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== Supporters and rivalries == {{See also|Second City derby|Aston Villa F.C.βWest Bromwich Albion F.C. rivalry}} [[File:12th Man.jpg|thumb|Aston Villa fans in Villa Park's Holte End, proclaiming themselves to be the team's [[12th man (football)|12th man]]]] Aston Villa have a large fanbase and draw support from all over the [[English Midlands|Midlands]] and beyond, with supporters' clubs all across the world. Former Villa chief executive Richard Fitzgerald has stated that the ethnicity of the supporters is currently 98% white. When Randy Lerner's regime took over at Villa Park, they aimed to improve the support from ethnic minorities. A number of organisations have been set up to support the local community, including Aston Pride.<ref>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929154352/http://www.villatrust.org.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=208 |archive-date=29 September 2007 |title=Richard FitzGerald: Bright Future |publisher=Aston Villa Supporters' Trust |date=10 April 2007|url=http://www.villatrust.org.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=208 }}</ref> A Villa in the Community programme has also been set up to encourage support among young people in the region.<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060927200236/http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/CommunityDetail/0%2C%2C10265~90039%2C00.html |archive-date=27 September 2006 |title=Villa in the Community |publisher=Aston Villa F.C |access-date=15 September 2008 |url=http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/CommunityDetail/0,,10265~90039,00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The new owners have also initiated several surveys aimed at gaining the opinions of Villa fans and to involve them in the decision-making process. Meetings also occur every three months where supporters are invited by ballot and are invited to ask questions to the board.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.avfc.eglobalpanel.com/index.php |title=Aston Villa Supporters Survey Website |publisher=Aston Villa F.C |access-date=15 September 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522224426/http://www.avfc.eglobalpanel.com/index.php |archive-date=22 May 2013 }}</ref> In 2011, the club supported a supporter-based initiative for an official anthem to boost the atmosphere at Villa Park. The song "The Bells Are Ringing" is to be played before games.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2334367,00.html |date=8 April 2011 |title=Check out new version of classic 'Bells Are Ringing' anthem |publisher=Aston Villa F.C. |access-date=31 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110826072347/http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10265~2334367%2C00.html |archive-date=26 August 2011 }}</ref> Like many English football clubs, Aston Villa has had several [[Football hooliganism|hooligan firms]] associated with it: Villa Youth, Steamers, [[Aston Villa Hardcore|Villa Hardcore]] and the C-Crew, the last mentioned being very active during the 1970s and 1980s. As can be seen across the whole of English football, the hooligan groups have now been marginalised.<ref>Brown, Danny; Brittle, Milo; p. 1.</ref> In 2004, several Villa firms were involved in a fight with [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|QPR]] fans outside Villa Park in which a steward died.<ref>{{cite news|last=Wells |first=Tom |title=Death of a Steward ... what 'really' happened |newspaper=Sunday Mercury |date=19 December 2004 |url=http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/mercury/tm_objectid=14994517&method=full&siteid=50002&headline=death-of-a-steward-----what--really--happened-name_page.html=SectionID=62&ArticleID=1894678 |access-date=19 March 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110921152158/http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/mercury/tm_objectid%3D14994517%26method%3Dfull%26siteid%3D50002%26headline%3Ddeath-of-a-steward-----what--really--happened-name_page.html%3DSectionID%3D62%26ArticleID%3D1894678 |archive-date=21 September 2011 }}</ref> The main groupings of supporters can now be found in a number of domestic and international supporters' clubs. This includes the Official Aston Villa Supporters Club which also has many smaller regional and international sections.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.avfclionsclubs.co.uk/lions-clubs-directory |title=Lions Club Directory |publisher=Aston Villa F.C |access-date=19 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120621193242/http://www.avfclionsclubs.co.uk/lions-clubs-directory |archive-date=21 June 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> There were several independent supporters clubs during the reign of Doug Ellis but most of these disbanded after his retirement.<ref name=Ellisearner/> The supporter group [[My Old Man Said]] formed to stand up for Villa supporters' rights, as a direct result of Villa supporters' protest against the club's appointment of [[Alex McLeish]]. The club's supporters also publish [[fanzine]]s such as ''Heroes and Villains'' and ''The Holy Trinity''. Aston Villa's arch-rivals are Birmingham City, with games between the two clubs known as the [[Second City Derby]].