Editing Aston Villa F.C. (section)

== History ==
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{{Hatnote|For more details on this topic, see [[History of Aston Villa F.C. (1874–1961)]] and [[History of Aston Villa F.C. (1961–present)]].}}

===Formation and rise to prominence (1874−1886)===
[[File:George_Ramsay_c.1905.jpg|thumb|left|200px|[[George Ramsay (footballer, born 1855)|George Ramsay]]'s trophy haul of six League Championships and six FA Cups established Aston Villa as the most successful club in England. He has been described as the world's first paid football manager.]]
[[File:Villa Champions 1899.jpg|thumb|right|The Aston Villa team of 1899 that won the First Division and [[Sheriff of London Charity Shield]] (shared with Queen's Park), as well as a number of [[County football association|county cup honours]]]]
Aston Villa Football Club are believed to have formed [[1873-74 in English football|on 21 November 1874]], by members of the Villa Cross [[John Wesley|Wesleyan]] Chapel in [[Handsworth, West Midlands|Handsworth]]: which is now part of [[Birmingham]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Club |first=Aston Villa Football |title=Aston Villa Football Club {{!}} The official club website |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/ |access-date=1 March 2024 |website=Aston Villa Football Club}}</ref> The four founders of Aston Villa were Jack Hughes, Frederick Matthews, Walter Price and William Scattergood, who were members of the chapel's cricket team looking for a way to stay fit during the winter months.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2007/11/26/cup-presented-to-aston-villa-founder-member-jack-hughes-is-back-with-his-family-97319-20162107/ |title=Cup presented to Aston Villa founder member Jack Hughes is back with his family |first=Nick |last=McCarthy |date=26 November 2007 |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |access-date=21 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125091142/http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top-stories/2007/11/26/cup-presented-to-aston-villa-founder-member-jack-hughes-is-back-with-his-family-97319-20162107/ |archive-date=25 January 2012 }}</ref> Due to the lack of local football teams Aston Villa's first match was against the local [[St Mary's Church, Aston Brook|Aston Brook St Mary's]] [[Rugby football|Rugby]] team. As a condition of the match, the Villa side had to agree to play the first half under Rugby rules and the second half under Association rules. Villa won their first game 1–0.<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p. 6.</ref>

The infant club's fortunes changed forever when a young Scotsman called [[George Ramsay (footballer, born 1855)|George Ramsay]] stumbled across the Villa players' practice match in [[Aston Park, Birmingham|Aston Park]] in 1876. He was asked to make up the numbers, and they were amazed by his skills; they had never seen such a display of close ball control before. When the game was over, the Villa players surrounded him and invited him to join the club and become their captain.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/players/g/r/george-ramsay |title=Mens {{!}} AVFC |access-date=22 June 2022 |archive-date=19 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919155319/https://www.avfc.co.uk/players/g/r/george-ramsay |url-status=live }}</ref> Word spread about how fine a player Ramsay was, spectators began turning up to watch the little man nicknamed ‘Scotty’. He also took charge of training, Ramsay later described the newly formed club's approach to the game as 'a dash at the man and a big kick at the ball'.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://spartacus-educational.com/ASTONramsayG.htm |title=George Ramsay |access-date=22 June 2022 |archive-date=21 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121114448/https://spartacus-educational.com/ASTONramsayG.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Ramsay was influenced by the Scottish club, [[Queen's Park FC|Queen's Park]], who pioneered what became known as 'combination football' in his native [[Glasgow]], the intricate passing game he introduced was a revolutionary move for an English club in the late 1870s.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Grant|first1=Michael|last2=Robertson|first2=Rob|title=The Management: Scotland's Great Football Managers|date=2011|publisher=Birlinn|location=Edinburgh|isbn=978-1-78027016-6}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=McColl |first1=Graham |title=Aston Villa: 1874-1998 |date=1998 |publisher=Hamlyn |isbn=0600595293}}</ref>

