1881–82 Aston Villa F.C. season

Aston Villa
1881–82 season
Chairman	William McGregor
FA Cup	4th round

The 1881–82 English football season was Aston Villa's 3rd season in the Football Association Cup, the top-level football competition at the time. This year saw several Club records being set. Howard Vaughton and Albert Brown became the first Villa players to gain international caps. They represented England against Ireland at Belfast. It was not a bad start for the 'Perry Barr Pets' either as Brown scored four, while Vaughton scored five in a 13–0 victory.

Vaughton was a dangerous inside-left for Villa throughout the decade, picking up a Cup Winner's medal before his retirement through injury in 1888. He also owned a silversmith's which still exists today in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, and was commissioned to make a new FA Cup trophy when the original was stolen while in holders Villa's care in 1895. No England player has ever bettered his record of five goals in one international.

It also saw a significant friendly defeat against the famous Queen's Park club of Glasgow. While Villa were beaten 4–1, they learned from the Scottish club's innovative passing style. It was about this year that Villa began to wear what were described as 'maroon' shirts emblazoned with a large 'Lion Rampant' that now forms the central feature of the club's badge. The Lion Rampant was chosen by William McGregor as the club's emblem in tribute to his native Scotland, and also in recognition of the club's Scottish stars Ramsay and Archie Hunter. This was the first time the Villa kit had come to resemble anything like that worn by the team today. Throughout the 1870s they had worn a variety of kits, including all white, blue and black and all green.

In April 1882 Heart of Midlothian lost 2-6 at home to Aston Villa.^[1]

FA Cup

1882 also saw a creditable Cup performance as Villa dispatched Nottingham Forest and Notts County (after a replay) before succumbing to Wednesbury Old Athletic in the fourth round (Villa received a 'bye' in the second round).

Round	Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Notes
1st Round	5 Nov 1881	Nottingham Forest	H	4–1	— ^[2]
2nd Round	—	—	—	—	Villa received a 'bye'
3rd Round	31 Dec 1881	Notts County	H	2–2	— ^[3]
3rd Round Replay	7 Jan 1882	Notts County	A	2–2	Replay ^[4]
3rd Round Replay	14 Jan 1882	Notts County	H	4–1	Replay ^[5]
4th Round	21 Jan 1882	Wednesbury Old Athletic	A	2–4	— ^[6]

References

^ "1882-04-08 Sat Hearts 2 Aston Villa 6".
^ "🟩 5 Nov 1881, Villa 4-1 Forest, Wellington Road". AVFC History. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
^ "🟨 31 Dec 1881, Villa 2-2 Notts County, Wellington Road". AVFC History. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
^ "🟨 7 Jan 1882, Villa 2-2 Notts County, Castle Cricket Club". AVFC History. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
^ "🟩 14 Jan 1882, Villa 4-1 Notts County, Wellington Road". AVFC History. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
^ "🟥 21 Jan 1882, Villa 2-4 W.O.A.C, The Oval". AVFC History. Retrieved 2026-02-24.

[1] "1882-04-08 Sat Hearts 2 Aston Villa 6".

[2] "🟩 5 Nov 1881, Villa 4-1 Forest, Wellington Road". AVFC History. Retrieved 2026-02-24.

[3] "🟨 31 Dec 1881, Villa 2-2 Notts County, Wellington Road". AVFC History. Retrieved 2026-02-24.

[4] "🟨 7 Jan 1882, Villa 2-2 Notts County, Castle Cricket Club". AVFC History. Retrieved 2026-02-24.

[5] "🟩 14 Jan 1882, Villa 4-1 Notts County, Wellington Road". AVFC History. Retrieved 2026-02-24.

[6] "🟥 21 Jan 1882, Villa 2-4 W.O.A.C, The Oval". AVFC History. Retrieved 2026-02-24.

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