss, and in the first half kicked towards Shoreham Street.
In the first quarter of an hour however, Whitehouse had a couple of shots to get rid of, but he was in capital form. Several times the Villa forwards worked the ball up, but their combination was broken up by the United halves or backs, all of whom played fine game.
When play had progressed twenty-three minutes, Bennett, the United outside right wing forward, made a splendid run, and beating his opponents, sent in a rather oblique shot, the all just grazing the underside of the crossbar, and scoring the first goal for United.
Before the interval each team had a turn pressing. On one occasion John Cowan shot over when he had a chance, Wheldon once headed outside from an Athersmith centre. On the United side, Priest, Gaudie, and Needham were all wide of the mark and at the interval United led one goal to the none.
The game in the second half was a splendidly contested one. Each set of forwards worked with rare energy and dash, and despite the heavy state of ground the play ruled very fast.
United were always the most dangerous when in front of goal, and though Whitehouse had rather more work do than Foulkes, it may said that the brunt the battle was borne by the half and full backs of either side.
The margin of superiority on the part of United was very slight, and at the close they gained a well earned victory.
Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. With thanks to Trinity Mirror. Digitised by Findmypast Newspaper Archive Limited. All rights reserved. Source: British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)