Villa began to establish themselves as one of the best teams in the Midlands, winning their first honour, the [[Birmingham Senior Cup]] [[1879–80 AVFC season|in 1880]]. The club would go on to lift the trophy 9 times in the next 12 seasons.<ref name="Hall of Fame">{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015041500/http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/HallOfFame/0%2C%2C10265%2C00.html |archive-date=15 October 2007 |title=Aston Villa Hall of Fame |publisher=Aston Villa F.C |url=http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/HallOfFame/0,,10265,00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Victorian and Edwardian golden age (1886–1914) ===
Following the professionalisation of football in 1885, the club decided that it needed a full-time paid manager. The following advert was placed in the [[Birmingham Gazette|Birmingham Daily Gazette]] newspaper in June 1886:
[[File:AstonVilla1896-97.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The Aston Villa [[Double (association football)|Double]] winning team of 1896&ndash;97 with the [[Football League First Division|First Division Championship]] and the [[1897 FA Cup final|FA Cup]]]]
{{cquote|'Wanted: manager for Aston Villa Football Club, who will be required to devote his whole time under direction of the committee. Salary £100 per annum. Applications with reference must be made not later than June 23rd to Chairman of the Committee, Aston Villa Club House, 6 Witton Road, Aston’}} Villa received 150 applicants for the role, but with his strong association with the club George Ramsay was the overwhelming choice of the membership. Thus on 26 June 1886, Aston Villa appointed what has been described as the world's first professional football manager.<ref>{{cite book |last=Lerwill|first=John |title= The Aston Villa Chronicles 1874-1924 |year=2009 |publisher=Aston Villa Ltd |page= 198|isbn=9780956286109}}</ref> 
[[File:mcgregor.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.75|[[William McGregor (football)|William McGregor]], founder of The Football League]]The following season Aston Villa rose to national prominence, as the first Midlands team to win the FA Cup in 1887. Villa's captain, the powerful Scottish centre-forward [[Archie Hunter]] became one of the game's first household names, being the first player to score in every round of the FA Cup. Aston Villa were one of the dozen teams that competed in the inaugural [[English Football League|Football League]] in 1888 with one of the club's directors, [[William McGregor (football)|William McGregor]] being the league's founder. Following the professionalisation of football in 1885, clubs needed regular income to pay their players' wages. Frequently [[Exhibition match|friendlies]] were cancelled due to opponents' FA Cup or [[county cup]] matches or clubs simply failed to honour a fixture in favour of a more lucrative match elsewhere.<ref name="PS1">{{cite book|title=Encyclopedia of British Football|first=Phil|last=Soar|author2=Martin Tyler |page=162}}</ref><ref name="HD">{{cite book|title=Boots, Balls and Haircuts: An Illustrated History of Football from Then to Now|first=Hunter|last=Davies|pages=39–41|publisher=Cassell Illustrated|year=2003|isbn=1-84403-261-2}}</ref> McGregor took action after seeing Villa matches cancelled, to the increasing frustration of the club's fans, on five consecutive Saturdays.<ref name="HD"/> In March 1888, he wrote to the committee of his own club, Aston Villa, as well as to those of [[Blackburn Rovers F.C.|Blackburn Rovers]], [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]], [[Preston North End F.C.|Preston North End]] and [[West Bromwich Albion]],<ref>{{cite book|title=The Football League 1888–1988 The Official Illustrated History |first=Bryon |last=Butler|publisher=Macdonald Queen Anne Press |year=1987|isbn=0-356-15072-0 |page=11}}</ref> suggesting the creation of a league competition that would provide a number of guaranteed fixtures for its member clubs each season.<ref>{{cite web |title=Football League |url=https://www.11v11.com/football-league/ |website=11v11 |access-date=6 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701195748/https://www.11v11.com/football-league/ |archive-date=1 July 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Founding of the Football League |url=https://www.scottishfootballmuseum.org.uk/news/the-founding-of-the-football-league/ |publisher=[[Scottish Football Museum]] |access-date=6 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231206151855/https://www.scottishfootballmuseum.org.uk/news/the-founding-of-the-football-league/ |archive-date=6 December 2023 |language=en |url-status=live}}</ref> Following two meetings between representatives of the leading clubs, the world's first Football League season began in September 1888 with 12 member clubs from the Midlands and north of England: [[Accrington Stanley|Accrington]], Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, [[Burnley FC|Burnley]], [[Derby County]], [[Everton FC|Everton]], [[Notts County]], Preston North End, [[Stoke City|Stoke]], West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
[[File:FACupFinal1905NewcastleVilla.jpg|thumb|300px|right|[[Harry Hampton (footballer, born 1885)|Harry Hampton]] scores one of his two goals in the [[1905 FA Cup final]].]]
Despite Villa founding the league, by 1893 they had yet to win it. Villa Committee Member [[Frederick Rinder]] was the instigator of a club meeting at Barwick Street in February 1893 that removed the committee running the club at the time. All fourteen committee members resigned and were replaced by a committee of five led by Rinder after he gave a rousing speech criticising the board's tolerance of ill discipline and players' drinking. On the pitch, manager [[George Ramsay (footballer, born 1855)|George Ramsay]] was moulding a team that became renowned for its short, quick combination passing which saw Villa win its first league title in [[1893-94 Football League|1893–94]]; the season after that the club won its second FA Cup in [[1895 FA Cup Final|1894-95]]. This was followed by back-to-back League titles in [[1895-96 Football League|1895–96]] and [[1896-97 Football League|1896–97]].

Aston Villa emerged as the most successful English club of the [[Victorian era]], winning no fewer than five League titles and three FA Cups by the end of [[Queen Victoria]]'s reign in 1901.<ref name="Ward192">Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p. 192.</ref> Villa's captain during this era was Birmingham-born forward [[John Devey]], who enjoyed a successful partnership with the lightning-fast winger [[Charlie Athersmith]] and marshalling Villa's defence was the tough-tackling Scotsman [[James Cowan (footballer)|James Cowan]], who had an unrivalled sense of timing and anticipation.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Morris |first1=Peter |title=Aston Villa The First 100 Years |date=1974}}</ref> [[1896–97 Aston Villa F.C. season|In 1897]], the year Villa won [[Double (association football)|The Double]], they moved into their present home, the Aston Lower Grounds.<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; pp. 33–36.</ref> Supporters coined the name "Villa Park"; no official declaration listed the ground as [[Villa Park]].<ref>Hayes, Dean; p. 170.</ref>

Success continued into the [[Edwardian era]], with Villa lifting the FA Cup for the fourth time in [[1905 FA Cup Final|1904–05]], and a sixth league title in [[1909–10 Football League|1909–10]]. A further FA Cup triumph was achieved on the eve of the [[First World War]] in 1913, with the club narrowly missing out on winning a second [[Double (association football)|Double]], finishing runners-up in the league. Star-players during this era included [[Howard Spencer]], the cultured defender who captained both Villa and England, and the prolific strike force of [[Joe Bache]] and [[Harry Hampton (footballer, born 1885)|Harry Hampton]] who between them scored 382 goals in claret and blue.

