1880–81 Aston Villa F.C. season

Aston Villa
1880–81 season
Chairman	William McGregor
FA Cup	4th round

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.

In 1881 The referee is introduced to decide disputes between the umpires. The caution (for "ungentlemanly behaviour") and the sending-off (for violent conduct) appear in the laws for the first time.

In the April Staffordshire Cup final, Villa beat Walsall Swifts 4-1. Villa had previously beaten Elwell, Fenton and Goldenhill to reach the final.^[1]

Aston Villa participated in the 1880–81 Birmingham Senior Cup being runners-up to Walsall Swifts following a 1–0 defeat in the final at Aston Lower Grounds.

FA Cup

30 October 1880 1st Round	Aston Villa	5–3	Wednesbury Strollers
		Report
Note: Having avoided last season's opponent Stafford Road, in the first round, Villa faced only their second official opponent, Wednesbury Strollers.^[2] The club was considered a more upmarket side than the Wednesbury Old Athletic Club with generally richer patrons but less public support.^[3] There were season debuts for Howard Vaughton^[4] George Copley,^[5] Bill Watts^[6] and Arthur Brown.^[7]

4 December 1880 2nd Round	Nottingham Forest	1–2	Aston Villa
		Report
Note: ^[8]

12 February 1881 3rd Round	Notts County	1–3	Aston Villa
		Report
Note: ^[9]

19 February 1881 4th Round	Aston Villa	2–3	Stafford Road
		Report
Note: Villa's first official defeat came against the same team against whom they had achieved their first victory in the competition, Stafford Road.^[10]

Friendlies

On 16 August a match was arranged with Small Heath Alliance for the benefit of the John Skirrow Wright statue fund.^[11]

References

↑ Football, The Birmingham Post, 18 April 1881, p7
↑ "🟩 30 Oct 1880, Villa 5-3 Wednesbury Strollers, Wellington Road". AVFC History. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2026-01-29.
↑ "Football". Sports Argus: 1. 8 January 1916.
↑ "AVFC History - Howard Vaughton". avfchistory.co.uk. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2026-01-29.
↑ "George Copley Aston Villa Goalkeeper". AVFC History.
↑ "Bill Watts Aston Villa Forward".
↑ "AVFC History - Arthur Brown". www.avfchistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2026-01-29.
↑ James Constant, avfchistory.co.uk, 🟩 4 Dec 1880, Villa 2-1 Forest, Trent Bridge
↑ James Constant, avfchistory.co.uk, 🟩 12 Feb 1881, Villa 3-1 Notts County, Trent Bridge
↑ James Constant, avfchistory.co.uk, 🟥 19 Feb 1881, Villa 2-3 Stafford Road, Wellington Road
↑ "Football", Birmingham Evening Mail, 13 August 1880, p1

[1] Football, The Birmingham Post, 18 April 1881, p7

[G3-2] "🟩 30 Oct 1880, Villa 5-3 Wednesbury Strollers, Wellington Road". AVFC History. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2026-01-29.

[3] "Football". Sports Argus: 1. 8 January 1916.

[4] "AVFC History - Howard Vaughton". avfchistory.co.uk. 1970-01-01. Retrieved 2026-01-29.

[5] "George Copley Aston Villa Goalkeeper". AVFC History.

[6] "Bill Watts Aston Villa Forward".

[7] "AVFC History - Arthur Brown". www.avfchistory.co.uk. Retrieved 2026-01-29.

[G4-8] James Constant, avfchistory.co.uk, 🟩 4 Dec 1880, Villa 2-1 Forest, Trent Bridge

[G5-9] James Constant, avfchistory.co.uk, 🟩 12 Feb 1881, Villa 3-1 Notts County, Trent Bridge

[G6-10] James Constant, avfchistory.co.uk, 🟥 19 Feb 1881, Villa 2-3 Stafford Road, Wellington Road

[11] "Football", Birmingham Evening Mail, 13 August 1880, p1

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Aston Villa Football Club
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Aston Villa F.C. seasons
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1880–81 in English football
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