The 1919-20 English football season was Aston Villa's 28th season in The Football League and the first following the end of World War I. George Ramsay was rebuilding Villa after the First World War. Villa won FA Cup beating Huddersfield Town 1–0 at Stamford Bridge It was Villa's sixth FA Cup win surpassing the previous record, Blackburn and Wanderers' total of five.

Players In October 1919, after a very public fall out with the Barnsley directors over travelling expenses, George Ramsay persuaded Frank Barson (92) to join Villa for a fee of £2,850 – "more than the average Sheffield worker earned in a year".

Billy Walker (478) made his senior debut in January 1920 in the FA Cup, scoring twice as Villa won 2–1 in the first round against non-league side Queens Park Rangers. He played in five more FA Cup games, scoring another three, helping Aston Villa reach the FA Cup Final. An extra time winner at Stamford Bridge by Billy Kirton saw Walker become an FA Cup winner in his debut season. Walker also scored 8 league goals in 15 matches at the back end of the 1919-20 season, including a hat-trick against Newcastle United, as Villa ended the first season after the first world war in ninth place.

Tommy Smart (405) played for Halesowen Town before signing for Aston Villa in January 1920 for a £300.00 fee.Tommy Smart www.avfchistory.co.uk Richard York (356) scored one goal in 17 games in 1919–20, but did not feature in the 1920 FA Cup Final, which ended in a 1–0 victory over Huddersfield Town at Stamford Bridge. Arthur Dorrell (355) played for Carey Hall and R.A.S.C., before joining Aston Villa in May 1919. Billy Kirton (261) was born in Newcastle upon Tyne. Kirton was a member of the Temperance Society and played for Pandon Temperance before joining Leeds City in May 1919. After Kirton had played only one game for the club, City went out of business and he was transferred to Aston Villa for £500 in October 1919. He played 261 matches for Aston Villa.https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/billy-kirton

Other debuts included: Ernie Blackburn (32) Jack Thompson (26) Andy Young (26) Walter Boyman (24) Jim Lee (18) Jack Hampson (14) Jimmy Lawrence (13) Hubert Bourne (7) Jack Pendleton (6) Arthur Davis (5) Joe Worrell (4) George Hadley (4) Dick Sloley (2) Walter Maiden (1)

Tommy Ball (74) (shot dead on 11 November 1923) joined from Newcastle in January 1920. Ball was seen as cover for Frank Barson. and first-team appearances were limited until Barson left in August 1922. Ball then became the first-choice centre-half, making 36 appearances in the 1922–23 season. In the following season, he continued to perform well at the heart of Villa's defence and he was forecast to be called up to play for England.