===Relative decline and first relegation (1920–1939)===
[[File:Billy Walker Footballer.png|thumb|150px|left|A one-club man, [[Billy Walker (footballer, born 1897)|Billy Walker]] scored 244 goals in 531 appearances for Villa between 1920 and 1934. He is Aston Villa's all-time top goalscorer.]]
In January 1920, [[Billy Walker (footballer, born 1897)|Billy Walker]] scored twice on his Villa debut in a 2–1 FA Cup first-round win over [[Queens Park Rangers|QPR]]; the club won the FA Cup for the sixth time that season and Walker went on to establish himself as Villa's star player of the 1920s, scoring a record 244 goals in 531 appearances, captaining Villa and [[England national football team|England]]. [[George Ramsay (footballer, born 1855)|George Ramsay]] retired in 1926, at the age of 71, his replacement [[W. J. Smith|Billy Smith]] was unable to continue Ramsay's success, in reality several other football clubs had caught up with Aston Villa, most notably [[Arsenal FC|Arsenal]], who the club finished runners-up to in the league in [[1930–31 Football League|1930–31]] and [[1932–33 Football League|1932–33]]. Despite missing out on the league title, Villa Park crowds were entertained by attacking football, the 128 goals scored in 1930–31, remains the all-time top-flight record to the present day. A remarkable 49 of the league goals that season were scored by centre-forward [[Tom 'Pongo' Waring]], with another 30 goals from winger [[Eric Houghton]]. [[File:Tom 'Pongo' Waring.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[Tom 'Pongo' Waring]] scored an incredible 50 goals for Villa in season 1930/31, a record-breaking season in which the team scored 128 top-flight goals.]] 

The club appointed [[Jimmy McMullan]] as manager in 1934, however, the move proved disastrous, resulting in Villa's first ever relegation in 1935–36 after 48 years in the top flight. Villa struggled largely due to a dismal defensive record: they conceded 110 goals in 42 games, 7 of them coming from [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]]'s [[Ted Drake]] in an [[Aston Villa 1–7 Arsenal (14 December 1935)|infamous 1–7 defeat]] at Villa Park.<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p. 71.</ref> The club made seven signings and spent a staggering sum for the time of £35,500 trying to retain top-flight status at all costs, but were unable to buy their way out of trouble. Aston Villa, at the time one of the most famous and successful clubs in world football, was relegated in 1936 for the first time in its history.

Following relegation to the Second Division, the Villa board brought back the ageing former club chairman [[Frederick Rinder|Fred Rinder]], who said on his return "Villa have been a great club, are still a great club, and always will be a great club". He was vocal in his criticism of the board for its "almost total neglect of the reserve team, instead relying on paying big fees for ready made players". He believed that this change in policy from scouting and developing young homegrown talent led to a decline in the club's culture and style of play, which alongside a tolerance of ill-discipline in the players led to Villa's relegation. Rinder's first act was to travel to Austria to recruit the progressive coach [[Jimmy Hogan]] as manager. Within two seasons, Hogan had guided Villa back to the top flight as Second Division champions playing attractive free-flowing football. Hogan outlined his philosophy: "I am a teacher and lover of constructive football with every pass, every kick, every movement an object."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-jimmy-hogan-legend-12227795 |title='He'd get you doing stepovers' The intriguing story of an unappreciated Aston Villa legend |date=26 November 2018 |access-date=24 December 2021 |archive-date=24 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211224165149/https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-jimmy-hogan-legend-12227795 |url-status=live }}</ref> He used to tell his players that "football was like a [[Viennese waltz]], a rhapsody. One-two-three, one-two-three, pass-move-pass, pass-move-pass."<ref name=":4">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/25055156 |title=Jimmy Hogan: The Englishman who inspired the Magical Magyars |work=BBC Sport |access-date=24 December 2021 |archive-date=24 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211224165139/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/25055156 |url-status=live }}</ref> Unfortunately, the [[Second World War]] ended Hogan's project to restore Aston Villa to the top of the English game.

=== Mediocrity and discontent (1945–1961) ===
Like all English clubs, Villa lost seven seasons to the Second World War, and that conflict brought several careers to a premature end.<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p. 75.</ref> Bumper crowds flocked to Villa Park following the war, 76,588 people attended the FA Cup quarter-final between Villa and [[Derby County]] in March 1946, which is the all-time record attendance at Villa Park. The team was rebuilt under the guidance of former player [[Alex Massie (footballer)|Alex Massie]] for the remainder of the 1940s. Star players of this era included the one-club man [[Harry Parkes (footballer, born 1920)|Harry Parkes]], the Welsh centre forward [[Trevor Ford]] and inside-forward [[Johnny Dixon (footballer)|Johnny Dixon]], however the club only achieved mid-table finishes throughout the forties and fifties, never finishing higher than 6th place in the league. The board came in for increasing criticism during this time, with the 1953 AGM described by the [[Sports Argus]] as "the longest and liveliest Villa meeting".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lerwill |first1=John |title=Aston Villa The First Superclub |date=2012 |isbn=978-0-9569833-1-2 |page=209|publisher=Unknown Publisher }}</ref> Shareholders and supporters criticised the club's lack of youth development, recruitment and training methods. When [[Danny Blanchflower]] put in a transfer request in 1954 he said that "the club had grown fat and lazy on its old traditions and the decay was eating at the once solid foundations".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lerwill |first1=John |title=Aston Villa The First Superclub |date=2012 |isbn=978-0-9569833-1-2 |page=213|publisher=Unknown Publisher }}</ref>

