About stadium

Stadium introduction

Originally know as The Aston Lower Grounds, Villa Park is Aston Villa’s third stadium in the club’s history having previously played at local pitches at Aston Park (1874-1876 and Wellington Road (1876 -1897). The largest ground in the Midlands, it is famous for hosting over 55 semi-finals of the F.A Cup. The first match held at the ground was a friendly against Blackburn Rovers on the 17th April 1897, and during Villa Park’s inaugural season crowds averaged at around 21,000. The new facilities matched the club’s impressive performances on the pitch, and by the start of the 1940s the club had won 6 First Division titles and 6 FA Cups. With every major trophy won more money was invested into the facilities, and along with Everton’s Goodison Park, Villa’s stadium was regarded as one of the finest in the country. Archibald Leitch was consulted for a redesign but his plans were disrupted until the 1966 World Cup by the outbreak of the Second World War. Today’s modern Villa Park is very much the legacy of former chairman Doug Ellis who oversaw the conversion of the stadium to all-seating after the events of Hillsborough. The Witton Lane Stand was built during the 1993-1994 season, The iconic Holte End a season afterwards and the main stand of the ground on Trinity Road Stand six years later in 2000. Aston Villa currently have planning permission to rebuild the north stand which would increase the capacity to around 50,000. However due to a lack of European football, it doesn’t appear as if this will happen any time soon. This means that the modern attendance record set of 42,877 set against Liverpool on 29th December 2009 is unlikely to be beaten.

How to get to the Stadium

Trinity Rd, Birmingham, B6 6HE