5 Interesting Facts About Aston Villa That May Surprise You

Or things you knew already.

When it comes to the most prestigious and famous football league on the planet, the English Premier League ranks on top. It’s reported that the league is broadcasted in a whopping 212 countries and draws an impressive viewership of billions across the planet. To date, there are roughly 49 different teams who have graced the Premier League stage, with one of the most famous being Aston Villa. Nicknamed the Lions or the Villans, this club has one of the richest histories in the league.

Aston Villa have truly been through it all. The club has tasted glory at the top and experienced what it’s like to be at the very bottom. Regardless of this, Aston Villa has some of the most devoted fans any football club could wish for. Move aside Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, and Arsenal – here are some impressive and interesting facts about Aston Villa you may have never known about!

Stadium Naming Rights
If you ever look into the oldest football venues on the planet, Aston Villa is sure to make a prominent appearance. In fact, the club has been calling their stadium Villa Park home for over 100 years. Since Aston Villa began playing at Villa Park in 1897, the stadium has gone on to host some of the largest football matches on the globe. Some notable events include the World Cup, European Championship matches, and international fixtures. Aston Villa’s stadium also played host to FA cup top tier games before they moved onto Wembley.

With all their success, you may be surprised to learn that Aston Villa has never sold its stadium naming rights to a private entity. Unlike other elite clubs such as Manchester City and Liverpool, Villa Park has retained its name for well over a century. Many Villa fans love this fact about their beloved team.

A Very Unique First Match
With Aston Villa being such a dominant presence in British football and playing thousands upon thousands of games, they had to start somewhere. Of course, none of us were alive to witness their first ever match. However, thanks to records and history, we can learn about the clubs first ever game. What may surprise you is how unique the affair was. You’d be of the belief that their first ever match was against another football team. However, this isn’t actually the case! The first Aston Villa match ever played was against Aston Brook St. – a rugby team!

While this fact alone is unique and certainly interesting, what makes it more unusual is that throughout the first half, Aston Villa had to adhere to rugby rules. Once the second half kicked off, the match had to be played with football rules. Thankfully, football rules have come on leaps and bounds since then, meaning there is no longer any kind of rugby involved in the sport. Although, we bet many players would love to have seen footage of the first game and how everything panned out! For those who are a fan of both sports, you can play sport-related casino games at onlinecasinos.co.uk. When you’re not watching the Villans play, you can have a go at some great casino titles that are sure to bring lots of entertainment.

Second Team to Achieve the Double
Another surprising fact about Aston Villa you may not know is that the team is the second in England’s top division ever to complete the double. This occurred back in 1897. A team achieved this feat by winning both the FA cup and the top division.
The first team to achieve this feat was Preston North End. Before long, Aston Villa matched their successes. While Aston Villa may not be winning the Premier League anytime soon, this achievement is one that cements their status within British football and makes them a force to be reckoned with.

It’s Well Decorated
While this fact may come as a surprise considering how Aston Villa have performed in recent Premier League seasons. But, the club is regarded as one of the most successful teams there is. A large part of this is down to their achievements. Aston Villa is one of the few teams in the English Premier League to have lifted the European Cup (currently known as the UFEA Champions League). This feat took place in 1982.

What’s more, Aston Villa have lifted both the FA Cup and Division One title trophies an impressive seven times! When you compare this to the other big clubs in the Premier League, this number is more than the likes of some of them. It should also be noted that Aston Villa have won the League Cup and European Super Cup a total of five times. With these impressive stats, it’s easy to see why Aston Villa are up there with the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool.

Most Top-Flight Goals
If there’s one thing football fans love more than anything, it’s their team scoring goals (and many of them!). When it comes to goals, one fact that may shock you is how many Aston Villa scored in a single season. If we cast our minds back to the 1930-31 season, the team managed to score an impressive 128 goals!

What’s amazing about this number is it’s never been replicated since. This means fans who were around back in the 30s definitely had a lot of cheering when going to an Aston Villa match. While many of the top teams have scored dozens upon dozens of games in any respective season, no one has come close to the 128 that Aston Villa achieved back in the day. With a new season underway and new players added to the Aston Villa team, who knows? Maybe they could achieve this feat again one day!

Aston Villa is hailed as one of the biggest sides in the English Premier League. To date, the club has won an impressive 7 Division One titles, 7 FA cups, and 5 league cups. They’re also one of the few English teams to win the European cup, defeating Bayern Munich in the 1982 final.

As Aston Villa gear up for the 2022-23 Premier League season, reading the impressive facts above makes it clear why the team are and deserve to be in the top division.