Player #9 for Aston Villa, Charles Samuel Johnstone, known as Charlie Johnstone played as a forward for the club. Charlie made his debut in the 1879-80 FA Cup campaign - Villa’s first entry into the competition.

Charlie was born in Aston, less than a mile from the current Villa ground, on 3rd September 1856 and made his debut as a 23 year old on the 13th December 1879.

Villa had signed Charlie from Saltley College and he went on to represent the club in 1879-80 and 1880-81.

Charlie’s connection to Villa however went right back to the start however given that he was the son of Fergus Johnstone, Vice President of Villa in the 1870s.

After retiring as a player, Johnstone sat on the Aston Villa Management Committee himself from 1892 and became one of the first four directors of Aston Villa Football Club Limited in 1896.

Despite a low key playing career with Villa, Charlie had huge influence on Villa off the pitch later in life. It was Charlie, alongside Chairman Fred Rinder, who secured the deal with Henry Flower to obtain the plot of land at the Lower Grounds in Aston which would ultimately become the site of Villa Park.

Johnstone also formulated a bonus system for the players that was adopted by the club in the late 1890s helping fuel and retain the extended period of unprecedented success Villa achieved throughout the decade.

Charlie was also something of a modern thinker with resolute views about the appropriate training and coaching methods required for a club to achieve lasting success.

Although Johnstone resigned as a director of the club in 1900 he maintained a literal and metaphorical voice around the club and would return in the 1920s, alongside former team-mate Tommy Pank, to serve as Vice President.

Charlie’s final game had come on 30th October 1880 having made 2 FA Cup appearances having reached the 4th Round in 1880-81. He subsequently moved to Lozells British Constitutionals FC.

Charlie played in the era when team selection was made by a Management Committee rather than the latter day more typical Manager.

Charlie passed away in Conobie, Dumfries on 30th September 1941 aged 85.