1901–02 Aston Villa F.C. season


The 1901–02 English football season was Aston Villa's 14th season in the Football League, competing in the First Division, the top flight in English football at the time. The season fell in what was to be called Villa F.C.|Villa]'s golden era.
On Wednesday 25 December 1901, Villa won 3–2 away to Everton in front of a crowd of 18,000 at Goodison Park. Villa scorer, Willie Clarke became the first non-white player to score in the English First Division.
During the season Joe Bache, and Jimmy Crabtree shared the captaincy of the club. Knee and ankle injuries induced Howard Spencer to take the season off for twelve months rest.
The previous season Small Heath had finished runners-up in Second Division, so were promoted to the First Division for 1901–02. Villa won 2–0 at Coventry Road Muntz Street with goals by Bache and Jack Devey. In the 1901 Boxing Day fixture, Villa's Jasper McLuckie was the only scorer. At the end of the season Small Heath were relegated back to the Second Division. In locally organised competition, Small Heath lost to Villa in the first round of the Birmingham Senior Cup.
There were debuts for Willie Clarke, George Smith, George Harris, George Shutt, Tom Perry, Billy Marriott, Jasper McLuckie, Billy Brawn, Tommy Niblo, Bert Banks and Harry Cooch.

League

Matches

DateOpponentVenueResultNotesScorers
7 Sep 1901BuryGigg Lane0–0——
9 Sep 1901Notts CountyVilla Park2–0—Joe Bache; Billy Garraty
14 Sep 1901BlackburnVilla Park1–1—Joe Bache
16 Sep 1901Sheffield UnitedVilla Park1–2—Albert Wilkes
21 Sep 1901StokeVictoria Ground0–1——
28 Sep 1901EvertonVilla Park1–1—Joe Bache
5 Oct 1901SunderlandRoker0–1——
12 Oct 1901Small HeathMuntz Street2–0—Jack Devey; Joe Bache
19 Oct 1901DerbyBaseball Ground0–1——
26 Oct 1901WednesdayVilla Park4–1—Jasper McLuckie ; Joe Bache; Bobby Templeton
2 Nov 1901Notts CountyTrent Bridge3–0—Jasper McLuckie ; Billy Garraty
9 Nov 1901BoltonVilla Park1–0—Jasper McLuckie
23 Nov 1901WolvesVilla Park2–1—Jasper McLuckie
30 Nov 1901LiverpoolAnfield0–1——
7 Dec 1901NewcastleVilla Park0–0——
14 Dec 1901GrimsbyVilla Park4–1—Jack Devey; Jasper McLuckie
25 Dec 1901EvertonGoodison3–2Willie Clarke became the first black player to score in the English First Division.Billy Garraty; Alf Wood; Willie Clarke
26 Dec 1901Small HeathVilla Park1–0—Jasper McLuckie
28 Dec 1901ForestVilla Park3–0—Billy Garraty; Willie Clarke; Jasper McLuckie
1 Jan 1902Sheffield UnitedBramall Lane0–6——
4 Jan 1902BuryVilla Park2–0—Jasper McLuckie; Willie Clarke
11 Jan 1902BlackburnEwood0–4——
18 Jan 1902StokeVilla Park0–0——
1 Feb 1902SunderlandVilla Park0–1——
15 Feb 1902DerbyVilla Park3–2—Tom Perry; Joe Bache; Alf Wood
17 Feb 1902Manchester CityHyde Road0–1——
22 Feb 1902WednesdayOwlerton0–1——
8 Mar 1902BoltonBurnden2–2—Jasper McLuckie; George Johnson
22 Mar 1902WolvesMolineux2–0—Jasper McLuckie; Joe Bache
29 Mar 1902LiverpoolVilla Park0–1——
31 Mar 1902Manchester CityVilla Park2–2—Jasper McLuckie; George Johnson
1 Apr 1902ForestCity Ground1–1—Tommy Niblo
5 Apr 1902NewcastleSt James'1–2—Tommy Niblo
12 Apr 1902GrimsbyBlundell Park1–4—Joe Bache

Source:

Players