THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF ASTON VILLA FOOTBALL CLUB FULL COLOUR HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT

This is a captivating pictorial history map that traces the history of the famous name through rare antique maps and images back to 1820 where one such map shows the building “Aston Villa” from which the great clubs name was taken. Also featured is part of a rare 1833 map showing the first “street” to be cut through the Manor of Aston – named Villa Street after the imposing landmark Georgian Villa – Aston Villa – located on the junction of Heathfield Road and Lozells Road. Another feature shows the arrival of the Wesleyans and the building of their chapel in 1865, in 1872 young fellows of the chapel form a cricket team. Keen enough on their cricket in the Summer months, they establish Aston Villa Football Club in 1874 to play the new game of Association Football so they could be together in the Winter months.

Aston Villa’s earliest games were played on the then famous “sports meadow”, part of the great leisure complex opened in 1872 and featured on the work. Also featured is the “Wellington Road ground”, Perry Barr, the first football home of Aston Villa, from where they played between 1876 and 1897.

In 1888 Aston Villa director William McGregor became the founding father of the Football League, with Aston Villa being one of the twelve founder clubs. One year later in 1889, back down at the Aston Lower Grounds, the famous sports meadow has been lost to housing. Dovehouse Pool is drained and in its place the owners of the leisure complex build a cycle track with a central sports ground.

In 1897 Aston Villa leave Wellington Road, Perry Barr, and move to the Aston Lower Grounds, the sports ground gradually became known as “Villa Park”

To the top left and right are rare images of match action from Villa Park, to the centre of these images is the first picture captured from a 1901 “home” game against arch rivals Small Heath, later to be named Birmingham City.

The heading to the top of the work quotes “By the turn of the 20th century Aston Villa – the greatest name in football in every sense – had become of the most powerful sides in the country – They had secured the league title 5 times since the start of the league in 1888, and won the F.A Cup 3 times”.

The heading at the bottom of the work quotes ” The City of Birmingham with sinewy arms and sooty face, was forging its name in brass and iron as the workshop of the World, when one Winters night in 1874 a few young men stroked their whiskers and bestowed on a new born football club a name unique in sporting history”.