1902–03 Aston Villa F.C. season

Aston Villa
1902–03 season
Chairman	Frederick Rinder
Manager	George Ramsay
First Division	2nd
FA Cup	Semi-finals

The 1902–03 English football season was Aston Villa's 15th season in the Football League competing in the First Division,^[a] the top flight of English football at the time. The season fell in what was to be called Villa's golden era.^[1]

During the season Howard Spencer and Albert Evans shared the captaincy of the club.^[2] Spencer returned, having taken the 1901–02 season off in order to rest his knee and ankle for twelve months in the hope of recovering from an injury.^[3] Billy Garraty, great-great-grandfather of Jack Grealish, made 30 appearances during the season.^[4]^[5]

Alex Leake joined Aston Villa from Small Heath in July 1902, when he was 31, and stayed five years. In a 1901 profile in the Daily Express, C.B. Fry wrote:^[6]

Leake is one of the best half-backs of the day; he is a character, and very popular. Fast, with exceptional stamina, he is on the go all the game through; yet never tires.

Other debuts were Arthur Lockett,^[7] Albert Fisher,^[8] Oscar Evans, ^[9] and Harry Griffin.^[10]^[11]

In Villa's first home game of 1903 they beat Forest 3–1. Two weeks later they beat Blackburn 5–0 at home. The next home tie was in the FA Cup with Villa beating Sunderland 4–1. In February Villa beat Barnsley 4–1, also a home tie in the FA Cup. April 1903 saw five home fixtures for Villa.^[12] They won all five and thus had nine consecutive home wins to end the season.^[13]^[14]^[15]^[16]^[17]

League

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GAv	Pts
1	The Wednesday (C)	34	19	4	11	54	36	1.500	42
2	Aston Villa	34	19	3	12	61	40	1.525	41
3	Sunderland	34	16	9	9	51	36	1.417	41
4	Sheffield United	34	17	5	12	58	44	1.318	39
5	Liverpool	34	17	4	13	68	49	1.388	38

Source: World Football
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal average; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champions

Matches

Date	Opponent	Venue	Result	Notes	Scorers
6 Sep 1902	Derby	Villa Park	0–0	—	—
13 Sep 1902	Forest	City Ground	0–2	—	—
20 Sep 1902	Bury	Villa Park	2–2	—	Joe Bache; George Johnson
27 Sep 1902	Blackburn	Ewood	2–0	—	Joe Bache; George Johnson
4 Oct 1902	Sunderland	Villa Park	0–1	—	—
11 Oct 1902	Stoke	Victoria Ground	0–1	—	—
18 Oct 1902	Everton	Villa Park	2–1	—	Billy Garraty; Michael Noon
1 Nov 1902	Albion	Villa Park	0–3	—	—
8 Nov 1902	Notts County	Trent Bridge	1–2	—	Billy Garraty
15 Nov 1902	Bolton	Villa Park	4–2	—	Joe Bache; Albert Wilkes; Billy Garraty (2)
22 Nov 1902	Boro	Linthorpe Road	2–1	—	Willie Clarke; Own Goal
29 Nov 1902	Newcastle	Villa Park	7–0	—	Joe Bache (2); Alex Leake; Bobby Templeton; George Johnson (2); Own Goal
6 Dec 1902	Wolves	Molineux	1–2	—	Joe Bache
13 Dec 1902	Liverpool	Villa Park	1–2	—	Joe Bache
20 Dec 1902	Sheffield United	Bramall Lane	4–2	—	Jasper McLuckie; Bobby Templeton; Billy Garraty; 4–1
26 Dec 1902	Wednesday	Villa Park	1–0	—	Billy Garraty (pen)
27 Dec 1902	Grimsby	Villa Park	2–2	—	Billy Garraty (1–1, 2–2)
1 Jan 1903	Wednesday	Owlerton	0–4	—	—
3 Jan 1903	Derby	Baseball Ground	0–2	—	—
10 Jan 1903	Forest	Villa Park	3–1	—	Billy Garraty (2); Jasper McLuckie
17 Jan 1903	Bury	Gigg Lane	1–0	—	Jasper McLuckie
24 Jan 1903	Blackburn	Villa Park	5–0	—	Billy Brawn; Tommy Niblo; Jasper McLuckie; Billy Garraty
31 Jan 1903	Sunderland	Roker	0–1	—	—
14 Feb 1903	Everton	Goodison	1–0	—	Joe Bache
28 Feb 1903	Albion	Hawthorns	2–1	—	Jasper McLuckie; Alf Wood
14 Mar 1903	Bolton	Burnden	1–0	—	George Johnson
28 Mar 1903	Newcastle	St James'	0–2	—	—
4 Apr 1903	Wolves	Villa Park	3–1	—	Jasper McLuckie; Billy Garraty; George Johnson
11 Apr 1903	Liverpool	Anfield	1–2	—	Billy Garraty (pen)
13 Apr 1903	Stoke	Villa Park	2–0	—	Willie Clarke; Alex Leake
15 Apr 1903	Notts County	Villa Park	2–1	—	Jasper McLuckie; Billy Brawn (pen)
18 Apr 1903	Sheffield United	Villa Park	4–2	—	Jasper McLuckie (3); Billy Garraty
25 Apr 1903	Grimsby	Blundell Park	2–0	—	Jasper McLuckie (2)
27 Apr 1903	Boro	Villa Park	5–0	—	Willie Clarke; Jasper McLuckie; Alex Leake; Alf Wood; George Johnson