Despite narrowly avoiding relegation the season before, Aston Villa's first trophy for 37 years came in the 1956–57 season when another former Villa player, [[Eric Houghton]] led the club to a then record seventh FA Cup Final win, defeating the 'Busby Babes' of [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] 2–1 with Northern Irish winger [[Peter McParland]] scoring both goals.<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; pp. 86–87.</ref> The team continued to struggle for consistency in the league though, which led to Eric Houghton being sacked in December 1958. His replacement [[Joe Mercer]] could not prevent the club being relegated for only the second time in their history in [[1958–59 Football League|1958-59]]. However, under the stewardship of Mercer, Villa returned to the top-flight in 1960 as Second Division Champions with a talented young side which became known as 'Mercer's Minors'. The following season Aston Villa became the first team to win the [[Football League Cup]] with England centre-forward [[Gerry Hitchens]] scoring an impressive 42 goals in [[1960–61 Football League|1960-61]].<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p. 93.</ref>

===Deep malaise and revival (1961–1974)===
Hitchens' goals brought him to the attention of Italian club [[Inter Milan]], who offered him a large financial incentive to sign. He was sold for £85,000 in summer of 1961, his replacement, [[Derek Dougan]] was not a success and Villa slid backwards. Mercer's forced retirement from the club in July 1964, following a stress-induced stroke, signalled a period of deep turmoil and malaise. The most successful club in England had failed to keep pace with changes in the modern game; three of the five-man board of directors were over 70 years old, the club had neglected its scouting network and coaching structure and the club's finances were in a parlous state. This led to the club selling its top striker [[Tony Hateley]] to [[Chelsea FC|Chelsea]] for £100,000 in October 1966, without his goals Villa were relegated for the third time in its history, under manager [[Dick Taylor (football manager)|Dick Taylor]] in 1967. The board even sold the club's training ground outside Villa Park for housing, leaving the team in the position of training on borrowed training pitches of local factory teams.<ref>{{cite book |last1=James |first1=Gary |title=Joe Mercer Football with a Smile |date=2010 |publisher=James Ward |isbn=978-0-9558127-4-3 |page=140}}</ref>

The following season the fans called for the board to resign as Villa finished 16th in the Second Division. With mounting debts and Villa lying at the bottom of Division Two, the board sacked [[Tommy Cummings]] (the manager brought in to replace Taylor), and within weeks the entire board resigned under overwhelming pressure from fans.<ref name="Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p.100">Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p. 100.</ref> After much speculation, control of the club was bought by London financier Pat Matthews, who brought in [[Doug Ellis]] as chairman in December 1968.<ref name="Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p.100" /> Ellis later recalled that "you could write your name in the dust, window frames were rotting, the smell of failure and imminent financial ruin hung in the air"; one of their first acts was to raise £205,835 in a share issue which cleared the club's debts. Doug Ellis's first managerial appointment was the outspoken Scottish manager [[Tommy Docherty]], who after initial success, was sacked after 13 months in charge with the club at the foot of Second Division. His replacement was former club captain and reserve team manager [[Vic Crowe]], who could not prevent Villa being relegated to the Third Division for the first time in its history at the end of the [[1969–70 in English football|1969–70]] season.

The following season Villa surprised everyone by beating [[Manchester United]] in the two-legged semi-final to reach the [[1971 Football League Cup Final|1971 League Cup Final]], in which the team played well but were defeated by two late [[Tottenham Hotspur]] goals. There was a renewed sense of optimism at Villa Park as the club was promoted to the Second Division as champions with average attendances of 30,000 and a record 70 points in [[1971–72 in English football|1971–72 season]].<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p. 106.</ref> Off the pitch, the board purchased the new 20-acre [[Bodymoor Heath Training Ground]] in December 1971, with a view to improving the club's youth development and coaching facilities.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sydenham |first1=Richard |title=Ticket to the Moon |date=2018 |publisher=deCoubertin Books |isbn=978-1-909245-76-1 |page=19}}</ref>

=== Back among the elite (1974–1992) ===
[[File:Dennis Mortimer (1982).jpg|thumb|right|Aston Villa captain Dennis Mortimer lifted the European Cup in 1982.]]
Following a 14th-place finish in the Second Division, Crowe was replaced in August 1974 by [[Ron Saunders]]. He was a fitness fanatic, whose brand of no-nonsense man-management proved effective, with the club winning the League Cup the following season and, by the end of season 1974–75, he had taken Aston Villa back into the First Division and into Europe.<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p. 111.</ref> One player who had been a mainstay of the Villa team throughout the rollercoaster of relegations and subsequent revival was fan-favourite [[Charlie Aitken (footballer, born 1942)|Charlie Aitkin]], who made 659 appearances at [[left back]] for the club between 1959 and 1976, making him Villa's all-time record appearance holder.

