The 1894–95 English football season was Aston Villa's 7th season in the Football League falling into what was to be called Villa's golden era. Villa started the season as League champions and, under George Ramsay's management committee, won the FA Cup for the second time.AVFC History:1894–95 season The 1894–95 Division 1 season was the first season of the First league Second City Derby with Aston Villa beating local rivals Small Heath 2–1 on 1 September 1894. Villa beat Small Heath in the final of the Mayor of Birmingham's Charity Cup.
There were debut appearances for Arthur's son, Billy Dorrell, George Kinsey, Howard Spencer, Tom Purslow, Harry Wilkes, Billy Podmore and Bob Gordon.
First Division
Matches
Source: avfchistory.co.uk
FA Cup
The 1895 FA Cup Final was contested by Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion at Crystal Palace. Aston Villa won 1–0, with Bob Chatt being credited with scoring the fastest goal in FA Cup Final history, scored after just 30 seconds. This record would stand for 114 years before being broken by Everton 's Louis Saha in 2009 with a goal after 25 seconds. The first trophy, the 'little tin idol', had been made by Martin, Hall & Co at a cost of £20. It was stolen from a Birmingham shoe shop window belonging to William Shillcock while held by Aston Villa on 11 September 1895 and was never seen again. Despite a £10 reward for information, the crime was never solved. As it happened while it was in their care, the FA fined Villa £25 to pay for a replacement. Just over 60 years later, 80 year old career criminal Henry (Harry) James Burge claimed to have committed the theft, confessing to a newspaper, with the story being published in the Sunday Pictorial newspaper on 23 February 1958.Burge claimed the cup had been melted down to make counterfeit half-crown coins, which matched known intelligence of the time that stolen silver was being used to forge coins which were then laundered through betting shops at a local racecourse.
Date Opponent Venue Score Notes Scorers 2 Feb 1895 Derby County H 2–1 FA Cup – 1st Round — 16 Feb 1895 Newcastle United H 7–1 FA Cup – 2nd Round — 2 Mar 1895 Nottingham Forest H 6–2 FA Cup – 3rd Round — 16 Mar 1895 Sunderland A 2–1 FA Cup – Semi-final — 20 Apr 1895 West Bromwich Albion A 1–0 FA Cup – Final —
Birmingham Cup
Charity Cup Small Heath took on Aston Villa in their last match of the season, the final of the Birmingham Charity Cup. Unfortunately for the charities, the weather was poor and the attendance low, but those spectators present saw an exciting game. Wheldon scored first with a fierce shot that entered the net off the goalkeeper and the underside of the bar, then Bob Chatt equalised from a free kick and Charlie Athersmith outpaced Oliver and his parried shot was forced over the line. Mobley tied the scores with a long shot, but in the second half with the wind behind them, Villa scored three times to Jack Hallam's one to take the match 5–3.
Reserves After finishing in the runners-up position twice in the first 2 seasons of the competition, Aston Villa Reserves finally won their first Birmingham & District League trophy in the 1894–95 season, winning 26 out of 30 league games and losing just once all season.
References
External links Aston Villa official website