1896–97 Aston Villa F.C. season
| 1896–97 season | |
|---|---|
| Manager | George Ramsay |
| Grounds | Wellington Road |
| First Division | Champions (3) |
| FA Cup | Winners |
| Top goalscorer | League: Fred Wheldon (18) All: Fred Wheldon (22) |
| Season | 1896–97 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Aston Villa 3rd English title |
| Relegated | Burnley |
| Top goalscorer | Steve Bloomer (22 goals) |
| Biggest home win | Derby County 8–1 West Brom (25 December 1896) Sheffield United 7–0 Blackburn (9 January 1897) |
| Biggest away win | Blackburn 1–5 Aston Villa (28 November 1896) |
| Highest scoring | Derby County 7–2 Bury (26 September 1896) Derby County 8–1 West Brom (25 December 1896) Everton 6–3 West Brom (17 April 1897) |
| Longest winning run | 6 matches Everton |
| Longest unbeaten run | 12 matches Aston Villa |
| Longest losing run | 6 matches Everton |
| Highest attendance | 40,000 Everton 2–1 Liverpool (3 October 1896) |
| Lowest attendance | 1,000 Nottingham Forest 4–1 Burnley (24 October 1896) Sheffield United 7–0 Blackburn (9 January 1897) |
| Average attendance | 7,734 |
← 1895–96 1897–98 → | |
The 1896-97 English football season was Aston Villa's 9th season in the Football League. Villa were champions for the third time matching Sunderland's three wins. For good measure, the FA Cup was also won, to make Villa the second team to complete "The Double" after Preston North End in 1888–89.
It was the year of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee and the Council had organised celebrations for 22 June 1897. The programme headlined "The Villa with the Cup". To the acclaimation of the crowd, the players sat on two long benches, facing each self-consciously, as a horse-drawn wagonette proceeded through Aston with the FA Cup in the centre.
This was the season during which Villa moved from Wellington Road to their current home at Villa Park. With growing crowds, it became increasingly apparent that the existing ground was inadequate. Vice-President, Charlie Johnstone's invaluable foresight was pivotal in the acquisition of Villa Park. The land at the Wellington Road ground had initially been sub-let to the club for £5.00 a year but, as Villa became more successful, the rent kept rising and rising and the landlord would not grant a sufficiently long lease to justify the massive expenditure need to improve the facilities to match the club's ambition. Johnsone acquired an option at the Lower Grounds in Aston long before his other directors were persuaded of its merits. Together with Chairman Fred Rinder they secured the deal to enable the move Villa's new home ground. It was still referred to as 'Aston Lower Grounds' for some time.
The Ever-presents were Charlie Athersmith, Jimmy Cowan, and Fred Wheldon. Villa first reached the top on 28 Nov and used 17 players through out.John Campbell was not quite as productive as in the previous season, and the leading scorer honours went to Fred Wheldon. Fred had been signed in 1896 for £350 from local rivals Small Heath, who had been relegated the previous season. He was a good dribbler with the ball and won four caps for England. He played first class cricket for Worcestershire.
There were debuts for Fred Wheldon (123), Jimmy Whitehouse and Albert Evans.