League

Matches Date Opponent Venue Result Notes Scorers 30 Aug 1919 Sunderland Roker 1–2 — Clem Stephenson (55') 1 Sep 1919 Derby Villa Park 2–2 — Hubert Bourne (51'); Clem Stephenson (53') 6 Sep 1919 Sunderland Villa Park 0–3 — — 8 Sep 1919 Derby Baseball Ground 0–1 — — https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/1028 13 Sep 1919 Liverpool Anfield 1–2 — Hubert Bourne (35') https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/1029 20 Sep 1919 Liverpool Villa Park 0–1 — — https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/1030 27 Sep 1919 BPA Park Avenue 1–6 — Clem Stephenson (70' pen) 4 Oct 1919 BPA Villa Park 1–0 — Clem Stephenson (67') 11 Oct 1919 Preston Deepdale 0–3 — — 18 Oct 1919 Preston Villa Park 2–4 — Clem Stephenson (23'); Arthur Dorrell (67') 25 Oct 1919 Boro Ayresome 4–1 — Walter Boyman (49', 75', 81'); Arthur Dorrell (82') 1 Nov 1919 Boro Villa Park 5–3 — Clem Stephenson (8', 31', 76'); Arthur Dorrell (48'); Walter Boyman (70') https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/game/1036 10 Nov 1919 Albion Hawthorns 2–1 — Clem Stephenson (1–0); Walter Boyman (2–1) 15 Nov 1919 Albion Villa Park 2–4 — Walter Boyman (22'); Billy Kirton (80') 22 Nov 1919 Sheffield United Bramall Lane 2–1 — Billy Kirton (25', 33') 29 Nov 1919 Sheffield United Villa Park 4–0 — Clem Stephenson (6', 55', 62'); 4–0 6 Dec 1919 United Villa Park 2–0 — Billy Kirton (23'); Walter Boyman (76') 13 Dec 1919 United Old Trafford 2–1 — Clem Stephenson (17', 81') 20 Dec 1919 Oldham Villa Park 3–0 — Billy Kirton (15'); Harold Edgley (49'); Clem Stephenson (52') 25 Dec 1919 Chelsea Villa Park 5–2 — Frank Barson (13'); Billy Kirton (2–1); Clem Stephenson (3–2, 4–2); Andy Ducat (5–2) 27 Dec 1919 Oldham Boundary Park 3–0 — Andy Young (17', 85'); Billy Kirton (35') 1 Jan 1920 Newcastle St James' 0–2 — — 3 Jan 1920 Burnley Villa Park 2–2 — Clem Stephenson (1–0, 2–1) 17 Jan 1920 Burnley Turf Moor 0–0 — — 24 Jan 1920 Arsenal Highbury 1–0 — Clem Stephenson (19') 7 Feb 1920 Everton Goodison 1–1 — Billy Walker (15') 11 Feb 1920 Arsenal Villa Park 2–1 — Clem Stephenson (50', 80') 14 Feb 1920 Everton Villa Park 2–2 — Billy Walker (14'); Billy Kirton (82') 28 Feb 1920 Bradford Villa Park 3–1 — Billy Walker (46'); Clem Stephenson (60'); Own Goal (78') 13 Mar 1920 Bolton Burnden 1–2 — Billy Kirton (50') 17 Mar 1920 Bradford Valley Parade 1–3 — Frank Barson (53' pen) 20 Mar 1920 Blackburn Villa Park 1–2 — Billy Walker (5') 2 Apr 1920 Chelsea Stamford Bridge 1–2 — Billy Kirton (1–0) 3 Apr 1920 Notts County Villa Park 3–1 — Walter Boyman (5'); Billy Kirton (14'); Frank Barson (75' pen) 5 Apr 1920 Newcastle Villa Park 4–0 — Charlie Wallace (17'); Billy Walker (21', 22', 81') 7 Apr 1920 Bolton Villa Park 3–6 — Clem Stephenson (1–1); Billy Walker (30'); Frank Barson (3–6 pen) 10 Apr 1920 Notts County Meadow Lane 1–2 — Arthur Davis (76') 15 Apr 1920 Blackburn Ewood 1–5 — Dicky York (1–4) 17 Apr 1920 Wednesday Villa Park 3–1 — Billy Kirton (35'); Clem Stephenson (58'); Arthur Dorrell (83') 26 Apr 1920 Manchester City Villa Park 0–1 — — 29 Apr 1920 Wednesday Hillsborough 1–0 — Clem Stephenson (1–0) 1 May 1920 Manchester City Hyde Road 2–2 — Billy Kirton (19', 51')

FA Cup

The 1920 FA Cup final, the first since the end of the First World War, was contested by Aston Villa and Huddersfield at Stamford Bridge. Aston Villa won 1–0, with the goal coming in extra time from Billy Kirton, to clinch the trophy for a record sixth time. This was the first ever FA Cup Final to require extra time to be played. Huddersfield had secured promotion from the Second Division this season and were appearing in their first final.

Aston Villa captain, Andy Ducat, had represented England at both football and cricket. The Villa team had four surviving members of the club's last victory in the 1913 F.A. Cup final; Tommy Weston, Sam Hardy, Clem Stephenson and Charlie Wallace. Those four Villa players and Frank Moss had all served in the Armed Forces during World War I. Frank Barson, known for his tough style of play, was warned before the kick-off by the referee against using his normal tactics.

The trophy was presented by Prince Henry, the fourth son of King George V. This was Villa manager George Ramsay's sixth FA Cup Final win, a record for a manager, and one that was only equalled in 2015 by Arsène Wenger – against Aston Villa.

Road to the Final Round 1Aston Villa2–1Queens Park RangersQPR were a non-league club at this time.Round 2Manchester United1–2Aston VillaRound 3Aston Villa1–0SunderlandQuarter-finalTottenham Hotspur0–1Aston VillaTottenham Hotspur were in the Second Division at this time. Semi-finalAston Villa3–1Chelseaplayed at Bramall Lane, Sheffield

Match details

GK Sam HardyRB Tommy Smart LB Tommy WestonRH Andy Ducat (c)CH Frank BarsonLH Frank MossOR Charlie Wallace IR Billy KirtonCF Billy Walker IL Clem StephensonOL Arthur DorrellSecretary-Manager: George Ramsay GK Sandy MutchRB James WoodLB Fred Bullock (c)RH Charlie SladeCH Tom WilsonLH Billy WatsonOR George RichardsonIR Frank MannCF Sam TaylorIL Jack SwannOL Ernie IslipManager: Ambrose Langley

References

External links FA Cup Final lineups Aston Villa football club match record: 1920