<ref name=Derby/> Historically though, [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]] have arguably been Villa's greatest rivals, a view highlighted in a fan survey, conducted in 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.footballfanscensus.com/issueresults/Club_Rivalries_Uncovered_Results.pdf |title=Club rivalries uncovered |publisher=The Football Fans Census |access-date=15 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080910061502/http://www.footballfanscensus.com/issueresults/Club_Rivalries_Uncovered_Results.pdf |archive-date=10 September 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The two teams contested three FA Cup finals in the late 19th century. Villa also enjoy less heated local rivalries with [[Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.|Wolverhampton Wanderers]] and [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]]. Through the relegation of West Brom and Birmingham City, to the [[Football League Championship]], in the [[FA Premier League 2005β06|2005β06]] season, at the start of [[FA Premier League 2006β07|2006β07]] Premiership season, Villa were the only Midlands club in that League. The nearest opposing team Villa faced during that season was [[Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]], who played {{convert|62|mi|km}} away in South Yorkshire.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/4968920.stm |title=Is West Midlands Football in decline? |work=BBC Sport |access-date=15 September 2008 |date=8 May 2006 |first=Phil |last=Gordos |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070102112306/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/4968920.stm |archive-date=2 January 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> For the [[2010β11 Premier League|2010β11 season]], West Bromwich Albion were promoted and joined Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Birmingham City in the Premier League. This marked the first time that the "West Midlands' Big Four" clubs were in the Premier League at the same time, and the first time together in the top flight since the [[1983β84 in English football|1983β84 season]]. Birmingham were relegated at the end of the 2010β11 season, ending this period.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/13444710 |title=Tottenham 2β1 Birmingham |first=Phil |last=Dawkes |work=BBC Sport |access-date=19 March 2012 |date=22 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120409190020/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/13444710 |archive-date=9 April 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> The rivalry with Birmingham City was renewed in 2016β17 when Aston Villa suffered relegation from the Premier League.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37742867 |title=Birmingham City 1β1 Aston Villa |work=BBC Sport |date=30 October 2016 |access-date=13 July 2021 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161030150432/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37742867 |archive-date=30 October 2016 }}</ref> They were joined by West Brom two years later,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44046183 |title=West Brom relegated from Premier League after Southampton beat Swansea |work=BBC Sport |date=8 May 2018 |access-date=13 July 2021 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508210824/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44046183 |archive-date=8 May 2018 }}</ref> but Villa won promotion back to the Premier League in 2019.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48331145 |title=Aston Villa 2β1 Derby County |work=BBC Sport |date=27 May 2019 |access-date=13 July 2021 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526205007/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48331145 |archive-date=26 May 2019 }}</ref> In 2024, a supporter group named 1897 Group - named after the year that the club first used Villa Park as their home stadium - formed with the stated intention of vocally and visually enhancing the atmosphere for the club's matches at Villa Park. Following a subsequent meeting with club officials, 1897 Group were allocated a section of seats in the stadium's Doug Ellis Stand for a Premier League match against [[A.F.C. Bournemouth]]. This launched the group's physical presence at matches.<ref>{{Cite news |title= Aston Villa news from BirminghamLive as the 1897 Group prepare for Bournemouth trial display after encouraging meeting with the club |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-launch-exciting-villa-28939048 |date=2024-04-05 |website=BirminghamLive |language=en-GB}}</ref> 1897 Group also help to organise and carry out flag and [[tifo]] displays in Villa Park's Holte End stand and also in other sections of the stadium for some Villa home matches. Additionally, they have also organised and promoted Villa fan marches where Villa supporters are encouraged by the group to congregate at a designated point in the town or city that Villa are playing in and walk all together to the stadium.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dawson |first=Jack |date=2024-10-02 |title=Three things you may have missed in Aston Villaβs sensational Champions League victory against Bayern Munich |url=https://www.astonvilla.news/match-coverage/three-things-you-may-have-missed-in-aston-villas-sensational-champions-league-victory-against-bayern-munich/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Aston Villa News |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Club |first=Aston Villa Football |title=UEFA Champions League Away Match Information |url=https://www.avfc.co.uk/fans/ucl-information/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Aston Villa Football Club}}</ref>
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