Aston Villa were back among the elite as Saunders continued to mould a winning team, finishing 4th in the league and winning a further League Cup in [[1976–77 in English football|1976–77]], with the formidable strike partnership of [[Brian Little]] and [[Andy Gray (footballer, born 1955)|Andy Gray]], who became the first player to win both the [[PFA Young Player of the Year]] and [[PFA Players' Player of the Year]] in the same season.

The 1970s was an era of boardroom unrest at Villa Park. Ron Saunders had a strained relationship with [[Doug Ellis]], resenting Doug's perceived interference in football matters. Over time Ellis became an isolated figure on the board, as the other directors sided with Saunders. He was ousted as chairman in 1975 to make way for [[Sir William Dugdale, 2nd Baronet|Sir William Dugdale]]. He remained on the board until 1979, when he left the club after a protracted power struggle with majority shareholder [[Ron Bendall]]. With Ellis gone, Saunders became all-powerful as manager.

Villa achieved a seventh top-flight league title in [[1980–81 in English football|1980–81]], with players such as [[Gordon Cowans]], [[Tony Morley]] and captain [[Dennis Mortimer]] leading the club to its first top-flight title in 71 years. Remarkably, they did so using just 14 players, with seven players being ever-presents. Villa's Birmingham-born forward [[Gary Shaw (footballer, born 1961)|Gary Shaw]] was named 1980-1981 [[PFA Young Player of the Year]].

To the surprise of commentators and fans, Ron Saunders quit halfway through the [[1981–82 in English football|1981–82]] season, with Villa in the quarter final of the European Cup. Saunders had expressed his exasperation with the board at the lack of funds available to him to strengthen the team and fell out with the chairman Ron Bendall over the terms of his contract.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sydenham |first1=Richard |title=Ticket to the Moon |date=2018 |publisher=deCoubertin Books |isbn=978-1-909245-76-1 |page=155}}</ref> He was replaced by his softly-spoken assistant manager [[Tony Barton (footballer)|Tony Barton]] who guided the club to a 1–0 victory over [[FC Bayern Munich|Bayern Munich]] in the [[1982 European Cup Final|European Cup final]] in [[Rotterdam]] courtesy of a [[Peter Withe]] goal in the 67th minute. Ten minutes into the final, Villa's first choice goalkeeper, [[Jimmy Rimmer]], was injured and young substitute keeper [[Nigel Spink]] was called into action, having only made one previous appearance in the first team. Spink performed superbly, keeping a clean sheet, and helping Villa become only the fourth English club to lift the European Cup. 
[[File:82team.jpg|thumb|left|The 1982 European Cup winning squad celebrate the 25th anniversary of their win.|alt=In the foreground is two men holding a large cup, they have claret scarves and a medal around their necks. Around them are ten old players in suits with medals and scarves around their necks]]
The following season the defence of the European Cup ended in a quarter-final defeat to [[Juventus]], but Villa won the [[1982 European Super Cup|European Super Cup]], beating [[FC Barcelona|Barcelona]] 3–1 on aggregate. This marked a pinnacle though and Villa's fortunes declined sharply for most of the 1980s. Doug Ellis returned as chairman and majority shareholder in November 1982. The club was saddled with significant debts and questions had been raised by the police regarding fraudulent financial activity surrounding the building of the North Stand at Villa Park from 1980 to 1982. The cost of the work was £1.3&nbsp;million. An internal investigation found that £700,000 of the £1.3&nbsp;million worth of bills were unaccounted for.<ref name=Hayes172>Hayes, Dean, p.172</ref> A later report by accountants [[Deloitte]] found that there were "serious breaches of recommended codes of practice and poor site supervision".<ref>Inglis, Simon (1997), p.188</ref> Ellis immediately set about trying to reduce the club's overheads. He informed the players that they needed to take pay cuts and told the manager Tony Barton that there was a need to reduce the playing staff.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Sydenham |first1=Richard |title=Ticket to the Moon |date=2018 |publisher=deCoubertin Books |isbn=978-1-909245-76-1}}</ref> Saunders' team was broken up and not adequately replaced, culminating in the club being relegated in 1987, just five years after Villa had been crowned European champions.<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p. 148.</ref>

However, Villa bounced back quickly, achieving promotion the following year under [[Graham Taylor (footballer)|Graham Taylor]] and a runners-up position in the top-flight in the 1989–90 season with a fine side that included [[Paul McGrath (footballer)|Paul McGrath]], [[Tony Daley]] and [[David Platt (footballer)|David Platt]].<ref>Ward, Adam; Griffin, Jeremy; p. 155.</ref> Following this success, Graham Taylor accepted the offer to take over as England manager in 1990.

===24 years in the Premier League (1992–2016)===
Villa were one of the founding members of the Premier League in 1992, one of just three clubs to have been founding members of both the Football League in 1888 and the Premier League, along with [[Blackburn Rovers]] and [[Everton F.C.|Everton]]. Villa finished runners-up to Manchester United in the inaugural season under manager [[Ron Atkinson]]. His side lifted the League Cup in 1994, beating Manchester United 3–1 in the final, with goals from [[Dalian Atkinson]] and [[Dean Saunders]], but the team struggled for form in the league and Atkinson was replaced by former Villa striker [[Brian Little]] in November 1994. Little assembled a young side which included players as [[Gareth Southgate]], [[Steve Staunton]], [[Ian Taylor (footballer, born 1968)|Ian Taylor]] and [[Dwight Yorke]], leading the club to a fifth League Cup triumph in 1996, beating [[Leeds United]] 3–0 at Wembley. Villa finished fourth in the league that season, and fifth the season after.

