The 1901–02 English football season was Aston Villa's 14th season in the Football League, competing in the First Division, the top flight in English football at the time. The season fell in what was to be called Villa's golden era.
On Wednesday 25 December 1901, Villa won 3–2 away to Everton in front of a crowd of 18,000 at Goodison Park. Villa scorer, Willie Clarke (41) became the first non-white player to score in the English First Division.
During the season Joe Bache (431), and Jimmy Crabtree (176) shared the captaincy of the club.AVFC History: 1901–02 season Knee and ankle injuries induced Howard Spencer (258) to take the season off for twelve months rest.
The previous season Small Heath had finished runners-up in Second Division, so were promoted to the First Division for 1901–02. Villa won 2–0 at Coventry Road Muntz Street with goals by Bache and Jack Devey (268). In the 1901 Boxing Day fixture, Villa's Jasper McLuckie (57) was the only scorer. At the end of the season Small Heath were relegated back to the Second Division. In locally organised competition, Small Heath lost to Villa in the first round of the Birmingham Senior Cup.
There were debuts for Willie Clarke,https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/willie-clarke George Smith,https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/george-smith George Harris,https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/george-harris George Shutt,https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/george-shutt Tom Perry,https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/tom-perry Billy Marriott,https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/billy-marriott Jasper McLuckie,https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/jasper-mcluckie Billy Brawn,https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/billy-brawn Tommy Niblo,https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/tommy-niblo Bert Banks (5) https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/bert-banks and Harry Cooch.https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/harry-cooch
League
Matches
Source: avfchistory.co.uk
FA Cup
The first round proper contained sixteen ties between 32 teams. 17 of the 18 First Division sides were exempt to this round, as were West Bromwich Albion, Middlesbrough and Preston North End from the Second Division, and Southern League sides Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur, finalists in the two previous seasons. They joined the ten teams who won in the intermediate round.
The matches were played on Saturday 25 January 1902. Seven matches were drawn, with the replays taking place in the following midweek. Two of these then went to a second replay the following week.
Tie noHome teamScoreAway teamDate3Stoke2–2Aston Villa25 January 1902ReplayAston Villa1–2Stoke29 January 1902 Birmingham Senior Cup
Players Joe Bache, 35 appearances Alf Wood, 35 appearances Jimmy Crabtree, 31 appearances Albert Wilkes, 31 appearances Billy Garraty, 28 appearances Billy George, 27 appearances, conceded 30 Bobby Templeton, 26 appearances Jack Shutt, 26 appearances Tom Perry, 25 appearances Jasper McLuckie, 23 appearances Willie Clarke, 16 appearances Tommy Niblo, 14 appearances Micky Noon, 10 appearances Arthur Millar, 9 appearances George Johnson, 8 appearances Jack Whitley, 8 appearances, conceded 12 Billy Marriott, 8 appearances Bert Banks, 5 appearances Joe Pearson, 5 appearances George Smith, 5 appearances Jack Devey, 4 appearances Albert Evans, 4 appearances Tommy Wilson, 4 appearances Frank Lloyd, 3 appearances George Harris, 3 appearances Billy Brawn, 1 appearance Harry Cooch, 1 appearance, conceded 2 Jimmy Cowan, 1 appearance Jimmy Murray, 1 appearance
References
Footnotes
External links Aston Villa official website avfchistory.co.uk The Matches