1880–81 Aston Villa F.C. season


The 1880–81 English football season was Aston Villa's 2nd season in the Football Association Cup, the top-level football competition at the time. In 1881 Villa departed the FA Cup at the fourth-round stage.
Having avoided last season's opponent Stafford Road, in the first round, Villa faced only their second ever opponent, Wednesbury Strollers. The club was considered a more upmarket side than the Wednesbury Old Athletic Club with generally richer patrons but less public support. There were season debuts for Howard Vaughton George Copley, Bill Watts and Arthur Brown.
In 1881 The referee is introduced to decide disputes between the umpires. The caution and the sending-off appear in the laws for the first time.
Villa's first ever official defeat came against the same team against whom they had achieved their first victory in the competition, Stafford Road. They also defeated Hearts 4–1 in a "glamour" friendly at Wellington Road.

FA Cup