Following a dip in form, Doug Ellis sacked Little and replaced him with another former Villa player [[John Gregory (footballer)|John Gregory]] in February 1998. One of his first matches in charge was the [[Uefa Cup|UEFA Cup]] quarter-final against [[Atlético Madrid]], which Villa lost on away goals over two-legs. In the summer of 1998, Yorke was transferred to Manchester United for £12.6 million. Gregory managed four top-eight finishes in the league and took the club to an FA Cup final in 2000 with a side that included [[David James (footballer, born 1970)|David James]], [[Dion Dublin]], [[Paul Merson]] and [[Gareth Barry]] but was unable to assemble a team capable of challenging for Champions League places. At the end of the season Villa's captain [[Gareth Southgate]] handed in a transfer request, claiming that "if I am to achieve in my career, it is time to move on".<ref>{{cite news |title=Southgate wants to quit Villa |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/euro2000/teams/england/782259.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=8 June 2000 |access-date=26 February 2008 |archive-date=12 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612152708/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/euro2000/teams/england/782259.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Gregory's frustration at the lack of investment in the team led to him publicly accusing Ellis of being "stuck a time warp"; their relationship remained strained until Gregory resigned in January 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fchd.info/ASTONVIL.HTM |title=Aston Villa |work=Football Club History Database |publisher=Richard Rundle |access-date=19 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121229080020/http://www.fchd.info/ASTONVIL.HTM |archive-date=29 December 2012 |url-status=live  }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Chelsea claim FA Cup glory |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sport/football/fa_cup/756784.stm |work=BBC Sport |date=20 May 2000 |access-date=21 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010152703/http://www.fchd.btinternet.co.uk/ASTONVIL.HTM |archive-date=10 October 2012 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

Ellis appointed [[Graham Taylor]] for a second spell in February 2002, but a 16th-place finish in the league led to his replacement with [[David O'Leary]] in June 2003. After a sixth-place finish in his first season, Villa the finished 10th and 16th, leading to O'Leary leaving in the summer of 2006.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/5196872.stm |title=O'Leary parts company with Villa |work=BBC Sport |access-date=15 September 2008 |date=19 July 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131011091056/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/5196872.stm |archive-date=11 October 2013 |url-status=live  }}</ref> 
[[File:Gareth Barry Aston Villa-FH 414.jpg|thumb|right|Gareth Barry is Villa's record appearance holder in the Premier League.]]

After 23 years as chairman and single biggest shareholder (approximately 38%), Ellis sold his stake in Aston Villa due to ill-health at the age of 82. American businessman [[Randy Lerner]], owner of [[National Football League|NFL]] franchise the [[Cleveland Browns]], completed his takeover in September 2006.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/aston_villa/5356730.stm |title=Lerner set to complete Villa deal |work=BBC Sport |date=27 September 2006 |access-date=15 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130330043727/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/aston_villa/5356730.stm |archive-date=30 March 2013 |url-status=live  }}</ref> The arrival of a new owner in Lerner and of manager [[Martin O'Neill]] marked the start of a new period of optimism at Villa Park and sweeping changes occurred throughout the club including a new badge, investment in state-of-the-art facilities at the [[Bodymoor Heath Training Ground]] and significant investment in the squad in the summer of 2007.<ref name="new badge" /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=407236&cc=5739|title=Villa secure new kit deal with Nike|publisher=ESPNsoccernet|date=7 February 2007|access-date=15 September 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108032246/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=407236|archive-date=8 November 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> The first Cup final of the Lerner era came in 2010 when Villa were beaten 2–1 in the [[2010 Football League Cup Final|League Cup Final]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/8531179.stm |title=Aston Villa 1–2 Man Utd |date=28 February 2010 |access-date=28 February 2010 |work=BBC Sport |first=Phil |last=McNulty |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120416102805/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/league_cup/8531179.stm |archive-date=16 April 2012 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

Just five days before the opening day of the [[2010–11 in English football|2010–11 season]], O'Neill resigned as manager, despite three consecutive 6th-place finishes, due to frustration in the lack of investment in the squad, following the sale of star players [[Gareth Barry]], [[James Milner]] and [[Ashley Young]].<ref name="ONeill Leaves">{{cite web |url=http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2116569,00.html |title=Club Statement: Martin O'Neill |publisher=Aston Villa F.C |date=9 August 2010 |access-date=9 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100817021101/http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10265~2116569%2C00.html |archive-date=17 August 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> His replacement [[Gérard Houllier]] stepped down due to ill-health in September 2011, to be replaced by [[Birmingham City]] manager [[Alex McLeish]], despite fan protests against his appointment.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13770519.stm|title= Aston Villa appoint Alex McLeish as manager|work=BBC Sport |date= 17 June 2011|access-date=18 June 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110617111600/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13770519.stm| archive-date= 17 June 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref> McLeish's contract was terminated at the end of the 2011–12 season after Villa finished in 16th place,<ref>{{cite news |title=Alex McLeish sacked as Aston Villa manager |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18056282 |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=14 May 2012 |access-date=14 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120514124024/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18056282 |archive-date=14 May 2012 |url-status=live  }}</ref> and he was replaced by [[Paul Lambert]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Aston Villa appoint Paul Lambert as new manager |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18307066 |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=2 July 2012 |access-date=29 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016211304/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18307066 |archive-date=16 October 2013 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