Source: avfchistory.co.uk

FA Cup

Players

Alf Wood, 35 appearances
Billy George, 33 appearances, conceded 35
Alex Leake, 32 appearances
Howard Spencer, 31 appearances
Billy Garraty, 30 appearances
Joe Bache, 28 appearances
Jasper McLuckie, 24 appearances
George Johnson, 24 appearances
Tommy Niblo, 21 appearances
Albert Wilkes, 21 appearances
Billy Brawn, 20 appearances
Willie Clarke, 20 appearances
Micky Noon, 20 appearances
Albert Evans, 18 appearances
Joe Pearson, 17 appearances
Jack Shutt, 15 appearances
Bobby Templeton, 11 appearances
Harry Cooch, 5 appearances, conceded 12
George Harris, 4 appearances
Tom Perry, 4 appearances
NEW Harry Griffin, 1 appearance
NEW Albert Fisher, 1 appearance
Oscar Evans, 2 appearances
NEW Arthur Lockett, 1 appearances ^[2]

Footnotes

^ Up until 1992, the top division of English football was the Football League First Division. The Premier League took over from the First Division as the top tier of the English football league system upon its formation in 1992. The First Division then became the second tier of English football, the Second Division became the third tier and so on. The First Division is now known as the Football League Championship, while the Second Division is now known as Football League One.

References

^ "Aston Villa Club History 1900 – 1939". AVFC.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 August 2006. Retrieved 28 October 2007.
^ ^a ^b AVFC History: 1902-03 season
^ "Twelve months rest for Howard Spencer". Dundee Evening Post. 3 July 1901. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
^ Kendrick, Mat (26 May 2015). "Aston Villa v Arsenal: This 1905 FA Cup winner is related to a current Villa star – find out who". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
^ "Player info: William Garraty". Englandstats.com. Davey Naylor. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
^ Fry, C.B. (26 October 1901). "Football Gossip. The Small Heath Club and its members. How they play". Daily Express. p. 8.
^ https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/arthur-lockett
^ https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/albert-fisher
^ https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/oscar-evans
^ https://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/harry-griffin
^ "Aston Villa's Seasons". AVFC History.
^ "All the Matches". www.avfchistory.co.uk.
^ 4 April 1903 Villa 3-1 Wolves
^ 13 April Villa 2-0 Stoke
^ 15 Apr Villa 2-1 Notts County
^ 18 Apr Villa 4-2 Sheffield United
^ 27 Apr Villa 5-0 Middlesbrough

External links

Aston Villa official website

[Topdivision-1] Up until 1992, the top division of English football was the Football League First Division. The Premier League took over from the First Division as the top tier of the English football league system upon its formation in 1992. The First Division then became the second tier of English football, the Second Division became the third tier and so on. The First Division is now known as the Football League Championship, while the Second Division is now known as Football League One.

[OffHist0039-2] "Aston Villa Club History 1900 – 1939". AVFC.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 August 2006. Retrieved 28 October 2007.

[avfc-3] AVFC History: 1902-03 season

[4] "Twelve months rest for Howard Spencer". Dundee Evening Post. 3 July 1901. Retrieved 17 December 2017.

[5] Kendrick, Mat (26 May 2015). "Aston Villa v Arsenal: This 1905 FA Cup winner is related to a current Villa star – find out who". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 15 August 2018.

[6] "Player info: William Garraty". Englandstats.com. Davey Naylor. Retrieved 15 August 2018.

[7] Fry, C.B. (26 October 1901). "Football Gossip. The Small Heath Club and its members. How they play". Daily Express. p. 8.

[8] ttps://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/arthur-lockett

[9] ttps://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/albert-fisher

[10] ttps://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/oscar-evans

[11] ttps://www.avfchistory.co.uk/player/harry-griffin

[12] "Aston Villa's Seasons". AVFC History.

[13] "All the Matches". www.avfchistory.co.uk.

[14] 4 April 1903 Villa 3-1 Wolves

[15] 13 April Villa 2-0 Stoke

[16] 15 Apr Villa 2-1 Notts County

[17] 18 Apr Villa 4-2 Sheffield United

[18] 27 Apr Villa 5-0 Middlesbrough

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Aston Villa F.C. seasons
1870s	1870–71 1871–72 1872–73 1873–74 1874–75 1875–76 1876–77 1877–78 1878–79 1879–80
1880s	1880–81 1881–82 1882–83 1883–84 1884–85 1885–86 1886–87 1887–88 1888–89 1889–90
1890s	1890–91 1891–92 1892–93 1893–94 1894–95 1895–96 1896–97 1897–98 1898–99 1899–1900
1900s	1900–01 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10
1910s	1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20
1920s	1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30
1930s	1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40
1940s	1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50
1950s	1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60
1960s	1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70
1970s	1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80
1980s	1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90
1990s	1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000
2000s	2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10
2010s	2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20
2020s	2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25 2025–26