1888–89 Aston Villa F.C. season
The 1888–89 English football season saw Aston Villa's 1st season in the Football League in the Football League inaugural season. In the late 1880s, Birmingham and the surrounding region boasted many of the country's strongest football teams. Aston Villa were one of the new league's 12 founding members and finished as runners-up behind double winners Preston North End. The 'Invincibles' from Lancashire also ended Villa's bid to win every single home game, with a 2–0 win at Wellington Road in Villa's last home fixture.
Villa's cup season ended with an 8–1 defeat by Blackburn Rovers that remained a club record until 2012.
Local businessman, George Kynoch was appointed president of the club in 1888.
On 1 October 1888 Archie Goodall signed for Aston Villa. Goodall's move from Preston North End was the first transfer during a season to be approved by the Football League. Goodall, playing at centre – half, made his Aston Villa debut on 13 October 1888, at Wellington Road, the then home of Aston Villa. Aston Villa defeated the visitors, Blackburn Rovers, 6 – 1 and Goodall scored the second of Aston Villa’ six goals. Goodall appeared in 14 of the 18 League matches and scored seven League goals. Goodall played in defence, midfield and the forward–line for Aston Villa. Playing as a full–back/centre–half he was part of a defence-line that kept the opposition to one–League–goal–in–a–match once. Playing as a wing–half he was part of a midfield that achieved a big win once. As a forward he played in a front-line that scored three–League–goals–or–more on three separate occasions. Goodall' seven League goals for Aston Villa including two–League–goals–in–a–match twice. Goodall scored both Villa goals against Wolverhampton Wanderers in a 2 – 1 win at Wellington Road on 24 November 1888. On 8 December 1888 Goodall scored the second and fourth goals as Villa defeated Notts County 4 – 2 at Trent Bridge, the then home of Notts County.
In May 1889 Goodall signed for Derby County.
There were also debuts for Batty Garvey, Arthur Dixon, Walter Ashmore, Archie Wollaston, Thomas Harrison and Bob Thomas
League
Matches
Aston Villa's score comes first| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Match | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 1 | 8 September 1888 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Dudley Road | 1–1 | 2,500 | Green |
| 2 | 15 September 1888 | Stoke | Wellington Road | 5–1 | 4,000 | Dixon, Brown, Green, Hunter, Allen |
| 3 | 22 September 1888 | Everton | H | 2–1 | 4,000 | Hodgetts |
| 4 | 29 September 1888 | Notts County | H | 9–1 | 4,000 | Green, Allen, Hunter , Hodgetts |
| 5 | 6 October 1888 | Everton | Anfield | 0–2 | 10,000 | |
| 6 | 13 October 1888 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 6–1 | 5,000 | Goodall, Green, Brown, Allen, Hunter |
| 7 | 20 October 1888 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 3–2 | 8,000 | Hodgetts, Hunter, Allen |
| 8 | 27 October 1888 | Accrington | H | 4–3 | 6,000 | Allen, Brown, Hodgetts |
| 9 | 3 November 1888 | Stoke | A | 1–1 | 4,000 | Allen |
| 10 | 10 November 1888 | Preston North End | A | 1–1 | 10,000 | Green |
| 11 | 17 November 1888 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 1–5 | 9,500 | Allen |
| 12 | 24 November 1888 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 2–1 | 6,000 | Goodall |
| 13 | 8 December 1888 | Notts County | A | 4–2 | 2,000 | Goodall, Brown, Green |
| 14 | 15 December 1888 | Accrington | A | 1–1 | 2,000 | Brown |
| 15 | 22 December 1888 | Burnley | H | 4–2 | 2,000 | Green, Goodall, Allen, Hunter |
| 16 | 29 December 1888 | Derby County | H | 4–2 | 4,000 | Green, Allen, Goodall |
| 17 | 5 January 1889 | Burnley | A | 0–4 | 6,000 | |
| 18 | 12 January 1889 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 6–2 | 2,000 | Brown, Allen, Hodgetts, Hunter, Green |
| 19 | 19 January 1889 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 2–0 | 10,000 | Allen, Hodgetts |
| 20 | 26 January 1889 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 3–3 | 8,515 | Allen, Green |
| 21 | 9 February 1889 | Preston North End | Wellington Road | 0–2 | 10,000 | |
| 22 | 9 March 1889 | Derby County | A | 2–5 | 3,000 | Allen |
FA Cup
| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| R1 | 2 February 1889 | Witton | H | 3–2 | 1,500 | Allen, Hunter, Green |
| R2 | 16 February 1889 | Derby County | H | 5–3 | 2,000 | Hunter, Hodgetts, Brown |
| R3 | 2 March 1889 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 1–8 | 12,000 | Hodgetts |