In February 2012, the club announced a financial loss of £53.9&nbsp;million,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17197269 |title=Aston Villa announce £53.9m loss for 2010–11 financial year |work=BBC Sport |date=28 February 2012 |access-date=19 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310231557/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17197269 |archive-date=10 March 2012 |url-status=live  }}</ref> and Lerner put the club up for sale three months later.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27372342 |title=Aston Villa: Owner Randy Lerner puts club up for sale |work=BBC Sport |date=12 May 2014 |access-date=24 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140601065726/http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27372342 |archive-date=1 June 2014 |url-status=live  }}</ref> With Lerner still on board, but unwilling to spend following the stock market crash of 2008, the club was uncompetitive for several seasons, culminating in the [[2014–15 Aston Villa F.C. season|2014–15 season]], when Lambert was sacked in February 2015 after the team managed just 12 goals in the first 25 league games, the lowest in Premier League history.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31431649 |title=Aston Villa: Paul Lambert sacked as manager |work=BBC Sport |date=11 February 2015 |access-date=11 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150213030347/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31431649 |archive-date=13 February 2015 |url-status=live  }}</ref> [[Tim Sherwood]] succeeded him,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31470606 |title=Tim Sherwood appointed new Aston Villa boss |work=BBC Sport |date=14 February 2015 |access-date=11 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102000906/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31470606 |archive-date=2 January 2016 |url-status=live  }}</ref> and steered the club away from relegation while also leading them to the [[2015 FA Cup Final]]. However, the club sold two of its star players [[Christian Benteke]] and captain [[Fabian Delph]] in the summer transfer window and did not adequately replace them. Villa struggled in the 2015–16 season, and Sherwood was sacked following six consecutive defeats.<ref>{{cite news|title = Tim Sherwood sacked as Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner runs out of patience with {{sic|bele|agured|nolink=y}} manager|url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/aston-villa/11953572/Tim-Sherwood-sacked-as-Aston-Villa-owner-Randy-Lerner-runs-out-of-patience-with-beleagured-manager.html|website = Telegraph.co.uk|access-date = 29 October 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151028133304/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/aston-villa/11953572/Tim-Sherwood-sacked-as-Aston-Villa-owner-Randy-Lerner-runs-out-of-patience-with-beleagured-manager.html|archive-date = 28 October 2015|url-status = live|df = dmy-all|date = 25 October 2015|last1 = Percy|first1 = John}}</ref> He was replaced by [[Rémi Garde]], who left after just five months with Villa lying bottom of the table; his reign included a club-record 19 game winless run. The club was relegated at the end of the season, ending their 29-year stay in the top flight.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Jennings|first1=Patrick|title=Manchester United 1 – 0 Aston Villa|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36003831|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|date=16 April 2016|access-date=17 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417000703/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36003831|archive-date=17 April 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Championship to Champions League (2016–present)===
In June 2016, Chinese businessman [[Tony Xia]] bought the club for £76 million.<ref>{{cite news|title=Aston Villa: Dr Tony Xia completes takeover of Championship club|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36522094|access-date=13 November 2016|work=BBC Sport|date=14 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113175805/http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36522094|archive-date=13 November 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Former Chelsea boss [[Roberto Di Matteo]] was appointed as the club's new manager, but was sacked after just 12 games following a poor start to the season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Roberto di Matteo: Aston Villa sack manager 124 days after he takes charge|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37534496|publisher=BBC|access-date=4 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161003083755/http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37534496|archive-date=3 October 2016|url-status=live|date=3 October 2016}}</ref> He was replaced by former Birmingham manager [[Steve Bruce]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Aston Villa: Steve Bruce appointed manager of Championship club|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37610020|access-date=13 November 2016|work=BBC Sport|date=12 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161029093305/http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37610020|archive-date=29 October 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Bruce led the team to finish fourth in the 2017–18 season, but lost in the [[2018 EFL Championship play-off final]] to [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]].

Following failure to secure promotion to the [[Premier League]], the club faced significant financial difficulties. Following rumours that [[Administration (British football)|administration]] was imminent, Xia looked to sell the club.<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Gregg |date=28 June 2018 |title=Exclusive: Tony Xia in talks to sell Aston Villa |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/exclusive-tony-xia-talks-sell-14833584 |access-date=25 February 2024 |website=Birmingham Live |language=en}}</ref> On 20 July 2018 it was announced that the [[V Sports|NSWE Group]], a consortium consisting of Egyptian billionaire [[Nassef Sawiris]] and the American billionaire [[Wes Edens]], were to invest in the football club. They purchased a controlling 55% stake in the club, and Sawiris took over the role of club chairman, appointing [[Christian Purslow]] as CEO.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2018/07/20/club-statement-investment-in-aston-villa|publisher=Aston Villa F.C.|last1=Official|first1=AVFC|title=Club statement: Investment in Aston Villa|date=20 July 2018|access-date=20 July 2018|archive-date=4 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104163109/https://www.avfc.co.uk/News/2018/07/20/club-statement-investment-in-aston-villa|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Jack Grealish aug 2014.jpg|thumb|upright|In 2021, Aston Villa sold [[Jack Grealish]] to Manchester City for a British record £100 million.]]
In October 2018, Bruce was sacked after winning only once in a nine match stretch.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45382413|title=Steve Bruce: Aston Villa sack manager after one win in nine league games|date=3 October 2018|work=BBC Sport|access-date=2 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003183953/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45382413|archive-date=3 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> He was replaced by [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]] manager and boyhood Villa fan [[Dean Smith (footballer, born 1971)|Dean Smith]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45818275|title=Dean Smith: Aston Villa appoint new head coach with John Terry as assistant|date=10 October 2018|work=BBC Sport|access-date=2 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011114122/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45818275|archive-date=11 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/john-terry-appointed-aston-villa-assistant-as-smith-named/unpc5jn8fk5d1spqahk9j9vzk|title=John Terry appointed Aston Villa assistant as Smith named manager {{!}} Goal.com|access-date=2 November 2018|archive-date=4 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804223436/https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/john-terry-appointed-aston-villa-assistant-as-smith-named/unpc5jn8fk5d1spqahk9j9vzk|url-status=dead}}</ref> who led the team to fifth place, and reaching the playoffs again—helped on by a club-record 10 league game winning streak. They reached the [[2019 EFL Championship play-off final]] and defeated [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]] 2–1 to gain promotion back to the Premier League after a three-year absence.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48331145|title=Championship play-off final: Aston Villa 2-1 Derby County|work=BBC Sport|date=27 May 2019|access-date=27 May 2019|archive-date=5 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200305124048/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48331145|url-status=live}}</ref>

On the eve of Villa's Premier League return, [[Recon Group]]'s minority share ownership was bought out by NSWE, meaning Xia no longer had any stake in the club.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/aston-villa/2019/08/09/tony-xia-leaves-aston-villa-with-former-owners-remaining-shareholding-wiped-out/|title=Tony Xia leaves Aston Villa with former owner's remaining shareholding wiped out|last=Maher|first=Matt|date=9 August 2019|work=Express & Star|access-date=9 August 2019|archive-date=9 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190809140800/https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/aston-villa/2019/08/09/tony-xia-leaves-aston-villa-with-former-owners-remaining-shareholding-wiped-out/|url-status=live}}</ref> Villa's first season back in the Premier League saw a significant overhaul of the squad, with 12 players signed during the summer transfer window. The team battled relegation for most of the season, but stayed up on the final day with a 17th-place finish.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53545006|title=Aston Villa staying up better than play-off win - Dean Smith|work=BBC Sport|date=26 July 2020|access-date=27 July 2020|archive-date=27 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727231753/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53545006|url-status=live}}</ref> In Villa's second season back in the Premier League, Smith oversaw an 11th-place finish, but was unable to persuade star player and captain [[Jack Grealish]] to remain at the club after Manchester City's British-record £100 million bid triggered his release clause. Following a poor start to the 2021–22 season, which saw seven losses in the club's opening 11 games, Dean Smith was dismissed.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=7 November 2021|title=Aston Villa Club Statement|url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/november/07/club-statement-dean-smith/|url-status=live|access-date=7 November 2021|website=Aston Villa Football Club|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107133650/https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/november/07/club-statement-dean-smith/ |archive-date=7 November 2021 }}</ref>

Aston Villa appointed former [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] and England captain [[Steven Gerrard]] as head coach on 11 November 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/november/11/villa-announce-steven-gerrard-as-head-coach/|title=Villa announce Steven Gerrard as Head Coach|date=11 November 2021 |access-date=11 November 2021|archive-date=11 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211111101556/https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2021/november/11/villa-announce-steven-gerrard-as-head-coach/|url-status=live}}</ref> After a poor start to the 2022–23 season, in which Villa won just twice and scored only seven goals in their opening 11 games, Gerrard was sacked in October 2022,<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62775410 | title=Aston Villa sack Gerrard after defeat by Fulham | work=BBC Sport | access-date=21 October 2022 | archive-date=20 October 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221020215348/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/62775410 | url-status=live }}</ref> and replaced by four-time [[Europa League]]-winning Spanish manager [[Unai Emery]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Aston Villa appoint Emery as Gerrard's successor |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/63379963 |access-date=13 June 2023 |archive-date=11 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221111103408/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/63379963 |url-status=live }}</ref> He led Villa to 7th place and qualification for the [[Europa Conference League]] in his first season.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Villa qualify for Europe after 13-year absence|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65661853|access-date=13 June 2023|archive-date=13 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230613091316/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65661853|url-status=live}}</ref> In the 2023–24 season, Emery led the club to the [[2023–24 UEFA Europa Conference League|Conference League semi-finals]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Lille 2–1 Aston Villa |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68840324/ |first=Neil |last=Johnston |date=18 April 2024 |access-date=22 April 2024 |work=BBC Sport}}</ref> where they were knocked out by [[Olympiacos F.C.|Olympiacos]], and a 4th-place finish in the league, securing participation in the [[UEFA Champions League]] for the first time since 1982–83.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c51nn7yw1vgo |title=Aston Villa reach Champions League for first time |publisher=BBC Sport |date=14 May 2024 }}</ref>